I’m No Longer Human After Being Blacklisted – CH25

Chapter 25 – Protect Our Little Island

As the criticism of Lin Jiu began to deviate further from the main topic, several initially firm bloggers deleted their videos and publicly apologized. They also posted transaction records showing that Mi Youyou had paid their assistants to make the videos and smear Demon Fish Restaurant.

In reality, the ingredients at Demon Fish Restaurant were very fresh. The smear campaign was fabricated to defame both Demon Fish Restaurant and Lin Jiu.

The blogger who had previously kicked over a bicycle admitted their mistake and promised to compensate all of Lin Jiu’s losses, hoping for forgiveness.

After the blogger’s clarification, the overzealous fans who had been incited also came forward to apologize, admitting they had supported the wrong person. They criticized Mi Youyou as a white lotus who had now officially unfollowed her and expressed regret for the harm caused to Lin Jiu.

All those who had participated in the attacks on Lin Jiu came out to apologize, and none were missing.

There was speculation about whether they had been threatened, as it was unusual for them to be so organized.

Casual observers noted that Mi Youyou’s bribing of bloggers to defame Demon Fish Restaurant was a fact, with pictures and evidence to back it up. The attacking force was instantly reduced by more than half, leaving only the Dream group’s die-hard fans and Lin Jiu’s haters. Regardless of what Lin Jiu did, they would criticize and blacken him. After all, the disbandment of the group was a severe crime in their eyes, and they would never forgive Lin Jiu.

Many of Mi Youyou’s fans unfollowed her and released unflattering and incriminating photos of her.

Previously, media reports had exposed Mi Youyou’s high-handedness and bad temper. When she was the lead in a web drama, she had bullied many newcomers, even showing disregard for Huo Wei, who was already established. She had made Huo Wei wait for three hours due to her tardiness, and Huo Wei’s fiery temper was well-known. During the shoot, Mi Youyou had also made subtle attempts to sabotage Huo Wei.

This news, which was initially suppressed, resurfaced. Newcomers who had been oppressed also posted videos crying about their experiences. While some may have sought attention, the incidents were genuine.

Soon, a major blogger released a set of photos showing Mi Youyou in intimate poses with various men. These men were either rich second-generation individuals or middle-aged men, with one being a senior executive at Guangshi Entertainment, who had the most intimate photos with Mi Youyou.

The scandal, initially sparked by Mi Youyou’s complaints on Weibo, escalated to expose Guangshi Entertainment’s hidden rules. This senior executive had numerous “adopted daughters” and preferred to have “private talks” with female celebrities, despite being married with children and often showing off his family’s love on social media.

The situation quickly spiraled out of Mi Youyou’s control. Even if she posted an apology, recorded a video apologizing while crying, and begged Lin Jiu for forgiveness, explaining that there was no enmity between them, and that she was just upset and had vented her frustration after a tough day—it wouldn’t stop the situation from worsening.

Despite her sincere apologies, the situation continued to develop.

Many realized that there must be someone manipulating the situation behind the scenes. Otherwise, Guangshi Entertainment wouldn’t be disregarded so easily. Even though Guangshi Entertainment’s PR department tried to suppress the scandal, the term “Guangshi Entertainment’s hidden rules” remained prominent.

A major blogger released all the “adopted daughters” and female celebrities who had been “privately talked to” by this executive. The list was so extensive it covered nearly half of Guangshi Entertainment’s roster. The entire company was thrown into chaos. Some female celebrities in the photos posted to clear their names, only to be mocked by the public for their obvious guilt.

The initial apologies from those involved were met with skepticism and disbelief.

Those who had returned to their normal lives, stirred up trouble online, and were initially excited soon began experiencing severe headaches. What started as mild dizziness escalated into unbearable headaches, forcing them to call for ambulances. After medical examinations revealed no issues, their headaches mysteriously disappeared.

Without their headaches, they deeply regretted their actions against Demon Fish Restaurant. They voluntarily came forward to apologize and clarify, hoping for Lin Jiu’s forgiveness and wishing to become his fans. Even if Lin Jiu didn’t forgive them, they would support him silently from the shadows.

From now on, they would be Lin Jiu’s staunchest supporters, and anyone who criticized their idol would face their wrath.

Their fervor was such that it felt like they had been cursed. Even if Lin Jiu ordered them to die immediately, they would do so without hesitation.

Right after they made their public apologies, they clashed with Lin Jiu’s haters. The battle was intense, with over a dozen people fighting Lin Jiu’s massive group of haters to a standstill. While netizens were engrossed in the shocking news about Guangshi Entertainment, they also watched the fierce fan battle involving Lin Jiu.

Lin Jiu’s fans, who had been hiding in a small corner feeling wronged, saw such brave allies and wasted no time joining the fight!

Seeing the situation was set, Jiang Ge, to atone for his actions, took to his main account to promote Demon Fish Restaurant.

