Author Archives: sandy

It’s really no wonder that Fang Ziyang reacted so strongly.

He knew that Rick was unreliable, but he still didn’t expect him to have such a wild imagination!

On what basis did he conclude that ‘Heavenly Scourge’s Little Elf’ had a secret crush on Heavenly Scourge?

However, the truth proved that although Rick was quite talented, having such a wild imagination wasn’t exclusive to geniuses.

Rick enthusiastically shared with him, “Listen… Doesn’t everything about this situation seem too coincidental? That Heavenly Scourge’s Little Elf definitely wants to catch the attention of our Boss Xie. But communication is difficult over the internet, and considering Boss Xie’s intimidating image, Little Elf had no choice but to resort to a strategy called ‘going against the tide.'”

“Look, how ingenious this strategy is. As soon as he appeared, we noticed him. Then he continued to conquer us, showcasing his superb technical skills through the antivirus software, enticing us to make contact. And then he can enter our team with an absolute advantage and get close to Boss Xie, like getting the moon first while near the water tower!”

“Otherwise, with Little Elf’s level of technical expertise, would he need to sell software on a forum for money? Would he risk exposing his true identity and create trouble with the situation involving Fang Yandong to boost our company’s reputation?”

Rick was very firm in his speculation, and his logic was indeed quite sound.

Xie Zheng’s face turned as dark as the bottom of a pot.

Fang Ziyang’s mouth twitched uncontrollably.

“Well, actually… Rick, although Little Elf has high technical skills, it doesn’t mean they can manipulate everything in real life. What if they have certain circumstances that prevent them from openly seeking funds and can only raise money on the forum?”

“Moreover, the incident with Fang Yandong, exposing his identity and all, could be purely impulsive or a personal grudge with Fang Yandong. Geniuses have peculiar temperaments, and Fang Yandong has offended quite a few people. Rick, your speculation is… a bit absurd, my friend!”

“While your speculation is plausible, the probability is too small.”

Rick still insisted on his viewpoint, “The most important thing is the nickname they use. It’s clearly a declaration of love from a distance, and it can’t be wrong.”

Xie Zheng couldn’t bear it any longer. “He hacked my account.”

What secret admirer would go so far as to hack their target’s account? Wasn’t this just a guilty behavior when caught in the act?

Rick, that bastard, came up with such ridiculous speculation and even wanted him to play along with the handsome man strategy? This is just ridiculous.

Rick looked slightly embarrassed upon hearing this.

He chuckled, “Although he hacked your account, as the saying goes, if you love someone deeply, you naturally criticize them. With your lack of romantic sensibility, how could someone pursue you through conventional means? Isn’t it necessary to use some unconventional methods, turning enemies into lovers? Tsk tsk, it feels quite exciting. This Heavenly Scourge’s Little Elf sure knows how to play…”

Rick had already sunk into his own imagination and couldn’t extricate himself.

Xie Zheng:…

Tang Xun:…

Fang Ziyang:…

Tang Xun rubbed his temples and made a new suggestion, “Why don’t we organize a team to ‘fight’ with the Heavenly Scourge’s Little Elf? A hackers group from Country A previously boasted about visiting our Midnight Forum to show off. Since that’s the case, why not take the opportunity to deal with those people who have no regard for the world?”

“We’ll set the battlefield on the CHP forum in Country A. With Little Elf’s abilities, I believe we can give those people a profound lesson if a fight breaks out.”

“And if we win in the process, breaking through Little Elf’s firewall, we won’t need to waste any more words. We can directly bring him into our team. I’ll give the team some additional training during this period, and I’m confident…”

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

The Heavenly Scourge’s Little Elf’s strength is indeed high, but their team shouldn’t be underestimated, especially now that they have special information provided by their younger brother. Their technical level is almost visibly improving.

“I agree with this.”

Xie Zheng nodded in agreement.

Compared to Rick’s absurd suggestion, Tang Xun’s proposal was the most substantial. In the world of technology, no matter how complicated things are, in the end, it’s the one with the highest skills who has the final say.

He wasn’t really angry that Heavenly Scourge’s Little Elf hacked his account and caused havoc on the forum using his name. After all, it’s normal in the tech community for someone to be outperformed. There’s no room for anger; it’s just that being technically superior is so cool.

But similarly, if Heavenly Scourge’s Little Elf can’t surpass them and ends up being exposed and forced to work for them, then they can only accept it…

Rick felt a bit disappointed upon hearing this.

Although he had a firm stance, he was just looking to see Xie Zheng’s reaction. If Xie Zheng didn’t cooperate, he had no choice but to give up.

“Well, although it’s regrettable, I’ll go with Tang Tang’s suggestion! It’s been a while since I encountered someone of Heavenly Scourge’s Little Elf’s caliber. It’s a good opportunity to stretch our muscles. I’ve been fed up with those arrogant guys from Country A for a long time, even more so than those arrogant people from Country M…”

Rick rubbed his wrist, looking eager to give it a try.

Although he held American citizenship, he wasn’t purely American. For wealthy families like theirs that had existed for many years, they didn’t have a strong national identity. After all the intermixing of blood from various countries throughout generations, they couldn’t even determine their own nationality. Foreign wealthy families valued only family interests and heritage, just like ancient royal families.

Now, Rick had his heart set on pursuing Tang Xun, and he had also invested in New World Technology. Whether it was for the sake of personal gain or emotions, he was now standing on the side chosen by Xie Zheng and Tang Xun.

Finally, the three reached a consensus.

Fang Ziyang listened anxiously, quickly speaking up, “Wait a minute, brother, isn’t this approach a bit too violent?”

The three looked over at him.

Fang Ziyang pressed down on his pounding heart and forced a smile.

“Brother, I think this method might not be appropriate. Although the tech industry is indeed based on skills and friendships, there are always exceptions, right?”

“I think this Heavenly Scourge’s Little Elf’s temperament seems quite unusual based on what you’ve said. If we rashly challenge them, it’s fine if we win, but if we lose, it will backfire. With Heavenly Scourge’s Little Elf’s level of expertise, they might ignore us even more in the future. It’s not a wise move; our main goal is to win them over.”

“Oh my, let’s not go overboard with the speculation here. Why don’t we directly communicate with Heavenly Scourge’s Little Elf and find out their thoughts? Sometimes being overly cautious isn’t good. Based on what you’ve said, I feel that Heavenly Scourge’s Little Elf might have a straightforward personality. It’s better to have a clear conversation…”

After speaking, the three of them fell into deep thought.

Tang Xun nodded, “Ziyang makes a valid point. We’ve been a bit lost in our own perspectives. Let’s directly explain the situation to Heavenly Scourge’s Little Elf. If they don’t want to join our team, then we can outperform them in terms of skills.”

Tang Xun’s opinion was always fully supported by Rick.

However, Xie Zheng remained expressionless. “But what if Rick’s speculation turns out to be true?”

Would he have to sacrifice his charm? How could he, Xie Zheng, do something that goes against his principles!

Moreover…

Xie Zheng glanced discreetly at Fang Ziyang. He hadn’t figured out how to handle the young man’s feelings yet.

Upon hearing this, Rick, who was indifferent to the outcome, and Tang Xun, who was feeling a bit troubled, both faced difficulties.

On one hand, Tang Xun knew about Xie Zheng’s fastidiousness regarding relationships, and on the other hand, if Xie Zheng wasn’t interested but Heavenly Scourge’s Little Elf really had such intentions, bringing them into the team could cause problems in the future.

The three of them looked serious, as if they were contemplating some great matter…

Fang Ziyang felt like crying: Xie Zheng and his brother’s thinking had been completely influenced by this bastard Rick!

There was no choice.

Fang Ziyang could only continue, “Brother, you don’t need to worry about that at all. If Heavenly Scourge’s Little Elf really has the intentions that Rick speculated, isn’t it better for Brother Xie to directly clarify it with them? It’s better to avoid getting deeper into a situation that might become complicated later.”

“Of course, personally, I think Rick’s just overthinking it…”

Fang Ziyang said irritably.

Xie Zheng nodded, fully agreeing.

Tang Xun smiled, “Then let’s send a message to Heavenly Scourge’s Little Elf and see how they respond.”

Rick felt wronged. Wasn’t he thinking about his brother’s lifelong happiness? With Xie Zheng’s foolish appearance, he definitely wouldn’t be able to handle it alone! Being a brother was really not easy!

So, that night.

Fang Ziyang secretly logged into the account on the Midnight Union forum and unsurprisingly saw a new message sent by “Talent Kidnapper.”

The tone of the message clearly indicated that Rick had written it.

Because the wording was exaggerated and excessively flattering. After a simple 100-character explanation at the beginning to convey the main point, the rest of the thousands of characters were all meaningless compliments.

Although it was a bit long-winded.

Fang Ziyang couldn’t help but admit that it felt oddly satisfying to be praised by a big shot. After being scolded so much in his past life, he enjoyed receiving compliments from others now. It was heartwarming.

Originally, he had planned to ignore Heavenly Scourge and simply abandon the “Heavenly Scourge’s Little Elf” account.

But now that he knew Heavenly Scourge was Xie Zheng, Fang Ziyang had to change his strategy and find a way to stabilize Xie Zheng and his brother. He couldn’t let Xie Zheng and his brother attack his firewall and expose his alternate identity.

So…

Upon receiving the message, Fang Ziyang carefully considered it. First, he changed his nickname on the forum and wrote a lengthy reply: I’ve seen your messages, and I’m quite surprised that you want to invite me to join your team. However, I may not be able to agree to this because I suffer from a special illness that prevents me from leaving my medical capsule. I can only interact with the outside world through the internet, and I prefer not to engage with crowds…

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But now he learned that “Talent Kidnapper” was an employee of Heavenly Scourge… and Heavenly Scourge was the employer who bought his antivirus software… and the company releasing the software was New World… and his brother, Tang Xun, worked at New World… and Tang Xun’s boss was Xie Zheng…

So… wasn’t this saying that Xie Zheng was Heavenly Scourge?!

He had made wild claims on the forum that he was the wife of Heavenly Scourge, but now he was essentially making wild claims that he was Xie Zheng’s wife?

God, what had he done?

If Xie Zheng found out that the person who spread false rumors on the forum and tarnished his reputation was himself…

Fang Ziyang wiped his face with guilt.

After being caught red-handed last time and having his cover blown, he had no intention of using his “Little Elf” account to lurk on the forum anymore. He wanted to slip away while maintaining a thick-skinned façade to avoid conflicts with Heavenly Scourge.

But now…

After discovering that Heavenly Scourge was Xie Zheng, he couldn’t hide anymore.

He could only guess Heavenly Scourge’s temperament through the internet, but he was intimately familiar with Xie Zheng’s temperament.

He knew just how fastidious Xie Zheng was, and he showed no mercy to those who dared to forge relationships or pry into his bottom line. Xie Zheng was as ruthless as a gust of autumn wind sweeping fallen leaves!

Although Xie Zheng seemed to have no reaction at the moment, Fang Ziyang was absolutely certain that he was keeping a grudge in secret, waiting for the right moment to strike.

Before, he could rely on his technical skills to roam freely behind the safety of the internet.

But now he couldn’t afford to have that mentality anymore. While his technical skills were indeed exceptional, Xie Zheng had his brother! He had given his brother a copy of the golden finger’s data, and with his brother’s capabilities, it wouldn’t be long before he surpassed him!

When the time comes, Xie Zheng will have his brother trace his firewall and check his IP address through the internet…

He’ll be exposed!

