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Chapter 33: Back to the Old Trade



After arriving in Whale Fall City for about ten days, Zhuang Mo hadn't taken a single day off.

During the day, Bai Shuang had to go to work, and at times like this, Zhuang Mo was busy gathering intelligence.

After returning from the police station, Zhuang Mo deliberately kept a close eye on Miss Chahua for quite a while.

The more he observed, the more suspicious Miss Chahua seemed. It was very possible that she was the hacker infiltrating the Whale Fall Decision game.

First, Miss Chahua was active daily within Whale Fall City, which matched the hacker's IP coming from inside the city.

Second, Miss Chahua was an informant planted by He Shouchen right next to Wu Qiong, and her background itself was questionable.

Lastly, and most importantly, Miss Chahua's infatuation with Wu Qiong was earth-shaking and heaven-moving, as if the sun and moon bore witness!

Unfortunately, Miss Chahua's passionate feelings were wasted; whenever she had free time, she just watched Wu Qiong and smiled foolishly, while Wu Qiong's attitude toward her was almost indifferent.

In Wu Qiong's eyes, Miss Chahua was merely his personal assistant, nothing more.

Putting all known facts together, it was highly likely that Miss Chahua first accepted a task from He Shouchen to hack the game, and later, unable to contain her feelings for Wu Qiong, used the fake character in the game to do things to Wu Qiong that crossed the line.

If the hacker's possessiveness toward Wu Qiong hadn't been exposed early, Bai Shuang might never have discovered the hacker's existence, and Zhuang Mo wouldn't have suspected Miss Chahua.

Zhuang Mo was scrutinizing Miss Chahua in every direction when suddenly a small hand tapped his shoulder from behind!

"What are you looking at?" Bai Shuang followed her boyfriend's gaze and saw Miss Chahua tidying the dining table.

Worried Bai Shuang might misunderstand, Zhuang Mo quickly pulled her outside and whispered, "Have you ever suspected Chen Chahua? She's very likely the hacker!"

Bai Shuang wasn't sure yet.

Actually, Bai Shuang's prime suspect was also Miss Chahua, but she hadn't found conclusive evidence to confirm Miss Chahua's guilt in hacking the game.

Zhuang Mo and Bai Shuang stealthily hid outside the door and saw Miss Chahua sneaking glances repeatedly toward where Wu Qiong sat.

Anyone with eyes could tell Miss Chahua truly liked Wu Qiong.

But sadly, everyone could also tell Wu Qiong had zero interest in her.

Zhuang Mo couldn't help but sigh, "Daoist Wu is truly devout—he really hasn't touched a woman in hundreds of years."

Bai Shuang rolled her eyes toward nowhere. The old Taoist's fake act of piety worked well in any century.

Wu Qiong's abstinence wasn't because he didn't want to, but because circumstances didn't allow it. If not for a heavenly tribulation teaching Wu Qiong to reform, he'd probably still be deceiving naive girls everywhere.

Miss Chahua tidied the table while secretly admiring Wu Qiong's direction. If Wu Qiong weren't so celibate, and there were opportunities for other women, she would have quit long ago!

Wu Qiong was focused, devoting himself to career and self-cultivation alone.

He appeared diligent at work, but actually paid close attention to everyone around him.

For example, Wu Qiong clearly noticed Miss Chahua's constant gazes.

Recently, with hackers infiltrating Whale Fall City, Wu Qiong's main suspect was also Miss Chahua.

True or not, a test would reveal the truth.

Wu Qiong suddenly looked at Miss Chahua with a gentle smile: "Chahua, when's your birthday?"

Miss Chahua was startled. For the first time ever, Wu Qiong asked her an unrelated, random question.

"Why are you asking this all of a sudden, Daoist?" she asked, blushing.

Wu Qiong smiled softly, "I don't have many skills, but I'm pretty good at fortune telling. Come here; consider it a small employee benefit."

Bai Shuang hiding outside almost dropped her jaw!

Unexpectedly, after two hundred years, the fake Daoist was back to his old tricks!

This proved an old saying true:

Once deep in deception's sea,

Integrity becomes a stranger to thee.

Lying is only done zero or infinite times.

Meeting a seasoned conman like Wu Qiong, restarting his old hustle was a mere trifle.

Miss Chahua didn't know any of this; her small face flushed red as she half-shyly gave her birth date and time.

Wu Qiong summoned a screen; a semi-transparent compass spun rapidly in midair.

Soon Wu Qiong seemed to understand, then looked up and asked Miss Chahua, "Wealth, marriage, career, health—you can only pick one. Which fate line do you want to know?"

Without hesitation, Miss Chahua said, "Marriage!"

Wu Qiong smiled faintly and pointed to the compass that even he barely understood: "Five steps to Jupiter, stellar balance shining bright. In my view, your destined person is not on Earth, but on Jupiter."

"Jupiter?" Two voices inside and outside the room asked simultaneously in confusion.

Not only Miss Chahua was puzzled by this answer, but even Zhuang Mo didn't understand why Jupiter. Jupiter was so far away—how could Miss Chahua travel there to find her destined one?

Only Bai Shuang laughed silently in her heart; the old Daoist's con artistry was truly first-class.

If Bai Shuang didn't know Wu Qiong's dark history, just watching this scene alone, she might have been thoroughly convinced by the fake act.

Miss Chahua was first surprised, then disappointed. She had no concept of Jupiter and never expected to find her true love there.

Her beloved was right in front of her, yet he pointed her toward a path nine hundred million kilometers long.

Miss Chahua's eyes reddened; she choked up and asked, "Daoist, do you find me annoying?"

"How could that be?" Wu Qiong replied.

Miss Chahua bluntly said, "You're clearly telling me to go as far away as possible, preferably to Jupiter, and never come back!"

Wu Qiong stood and floated toward her, surrounded by a faint celestial aura. "Silly girl, how could you think that? In my heart, you're as important as Shuang'er. You're both my children. Just thinking about you leaving someday breaks my heart."

"Daoist," Miss Chahua looked at Wu Qiong with admiration.

This was the first time Wu Qiong was this close to her, speaking so gently. Before, Wu Qiong was like a distant god, separated by an insurmountable gulf.

Putting aside all restraint and shame, Miss Chahua threw herself into Wu Qiong's arms.

It turned out the Daoist's waist was so slender, only thanks to his loose robes that his figure didn't look overly thin.

Looking back two hundred years, Wu Qiong was a kind of male lead who handled women throwing themselves at him with ease.

Now that Miss Chahua clung to him, he gently patted her back, saying, "Don't say such silly things again, or I'll be sad."

Miss Chahua snuggled in his arms, acting spoiled: "It's clearly your words that make people sad!"

Wu Qiong sighed, "I'm unlucky, cursed with misfortune. Not only have I lived a lonely life, but most children I raised met tragic fates, dying young. When I first saw you, I liked you and thought how wonderful it would be if you were my daughter. But then I thought better of it—how could you agree?"

Miss Chahua became anxious and quickly retorted, "You didn't even ask, how can you decide I wouldn't agree?!"


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