Chapter 189
by Need_More_SleepChapter 189: Scamming? (Two-In-One)
Three weeks had passed. Every Monday, Mi Xiaoliu dutifully hands over the miracle herbs.
Under the watch of six high-precision cameras, she’d flip her hand like a magician—no one could decipher how her ability truly worked. It looked like she was simply pulling pre-prepared miracle herbs out of thin air, yet there was no proof.
During a meeting, someone suggested installing surveillance in Mi Xiaoliu’s bedroom—even the showers and toilets. The proposer was promptly beaten up by an angry Humpback Whale, and the motion gained little support.
Sacrificing human progress over something as trivial as privacy? To some, that was pure idiocy.
Mass-producing the miracle herbs was impossible. Research showed they were biologically identical to ordinary clover—yet they couldn’t be cultivated. Slicing one into pieces and feeding them to different people only worked for the first recipient.
Mi Xiaoliu refused to explain their origin. Humpback Whale deliberately obfuscated her records. Was something going wrong?
Her initial prison assessment focused solely on spatial abilities. Without precise data, she was tentatively classified as LV4.
The real shame was never witnessing her flame-erasure ability. Historical records showed no precedent for fire manipulation, but creating substances bore eerie similarities to the Lasvedo family’s powers.
All this was documented on paper files, encrypted to LV5 standards. Humpback Whale’s excuse? “Official databases aren’t secure enough.” A flimsy but passable justification.
A missed opportunity—had Red Prince lived longer, they could’ve extracted the dream server’s location and upgraded their systems.
Mi Xiaoliu’s importance grew. Perhaps coercion was needed to uncover the miracle herbs’ origins. At the same time, her protection needed bolstering.
And Black Element… that demanded urgent attention.
—
Juvenile detention was harsh.
Early wake-ups. Mandatory labor. Moral lectures. Even meals were supervised—zero freedom.
Compared to real prison, the workload was lighter, tailored for minors.
Still better than those internet-addiction “rehabilitation” camps, though.
The food was predictably awful, with no options. “Tomato and egg stir-fry” contained more shell than egg—just like school cafeterias.
A riot over this issue forced the kitchen to revise the menu. “Tomato and egg” became “egg and tomato.”
Be grateful it wasn’t changed to “tomato and tomato.”
Mi Xiaoliu stayed out of it, playing the obedient role.
One week left until release.
—
Sunshine City was drowning in rain.
Unlike their overworked counterparts in Fanzui City, Sunshine City’s police force enjoyed indoor coffee breaks.
“Powerful ability, well-behaved… if not for the Black Element, I’d recruit her as a vigilante,” mused the captain, flipping through Mi Xiaoliu’s file.
“She’s too young. Vigilantes need to be at least 14 years old,” a red-haired woman interjected, rubbing her recently healed arm.
“Honestly, Wei Shi didn’t seem like the threatening type. Mi Xiaoliu looked like she chose to help him—”
The captain cut her off. “Some things aren’t worth digging into. Worry about Black Spider instead—his work’s been sloppy this month. Did the Humpback Whale poach him?”
Enoch was useful, even if he’d left the captain’s wife in pain last time.
“He’s chasing his little girlfriend. You should’ve seen him today—saw Little White Whale stranded in the rain outside a cat café, sprinted over with an umbrella, then faceplanted in front of her. His recovery? Breakdancing. Like a damn windmill.”
“Stop. I’m cringing.”
In the end, she still hadn’t even needed the umbrella.
But the captain’s hunch was right—Enoch was being poached.
When Humpback Whale discovered Enoch’s crush was Yiwen, he nearly cheered. Clapping the boy’s shoulder, he boasted.
“Fanzui City’s got Little Jingyin on the left, Little Six (Xiaoliu) on the right—two beauties in one place. Why hesitate here?”
Using Mi Xiaoliu as bait made him slightly guilty. He absentmindedly rubbed his once-severed arm.
Regret followed. If this fool struck out with Yiwen and turned to Mi Xiaoliu instead… wouldn’t he end up fighting Dias?
“Should’ve saved Xiaoliu for Dias instead. Damn my big mouth.”
—
“Jingyin, I’m transferring to Fanzui City next month!” Enoch rushed to share the news with Yiwen the moment it was finalized.
Of course he’d accepted. Why hesitate? Sure, he felt guilty ditching his partner and the captain’s wife, but teaming up with an LV4 promised better prospects—plus an immediate promotion upon joining.
Rumors painted Fanzui City as a vigilante’s paradise, overflowing with opportunities. Stop a random driver, and there’s a solid chance you’ll find a corpse in the trunk.
“Oh…” Yiwen lay on the couch, half-heartedly grinding a mobile game.
Pentakill. Easy. Yet she felt nothing.
Solo queue meant fleeting praise—a few “666”s from teammates, followed by the next match’s inevitable toxicity.
She didn’t even want to play anymore. But picking up the phone beat facing homework.
“Just one more game to round the hour…”
“Welp, that ran long. Might as well hit the next hour mark…”
And just like that, the day vanished.
“Jingyin, let’s duo!” Enoch pulled out his phone.