“No, I can’t let this go unchecked,” Fang Ziyang said, taking a deep breath as he grabbed his car keys and left.

He felt it necessary to investigate the situation with his brother.

Now that the antivirus software was released, Xie Zheng and the others were definitely discussing him!

Moreover, they would likely expose his alternate identity by digging into Fang Yandong’s accounts. Given the current situation, even a fool could figure out that Fang Yandong had been tricked by the “Little Elf.”

…

In fact, Fang Ziyang’s speculation was correct.

At this moment, Xie Zheng, Tang Xun, and Rick were indeed discussing the “Heavenly Scourge’s Little Elf.”

If they were previously only interested in the Little Elf, now they were determined to find the person.

It was evident that the Dreamscape software in Fang Yandong’s possession was undoubtedly the work of the Little Elf.

Based on the antivirus software alone, they could determine that the Little Elf was an incredibly talented expert. However, the existence of Dreamscape went beyond their expectations. It could be said that the Little Elf’s skills had already surpassed everyone in the industry.

Onlookers see the excitement, experts see the tricks.

Ordinary people thought Dreamscape was an amazing software, the pinnacle of technology. However, those in the know understood that Dreamscape’s underlying technology couldn’t be described as merely the pinnacle—it was truly a groundbreaking, era-crossing technology!

“We must bring the Little Elf into our team before others discover their identity,” Rick said excitedly.

New World Technology was established by him, Tang Xun, and Xie Zheng together. Tang Xun was responsible for technical research and development, Xie Zheng for management and investment, and Rick for business and personnel matters.

At least 90% of the capable employees in the company were recruited by him, so he was undoubtedly confident in his ability to select employees.

Xie Zheng agreed, but the problem was that the Little Elf seemed to have no intention of further contact with them.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

“Actually, it’s not difficult to find the Little Elf now. Although we exposed ourselves, the Little Elf also revealed their true colors. It’s evident that the trap was set for Fang Yandong by the Little Imp. It might be difficult to find them online, but it shouldn’t be hard to start with Fang Yandong…” Xie Zheng pondered.

Tang Xun shook his head. “I think it’s best if we don’t dig out their alias from Fang Yandong. Our goal is to establish a good relationship with the Little Elf and bring them into our team. The Little Elf’s personality is peculiar, and I’m afraid that if we start with Fang Yandong, we might not only fail to establish a good relationship but also make an enemy.”

“The best approach is to start from the internet. Either convince them directly or use our technical skills to break through… Even if we can’t cooperate in the end, it would be nice to become friends,” Tang Xun suggested.

“With the research material Ziyang gave me, I’m confident that I can reach the Little Elf’s level within two years,” Tang Xun added, sounding rational and self-assured.

They valued the Little Elf because of their technical skills. If they truly couldn’t win them over, having Ziyang’s research material meant the Little Elf was replaceable. It was just a pity to lose such a talent.

Rick rubbed his chin. “That’s reasonable, but I think we have an even better approach.”

“What approach?” Xie Zheng asked, raising an eyebrow as

 Rick smirked mischievously.

“Let’s make our dear Xie CEO sacrifice his charms,” Rick suggested with a wicked grin.

Xie Zheng:…

Xie Zheng shot a death glare at him.

Tang Xun covered his face; this guy couldn’t go a day without stirring up trouble.

But Rick thought his idea was truly brilliant and highly feasible!

“Don’t you think this approach is excellent?” Rick analyzed seriously.

“Let me tell you, even though the Little Elf has a peculiar personality, I can responsibly say that they’re definitely attracted to you, CEO Xie …” Rick’s expression remained confident.

Tang Xun remained silent for a few seconds before conceding, “Although it’s a bit exaggerated, there might be some truth to it.”

After all, how could things be so coincidental in the world?

Rick’s eyes lit up, seeking praise. “Tang Tang, don’t you think my analysis is correct? For the sake of our cause, let’s have Xie make a sacrifice. After all, he’s single. It’s possible that he might accidentally find a wife this time, and then we won’t have to worry about him getting jealous and twisted from seeing our affectionate displays. Just think about how happy that would be!”

“Tang Tang, if I didn’t have you already, I would definitely sacrifice myself for the greater good. But now, I must remain faithful to you…” Rick seized the opportunity to express his fervent affection.

Tang Xun:…

He didn’t want to say anything anymore.

Xie Zheng felt his temper suddenly flare up. Rick was a troublesome guy who always danced on the edge of disaster.

And it was at that moment…

Fang Ziyang finally arrived, seeking information. Thanks to the key Tang Xun had given him, he could come during broad daylight without encountering anything inappropriate. He parked his car and entered the villa, feeling as familiar as returning to his own home.

However, as soon as he stepped into the villa, he walked right into a tense atmosphere in the living room. The nervous atmosphere made his already anxious mood become even more tense.

“Brother, what are you all doing gathered here? It looks… very serious,” Fang Ziyang asked, his palms sweaty with guilt.

Oh my goodness, are these three already discussing how to catch him? Why do they have to act so quickly!

Although he felt extremely guilty inside, he maintained a calm demeanor on his face, pretending to be clueless and innocently asking.

Xie Zheng and the others didn’t notice anything amiss.

When they saw him appear, their expressions softened slightly. Even though Fang Ziyang was actually a few years younger than Tang Xun, in their eyes, he was like a junior, and he naturally had a filter that made him seem younger.

Tang Xun immediately smiled, “Nothing, just discussing some work-related matters. Why did Ziyang suddenly come to his big brother’s place?”

Xie Zheng remained silent, but he nodded gently at Fang Ziyang with a softened expression.

Then he patted the seat next to him, making space.

…Mysterious men don’t explain.

Rick didn’t notice Xie Zheng’s gesture; he was seeking an ideological alliance. When he saw Fang Ziyang, his eyes instantly lit up.

Excitedly waving at him, he said, “Oh, dear Yangyang, you came at the perfect time. Come over here. Since you’re an outsider, your opinions and suggestions will surely be the most impartial! We’re discussing a topic related to your big brother Xie’s emotions… We met a person online, and I believe they secretly have a crush on your big brother Xie. Come and listen to the reasoning.”

Fang Ziyang:…

Fang Ziyang cautiously asked, “Rick, who is this person you’re talking about? What’s their name, and why do you think that way?”

Rick was full of desire to share.

“Of course, I have my reasons! It’s someone named ‘Heavenly Scourge’s Little Elf.’ Here’s what happened…” But he didn’t finish his sentence.

“Cough, cough, cough, cough, cough, cough!”

Fang Ziyang suddenly started coughing violently, with saliva getting stuck in his throat.

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Fang Yandong didn’t just fall into Yan Tong’s trap; he also dug a hole for himself.

While Yan Tong’s information indeed had issues, if Fang Yandong had been a bit more rational and cautious, not so eager to regain his position and let his greed cloud his judgment, he wouldn’t have faced such a disastrous situation. But Fang Ziyang understood Fang Yandong’s mentality, which is why he presented him with such a “gift.”

So, in a way, Fang Yandong’s current predicament couldn’t be considered unjust.

Now, not only were there widespread BUGs in the Dreamscape app, but also a terrifying virus that was destroying other software on phones. NovaTech hadn’t yet come up with a solution, and their official explanations were nothing but attempts to buy time.

This made consumers angry and worried, causing a flurry of commotion and widespread panic.

As a result, major technology companies and government departments became involved.

The entire research team of NovaTech and Fang Yandong were all brought under control. This was no longer just a problem with the company’s products; it now involved disrupting social order. If they didn’t apprehend them, who else would they catch?

All the software related to Dreamscape was confiscated, and technicians from various technology companies were gathered by the government to collectively study the virus that had appeared in the software. It had to be resolved before it caused even bigger problems!

Xie Zheng’s New World Technology Company also sent people over.

It wasn’t just anyone they sent; it was Tang Xun and a few key researchers from his team, showing their importance. Of course, their company was also curious about Dreamscape software. As long as they actively participated, the government would be willing to share the software’s information with them.

Other technology companies had similar thoughts. Although Dreamscape software now had significant BUGs, the underlying technology involved was truly remarkable.

However, it was evident that the government called them in because the virus brought by the software was not to be taken lightly. Otherwise, they wouldn’t openly share Dreamscape’s technical information with them.

—

The government technicians were truly helpless.

They had assumed that with the technical information from NovaTech, it shouldn’t be difficult for the national team to solve a virus program.

But to their surprise, after studying for several days, they couldn’t even find a way in.

Seeing that the situation outside was escalating due to the software virus, the government had to cast a wide net and bring in technicians from various technology companies. They believed that more people meant more strength.

“…The general situation is like this: the code used in this technical information is an unprecedented, unrevealed code. We have tried many methods, but we couldn’t crack it. It’s safe to say we are at a dead end.”

“We have interrogated Fang Yandong, but he also doesn’t know who the creator of the software is. He said he obtained the technical information from Yan Tong, but our investigation and questioning of Yan Tong revealed that, apart from Xie Wenxu, he had no friends related to this technology.”

“And Yan Tong himself doesn’t possess this level of research capability. We can tell he’s not telling the truth, but we don’t have clear evidence to detain him. And as for Mr. Xie…”

At this point, the government researchers didn’t continue.

Everyone present understood what the unfinished words meant.

If the Xie family was truly backing Yan Tong, then in the absence of concrete evidence, the police couldn’t openly detain and interrogate Yan Tong, as it would offend the Xie family.

At least not now, unless it reached a point of no other choice.

“So now let’s release the information and study it together…”

The government technicians reluctantly opened their computers.

They began sharing the data with the others.

While the researchers from various technology companies were initially excited and confident, ready to make a name for themselves in this incident, after an hour, their expressions were no better than those of the government researchers. They all looked perplexed, scratching their heads in distress, their eyes tired.

Most of the people present were talented individuals in the tech industry. Since joining large company teams, they hadn’t shown such a confused and overwhelmed state since their school days.

They looked at each other, wearing the same expression.

This couldn’t be considered technical information at all; it was clearly a cryptic text!

Except for a few unimportant data points, they couldn’t understand any of the code related to the core technology!

No wonder the government researchers described it as an unrevealed code…

The expressions on everyone’s faces were similar.

Except for the New World Technology team.

After Tang Xun and his two assistants finished reviewing the data, their faces showed no particular expression, but definitely not the confusion and dizziness of others.

Undoubtedly, the New World Technology team had some exceptional skills!

One of the government researchers brightened up. “Mr. Tang, do you have a solution?”

“While the code in this data is extremely peculiar, we can try using our newly developed antivirus software.”

Tang Xun pushed his glasses and smiled. “But we have one request.”

“What request?”

“If we can resolve this matter, please allow our company’s team to participate in the subsequent research of Dreamscape.”

“Agreed. I can promise that condition!”

The government researcher nodded excitedly.

This request wasn’t really a request. If New World Technology could resolve this virus incident, they would invite their team to participate in the subsequent data development, even without asking.

…

The Dreamscape virus caused a massive uproar as soon as it emerged.

Although it was a significant commotion, the resolution came quickly. On the decisive third morning when the virus had everyone on edge, a pivotal turning point occurred.

New World Technology Company launched a newly developed antivirus software that had just been completed.

This software, which New World Technology originally didn’t plan to release yet because it was still in the testing phase, was pushed out due to the rapidly spreading Dreamscape software virus. The antivirus software from major companies proved ineffective, and the government was helpless, so they reluctantly used this antivirus software to contain the situation.

As a result, New World Technology released the software for free trial, without charging any fees, as a way to invite internet users to help test it.

