Chapter 12

000 was thrilled: [Host, you're amazing! Not only did you earn Malice Points beautifully, you didn't miss a single main quest!]

[An all-powerful host—who else could it be but you!]

Shi Jihan lost himself amid the endless praise, his chin lifting higher and higher.

As expected of me.

He generously gave 000 some spending money, tossing it a check and telling it to spend whatever it wanted.

The two of them were excited all night. 000 said that since the phase mission had gone so well, it was going back to the Unified Realm to show off.

Shi Jihan waved. [Go on, go on. Just remember to come back tomorrow morning.]

-

But when Shi Jihan woke up the next day, he saw a glum Lurdan.

"What's wrong with you?"

000 fidgeted. [Host...]

A bad feeling rose in Shi Jihan's heart. The last time his Malice Points had plummeted straight to -184.67, this guy had worn the exact same expression.

[Host, I should have told you that the fashion show was an important plot point in the original novel. It crushed Shen Qinghuai's hopes in one blow and forced him to resign and divorce, but now...]

Not only were the two of them perfectly fine now, they had even found true love through hardship. Under Shi Jihan's torment, their bond had only grown stronger. When Shen Qinghuai threw himself into Shi Bochuan's arms last night, the two instantly gained countless couple fans, who screamed, "Real husbands are so easy to ship!" and promptly began feasting like it was a state banquet.

[The plot has seriously deviated now. The Main System has issued us a major-error penalty notice and told us to get the plot back on track as soon as possible. Otherwise, otherwise...] At this point, 000's eyes darted around, too afraid to look at Shi Jihan as it whispered, [Otherwise, they'll deduct your money.]

"No—! You can take my life, but you can't take my money!"

Shi Jihan let out a piercing shriek and shook Lurdan violently. "How do we pull it back? Tell me, quickly!"

000 was shaken so hard it felt like its yolk was about to come up. [Based on the characteristics of Jin Family Literature, a crematorium novel must have a White Moonlight who makes things difficult for the protagonist bottom. They have the same role as you—a tool character.]

Shi Jihan understood that. He immediately picked it up. "Fine. Then where is my eldest brother's White Moonlight now? Abroad? Do you want me to drag them back right away?"

[Your eldest brother... doesn't have a White Moonlight. Shen Qinghuai was his first love.] 000 was even less willing to look at him.

Shi Jihan said, "? Then what are you even talking to me about?"

000 stammered, [The Main System means that since you're so capable at your job, you can create a White Moonlight out of thin air.]

Shi Jihan said, "..."

What? Want me to pop out a fresh, steaming one for you or something?

Chapter 12

Shi Jihan brushed his teeth in front of the mirror. Looking closely, one could see that his pupils were unfocused and his soul had left his body.

000 fluttered anxiously beside him. [Host, you can definitely make up a White Moonlight, right? The plot can get back on track, right? You won't take back my spending money, right?]

Shi Jihan gave it an OK sign.

000 breathed a sigh of relief.

The next second, that hand flicked it on the forehead and sent Lurdan flying.

[Host! That hurts!]

Shi Jihan spat out the foam in his mouth. "Make up a White Moonlight? You make it sound so easy. What am I, Nuwa creating humans or Adam eating fruit?"

000 drooped. [Then what do we do...]

"There is a way," Shi Jihan said. "I'll just return you. How do I apply for after-sales service?"

[Host, you can't abandon me! I saved your life!] 000 launched itself and rammed Shi Jihan in the head.

"So what? I'm the kind of person who likes to eat and take everything. Before you leave, exchange my Malice Points for me."

One man and one egg bickered noisily for quite a while. Neither came up with any ideas; they only found more things to criticize about the other.

Shi Jihan got dressed and headed out to work. Even after plopping down in the car, he did not forget to argue with 000. "Just wait. I'm putting you up for sale on Xianyu."

The driver turned around with a terrified expression. "Huh? Me?"

"...I wasn't talking to you."

Seeing the Shi Family's third young master baring his teeth at empty air made the driver even more frightened. He silently raised the partition.

Sitting in the spacious, comfortable car, Shi Jihan opened a can of iced cola to cool off. Looking over his Malice Points, which were about to break a hundred, he felt that 000 was not completely useless after all.

[Fine. Death sentence with a reprieve. I'll sell you another day.]

000 quietly performed a set of military boxing moves at the air, furious but too afraid to say anything.

Shi Jihan ignored it. He elegantly crossed his legs, holding his cola with the air of swirling red wine. [Not bad. I'm a three-car man now.]

000 was silent for a long time before it could not help asking, [Host had two other cars before?]

[A Rolls-Royce hallucination and a Jeep workhorse.]

Shi Jihan swung his crossed leg, immensely proud.

000 looked utterly miserable. It should never have asked.

It turned away to look out the window, then suddenly made a surprised sound. [Is that you on the mall's giant screen?]

[Am I really that famous? I even made it onto a giant screen?] Shi Jihan smiled as he followed its gaze.

He saw his head photoshopped onto a lump of instant noodles, smiling and crooking a finger. The caption read: Love me, and you never need feel inferior.

