Chapter 2: The Unseen Challenger

This is utterly bizarre, do you realize that?

As he stared at the message from the other party, Su Qianyu’s mind completely seized up.

The shock was comparable only to discovering that, days after having licked his boyfriend’s ass, his best friend’s wife had become pregnant with his own father’s child.

How on earth did this person know he was pilfering someone else’s takeout?

However, after a brief moment of contemplation, Su Qianyu’s gaze sharpened considerably.

In the mere span of a breath, a Cement Block Combo (TL Note: A Chinese internet slang term, ‘suǐní kuàizi tàocān,’ implying a devastating verbal attack or ‘keyboard warrior’ assault) was already served to the other party.

He clicked ‘Confirm’ and sent it!

The Third Form of the Internet – ‘Keyboard, Arise!’ (TL Note: ‘Jiàn Lái,’ a popular internet meme used by keyboard warriors to signal an impending online attack.)

It was a well-known fact that online, aside from a select few specialized law enforcement officers capable of conducting investigations, ordinary individuals possessed absolutely no means of tracing him.

Even among law enforcement, those who might take notice of him were exceedingly rare.

Considering all factors, Su Qianyu quickly reached a conclusion after clicking through to the other party’s profile page.

The culprit was following an account named a “Two-Character Magical Girl.”

“That brat dares to try and trick me? They’re asking for death!”

It couldn’t possibly be… that this person was actually the magical girl themselves, could it?

Yet, after his barrage of attacks, an unsettling silence fell over the other end of the phone.

Under normal circumstances, Su Qianyu would have already been gloating with self-satisfaction.

But now, as he watched the other party’s prolonged silence, a creeping sense of dread began to settle upon him.

“Netizen, won’t you say something…?”

However, the reality was that aside from the uncanny quiet, Su Qianyu perceived nothing at all.

One second passed, then two.

It was not until a considerable time had elapsed that Su Qianyu finally snapped back to his senses.

‘Haha, so I was just overthinking it, wasn’t I?’

‘Just scaring myself for no reason.’

Lightly sweeping his hair, his gaze drifted towards the time displayed in the upper-left corner of his screen, and Su Qianyu quietly let out a sigh of relief.

‘In just a few more hours, today will finally be over.’

‘Once midnight strikes, I’ll be safe; the advantage is mine!’

His hand moved once more towards the pizza on the table. ‘Delicious,’ he thought, ‘just one more bite.’

‘Mm, there’s nothing quite like the taste of something acquired for free (TL Note: ‘Bái Piáo,’ a slang term meaning to get something for free, often implying freeloading or obtaining without payment).’

Just then, a resounding thud echoed from beyond his door, causing Su Qianyu’s posture to stiffen once more.

‘Who on earth would be looking for me at this hour?’

Almost immediately, Su Qianyu swiftly activated his Golden Finger to observe his surroundings.

However, upon realizing the visitor was merely his neighbor, Su Qianyu exhaled a breath he hadn’t known he was holding.

“Open the door, open the damn door!”

“You had the nerve to steal my takeout; if you’ve got the guts, then open the door!”

From beyond the door, the other party’s somewhat desperate shouts pierced his ears.

Hearing that the takeout had indeed been ordered by his neighbor, Su Qianyu’s confidence swelled even further.

‘Indeed, indeed!’

‘That kid online was truly trying to deceive me!’

‘Good thing I was a step ahead, and didn’t fall for their trickery!’

‘Didn’t expect that, did they? Su Qianyu doesn’t fall for cheap tricks!’

‘It’s just a shame that this takeout has already made its way into my belly. Want me to spit it out? Not a chance in hell!’

As a considerable amount of time passed, his experience told him that at this point, all he needed to do was play dead.

Almost everything unfolded precisely as anticipated, and the sounds from outside the door gradually receded.

Except for… the person on his phone.

[Oh? So you like playing dead?]

[I’ll give you a few hours. If you still don’t come out, you’ll have to face the consequences yourself, won’t you?]

Gazing at the message from the person on his phone, Su Qianyu let out a few mischievous chuckles.

‘Still trying to trick me, still trying!’

‘Do they truly believe Su Qianyu is some three-year-old child?’

‘Even his great-grandmother used tactics like these; this generation of netizens is far too green!’

Minutes ticked by, one by one, and soon, the day was drawing to a close.

Noticing the other party’s continued silence, Su Qianyu once again bared his fangs.

[Didn’t you say you wanted me to come out?]

[Hey, I’m out! No, I’m in! Come and get me, you idiot!]

Watching the “sending message” notification flicker on his phone, Su Qianyu couldn’t help but break into a grin.

‘Tsk, tsk, tsk, they’re so desperate, so utterly desperate.’

Ordinarily, he wouldn’t bother to tease when he found amusement, but such a delightful spectacle as this was truly a first for him.

Su Qianyu didn’t even need to imagine; the vivid image of a ‘Red-Hot Kid’ (TL Note: ‘Hóng Wēn Xiǎozi,’ internet slang for someone who is extremely angry or ‘heated’ during an online argument, often losing composure) being teased by him, scratching their ears and cheeks in frustration, was already clear as day in his mind.