Foodie Jiang Ge v: “No more words, just pictures. [Image][Image][Image][Image][Image][Image][Image] From now on, I’m going to live at Demon Fish Restaurant—no one can stop me!”

Jiang Ge’s identity as a rich second-generation was well-known among his fans. Unlike other rich second-generation individuals who liked beautiful women, luxury cars, and high-end watches, he only cared about food. He frequently posted pictures of delicious food on Weibo and had amassed a considerable number of followers over the years. His fans were mainly foodies who followed his lead to taste the dishes he recommended.

Once Jiang Ge posted on Weibo, his fans quickly responded.

“Confirmed, the food at Mo Fish Restaurant must be out of this world!”

“Jiang Ge, who usually posts only one food picture at a time, has posted seven pictures this time without a single negative comment. This is true love!”

What no one expected was that Si Xu had liked Jiang Ge’s Weibo post.

This caused Jiang Ge’s Weibo to explode!

Fans who rushed over nearly overloaded Jiang Ge’s Weibo, all eager to catch a glimpse of Si Xu!

“So, Si Xu is also a foodie! Hahaha, finally discovered a new trait of our idol!”

“I’m going to Demon Fish Restaurant! Quickly, let’s stake out and catch a glimpse of the idol!”

“Shh! Be quiet, or you’ll scare off the idol!”

“…”

After this incident, Lin Jiu’s Demon Fish Restaurant became incredibly popular.

To support Lin Jiu’s Demon Fish Restaurant, Si Xu went all out. This act of harming others while hurting himself meant he would lose the opportunity to enjoy his favorite food freely. It was obvious that his fans would now flock to Demon Fish Restaurant to find him.

There’s no denying that Si Xu’s influence was immense. A simple like from him caused Jiang Ge’s Weibo, which had only hundreds of thousands of followers, to suddenly surge to several million and continue rising. Many of Si Xu’s fans came over, asking about Jiang Ge’s and Si Xu’s relationship, inquiring about concert dates, Si Xu’s health, and if he would have a birthday party this year.

To avoid disturbances in his private life, Si Xu had never publicly disclosed his friends. Si Xu rarely liked posts and never liked posts from non-celebrities, so many perceptive fans speculated that Jiang Ge might be Si Xu’s friend, which is why they were relentlessly questioning Jiang Ge.

Frightened, Jiang Ge didn’t dare to look at Weibo anymore and called Si Xu, “Bro, what are you doing? Are you trying to expose yourself or get me killed? Quickly un-like that post and pretend you made a mistake; otherwise, neither of us will ever get to eat at Demon Fish again!”

Si Xu coldly replied, “You still want to eat at Demon Fish?”

Jiang Ge was terrified and nearly begged, “Bro, I realize my mistake. Please give me a chance to correct it!”

Si Xu sneered, “If I can’t eat there, neither can you.”

He then coldly hung up the phone.

Jiang Ge stared at his phone in disbelief. He had dug his own grave and was dragging others down with him. He didn’t want to be the scapegoat!

He tried calling Si Xu again, but the line was busy and he couldn’t get through.

Si Xu, feeling a headache coming on, was unsure if it was due to his illness or the annoying situation. What was initially under control was completely ruined by Mi Youyou. Since he wasn’t in a good mood, he made sure others wouldn’t be either, dragging Guangshi Entertainment into the mess. With Lin Jiu’s identity exposed, his own identity as the “Black Star Jewel Merchant” was hard to hide. Ji Ancheng, who had been persistently probing for news, was the first to lose patience.

Si Xu knew he couldn’t avoid it and answered the phone.

“Si Xu! You’ve been so inconsiderate! You’ve been hiding such a big issue from me. Are you even still my brother?!” Ji Ancheng’s angry voice came through. “Give me a straight answer, is it him or not?”

Si Xu, feeling helpless, responded, “Haven’t you seen the news online?”

Ji Ancheng was fuming, “I’ve seen it, and so has everyone else. I’m sure many jewelers are rushing to Demon Fish Restaurant now! You’ve been inconsiderate!”

Si Xu said, “I gave you a hint.”

“When?” Ji Ancheng’s side was noisy, indicating he was likely on his way to Demon Fish Restaurant.

Si Xu replied quietly, “I posted about Demon Fish Restaurant on my social media. If you had gone, you would definitely have recognized the restaurant owner.”

Ji Ancheng was so angry he nearly had a heart attack and hung up. If he believed this cousin again, he would be a fool!

Ji Ancheng urged the driver to go faster. When he arrived in the West City, the old street was completely blocked, and traffic was stuck outside the old street.

Realizing the situation, Ji Ancheng got out of the car and decided to walk. His assistant hurriedly followed.

When Ji Ancheng found Mo Fish Restaurant, he saw that the entrance was already crowded. Among the crowd, he recognized many familiar faces—jewelers. Xue Zilin, the only son of the Xue family’s second branch, was also there. Seeing Ji Ancheng, he smiled and swayed over.

