Chapter 97: Rebirth of the Tool Man in a Pampered Protagonist Novel

Yang Qilong’s reaction on the spot had already explained everything.

At this point, who couldn’t guess the truth of the matter?

“Take him to the interrogation room and question him again.”

The base leader cast a cold glance at Yang Qilong, who was slumped on the ground, and issued the order without mercy.

Less than two hours into the re-interrogation, Yang Qilong confessed to everything he had done.

With evidence laid before him and facing official investigators, he knew that continuing to lie would lead to consequences far worse than just imprisonment.

And sure enough.

Every incident that had occurred recently at the base had been caused by his petty schemes.

Before entering the base, the moment he got hold of the invitee list, Yang Qilong began plotting.

Although ambitious and deeply envious of those more talented than himself, Yang Qilong did have one redeeming trait: he knew his own limitations.

He was aware that even if Tang Xun were to leave, he still wouldn’t stand a chance of securing the top spot. But he wasn’t willing to be overshadowed either, so he hatched a plan that targeted Jin Yu.

Jin Yu was highly capable but lacked social savvy.

Even as the eldest daughter of the Jin family, her status didn’t carry as much weight in the base. Given her combat skills, dealing with her was relatively simple.

From the moment he entered the base, Yang Qilong worked tirelessly to tarnish Jin Yu’s reputation, stirring up quarrels between her and Fang Ziyang, waiting for the two to clash and mutually weaken each other.

As long as Jin Yu was out, even if he couldn’t secure the top spot, he’d at least make it into the top three. Being in the top three would be enough fame to carry him for the rest of his life.

But what he hadn’t anticipated was this: Jin Yu might indeed be socially inept, but her “extreme ineptitude” turned out to be an unusual strength! Even the strongest competitor couldn’t phase her!

Not to mention, there was Fang Ziyang as a wild card. Due to the conflicts between Jin Yu and Fang Ziyang, the spot that Yang Qilong thought was guaranteed was instead reduced to a backup position!

Left with no choice, Yang Qilong abandoned his moderate plans and opted for a more aggressive approach.

It didn’t matter whether Fang Ziyang or Jin Yu was expelled from the training base—as long as one of them was gone, he would be the ultimate beneficiary.

“I didn’t leak the data. I only wanted to frame Jin Yu. Becoming a full team member was a sure thing for me, but this foolish woman Jin Yu had to cause problems during the group allocation! Not only did she mess herself up, but she dragged me down with her!”

“I’ve told you everything I know. That’s it. I’m willing to accept punishment, but could you consider leniency?”

“I also know a secret about my mentor. If I share it with you, can I avoid prison? I want to make an application to the higher-ups…”

Yang Qilong was both angry and defeated.

He knew he had no room to argue and was straightforward in his confession. However, he wasn’t willing to face the harshest consequences, so he tried desperately to negotiate for leniency.

He wasn’t a good person, but he was skilled at weighing risks and benefits, avoiding irrational rage or stubborn resistance.

“What secret?”

“My mentor has had contact with foreign entities. I suspect he’s committed treason… and there are issues with Professor Qi’s academic fraud scandal from before…”

…

After confessing everything, Yang Qilong was taken away by the police.

In cases involving information leaks, whether successful or not, the consequences were unavoidable: imprisonment and blacklisting.

In addition to Yang Qilong, the police also took away over a dozen others.

While these individuals weren’t involved in Yang Qilong’s schemes, their behavior at the base in recent days and their attitudes during interrogation revealed various issues. They posed risks to team harmony, so the base ultimately decided to dismiss them.

At this point, the entire competition team was finally clean.

Everything had been handled swiftly and decisively.

As one of the main victims, Jin Yu was completely stunned upon hearing the final verdict and the truth.

“So… he just bullied the weak and feared the strong? Did he think I looked innocent and harmless, making me an easy target?”

Jin Yu could hardly believe she had fallen prey to such a sinister scheme!

She had always known that some people could be vile and deceitful, but she never thought anyone would dare target her. Having grown up shielded from such experiences, she naturally viewed the world as pure and beautiful.

Reality, however, had delivered a harsh slap to her face.

Professor Yu had been right—her family couldn’t protect her forever. If she continued to live carefreely and naively, one day she’d be devoured without a trace left behind.

The whispers about her being a fool weren’t entirely wrong. Her blind arrogance and self-confidence had made her look like an idiot in the eyes of others.

Thinking back on her former self, Jin Yu felt both sad and ashamed.

It really didn’t pay to overestimate oneself.

But…

Suddenly, Jin Yu turned to Fang Ziyang. “Did you know all along that Yang Qilong was a problem?”

“Of course. Do you think everyone grows up like you, pampered in a protective bubble? My resume is notorious online. Do you have any idea how I survived in my previous family?”

