Chapter 108: The Backstory

Humans’ reverence and imagination toward ghosts and gods pale in comparison to their fascination with the possibilities of science fiction.

Ghosts and gods are finite concepts, and their power is described repeatedly in detail.

But the unknown future often leaves humanity feeling lost and uncertain.

In sci-fi films, there’s often the concept of ‘intelligent terminals’ acting as a second brain for humans, offering immense technological utility.

Li Feng bound himself to the system six months ago.

At first, he thought it was a hallucination.

He even visited a psychiatrist to confirm his mind was sound and that the voice in his head was real.

Later, his online searches led him to realize it resembled the ‘systems’ often depicted in online novels.

Those systems were said to come from the future or even divine beings, possessing abilities that many envied.

Systems, however, came in various types.

The one bound to him called itself the ‘Wish System.’

It explained that it operated under the principle of energy conservation and fulfilling wishes required for the collection of energy.

Many forms of energy exist in the world but the most potent and easiest to gather is malice.

By collecting malice, one could achieve their desires.

The system allowed users to make a wish, evaluate the required Malice Points, and then realize the wish once enough points were collected.

Initially, Li Feng didn’t believe it—until the system presented him with a virtual card and a glowing, blue sci-fi screen, just like something out of a futuristic movie.

Not only that, the system’s store featured a wide variety of high-tech items, including a genetic potion that could increase physical strength tenfold.

Seeing all this, Li Feng’s skepticism turned into eagerness, especially when the system assured him that collecting malice was actually an act of goodness.

Filled with motivation, he set out to gather Malice Points.

He began approaching criminals because the system told him they would generate malice faster. Ordinary people, it explained, didn’t harbor significant malice, and even jealousy wouldn’t result in much gain.

Li Feng was determined to gather enough Malice Points because he wanted to cure his son. Years ago, due to an accident, his spine was severely injured, leaving him confined to a wheelchair or bed.

The system’s arrival gave him hope. He started mingling with violent offenders and vindictive people in society, but after half a month, he had only managed to collect 19 Malice Points.

The system, ever gentle, acknowledged the slow progress and revealed that it too had malice targets to meet. To expedite the process, it identified several high-value targets, including three notorious murderers and a serial killer who wiped out an entire family.

But the system also presented a surprising final option: Xu Zhizhi.

When Li Feng first saw Xu Zhizhi’s name, he thought there had to be a mistake. Xu Zhizhi was a well-regarded figure in the entertainment industry, known for catching criminals, helping others, and refusing unethical deals.

Could someone like that harbor the malice he needed?

When Li Feng expressed his doubts, the system quickly provided an explanation.

[Xu Zhizhi: One of the most infamous and sadistic serial killers of the future interstellar era. Recognized as the most intelligent criminal of the 21st century, starting in December 2026, Xu Zhizhi used a self-created network of connections to torture and kill 12 women, 17 men, and 4 children.]

[Notorious and cunning, Xu Zhizhi evaded capture multiple times before being sentenced to death by lethal injection in June 2040 by China’s Supreme Court.]

As Li Feng read the information word by word, his expression darkened. His fists slammed onto his desk and his teeth clenched tightly. “This person… this person committed such heinous crimes in the future.”

[Host, this is the system’s ultimate mission. If necessary, the system will perish along with Xu Zhizhi.]

[However, if you choose Xu Zhizhi as your target, absorbing her malice and exposing her crimes early, we could gain an immense amount of Malice Points. This would allow you to achieve everything you’ve ever wanted.]

In short, it was a shortcut.

Without hesitation, Li Feng agreed. Saving others while curing his son was a win-win situation.

But figuring out how to approach Xu Zhizhi left him stumped. “Getting close to Xu Zhizhi might be difficult for me,” he admitted.

[Don’t forget, Host, you’re a director!]

The realization struck him. Being a director meant that approaching an actor was perfectly natural.

Under the guidance of the system, Li Feng reached out to Chu Lu. A few casual conversations sparked Chu Lu’s interest in their idea.

Together, they started drafting a vague screenplay.

The script, meticulously calculated by the system, was designed to maximize Malice Points and force Xu Zhizhi to reveal her true nature.