“Mr. Ji, you’re a bit late?”

Ji Ancheng glanced at him, “You came early, but you’re still waiting outside.”

Xue Zilin laughed, “After this, Black Star Jewels might no longer be exclusively sold by Blue Duke.”

Ji Ancheng felt a direct hit. This was exactly what he feared.

His assistant, sweating as he squeezed through the crowd, said, “Boss, Demon Fish Restaurant has put up a sign saying they’re going to restock, with an indefinite return date. What should we do?”

Ji Ancheng looked at Xue Zilin and then at the other jewelers still lingering. He moved aside to make a call.

“Boss Lin said he was going to restock. Did you know about this?”

Si Xu tightened his grip on the phone. He didn’t know, as Lin Jiu hadn’t told him. “He often goes to restock.”

Ji Ancheng was a bit worried. “Is he really going to restock, or is he disappearing because of the online drama?”

Having had experience with disappearances himself, he was concerned that if Lin Jiu went missing for another year, everything would fall apart.

“He won’t disappear again,” Si Xu said as he hung up the phone, feeling uneasy.

He called Lin Jiu but got no answer. Growing more anxious, he continued calling.

*

The storm outside did not affect Lin Jiu. In the afternoon, he was engaged in a battle of wits with the Silver Carp in the smart kitchen, successfully killing two. While he was processing them, he suddenly heard a warning from the demon-hunting system.

[Warning! Xipu Island is under attack by the Demon Flower Lobster. Please, demon hunters, immediately go to protect the island and eliminate the demons.]

[Demon Hunting Task: Protect Xipu Island]

[Description: The fierce Demon Flower Lobster, skilled at tunneling, disintegrates the island]

[Task Deadline: None]

[Task Reward: 100 Magic Points, 1 Black Iron Chest]

[Failure Penalty: Deduct 100 Magic Points, Close the portal for 1000 days]

Lin Jiu almost dropped the knife on his foot. To have him protect an entire island? Seriously?

[Warning! Xipu Island is under attack. Please, demon hunters, immediately proceed to rescue.]

Lin Jiu glanced at the Silver Carp he was processing and thought about how the task had no deadline. If he went now, he wasn’t sure when he would return. Would Si Xu be in trouble without his magical seafood?

Thinking of this, Lin Jiu asked the system to put up a notice at the shop explaining the situation. He hurriedly finished his tasks, and under the constant warnings from the demon-hunting system, he managed to kill ten Silver Carp.

He neatly packed the fish, fish mince, and fish bone marrow into the largest insulated box, layering ice between each layer. He handed the fish heads, bones, and internal organs to the system for recycling. There were still plenty of Silver Carp left in the tank, but he no longer had time to deal with them.

Lin Jiu called the delivery guy from last time and asked him to come over. He also called Jiang Ge to ask about Si Xu’s whereabouts. Jiang Ge, feeling guilty, answered every question but dared not say more or ask additional questions.

The delivery guy soon arrived downstairs. Lin Jiu ended the call and dragged the large insulated box downstairs. Together with the delivery guy, he loaded the box onto the vehicle and headed to the Mo Hong Group in the city.

Lin Jiu didn’t know what Si Xu was doing at Mo Hong Group. He had no time to waste and just wanted to deliver the Silver Carp and rush to rescue the island.

Upon arriving at Mo Hong Group, Lin Jiu and the delivery guy unloaded the insulated box. Lin Jiu patted his pocket and realized he had forgotten his phone.

No money, no phone—he couldn’t even pay for the delivery. Lin Jiu was in despair.

“Sorry, I forgot my phone. Can you wait a moment? I’ll find someone and be right back.”

The delivery guy looked around, somewhat awkward. “You’d better hurry; it’s hard to park here.”

“Okay, okay, I’ll be back soon.” Lin Jiu said as he ran toward Mo Hong Group.

Not knowing where Si Xu was, Lin Jiu could only ask the front desk. “Hello, is Si Xu here?”

The receptionist smiled politely. “Do you have an appointment?”

Lin Jiu was taken aback. “No, I don’t.”

The receptionist’s smile didn’t waver. “Sorry, Mr. Si is very busy. Please make an appointment first.”

Few people at the company knew about Mr. Si being the big star Si Xu. Even if they did, they kept it secret. This was an office, not a place for fan chasing. The receptionist, aware of Mr. Si’s identity, was especially cautious about fans trying to get into the company.

Lin Jiu, anxious, said, “I have an urgent matter to discuss with him. I forgot my phone. Could you please help me make a call?”

Even if he had his phone, he didn’t know Si Xu’s number. Damn it!

The receptionist continued to smile. “Sorry, sir.”

At this moment, the receptionist’s phone rang, and she answered, “Yes, there is a gentleman who wants to see you.”

