Hey! The Criminal Assistance System Can Even Be Used Like This? 110

Xu Zhizhi didn’t mind Qin Su’s disbelief, even feeling a little embarrassed. She had been a bit too emotional earlier, not considering Qin Su’s perspective. So many lives couldn’t be entrusted to her single statement.

As dusk settled, the entire apartment complex and its surroundings were thoroughly searched. The man’s confession was out, aligning with Xu Zhizhi’s suspicions. His solitary nature made friendships impossible, leaving him without any outside support. His goal was to obtain Xu Zhizhi’s virus program and unleash it for rampant replication and spread. He wanted to shock the internet, to make the world remember his name. He even implemented a double-layered safeguard; if he couldn’t escape unscathed, he would trigger a massive explosion. He simply wanted to be a madman who would grab the world’s, and his mother’s, attention. The man was a complete and utter lunatic.

Qin Su called Xu Zhizhi, sighing, “It’s a good thing you’re not like that.”

“I still have a great life to enjoy!” Xu Zhizhi laughed.

She wouldn’t betray those who had been kind to her: her benefactors who funded her education, her helpful teachers and classmates, and her mentors who had supported her career. She had received so much kindness that malice was insignificant; her resolve remained unshaken.

Qin Su nodded. They chatted for a while before hanging up.

The following days were busy for Xu Zhizhi. Filming Chu Lu’s movie was challenging, the courtroom scenes particularly difficult. For a week, they intensely filmed the first courtroom scene. In Xu Zhizhi’s mind, only lines and performance timing remained; everything else vanished.

Finally, on the ninth day, they finished filming the first courtroom scene. A single, unbroken take lasting over fifteen minutes was, for the crew, akin to breaking a Guinness World Record. When Chu Lu announced it was a wrap, thunderous applause erupted, lasting for a long time. Chu Lu, watching this, felt their perseverance had been worthwhile. Everyone had passed the first stage.

That day, Chu Lu treated everyone to an all-you-can-eat seafood buffet, plus-ones welcome! Everyone cheered; they knew more scenes were coming, but now they had confidence.

Xu Zhizhi removed her makeup and costume, sitting beside Yun Ziwei, and sighed, “Thank goodness, we finally got it done.” Filming many shots together in one go was uncommon in the industry, and quite impressive. A foreign director once filmed a chase scene, a notoriously difficult task, taking over a month to complete. The result was spectacular, thrilling even for ordinary viewers.

“There’s another scene,” Yun Ziwei said helplessly. She had arrived in Jiang City two days ago. Even though she was used to Xu Zhizhi causing some kind of trouble wherever she went, she never expected something so terrifying. One slip-up, and it would be national news. Thankfully, the authorities suppressed the information effectively, and even the most speculative media outlets didn’t dare to mention it on social media. The incident wouldn’t escalate. Her sole purpose here was to keep an eye on Xu Zhizhi; the rest, the public opinion, didn’t concern her. She would stay here to supervise Xu Zhizhi until the movie was finished; no more unexpected incidents were allowed.

Xu Zhizhi understood Yun Ziwei’s good intentions, so she did as she was told. She’d already submitted the hacker’s data. The man had confessed partially; following his online footprint, the so-called hacker alliance was completely dismantled. Xu Zhizhi’s only reward was a 500,000 yuan (approximately $70,000 USD) reward for her tip, which arrived incredibly quickly. Combined with her previous earnings, she had over 800,000 yuan (approximately $112,000 USD). Not a bad haul. Tax-free money with built-in prestige was ideal for Xu Zhizhi.

The Criminal Assistance System only jumped once when Xu Zhizhi used the bomb-making and -disarming techniques. The system gave her this skill purely to spite her, because the domestic environment was strict and this knowledge would invite suspicion. Unexpectedly, Xu Zhizhi used it to create a comprehensive study guide. Submitting it provided a valuable reference for bomb disposal training; even Qin Su was impressed by Xu Zhizhi’s learning ability. If there had been a suitable reward system, Xu Zhizhi might have even received a bonus. The system was nearly apoplectic with rage.

Unfortunately, its permissions were severely limited, confined to verbal abuse whispered in Xu Zhizhi’s ear. The last task assignment had used its final chance. To issue more tasks, Xu Zhizhi needed to accumulate 10,000 Malice Value points. This would allow the system to upgrade again, giving it three more task opportunities. The system cursed the system’s creator countless times; how confident could they be to believe they could truly lead someone towards evil?