Everything proceeded smoothly. With the system’s assistance, Li Feng quickly advanced to the point where Xu Zhizhi agreed to join the production officially.

To Li Feng, Xu Zhizhi’s very presence radiated an air of guilt and sin.

He considered himself a good person and this was the best he could do.

As the system predicted, Xu Zhizhi exuded an extraordinary amount of Malice Points.

During almost every scene, she generated dozens of points, an astonishing figure compared to others.

It reinforced Li Feng’s belief that Xu Zhizhi truly was the person described in the system’s files.

Xu Zhizhi’s condition began to deteriorate. Day by day, she grew more withdrawn, lost in her role and unable to extricate herself.

Li Feng’s task was simply to give her a slight push when needed.

To be honest, facing Xu Zhizhi, someone who appeared so innocent on the surface and hadn’t even harmed a chicken yet, Li Feng felt a twinge of guilt.

At one point, he even doubted himself, especially when Xu Zhizhi saved his niece, Li Wanwan, without hesitation.

During a cold early spring, Xu Zhizhi jumped into a lake to rescue Wanwan without a second thought.

When Li Wanwan recounted the story to him, Li Feng was consumed with guilt.

He called off the filming and let Wanwan leave in frustration.

Li Feng began to question himself, sitting alone in his room, lost in thought.

That was when the system reappeared, showing him the probability of Xu Zhizhi encountering criminals in various film crews.

[Does a normal person encounter criminals this frequently? Only a high-IQ criminal mastermind could attract such people. If life were a book, Xu Zhizhi would be the protagonist, and the people around her would suffer misfortunes. Li Wanwan might not have jumped into the river on her own but was influenced by someone like Xu Zhizhi.]

[She’s capable of hypnosis. Wanwan’s act of jumping into the river might even have been a calculated move to gain your favor.]

Li Feng was convinced. What Xu Zhizhi was capable of doing quietly and without leaving a trace was indeed terrifying.

Thinking about his young and naive niece, Li Feng sighed heavily.

Wanwan continued to interact with Xu Zhizhi, her innocence making her an easy target.

But Li Feng couldn’t warn her. Whether it was exposing the system or revealing Xu Zhizhi’s future crimes, neither would be enough to convince her.

During subsequent filming, Li Feng watched as Xu Zhizhi sank further into her role. His gaze held no trace of pity.

When Xu Zhizhi mocked him, Li Feng was caught off guard. It felt like she was exposing something.

He even had the unsettling sense that he had become transparent in Xu Zhizhi’s eyes as if his thoughts were laid bare before her.

Li Feng assumed she would flee.

He was ready for that possibility.

But to his surprise, Xu Zhizhi showed up the next day, calm and composed, to continue filming.

Hearing the system notifications of Malice Points accumulating and observing Xu Zhizhi’s performance in character, Li Feng finally confirmed she was no ordinary person.

When the system finished its updates, Li Feng averted his gaze.

[Be careful. Xu Zhizhi is the most adept at deception and hypnosis. Everyone who interacts with her loses the ability to discern her true nature.]

Li Feng’s expression turned serious, and he dared not meet Xu Zhizhi’s gaze, avoiding her like a venomous snake.

Xu Zhizhi sat nearby, having completed her scene and waiting for the next.

She allowed herself to stay in character, sitting on a chair with an arrogant, self-satisfied smile.

Her thoughts about Wen Yang bubbled continuously in her mind.

The feeling of immersion in the role was intoxicating like she was becoming Wen Yang herself.

That person—Wen Yang—was alive in Xu Zhizhi’s mind.

Malice surged within her, a torrent of wicked thoughts swirling endlessly. Sitting quietly, Xu Zhizhi’s internal monologue was vivid and chaotic.

‘Xu Zhizhi, you useless fool. You have a system and yet have only accomplished this much.’

‘This is the first time I’ve seen someone cling so desperately to their moral compass. You’re practically a role model for ethics.’

‘Tsk, tsk, tsk. That director is targeting you so blatantly. Why not hypnotize him and make him embarrass himself?’

Wen Yang’s voice, dripping with malice and temptation, whispered incessantly in Xu Zhizhi’s ears. Each taunt was accompanied by Malice Points’ notifications, assaulting her half-closed mind.