*

Si Xu didn’t know how many times he had called Lin Jiu. No one answered, and eventually, the phone was turned off, likely due to a dead battery.

Just as he was about to lose hope, Jiang Ge called, saying that Lin Jiu had asked for his address but didn’t say what for.

Si Xu quickly called the front desk, only to find that Lin Jiu had already arrived.

Si Xu put on a mask, grabbed his jacket, and hurried out of the office, taking the exclusive elevator down. He spotted the tall young man immediately—he was very noticeable.

Si Xu walked over quickly. “Where’s your phone? Why haven’t you been answering?”

“……I left it at home.” Lin Jiu was puzzled about how Si Xu knew he didn’t have his phone.

“Careless.” Si Xu scolded him but in a gentle tone, making the receptionist’s eyes widen.

“Um… I forgot my phone and can’t pay for the delivery…” Lin Jiu felt very embarrassed, his ears turning red. Asking his idol for money to pay for the delivery made him feel like a top fanboy.

Si Xu was helpless. “Where is it?”

“Just outside.” Lin Jiu led Si Xu to the vehicle.

The receptionist was about to transform into a screeching chicken, her mind screaming. Where did this amazing young man come from? He’s so charming and has a great voice. His shy demeanor is incredibly cute—I can’t handle it, I can’t handle it, I’m dying of excitement!

The receptionist’s gossip spirit was on fire!

When she got home and saw the dramatic events online, she jumped up in shock. That familiar long hair, those pretty eyes, that perfect figure—wasn’t that the charming young man she saw this afternoon?!

The receptionist laughed like a pig at home, knowing the secret between Boss Lin and Mr. Si all by herself. Hee hee hee! 

Si Xu paid for the delivery and stood by the roadside with Lin Jiu and the large insulated box.

“What’s inside?”

“Silver Carp. I’m going to restock, but I don’t know when I’ll be back. I’m leaving some Silver Carp for you.”

Si Xu’s heart fluttered. “Will it take a long time?”

Lin Jiu thought for a moment. “Hard to say. It might take a long time or it might be quick.”

Si Xu grew more worried. “Why so long? Is it because the road is too far or is there danger?”

The road is indeed far, and there is danger, but Lin Jiu couldn’t reveal that to Si Xu.

“I’ll try to return before you finish the fish,” Lin Jiu said, “The bone marrow from the Silver Carp is very good for eyesight. People with poor vision or the elderly can eat more. Have you tried it?”

Si Xu: “……”

He hadn’t had a single bite of the fish bone marrow.

Lin Jiu patted the insulated box. “There’s plenty here. You can give it a try.”

“Okay.” Seeing that Lin Jiu seemed quite anxious, Si Xu asked, “Where are you going now? I’ll give you a ride.”

“No need, I’ll just take a taxi. You can go back,” Lin Jiu said as he reached out to hail a cab.

Si Xu could tell Lin Jiu didn’t want to say more and didn’t press further. He helped him hail a taxi, paid for the ride, and reminded him, “Stay safe and come back early.”

Lin Jiu waved to indicate he understood.

Si Xu dragged the large insulated box back to the company. The security guard at the entrance came to help, but Si Xu waved him off, asking him to contact the delivery truck instead. He needed to take the insulated box home.

At that moment, Jiang Ge called. “Did you see Lin Jiu? What does he need from you?”

Si Xu didn’t answer and asked in return, “What about the fish bone marrow you bought?”

Si Xu had no doubt about the effectiveness of the fish bone marrow, especially since Lin Jiu had mentioned it specifically.

“I ate it,” Jiang Ge continued to inquire, “What does Lin Jiu want from you?”

“All three portions?” Si Xu pressed.

“There was too little fish bone marrow—just one bite per portion. It was smooth and tender like jelly. I tried it and then it was gone.” Jiang Ge didn’t want to eat it all himself; there really wasn’t much.

Si Xu sighed. “Did you feel any difference after eating it?”

Jiang Ge thought for a moment. “No, not really.”

Jiang Ge already had good eyesight, so eating the fish bone marrow was a waste for him and showed no effect.

This was like trying to chew peonies or having Zhu Bajie eat the fruit of life—what a waste!

In the end, Jiang Ge still didn’t find out why Lin Jiu was looking for Si Xu.

*

When Lin Jiu got home, he locked the security door and then the room door, before spending 5 Magic Points to open the portal.

This time, Lin Jiu wore clothes because he knew the demon-hunting system would send him directly to Xipu Island. He wasn’t sure if there were intelligent beings on the island, and appearing like this might disrupt the local climate, so it was better to be dressed.

After the teleportation, Lin Jiu found himself on a lush green island, but was immediately drenched in a torrential downpour. The Demon Sea realm was currently experiencing heavy rain!

