Chapter 336 Pretending to be a Returning Businessman in a Historical Novel (9)

After the meeting, Zhou Jue returned to the guesthouse.

"Brother Tongzi, have you figured out the plot of the first playthrough of that novel 'Control Group' yet?"

[Reporting to the host! Found!]

The system presented a fragmented stream of information, as if offering a treasure.

Although the information is incomplete, the core framework remains.

In the first playthrough, that is, in the original story before Lin Wanwan transmigrated, the original owner of the body, Zhou Xiaoman, was the true female protagonist.

Despite her humble background, she was resilient and kind-hearted. During the hardships of her time in the countryside, she united with other educated youth, helped the villagers, and earned everyone's respect through her own efforts.

[When the male protagonist, Lu Changfeng, returned to his hometown to visit relatives, he was attracted by her qualities, and the two developed a deep affection for each other through mutual support.]

Later, Zhou Xiaoman also passed the university entrance exam. After graduation, she married Lu Changfeng and, with her talent and her husband's support, became an outstanding diplomat.

After listening, Zhou Jue seemed to be deep in thought.

"So, the story of the first playthrough is a wholesome and inspiring tale of struggle?"

[Yes, host! Full of positive energy!]

"What about Lin Wanwan? What role does she play in the original novel?"

Based on available information, Lin Wanwan in the first timeline... is merely a control group, a background character.

She was jealous of Zhou Xiaoman and constantly opposed her, trying to trip her up behind her back. However, each time her efforts backfired, and she ended up becoming a stepping stone for Zhou Xiaoman's growth.

She failed her college entrance exams and married a good-for-nothing from the village, living a very miserable life.

Zhou Jue tapped rhythmically on the windowsill with his fingertips.

Now, everything connects.

Lin Wanwan, in her second life, has transmigrated with a cheat-like ability. Perhaps her mission is to reverse the tragic fate of her first life.

And the spirit called "Little Carp" was her greatest asset in achieving her comeback.

...

Red Star Brigade, a youth settlement.

Lin Wanwan sat on the edge of the bed, her brows furrowed and her face pale.

In her mind, the voice of the spirit carp was still screaming.

[Master! Why won't you agree?! That's a walking treasure trove of luck!]

[Just one sip from her! And we'll be airing our stuff! Why would you need to struggle here earning work points?]

Lin Wanwan bit her lower lip, her voice filled with barely suppressed anger.

I said no!

"Xiao Li, listen carefully, Miss Zhou is here to invest in building a factory, she's here to do good deeds! We can't repay kindness with enmity!"

What an act of repaying kindness with enmity!

The little carp was so angry that it rolled around in her sea of ​​consciousness.

[This is a dog-eat-dog world! If you don't take advantage of her, are you going to wait for her to build the factory and let Zhou Xiaoman and her gang profit from it?]

[Let me tell you, proximity breeds advantages! Now that the recruitment exam news has come out, Zhou Xiaoman will definitely take it! With her 'female lead' aura, her chances of passing are much higher than yours!]

"Then I'll take the exam based on my own abilities!"

"I refuse to believe it! I'm a college student from the 21st century, how could I possibly lose to them!"

Lin Wanwan's voice remained firm.

"I would not use such underhanded methods to deal with a good person."

Little Carp fell silent.

It could sense Lin Wanwan's resolute will and knew that there was no point in saying anything more about this matter.

After a while, its voice rang out again, but this time in a gentle, persuasive tone.

"Alright, alright, Master, I won't force you anymore."

[Is it alright if I don't take that big businessman's drugs?]

[But Master, my energy is almost depleted, and the effects of the spiritual spring water are diminishing. Without a replenishment of energy, I may have to go into hibernation.]

I'm in hibernation, who will help you?

Lin Wanwan's heart sank; she knew Xiao Li was telling the truth.

[Master, can we change our target?]

Xiao Li's voice was incredibly alluring.

That wealthy merchant is a good person, so we won't bother with her. But surely there are bad people in this village?

For example... that scoundrel who always harasses you, Zhao Laosi?

[In the original story, Lin Wanwan was ultimately destroyed by him. This kind of scum deserves our punishment; absorbing his luck is called acting on behalf of Heaven, not committing evil!]

Lin Wanwan's breathing suddenly became rapid.

Zhao Laosi.