‘Not responding? Then how about stealing that porcelain vase? It’s worth fifty million Yuan!’ The voice exploded in her mind, chillingly calm yet filled with malevolence.

[Malice Points +17]

[Malice Points +11]

[Malice Points +14]

Malice poured forth like a spring, enveloping her in a wave of manipulation and bone-deep coldness.

Xu Zhizhi’s inner self, a glowing white entity, began to dim under the assault of malice.

Meanwhile, Li Feng, on the other side of things, was receiving the skyrocketing Malice Points.

His gaze shifted toward Xu Zhizhi, a flicker of coldness flashing in his eyes.

“Are we ready? Let’s move on to the next scene as soon as possible!” he instructed the assistant director before preparing the props and makeup.

The next scene involved a second negotiation over the antique porcelain vase. The buyer, unwilling to accept a fifty-million-Yuan vase as collateral without verification, had brought in an expert to assess its authenticity.

After a quick rehearsal, Xu Zhizhi began filming the scene.

Perhaps her earlier streak of good luck had run out, as the scene was riddled with issues. Actors forgot their lines, laughed at inappropriate moments, or handled the vase too cautiously, unwilling to film the necessary action.

The entire morning passed without the scene being completed.

Such delays were typical in film production, where some scenes could take days to perfect. Even so, by the end of the morning, Li Feng was frustrated and waved them off for a lunch break.

As Xu Zhizhi left the set, she felt a headache coming on. The noise had been unbearable, pulling her out of character in a most unexpected way.

She grabbed a boxed lunch and went to rest in her van.

Feng Jie handed her a cup of milk tea, a small indulgence meant to lift Xu Zhizhi’s spirits with a dose of sugar.

After passing her the drink, Feng Jie sat down and remarked, “Zhizhi, you won’t believe this. I’ve been observing Li Feng, and his expressions are so strange.”

“Oh? How so?” Xu Zhizhi asked, curious.

Feng Jie, ever straightforward, had even secretly recorded several video clips to prove her point.

She played a clip and pointed to Li Feng, who was staring at Xu Zhizhi. “Look at this. His expression is odd, isn’t it?”

In the footage, Li Feng appeared deep in thought, his eyes glancing upward as if pondering something. Yet it was clear his attention remained fixed on Xu Zhizhi, indicating that his thoughts revolved around her.

Xu Zhizhi took the phone and continued watching.

Using her knowledge of psychology and behavioral profiling, she pieced together the clues and reached a definitive conclusion: the escaped system was with Li Feng.

Reflecting on his actions, Xu Zhizhi boldly speculated that Li Feng was attempting to orchestrate a situation that would lead her to commit a crime.

It wasn’t a passive ‘wait and see’ strategy. He was actively plotting to make her commit a crime.

Fabricated evidence, deliberate entrapment, and sabotage to ensure her downfall.

Xu Zhizhi’s thoughts churned. What methods would he use?

The first step was clear—immerse her in the role, attack her psyche, and create fractures in her sense of self.

The second step…

Xu Zhizhi recalled the words spoken by the accursed, in-character version of Wen Yang. It was the personification of the malice deep within her heart.

Everyone harbors malice.

Jealousy, hatred, resentment, and anger all generate immeasurable negativity. When malice arises, people won’t hesitate to use the most vicious methods to achieve their goals.

It aligned perfectly with the mindset of the inhuman system.

What had it said earlier? To play tricks on Li Feng, to steal that porcelain vase.

It indeed matched Wen Yang’s thoughts, as well as the extreme ideas people were capable of having.

As for even more radical notions, Xu Zhizhi figured that the right trigger conditions simply hadn’t been met yet.

She turned to Feng Jie, grabbing her hand and staring intently at her. “Jie-jie, I need you to stay by my side 24/7 while I’m in this crew. If I do anything strange, just drag me away. Don’t look into my eyes and don’t listen to what I say!”

“…Okay, I’ll grab an earpiece to wear,” Feng Jie replied seriously, her expression grave.

She had already guessed it. Xu Zhizhi had fallen too deeply into her role this time and might do something completely out of character.

Given Xu Zhizhi’s skills, the consequences could be significant.

That was exactly where a strong assistant like Feng Jie came in, to forcibly stop any inappropriate actions Xu Zhizhi might take under the influence of her role.

