Chapter 72 – Right and Wrong Will Be Judge By Oneself
Lin Jiu returned home from the hospital, but Mrs. Si still hadn’t woken up.
On the way back, Lin Jiu checked online, and just as he expected, the entire internet was buzzing about what had happened earlier that day.
He quietly logged into Weibo, curious if anyone had recognized him. This time, he had worn a mask, a hat, and tucked his long hair inside the hat, so only his eyes were visible. Even though Demon Fish Shop had delivered fish, that alone couldn’t prove it was him.
Lin Jiu thought everything was fine, but when he saw his Weibo account, he was shocked.
His account had blown up with countless comments, full of people exclaiming: “Boss Lin is so handsome! Boss Lin’s harpoon is so stylish! Did Boss Lin learn his skills at the shaolin temple?”
Lin Jiu: “…”
He was utterly confused. He’d gone to such lengths to stay hidden, yet he had still been recognized?
After scrolling through the comments, he finally figured out what had given him away.
He had worn a black chef’s uniform, and while the outfit alone wouldn’t have confirmed his identity, the problem was the logo on the uniform—the colorful, quirky fish of Demon Fish Shop!
And there was only one chef at Demon Fish Shop—Lin Jiu!
Lin Jiu: “…”
Well, this was awkward. He thought he’d hidden well, but his true identity had already been exposed.
Curious, Lin Jiu checked Si Xu’s account to see if his identity had been uncovered, too. When he arrived, he found the comment section was lively.
Many were asking if the “masked hero” in the video was their idol.
Some had even posted comparison pictures of the figure’s body, height, eyes, and hair, with countless fans shouting in excitement, tagging their idol to confirm his identity.
“I’m willing to bet that ‘masked hero’ is definitely my idol!”
“Look how naturally he held Boss Lin! Such a familiar scene—certified idol for sure!”
“Can you shippers stop dancing? My idol stands alone!”
“Isn’t anyone going to comment on how cool Boss Lin’s pitchfork was? Hahahaha!”
“(`?´)!! That was a trident, right? Like the one from *Aquaman*!”
“Don’t change the topic! You said it yourself: only Aquaman can use a trident. Boss Lin was definitely using a pitchfork!”
“Did Demon Fish Fan fans wander into the wrong place? This is Si Xu’s turf, please leave!”
“Nope, no mistake. We’re all family here, why divide us?”
“Can the shippers leave? Every person who tries to bind my idol to someone else ends up forgotten. Are you sure Boss Lin won’t face the same?”
“I don’t like hearing that. They’re close friends in real life, so why is it ‘binding’ when we bring it up? Solo fans can get lost!”
“…”
Lin Jiu only wanted to check if Si Xu’s identity had been revealed but ended up witnessing a fan war.
He logged out of Weibo and got off the car to head home.
In the elevator, Lin Jiu received a call from Lu Yu.
Lu Yu had been working on the coastal front lines, and as soon as the call connected, he said they needed a supply of ingredients from Demon Fish Shop.
As Lin Jiu stepped out of the elevator, he asked, “What happened?”
The wind was loud on the other end, and Lu Yu had to shout, “I’m still in S City. There’s a fishing village here in serious trouble. The usual mutated seafood isn’t working fast enough to stop the spread, and people are dying before we see any results. We need your ingredients.”
Lin Jiu unlocked his door and entered. “When do you need them?”
Lu Yu: “Tomorrow, if possible. As always, we’ll send people to pick them up.”
Lin Jiu: “I’ll call you tomorrow.”
It was still early on in the crisis, and many marine creatures hadn’t been exposed to radiation for long, so their magic energy was minimal. While they worked for prevention, they weren’t effective for urgent treatment.
Lin Jiu emptied his space ring and planned to head to the Demon Sea dimension that night to bring back some creatures from the Demon Sea.
With his new scream ability, capturing the creatures was easy. One scream could sweep through an area, and he could just pick them up afterward.
He also planned to gather some vegetables and fruits from Xipulo Island and capture a few demon shrimps, which were beneficial for the elderly, including Mrs. Si.
