"Specializes in Exposing Fakes," whose real name was Hong Guodong, was forty-two. He had been a counterfeit-exposing blogger for three years and had 470,000 followers.
It was neither a huge number nor a small one, but his income was already the highest it had ever been, and it kept climbing.
He had one rule in this business-only pick on easy targets. He never touched brands with real backing. Small roadside workshops, unlicensed products sold through social media, merchandise promoted by minor influencers: those were his prey. Low costs, little risk, and decent traffic.
Before the Spring Festival, he received a private message.
There was no context, just one sentence: Go buy liquor from Wei Zijin's livestream. There's a surprise waiting.
He had been lying on the sofa scrolling through his phone and swiped past it as soon as he finished reading.
Wei Zijin was a bona fide celebrity. A major influencer, with an MCN, a team, and lawyers behind her. Would someone like that sell fake goods on her livestream? Even if she did, could a little guy like him withstand a single phone call from her people?
He replied: Not interested.
The other person sent another message: Start a livestream, and I'll tip you twenty thousand. Pull it off, and I'll give you another thirty thousand.
Hong Guodong put down his phone.
Twenty thousand.
Take the money first.
He picked up his phone again and stared at the private message for a long time.
"Who is it?" His wife leaned over to look at his phone.
"A follower."
"Wants you to expose fakes again?"
"Yeah."
"Whose?"
"Wei Zijin's."
His wife froze for a moment. "Are you out of your mind?"
Hong Guodong said nothing.
He replied to the person: Why should I trust you?
The reply came instantly: There's