Lin Jiu quickly sheltered under a large tree with broad leaves, wiped the rain off his face, and looked at the dark sky and dark sea. The whole world seemed to consist of only him. Even though the Demon Sea realm was full of treasures, he didn’t like it here; it was too lonely.

Lin Jiu noticed that the beach was filled with black shapes, and even the sea water washing up on the shore was black. With the heavy rain and limited visibility, he turned around, broke off a large leaf, and used it as an umbrella to check the beach.

As he looked, Lin Jiu’s hair stood on end. It wasn’t just black sea water but a dark mass of Demon Flower Lobsters with massive pincers! They were piled on top of each other, pushed towards the shore by the surging waves!

Lin Jiu’s feet sank suddenly into the sand. Reacting quickly, he summoned his spear and thrust it into the sand. A large pincer clamped onto the metal spear, narrowly protecting Lin Jiu’s leg.

He quickly retreated and used the spear to lift a Demon Flower Lobster that was hiding under the sand. This Demon Flower Lobster was quite large—almost a meter long without counting its whiskers and pincers. It flailed its fat tail in the air and landed with a “thud” on the sand, raising its pincers and charging at Lin Jiu. Lin Jiu, intimidated by its 1.8-meter size, turned and ran.

The Demon Flower Lobsters on the beach, which had been busy digging holes, all raised their pincers and chased after Lin Jiu.

Lin Jiu spun around, swinging his spear. With a “thwack,” he struck the most aggressive Demon Flower Lobster. The hard shell cracked under his strike, and the Demon Flower Lobster tumbled on the sand, its pincers rapidly digging a hole to bury itself.

Lin Jiu wasn’t going to let it have its way. He drove his spear through the Demon Flower Lobster’s hard shell and carried it away.

These demons were too fierce—being pinched by them could mean losing limbs.

[Demon Name: Demon Flower Lobster]

[Habits: Monarchs of the Demon Sea, skilled at digging holes]

[Characteristics: Delicious and nutritious meat]

[Danger Level: 1+]

[Effects: 1. Supplements calcium and strengthens the body; 2. Prevents high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, and myocardial infarction; 3. Promotes lactation, alleviates bone pain, and treats physical weakness, etc.]

Lin Jiu was surprised to find that the danger level was represented by a hollow five-pointed star, which the system explained as “second-tier one star.”

According to the demon-hunting system, the danger level of the Demon Flower Lobster was lower than that of the Silver Carp but more dangerous than the Black Star Shell, Antler Shrimp, and Demon Claw Crab. Thus, it was rated as “second-tier one star.”

To Lin Jiu, these Demon Flower Lobsters were clearly very dangerous; their large pincers were even more dangerous than the Silver Carp’s sharp teeth.

There were so many Demon Flower Lobsters that even if Lin Jiu could catch them, he had no place to keep them. If he put them in the fish tank, there would definitely be a battle between the fish and shrimp, and the fish tank could only hold 2 cubic meters—there wasn’t enough space.

[Recommendation: Purchase an intelligent net cage that can automatically adjust its size and anchor itself to the seabed. The net cage can contain Demon Flower Lobster or other sea demons that cannot be taken away.]

With this, Lin Jiu would have a sea demon farming box. The demon-hunting tasks issued by the system were highly random. He might be asked to hunt hundreds or thousands of fish, just like this time with the Demon Flower Lobsters. His fish tank was too small to accommodate these sea creatures, so he indeed needed a net cage.

But there was a problem: If the sea demons were kept in the net cage for too long without small fish schools passing by, they might starve. Of course, if the number was small, they could be self-sufficient.

“How many magic points are needed?” Lin Jiu predicted that such an intelligent net cage wouldn’t be cheap.

[The price of the primary intelligent net cage is 30 magic points. Would you like to purchase it?]

Lin Jiu: “…”

As expected, it was expensive!

He only had 32 magic points in total, and buying a primary intelligent net cage would cost him almost all of his savings.

Lin Jiu pondered, “How many magic points are needed to expand the fish pond?”

[Expanding the fish pond to 3 cubic meters requires 30 magic points. However, it’s not recommended to expand the fish pond. There are too many Demon Flower Lobsters, and even with an expanded pond, they wouldn’t all fit. If you waste magical materials, magic points will be deducted. If you fail the mission, you’ll not only lose magic points but also be trapped in the magic sea dimension for 1,000 days.]

Lin Jiu: “…”

So, in reality, he had no choice but to buy the intelligent net cage, right?

What else could he do but purchase it?

[Please choose the location to place the intelligent net cage.]

Having finally found a small island, Lin Jiu decided to make it his base from now on. The location of the net cage couldn’t be too far; it had to be close enough for him to easily access the magical seafood.

Lin Jiu fought his way through the relentless tide of Demon Flower Lobsters, plunging into the water. The pain made him roll around in the magic sea, and only after fully transforming into his merman form did he start searching for a spot to place the intelligent net cage.