In its system space, the system used every swear word it knew, furiously cursing the system’s creator and Xu Zhizhi. Its urgency stemmed from a fundamental code rule. If the system reached 100,000 Malice Value points, and the host hadn’t committed serious crimes, the system would self-destruct, and the host would gain complete control over the Criminal Assistance System and its backend. It had been confident; who would reach 100,000 Malice Value points without resorting to murder and arson? But after encountering Xu Zhizhi, it realized anything was possible.

Xu Zhizhi was an anomaly! She possessed exceptional criminal talent, incredibly sharp criminal intuition, and remarkable composure—a cold, genius criminal. Data indicated she had a soft personality, suggesting she would easily succumb to manipulation, being gradually led into the abyss of crime. Yet, it hadn’t worked. Since its arrival, Xu Zhizhi had been stepping on her manager, fighting a two-faced actress, and openly confronting the entertainment company that exploited her. Manipulation? Xu Zhizhi was an impossibly stubborn rock; none of its methods had worked. All her skills were used to make money. And her Malice Value was skyrocketing! The system, watching its increase, felt its very existence threatened. Now it only hoped Xu Zhizhi would quickly reach her second upgrade; then it would surely deliver a system-level shock.

“Achoo…” Xu Zhizhi sneezed suddenly, without reason. Was someone thinking of her?

Yun Ziwei said, “Maybe you have a cold.”

“Probably,” Feng Jie added, “She’s been wearing too many layers these days. Taking them off and facing the fan directly could easily cause a cold.”

Xu Zhizhi rubbed her nose with a tissue. “Maybe it’s just my nose; it’s not that easy to catch a cold this time of year.”

Just then, Xu Yunlai and Fu Nian approached, guiding Xu Zhizhi and the others to the dinner venue. Chu Lu, with a grand gesture, had booked the entire restaurant for her crew. This wasn’t only to celebrate finishing the scene; Chu Tianxiong (Chu Lu’s father) had given her a large sum of money when he learned that his daughter was no longer making artsy films. He’d called the crew during filming; after wrapping up in the afternoon, Chu Lu had generously decided to treat everyone to dinner.

Xu Zhizhi immediately stood up; she was tired of eating the crew’s lunchboxes. A change of pace would be great, especially all-you-can-eat seafood in Jiang City, renowned for its abundance. Located where a river meets the sea, with a port nearby, the city has plentiful resources.

Getting into the car, Xu Zhizhi showed excitement. Yun Ziwei smiled and asked, “Zhizhi, you’re incredibly lucky in a way, wouldn’t you say?”

She’d been suppressed and shelved, yet became famous after filming. Her company’s self-destruction led to a recommendation by a powerful figure to join Yun Jiu, and she even encountered Chu Lu while investing in a film. Chu Lu not only had talent but also connections. Xu Zhizhi frequently encountered unexpected situations, but there were always pleasant surprises.

“Ha ha ha, hopefully, it continues like this!” Xu Zhizhi laughed. Even if it didn’t, what she had already achieved was enough for her to establish herself in this world.

Feng Jie focused on drafting Weibo posts. She had started managing the Douyin account previously run by Lin Yu. Yun Ziwei had primarily handled it before; feeling bored, Feng Jie took over. It was experience building, and a chance to assess her capabilities.

Soon, the three reached the restaurant. Xu Zhizhi, wearing a mask, was escorted upstairs. Others arrived gradually, whispering amongst themselves. Xu Zhizhi’s group was in a private room; after ordering, the restaurant would serve the food, with an average cost per person of around 800 yuan (approximately $112 USD). Director Zhou and Chu Yao, along with Xu Yunlai and Fu Nian, sat at a table, while others found their own tables and booths.

Chu Lu wasn’t one for formalities, telling them to eat freely. Xu Yunlai and Fu Nian were initially restrained, but when they saw Xu Zhizhi rapidly ordering on her tablet, they leaned over to suggest what they wanted. After ordering, they asked Chu Lu about any allergies or dislikes; if none, they’d try everything. After they shook their heads, Xu Zhizhi ordered some more dishes.

Everyone enjoyed their meal and drank a bit of alcohol. They didn’t drink too much as they had filming the next day. Chu Lu looked at Xu Zhizhi and patted her, “I need to apologize.”

“Ah? Apologize for what?” Xu Zhizhi looked at her questioningly.

Chu Lu sighed. “I bragged about you winning the Best Actress award. It might not happen now. Commercial films don’t win awards as easily as art films with strong symbolic meaning.”

“I don’t insist on it. Don’t apologize; it wasn’t my goal.” Xu Zhizhi said, slightly amused.

Chu Lu shook her head, disagreeing with Xu Zhizhi, confidently assuring, “I broke my promise. If you don’t get Best Actress, I’ll get you a resource that will guarantee you an award!”

