The same room-I was used to it

Night had fallen. Beneath the crescent moon, the faintly misty darkness mingled with the scattered lights, forming a hazy glow.

A wisp of night breeze swept past, stirring the willow branches in the park. Their rustling sounded like a symphony of nature.

Beneath a tree, the dim light revealed a shameless couple clinging to each other, secretly conducting affairs of national importance: preliminary warm-up exercises for the continuation of the human race.

It hurt. It really hurt, like someone had stabbed his heart hundreds of times with a knife, then finished things off with a full, relentless three-hundred-and-sixty-degree twist, as though trying to start a fire by drilling wood.

That pain was hard to comprehend. Perhaps only kindred spirits could understand those feelings, that furious howl of indignation!

"Ugh."

That sudden sigh seemed to blend every ounce of anger, sorrow, envy, jealousy, and hatred into one perfect whole. Truly, it was a masterpiece, a match made in heaven, a sound rarely heard in this mortal world!

A forlorn figure walked alone with a plastic shopping bag in his hand, looking as though the world had abandoned him. His journey seemed to have no end as the dim light gradually swallowed him.

Just looking at his retreating back was enough to bring tears to anyone's eyes. He looked so lonely, so desolate, so worn down by life.

One glance told you that he had been through countless experiences, making you feel for him and want to offer a few words of comfort.

But if you stepped closer, you would certainly change your mind!

"Shameless bastards! Shameless bastards! Society's going to hell. Fuck, if this were ancient times, I'd have you stuffed into pig cages and drowned in a heartbeat!"

"Qixi? I'm never celebrating this fucking festival."

"Hmph! The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl? Like hell they only meet once a year without either of them cheating!"

Under the dim lights stood a reasonably handsome boy of about sixteen or seventeen, with black hair and black eyes. He raised his middle finger, jabbing it viciously toward the two flickering stars overhead.

His silent rebellion ended in utter despair, and he covered his face and walked away. A glistening tear could be seen spilling from the corner of his eye.

That was right. Today was Qixi, a day destined to make some people happy and others miserable. Ye Chen happened to be one of the latter.

"I'm home! Mom, I left the soy sauce on the table."

Without waiting for a reply, Ye Chen went straight to his room. Right now, he needed to vent without restraint. His earlier trip to buy soy sauce had lasted only a few minutes, yet the damage it had inflicted cut him to the heart.

Unable to wait, Ye Chen switched on his computer, planning to play some games and get through this damned Qixi.

At sixteen or seventeen, Ye Chen was still a kid, much like most others his age: a little rebellious, not especially mature, fond of staying home, and possessing only a vague understanding of how the world worked.

All he had were the uninhibited rants he unleashed online. Reality and the virtual world were like two parallel worlds, polar opposites.

Online, he surveyed the world with supreme confidence, acting as though nobody could touch him. In reality, however, he was painfully introverted. Aside from arguing with his parents, he hardly dared to raise his voice around anyone else.

Forget having a girlfriend. The mere mention of talking to a girl made him blush, and he could stammer for ages without squeezing out a complete sentence.

Online, though, he could explain the evolution of humanity to you. If there was anything he could bullshit about, he could lay it all out clearly and convincingly, even making you believe he was right.

At his age, maturity was hard to come by. He remained immersed in his own little world.

The smallest thing might make him yell at his parents, utterly convinced that he was justified and entitled to do so. His parents would never abandon him, after all, so he could squander his life without restraint, simply because someone was always behind him, quietly cleaning up his mess.

But he did not understand. Perhaps only after experiencing pain would he learn how to stand up and face things.

Before he could log into the game, a QQ group message started flashing.

The group had a rather cheeky name, too: Singles' Nobility.

"Fuck, I went out today and nearly had my 4K solid-gold eyes blinded. Lovey-dovey fucking couples everywhere. How's a man supposed to live?"

"What do you mean, how? I earned my single status through sheer ability. Why shouldn't I be able to live my life?"

"Exactly. Does the Singles' Nobility need girlfriends?"

"+1. As a member of the Singles' Nobility, I'm proud, and I'm riding high."