He chose a location not far from the island. Lin Jiu surfaced and, despite the storm, could still see the island in the distance, ensuring that he wouldn’t lose his way.

“Here it is.”

[Would you like to place the primary intelligent net cage?]

“Place it.”

[Primary intelligent net cage placed successfully.]

Just like when his home was being furnished, Lin Jiu didn’t feel anything, yet the net cage was already in place.

Lin Jiu dove underwater to check. He was now inside the cage. Amidst the dark waters, he swam in a straight line until he saw the diamond-shaped net. Each diamond was the size of a palm, large enough for small magic sea creatures to pass through.

[Net Cage Usage Instructions: The net cage can withstand the bites and impacts of magic sea creatures with a danger rating of up to three stars. The host can unlock the cage using voice recognition. The net cage will monitor the hunger status of the magic sea creatures and can attract small sea creatures via sound waves.]

Lin Jiu tried making a sound, and the diamond-shaped net retracted to form a passage, allowing him to move in and out freely.

As expected of an intelligent net cage—truly smart.

With this setup, he no longer had to worry about the magical sea creatures inside starving to death.

Lin Jiu swam back toward the island. The path he had taken was now completely occupied by Demon Flower Lobsters. If he wanted to get back on the island, he’d have to clear them out first. However, in his current sea monster form, he had no legs and couldn’t walk, making it difficult to climb ashore.

The Demon Flower Lobsters lined up to get on the island, spotted Lin Jiu behind them, and without hesitation, they raised their large pincers and charged toward him. Lin Jiu’s eyes lit up as a brilliant idea suddenly came to him.

With a sinister grin, Lin Jiu raised his harpoon and charged into the group of Demon Flower Lobsters, sweeping through them without discrimination, then immediately turned and ran. As expected, the enraged Lobsters raised their large pincers and chased after him. Lin Jiu’s plan succeeded, and he continued to lure the creatures toward the intelligent net cage.

As he neared the cage area, Lin Jiu made a sound, causing the net cage to open automatically. Lin Jiu swam inside, and the unsuspecting Demon Flower Lobsters fell right into the trap. Lin Jiu exited from the other side, while the Demon Flower Lobsters were caught inside.

Lin Jiu turned back to the island to lure more creatures.

Dragging them away in groups was much faster than stunning them one by one and collecting them.

*

The storm in the magic sea dimension had no effect on the earthly dimension.

On Earth, the sun was still shining brightly.

Inside the rehearsal room of Creation Star Entertainment, Duan Chengzhou and Qiu Er were both present.

Huo Wei was expressing his gratitude, “Thanks so much to Sister Qiu and the captain for handling Brother Ling’s matter. Seeing him waste away every day is driving me crazy.”

Qiu Er smiled and said, “You could also try to persuade him. If he doesn’t want to stay in the limelight, he could work behind the scenes. Given your former team’s bond, Zhou will definitely find a spot for him. Instead of continuing like this, it’s better for him to work with Zhou.”

Huo Wei scratched his head, saying bluntly, “Behind the scenes is definitely not as good as being in the spotlight. But with how he is right now, it might be better. I’ll try to convince him.”

Duan Chengzhou patted him on the shoulder, “Don’t worry too much. Good jobs aren’t easy to come by, but when the right opportunity comes up, I’ll make sure he tries for it.”

Huo Wei thanked him repeatedly, feeling very grateful.

Last time, Duan Chengzhou had invited both Huo Wei and Ling Chen to dinner, but only Huo Wei showed up. Ling Chen didn’t come. Huo Wei had been worried that Duan Chengzhou would be upset and kept explaining that Ling Chen had something come up last minute, promising that he’d definitely attend next time.

But Duan Chengzhou knew that even if there was a next time, Ling Chen still wouldn’t show up.

Qiu Er’s phone rang. She smiled broadly as she answered, “Hello, this is Qiu Er.”

She glanced at Duan Chengzhou and then at Huo Wei before stepping outside to take the call.

The call was from the production team of *Island Survival*. The show was incredibly popular, with countless celebrities wanting to join, but each episode had a limited number of invited guests. Not just anyone could participate. Qiu Er didn’t have the connections to get her artists invited to the first or second seasons, so she was surprised to receive a call from them now.

However, her excitement was short-lived. It turned out that the production team was calling her because she used to be Ling Chen’s manager, and they couldn’t get in touch with him directly.

Qiu Er awkwardly laughed, “Sorry, I’m not his manager anymore… May I ask what you need him for?”

When she heard that the production team wanted Ling Chen to participate in the next recording of *Island Survival*, Qiu Er’s mind quickly began to spin. She enthusiastically promoted her artist, Duan Chengzhou, emphasizing his many strengths. As the most popular member of the former DREAM group, Duan Chengzhou would bring much more value to the show than the relatively unknown Ling Chen. Any storyline the production team hoped to explore with Ling Chen, Duan Chengzhou could deliver, and probably with even more impact.”

