The next morning, the sun shone brightly. Its rays filtered through the dense branches lining the campus walkways, scattering patches of dappled light across the ground.
Linmu Fujimiya strolled toward the campus club recruitment area with an Alpenliebe lollipop in his mouth and his hands in his uniform pockets.
He had a clear goal today: the club recruitment booths.
People joined clubs to pursue their interests, build up their résumés, make connections, or, at the very least, kill time.
Linmu Fujimiya, however, had something entirely different in mind: earning points while doing nothing.
Now that he had a basic understanding of the academy's brutal "points and assessments" system, Lin Mu had decided to keep slacking off. That didn't mean he couldn't use his "advantages" to find an easy, reliable source of points.
After all, lollipops cost money. So did the occasional treat or other things he might want to buy.
Relying entirely on the monthly points allotment—which could fluctuate or even drop to zero depending on his class's performance—didn't suit him.
He needed a controllable way to earn points without spending too much effort.
And his supernatural abilities were undoubtedly the best "means of production" for the job.
Lying in bed the night before, he'd had a sudden flash of inspiration and come up with a brilliant idea: become a fortune-teller.
The "precognition" ability in his power arsenal wasn't suited to peering too far into the future or trying to see anything too grand—that would take too much out of him.
But looking at the general trends in a specific person's fortunes over the short term—say, a few days or weeks—and identifying key turning points was easy enough, and remarkably accurate.
He could set up a little stall at the club recruitment booths and arrange a few mysterious-looking props: Tarot Cards, a Crystal Ball, that sort of thing.
Then he'd drop a few vague but ultimately accurate "predictions" at just the right moment. Surely there'd be no shortage of lost lambs—er, students—coming to see him.
Lin Mu's little scheme clicked along in his head. People, especially young people surrounded by fierce competition and uncertain futures, were often confused and insecure.
When something came up—an exam, a falling-out with someone, a choice about the future—they could easily feel lost and want something to lean on.
Even if they knew fortune-telling was mysterious and probably just a way to make themselves feel better, they were still willing to pay for the "guidance" it might offer and a brief moment of peace.
After all, if fortune-telling could really determine success or failure, who would bother studying until midnight?
But he was different! Lin Mu couldn't help letting a sly smile curl across his lips.
He could actually see "glimpses of the future"!
As long as he didn't interfere himself, the outcomes he predicted would almost always unfold as he'd foreseen.
Once he built a reputation and word got around, 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 in style and achieve complete "points freedom." He'd never have to worry about next month's class assessment again.
Earning points while lying around—just thinking about it felt great.
He couldn't help letting out a couple of low, delighted cackles on the empty campus walkway. Paired with his handsome face and lazy air, they made him seem almost villainous.
Once he'd made up his mind, he got right to it.
Lin Mu changed direction. Instead of heading straight for the club recruitment booths, he first detoured to the campus convenience store. He needed to buy his "professional equipment."
The convenience store was still spacious and brightly lit, with shelves stocked with all kinds of goods.
Lin Mu grabbed a shopping cart and headed straight for the section that combined stationery, gifts, and outdoor supplies.
His eyes quickly scanned the options.
First, a beautifully packaged set of Tarot Cards.
The box was made of dark blue velvet, decorated with gold foil patterns. Inside, each card featured elaborate, mysterious illustrations that practically screamed "I'm a professional." Perfect.
Next, a fist-sized, translucent artificial Crystal Ball.
It came with a black velvet stand. Set on a table beneath the light, it would have a hazy, atmospheric glow—just what he needed to impress people.
Then, two lightweight folding stools with canvas seats and metal legs. They folded up nice and small.
A simple, folding square table in natural wood was next, with a smooth tabletop.
And he couldn't forget the most important part of his "sign." He found the customization counter and quickly placed his order on the terminal.
He chose a banner with a deep purple background and silver lettering. In bold, sweeping characters, it read: "Accurate Fortune-Telling, Foretelling the Road Ahead."
He paid the rush fee. It would be ready for pickup in a few minutes.
Finally, he considered that he might need a relatively private space, free from interruptions—and preferably shaded, since he didn't want to be roasted by the sun.
He picked out the smallest portable pop-up tent. Open, it could fit two or three people; folded, it was a long, narrow backpack, easy to carry.
Looking at the "startup supplies" piled in his shopping cart, Lin Mu nodded in satisfaction and pushed it toward the checkout.
The cashier was a woman with an expressionless face. She scanned his purchases with practiced ease.
As a series of beeps sounded, the balance on Lin Mu's terminal began to plummet.
"Total: 60,100 points."
Lin Mu looked at the final price on the screen, then at the balance he'd had—just over twenty thousand—which had now dropped to...
He quickly did the math. He had...less than twenty thousand left?
The exact figure was too painful to look at. The familiar sweetness of the Alpenliebe lollipop in his mouth seemed to have turned bitter.
It hurt. It really hurt. Sixty thousand points!
He'd only just gotten a hundred thousand yesterday. He'd spent some on lollipops and daily necessities, and now this "startup capital" had swallowed up more than half of what remained in one go.
His fingers tightened around the terminal until his fingertips went white.
As much as it hurt, Lin Mu knew this was a necessary investment.
You couldn't catch a wolf without risking your child.
For some reason, snippets from movies he'd seen in his previous life came to mind. The protagonist used a tiny stake to win a fortune...
Right, wasn't there someone called Chen Daozai? He'd turned twenty bucks into thirty-seven million?
"Tsk." Lin Mu clicked his tongue and nudged the candy against his cheek. "I've got my superpowers to back me up. I'm way more reliable than some God of Gamblers.
"So what if I'm going all in with sixty thousand? Just you wait. I'll earn it all back, with interest. No, I'll double it, then double it again!"
Thinking of it that way—otherwise known as talking himself into it—made him feel a lot better.
He put away his terminal and was about to take the large, packed bags the cashier was handing him when the corner of his eye caught a strange figure near the drinks and alcohol section.
It was a slender girl with waist-length purple hair, dressed in the academy uniform.
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