"Well said. I started my own business at age one, before I'd even attended middle school. Built it from nothing. Now my company's assets amount to several hundred billion, and it was officially listed on a United States stock exchange years ago. I employ at least a thousand or so people, with annual revenue approaching ten billion. The net profit alone could buy several Japans. My house is a top-of-the-line, multistory luxury villa covering over 000 square meters, complete with a golf course of over 5,000 square meters and a private swimming pool.

"I've got at least a few hundred Ferraris, Porsches, Lamborghinis, and Maseratis sitting in my garage under more than a meter of dust, plus several private Boeing F fighter jets and an aircraft carrier battle group.

"And me? I'm 180 centimeters tall, handsome, dashing, and distinguished. But have I let it go to my head? Have I found a girlfriend? I'm carrying the Singles' Nobility creed through to the bitter end!"

"Well said. Look, just look at how committed Yang is. Actually, I've been hiding something from you all, too. It looks like I have no choice but to tell you now.

"My true identity is Max Decimaya Himalaya Zemaria Gemson. Every day, when I go to oversee the group, I ride a subway that cost hundreds of billions to build. I drink soy milk made from natural soybeans grown entirely by hand, without harmful chemicals, by tens of millions of farmers, then put through over a hundred processing steps.

"The Pacific Ocean is my swimming pool. When I'm unhappy, I take a rocket out. Who still flies in planes? Aircraft carriers are just our household's castoffs. These days, when I go diving, I use nuclear submarines.

"Alibaba, Tencent, Huawei-they're all subsidiaries of subsidiaries under my direction. Also, half the territory of the United Kingdom, Germany, and France is used to house my servants. My servants alone number in the hundreds of millions. Our daily expenses could buy New York.

"But am I proud? Have I gotten full of myself? Let me tell you, I'm not flaunting my wealth. I just want you to know that I'm actually very low-key. I tell any ordinary person about it!"

"Sorry, everyone. I'm vacationing on the moon right now."

"The moon? I hear it's nothing special. Everyone, I've just discovered a planet on the edge of the Milky Way that's pretty similar to Earth. I'm planning to develop it and give it to you all to play around on!"

"Holy shit, you're all big shots. I can't compare. All I did was have a disagreement with my girlfriend once, accidentally lose control, and do some naughty things that are hard to describe. So I spent six years inside, and today I finally finished my sentence. After reading your conversation, I lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, then couldn't help calling the warden. I told him to save me breakfast tomorrow, same as always: mildly spicy, easy on the scallions. I'll stay in my old room, too. I'm used to it, so I don't want to switch. He's sending someone to pick me up tomorrow. So get ready, everyone. I received quite an education during those six years. I used to love being a top, but now I like being a bottom. Rich men are my particular weakness. I wonder which of you has the most to offer!"

The entire group instantly fell silent.

"Well, fuck me. I bow to your superiority, brother. The trauma you've suffered is simply beyond my league. It looks like Qixi hasn't just hurt me. It's hurt you, and it's hurt everyone."

"Big brother, accept my humble bow. My bullshit can't compete with yours. I'll take my leave."

"Esteemed master, how many years have you trained? Your bullshit is so cultured. Those few sentences alone reveal your profound literary accomplishments. Without decades of refinement, such eloquence would be impossible. Us ordinary mortals simply can't compare!"

"You flatter me, you flatter me."

"You're too kind, too kind!"

Who knew what this group had been through? Qixi had merely gotten them talking about being single. What was wrong with talking a little bullshit to vent their frustrations?

When it came to bullshitting, who had ever been afraid?

Reading the banter from his rotten friends, Ye Chen's mouth twitched. Then, with a look of disdain, he typed a message.

"Remember, never try to beat an idiot. He'll drag your IQ down to his level, then beat you with his wealth of experience, leaving you speechless and even making you question your life.

"That one's for every idiot here!"

After typing that, Ye Chen gave a cold chuckle, carrying himself with the lofty air of a man who brushed off his robes and departed once his work was done, concealing both his identity and his fame.

Special notice: this book's timeline is utter bullshit. Also, please read the synopsis carefully!

The Bomb-Bomb Fruit is too powerful, so I'll balance it a little!

Also, this differs considerably from my previous book, One Piece: Song of World-Weariness, so don't mix them up. Unless something goes wrong, the protagonist will become a Marine. Longtime readers, keep reading and you'll understand!