The next morning, the sun shone brightly. Light filtered through the dense branches lining the campus pathways, scattering shifting patches of sunlight across the ground.
Linmu Fujimiya strolled toward the student club fair with a languid step, an Alpenliebe lollipop in his mouth and both hands tucked into his uniform pockets.
Today, he had a clear goal: the club fair.
People joined clubs either to pursue their interests, build up their résumés, and make connections, or, at the very least, to kill time.
Linmu Fujimiya, however, had an entirely different plan in mind: earn points without lifting a finger.
That was right. After getting a basic understanding of the academy's brutal "points-and-assessments" system, Lin Mu had decided to keep slacking off. That didn't stop him from using his "advantage" to find an easy, steady source of points.
After all, lollipops cost money, and so did the occasional better meal or anything else he might want to buy.
Relying entirely on the monthly points, which could fluctuate—or even drop to zero—depending on his class's performance, didn't suit him.
He needed a source of points he could control, one that wouldn't take too much effort.
And his superpower was undoubtedly the best "means of production" he could ask for.
As he'd lain in bed last night, inspiration had struck: he could become a fortune teller.
With the "precognition" ability in his power arsenal, he shouldn't try peeking too far into the future, or at anything too grand—that would take too much energy.
But looking at a specific person's general prospects over the short term—say, a few days or weeks—and spotting the key events along the way was easy and remarkably accurate.
He could set up a little stall at the club fair and arrange some mysterious-looking props—Tarot Cards, a crystal ball, and the like.
Then he could wait for the right moment and deliver a few vague "predictions" that would come true sooner or later. There'd be no shortage of lost lambs... er, classmates coming to see him.
Lin Mu's little scheme was ticking along merrily in his head. People—especially teenagers caught in a fiercely competitive environment with uncertain futures—were usually confused and insecure.
When something came up, like exams, conflicts with friends, or choosing what to do with their lives, they tended to feel at a loss and look for something to cling to.
Even knowing fortune-telling was mysterious and probably just a form of comfort, they'd still pay for the "guidance" it might offer and the brief peace of mind it brought.
After all, if fortune-telling could really decide whether you succeeded or failed, who would bother staying up late to study?
But he was different! Lin Mu couldn't help a sly smile from tugging at the corner of his mouth.
He could really see "fragments of the future"!
As long as what he revealed didn't involve him forcibly intervening, events would basically unfold along the path he'd foreseen.
Once he'd built up a name and a good reputation, charging a hundred thousand points per reading wouldn't be unreasonable, would it?
After all, these were "real predictions."
Just a few clients a month would be enough for him to live comfortably and finally achieve complete "point freedom," without the slightest worry about next month's class assessment.
Earning points while lying around—just imagining it felt great.
He couldn't help letting out a couple of low, delighted "keh-keh" laughs on the deserted path. With his handsome face and lazy manner, he looked a little like a villain.
Once he'd made up his mind, he was ready to act.
Lin Mu changed course. Instead of heading straight to the club fair, he first detoured to the campus general store—he needed to pick up some "professional equipment."
The store was still spacious and bright, with shelves stocked full of goods.
Lin Mu grabbed a shopping cart and headed straight for the area shared by stationery, gifts, and outdoor supplies.
His eyes quickly scanned for what he needed:
First, a beautifully packaged Tarot deck.
The box was made of deep-blue velvet with gold-embossed patterns. Inside, every card had intricate, mysterious artwork that practically screamed "I'm a professional." Perfect.
Next, a fist-sized artificial crystal ball, clear and sparkling.
It came with a black velvet stand. Set it on a table under the light, and it looked all hazy and mysterious—the perfect prop to impress people.
Then he picked out two lightweight folding stools with canvas seats and metal legs. They folded up nice and small.
He also got a simple folding square table in a natural wood finish, with a smooth top.
Most importantly, he couldn't leave out his "sign." He found the customization counter and quickly placed his order at the terminal.
He chose a dark-purple banner with silver lettering, printed with eight sweeping characters: "Accurate Fortune-Telling, Foresee Your Path."
He paid the rush fee, and it would be ready for pickup in a few minutes.
Finally, he considered that he might need a relatively private space where he wouldn't be disturbed—preferably shaded, since he didn't want to sit in the sun.
He picked out the smallest portable folding tent. It could fit two or three people when set up, and folded down into a long backpack that was easy to carry.
Looking at the pile of "startup supplies" in his shopping cart, Lin Mu nodded in satisfaction and wheeled it over to the checkout.
The cashier was an auntie with a blank expression, scanning everything with practiced ease.
As the beeps rang out one after another, the balance on Lin Mu's terminal began to plummet.
"Total: 60,100 points."
Lin Mu looked at the final total on the screen, then at his balance. He'd had just over twenty thousand points to begin with, and now it had dropped straight down to...
He quickly did the math. He had... less than twenty thousand left?
The exact number was a little too painful to look at. Even the familiar sweetness of the Alpenliebe lollipop in his mouth seemed to have turned bitter.
It hurt. It really, truly hurt. Sixty thousand points!
He'd only just received a hundred thousand yesterday. After spending some on lollipops and daily necessities, this "startup capital" had now swallowed up more than half of what remained.
His fingers tightened around the terminal, the tips turning white.
It hurt, but Lin Mu knew this was a necessary investment.
You had to risk something to get something.
For some reason, a few movie scenes he'd seen in his previous life flashed through his mind. The hero had used a tiny starting stake to win an enormous fortune...
Right, wasn't there someone called Chen Daozai? He'd turned twenty dollars into thirty-seven million?
"Tsk." Lin Mu clicked his tongue softly and nudged the candy against his cheek. "I've got my superpowers to back me up. I'm way more reliable than any God of Gamblers.
"So what if I go all in with sixty thousand? Just wait and see. I'll earn it all back with interest—no, I'll double it, then double it again, and again!"
Thinking of it that way—what you might call self-hypnosis—made him feel much better.
He put away his terminal and was about to take the large bags the cashier had already packed for him when, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a rather strange figure near the drinks aisle.
It was a girl with waist-length purple hair and a slender build, dressed in the academy uniform.
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