Xu Zhizhi withdrew her hand and firmly patted Feng Jie’s, saying, “I trust you.”

“I won’t let you down!” Feng Jie looked at Xu Zhizhi with determination.

Filming had to continue. Xu Zhizhi couldn’t shirk her responsibility just because she was too immersed in her role.

If acting was Xu Zhizhi’s duty, then protecting her was Feng Jie’s.

After all, Xu Zhizhi was both her friend and her livelihood. Without Xu Zhizhi, Feng Jie wouldn’t have found such a high-paying, relatively easy, and enjoyable job in the entertainment industry.

Fortunately for Xu Zhizhi, nothing significant happened that afternoon.

The troublesome scene was eventually completed.

The next day’s filming was scheduled for the afternoon until 11 p.m., featuring a scene where Wen Yang swapped a treasure. It involved high-difficulty movements, showcasing Wen Yang’s skills in manipulation and lying.

After test shots, Xu Zhizhi even created a fake treasure herself, which she’d been crafting over the past few days and was finally ready to use.

The drama aimed to highlight those specialized skills, though Xu Zhizhi felt that the system seemed designed to torment people.

As she sat on the sofa silently cursing the system, Qin Su returned after a busy day. The chill of the outside clung to him as he entered.

Noticing Xu Zhizhi sitting on the sofa in thin loungewear, Qin Su didn’t approach immediately. Instead, he removed his coat, changed into slippers, washed his hands and face, and then sat beside her.

“I investigated Li Feng’s recent activities, his family, and direct relatives,” Qin Su said, reaching out to check Xu Zhizhi’s temperature to see if she needed another layer. Only then did he calmly share his findings.

Knowing your enemy was the key to victory, and gathering information was essential.

Qin Su had no qualms about conducting those investigations. As a criminal investigator, his line of work often danced in the gray areas of morality.

Truly upright and rigid officers were rare after a year in the field, as they simply couldn’t solve cases. Career criminals were too cunning and without some creative methods, they’d easily frustrate the most straightforward officers.

And Xu Zhizhi’s situation was undeniably unique.

Special circumstances required special measures.

As Qin Su spoke, he handed over a folder containing the organized information he’d gathered.

Xu Zhizhi watched Qin Su, who had just come in from the cold yet felt warm like a furnace. A hint of envy crossed her face before she lowered her gaze and opened the file.

The first section contained details about Li Feng, most of it obtained through interviews and some from public surveillance footage.

There were also notes on his family, as well as descriptions of his behaviors and habits.

From the data, it appeared that the anomalies began about six months ago.

Previously, Li Feng had been something of a literary type, proud and cultured, and only associating with well-educated individuals in Shanghai.

His social outings included refined activities like golfing, chess matches, and traditional Chinese painting sessions.

Then, a sudden record of him interacting with shady individuals and those using underhanded methods stood out.

Even more oddly, Li Feng had formed close relationships with those people, regularly associating with them.

Some of those individuals were recent ex-convicts, released for offenses like intentional harm, making their presence in Li Feng’s life especially jarring.

His behavior was a stark contrast to his earlier refined persona.

Xu Zhizhi pondered the matter, turning to Qin Su and asking, “Captain Qin, what do you think is going on with him?”

Qin Su tilted his head to look at her, gently pinched her cheek, and said indulgently, “When there’s trouble, I’m Captain Qin. When there’s none, I’m just A’Qin.”

Xu Zhizhi lowered her gaze. She wouldn’t admit it, but calling him ‘Captain Qin’ was far more entertaining than simply ‘A’Qin.’

Qin Su saw her blink and instantly knew what she was thinking. Imagining Xu Zhizhi sweetly calling him ‘Captain Qin’ made his ears flush slightly.

He coughed lightly and said, “Do you think he might be interacting with these people to gather something? Your system collects malice, and if the other side is trying to deceive him, its logic wouldn’t stray far from that. For instance, collecting data under a similar framework.”

If it weren’t for Xu Zhizhi revealing the system’s existence to him, Qin Su wouldn’t have made such a connection. After all, the average person wouldn’t think of something as fantastical as a system and would assume someone had simply changed their personality.

