Ch 17: Those who wronged me are now begging me for mercy

Wow, You Look So Easy to Fool

This was quite an intriguing label. Rong Ziyin instinctively avoided the hand that was reaching out to him. Athlete’s foot is caused by a fungal infection, and while ordinary skin contact typically doesn’t spread it as long as the skin’s normal barrier isn’t compromised, Rong Ziyin still instinctively didn’t want to make contact with this person, even though the chances of infection were one in a million.

However, the con artist misinterpreted Rong Ziyin’s cautiousness as excessive wariness, thinking it was the reason for his resistance. As a result, he became even more earnest in his approach.

“Don’t be afraid. I know that someone like you, with a secret family recipe, is always worried about being taken advantage of. But I’m really not that kind of person. My ancestors were top chefs, and we even appeared on TV before!”

“I won’t harm you; in fact, I can help protect your personal interests better.”

“For instance, I can help you apply for a patent for your recipe, and if it’s valuable, I can even assist you in getting it recognized as intangible cultural heritage…”

A true professional con artist knows exactly what to say to hit on what people care about the most, making himself seem trustworthy while indirectly confirming that he has helped many others, hoping to put Rong Ziyin at ease.

Unfortunately for him, no matter how convincing his words were, they couldn’t hide the fact that a conspiracy value of +1000 was slowly rising above his head.

So, he’s setting a trap for me? Rong Ziyin scrutinized the con artist for a long moment without speaking.

The situation became a bit awkward. The couple who trusted Rong Ziyin very much didn’t urge him to respond when they saw him remaining silent. In the end, the con artist had no choice but to continue his flowery speech, trying to persuade Rong Ziyin to agree.

In the con artist’s eyes, Rong Ziyin, a small-town veterinarian, must be easy to fool. So, he pulled out his well-practiced rhetoric and began a new round of speeches.

Little did he know, Rong Ziyin had always seen him this way:

“My friend, as long as we team up, we’ll definitely create a brand in no time!” Conspiracy value +3000

“I’m good at e-commerce, you know, that platform where you buy, buy, buy? I’m best buds with the top influencers. With just one word, I can get us on a live stream, and then the money will come pouring in!” Daydream value +3000

“So you see, you can trust me with your family’s secret recipe! I’ll help you apply for a patent, and you’ll never have to worry about anyone stealing it again. How about it? Have you made up your mind?” Bad intention value +3000

The con artist delivered a ten-minute-long passionate speech. During this time, Rong Ziyin remained completely focused. It wasn’t until the con artist finally stopped talking that Rong Ziyin calmly responded, “Yes, I’ve made up my mind. No.”

Con artist: ???

Frustration value +300

So, is this small-town doctor out of his mind? The con artist was utterly stunned.

He had been conning people for a long time, especially skilled at dealing with villagers, so he naturally knew the best way to coax them into revealing their secrets.

He had even planned to offer some money upfront, letting Rong Ziyin earn a bit of profit. Once Rong Ziyin trusted him and handed over the recipe, he could ditch Rong Ziyin and make a fortune himself.

He had observed the couple running the small eatery for a long time and even tasted the salted duck eggs and salted fish himself. He knew that the flavors were indeed unique.

Don’t be fooled by the fact that these items are just side dishes; in today’s fast-paced world, where people’s work pressures are increasing, especially for the large number of single people living alone, many just make instant noodles for dinner without even turning on the stove. Breakfast? Forget it; they just buy whatever is sold at the nearest breakfast stall.

Moreover, the distribution channels for salted fish and salted duck eggs are practically limitless, given the vast number of company canteens.

With skills like Rong Ziyin’s, if he could do so well even in a small town, imagine how his products would sell in Beijing!

The more the con artist thought about it, the more determined he became to convince Rong Ziyin. However, before he could speak again, Rong Ziyin interrupted him.

Not wanting to waste any more time on this con artist, Rong Ziyin turned to the couple running the small eatery and said, “Do me a favor, this guy is a con artist, call the police.”

Con artist: ???

Shock value +1100

He quickly tried to explain, “It’s not what you think. I’m genuinely here to collaborate!” Excuse value +200

Rong Ziyin couldn’t help but laugh, “You’re pretty eloquent. So, how can you prove you’re not a con artist?”

“Do you have a business license? Can we verify it with the local business administration?”

The con artist was momentarily speechless, trying to explain, “You might not understand. My main role is in marketing, more like being the middleman. The actual sales are handled by someone else, you know, the e-commerce guy.”

“E-commerce, you get it, right? The one who can make millions in sales in a matter of minutes!”

“Really?” Rong Ziyin thought for a moment. “Are you sure you know him?”

“Of course!” The con artist hurriedly pulled out his phone. “Look! Here’s a picture of us together. And here’s a video of us having dinner. We’re close buddies!”

“Is that so?”

“Absolutely!”

Rong Ziyin looked at the photo, “Then ask him to send you a video right now!”

“Sure! No problem!” The con artist had dealt with cautious people like Rong Ziyin before, so he was prepared for something like this.

However, he never expected Rong Ziyin to have another request. “Ask him to call you ‘Dad’ in the video, and do a ‘gazing at the stars’ pose, then I’ll believe you.”

Con artist: ???

What the heck? Is this even something a normal person would think of? The con artist stared at Rong Ziyin in disbelief, unable to respond.

At that moment, a sudden awkward cough echoed in Rong Ziyin’s mind, followed by a familiar voice saying, “He has a criminal record at the police station. Last October, he scammed someone out of 200,000 yuan.”