Fang Ziyang raised his chin and puffed out his chest without a hint of modesty.

Though he had once been a naive young master easily manipulated by others, he had eventually risen above it all. In this life, he was destined to be a boss—a true powerhouse worthy of admiration.

Every time Jin Yu saw him act like this, it made her teeth ache. Proud and domineering as she was, she’d finally met her match. Fang Ziyang was utterly insufferable, constantly infuriating her!

Jin Yu snapped, “Why didn’t you tell me sooner? Do you know how terrified I was during the interrogation? We’re family friends, for goodness’ sake! You’re so unreliable!”

“The base deliberately ignored Yang Qilong’s petty schemes to use him as a tool for weeding out unruly elements in the team. With your low emotional intelligence, do you really think you could’ve played along perfectly if I’d told you earlier? Besides, you’re my rival in love!”

Fang Ziyang smirked smugly. “But you, silly girl, are destined to lose to me.”

Jin Yu: … She felt like she was about to ascend to the heavens out of sheer frustration.

“Who are you calling a silly girl? I’m older than you—you should call me ‘sister’!”

“Strength rules. You should call me ‘brother.’”

“No way! Call me sister!”

“Call me brother.”

The two descended into yet another round of childish bickering.

The rest of the team: …

And thus, the farce came to an end.

A few days later, Professor Yu returned with news: Yang Qilong had been sentenced to a special prison for his involvement in leaking national information. The exact length of his sentence was still unclear.

Additionally, the other dozen individuals with misconduct were all sent home.

This revelation sent chills down the spines of those remaining at the base.

No wonder they’d felt something was off about the base. Despite the seemingly strict rules, the environment had felt oddly relaxed.

In reality, the base had been testing them all along, enforcing a façade of leniency while covertly observing their true nature. The incident with Jin Yu falling down the stairs, for instance—if it had involved deliberate harm, the base would’ve typically launched a thorough investigation for the sake of safety and harmony. Instead, it had been left unresolved, clearly a tactic to expose hidden threats and clean house.

The base was ruthless—no doubt about it!

There was another piece of news that, while insignificant to most, brought great relief and encouragement to Yuan Zhuoting.

Details were scarce, but based on Yang Qilong’s confession and evidence provided to mitigate his sentence, Professor Qi’s academic fraud case had been overturned. If all went well, the professor—long accused and stigmatized—could finally be exonerated.

For Yuan Zhuoting, who had tirelessly sought justice for his mentor, this was earth-shattering good news. Even his normally cold face broke into a wide smile.

Everyone offered their warm congratulations.

For a moment, the team’s tense emotions eased, and with the removal of those who had disrupted harmony, the atmosphere within the group reached an unprecedented high.

At this point, the real competition training began.

The study materials everyone had received earlier were merely foundational basics. Now, the participants were finally exposed to the core content of the project.

Having learned from past examples, no one dared to harbor ulterior motives anymore. Regardless of how satisfied they were with their current standing, all attention was focused entirely on the study materials.

The base’s stance was crystal clear: there would be no backdoors or favors in this competition. Success relied solely on ability.

If you were dissatisfied with your current standing, fine—prove yourself with your skills. The base wouldn’t overlook anyone genuinely talented.

This competitive system was strict but undeniably fair.

Of course, it also brought immense pressure to formal team members like Fang Ziyang. Their positions were always at risk of being overtaken by the substitutes or assistant team members, all of whom were working tirelessly. With bright futures and life-changing opportunities on the line, no one was slacking, especially not the ambitious elites who had made it this far.

As the saying goes, pressure creates motivation.

Under such high pressure, the team’s training and learning efficiency reached unprecedented levels.

By the third month after entering the base, the long-suffering Jin Yu finally leveraged her impressive strength to secure a spot as a formal team member during the first regular evaluation.

It had been no easy feat.

That said, Jin Yu’s growth over the past few months was evident to all.

Without Yang Qilong’s sabotage and having taken active steps to improve, her image within the team had slowly shifted back onto the right track. She was still somewhat prideful, but compared to her previous arrogance and sense of superiority, she was much more grounded.

This news made its way back to the Jin family, who wasted no time in showing their gratitude. Within days, they contacted the base and sponsored a month-long supply of top-tier ingredients for the team’s meals, thanking everyone for their care and support of their granddaughter.

Particularly notable was their gratitude toward Fang Ziyang.

Although the Jin family didn’t personally visit the base to thank him, they did meet with Xie Zheng outside, forming a business partnership.

This gesture of thanks was far more meaningful than words.

That evening, during a video call, Xie Zheng spent half the time praising his “lucky charm.”

The usually serious man was becoming increasingly adept at sweet-talking and charming Fang Ziyang, who was delighted.