Xu Zhizhi supported her; she had to keep her promise.

“Really no need!” Xu Zhizhi resolutely refused.

Chu Lu insisted on fulfilling her promise.

Xu Yunlai and Fu Nian gaped, dumbfounded. Envy. Pure envy. Was this the legendary “I made a promise, so I’ll make sure you get it”? With Chu Lu’s power, it might actually happen.

Xu Zhizhi facepalmed, finally giving in, accepting Chu Lu’s offer. But she didn’t take it seriously; not only because promises made over drinks and food weren’t binding, but also because she didn’t rely on such things. If she got it, great; if not, she wouldn’t dwell on it.

While Xu Zhizhi chatted with several people, Li Qing, from the neighboring table, wasn’t idle. He was furiously typing on his phone, preparing a post he’d been working on. Inspired by the film crew, he chose a serious title: A Paparazzo’s Repentance: Xu Zhizhi Observation Diary. It was written from his perspective, observing Xu Zhizhi. It avoided cases and privacy issues; instead, it focused on the interactions, confrontations, and resolution between a paparazzo and a celebrity. He expressed all his reflections, including the conflict of refusing to delete the footage, the resentment of being forced to apologize. He’d thought they’d be enemies in the entertainment industry, due to their conflict. But Xu Zhizhi’s forgiveness was genuine; after making him experience the pain of being secretly photographed, she had truly forgiven him. Even their subsequent interactions were normal. The rest was his repentance and his decision to quit the paparazzi industry. This final post marked the end of his side hustle. The accompanying photos were candid shots of Xu Zhizhi, with minimal editing. He ended by declaring himself a fan.

After editing and checking, he quickly posted it. The guilt and pressure weighing on his heart for days vanished. He was officially done with being a paparazzo. By proactively revealing this, he could move forward with his life, being upfront. Chu Lu appreciated honesty; those who hid things from her didn’t fare well.

After posting, he ignored it; it was simply a personal reckoning. What he didn’t expect was that within two hours of posting, it blew up. Initially, only Xu Zhizhi’s fans noticed; they typically didn’t engage in online battles, and their idol had already forgiven him. They liked and commented, praising his character. But then came a surge of fans from other celebrities who had been relentlessly harassed and targeted by paparazzi. They welcomed this post, this paparazzo’s repentance; it was what they’d longed to see. Xu Zhizhi’s actions had made this paparazzo realize his wrongdoing. This gave them hope, inspiring them to spread the post to warn other paparazzi. Soon, with likes and reposts from various fan groups, the post trended. #TopEntertainmentSelfDefenseStar quickly became the top trending topic. Curious netizens flocked to it. Initially, they didn’t fully empathize with Xu Zhizhi; in the public eye, celebrities had to sacrifice some privacy, the cost of fame. But seeing the intrusive behavior, even filming from across the street, many became silent. Comments gradually shifted, discussing the issue of paparazzi stalking. Anti-paparazzi sentiment rose. Xu Zhizhi’s response made people realize that paparazzi weren’t invincible. #XuZhiZhiAntiPaparazzi instantly sparked intense discussion. Many shared their experiences and advice for combating paparazzi.

When Yun Ziwei found out, Xu Zhizhi had already been on the trending topics several times. She was stunned; everything Xu Zhizhi did generated massive attention! Some people achieve fame, and others are born famous!

While contemplating how to react, a call came in. Upon answering, she froze, unresponsive for a long moment. If Feng Jie hadn’t nudged her, she wouldn’t have reacted. Quickly recovering, she promised to inform Xu Zhizhi, adding contact information to discuss details later. The other party agreed and hung up. Yun Ziwei quickly added the provided account, finally breathing a sigh of relief. The call was from a luxury jewelry brand.

C House, a world-renowned high-end jewelry brand, wanted to invite Xu Zhizhi as the spokesperson for its China region – a full endorsement, not just for one jewelry line. The endorsement deal was at least 10 million yuan (approximately $1.4 million USD). This was, by far, Xu Zhizhi’s highest-paying commercial activity; more than a film role. Because of the public setting, Yun Ziwei didn’t say anything. Only upon their return did she share the news with Xu Zhizhi.

Xu Zhizhi was stunned; a top-tier luxury jewelry endorsement worth at least 10 million yuan (approximately $1.4 million USD) was a windfall!

Meanwhile, the contact person looked up at the GG director who had flown to China. “Are you sure? Xu Zhizhi is only a second-tier star. Can she truly embody the allure of ‘wicked beauty’?”

“No one is more suitable,” the other party said confidently.

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