Once the news spread, internet users didn’t care whether the software was still in the testing phase. As long as it was effective, they were willing to try it. After all, they had already tried all the antivirus software on the market, and if this virus wasn’t resolved, they couldn’t live or work properly.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

Although New World Technology claimed that the software was still in the testing phase, they had already completed the testing. The quality and effectiveness of the antivirus software were absolutely guaranteed.

Moreover, compared to the origins of Fang Yandong’s dubious software, New World Technology’s software was acquired with real money and had undergone rigorous research and testing.

Therefore, there was no doubt that when New World Technology’s antivirus software was released, the “Dreamscape Virus” incident was quickly brought under control.

Internet users rejoiced, and their praise and recognition of New World Technology skyrocketed overnight, elevating it to the level of a century-old enterprise.

“Wow, New World Technology truly lives up to its reputation. When it comes to big companies, they deliver quality. I won’t dare to touch those unknown brands that have just appeared again, especially in the tech industry. If something goes wrong, it can cost lives!”

“Agreed. Although New World Technology is a relatively new company, established just a few years ago, it is a black horse in the tech industry. Its reputation and quality are top-notch.”

“Absolutely. Tang Xun is a key researcher at New World. Even though it’s a new company, it’s still more reliable than Fang Yandong’s no-name products!”

“And it’s free!”

“This antivirus software is really amazing. Not only did it solve the Dreamscape virus, but it also cleaned out all the hidden viruses on my phone. I’m gladly volunteering as a tester for this free trial.”

“Haha, me too. Although it was quite risky, I would gladly sign up for another round of free trials…”

Internet users were driven by emotions.

Once the problem was solved, the online atmosphere suddenly changed, and everyone began joking and laughing again.

The government researchers also breathed a sigh of relief.

At this time, the police finally had the time to deal with Fang Yandong.

There was no doubt that Fang Yandong was bankrupt this time. He had squandered all his assets to establish NovaTech, which went bankrupt in less than half a year.

Due to the massive commotion caused by this incident, all his properties, shares, jewelry, antique collections, and anything of value had to be used to repay debts. He had become a destitute.

In addition to that, Fang Yandong was charged with disturbing public order, tax evasion, commercial crimes, and several other charges by the police, leading to another trial.

The final verdict was delivered, ensuring that Fang Yandong would never walk out of prison for the rest of his life…

The outside world celebrated the resolution of the Dreamscape virus, but Fang Ziyang should have been happy with this outcome. After all, he had finally completely destroyed Fang Yandong.

However…

Now, Fang Ziyang couldn’t feel as happy as he should.

The reason was simple.

It was because the company that released the antivirus software was New World Technology!

This exceeded Fang Ziyang’s expectations.

To be honest, when he planned to sell the antivirus software to “Talent Kidnapper,” besides needing money and setting a trap for Fang Yandong, he also wanted to know which company “Talent Kidnapper” belonged to. As far as he knew, in his previous life, “Talent Kidnapper” had attracted numerous top talents from forums, so the company he worked for must have been a well-known player in the tech industry.

He definitely wanted to be involved in the tech industry in the future for better survival, so it was important for him to have an understanding of various powerful tech companies in advance.

Knowing oneself and the enemy in a hundred battles is the key to success. Since they would be competitors, he had to be prepared in advance.

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On August 4th…

A post titled “[Garbage Software Sent Me to the Hospital!]” went viral on various online forums.

And the author of this post was none other than Pang Xiaoshi.

After enduring eight terrifying hours in the nightmare, Pang Xiaoshi immediately called for an ambulance and rushed to the hospital to receive a sedative injection.

She had no choice but to go to the hospital and calm down. Otherwise, her anxiety might lead to a sudden rise in blood pressure, potentially causing death.

Once she calmed down, Pang Xiaoshi couldn’t help but have the urge to bite the owner of the sleep software.

She used the sleep software for stress relief, not to be tormented!

She had clearly purchased a joyful amusement park scenario, but it turned into a horror world. The ghostly girl chased her for a full eight hours, singing “Sister carries the doll on her back” the whole night!

God knows how terrified she was of ghosts!

Even though she knew it was just a dream and the little girl was an NPC, the visual effects and eerie nursery rhyme were still terrifying!

There was clearly a problem with the software program.

While Pang Xiaoshi was angry, she could understand to some extent. She was traumatized. So, after calming down, she quickly called the customer service of the sleep software, reporting the incident and asking for a solution.

She was polite during the phone call.

After all, she also worked in customer service and could understand the difficulties her peers faced. This was a software issue, and she couldn’t blame the customer service representatives.

The sleep software company received her call and handled the situation with a good attitude. They not only promised to report the issue but also provided compensation by exempting her from paying for the dream scenario that night and compensating her with an additional one.

At that moment, Pang Xiaoshi was satisfied with the resolution.

However…

The result was that Pang Xiaoshi was almost scared to death once again!

The next night, she entered a new dream scenario, which initially started as a joyful scene but halfway through turned into a horror world again. A more terrifying ghost pursued her throughout the night.

She once again contacted the sleep software company, received apologies, and compensation.

On the third night, Pang Xiaoshi became frightened and became cautious. Instead of selecting a joyful scene, she chose a dream scenario suitable for children, a cozy castle sightseeing experience.

This time, there were no terrifying ghosts in the scene.

However, she was beaten by the NPC soldiers and servants in the scene all night, and it was painful!

By this point, Pang Xiaoshi finally realized that it wasn’t a random glitch. The sleep software clearly had a significant bug.

This garbage software must have quality issues.

And she didn’t receive a solution despite multiple complaints.

Pang Xiaoshi’s patience and good temperament had run out. Instead of continuing to call and report the problems, she directly went to the online forums and shared her experience.

Due to her profound experiences, the post was written with great emotion and vivid details.

Those who saw the post couldn’t help but burst into laughter at her misfortune.

They sympathized with her, having been scared twice and then beaten by NPC characters all night on the third occasion. It was too pitiful. They left messages expressing sympathy and comfort.

However, there were also skeptics.

Because since the introduction of the sleep software, it had never had any problems. The software was flawless in terms of smooth operation, realistic dream scenarios, and overall user experience. Even the most demanding users could only complain about the high price. The quality and user experience were highly rated.

But soon, those skeptical voices disappeared.

Because the issues Pang Xiaoshi encountered began to occur on a large scale. Many users had similar experiences.

They purchased joyful scenes, but they ended up in horror worlds!

They purchased heartwarming fairy tales, but they encountered violent beatings!

They purchased scenic tours, but ended up in foul-smelling garbage mountains…

Not only that.

Everyone discovered that the sleep software also contained a Trojan virus! Overnight, 90% of the other apps on their phones became paralyzed.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

This was a complete disaster.

If it was merely a software issue, everyone could temporarily stop using it, wait for the software company to explain and resolve the problem, and it wouldn’t be a big issue. The headache would be for the software company.

However, when the software had a virus and affected everyone’s daily life, the situation became serious.

In today’s society, mobile phones have become an indispensable part of everyone’s life and work. If there are problems with the phone or the downloaded apps, it can make people furious.

So this time, “NovaTech Network Company” became famous again, but this time it was for all the wrong reasons.

“NovaTech, come out and explain! Did you all fall asleep during the inspection and testing phase before releasing the software? How can such a big BUG occur? I was almost scared to death in the dream world!”

“That’s right! I chose a scenic tour, but I was thrown into a garbage mountain for the whole night. I still can’t eat properly!”

“Damn it! This software even has a virus! 90% of the apps on my phone are unusable, and I still have work to do!”

“My phone is paralyzed too! Who is the boss of NovaTech? Such an unscrupulous merchant!”

All the affected users exploded with anger.

They posted on the internet and social media, demanding NovaTech to come out and explain and asking for the identification of the NovaTech boss. They criticized the production of such inferior products and accused them of causing harm.

The results of the investigation were shocking.

Once the users found out that the boss of NovaTech was Fang Yandong, they became even more excited.

“Damn! So it’s Fang Yandong, this scumbag!”

“No wonder the software is so shoddy. How can we expect any integrity from this scumbag?”

“They claim to be the pinnacle of technology in this century, but the BUG is so severe. It’s clearly an unfinished product!”

“The virus inside is terrifying. I’ve even purchased the best antivirus software, but it doesn’t work…”

When the internet users discovered that Fang Yandong was the boss behind NovaTech, the situation exploded once again.

It hadn’t been long since the previous scandal involving the Fang family’s rise and fall. Although the heat had decreased, the internet users hadn’t forgotten. The memories were still fresh.

During the previous trial, Fang Yandong narrowly escaped punishment, which had left a bitter taste in everyone’s mouths. He was heavily criticized by the public.

The recent incident of tampering with the college entrance exam results also implicated the Fang family.

Now, it was revealed that the software, which had significant BUGs and viruses, was backed by Fang Yandong.

All the old grievances and new hatreds combined, and Fang Yandong became the target of public anger. The online criticism reached its peak.

On the other hand, Fang Yandong was truly overwhelmed.

He slammed his fist on the table, his bloodshot eyes staring at the trembling research department employees in front of him, roaring like a beast.

“What the hell is going on? Can’t any of you speak? How can such big BUGs appear? And a virus in the software? Are you all just slacking off while receiving your salaries? Find a solution for me quickly!”

Fang Yandong’s rage turned into a hoarse roar.

His previously cultivated spirit had disappeared, and his dark hair had turned white. His once mature and handsome face looked tired and aged, no longer resembling the suave uncle from before.

Even when he was squeezed out of the Fang family group, he hadn’t exploded in anger like this because he still had a trump card and a chance to make a comeback.

But now…

NovaTech was his entire investment, and it had only just started a few months ago. If problems arose, it wouldn’t just be a matter of bankruptcy. It would mean losing everything and being heavily indebted!

After enjoying a luxurious life for half his life, how could he accept ending up with nothing?

Fang Yandong angrily questioned the research team, demanding a solution.

But the research department employees were on the verge of tears.

“Boss, it’s not that we don’t want to solve it, but we simply don’t know how to. The software you brought in was almost complete. We only added some content and the charging feature.”

“This software wasn’t developed by us. We can’t understand the code used in the software, so we can’t fix the BUG… As for the virus, it must have come with the software. To solve it, we need to find the software creator.”

The research department employees buried their heads in their chests.

It wasn’t that they didn’t want to solve the issues, but they couldn’t. They didn’t develop the software in the first place. With such significant BUGs, it was undoubtedly a problem with the core code, and they needed to find the inventor.

Unfortunately, even if Fang Yandong could find the creator, would he still be angry at them?

When the software initially had problems, Fang Yandong had approached Yan Tong, hoping to extract information about the creator from him and resolve the issues.

But how could Yan Tong know?

In Yan Tong’s eyes, the information about the cheat function was flawless. If there were BUGs in the software, it must be the fault of Fang Yandong’s research team. They must have poor technical skills and manipulated the data, resulting in this situation.

They had a big argument.

Fang Yandong had originally planned to continue interrogating Yan Tong if he didn’t get any information. However, sensing the unfavorable situation, Yan Tong immediately sought help from Xie Wenxu and disappeared, making a timely escape.

Now, with widespread problems in the software…

Seeing the fearful and helpless expressions of the research department employees…

Fang Yandong finally realized.

He might have been deceived again!

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Of course, Fang Ziyang had no intention of actually cooperating with Fang Qianhao.

He visited Fang Qianhao in prison purely to make things difficult for him and Yan Tong.