However, at this time, his freeloading and untrustworthy uncle finally revealed his true colors, shamelessly showing up at the base for money.

Fang Ziyang had long anticipated his uncle’s nature.

So, when he received Lu Yan’s request for a family visit, he didn’t overthink it and quickly agreed to meet.

In the family visitation room:

“You want shares in New World Technology and Dongsheng Pharmaceuticals?”

Although he had expected this, hearing Lu Yan’s audacious request still lowered the bar of shamelessness in Fang Ziyang’s eyes.

In his previous life, he’d known that Lu Yan harbored no familial affection for his nephew. What he hadn’t realized was how greedy his uncle could be.

In his past life, Lu Yan had sold off his entire inheritance—including antiques, an old family residence in Beijing, and a significant portion of his assets—to inject capital into Yan Tong’s company, ultimately driving himself into bankruptcy. His support had been all-encompassing.

Yet here he was now.

Not only did Lu Yan lack any affection for his nephew, but he was also trying to bleed him dry under a flimsy pretext!

“When our father was dividing the inheritance, he never mentioned there were scientific research materials! If he had, I wouldn’t have chosen the antiques and the old family home. This was clearly intentional deception. Those materials weren’t disclosed during the distribution, and I have inheritance rights too.”

“Father always favored your mother, giving her all the best assets. And as if that weren’t enough, he left an inheritance fund just for you and your brother before he passed! If I hadn’t gotten wind of this, I wouldn’t have even known about those scientific research materials!”

“Those research materials are partly mine too. I’m not asking for much—just 5% of New World Technology and 5% of Dongsheng Pharmaceuticals’ shares,” Lu Yan demanded firmly.

He was furious.

He had long known his father favored his sister. At the time of inheritance distribution, it seemed fair on the surface, but secretly, everything valuable had been left to her.

If he hadn’t received an anonymous letter recently revealing that the core research materials for the identity chips developed by New World Technology had come from his nephew and that Fang Ziyang possessed the scientific legacy left by the Lu family, he might have remained in the dark.

It all made sense now. The strained uncle-nephew relationship, and Fang Ziyang’s refusal to help him in the past, were not arrogance—they were guilt.

Forget the benefits brought by the identity chips for now. Just the profit from Dongsheng Pharmaceuticals’ beauty serum alone was staggering. Even without access to internal data, the sheer volume of online orders spoke of billions in revenue.

He was also part of the Lu family. Why did his father leave him only cash, antiques, and the family house while his sister got the golden goose?

The achievements and profits generated by those research materials should be his as well.

The memory of his nephew rejecting his request for a loan to start a studio burned in his mind. Now, Lu Yan’s eyes were red with anger, and he made no attempt to feign familial affection.

“If you don’t give me the shares, Fang Ziyang, we’ll take this to court. I have inheritance rights to those assets.”

He wasn’t afraid of severing ties with his nephew.

His lawyer had assured him that he had a strong case. If the matter went to court, he stood a high chance of winning. The only question was how much of the inheritance he could claim.

Fang Ziyang was on the verge of exploding from the sheer absurdity of Lu Yan’s logic. He dropped any pretense of being a polite nephew and sneered coldly.

“Uncle, have you acted in too many comedies? Where exactly do you think your inheritance rights come from? Grandpa’s estate wasn’t distributed after his death; it was allocated before he passed. He had every right to give his possessions to whomever he wanted. Who are you, his son, to have any say in that?”

“You think Grandpa was biased? Do you think I’m too young to know the truth about what happened in the family?”

“When Grandpa distributed the inheritance, he explicitly asked both you and my mother to make your choices. You personally chose a large sum of cash, property, antiques, and the family house. My mother, on the other hand, chose Grandpa’s keepsakes and a small amount of property. Every choice was fair and voluntary. You’re the one who gave up the Lu family legacy.”

“As for the 4-billion-yuan inheritance fund that Grandpa left for me and my brother, it’s because I inherited the Lu family’s high intelligence. Grandpa left that as startup funding for my future research to carry on the Lu family’s scientific tradition. This has always been the rule for dividing the family’s inheritance. Are you seriously jealous because you didn’t inherit the family’s intellect? What kind of logic is that?”

“And now you want to take me to court? Uncle, where exactly does your confidence come from?”

Fang Ziyang could hardly believe his uncle’s audacity.

Back then, although Grandpa wasn’t fond of Lu Yan’s personality and favored his daughter more, he had never been unfair. The inheritance choices had been entirely voluntary.

Lu Yan had dismissed the keepsakes as worthless and opted for cash, property, and antiques. That was how the necklace containing the research materials ended up with Fang Ziyang’s mother.

While the research materials seemed valuable, their true worth depended entirely on whether the owner could develop their potential.

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