The display scrolled to the next image. He had been photoshopped into a mermaid, wearing a lobster-tail tuxedo and hooked on a fishing line: Wear Shi Corporation's new fashions, become a top-tier

catch

Beside the bustling commercial street, a crowd had gathered around the giant screen to take photos, their loud laughter ringing out.

Shi Jihan nearly sprayed cola from his nose. Furious, he said, "What the hell is this?!"

He charged all the way to the company, stormed into the CEO's office and interrupted Shi Bochuan and Shen Qinghuai's conversation. He shoved the two pictures right under their noses. "Brother! Look at these ads! They're utterly disgraceful and an insult to civilized taste! Take them down immediately."

Shi Bochuan found those words somewhat familiar. It seemed the shareholders had scolded his third brother in much the same way not long ago. "No. The promotional results are excellent."

Shi Jihan could not imagine what he had just heard. "Whose idea was this? Was it approved through OA? Was it properly filed?"

At that, both men looked at him in unison.

So you know things need to be filed for approval too!

Shi Bochuan said nothing. He merely turned his laptop screen toward Shi Jihan.

It showed a chat log between two people.

[Shi Bochuan: I'd like to borrow someone from your PR department. We need follow-up promotion.]

[Z: No need to make it so troublesome. I'll promote your company for free. [Smile]]

A while later.

[Shi Bochuan: Thank you. I saw the finished images, and the effect is excellent.]

[Z: No problem. Helping others is a virtue. Come find me next time you need anything. [Smile]]

Shi Jihan's gaze moved from that sarcastic yellow-bean smiley face to the familiar profile picture.

A well-proportioned, clean hand with neatly trimmed nails was holding a chubby dog paw.

Just yesterday, he had discussed business pain points with the owner of that hand.

He knew it! He knew it! How could Dianjia Bro, with that tiny little heart of his, possibly take a loss lying down?!

Damn it, that guy had still gotten his revenge!

Shi Jihan retained a shred of rationality. "And you and Brother Huai just agreed to this?"

Shen Qinghuai coughed.

"Forget that for now." Shi Bochuan turned back to the computer and changed the subject. "Someone online is claiming that your and Ah Huai's works plagiarized several designers."

Shi Jihan was quickly led astray. "Huh? These days, are there actually people fighting to eat shit?"

Accusing Shen Qinghuai was one thing, but why would anyone claim that pile of stuff he had designed belonged to them?

How desperate did they have to be?

Shen Qinghuai suppressed a laugh. There was not a trace of anger on his face despite being slandered. He might have been angry and hurt before, but now he felt it was nothing much. It still did not make him want to die as badly as Shi Jihan's finishing move last night.

People only knew happiness through comparison.

He even kindly reminded Shi Jihan, "You can't really blame those designers. Xia Jun did it."

Shi Jihan was even more confused. "Him? What did he do?"

Xia Jun had done quite a lot.

Ever since he had been set up last time, he had not only lost Zhou Jingcheng as a major client, but also become the laughingstock of the industry. No matter how he explained it, it sounded like he was trying to save face. No one believed such an absurd business war could have happened. So he resolved to get revenge.

Now that he saw the fashion show go viral and explode in popularity, Xia Jun hated them so much he nearly passed out. If anyone scanned the QR code on his tombstone, it would probably play nothing but incessant beeping telegrams sent to the Shi Family.

So he bought promotional posts overnight and went all out smearing Shen Qinghuai and Shi Jihan, claiming they had plagiarized and mashed together drafts. He even produced a great deal of ambiguous evidence that was extremely convincing to outsiders.

Nothing else mattered. As long as he ruined those two men's reputations, that was enough.

After learning the entire story, Shi Jihan asked, "What did those designers say? Are they going to sue us?"

Shen Qinghuai said, "No. They jointly sued Xia Jun."

Shi Jihan: What?

Shen Qinghuai showed him his phone.

The "plagiarized" designers were going crazy on Weibo: [What the hell is this nonsense? I don't accept it! Fuck, did you hear me? I don't accept it! Shi Jihan has his own complete source of inspiration. It has absolutely nothing to do with me!]

[You're finished, whoever released that promotional post. Were you taking shots at me behind my back? I'm suing you for damaging my reputation!]

Shen Qinghuai also showed him the trending searches.

After one night, the fashion show's popularity had originally dropped slightly, but Xia Jun's provocation sent it soaring again.

Related trending topic: #Shi Jihan don't come over here

Shi Jihan said, "..."

He said, "That's what I'm saying. How could something with a plagiarism-check rate of zero possibly be accused of plagiarism? Anyone willing to run it through their brain has strong environmental awareness—letting trash circulate and be reused."

"Third brother," Shi Bochuan said worriedly, frowning, "I only have one third brother. Don't insult yourself to death."

Shi Jihan pinched two fingers together to make a heart at him. "It's okay. I've been practically dead while alive for years."

Shi Bochuan choked, then started ushering them out. "All right, there's nothing else. Go work. Stay busier these next few days and capitalize on this wave of traffic."

Only after leaving the office did Shi Jihan remember that he seemed to have come to settle accounts with his eldest brother.

Why had they made such idiotic ads out of his pictures?!

Shi Jihan punched at the office door from afar, pretending it was Zhou Jingcheng's face.