Fang Ziyang had long anticipated Fang Qianhao’s fate.

That’s why he had placed the manipulated necklace in Fang Qianhao’s hands in the first place.

Wasn’t Fang Qianhao supposed to love Yan Tong to the point of being blind to everything else? Wasn’t he willing to sacrifice everything for him?

But what would Fang Qianhao feel when he realized that the person he loved was not as wonderful as he had imagined, but a despicable person who took away his future and prospects? How would he react?

Killing for revenge was not difficult, but striking at the heart was the greatest revenge.

He had said that he would repay everything these people had given him in the previous life with interest.

Fang Qianhao wasn’t sentenced to death; he would be out in a few years.

When Fang Qianhao saw Yan Tong again at that time, what would their situation be like?

A corrupted Fang Qianhao would surely be interesting…

Leaving the prison, Fang Ziyang returned home in a good mood.

Once home, he took out his computer and sent out a series of code, beginning the final stage of his plan.

As the saying goes, a family should be united and tidy. Since Fang Qianhao was tightly locked up in prison, how could Fang Yandong, the good father who doted on his son, continue to enjoy his freedom?

Now, it was time to give this good father of his a farewell gift.

…

Pang Xiaoshi worked as a telephone operator in a communication company.

Despite the seemingly prestigious title, her actual job was a customer service representative who answered phone calls all day long. Especially since she was responsible for troubleshooting the lines, being scolded by customers on a daily basis was a common occurrence.

As a result, she faced significant psychological pressure in her work.

Pang Xiaoshi had considered switching to a more comfortable job, but job opportunities were scarce and the competition was fierce. Additionally, her education and skills were average, so she didn’t have any particularly noticeable advantages for other jobs.

Therefore, reluctantly, Pang Xiaoshi stayed in her current position as a telephone operator for several years.

Over the years, although she had grown accustomed to being verbally abused and challenged by customers, the long-term exposure to such an oppressive work environment had taken a toll on her mental well-being. The work pressure left her in a constant state of irritability, often leading to insomnia.

To alleviate this negative state, Pang Xiaoshi had tried many methods.

Exercise for relaxation, indulging in sweets to reduce stress, listening to soothing music, taking breaks for massages… She even went to see a psychologist. But in the end, none of these methods had significant effects. Her job was just like that, and she had to rely on herself to manage her mood.

However, ever since a colleague recommended a software called “Dreamscape” a while ago, Pang Xiaoshi’s work pressure had been alleviated.

Dreamscape not only helped treat everyone’s insomnia but also used high-tech means to weave dreams for people. As long as you were willing to spend money, you could choose dream scenarios you liked in the software and experience a happy spiritual world, venting the frustrations and noise of real life.

Although the dream scenarios in the software were not cheap, with Pang Xiaoshi’s financial ability, she couldn’t afford to consume them every night.

But even consuming the dream scenarios two or three times a month was enough to treat the negative emotions caused by work pressure.

After trying it, other colleagues also showed significant improvements in their mental state.

The efficiency of the entire company had improved greatly, and the manager even called this dream software a “magical tool” due to the employees’ request. Consequently, at the employees’ request, the manager had submitted an application to the company’s higher-ups, hoping to replace this year’s employee welfare shopping cards with Dreamscape consumption cards!

In short, the Dreamscape software had quickly gained the love and recognition of everyone within less than two months of its release.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

And it quickly spread among users, dominating the consumer market.

Due to economic constraints, Pang Xiaoshi couldn’t afford to consume Dreamscape dream scenarios every night, but she could manage to purchase them twice a week.

Today was her designated “sleep day.”

As soon Pang Xiaoshi finished work, she hurriedly rushed home, quickly ate dinner, took a shower, and prepared herself before immediately getting into bed.

Then, eagerly, she opened the app, purchased the desired dream scenario, put down her phone, closed her eyes, and listened to the music playing through the app as she entered the realm of dreams…

Pang Xiaoshi, being a timid person, primarily used the dream scenarios for stress relief due to her limited financial ability.

So, the dream scenarios she chose were usually short and cheerful scenes. She couldn’t afford the more extravagant ones that played out like full-length dramas.

Today, Pang Xiaoshi’s dream scenario was to go to an amusement park.

She had long yearned for the thrilling and dangerous rides in amusement parks like roller coasters and drop towers. However, due to her fear of accidents and a slight touch of hypochondria, she had always been too afraid to try them.

But now, with Dreamscape, things were different. In the dream world, she didn’t need to worry about any malfunctions in the amusement facilities. She could enjoy herself without any psychological burden.

As the hypnotic music faded away…

When Pang Xiaoshi regained consciousness, she found herself standing in a bustling amusement park. The vivid surroundings made it clear that she had entered the dream woven by the software.

Pang Xiaoshi was filled with excitement and, as usual, skillfully began exploring the dream world.

However, something seemed strange about today’s dream world.

Based on her past experiences, the scenarios she chose didn’t involve interactions with NPCs. After all, she could only afford the lowest level of scenes due to her financial limitations.

But now…

As soon as she entered the amusement park’s entrance, she was approached by a beautiful little girl.

“Sister, sister, I can’t find my mommy and daddy. Can you help me find them?” the adorable little girl said.

Dressed in a cute dress and holding a doll, she had a delicate appearance. However, her face now showed a pitiful and helpless expression, evoking sympathy and affection.

Pang Xiaoshi was a compassionate person.

Even though she knew that the little girl in front of her was an NPC in the dream world, she couldn’t help but soften her heart.

Additionally, she had a thought. She had purchased a low-level dream scenario that didn’t involve NPC interactions, so could there be some hidden bonus storyline?

With this thought in mind, Pang Xiaoshi became excited and developed a strong curiosity. She reached out to touch the little girl’s hair and nodded kindly.

“Alright, I’ll help you find your mommy and daddy. Do you remember where you got separated from them?”

“I remember. Over there, over there, by the tall grass. Mommy and daddy left me there, and I waited for them for a long, long time, but I couldn’t see them. Sister, let’s go see the tall grass together…”

With Pang Xiaoshi’s agreement, the little girl jumped happily and pulled Pang Xiaoshi along.

Tall grass?

Pang Xiaoshi found it a bit confusing, but she didn’t think too much about it. She thought it might be part of the hidden storyline and relaxed, following the little girl.

But soon…

Pang Xiaoshi realized something was off.

The little girl led her out of the crowd, deeper into a secluded grove within the amusement park. In just a few steps, there were no more people around, and the songs that had been playing throughout the amusement park disappeared.

The remote grove and the absence of sound created an eerie atmosphere that gave an indescribable sense of unease.

Pang Xiaoshi suddenly felt a wave of fear. The excitement she had felt upon entering the dream world vanished, and even her voice sounded weak.

“Little girl, where did you get lost? There’s no one here anymore. How could your mommy and daddy bring you to this place…”

The little girl suddenly stopped walking upon hearing Pang Xiaoshi’s words.

Without saying a word or turning around, her slender shoulders trembled slightly, and a low sobbing sound emerged.

“Oooh… Oooh…”

This should have been a scene that evoked sympathy and tenderness, but Pang Xiaoshi couldn’t muster any pity or sympathy.

Because the low sobbing sounded eerie and terrifying! It sounded like the crying of a baby! It was undoubtedly abnormal!

Pang Xiaoshi was already timid and couldn’t handle this kind of eerie atmosphere.

Her legs immediately felt weak, and her heart pounded.

At that moment, the little girl moved.

She suddenly raised her hand and pointed to a small mound not far ahead.

“It’s there, sister. Look, the mound covered in tall grass. Mommy and daddy told me to sleep there. But it’s so cold inside the mound… I don’t want to stay here. Sister, take me to find mommy and daddy, okay? Okay?”

The haunting voice sent chills down the spine.

Pang Xiaoshi looked in the direction the little girl pointed.

And then, she screamed in terror.

“Ah!”

That wasn’t a mound covered in tall grass. It was clearly a small grave!

Pang Xiaoshi’s face turned pale.

But the little girl seemed unaffected by Pang Xiaoshi’s horrified scream. She suddenly burst into giggles, and her tiny head mechanically turned around.

Her doll-like face, usually delicate and pretty, now carried a sinister smile.

“Giggle, sister, take me to find mommy, okay? I’ll sing a song for you. Sister, take me to find mommy and daddy, okay?”

“Sister carries the doll on her back, walking to the garden to see the flowers. The doll cries for mommy, and the little birds on the tree laugh, ha-ha. Carrying the doll on her back…”

The eerie nursery rhyme echoed.

Pang Xiaoshi couldn’t hold on any longer. She screamed loudly, turned around, and started running on all fours while screaming, “Help, Mommy, ghost! I don’t want to play anymore, let me go!”

But it was all in vain.

Once inside the dream world, she had to sleep for a full eight hours before waking up.

So Pang Xiaoshi’s screams were futile.

As she ran, the sinister smiling little girl chased after her, singing along the way.

“Sister carries the doll on her back…”

“Ah! Ah! Ah! Help!”

“Walking to the garden to see the flowers…”

“Ah! Ah! Ah! Don’t chase me!”

“The doll cries for mommy…”

“Ah! Ah! Ah! I don’t want to play anymore…”

“The little birds on the tree laugh, ha-ha… Sister… help me find mommy and daddy… why are you running?… I’ll sing a song for you…”

“Sister, do you want to carry the doll on your back?”

The haunting voice suddenly resounded in her ears.

Something suddenly clasped around her neck.

Trembling with fear, Pang Xiaoshi turned her head and came face-to-face with a sinister smile.

“Sister, you’ve carried the doll on your back now~”

“Ah—”

After a piercing scream, Pang Xiaoshi successfully fainted in the dream.

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“Damn, a one-point difference in the college entrance exam can change a person’s destiny. If these students missed out on their desired schools because of this, it would ruin several families in an instant.”

“Heh, not surprising. It seems they chose Liu Jia because his family background was ordinary and easy to manipulate. If the substituted person was indeed Liu Jia, then maybe this whole thing could have been covered up…”

“Just because he liked Yan Tong, he destroyed other people’s lives? My goodness, this Fang Qianhao truly inherits his mother’s values. The values are consistent.”

“On the other hand, Yan Tong should also be aware of the score substitution. In the previous bullying incident, he could claim ignorance since it was Xu Jiaqing acting on his own. But for the college entrance exam scores, how could he smoothly proceed without any knowledge?”

“The evidence is conclusive. There’s no room for debate in this case…”

“This Yan Tong is truly incredible. He made the heir of the Xie family cancel the engagement, bribed the college entrance exam for the Fang family… I didn’t realize he was so earth-shattering. Why are so many foolish men willing to do anything for him…”

The truth revealed by the police caused a stir throughout the internet.

No one expected that a college entrance exam score would implicate five students!

A total of five students had their scores tampered with.

Fang Qianhao was audacious, disregarding the country’s laws, subverting moral values, and openly threatening and bribing government officials for personal gain.

Through the investigation by the police and the temporary emergency measures taken by the Education Bureau, all the papers of students like Yan Tong, Fang Ziyang, and Liu Jia were rechecked, scores recalculated, and personally confirmed for accuracy.

Finally, the scores were calculated.

Yan Tong: 512 points

Fang Ziyang: 748 points

Liu Jia: 708 points

Student Xue: 698 points

Student Yuan: 679 points

Student Yao: 665 points

With the originally incorrect scores, Fang Ziyang and Liu Jia would have had decent scores at best, while Xue, Yuan, and Yao would have been unlucky, missing out on their preferred universities with scores around 600…

When the actual scores were announced, everyone’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Apart from the anger and sympathy for the discrepancy in the scores of several students, there was also shock at Fang Ziyang’s true score.

