Hey! The Criminal Assistance System Can Even Be Used Like This? 59

Zhao Qing’s face was twisted in a cruel smile. He extended a hand, holding a knife, mimicking the actions of that day, a flicker of enjoyment crossing his face.

Du Yu’s hand tightened slightly, her lips pressed together firmly, the light in her eyes trembling.

Zhao Qing saw Du Yu’s reaction. He stared at her and continued, “Do you know what I was thinking at that moment? I thought, ‘If it’s repaired, it’ll be enjoyed by someone else, what a waste.’ I didn’t expect those people to help me. Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha…”

By the end of his laughter, tears welled up in Zhao Qing’s eyes. He clutched his stomach with the knife.

At that moment, Du Yu’s gaze hardened, radiating an icy coldness. She stared at the laughing Zhao Qing, relentlessly, as if looking at an inanimate object. Her expression was flat, devoid of any extra emotion.

One minute.

Two minutes.

Three minutes.

Her gaze remained unchanged, as if he were a corpse.

Zhao Qing’s laughter faltered. He gradually retreated, trying to escape Du Yu’s gaze. But he felt trapped, as if she controlled everything around him. He couldn’t escape. He was enveloped by a net she had woven, a net that tightened relentlessly, making it hard for him to breathe.

Finally, as Zhao Qing was about to break down, Du Yu offered a faint smile, then stretched her lips wide, and began to speak slowly, “Do you know why your girlfriend chose to expose your whereabouts?”

“What did you do?!” A flash of hatred appeared in Zhao Qing’s eyes, because this was beyond his comprehension. They were all convicts released from prison. Why would she expose his whereabouts, allowing those people to film him and expose the secrets hidden deep in his heart?

His past, everything he had done, was published online, subject to relentless mockery. They found his place, they filmed him, questioning him about his miserable and shameful past before he became homeless. His new phone was filled with insults and taunts, and calls kept ringing. He even pointed the knife at Du Yu’s neck during the interrogation.

Du Yu turned her head, her gaze fixed on him. “Don’t you think anyone would like a rapist like you? Or did you forget the girl you bullied in middle school, the one who committed suicide due to depression? The one without a mother? Did you ever wonder why she went to prison? Because she… mutilated the genitals of the men who bullied her daughter with you.”

The barrage of questions, and the wildly mocking expression in her eyes, caused Zhao Qing’s pupils to constrict. He was plunged into extreme terror.

“You… you’re lying to me!” Zhao Qing frantically shook his head.

Du Yu continued, “Finding her was difficult, but persuading her took only a moment. She originally wanted to kill you, but I felt it wasn’t enough. You couldn’t understand my pain.”

Zhao Qing’s hands trembled. He had genuinely fallen in love with that woman. He thought she was the only salvation in his life, his light, the one who understood him best.

“I said, you have to lose what’s most important to you before you can know how much pain there is,” Du Yu said softly. “You think you can start over? Then we’ll create a happy environment for you. And then, when you’re happiest, we’ll destroy it. Those recordings of you repeatedly confessing your crimes? She uploaded them herself.” Du Yu looked at him and continued, “And sharing your current appearance, sending letters detailing your crimes to your workplace, arranging your housing, and then exposing your location—it was all our doing.”

With each sentence Du Yu spoke, Zhao Qing’s composure crumbled further. Du Yu lowered her gaze, watching the man’s feigned composure. He had never truly possessed anything, yet he mocked others for losing their loved ones. Now, having gained and lost something, he finally understood what true heartbreak meant. She wanted him to receive a heart-wrenching judgment.

After hearing Du Yu’s words, Zhao Qing gritted his teeth, “Ten years! The crimes I committed, I’ve already atoned for them! Why can’t you forgive me?!”

“My daughter is gone. No one can forgive you,” Du Yu stated calmly.

Zhao Qing looked at Du Yu and sneered, “Since you did this! Then I’ll send you to see your daughter!”

He took the sharpened knife and tentatively tried to stab Du Yu.

Du Yu lowered her eyes, her hands continuing to knit a scarf, swiftly and steadily, as if he were simply commenting on the weather. Zhao Qing’s eyes fixated on Du Yu, like a wild beast observing her, trying to discern her thoughts. Finally, his gaze slowly shifted to her hands.