Gaming was the universal bonding tool, right?
“What’s your rank?” Yiwen side-eyed him.
“Diamond I.” He scratched his head.
Yiwen shook her head. “We can’t queue.”
Trash. She was a proud Silver Elite—low rank by choice.
To her, games were games. No trolling, no rage. Win or lose, it didn’t matter. Mi Xiaoliu and Jim would play with her regardless.
“Dinner tonight? Just us.” His intent couldn’t be clearer.
“Busy. Visiting Xiaoliu.”
A lie. Since Mi Xiaoliu’s detention, Heli monopolized visitation. Yiwen only sneaked in twice at dawn, unsure what to say to her ex-boyfriend turned “female friend.”
That day, Mi Xiaoliu had pressed a handmade trinket against the glass, eyes begging for praise.
“She showed Heli the same thing last time,” the guard mentioned.
So cute.
Yet seeing her like this—feminine, soft—clashed violently with Yiwen’s memories. It stirred something dark.
She never forgot that kick.
—
“Jingyin, give me a chance.” Enoch recognized her dismissal but pushed on. “You like obedient guys, right? I can do that. I’ll protect you. Stable income, too. And I don’t back down—remember when I fought your antis online?”
He pulled up DM logs—dozens of accounts.
Recent messages:
“Keep barking. Oh wait, you can’t. 😂”
(The User blocked you.)
Older exchanges devolved into 100+ reply chains of insults.
His main account got banned a year ago for defending her. Now, hunting down every hater with alt accounts felt good.
Since content creation became low-effort, the internet had spiraled into madness.
Some still refused to admit Yiwen’s innocence.
They craved villains, not truth. “Punish first, ask never” was their motto.
If trolling were a crime, I’d arrest them all.
“Thanks… I’ll treat you to dinner sometime. But you’re not my type.” Yiwen rolled over, back to him.
No mixed signals—just rejection.
“What is your type? I’ll change!” Desperation crept in. “I’m younger too—by two weeks! I’ll wear glasses, talk less, and keep a straight face. And I’m a guy!”
Yiwen ignored him, eyes glued to her screen.
—
Enoch left in the downpour, thunder mirroring his mood.
But her refusal didn’t deter him. If I quit now, I’ll regret it forever.
Yiwen stared at the matchmaking prompt on her phone—and for the first time, she hit DECLINE.
Honestly, the game wasn’t even that fun anymore.
What kind of guy did she like?
She’d had the answer long ago, back when she chatted with Barrett.
Fair-skinned, handsome, around 180cm tall, preferably with an eight-pack, treats me well, and doesn’t back down in a crisis. High income too—since her future earnings would be solid.
It sounded like the entitled demands of an internet princess, right? But she did have the capital to be picky.
Rich heirs? No thanks. They’d only want her looks anyway, not some small-time cop like her.
So why had she fallen for Mi Xiaoliu?
Average looks (Back then), physically weak (Normally), soft personality.
Was it because Mi Xiaoliu had saved her?
Maybe. Hero rescues beauty was cliché, but it worked. Classic. Effective.
Still, liking a girl was just too weird. She’d be laughed at if she ever admitted it. And when Mi Xiaoliu said she liked her too—was that even real?
But those little moments had been sweet, hadn’t they?
Gaming together.
Shopping together.
Eating together.
…And then that b*tch’s ass in her face.
Or Mi Xiaoliu’s barefoot stepping on her—ugh!
Why am I remembering the bad parts?!
Yiwen’s face burned as she squirmed on the sofa.
What now? Find a new boyfriend to move on? But she already didn’t know how to act around Mi Xiaoliu—this would just make it worse.
So infuriating. She’d spent so much money on Mi Xiaoliu, all for nothing.
…Actually, how much had she spent? Just meals and claw machine games, right?
Yiwen started mentally tallying her “relationship expenses”—until her phone rang.
Humpback Whale.
Oh, now he calls? After using me to lure Enoch to Fanzui City? She should report him to Old Chen and get his pay docked.
…Except Old Chen would probably praise Humpback Whale for recruiting a useful tool.
Yiwen answered.
Before she could complain, Humpback Whale’s urgent voice cut in: “Is Xiaoliu with you?”
“Why would she be here?” Yiwen sat up, crushing the rabbit-eared cat plush beneath her into a funny shape.
“She escaped.” Humpback Whale sounded unsure of himself. “Used the thunderstorm as cover, blasted through a wall, and ran.”
“She had ONE WEEK left! Why?!” Yiwen was floored.
Since when could Mi Xiaoliu strategize timing her jailbreak with weather noise?
“No clue. Maybe someone bullied her inside?” Humpback Whale’s voice was half-drowned by the sound of rushing water—proof of the storm’s intensity.
No way. Wei Shi had literally crossdressed to sneak in and threaten the other girls before leaving. Who’d dare?
“Check the cameras!”
“Are you forgetting she can jam cameras?” Humpback Whale sighed.
“I thought that was tech-based?”
Yiwen yanked on her shoes and bolted out.
This makes no sense.