Rong Ziyin was momentarily stunned before he remembered—wasn’t this the gossip-loving golden turtle he had previously handed over to the state?

Rong Ziyin: Can you hear me even from this far away?

Golden Turtle: Absolutely, I was raised by an immortal.

Bragging value +599

The system also did a quick check and suddenly realized something.

It turns out that the things Rong Ziyin draws, especially living creatures, can still be controlled by him even if they’re not by his side. No matter how many owners they have in the future, Rong Ziyin’s commands will always take precedence.

So, by sending the golden turtle to the Beijing Wildlife Zoo, Rong Ziyin had essentially planted a spy within the zoo.

System: What the heck! Is it really that slick?

But now wasn’t the time to focus on this. The con artist was still waiting for Rong Ziyin’s response!

So, Rong Ziyin tested the waters by asking, “Last October. 200,000 yuan.”

The con artist shuddered and immediately panicked.

The couple running the small eatery also caught on. Although they didn’t understand how Rong Ziyin figured out something was off about this person, they could tell from his incoherent speech that he was definitely up to no good. The wife quickly pulled out her phone and dialed 110 in a flash.

Soon, the local police arrived on their scooters.

“What’s going on here?” The officer didn’t even glance at the con artist, directly addressing Rong Ziyin.

Rong Ziyin answered gently, “We’ve encountered a con artist.”

Police officer: ???

It’s tough enough for villagers to make a living, so how could someone come here to scam them? Immediately, the officer’s expression changed as he looked at the con artist.

The con artist panicked, realizing that they weren’t joking and had actually called the police. He quickly explained, “I’m not, I didn’t, don’t talk nonsense.”

Rong Ziyin didn’t bother with what he said and sternly told the officer, “He has a criminal record.”

Con artist: ???

Rong Ziyin: “Better take him away quickly!”

Con artist: “Wait… let me explain.”

Normally, the police wouldn’t act on just one side of the story, especially since Rong Ziyin had no evidence. They couldn’t just arrest him without cause.

But things were different here. Rong Ziyin had earned a great reputation in the village for his excellent medical skills, saving the ducks from all the nearby villages, and making the salted duck eggs and salted fish from the town famous. Everyone knew that not only was Rong Ziyin knowledgeable, but he was also highly skilled. Even the wild boar capture a while back was led by him. Over time, Rong Ziyin’s reputation grew strong in the village and surrounding towns, and everyone trusted his word.

So, the officer took advantage of the situation and detained the con artist.

But just as he was about to reach out, Rong Ziyin stopped him. “You should wear gloves when handling him.”

“Why?”

“He has plantar warts and athlete’s foot.”

“Athlete’s foot is a fungal disease, and contact could lead to infection.”

Police officer: !!!

Con artist: …

So, the con artist was quickly taken away by the officer wearing gloves.

The couple felt embarrassed and kept apologizing to Rong Ziyin.

“Dr. Rong, we’re so sorry for causing you such trouble.”

“It’s okay, you were just trying to help me make money.” Rong Ziyin reassured them and took the opportunity to educate them about the common scams these days.

The village chief passed by, stopped to ask about the situation, and was relieved to hear that Rong Ziyin had not been tricked, praising his quick thinking.

As for the anti-scam tips that Rong Ziyin shared, the village chief nodded repeatedly, finding them very reasonable. The group ended up chatting for nearly half an hour before someone came to ask Rong Ziyin for medicine for their family’s geese, finally putting the conversation on hold.

The person who came for medicine was also curious and, seeing the lively chat between the village chief and Rong Ziyin, couldn’t help but ask, “What’s the topic of discussion?”

“Talking about scams.” The village chief recounted the story of how Rong Ziyin saw through the con artist today and praised him again. “See! It’s important to study and learn. Look at our Dr. Rong, how impressive he is!”

“Yes, indeed, really impressive!” The person picking up the medicine nodded repeatedly and casually added, “It would be great if everyone in the village knew about this. That way, no one would get scammed!”

“Just think about the incident in Xujiatun a few days ago, where the magician tricked them out of all their gold. If they had known in advance, that wouldn’t have happened!”

The village chief thought about it and agreed. With his hands behind his back, he walked away, deep in thought.

Rong Ziyin didn’t think much of it, but when he was closing up shop around six in the evening, he heard the village loudspeakers playing something with a surprisingly cheerful background music.

System: What’s that?

Rong Ziyin: Probably an announcement!

But when he listened closely, what was being broadcasted along with the rhythmic beat was an anti-scam jingle.

“When you’re targeted by a scammer for the first time, you’re completely carefree and relaxed, handing over your gold, silver, and cash without a second thought.

When you’re targeted by a scammer for the second time, the scammer changes his approach, saying, ‘Bro, I’m a straight shooter, let’s go after that rich woman together.’

When you’re targeted by a scammer for the third time, you’re already broke and in debt. You’ve lost everything but still dream of striking it rich, all because of greed.

Wow~ you sure do have an easily scammed face.”

“What the heck! Who wrote this for the village chief!” The people around were laughing uncontrollably.

Rong Ziyin couldn’t help but laugh too, thinking that the person who wrote the jingle was quite cheeky. But what he never expected was that the village chief would directly announce, “This is Dr. Rong’s advice for everyone, so make sure you take it to heart.”

“Dr. Rong just caught a con artist this afternoon!”

The villagers who had been laughing suddenly looked at Rong Ziyin: “…”

Embarrassment value +1000

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