Du Yu felt his gaze and involuntarily flinched, her lips slightly pursed, a fleeting look of fear in her eyes.

“I… understand…” Zhao Qing smiled.

Du Yu’s pupils constricted, realizing what he had understood. Then Zhao Qing left, blood dripping from the knife onto the floor. The door closed silently. Du Yu lowered her head, calmly continuing to knit her scarf. Only her lips, stretched into a silent, eerie smile, were pulled to an exaggerated angle. Beside her, her covered phone vibrated faintly. Du Yu opened it; it was a message from another woman, also a revenger.

The sound of a clapboard echoed.

“Good!!! Cut!!!”

With Qian Qian’s beautiful voice, a low murmur of surprise and relief swept through the filming set. Then the actor playing the villain entered, greeted by thunderous applause. The scene, after numerous takes, was finally complete!

Not only did Xu Zhizhi’s scene finally conclude perfectly, but everyone also received a six-day holiday. It was originally supposed to be four days, a standard four-day holiday per month, but this time, they finished filming ahead of schedule, and Qian Qian added the extra two days to the vacation! Thanks to Miss Chen Han’s investment, Qian Qian had the funds and specifically granted a paid vacation.

Xu Zhizhi happily counted her earnings, excitedly anticipating her “vacation.” Walking the red carpet, attending fashion galas, and making appearances were all part of the job. Xu Zhizhi could only expect a day or two of rest; Yun Ziwei understood and only scheduled one business event for these few days. If it were another agent, given Xu Zhizhi’s current popularity… these six vacation days, aside from red carpet rehearsals, would have been packed solid.

Yun Ziwei prioritized Xu Zhizhi’s long-term career in the entertainment industry, aiming for sustainability. So she turned down any unsuitable commercial activities, “gg” (good game – implying ending the interaction), or even live-streaming sales. The focus was on acting, building a strong fanbase. This foundation of public goodwill would provide a solid base when the number of acting roles gradually decreased, before starting a series of commercial activities. Various collaborations continued, but she carefully selected the best ones to maintain Xu Zhizhi’s image and prevent any scandals.

Having just gotten off the plane, Xu Zhizhi, wearing a mask, heard Lin Yu describe her schedule. But before she had gone far, she was stopped.

A young girl, her eyes shining, stared at Xu Zhizhi, tentatively asking, “Xu Zhizhi?”

“Hmm?” Xu Zhizhi turned her head, meeting the girl’s gaze.

The girl quickly pulled a camera from her bag. “I’m your fan! Can we take a picture?”

Lin Yu had rehearsed this countless times. As Xu Zhizhi nodded in agreement, Lin Yu stepped forward to offer to take the photo. Xu Zhizhi lowered her mask to her chin, tilted her head slightly against the girl’s, and offered a sweet smile. The girl made a heart shape with her hands, and the photo was taken.

Because of the mask, Xu Zhizhi hadn’t bothered with makeup, so the picture was completely barefaced. Her elegant contours, beautifully shaped lips, high nose bridge, large and deep-set eyes, and an air of refined elegance; her features were strong and striking, with a hint of beauty. The girl looked at the photo, her eyes wide with astonishment. Looking back at the real person, she hadn’t noticed Xu Zhizhi’s appearance after taking off her mask until now and was shocked at how stunning she was.

“You… you guys have things to do, so go ahead!” Feeling more and more eyes focusing on Xu Zhizhi, with some people raising their phones to take pictures, she felt anxious that Xu Zhizhi might be surrounded, so she said nervously.

Xu Zhizhi nodded, put on her mask, waved goodbye to the girl, and quickly left the terminal in the waiting car. Both were in simple outfits, and since they had a residence here, they moved quickly.

The girl watched Xu Zhizhi leave, looking at the photo on her camera. With plenty of time before her flight, she quickly found a seat, exported the photo to her computer, then took out her phone and sent it to her best friend group and posted it on her Weibo. She was a small travel blogger and, having unexpectedly met Xu Zhizhi, naturally wanted to share.

An unedited, barefaced, unfiltered beautiful photo appeared. Weibo was instantly flooded with likes and comments from Xu Zhizhi and her fans. Looking at the stunning photo of Xu Zhizhi, the girl covered her face, finally feeling the excitement hit her. She smiled, unable to contain her glee, and scrolled through the comment section, liking comments from her friends.