748 points.

Except for Chinese, he scored full marks in all subjects!

“What the hell? Is this the real score this time? Are we sure it’s not a mistake? Fang Ziyang actually scored 748 points? My goodness, no wonder Sun Zhi had to tamper with the papers of a few other students. If the scores were announced based on Yan Tong’s performance, it would have been exposed in no time!”

“I was already amazed by a score of 744, but now I realize how narrow-minded I was. Weren’t the college entrance exam questions supposed to be particularly difficult this year?”

“It’s true. This time it’s for real. The Education Bureau even publicly released Fang Ziyang’s paper. There’s absolutely no tampering with Fang Ziyang’s score. The answers, the handwriting, everything is impeccable…”

“I checked it too, especially the math paper. It’s so beautiful. I’ve decided that from today, Fang Ziyang is my idol!”

“He truly lives up to being Tang Xun’s biological brother. The genes between them are remarkable. Envy and jealousy…”

“Envy 1.”

“Envy 2.”

“Envy ID number…”

Fang Ziyang’s impressive performance, achieved by giving his all, fulfilled everyone’s expectations and propelled the incident of substituting college entrance exam scores to its peak.

As for Yan Tong, he completely took center stage.

Yan Tong’s college entrance exam scores were invalidated.

Initially, he was also going to be taken to the police station for questioning, but because he was relatively smart and the whole operation was orchestrated by the Fang father and son, he didn’t get involved.

In the end, with Fang Qianhao rashly taking the blame for him, knowing that his father had pushed him out as a scapegoat with no room for escape, he gritted his teeth and assumed all the blame, firmly stating that Yan Tong was unaware and that he had planned everything himself, removing Yan Tong from the equation.

Thus, Yan Tong managed to escape by vehemently denying everything and without substantial evidence.

However, as a result, the online impression of Yan Tong worsened. He was cursed and labeled with derogatory titles such as green tea bitch, hypocrite, and heartless snake… His image was no better than when Fang Yandong walked out of the courtroom.

When Yan Tong saw the public opinion online, he was infuriated.

He never imagined that Fang Yandong would be even more unreliable than Fang Qianhao. It was just a simple college entrance exam score, but it had turned out like this! Not only did he deceive him and take away so much technical information, but the plan also didn’t succeed.

The script that was supposed to make him a heartthrob ended up with people cursing him left and right. He couldn’t help but wonder what kind of bad luck he had.

After returning from the police station, Yan Tong was consumed by frustration.

As for Fang Qianhao, who had shouldered all the blame and removed him from the situation, Yan Tong no longer cared about him.

Thus, when Fang Qianhao, who had expected Yan Tong’s tender visit in prison, discovered that no one came to see him, he fell apart once again.

In Fang Qianhao’s perspective, he had sacrificed so much for Yan Tong. In order to protect Yan Tong, he had to also assume the blame for Yan Tong, resulting in more severe charges than those exposed by Sun Zhi’s testimony.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

He had given everything for Yan Tong. At this moment, Yan Tong should be crying and bringing him things, visiting him, and expressing how deeply moved he was, promising to wait for him to be released so that they could be happy together… That’s how the plot should have developed.

However, reality was different.

Yan Tong not only failed to visit him, but he didn’t even pass on a single word to him!

Even the foolish and infatuated Fang Qianhao realized that something was wrong at this moment, and his mood sank.

And at that moment, Fang Ziyang unexpectedly visited him in prison.

“What are you here for?”

Upon seeing him, Fang Qianhao became agitated and gnashed his teeth.

If it wasn’t for this brother of his, how could he have ended up in his current situation? Fang Ziyang, this bastard, had been pretending to be weak all this time and had truly deceived him.

Fang Qianhao wanted to bite Fang Ziyang to death right then and there.

Seeing his reaction, Fang Ziyang couldn’t help but show a pleased smile. He found joy in seeing these people unhappy.

“I’m here to mock you. Can’t you see that?”

Fang Ziyang chuckled. “Fang Qianhao, even until now, you still don’t know who you should hate. You’re always sneering at me. I have to say, you really are your father’s son, a fool through and through.”

“Fang Ziyang, that’s enough! When I get out, I won’t let you off the hook!”

Fang Qianhao pounded the table in anger, filled with resentment.

Shaking his head, Fang Ziyang said, “You’re truly beyond redemption. Even now, you still can’t see that Yan Tong has been using you all along. Let me remind you, since we share half of our blood, think carefully, who has harmed you more, me or Yan Tong?”

“Since you met Yan Tong, how much have you sacrificed for him, and how much have you gained?”

“Big brother, even though I dislike you, I still understand who you are. Did you willingly help Yan Tong substitute the college entrance exam scores? If I’m not mistaken, Yan Tong must have said something to you. With your arrogance, you wouldn’t have done something like helping someone cheat on an exam without his instigation…”

“After all, my dear big brother, you have always been an outstanding young man in the circle, haven’t you?”

Fang Qianhao’s face turned ugly upon hearing his words.

Although he didn’t want to admit it, his brother’s words were indeed correct. If it wasn’t for Yan Tong’s words, his soft-heartedness, he definitely wouldn’t have bothered with cheating on an exam.

“So, Fang Qianhao, think carefully. You’re in prison now while he’s outside unharmed. Is this his way of loving you?”

Fang Ziyang smiled faintly.

“Anyway, I don’t want to bother with you too much. The main reason I came today is to ask you, where did you put the necklace, the heirloom of our mother?”

Fang Qianhao became wary and suspicious upon hearing this. “Why are you always looking for that necklace?”

Previously, when Fang Ziyang asked him for the necklace, he thought he was deliberately causing trouble for him. Now, with Fang Ziyang asking again, he keenly sensed that something was amiss.

Seeing his expression, Fang Ziyang fell silent for a moment before smiling again.

“Well, it doesn’t really matter if I tell you since Fang Yandong has given up on you anyway. Why don’t we cooperate?”

“Cooperate?” Fang Qianhao became even more vigilant.

“Start a company. Let me emphasize once again, although I really despise you, big brother, I have to admit that you do have the ability and are outstanding. There are no permanent enemies in the world. The person I hate the most is our father. If you’re willing, I would love to see our father’s reaction when he realizes that all of his sons have betrayed him and want to crush him.”

Hatred flashed in Fang Ziyang’s eyes.

“In the necklace, there are many advanced technological documents left by our maternal grandfather’s family. These documents are enough to build a business empire. If you hand over the necklace, I’ll provide the password to unlock it. Together, we can make Fang Yandong pay for his heartlessness.”

“Think about it carefully, big brother, and let me know when you’ve made up your mind. Of course, if you still choose to stand with our father, I wouldn’t mind arranging a little ‘accident’ for you during your time in prison…”

After saying that, Fang Ziyang got up and left the prison, leaving Fang Qianhao sitting there with heavy breathing. It seemed like he had experienced a significant shock and could no longer control himself as he shouted, “Yan Tong, you despicable and shameless bastard!”

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“I am indeed studying the Collatz conjecture. Although my progress is not significant, I am making efforts in that direction. I believe my calculation drafts and materials can prove what I said.”

“So, Yan Tong, isn’t it time for you to explain your solution process?”

Silence fell.

Yan Tong’s face turned pale.

He looked at Fang Ziyang, then at the equally pale Fang Qianhao, and the skeptical and disdainful gazes around him.

He couldn’t help shaking his head and murmuring, “I, I don’t know either. This question looks unfamiliar to me too. I, I don’t know what’s going on…”

After saying that, Yan Tong directly fainted, whether it was real or fake fainting was unclear.

Fang Qianhao hurriedly ran up to the stage.

Fang Ziyang, with a cold face, ignored him and turned to the reporters in the front row. He picked up the microphone again and made a statement.

“I don’t know why Yan Tong’s exam process is exactly the same as mine. In fact, I have some doubts about my own college entrance exam results as well. The announced results differ significantly from my estimated scores.”

“To dispel my doubts and ensure the interests of all high school seniors, I will choose to report this incident to the police. I hope the school can forgive my impulsive actions. After all, the college entrance exam results are something that changes the destiny of every senior… Thank you.”

After finishing his statement, Fang Ziyang put down the microphone and walked away.

The conference hall erupted in an uproar.

[“Liu Jia,” the top scorer of H City No.1 High School, was actually a result substitution?]

Less than an hour after leaving the school conference hall, “Liu Jia” quickly climbed to the top of the trending topics on Weibo with this sensational headline.

It was indeed sensational!

With the increasingly strong and prosperous development of the country, the control and regulation of the college entrance exam, which had the potential to change the fate of ordinary families, had become stricter.

Result substitution had not been heard of for a long time.

Perhaps it still happened secretly, but there hadn’t been any publicly exposed cases for a long time. Even if someone manipulated results, no one had the courage to tamper with the score of the top scorer in the college entrance exam. It would be like seeking death.

But today, they witnessed such a foolish act.

Although the police hadn’t come up with a conclusion immediately, the angry questioning from Fang Ziyang and his proficient demonstration of problem-solving during the speech at H City No.1 High School made it highly probable that there was an issue with the results!

Internet users were exploding with rage.

“Damn it, with such strict government control, there are still people daring to tamper with scores, and they even substituted the score of the college entrance exam’s top scorer? Who is so arrogant?”

“Isn’t this ‘Liu Jia’ the same person who was involved in the bullying incident with Fang Ziyang before? Oh my God, are these two really destined to be together? How did they end up in the same situation again…”

“Is this Yan Tong’s brain malfunctioning? It’s not good to substitute anyone’s score, let alone Fang Ziyang’s. Does he think this is the legendary ‘lamp under the cover’?”

“Maybe it’s not a malfunction, but he simply wanted to substitute Fang Ziyang’s score. Taking advantage of a familiar person, but unexpectedly… Fang Ziyang ended up scoring first in the national college entrance exam. He dug his own grave, hahaha.”

“But come to think of it, I didn’t expect Fang Ziyang to be so capable! I saw a video before where he said he deliberately didn’t want to score well, and I thought he was showing off. But now it seems that what he said was true!”

“Yeah, he’s already studying the Collatz conjecture, although it’s only preliminary research, it still shocked me… My goodness, why is there such a huge gap between two eighteen-year-olds that I can’t even imagine?”

“It’s not surprising. Fang Ziyang’s older brother is Tang Xun, and I’m sure everyone has heard of Tang Xun, right? And Fang Ziyang’s grandfather is rumored to come from a scientific research family, with several generations of research talents working for the country. With such a background and genetics… Fang Ziyang’s intelligence should be exceptionally high.”

“Oh my, I suddenly realized that Fang Ziyang is a treasure boy. He always surprises me…”

Online discussions were free, and netizens expressed their views, opinions, and amazement. Some were angry and directly cursed, some couldn’t believe how dumb Yan Tong was, and others were amazed by Fang Ziyang’s demonstrated abilities…

Of course, most of the comments were condemning and abusive.

Cheating in the college entrance exam, result substitution, leaking exam questions… These were things that the general public absolutely couldn’t tolerate.

Under such tremendous social attention, the police received the report and didn’t dare to slack off. They immediately formed a special investigation team to start the investigation.

The first person they arrested was, of course, Sun Zhi.

As the director of the Education Bureau in H Province, he naturally became the primary person to be held accountable when the college entrance exam results were in question.

