How Could My Money Be Taken So Easily?

Although the effects have not yet been verified, anything produced by the system is bound to be of high quality.

Zhang Yang looked at the row of items in the system's inventory and immediately smiled.

"Oh right, I should use a few of the skill-related items first," Zhang Yang muttered to himself as he looked at the skill-related items he had purchased.

These skill-related items include global language proficiency, driving proficiency, and a bunch of cooking-related proficiency items, all of which can be fully mastered after use.

First, they are fluent in all global languages.

Without a second thought, Zhang Yang used the prop.

In an instant, countless language memories appeared out of thin air in my mind. According to incomplete statistics, there are currently 5,651 languages in the world, including those that are widely recognized, as well as various unrecognized, niche, and dying languages.

Since it is proficient in all languages globally, it naturally encompasses all languages on this planet.

Zhang Yang was shocked, felt it was outrageous, and felt that the money was absolutely worth it.

More than five thousand languages? And I mastered them all in one go?

Being fluent in eight languages is already considered an unparalleled talent in languages, so what is my mastery of over five thousand languages compared to that?

"Give it a try."

Zhang Yang casually opened his phone and scrolled through some foreign videos, from Spanish to Portuguese, from Arabic to German. He could listen to and speak them fluently, as if they were second nature to him.

Zhang Yang even had a sudden inspiration to Caught in the Web for Javanese, Norwegian, and even tried Ayapaneko, a language spoken by only a handful of people in the world.

The result was the same.

In a sense, he can be considered the world's number one in this regard, the world's number one in language.

Then, he repeated the process, instilling driving skills, along with various culinary skills such as knife work and wok tossing.

"Am I... getting closer and closer to becoming a decathlete?" Zhang Yang muttered to himself.

Although the idea of an all-around protagonist being a novelist has long been criticized, reality is reality. When Zhang Yang himself truly goes further and further down the path of being an all-around expert, the feeling is still indescribably exhilarating.

Who could resist a more versatile version of themselves?

"Let's go, let's head back first." Looking at the setting sun and the approaching evening, Zhang Yang smiled nonchalantly.

Let's go back to the Beijing Manor first!

A moment later, Zhang Yang placed his hands on the steering wheel and lightly pressed the accelerator. Instantly, he felt as if he were one with the car, almost able to feel every pulse of the engine and control every acceleration and cornering motion. He had an impulse as if he could drift through corners with ease.

Fortunately, he restrained himself from the impulse.

I'll have another chance to unleash this skill at the racetrack next time.

As night fell, Zhang Yang returned to his home in the Beijing Manor.

He lives alone in a huge space of several thousand square meters. To be honest, it's very comfortable, but after a while, it inevitably feels too empty and lonely. Such a big house is naturally suitable for inviting a bunch of friends over every few days and having a pool party or outdoor cocktail party.

Then, you'll need to hire a bunch of aunties, gardeners, and cooks, and ideally, five generations of your family should live together to make it lively.

Living alone is fine for a short time, but it's not suitable for long-term living.

As night fell, on a whim, Zhang Yang took out the ingredients and gave his cooking skills a good try.

Cutting tofu into thin strips and making cucumber salad with ease was effortless for him. He could also slice meat as thin as a cicada's wing, which amazed him.

"If I opened a beef noodle shop with my knife skills, I could probably use a single piece of meat for three years, right?" Zhang Yang couldn't help but chuckle.

He took a piece of Wagyu beef from the refrigerator, intending to use his knife skills to slice a piece of fatty beef to eat in a hot pot later.

In no time, he sliced a piece of Wagyu beef into paper-thin slices and arranged them in a fan shape on a plate.

Incidentally, he also made himself a fried rice with diced Iberian ham.

The wok moves up and down with fluid, flowing motions, coating the glistening rice evenly with the egg mixture until it gradually turns golden brown. It's then topped with diced ham and carrots, and finally sprinkled with chopped scallions before serving.

A fragrant aroma immediately filled the air.

Rather than saying he acquired a whole host of culinary skills this time, it's more accurate to say he mastered a new life skill: how to please himself.

Under the cover of night, beside the luxurious stone dining table.

The hot pot was steaming, and next to it were several plates of sliced snowflake beef and beef, a platter of mushrooms that were still dripping with water after being washed, and a bowl of fragrant deluxe fried rice.