“Ahhhhh! The barefaced photo is so beautiful! I only came for Xu Zhizhi’s looks!”

“Xu Zhizhi’s real-life aura is so different from the drama! What a striking, cool beauty!”

“Help, she should play a fairy in a costume drama! So beautiful!”

The comment section was completely overwhelmed by her beauty. Many fans who appreciated her acting skills also were captivated by her appearance. It was mainly her aura; Xu Zhizhi’s role in the drama was a murderer, and her expressions, actions, and behavior were quite deranged. Generally speaking, it’s difficult to gain fans by playing a villain. But unexpectedly, something else was even more eye-catching: her beauty. Makeup tutorials helped half of the fans appreciate her beauty, and the other half saw it in the barefaced picture.

Lin Yu read the comments already trending on Weibo, causing Xu Zhizhi to facepalm in a mixture of amusement and embarrassment. Yun Ziwei, however, saw this as an opportunity and suggested Xu Zhizhi take some photoshoots, experimenting with various styles. These could be used for regular online engagement, maintaining her popularity. Xu Zhizhi resigned herself to her fate, knowing she had another task.

After a short half-day rest, Xu Zhizhi was scheduled to try on a borrowed gown in the afternoon. It was a light purple, off-the-shoulder, floor-length gown from C House. The jewelry was reportedly sent by Chen Han after hearing which brand the gown was from. There was a bracelet, earrings, and a necklace, all diamond-encrusted and worth millions. This was partly due to their friendship and partly because of Xu Zhizhi’s previous successful collaboration, which had led to her becoming the brand ambassador for the luxury brand in China. Xu Zhizhi held the jewelry, feeling her hands tremble; this set was more expensive than her life.

The necklace, shaped like a feather, rested diagonally across her collarbone. The moment Xu Zhizhi put it on, she felt herself radiate. Her hair was half-tied, revealing her elegant neck and nape. The onlookers gasped, speechless at Xu Zhizhi’s beauty.

“Clothes make the person, truly!” Yun Ziwei clicked her tongue in admiration; she could save money on buying publicity. Xu Zhizhi’s current popularity and beauty alone could overshadow most male and female stars.

In the entertainment industry, both male and female celebrities are competitive. Brand ambassadorships, aside from those specifically designated for men or women, are often a competition between both sexes. Therefore, Xu Zhizhi needed to outshine everyone to impress the brands and secure endorsements. This income is extremely high; some annual endorsements can reach tens of millions. Luxury brands not only offer extremely high endorsement fees but also increase exposure, and celebrities attending events can even choose the gowns they borrow.

Yun Ziwei had many thoughts; Xu Zhizhi just wanted to know why she had to wear an off-the-shoulder gown in early winter and how many days she would have to spend in bed afterward. Feeling hopeless, she could only convince herself that making money was important.

Then came the high heels, and practicing walking the red carpet gracefully and with confidence. It was exhausting; Xu Zhizhi found acting easier; during filming, she didn’t have to maintain a certain image or pay attention to the curve of her smile. Most importantly, she had to train herself to not close her eyes in bright lights because the flashbulbs on the red carpet would be intense.

Xu Zhizhi spent three days in a whirlwind of photoshoots, posture practice, and gait training – thoroughly tormented. When she found time to see Chen Han, her face was stiff and haggard. She complained to Chen Han. Chen Han froze at her coquettishness, almost blurting out, “If you don’t want to go, then don’t go.” Before the words left her mouth, she realized how much like a domineering CEO she sounded. She couldn’t spoil Xu Zhizhi like that. Helplessly, she could only grit her teeth and gently persuade Xu Zhizhi that it would be fine once it was over. The difference in their status was significant; if they were closer in rank, Chen Han would have suggested going together.

And so, amidst the torture, Xu Zhizhi arrived at the GQ Gala red carpet.

The red carpet took place in the evening, with appearances arranged based on celebrity status and seniority. At the beginning were directors and actors with more experience in the entertainment industry. In the middle were popular male and female stars, A-list celebrities, and idols. Towards the end were B-list stars, with Xu Zhizhi at the very end of the B-list, followed by C-list stars.