To everyone’s surprise, when they thought this case would take a lot of time and effort to investigate for several days, Sun Zhi couldn’t bear the pressure. The night he was invited to the police station for a cup of tea, he trembled and confessed his crime.

The truth that came out in the end shocked everyone.

“…I… I didn’t want to do it. I’m going to retire and live a peaceful life next year. It doesn’t make sense for me to risk my reputation in such a situation. But someone caught me with a handle. If I didn’t agree to help, my affair and illegitimate child would be exposed to my wife.”

“It was all Fang Qianhao who coerced and lured me. My wife has a strong personality. If she finds out I have an affair and an illegitimate child, she will kick me out. Fang Qianhao caught such a big handle on me, and he offered me thirty million yuan. I couldn’t resist the temptation, so I was swayed.”

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

“Our original plan was perfect and secure. Fang Qianhao told me that we would only switch exam numbers. After all, the two regular scores wouldn’t attract attention or be discovered. Even if something happened, we could find excuses to evade responsibility. We could say there was a mistake in the exam number and then switch the scores back. At most, we would face some disciplinary action…”

“For this, Fang Qianhao even changed Yan Tong’s name for the sake of convenience in substitution.”

“Originally, we chose the student Liu Jia from Qinghai High School, but there was an error during the operation, and it ended up being Fang Ziyang. And Fang Ziyang’s score turned out to be unexpectedly impressive!”

“…I was scared at that time, but it was too late to back out. In order to cover up and conceal the situation, I had no choice but to tamper with the papers of a few other students, robbing Peter to pay Paul, and also adjusted Fang Ziyang’s score to 712. I hoped to pass it off…”

“It was all Fang Qianhao who forced me to do this. I was just an accomplice, and I’m willing to confess.”

“I have evidence for everything I said, and I request leniency from the police…”

After Sun Zhi was taken to the police station, he didn’t need much time during the interrogation before he confessed.

Perhaps knowing that there was no way to defend himself, he actively cooperated with the investigation and had a very good attitude of admitting guilt.

However.

The person implicated by his confession, Fang Qianhao, was in a bad situation.

“What? Director Sun said I was the mastermind? That I coerced and lured him to switch the scores? That’s a lie! I didn’t do it, it wasn’t me, I don’t know anything, Sun Zhi is simply talking nonsense…”

Fang Qianhao was infuriated by Sun Zhi’s confession, but facing the police questioning, he knew he had to remain calm and not admit guilt.

Switching college entrance exam scores, especially the score of the national top scorer, carried a severe charge, and he was well aware of that.

Moreover, while he was aware of the situation, he didn’t actually carry out the act himself. It was all orchestrated by his father. He was essentially “innocent.”

“I didn’t do such a thing. I want to see my father, and I want to hire a lawyer.”

Fang Qianhao’s denial was resolute.

He was still hoping that Fang Yandong would come to his rescue.

However, he had no idea that Fang Yandong had long abandoned him. Being brought to the police station for questioning was entirely Fang Yandong’s doing.

The police looked at him with disdain, shattering his illusions without mercy.

“Fang Qianhao, we have already questioned your father, and based on his testimony, it has been confirmed that you indeed used his bank card without authorization.”

“He feels anger and shame for your actions and has explicitly stated that he won’t hire a lawyer for you. The evidence of your bribery to the Director of the H Province Education Bureau to help Yan Tong switch scores is quite solid.”

“If you don’t want to worsen your charges, we advise you to confess and cooperate actively with the investigation…”

The police’s words were like the heavy hammer of a thunder god, brutally hitting Fang Qianhao’s head.

It left him dizzy and blank.

Fang Qianhao stood up from his chair in excitement. “What are you saying? Are you telling me that my father testified against me?”

“Yes. We have already interrogated Mr. Fang, and based on his testimony, the case against you is essentially proven. So if you continue with this passive attitude, we will certainly apply for increased sentencing…”

The police coldly stated the cruel reality.

Fang Qianhao couldn’t believe what he was hearing, and he felt his whole world crumbling.

If what the police said was true, what did it mean?

…His idolized father had thrown him under the bus and made him the scapegoat?

Fang Qianhao was in a daze, unable to believe the reality.

Meanwhile, the police quickly uncovered the entire incident under the enormous public attention and officially announced it on their official microblog.

When everyone saw the truth of the matter, there was another uproar.

“So, in reality… the person who should have been substituted was Liu Jia from Qinghai High School? But due to an operational error, Fang Ziyang ended up as the unlucky one?”

“Damn, and they even went so far as to change the name. Can this premeditated plan still be called a coincidence?”

“This is outrageous! Besides, a few other students’ papers were also tampered with! According to Sun Zhi’s confession, it was because Fang Ziyang scored too well, and they couldn’t use the excuse of ‘having a bad state during the exam’ to fool others. They had to bring in a few more unlucky ones to cover it up… It means the actual scores of those students are definitely higher than the ones currently announced.”

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After a brief silence, the faces of the people in the conference hall changed drastically.

The school leaders and teachers stood up directly.

Professor Xu, who was eagerly waiting for Yan Tong’s response, also had a sudden change in his expression.

“What do you mean by this?” Professor Xu asked, his face sinking.

Professor Meng also stood up, staring at Fang Ziyang with a serious expression. “Young man, this is not a joking matter. You need to take responsibility for what you said.”

“Yes, Fang Ziyang, no matter what grudges you have with Yan Tong, this is not the time or place to act recklessly…”

“That’s right, are you implying that Yan Tong copied your paper when you said his math answers were exactly the same as yours?”

“How is that possible? They weren’t even in the same exam room. Are our country’s monitoring systems just for show?”

The students in the hall also began to speak up. Fang Ziyang’s words were truly shocking at this moment.

“What do you mean by ‘Why did my math answers become your test paper?’ and ‘Why is your solution process exactly the same as mine?’ The implications behind these statements are too shocking.”

Even Zhou Jun and Zhao Jingyu were shocked.

As for Yan Tong, he was genuinely dumbfounded.

He understood what Fang Ziyang was saying, but he couldn’t comprehend it. What did Fang Ziyang mean by saying that his test paper and answers were his own? How could this be possible? Wasn’t it Liu Jia’s?

The conference hall was in an uproar.

The sharp-minded journalists quickly picked up their cameras and began filming.

Fang Ziyang had been enduring this day for a long time. Ignoring the gazes and discussions around him, he left his seat in anger and went straight to the stage.

Picking up the spare microphone on the table, he suppressed his anger and pointed directly at the question Professor Xu had just displayed on the PowerPoint.

“I can take responsibility for every word I’m about to say now! Actually, when Professor Meng asked the question earlier, I found it strange. The new method for solving the problem that Professor Meng mentioned, I used it in this year’s college entrance examination.”

“Although I was a bit surprised just now, it’s not uncommon for different people to come up with the same mathematical solution. I didn’t think much of it. But…”

Here, Fang Ziyang’s eyes couldn’t hide his anger anymore.

“But now, the solution process that Professor Xu just presented is exactly the same as my test paper. Moreover, even the extra calculation step I wrote because I was lazy and didn’t draft it is identical.”

“So, Yan Tong, can you explain to me why such a coincidence exists in the world?”

If Professor Meng’s question earlier was a coincidence, then Professor Xu’s case was also a coincidence. Even the suspicious calculation step coincided exactly. This made people think deeply.

No one in the room was foolish.

Almost instantly, they thought of the most taboo thing in the college entrance examination: leaking exam questions and substituting scores.

Clearly, the current situation couldn’t be simply explained as a leak. The most likely guess was score substitution.

“My goodness, this must be a coincidence…”

“How can such a coincidence happen? Even the extra calculation step he wrote due to laziness is the same. If what Fang Ziyang said is true, then…”

“I actually had some doubts when the results were announced earlier. Yan Tong’s usual grades were ordinary. When I heard that he was the top scorer in the national college entrance examination, I was really shocked.”

“It’s Fang Ziyang, on the other hand, even though his previous grades were not good, that should have just been superficial. He participated in the school’s mock exams before the college entrance examination, and I noticed Fang Ziyang’s scores. They skyrocketed at an incredible speed, with each score being above 700. He was truly a hidden academic genius.”

“If that’s the case, does it mean that Yan Tong substituted Fang Ziyang’s scores?”

“Oh my god, he’s the top scorer in the national college entrance examination!”

The students at the scene were all young teenagers, who often spoke without thinking and dared to say anything directly. They began speculating, and their voices buzzed.

Yan Tong’s face turned pale.

The school leaders, on the other hand, quickly recovered after a brief shock.

Principal Zhou’s face immediately turned ugly as he asked Fang Ziyang, “Fang Ziyang, do you understand the consequences of your words? If you don’t have concrete evidence, your actions right now could have devastating consequences for you, do you understand?”

Oh my, he couldn’t even imagine what kind of blow the school would face if the news of a student from No.1 High School substituting the top scorer’s score in the college entrance examination came out. Even if the other person who was substituted was also a student from No.1 High School.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

The excitement on Professor Meng and Professor Xu’s faces also disappeared.

Top scorer score substitution and academic fraud were things they, as pure academic researchers, could not tolerate.

“I don’t have any evidence, but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with what I’m saying right now. I’m just raising my doubts. After all, if anyone else found out that someone else’s solution process is exactly the same as theirs, even down to the extra steps, they would be confused, wouldn’t they?”

Fang Ziyang’s face showed anger, but he didn’t lose his rationality. His words were logically clear, and he remained composed.

He didn’t forcefully argue or anything like that. He stated the facts. Wouldn’t anyone be shocked and ask questions in the face of such a coincidence?

After finishing speaking, Fang Ziyang looked at Yan Tong.

“Yan Tong, I’m not suspecting you of anything. I just want you to answer my questions. Since you solved the problem in the exam using the same method, can you demonstrate it again here with a similar problem?”

“It’s just changing the numbers, the type of question remains the same. I think it’s not an impolite request, considering how ridiculously coincidental our solution methods are. Don’t you think so?”

As Fang Ziyang finished speaking, everyone turned their attention to Yan Tong, expressing their agreement.

True gold fears no fire. Given the current coincidence, if Yan Tong couldn’t provide any explanation, it would be unacceptable.

It was the same type of question, just with different numbers. If Yan Tong had confidence, this simple test shouldn’t be a problem at all.

But…

The problem was that Yan Tong was a fake, he didn’t have the real ability. How could he demonstrate it even if he had prepared in advance and was familiar with the solution process? He could only give a perfunctory performance, and it was impossible for him to solve it using those methods.

Because every step in Fang Ziyang’s solution process seemed clear and simple, but it wasn’t just about following the steps to arrive at the answer.

Even though Yan Tong was eloquent, he didn’t know what to say now!

He was anxious, sweating profusely, and kept looking towards Fang Qianhao in the front row, with a pleading look in his eyes.

At this moment, Fang Qianhao was also in a state of panic, his mind thrown into chaos by the sudden unexpected turn of events.

But when he saw Yan Tong’s helpless gaze, his brain heated up again, and his mind was filled with the desire to protect his loved one. He immediately stood up.

“Fang Ziyang, who do you think you are to ask Yan Tong to demonstrate for you? Just because you said something, it should be true? You are simply disrespecting our country’s system of fairness! Everyone knows that you and Yan Tong have a deep-seated grudge. Are you intentionally causing trouble today?”

“You said you solved the math problems in the same way? Ha, even though your recent performance has improved dramatically, isn’t it a bit exaggerated to reach the level of a perfect math test?”

Fang Qianhao stood up impulsively and spoke without thinking.