After carefully considering Mrs. Si’s recent attack, Lin Jiu concluded that it likely happened because she didn’t go out often, giving her enemies few opportunities. Even when she did go out, her destinations were too random for them to plan in advance.
But Mrs. Si had come to Demon Fish Shop three times in a row, so those people figured she would come again sooner or later. All they had to do was keep an eye on the shop, and that’s how they got their chance.
Ever since Demon Fish Shop became popular, the foot traffic in old street had noticeably increased, with people coming and going every day. It would be hard to spot someone with ill intentions unless you were specifically looking.
Since Mrs. Si liked the food at Demon Fish Shop, Lin Jiu thought it might be safer to send some ingredients to her home, letting her aunt cook for her. This way, she could go out less and stay safer, at least until her leg healed and she could avoid any more incidents.
Lin Jiu appeared on Xipulo Island.
In the Demon Sea dimension, it was daytime. Lin Jiu dove into the sea and found a spot teeming with no-star sea creatures. After three shrieks, he returned with a full load of these creatures.
He went to the smart net enclosure and caught four live demon shrimps, dragging them to the island in a fishing net bag.
Lin Jiu found some vines and tied the demon shrimps up tightly, placing them in the fish pond, intending to take them back that way.
He wandered around Xipulo Island, picked some fresh fruits and vegetables, and then returned.
Back in his room, only an hour of Earth time had passed.
Lin Jiu washed up and went to bed.
Before sleeping, he logged into Weibo and announced that the shop would be closed the next day.
Demon Fish app also displayed a rest notice, informing customers that their reservations would be postponed by a day, and no new slots would be available that evening.
*
Lin Jiu woke up early because he had to process the no-star sea creatures in the smart kitchen, meaning he had to handle everything at home.
He worked non-stop from morning until nearly noon before calling sister Wen to send over today’s waitstaff to pick up the goods from his neighborhood. He also arranged for the warehouse to deliver a batch of takeout containers.
As soon as Lin Jiu mentioned this, sister Wen understood—seafood delivery again.
Today’s waitstaff were Huang Qi and Lin Han.
Lin Jiu gave Lin Han a curious look. He had been the waiter yesterday and again today. Was he that popular, being able to work two days in a row?
Lin Han was in an especially good mood today and had been beaming all morning.
Noticing Lin Jiu’s curiosity, Lin Han explained, “I awakened an enhancement ability last night, so the captain told me to come today to consolidate it.”
Having an enhancement ability meant Lin Han had officially become an enhanced human.
Lin Jiu: “Congratulations.”
Lin Han laughed sheepishly, “It’s all thanks to you and the captain. Without you both, I wouldn’t be where I am today…”
“Alright, alright, are you deliberately trying to make me feel bad?” Huang Qi interrupted, annoyed. “You’ve given your little speech several times in front of me now. I seriously suspect you’re mocking me.”
He punched Lin Han in frustration.
“Oh, damn!”
White light flashed over Lin Han’s body, forming a protective armor of sorts. Huang Qi’s fist hit the light, and he recoiled in pain, shaking his hand repeatedly.
Lin Han laughed joyfully.
Lin Jiu raised an eyebrow. “A defensive ability?”
Lin Han grinned from ear to ear. “Yeah! I can put armor on myself and others too, though my aim isn’t the best. Sometimes I miss my allies and waste energy. The captain told me to practice more when I have time.”
It was definitely something he needed to work on. Ordinary people like them couldn’t compare to geniuses like Si Xu; just thinking about it made one feel inadequate.
Just like last time, Lin Jiu didn’t immediately recycle the fish heads and bones. He first made some soup, then handed them over to the system for recycling.
The three of them carried the fish fillets and hot soup downstairs, loaded the car, and drove it to the shop.
They had all participated in the last seafood delivery, so they were familiar with the process, but four people still felt like too few.
Lin Jiu called Si Xu and asked him to send over the members of Team Seven to help.
At the end of the call, he inquired about Mrs. Si’s condition.
Si Xu said Mrs. Si had woken up and was temporarily stable.
The reason for saying “temporarily” was that Mrs. Si’s condition was quite strange. There was no deterioration as the doctor had predicted, nor did she show the fear, panic, or mental instability that Si Xu had expected.