However, the anticipated “Defense Break” (TL Note: ‘Pò Fáng,’ internet slang for having one’s emotional defenses shattered, or getting extremely triggered/unsettled) scene did not materialize; instead, there were only two starkly brief words.

[Wait.]

‘Wait for what? If you’ve got the guts, then come and get me!’

Barely suppressing his laughter, Su Qianyu continued to barrage the keyboard with his replies.

Yet, to his utter surprise, this time the other party offered no further reply.

‘Hmph, just another ‘Big Talker’ (TL Note: ‘Kǒu Hāi Guài,’ internet slang for someone who talks big online but lacks the ability or courage to back it up; a keyboard warrior who only ‘talks smack’).’

‘So, they truly chickened out after all?’

His amusement gradually faded, and Su Qianyu, lying on his bed, rolled over.

Only to roll back again, thwarted by his too-short charging cable.

‘What if,’ he mused, ‘just what if…’

‘If this person could genuinely track him down through the internet cables, then honestly, Su Qianyu would truly want to meet such a formidable individual.’

Alas, in this world, anyone capable of such a feat would be far from ordinary.

Certainly not like his neighbor, who, having had his takeout stolen, could only lament like an impotent husband.

Swiping his phone to the home screen, Su Qianyu began to meticulously plan how he would spend the money once his task was complete.

‘Fifty million! That’s a staggering fifty million!’

‘He’d only ever seen so many zeroes packed together in Chengdu!’

‘Back then, when ordering takeout, he’d only dared to opt for group meals, painstakingly applying ‘Explosion Divine Coupons’ (TL Note: ‘Bàozhà Shén Juǎn,’ referring to extremely powerful discount coupons) to cut costs.’

‘Now, he could simply open the Boss Iced Tea direct sales store, take only a single sip from each bottle, and discard the rest—such was his newfound extravagance!’

‘I know this sounds incredibly extravagant, but now, these acts were merely part of his daily routine!’

The mere thought of this indulgent life filled Su Qianyu with boundless joy.

Such was the simple, mundane, and unpretentious life of the wealthy.

But at that very moment, Su Qianyu’s thoughts were once again abruptly pulled back by the insistent knocking from outside his door.

‘Who could it be?’

‘Surely the neighbor hasn’t come knocking again, have they?’

A frown creased his brow as Su Qianyu mused.

‘Didn’t that fellow already leave? He doesn’t strike me as the type to persistently pester someone like this, does he?’

After a brief period of deliberation, Su Qianyu opted to continue playing dead.

‘Who cares? Pay for the neighbor’s takeout? Impossible!’

However, this time, the situation was markedly different from the last; the knocking at the door grew progressively louder, escalating until it transformed into a frantic pounding.

‘Hiss, something’s not right!’

He once again employed his Golden Finger to scan outside, only to find no neighbor whatsoever beyond his door. Instead, there stood a Magical Girl visibly ‘Red-Hot’ (TL Note: ‘Hóng Wēn,’ meaning extremely angry or losing composure), discernible to the naked eye.

And the arrival was none other than Illo, the very Magical Girl who had nearly apprehended him earlier!

In the very next second, the entire house began to vibrate ominously.

‘Hey, hey, hey, is this even right?!’

Almost instantly, Su Qianyu scrambled to hide beneath his bed.

Sweeping aside a pile of hand-packed wontons, the young man revealed only a pair of eyes to peer out from his hiding spot.

Soon enough, the house’s main door, along with a section of the wall, was violently torn away.

There’s a saying: when the door is harder than the wall, the door becomes the wall.

Footsteps echoed within the house, and Su Qianyu, acting decisively, immediately employed his Telekinetic Item Movement ability, intending to take a life.

‘As long as I plunge this knife into their head, I’ll survive!’

‘Losing is simply not an option, which is why I, Su Qianyu, never lose!’

But just as he activated his ability, Su Qianyu discovered that the knife seemed to be stuck, unable to move even an inch in the air.

‘My… my ability, why has it failed?!’

Yet, before Su Qianyu could fully recover from the shock of his Golden Finger failing, Illo had already stepped into the room.

The click of high heels resonated through the house. Having seemingly surveyed the room without finding Su Qianyu, the girl hummed a tune and slowly pulled out her phone.

As if anticipating something dreadful, Su Qianyu’s pupils dilated significantly.

‘Wait… not good, messages incoming!’

Though Su Qianyu’s hand speed was swift, and he immediately switched his phone to silent mode.

However, he hadn’t turned off the vibration!

A faint buzzing sound emanated from beneath the bed; though quiet, it was enough to draw attention.

Almost simultaneously, both individuals let out a laugh.

‘Haha, it’s over.’

‘Ruined, everything’s completely ruined!’

The next second, before Su Qianyu’s eyes, his bed frame was directly flung aside.

Staring at the magic wand in the other party’s hand, Su Qianyu let out two weak laughs.

“Hee… can we reconcile?”