He truly didn’t believe in Fang Ziyang’s current performance. They grew up together, how could he not know what kind of person his little brother was? Even if the other party was really smart, intentionally pretending to be a poor student, to think that he had already reached the point of studying the Collatz conjecture, it was simply absurd.

Tang Xun could achieve outstanding results at such a young age not only because of his gifted intelligence but also because of the education he received from famous teachers and academicians.

What did Fang Ziyang have? Fang Ziyang had been under their watchful eyes for all these years, how could he have reached such a level of self-study?

Moreover, the issue of score substitution was done by Fang Yandong, and he had full trust in his father’s abilities. This must be a coincidence.

In fact, when it came to Fang Ziyang’s college entrance examination results, based on his own understanding, he suspected that there was something wrong with Fang Ziyang as well.

“Just as Professor Xu said earlier, the solution process for this math problem could prove that its owner is likely studying the Collatz conjecture. Fang Ziyang, are you trying to tell everyone that you are studying the Ten Great Conjectures of Mathematics?”

Even though Fang Ziyang was Tang Xun’s younger brother, it didn’t mean that Fang Ziyang had the same talent as Tang Xun, especially since Fang Ziyang had been neglected by their father since childhood.

People found Fang Qianhao’s words somewhat reasonable.

Although they had already accepted the reality that Fang Ziyang might be a hidden academic genius, to say that he was studying the Collatz conjecture was a bit too much.

The topics of the Ten Great Conjectures of Mathematics couldn’t be studied just by saying so. For a high school senior to be studying them, what did this mean to Professor Xu and the others? Were geniuses just common occurrences now?

When this big label was slapped on Fang Ziyang, if he couldn’t explain it well, as someone who “talked big,” he would definitely become an enemy of the academic world.

Upon hearing this, Fang Ziyang couldn’t help but laugh.

He laughed heartily, looking at Fang Qianhao as if he was looking at a big fool.

“Why can’t I study the Ten Great Conjectures of Mathematics? Fang Qianhao, you’re right. I am indeed studying this topic…”

Naturally, as an eighteen-year-old, he didn’t possess such abilities, but as someone who had lived to the age of twenty-eight, he had indeed studied the Collatz conjecture in his previous life.

Although he hadn’t made significant progress in his research yet, mathematics was the foundation of all scientific research. Every outstanding researcher continuously pursued mathematical research throughout their lifetime. How could he not contemplate something as interesting as the Ten Great Conjectures of Mathematics?

Everyone inhaled sharply at his words.

The expressions of Professor Meng and Professor Xu also changed.

Yan Tong seemed to realize something, and his legs suddenly felt weak.

After ridiculing Fang Qianhao, Fang Ziyang didn’t waste any more words and went directly to the laptop where the presentation slides were displayed.

He began typing on the keyboard.

“This young master Fang is right. Talk is cheap, so since I suspected Yan Tong’s solution earlier, I’ll demonstrate it myself first. Let’s start with the x-variable problem that Professor Meng mentioned earlier. The setting of this x-value is indeed a new approach…”

With the sound of the keyboard, Fang Ziyang’s voice rang out.

He simultaneously typed on the computer, performing the step-by-step calculation process for the presentation slides, while explaining the thought process behind each step.

His words were clear, the logic was correct, and he maintained a calm and steady pace, making the explanation easy to follow.

Although the knowledge involved was deep, the current demonstration of this math problem alone could undoubtedly be understood by everyone.

There was no doubt.

This meant that Fang Ziyang wasn’t talking nonsense.

As Professor Meng listened to Fang Ziyang’s demonstration and explanation, his eyes became brighter and brighter. Fang Ziyang’s new approach to the x-variable opened up a new direction for his current research.

When Fang Ziyang finished explaining Professor Meng’s previous question, he looked at Professor Xu with a slight smile. He directly logged into his personal database on the laptop on the stage and opened a file named “Collatz Research Progress.”

His gaze focused on Fang Qianhao and Yan Tong.

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They were unaware of the issue of Fang Ziyang’s college entrance exam scores being switched. They simply returned to school to join in the excitement of the professors from Tsinghua University and Nanjing University coming. After all, both of them had applied to these two universities.

As true third-year high school students, they were genuinely excited to have the opportunity to meet professors from their future universities.

The three of them entered the auditorium and hadn’t even sat down when they coincidentally ran into Yan Tong and Fang Qianhao.

As the saying goes, when enemies meet, they become jealous.

Fang Ziyang’s heart was surging with waves, but his expression remained calm.

Yan Tong and Fang Qianhao couldn’t control their emotions and revealed their jealousy and smugness. Especially Fang Qianhao, he had never been able to control his temper before, and now it was even worse. Because of Fang Ziyang and Tang Xun, he had lost everything except his identity as Young Master Fang.

When Fang Qianhao saw Fang Ziyang, his eyes instantly emitted fire, as if he wanted to rush forward and hit someone.

Although Yan Tong was not as impulsive, he couldn’t hide his jealous and triumphant expression on his face. The repeated defeats had made it impossible for him to maintain his previous composed demeanor.

However, in front of everyone, Fang Qianhao couldn’t actually do anything. He could only snort disdainfully and leave.

Fang Ziyang didn’t pay attention to such childish behavior. He remained in a good mood and found a seat to sit down.

The other students, teachers, and journalists who came to listen to the speech also entered one after another.

When the scheduled time arrived, the school leaders and the professors from Tsinghua University and Nanjing University took their seats, and Yan Tong’s speech as the top scorer of the college entrance exam officially began.

…

Because he was afraid of exposing himself, Yan Tong had prepared his speech very carefully today.

He had Sun Zhi retrieve ‘Liu Jia’s’ test paper and answers and thoroughly studied all the steps, just in case he was questioned during the speech.

Although he was still anxious, the fact that the real protagonist, Liu Jia, wouldn’t come and the thorough preparation by Fang Yandong gave Yan Tong confidence during the speech.

However, to be on the safe side, Yan Tong’s speech mainly focused on encouraging younger students, motivating classmates in the same grade to work hard in university, and so on… There was less content related to his own college entrance exam and studying issues.

Principal Zhou and the other school principals from different schools nodded in approval while listening. They thought the speech was well done.

Although their academic qualifications were also good, they weren’t specialized researchers. It was normal for them to miss some deeper insights. They were satisfied with Yan Tong’s emphasis on speaking some superficial words. That’s how a speech should be.

However, Professor Meng from Tsinghua University and Professor Xu from Nanjing University became more and more frowning as they listened.

They came today to hear Yan Tong talk about his own studying, his views on mathematics, and the analysis of his college entrance exam answers. They didn’t come to listen to meaningless speeches.

After enduring for a while, when Yan Tong briefly touched upon the topic of studying again, they had barely listened for two minutes before he finished speaking.

And then…

And then, he started with official nonsense again.

Professor Meng had a quick temper. He had taken the time to fly here specifically today, so he couldn’t waste his time like this.

When Yan Tong paused after another round of nonsense, he finally couldn’t hold back and stood up, patiently asking, “Student Yan Tong, your speech was very impressive, and we are delighted that No. 1 High School has produced a student of your caliber. I came here today specifically because I have a question that I’d like to seek your advice on…”

Note that he said “seek advice” rather than “ask.”

As a professor from Tsinghua University, Professor Meng actually used the phrase “seek advice,” which indicated how much he valued today’s speech and recognized Yan Tong’s “abilities.”

Professor Meng was a mathematician who was deeply passionate about academic research. In his eyes, when it came to judging people, age and gender didn’t matter; he only looked at their abilities. If he recognized someone’s mathematical ability, even if the person was an elementary school student, he would treat them as an equal.

When Professor Meng stood up, Yan Tong felt a bit uneasy, but he couldn’t ignore him.

He forced a smile and said, “Professor Meng, please don’t be so polite. Just ask your question directly. I will tell you everything I know.”

Professor Meng’s face immediately lit up, and he said, “Great, then I won’t beat around the bush. Here’s the thing: I’ve seen your answer sheet for the college entrance exam, and there was a geometry problem. I want to ask why you decided to introduce another variable, x, at that moment.”

“It may seem unnecessary on the surface, but upon careful analysis, it was the key point that greatly reduced the difficulty of the entire problem. By using your method, I was able to make significant progress in my current research on mathematical problems…”

Professor Meng was an academic enthusiast, and he started using various professional terms and explanations.

Yan Tong smiled on the surface but internally he was screaming in frustration.

He understood every word Professor Meng said, but when they were put together, it felt like he was listening to a foreign language. What on earth was he talking about? What x value? What p-value… he couldn’t understand anything!

In fact, in the entire auditorium, except for Professor Meng and Professor Xu from Nanjing University, who were on the same level, only Fang Ziyang could understand what Professor Meng was saying.

Seeing Yan Tong’s composed smile on the stage, Fang Ziyang almost burst out laughing.

Although he wasn’t as impressive as his older brother, who could prove one of the ten major mathematical conjectures, Fang Ziyang had extraordinary talent in mathematics as well.

Therefore, he had some extra thoughts when it came to taking the math test.

During the exam, he used obscure and simple steps in his solutions. It wouldn’t affect the teachers’ grading, but it would allow those who were “in the know” to understand the points he wanted to emphasize.

Those seemingly ordinary steps actually had a significant impact on the calculations of many difficult math problems.

Nowadays, all countries around the world pay increasing attention to technological development, and China was no exception.

Mathematics is the foundation of all scientific research, so Fang Ziyang believed that top-notch universities like Tsinghua and Nanjing University would definitely review the perfect score math papers each year to identify talented individuals in mathematics.

And now it was being proven. His idea was validated.

“…So, Student Yan Tong, can you explain in detail why you thought of introducing this x value? Your approach is truly novel,” Professor Meng concluded after a barrage of professional terms.

Professor Meng’s eyes were full of curiosity as he looked at Yan Tong.

The old man’s enthusiasm for mathematics was so adorable.

Yan Tong had no idea how to respond. His forehead started to sweat.

What novel approach? Wasn’t it just a random choice of an x value in the solution method? Could it really have a significant impact on the calculations of math problems? Wasn’t it a bit too fantastical?

Staring at Professor Meng, who was full of fervor, Yan Tong clenched his fist with his nails digging into his palm. He could only force a smile and give a generic answer.

“Well, regarding this question… I’m sorry, Professor Meng. It was just a momentary inspiration. Right now, I only have a vague idea of a new approach, and there are still some parts I haven’t figured out. It would be embarrassing for me to discuss it with you without clarifying those doubts. Can I take some time to refine my thoughts and discuss it with you later?”

Although his reasoning was somewhat weak, inspiration could indeed strike during mathematical calculations.

Professor Meng was extremely disappointed, but since Yan Tong had explained it so clearly, he couldn’t continue to press him. It was normal for someone not to want to share when they hadn’t fully understood it themselves.

“Alright.”

Professor Meng sat down, feeling a bit unhappy. He had come here today with high hopes.

Seeing the old man sit down, Yan Tong breathed a sigh of relief.

But in the next moment, Professor Xu from Nanjing University stood up.

Professor Xu was much younger than Professor Meng and looked like a middle-aged bookworm with his black-framed glasses.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

“Hello, Student Yan Tong. I came here today because I also have a question about one of your answers in the college entrance exam. In the third question of your applied math section, I noticed some calculations related to the Collatz conjecture. Are you conducting research on the Collatz conjecture?”

As Professor Xu said this, the fervor in his eyes was no less than that of Professor Meng.