Hearing this, Xu Zhizhi lowered her eyes and flipped through the documents.

“Could this guy have been scammed?” she mused. A criminal assistance system using deception to manipulate its hosts wasn’t unheard of. Fraud, emotional manipulation, and fabricating facts were practically second nature to it.

Xu Zhizhi even wondered, if Li Feng was the host of a criminal system, he wouldn’t have to do much.

The system’s goals would likely be achieved automatically. The host could earn a reputation for wicked deeds before even completing the first task.

Realizing she was overthinking, Xu Zhizhi pulled herself back and looked at Qin Su, seeking his opinion.

With Feng Jie off training her body strength, the living room was quiet, leaving only the two of them. Qin Su thought for a moment and then asked, “If you were committing fraud, what would you use to move him?”

“His son!”

“Li Jiahang!”

The two exchanged a glance, their hearts skipping a beat at the possibility. They reined in their emotions and returned their focus to analyzing the information in front of them.

Qin Su mentioned Li Jiahang’s name because his investigation had revealed Li Feng’s son’s identity.

Meanwhile, Xu Zhizhi recalled Li Wanwan mentioning that Li Feng’s son suffered from a severe illness, one that modern medicine found difficult to cure.

Why fraud and not system manipulation? Xu Zhizhi felt she had a solid reason.

Since its appearance, her system had always been stingy and calculating, never generous. If it had something valuable to offer, it would have used it to tempt her long ago.

A system didn’t need many things, and if it didn’t present something, it was likely because it didn’t have it.

As Xu Zhizhi continued reviewing the documents, the two of them finally came to a conclusion.

Everything was orchestrated by Li Feng, with the system pulling the strings behind the scenes.

Li Feng had been deceived by the system, tasked with collecting something from Xu Zhizhi and forcing her deeper into her role.

The carrot the system dangled in front of Li Feng was likely the promise of curing Li Jiahang.

“This man is arrogant, self-centered, hypocritical, narrow-minded, and full of prejudice. Based on his gaze and actions, he probably sees me as some kind of irredeemable villain,” Xu Zhizhi said calmly after attempting a psychological profile.

Qin Su added after some thought, “Highly likely to be sanctimonious. You’ll need to be extra cautious. People like this may deliberately act in ways that align with their own distorted views.”

Xu Zhizhi nodded in agreement.

Next, they turned their attention to Li Jiahang’s profile.

After reading through it, Xu Zhizhi frowned deeply and turned to Qin Su.

“This person?”

Qin Su couldn’t have made a mistake, right?

“It’s exactly as you see it,” Qin Su said coldly. “Bullying others, spreading rumors, defaming others, and causing intentional harm. Li Feng is clearly blind. Compared to you, he’s raising a true criminal in the making.”

Li Jiahang, just sixteen years old, was technically a minor. His academic performance was outstanding and he appeared well-mannered on the surface. However, in reality, he was selfish and sadistic.

He spread rumors about others, and at school, over minor incidents, he bullied classmates to the point of causing injuries, depression, and even forcing them to take leave.

Later, he deliberately pushed a girl down a staircase.

But karma eventually caught up to him. Even heaven didn’t let him off.

When he pushed the girl down, she held tightly onto the strap of his schoolbag, dragging him down with her.

Both fell, and he ended up permanently disabled.

Xu Zhizhi frowned and looked at Qin Su. “Wasn’t he sued? Didn’t he face any legal consequences?”

Even as a minor, even with his injuries, if the girl had pursued accountability, he should have faced some punishment, however minor.

Qin Su looked at Xu Zhizhi. “There was no evidence. This information came directly from the girl. She was fortunate to only dislocate her hand. The private school compensated her and she chose to let the matter rest.”

“A person like him, dreaming of standing back up? No way!” Xu Zhizhi said angrily.

Qin Su thought for a moment and pointed to a section of the file. “This person likely knows about the system.”

Xu Zhizhi was surprised but not shocked.

They were father and son, so it wasn’t unusual for them to share information.

Qin Su nodded slightly and lowered his head to review other documents.

Xu Zhizhi stared at the files, intrigued. “The criminal assistance system should be bound to him, shouldn’t it?”

Compared to her, that person seemed far more naturally talented in crime.