Zhang Yang sat quietly, enjoying the pleasure of dining alone.

"Huh?"

While eating hotpot, Zhang Yang suddenly exclaimed in surprise, because he had unexpectedly come across someone on his social media feed.

I just met Xiong Cai during the day.

He's actually live-streaming?!

A quick glance through Xiong Cai's livestream history reveals that he broadcasts quite frequently, with clickbait titles like "Ten Years of Entertainment Reporting: A Different Perspective on the Entertainment Industry" and "The Untold Rules of the Entertainment Industry."

At this moment, in the live broadcast room, Xiong Cai was beaming with joy, looking quite pleased with himself.

He looks like he just made five million and is feeling quite pleased with himself.

In the live stream room, a large number of onlookers were chatting, naturally focusing on the various juicy gossips in the entertainment industry.

At that moment, someone in the live stream asked a question that Xiong Cai mentioned just two days ago.

[Hey Cai, Cai, that gossip you mentioned the other day, the one about a famous actress spending the night with a male companion—who is it? Is it true? Let's see the photos.]

In the live stream, Xiong Cai wore a smug smile but remained silent until the chat became lively, at which point he finally spoke.

"Unverified information needs further verification. We need to be responsible for what we say, right?"

Immediately, the live stream chat was filled with boos.

[It's obviously been orchestrated by PR!]

[Boss, you always have to be so mysterious. Give me some real information, will you?]

[It's like, every time it's about a male or female celebrity with a certain surname, they only reveal half the story, never giving specifics, leaving us to guess.]

Xiong Cai looked at the camera, seemingly having anticipated this.

"You all keep telling me to speak, how am I supposed to? Aren't you going to consider the consequences? You're all enjoying the gossip, but what about me? I'm already being generous by giving you a little bit of information. Besides, isn't the process of guessing more interesting?"

[If that's what you mean, then we're leaving. Anyone can make up baseless rumors, really...]

There are countless similar remarks that deliberately provoke Xiong Cai.

However, it seems that Xiong Cai has always had a knack for manipulating netizens and keeping them in suspense, and he doesn't fall for the tricks of some people in the live stream.

"Who said I don't have anything substantial to say? Today I'll share some valuable insights." Xiong Cai changed the subject and began speaking directly.

Zhang Yang listened for a while.

Well... it does contain useful information, but it's mostly superficial stuff that might satisfy curiosity but doesn't actually do anything to the person involved.

The onlookers were even more intrigued.

Xiong Cai understands a principle: feeding these onlookers all at once is definitely not enough, but not feeding them at all is even worse.

The discussion in the group became increasingly heated, and the number of online participants reached a new high.

Gifts would occasionally appear in the live stream.

"By the way, I just got the Truth Card. I wonder if I can use it on him in this situation?" Zhang Yang suddenly thought.

After all, we're separated by a screen and quite a distance, so it might not even be usable right now.

With that thought in mind, Zhang Yang tried to retrieve the Truth Card from the system.

Then, select the object.

[Optional candidate: Xiong Cai]

"Wow, it really works?" Zhang Yang exclaimed in surprise.

With the Truth Card in effect, any question will be answered. Right now, everyone in the live stream is watching, and all sorts of questions are being asked. If this card is actually used, who knows how many incredible revelations Xiong Cai drop later.

As for the consequences...

It is common knowledge that the most intimidating information is the information that is not exposed. Once it is exposed, those involved will have no scruples, Xiong Cai will face the most terrible backlash.

The consequences are impossible to predict.

"Should we use it?" Zhang Yang glanced at Xiong Cai, who was beaming with pride in the live stream, and then recalled how Xiong Cai had just extorted five million from him.

Although he didn't lose anything, and even made a fortune from it, one thing is one thing: is Zhang Yang the kind of person who would just silently accept being extorted?

Moreover, according to the instructions for the Truth Card, the user will not reveal anything about the host's privacy.

That would eliminate any worries...

"Your life or death is none of my business!"

Zhang Yang smiled and, almost without hesitation, immediately used the Truth Card on Xiong Cai.

Immediately, the Truth Card took effect, and Xiong Cai entered Truth Time.

At this moment, the live stream is discussing an event that not long ago shocked the industry and caused an uproar across the internet.

According to Xiong Cai's revelation at the time, a certain well-known male star and his wife each had their own affairs, and the public image they presented was just a persona they created.