Even as Mi Xiaoliu’s closest friend, Yiwen had no idea the full extent of her abilities.
Panic set in. The governor was dead. Wei Shi was dead. What reason did Mi Xiaoliu have to escape now? That time-stop ability user?
A gnawing irritation twisted in Yiwen’s chest.
She recognized this feeling. It was identical to what she’d felt toward Lu Mingxue.
Jealousy.
WHY?! Her brain needed to stop. Mi Xiaoliu was a girl! Had the “romance” sector of her mind not gotten the memo yet?!
Yiwen pulled up a map, then immediately closed it.
Useless. She’d have better luck strapping a camera to herself and having dispatch guide her.
But even if she had coordinates, where would Mi Xiaoliu even go—?
Then it hit her.
Yiwen flew through the downpour until she reached a theater.
Despite the storm, a snaking line of umbrella-holding fans stretched outside. Right—today was that idol’s concert. She’d even bought e-tickets for herself and Mi Xiaoliu, though they’d gone to waste…
Wait.
A wild thought struck her.
She landed and shoved through the crowd.
The fans’ rain-defying dedication became her biggest obstacle. Flying overhead was pointless—too many umbrellas.
But spotting her, it was easy.
Mi Xiaoliu stood obediently in line, clad in that infuriating trench coat, which doubled as a raincoat—not that it helped much. Water cascaded off the umbrellas around her, drenching her anyway. A black-clad figure hovered nearby, ignored by the crowd.
This wasn’t Fanzui City, after all.
She actually came…
She’d remembered. Just like how she’d handed Yiwen that gift even after being shot in the heart.
The realization stung.
“What the hell are you doing here?!”
Yiwen rushed over, shielding Mi Xiaoliu from the rain and accidentally redirecting the runoff onto the person behind them. She yanked Mi Xiaoliu out of line—prompting the next fan to immediately fill the gap.
Mi Xiaoliu blinked at her, confused.
“I mean why did you escape?!” Yiwen bonked her head.
Are you stupid?! Who in their right mind would break out of jail one week before release for a concert?!
Yiwen was livid.
“Unbelievable,” Yiwen fumed.
Mi Xiaoliu tugged at Yiwen’s sleeve and pointed toward the back of the line.
Yiwen shook her head and grabbed her wrist. “We’re going back. Humpback Whale and the guards are freaking out.”
Mi Xiaoliu didn’t budge.
Yiwen had said she wouldn’t come to the concert—so Mi Xiaoliu had stopped listening to her and gone anyway.
“Move it.” Yiwen yanked harder, irritation flaring. This little brat’s been messing with my head for days.
(Also, her period wasn’t helping.)
“Not mad?” Mi Xiaoliu asked.
“Not mad,” Yiwen lied, forcing calm.
Did she escape because she was scared I’d be upset?
Does she even realize that if Humpback Whale hadn’t called, if I hadn’t been nearby, she’d have broken out for nothing? Gotten soaked for nothing?
Mi Xiaoliu shook her head, then pressed a hand to her stomach. “It hurts.”
“…”
Yiwen’s mouth opened—then snapped shut as it clicked.
Because her period’s still here too.
Wait… was it even me who leaked during PE class? That incident had earned her the humiliating nickname “Hemorrhoid Prince.”
Another grudge to add to the pile. This girl’s been screwing me over since day one.
But right now, there was no choice.
Yiwen scooped Mi Xiaoliu up—princess-style.
The crook of Mi Xiaoliu’s knees fit perfectly against her arms, the softness of her thighs and calves pressing into Yiwen’s skin with every step. The gentle bounce of Mi Xiaoliu’s legs, the way her elbows brushed against Yiwen’s sides—
Ugh! Stop it!
The carry drew stares. Some onlookers glared, both single and bitter, and others whipped out phones to film, no doubt captioning it:
“Girlfriend insists on braving rain for the concert, fed-up boyfriend carries her away.”
(Yiwen was dressed masculinely today.)
Normally thick-skinned, Yiwen still burned with embarrassment under the scrutiny. All because this brat broke out of jail for a damn concert.
I told you to come and you just did? Sure, those tickets were 300+ each, but did you think I’d be touched? Now I’m just pissed about the wasted money!
She glared down at Mi Xiaoliu.
Two tickets. 600+ total. That’s like a seventh of my monthly pay… Round up to 1,000 mira. Add all the other crap I’ve bought her, round up to 10,000 mira. Then 100,000 mira!
Almost got fooled by her dumb-cute act. She didn’t just steal my heart—she stole my cash! What’s there to be moved about?! You think one sweet gesture fixes this?!
Hormones and fury collided. Yiwen stared daggers at the girl in her arms.
Mi Xiaoliu blinked up, clueless.
Why are you so cute?!
Finally, clarity struck. Yiwen’s eyes sharpened.
Time to lay down the law.
“You scammed me out of 100,000 mira. You’re done. Girl or not, you’re stuck with me now.”
From the sidelines, Sasha muttered.
“…Extortion?”
[Translator’s Note: See the index page for this Novel if you want to see the Amazon Link for the eBooks.]
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