Xu Zhizhi’s car waited in line; it was warmer inside, and the organizers couldn’t leave the celebrities standing in the cold wind. Otherwise, the celebrities’ fans would tear them apart, and the stars themselves would easily fall ill, resulting in an incredibly messy situation.

As Xu Zhizhi sat idly in her car, a message from Qin Su came through on her phone.

Qin Su: Someone bought internet trolls to stir up trouble. The person trying to smear you has been found.

A picture was attached.

Xu Zhizhi looked at the unfamiliar man in the picture, then looked at Yun Ziwei sitting beside her, and showed her the image. “Yun Jie, do you know him?”

“…That’s Zhang Qu. He’s been in two dramas, and he’s handsome and has a lot of fans. He’s in the car behind us. What? Are you interested in him?” Yun Ziwei, with her excellent memory, immediately recognized the man in the picture.

Xu Zhizhi’s eyes flickered slightly; she couldn’t remember ever offending this person. Thinking about her reply to Yun Ziwei, she put her phone away. “It’s nothing. I was just curious when I saw the picture.”

Silence descended again. Xu Zhizhi asked about the progress of the police report. Yun Ziwei replied that there was no progress because they were just small accounts; even if they were caught, nothing could be done. The real mastermind had disappeared, leaving the police with no leads.

Xu Zhizhi looked at her phone; Qin Su probably asked a friend, someone who makes tracking devices, to find out. Without evidence, nothing could be done.

At that moment, a man in a black suit approached and knocked on Xu Zhizhi’s car window.

The window came down, and Xu Zhizhi looked at the face she had just seen on her phone. A fleeting expression of disgust crossed her face.

“Xu Zhizhi, the company arranged for us to walk the red carpet together.” The man smiled, appearing very gentlemanly, with a seemingly embarrassed expression.

Yun Ziwei was about to speak but was stopped by Xu Zhizhi.

Xu Zhizhi sat in the car, her expression unyielding. “I’m sorry, I’m not going with you. Please tell whoever arranged this.”

Then she pressed the button, quickly closing the window.

Zhang Qu’s expression instantly turned ugly. Watching Xu Zhizhi disappear from view, he could only return to his car. He was indeed acting without authorization, but Xu Zhizhi didn’t react at all when she saw him. Disgust, even? She’d been given an opportunity and spurned it.

Zhang Qu’s face darkened. Then he thought of something. If she didn’t want to, then he would make sure she couldn’t refuse.

With that thought, Zhang Qu smiled wickedly.

—-

We again recommend our friend’s new novel: 《The Alternative Use of the Black Material System》Author: Ten Li Qing Huan ID: 7975692.

[Synopsis]:

Wen Zhi died, and Wen Zhi lived again.

Good, the body is warm; the wrist-slashing wound is fresh; even the system rattling away in her head is brand new and unopened. Only the private messages and abuse on her phone have accumulated over time.

Wen Zhi (an old man on the subway looking at his phone) (realization): Oh, so I’m the Plan B, option E, the dispensable extra, huh?

【To maintain world peace, and embody true love and evil, the cute and charming Black Material System is here, meow～】

Wen Zhi: …

【I can help you revive!】

Wen Zhi, who just resurrected and is doing sit-ups: …

【I can make you a top star!】

Wen Zhi, former top star, current 18th-tier small star: …

【I can help you kick that scumbag!】

Wen Zhi, who just kicked a scumbag: …

【Waaah, will all the black material I’ve accumulated over the years be buried forever?!】

The system wept in despair.

Wen Zhi (eyes lit up): What gossip?

【Look at that top star, don’t let those long legs fool you, he has a top-tier advantage, but his side buds are suppressed! He’s only 5cm (referring to penis size), not to mention, he likes men, and he always wants to be on top!】

Wen Zhi: 6 (impressed)

【Look at that director, outwardly he seems to be suffering from premature baldness, but in reality, he has a lush green field on his head, and unbeknownst to him, he has five, six, seven, or eight children.】

Wen Zhi: Tell me more!

【Look at that internet celebrity, outwardly a pure and innocent persona, secretly a big guy whose beauty filter is maxed out! He picks his feet, poops, farts, and he has to do it in front of people.】

Wen Zhi: Whoa?

【Look at that CEO, outwardly he doesn’t have any romantic partners, but secretly he likes someone.】

Wen Zhi: Who?

【Um… you??】

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