This name, like a thorn, is stuck in her heart.

Ever since she arrived, this man has always looked at her with a sticky, disgusting gaze, and several times he has blocked her in the road and said some filthy things.

Master, think about it. We're not harming people; we're punishing bad people.

Punishing bad guys replenishes my energy, and it also helps you vent your anger—a win-win-win situation! Why not?

Lin Wanwan was struggling intensely inside.

On one hand, there is the moral bottom line of modern people that she upholds.

On the other hand, there's the idea that she took over the original owner's body and wanted to avenge the original owner.

After a long while, she finally managed to speak.

"We only take drugs from bad people."

【Alright! Master is wise!】

Little Carp excitedly did a somersault in her sea of ​​consciousness.

...

It's late at night.

Zhou Jue was not asleep; she sat cross-legged on the bed with her eyes closed.

From the perspective of divine sense, the entire Red Star Brigade was asleep, with only a few barks occasionally breaking the silence of the night.

Suddenly, a furtive figure slipped out of a dilapidated house at the east end of the village.

It's Zhao Laosi.

He peeked around cautiously, then crouched down and headed straight for the brigade leader's backyard.

Zhou Jue "watched" him skillfully climb over the earthen wall and slip into the chicken coop.

Just then, another figure silently followed from the direction of the educated youth settlement.

It's Lin Wanwan.

She was carrying a military water bottle and hid behind a large tree in the distance, nervously watching the direction of the chicken coop.

After searching around the chicken coop for a long time, Zhao Laosi finally caught an old hen that was laying eggs.

He smugly tucked the hen under his arm and prepared to return the way he came.

Zhou Jue's divine sense clearly detected that Lin Wanwan opened the kettle and gently splashed the water inside towards the path that Zhao Laosi was bound to take.

The water, under the moonlight, seemed to emit a faint, almost invisible fluorescence.

It's spiritual spring water! Or is it spiritual spring water tainted with black pollution?

After doing all this, Lin Wanwan immediately turned around and quickly disappeared into the darkness.

Inside the chicken coop, Zhao Laosi was secretly pleased with his harvest.

He stepped out of the chicken coop and landed right on the slippery ground. The black pollution immediately enveloped Zhao Laosi.

"Thump!"

A dull thud as the water fell.

Immediately following was a suppressed, distorted scream.

Zhao Laosi slipped and lost his balance, falling headfirst into the cesspool that had been accumulating for half a year...

"Woof! Woof woof woof!"

The commotion startled the captain's dog awake, and it began barking wildly.

"who!"

"Thief!"

The lights in the brigade leader's house came on instantly, and then the whole village was in an uproar.

One by one, kerosene lamps were lit, and people came from all directions with sticks and shovels.

When they saw Zhao Laosi floundering in the cesspool, covered in filth, clutching an old hen tightly in his arms, everyone was stunned.

As Zhou Jue "watched" this farce, a thought suddenly occurred to him.

"Brother Tongzi, analyze the changes in the fortunes of Zhao Laosi and Lin Wanwan."

[Reporting to the host! Target Zhao Laosi's bad luck is like a dark cloud hanging over him; his luck value has plummeted to negative numbers!]

[Target: Lin Wanwan...]

The system's voice paused for a moment.

Her overall luck has slightly increased. However, a trace of... gloomy and mixed aura has mixed into her originally clear spiritual energy.

Just as I expected.

This absorbed fortune is not pure energy; it carries the karma and resentment of the person whose fortune is being absorbed.

...

At the educated youth settlement, Lin Wanwan lay on her bed, her head covered by the blanket, listening to the noise and laughter coming from outside, her body trembling slightly.

She felt both relieved and a sense of lingering fear and guilt.

【Master! Master, can you feel it?! I've become stronger!】

Xiao Li's excited voice echoed in her mind.

[That good-for-nothing Zhao Laosi may have little luck, but it's better than nothing! You see, by punishing bad guys, we can become stronger! This is something even Heaven itself acknowledges!]

Having tasted success, it immediately began to incite its next target.

Master, this Zhao Laosi is just an appetizer!

[Next up is Zhou Xiaoman!]

She's the culprit who stole your life! The more glamorous she is now, the more luck she's stolen from you! We must take back everything that's rightfully ours!

Lin Wanwan suddenly threw off the covers and sat up.

"Haven't we already done it once?"