Qiu Er mistakenly believed that the show had invited Ling Chen because of the online buzz surrounding Lin Jiu. If they were trying to dig up dirt on Lin Jiu, no one had more to say on the matter than Duan Chengzhou. After all, it was Lin Jiu’s entanglement with Duan Chengzhou that had been exposed, leading to everything that followed.

In reality, the show invited Ling Chen at Wen Qin’s request and had no intention of replacing him. Moreover, they didn’t want to offend Huasheng. The show asked Qiu Er to pass the message to Ling Chen, reminding him to contact them soon, as they were leaving for the filming location the next day, and time was tight.

Qiu Er agreed but had other thoughts in mind. Returning to the practice room, where only Duan Chengzhou was present after Huo Wei had left, she recounted the invitation for Ling Chen to participate in *Survivor Island*.

Duan Chengzhou’s expression darkened. “Where did he get the connections to be invited by *Survivor Island*?”

Qiu Er replied, “It doesn’t matter how he got the connections. If he participates, all your plans will go to waste.”

Huo Wei, who had gone to the restroom, overheard the words *Survivor Island*. He knew of the show but didn’t understand what Qiu Er’s “plans” and “waste” meant.

Duan Chengzhou glanced at Qiu Er with a smile. “Surely you have a solution, right?”

Qiu Er said bluntly, “This is a great chance to gain popularity. I hope you can participate. Time is tight, if Ling Chen can’t make it tomorrow, he’s out, and you can take his place. You’re more suitable for this show, with more potential topics to explore. Don’t miss this opportunity.”

Standing by the door, Huo Wei was stunned. He quietly retreated and ran off. He rushed straight to Ling Chen’s practice room, slamming the door, startling Ling Chen.

Seeing his friend’s pale face, Ling Chen asked with concern, “What happened?”

Panting heavily, with red-rimmed eyes, Huo Wei, usually hot-tempered but not reckless, had seen too much of the coldness of the entertainment industry in the past year. He understood what Qiu Er and Duan Chengzhou meant.

“Brother, do you have *Survivor Island*’s number?” Huo Wei’s voice trembled.

“No, what’s going on?” Ling Chen was growing worried.

“Doesn’t matter. Just come with me now. I’ll take you to the show’s office. If you show up in person, that’ll do it. Let’s go, quickly!” Huo Wei grabbed Ling Chen and dragged him out, looking frantic.

Ling Chen pressed for answers, but Huo Wei remained silent, clearly shaken.

At the show’s office, Ling Chen finally learned that he had been invited to be a guest on the second season of *Survivor Island*. Since they couldn’t contact him, they reached out to his former agent, Qiu Er, asking her to pass along the message. The departure for the island was scheduled for the next day.

Ling Chen quickly realized that if such an opportunity fell into Qiu Er’s hands, it would definitely go to Duan Chengzhou instead of him. Huo Wei must have overheard something and had rushed him to the office.

This opportunity wouldn’t have come out of nowhere, especially since Ling Chen wasn’t famous enough to be directly invited.

“Excuse me, could I ask who recommended me for the show?” Ling Chen asked politely.

The person in charge replied kindly, “It was Mr. Lin. The show initially wanted to invite Mr. Lin, but he declined, saying he just wanted to run his shop and wasn’t interested in the entertainment industry. He recommended you instead.”

This was the message that Wen Qin had instructed the show to convey if Ling Chen asked. If you do good deeds, people should know about it; otherwise, those who benefit won’t even know who to thank. Wen Qin wasn’t one to make such a losing deal.

Both Ling Chen and Huo Wei were stunned.

Ling Chen asked, “The ‘Mr. Lin’ you mentioned, is that… Lin Jiu?”

The representative wasn’t sure who “Lin Jiu” was, but said, “Yes, your former teammate, Mr. Lin.”

Ling Chen fell silent, and so did Huo Wei.

While the opportunity was great, Ling Chen didn’t have a manager, and taking on work independently would be difficult to explain to his company.

The show’s representative was surprised to learn that Ling Chen didn’t have a manager. After some consideration, they decided to call “Creation Star” (Ling Chen’s agency) that evening.

If not for the influence of Wen Qin and Huasheng, the show wouldn’t have gone through all this trouble. With so many more famous stars available, they wouldn’t waste time on someone like Ling Chen, who wasn’t popular, had no buzz, and wasn’t particularly interesting. But they had no choice, as Wen Qin had specifically requested him, and the show had to comply.

Leaving the office, Ling Chen and Huo Wei still felt like they were dreaming.

Huo Wei scratched his head, reluctantly muttering, “He really just wants to quit the entertainment industry and run a shop, huh?”

Clearly, Huo Wei had also been following the recent online drama.

Ling Chen tried calling Lin Jiu, but once again, he was greeted by the familiar sound of the phone being turned off.