She was very calm.
After waking up, it was as if nothing had happened. She could talk to Si Xu normally, and that morning, she had eaten the meal Lin Jiu left for her the previous night, even praising Lin Jiu’s cooking.
Si Xu had spent the entire morning with her, and Si Qi Nian had taken an hour to keep her company as well. Mrs. Si’s mood was excellent; she joked and laughed with them, with none of the expected reactions.
By all accounts, this should have been a good sign, but they were increasingly worried.
The doctor also said it wasn’t a good sign. If she could express her fear and emotions, it might have been better. The more she pretended everything was fine, the worse it was for her condition.
This left the Si father and son even more anxious.
Lin Jiu: “…”
Lin Jiu hesitated before speaking. “Have you considered that maybe Mrs. Si is genuinely better?”
Si Xu: “???”
Si Xu: “You mean… the medicine?”
Si Xu seemed to be in a situation where he couldn’t talk openly, but Lin Jiu understood his implication.
Lin Jiu nodded. “It’s possible. That vial of medicine was a healing agent. It can repair all physical damage, and the healing process takes 24 hours.”
Si Xu went silent.
After a long pause, he asked, “The last time you were injured, did you use that same medicine?”
Lin Jiu didn’t hide it. “Yes.”
This wasn’t something restricted by the system.
“And…” Si Xu seemed to want to ask something else but ultimately didn’t.
“It’s fine, just focus on your work.”
Lin Jiu knew what he wanted to ask.
“I’m not sure either. You should keep an eye on Mrs. Si’s leg and see if there’s any change.”
There was silence on the other end, with only the sound of unsteady breathing.
After a while, Si Xu’s strained voice came through, “…Okay.”
*
The newly formed Team Seven, including Si Xu himself, only had seven members.
Lin Jiu had already met Wen Cheng, Lin Han, Zhao Cheng, Huang Qi, and Chang Beimou. Today, a new woman joined them. Her name was Qiao Anya, and she was about the same height as Chang Beimou, but their personalities couldn’t have been more different.
“Qiao Anya was mature and seductive, with a head of voluminous, wavy hair. She wore meticulously applied makeup, with red lips and red nails, tight-fitting pants, and high heels. She didn’t look at all like someone from the ‘Special Security Department.’
The other members of Team Seven all called her ‘Sister Qiao,’ treating her like a big sister figure.
Lin Jiu overheard some gossip from Lin Han, learning that Sister Qiao had always been part of the team but hadn’t been to the shop because she had been on a mission.
Qiao Anya had only recently become a enhanced person. Zheng Yumo didn’t dare mess with her and instead went after Chang Beimou, but Chang Beimou wasn’t easy to deal with either.
Lin Jiu could see that all the people Si Xu picked were tough characters.
By the way, Zheng Yumo had been issued a major demerit. If she had shown a proper attitude of admitting her mistakes, the matter would have been considered closed. But she took an unconventional path, believing she hadn’t done anything wrong. In her eyes, everyone had the right to pursue better conditions, and that wasn’t a fault.
As a result, Zheng Yumo, for refusing to correct her behavior, was asked to leave and would no longer be eligible to apply for the Special Security Department.
Lin Jiu called Lu Yu ahead of time, and they could now send people over to pick up the seafood.
Lin Jiu had to prepare 10,000 portions in a single day, a huge workload.
The people who could pack the boxes packed them, while Chang Beimou and Qiao Anya handled the soup. This task didn’t require much skill; they just had to fill the soup containers and close the lids.
Just as everyone was busy, a swarm of reporters suddenly rushed into Demon Fish Shop. They carried filming equipment and stormed into the shop, shoving microphones into Lin Jiu’s face, while cameras zoomed in on him.
Weng Cheng and Lin Han, who were standing by the door, immediately dropped what they were doing and blocked the reporters.
“What are you doing?! Get out, get out!”
One male reporter pushed forward, “We’re entertainment reporters. We have a few questions for Lin Jiu…”
Weng Cheng pushed the reporter away, “Everyone back off! Don’t come any closer!”
