All-in on Some Points, the Rise of a Charlatan

The next morning, the sun was just right, casting mottled, dancing shadows through the gaps in the dense foliage lining the campus boulevard.

Linmu Fujimiya had an Alpenliebe lollipop dangling from his mouth, his hands tucked into his uniform pockets as he strolled lazily toward the club recruitment area.

Today, his goal was clear: the club recruitment booths.

When others joined clubs, it was either to pursue an interest, pad their resumes, build connections, or at the very least, kill time.

Linmu Fujimiya, however, had a completely different scheme turning in his head: earning points while lying down.

Yes, after basically figuring out the academy's brutal "points-to-assessment" binding rules, Linmu had decided to keep slacking off, but that didn't stop him from using his own "advantages" to carve out a path for an easy and stable source of points.

After all, lollipops cost money, and occasionally he wanted to improve his meals or buy other things, which also cost money.

Relying entirely on the monthly point distribution, which could fluctuate or even drop to zero based on class performance, didn't fit his plans.

He needed a controllable way to obtain points without expending too much energy.

And his superpower was undoubtedly the best "means of production."

Lying in bed last night, a brilliant idea flashed through his mind: become a fortune teller.

While he shouldn't use the "precognition" ability in his superpower library to peer into a future that was too distant or grand (as that consumed too much energy), looking at the general trend of fortune or key event nodes for a specific individual in the short term (like a few days or weeks) was quite easy and precise.

When the time came, he would set up a small stall at the recruitment area, complete with mysterious-looking props—tarot cards, a crystal ball, and the like.

Then, by dropping a few ambiguous but inevitable "prophecies" at key moments, he wouldn't have to worry about a lack of lost lambs... ah, no, students coming to him.

Linmu's mental abacus clicked away: people, especially teenagers living in an environment of fierce competition and uncertain futures, were mostly lost and insecure.

When they encountered problems, such as exams, interpersonal conflicts, or choices about the future, they tended to panic and always wanted to find something to cling to.

Even if they knew fortune-telling was mysterious and likely just psychological comfort, they were still willing to pay for that "potential guidance" and a moment of peace of mind.

After all, if real-world fortune-telling could truly determine success or failure, who would still be working themselves to the bone?

But he was different! The corner of Linmu's mouth couldn't help but curl into a cunning arc.

He was someone who could actually see "fragments of the future"!

As long as he didn't force an intervention, the results he spoke of would basically unfold according to the predicted trajectory.

Once he built up a reputation and word-of-mouth spread, charging 100,000 points per session wouldn't be excessive, right?

After all, this was "genuine prophecy."

Taking just a few such orders a month would be enough for him to live comfortably and achieve "point freedom," never having to worry about the next month's class assessment results again.

Earning points while lying down—just thinking about it was satisfying.

He couldn't help but let out two low, pleasant chuckles of "hehe" on the deserted boulevard, which, paired with his handsome face and lazy demeanor, gave him the air of a villain.

With his mind made up, he acted immediately.

Linmu changed direction; instead of heading straight to the recruitment area, he detoured to the campus convenience store—he needed to purchase some "professional equipment."

The convenience store remained spacious, bright, and well-stocked.

Linmu pushed a shopping cart and headed straight for the section mixing stationery, gifts, and outdoor supplies.

His eyes quickly scanned for his targets:

First, a beautifully packaged set of tarot cards.

The card box was made of dark blue velvet with gold-stamped patterns. When opened, the pattern on each card was drawn in a complex and mysterious way, exuding an "I am very professional" vibe. That was the one.

Next, a crystal-clear, fist-sized artificial crystal ball.

It came with a black velvet base; when placed on a table and hit by the light, it looked hazy and atmospheric—an essential for bluffing.

Then, two lightweight folding stools with canvas seats and metal legs that were very compact when folded.

A simple, foldable square table, wood-colored with a flat surface.

The most important "sign" couldn't be missing either—he found the customization area and quickly operated the terminal.

He selected a banner with a deep purple background and silver lettering, printed with eight bold, sweeping characters: "Precise Divination, Foreseeing the Path Ahead."

He paid the rush fee, and it would be ready for pickup in a few minutes.

Finally, considering he might need a relatively independent space free from interference (preferably one that provided shade, as he didn't want to be baked by the sun), he picked out the smallest portable folding tent. When set up, it could hold two or three people, and when packed away, it was just a long, easy-to-carry bag.

Looking at the "startup supplies" piled in his cart, Linmu nodded with satisfaction and pushed the cart toward the checkout counter.

The cashier was an auntie with a blank expression who scanned the items skillfully.

As the "beep" sounds rang out in succession, the balance on Linmu's terminal began to jump and shrink rapidly.

"Total: 60,100 points."

Linmu looked at the final total on the screen, then looked at his original balance of just over 20,000, which had now dropped to...

He did a quick mental calculation; he had about... less than 20,000 left?

The specific number was too painful to look at. The familiar sweet taste of the Alpenliebe lollipop in his mouth seemed to turn a little bitter.

It hurt. It was a genuine, physical ache. Sixty thousand points!

He had just received one hundred thousand yesterday, and after spending some on lollipops and daily necessities, this "startup capital" had just drained more than half of it in one go.

His fingers tightened around the terminal, his fingertips turning white.

As much as it pained him, Lin Mu knew clearly that this was a necessary investment.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Fragments of movies he had watched in his past life flickered through his mind, where the protagonist used a tiny amount of capital to gamble for massive returns...

Right, wasn't there someone called Chen Daozai? He turned 20 into 37 million, didn't he?

"Tsk." Lin Mu clicked his tongue softly, pushing his cheek out with the lollipop, "I have superpowers to back me up; I'm way more reliable than any God of Gamblers."

What was going all-in with sixty thousand? Just wait and see, sooner or later he would earn it all back with interest—no, he would double it, and double it again, and again!

Thinking this way (a situation known as self-hypnosis), he immediately felt much better.

He put away the terminal and was just about to take the several large, packed bags handed over by the middle-aged cashier, when the corner of his eye caught a somewhat strange figure in the beverage section not far away.

It was a girl with waist-length purple hair, a slender build, and she was wearing an academy uniform.