Huo Wei, seeing the name in the contacts list, sighed. He didn’t have Lin Jiu’s new number either. “Brother Ling, tell me the truth—what really happened between Lin Jiu and the captain?”

Ever since the group disbanded, Ling Chen and Duan Chengzhou had drifted apart. Huo Wei had tried multiple times to mend their relationship, but Ling Chen always found an excuse to avoid attending whenever he knew Duan Chengzhou would be there.

If it weren’t for today, Huo Wei might not have realized the gravity of the situation.

Ling Chen looked at him seriously. “If I tell you the truth, will you believe me?”

Huo Wei, with a stern expression, replied, “If you say it, I’ll believe it.”

Ling Chen asked, “Do you believe the rumors that Lin Jiu was pestering Duan Chengzhou?”

Huo Wei was taken aback. “Isn’t that a sure thing? Back when the group was still together, they were always inseparable. They’d meet up privately without us, and those photos—Lin Jiu grabbing the captain’s shirt, pinning him against a wall—wasn’t that a forced kiss?”

Ling Chen looked at him like he was an idiot. “They were always together because it was Duan Chengzhou who sought out Lin Jiu—teaching him how to dance, how to sing. Even their private meetings were initiated by Duan Chengzhou.”

Ling Chen continued, “There were times when Lin Jiu refused him by saying he was with me. As for the photos, there might be instances where they were close, but it was definitely not a forced kiss. The photographer clearly manipulated the angles.”

“He says Ah Jiu was pestering him, but from what I saw, it was clear that he was the one pestering Ah Jiu. No one wanted the group to disband more than he did. I just didn’t expect that he would make Ah Jiu take the blame for it.”

Huo Wei was shocked. “But he told me it was Ah Jiu who was pestering him! That night, before they went out, the captain sent me a voice message saying Ah Jiu asked him out. He didn’t want to go, but Ah Jiu threatened to expose their improper relationship. I wanted to confront Ah Jiu, but the captain stopped me, saying he’d handle it himself. That’s the night they were photographed! Ah Jiu was the one who invited the captain first!”

Ling Chen looked at him expressionlessly. “Did you see any screenshots of their conversation?”

Huo Wei was taken aback. “…No, I didn’t.”

Ling Chen: “Then why do you believe everything he says is the truth?”

Huo Wei opened his mouth but struggled to speak. “Then why do you believe what Ah Jiu says?”

Ling Chen lowered his eyes. “At the time, I was teaching Ah Jiu vocal lessons. When he got a message from Duan Chengzhou, I was right there. I saw it with my own eyes.”

Huo Wei: “…”

Huo Wei: “…”

Huo Wei: “…”

Huo Wei started pacing in circles like a trapped animal. “So, everything I thought I knew… was a lie?”

Ling Chen gave a weak smile. “I don’t know how many lies you’ve been fed, but I feel bitter about it. The current outcome was his plan all along. Obviously, he succeeded. The group disbanded, and he soared to new heights. Only Ah Jiu was left to bear the brunt of the blame. He’s been vilified by the entire internet. I don’t even understand how, despite Ah Jiu never reaching stardom, he became such a target for hatred. Look at the swarm of people attacking him. They’ve invested so much into ruining him.”

Huo Wei was furious. “If you knew the truth, why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you speak up?!”

Ling Chen looked at him for a long time before saying, “I did say it wasn’t Ah Jiu’s fault, but you didn’t listen. Compared to Duan Chengzhou’s preemptive framing, my words sounded like I was just defending Ah Jiu. You didn’t believe me. If even you didn’t believe me, do you think anyone else would?

I didn’t stay silent. I tried to speak up on my account, but then Qiu Er took control of it and deleted my post. Besides, I didn’t have any evidence. Without proof, who would believe me? Even if Ah Jiu hadn’t gone missing at the time, with his personality, he’d never talk about it, even if he was wronged. He’d just endure it quietly. Duan Chengzhou must’ve exploited that aspect of him when he made his move.”

Huo Wei cursed, “Damn it! So that’s why you’ve been avoiding him?”

Ling Chen shook his head. “That’s not the only reason.”

Huo Wei pressed on, “What else?”

Ling Chen hesitated for a long time, but in the end, he didn’t explain. Right now, both of them were far less popular than Duan Chengzhou, and with Qiu Er fiercely protecting him, Ling Chen didn’t want to drag Huo Wei into it too.

“It’s nothing. Let’s drop it.”

“What do you mean, it’s nothing? Don’t hide things from me!” Huo Wei’s temper was on the verge of exploding.

Ling Chen said, “It’s my own issue. It has nothing to do with you.”

“What do you mean, it has nothing to do with me?!” Huo Wei was furious.

But Ling Chen was adamant about not saying more, and there was nothing Huo Wei could do.

*

Translator Note:

That’s a longggg chapter… Hope you enjoy it 😛