The seafood and fish soup were left open on the ground. While they were packing, they wore sterile clothing and gloves to ensure food hygiene, but now, with this group barging in, it was clear how much dust and bacteria they were bringing with them.
Lin Han shouted, “You’re all too dirty! Get out!”
The crowd continued to push forward noisily.
A reporter shouted, “Ten years ago, Si Xu went to City D for work and encountered an old man and a child falling in front of his car. Even though Si Xu didn’t hit them, you deliberately extorted money from him. When Si Xu refused, you spread false rumors to force him to pay up. Is this true?!”
Lin Jiu’s hand shook, and the half-packed takeout box fell into the basin.
“Lin Jiu, it’s said that when you were ten years old, you extorted money from the singer Si Xu. Now, by donating and giving away fish, are you just trying to build your reputation?”
“You were praised by CCTV for your donations and seafood sales. Do you think you deserve it?”
“Is it true that you were adopted by the Lin family as a child, but after becoming famous, you cut ties with them because of your identity?”
“Sources say your biological father had a serious car accident while looking for you and has been in the hospital for twenty years. Now your family wants you to visit your father, who is in a vegetative state, but you chased them away. What are your thoughts? Are you afraid your biological father will be a burden to you?!”
Lin Jiu suddenly stood up.
The reporters instantly quieted, eagerly thrusting their microphones closer to him.
“You want to film, right? Come on! Film these fish fillets and fish soup! These are life-saving seafood. Right now, the entire village of a small fishing community in S City is waiting for these to save their lives! Since the moment you walked in, how much time have you wasted? Every second you delay, people are dying! Can any of you take responsibility for those lives? Who can?!”
The crowd fell silent, suddenly noticing the fish fillets and soup on the ground.
Someone in the crowd shouted, “Who are you trying to scare? Are you really saving lives or just trying to make money?!”
Lin Jiu memorized their faces one by one. “You’ve made quite a bit of money, haven’t you? Enough to storm in here like mad dogs. Lin Hai doesn’t have that kind of financial power, so this must be the Liao family from B City, right? You all care about money more than right or wrong! You don’t care about priorities! For money, you’ve stopped being human and hide behind the title of a journalist to pretend to be some kind of justice warrior, right?!”
“Arrogant, as expected! They say Demon Fish Shop has powerful backers, and it seems it’s true! You’re bold enough to act like this in front of reporters. What are you afraid of?”
Lin Jiu sneered, “Am I more arrogant than you? Knowing that this seafood is desperately needed, and you still waste time here with your nonsense! People aren’t dying in your families, so you don’t care, right?!”
Lin Jiu pointed to the shop’s entrance, “Weng Cheng, close the door! No one’s leaving today! Lin Han, call the police. These people have severely obstructed rescue efforts, and they must not get away with this!”
Weng Cheng actually went to close the door, and the reporters at the back tried to push him away, but Weng Cheng easily overpowered them.
Weng Cheng glanced outside and suddenly laughed, “Lin Han, don’t bother calling the police. They’re already here!”
Several police cars pulled up in front of Demon Fish Shop, and a group of officers quickly approached.
Weng Cheng opened the door for them, “Officers, they’re seriously disrupting rescue work…”
The lead officer interrupted, “We’ve been briefed by your captain. You get back to work; we’ll handle this.”
Weng Cheng changed into a fresh pair of gloves and went back to packing the fish fillets.
The noisy crowd was escorted into police cars and taken back to the station for processing.
Lin Jiu called out to the system: How’s the investigation going?
[We’ve uncovered plenty of clues and evidence, but unfortunately, it seems your case has passed the statute of limitations.]
Lin Jiu: It doesn’t matter. Publish everything under my account and let the world see the true faces of the Liao and Zhou families!
Lin Jiu: Also, release the details of the extortion from ten years ago.
Lin Jiu: And about the Lin family—let the public see for themselves why I severed ties with them.
Lin Jiu: Make sure to post the footage of this incident too. Blur the faces, but highlight which entertainment media outlets were involved.
Right and wrong—let the public decide for themselves.
That’s right, get those black hearted, scummy people!!! Jia you!!!