He didn't say his name at the time, and nothing more was heard from him afterwards.

At the time, many people suspected that he was afraid to speak out for some reason, or that he had been pressured by public relations officials.

[Cai Ge, please tell us, who exactly is this male celebrity? Can you understand that feeling of being scratched by a kitten?]

[Yes, please, please, I really beg you.]

Xiong Cai smiled slightly in the live broadcast room.

[Alright, seeing how sincere you are, I might as well tell you. This person is...]

He said a name almost without thinking.

He even went so far as to boast about the many details he knew, such as how this male star was hypocritical and completely different from his usual persona, how he kept students, sexually harassed newcomers, and slept with fans.

The words caused an uproar in the live stream room. Everyone listened intently, and despite tens of thousands of people watching online, there was an eerie silence.

A short while later.

A flood of information poured out.

Holy crap! Really?! Unbelievable!

[Others might say it's fake, but can you doubt what Brother Cai says? Everyone knows Brother Cai is the know-it-all of the entertainment industry!]

[I can't believe it! I used to admire him quite a bit, but I never expected him to be this kind of person.]

Clearly, the information Xiong Cai just revealed is quite explosive.

Zhang Yang also watched with great interest as Xiong Cai, who was in high spirits and even somewhat excited in the live stream, was still acting up thanks to the Truth Card.

I reckon once the effect of the Truth Card wears off, Xiong Cai wishing he were dead.

He is indeed planning to immigrate.

But he hasn't immigrated yet! Having incurred public wrath, can he really expect a good outcome? Can he really be allowed to immigrate peacefully?

In the group chat, some onlookers, seeing that Xiong Cai seemed quite easy to talk to today, seized the opportunity to continue asking questions.

[You mentioned a while ago that someone who was clearly straight was somehow turned gay by a big shot in the industry. Is that true? Can you tell me about it?]

These words immediately caused a stir in the live stream chat.

Clearly, this topic is even more explosive and captivating than the previous one.

In the live stream, Xiong Cai wore a smug look on his face, saying, "You've come to the right person; I happen to know the inside story."

He paused slightly at this point.

The viewers in the live stream thought he was going to keep them in suspense again.

Who would have thought that the next second...

"You all know that male celebrity, it's ***. As for the male big shot, you're probably familiar with him too." Xiong Cai slowly uttered two earth-shattering names.

Boom!

The live stream chat instantly exploded.

[Shocked, stunned, even disbelieving.]

I don't believe it! I don't believe it!

··

"Why wouldn't you believe me? Here, I'll show you the solid evidence." Seemingly dissatisfied with being questioned, Xiong Cai directly rummaged through his things and presented the evidence in front of the camera.

Suddenly, a very distinctive photo appeared before everyone.

[Ah... I... I can't say anything.]

[No, why is he sticking his tongue out? Yue, I can't watch any of his work anymore!]

It's so dirty, so dirty, I can't even imagine.

Once the evidence was presented, everyone was speechless and began to discuss the information enthusiastically. In a very short time, tens of thousands of people quickly spread the gossip they knew.

The speed at which information is disseminated via the internet is, of course, astonishing.

In the blink of an eye, countless people have learned of this news, and one can imagine the upheaval that will soon occur in the entertainment industry.

However, Xiong Cai, the person involved, still seemed quite relaxed and content, as if he was still quite absorbed in the revelation he had just made and enjoying himself.

Everyone saw that the several cell phones Xiong Cai placed on the table suddenly started ringing frantically.

[Brother Cai, aren't you afraid of getting into trouble by doing this?]

[Be careful not to mess with the wrong people, Brother Cai!]

[Yeah, be careful, Cai-ge.]

Xiong Cai looked disdainful, picked up his phone, glanced at it, then scoffed and threw it on the table. "What's there to be afraid of? I'm going to immigrate abroad soon. I have plenty of dirt on me. If you push me too far, I'll spill it all."

[Is Brother Cai immigrating? Well then, let's satisfy our curiosity! What other juicy gossip is there?]

"There are plenty of melons to go around. It's still early tonight, let me tell you slowly." Xiong Cai laughed and continued.

Everyone in the live stream listened attentively.

Tonight was truly a thrilling and entertaining night of gossip!

Only Zhang Yang knew that Xiong Cai's matter was very serious, extremely serious.