The Collatz conjecture was also one of the ten major mathematical conjectures in the world, and it was on par with the Goldbach conjecture previously verified by Tang Xun. It was also a focus of attention among mathematicians worldwide.

Even the students who couldn’t understand the professional terms had some understanding of this kind of problem.

Suddenly, everyone in the auditorium looked at Yan Tong with different eyes.

The Collatz conjecture! One of the ten major mathematical conjectures! Yan Tong was actually researching this! How could there be such a huge difference between him and the other high school seniors?

Fiery gazes stared at him.

Yan Tong was at a loss.

Of course, he knew what the Collatz conjecture was, but knowing it made him even more confused. Wasn’t Liu Jia just an ordinary student with slightly better grades? Why would he be researching the Collatz conjecture, which was so impressive? This was a rhythm that was going to drive him crazy!

Yan Tong stood on the stage with a forced smile, unable to utter a word, his mind blank.

And Professor Xu didn’t notice anything wrong with him.

Professor Xu was in the midst of discovering a like-minded mathematical genius. Seeing that Yan Tong didn’t respond immediately, he thought Yan Tong didn’t know which question he was referring to.

So, he took off his suit jacket, climbed onto the stage, and grabbed the computer to start typing on the keyboard.

Then the problem and its solution process that he mentioned were projected onto the screen through the PPT presentation, appearing in front of everyone.

Professor Xu excitedly pointed at the screen and passionately said to Yan Tong, “It’s this question. Look, these are the steps from your answer sheet that I have reconstructed…”

“Take a closer look, here and here, these processes are commonly used in the calculations related to the Collatz conjecture. Only someone who is researching this mathematical problem would habitually solve it like this. Yan Tong, you must be researching the Collatz conjecture, right?”

All eyes in the auditorium were fixed on Yan Tong.

Yan Tong stood there in a state of panic, not knowing how to respond.

What could he say? Should he admit it? But what if they asked him about the extent of his research? What if they gave him some problems to solve on the spot?

Should he deny it? Then how could he explain why his solution steps coincided with someone else’s research habits?

Yan Tong swallowed nervously, trying to come up with a generic response.

“Bang!”

A sound of tables and chairs colliding came from the auditorium.

Everyone turned their heads in the direction of the noise.

They saw Fang Ziyang standing up, his expression a mix of shock and anger. His eyes were red, and he pointed at the PPT on the stage, loudly demanding, “Yan Tong, why did my math solution end up in your answer sheet? Why are your solution steps exactly the same as mine, even down to the extra calculations?”

His words echoed through the silent hall.

The entire audience fell into silence.

Yan Tong’s mind exploded with a bang, and he stood there motionless.

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They directly produced a national top scorer in the college entrance exam, and No. 1 High School even wanted to hold a speech event. Professors from Tsinghua University and Nanjing University were also coming.

Yan Tong was now in a difficult position.

He really didn’t want to go to the speech event and make an appearance. This wasn’t about showing off, but about facing a death sentence. Especially when he had to deal with two professors who had specially come over.

Although Yan Tong had always been confident, he was aware of his own abilities. He could socialize with people, but being with these intellectual professors was like surviving in hell mode.

Yan Tong felt an indescribable bitterness in his heart, but he couldn’t refuse.

When Fang Yandong returned and heard the news, his legs went weak, and he sat on the sofa with a blank mind. Even someone as smart as him couldn’t remain calm now.

But since things had come to this point, they could only move forward on this path.

“Go, you can’t refuse this speech event. I’ll have Sun Zhi prepare the answers from the ‘Liu Jia’ paper for you. Prepare a draft before the speech, and then see how things go and try to fool the professors…”

Fang Yandong contemplated for a long time before finally speaking.

Yan Tong was somewhat worried, with a hesitant expression on his face.

Fang Qianhao was also anxious, “Dad, can this work? The professors from Tsinghua University and Nanjing University will be there…”

Could professors from prestigious universities be so easily fooled?

“What else can we do?” Fang Yandong’s face turned cold. “Since things have come to this point, we can only go forward with a stiff upper lip. Besides, Liu Jia isn’t a student from No. 1 High School. It’s impossible for him to attend the speech event and discover anything on the spot.”

Indeed, that was the rationale, or so they said.

But… both Yan Tong and Fang Qianhao had a bad premonition.

However, now that they had no other choice but to move forward with a stiff upper lip, they had to attend the school’s speech event, and they had to accept the title of top scorer in the college entrance exam.

Yan Tong had no other option.

He could only go back to his room to prepare his speech.

After the others left, Fang Yandong sat in the villa’s living room for a long time, his face constantly changing. In the end, he seemed to have made a certain decision.

He left the living room and went to the garden, dialing Sun Zhi’s number.

“Hello, Sun Zhi. Listen to me now. It seems that there might be a problem with swapping the scores. If the truth is revealed, cooperate actively with the investigation and admit your guilt…”

“What? Fang Yandong, are you asking me to take the blame for everything?”

“No, even if you take the blame for everything, you won’t be able to handle it all. Blame everything on Fang Qianhao. This was originally caused by him insisting on it. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have gotten involved in Yan Tong’s matters. He is the mastermind, and you are an accomplice… I will give you a sum of money that will ensure your future after you get out. I will also take care of your wife and children.”

“Fang Yandong, that’s your own son. Are you really willing?”

“He’s a despicable creature, a brainless idiot. If it wasn’t for him and his mother, would I be in this situation? Treating a disaster as a treasure, inviting a wolf into the house. If this idiot keeps going, he will eventually kill me.”

Fang Yandong’s voice was filled with intense hatred.

“Sun Zhi, think carefully. If you expose me and we both end up in ruins, what will you face when you come out of prison?”

What would he face?

Of course, it means being completely destitute and impoverished.

If Fang Yandong didn’t get involved, he could have received hush money.

After a moment of silence, a desolate voice came from the other end of the phone.

“Fine…”

…

Since they couldn’t refuse, the speech event for the top scorer in the college entrance exam at No. 1 High School proceeded smoothly.

Although No. 1 High School had always claimed to be the best high school in Jiang City, the title of “best” was occasionally contested. The competition for this title was fierce among schools.

In the past, No. 1 High School had produced top scorers in the college entrance exam, but they were mostly within the province. After all, while Jiang City was considered a quasi-first-tier city, it lacked many resources compared to truly first-tier cities. In the past, No. 1 High School couldn’t claim the position of national top scorer.

However, the school principal of No. 1 High School didn’t expect that this time they would have a dark horse in the college entrance exam.

Considering that this year’s exam questions were significantly more difficult than in previous years, with many students not performing as expected, their school unexpectedly produced a national top scorer with 744 points. It was as surprising as a pie falling from the sky!

Although they later discovered that Yan Tong, who was involved in the previous controversy at the school, was the one behind it, their emotions were complicated. However, their joy overshadowed any previous dissatisfaction. Having the title of national top scorer brought significant prestige to No. 1 High School.

Therefore, when the professors from Tsinghua University and Nanjing University called to inquire about “Liu Jia,” the principal made a resolute decision to organize a speech event for Yan Tong!

On the day of the speech event, besides the school’s students, leaders from other schools and journalists were also invited, ensuring that No. 1 High School would gain some positive publicity.

When Fang Ziyang heard the news about No. 1 High School organizing a speech event, he laughed at home.

He was just thinking about how to surprise Yan Tong, but unexpectedly, No. 1 High School provided him with an opportunity. Although his classmates didn’t inform him, it didn’t mean he couldn’t proactively return to the school. After all, he was still a student of No. 1 High School. Why couldn’t he visit his alma mater? Why couldn’t he attend the speech of the top scorer in his own grade?

In any case, on the day of the speech event, Fang Ziyang made a very high-profile appearance at No. 1 High School.

The teachers and students of the school had complex expressions when they saw him. Originally, they should have sympathized with Fang Ziyang, but because of his confrontational behavior during the livestream, the school’s reputation had also been greatly affected.

Until now, whenever the past was mentioned, everyone would look down on No. 1 High School, saying that their school harbored dirt and criticized their students, lacking friendliness… and so on. So, even though they knew about Fang Ziyang’s ordeal, the teachers and students had a lot of hidden complaints towards him and couldn’t show a smile on their faces.

When everyone saw Fang Ziyang, they started whispering and pointing discreetly.

But Fang Ziyang didn’t care about their reactions.

Hadn’t he been criticized before in his previous life? People had even thrown things at him when he went out. Whether it was in his previous life or this life, he wasn’t close to the teachers and students of No. 1 High School. During his three years of high school, there were plenty of rumors about him in the school.

The teachers and students didn’t come to greet Fang Ziyang, keeping their distance and showing ambiguous expressions.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

However, it was different for the journalists present. When they saw Fang Ziyang, their eyes lit up as if they had seen a wealthy benefactor. Each and every one of them became spirited.

Although this description might sound exaggerated, it was true!

Fang Ziyang’s name now carried a lot of attention, especially since his high school entrance exam score was also remarkable: 712 points. This was unexpected by everyone outside.

Wasn’t he supposed to be a waste and a poor student? How could 712 points be considered poor? It was a joke.

In fact, the reason the journalists came today, besides interviewing the top scorer, was for Fang Ziyang himself. After all, he had gone from a student who couldn’t even pass to scoring such a high mark. This contrast was more eye-catching than the title of national top scorer.

“Fang Ziyang, may I ask you a question? We understand that your academic performance was not good on a regular basis, and you barely passed in the school’s mock exams during your three years of high school. But in this college entrance exam, you scored 712 points. Can you tell us why?”

“Or perhaps, did you use some magical study method during your preparation…”

The reporters’ questions were tactful, but the implications were sharp.

It was as if they were directly asking, “Mr. Fang, did you cheat to achieve such a huge difference? Otherwise, how can it be so terrifying?”

Although it was somewhat offensive, they did have some valid reasons to suspect.

Fang Ziyang was prepared and not afraid, especially since his scores were a result of his actual abilities. Even though he had the advantage of reincarnation, he had also put in sweat and hard work during this period of review.

He smiled faintly, nonchalantly saying: “A magical study method? No, how could there be a short-term method to transform a poor student into an outstanding one? Unless I daydreamed, or maybe this poor student was actually outstanding.”

The reporters became energized upon hearing his words. “So, Mr. Fang, are you saying that you were originally an outstanding student?”

“Of course. Failing previous exams was just because I didn’t want to take them. After all… you all know about my dad, who spoils me. I didn’t even know what good studying was useful for.”

Fang Ziyang spread his hands helplessly, his speech as provoking as ever.

Everyone truly wanted to hit him.

Then Fang Ziyang continued: “I know you may have doubts about my scores, but it’s okay. It’s human nature. The truth will prove everything.”

“Here’s the deal, to avoid getting scolded, let me demonstrate right now. You should all be familiar with this year’s perfect score essay in the college entrance exam, right? One of them, ‘Tomorrow,’ is actually my Chinese essay. In the essay, I wrote that tomorrow, I predict that Country M will be engulfed in an economic storm…”

“Actually, this essay is not complete. Due to the word limit, it had to be abbreviated. But the conclusion states that my statement is not baseless speculation; the conclusion is based on mathematical data.”

“If you’re interested, you can wait and see. Based on my analysis and data predictions, I predict that Country M will indeed face an economic storm… It should happen within half a year.”

With that said, Fang Ziyang smiled brightly. “From now on, you can call me the Prophet.”

Then he turned and headed towards the school auditorium.

The journalists stood there dumbfounded for a full minute before excitedly grabbing their recording pens and jotting down this moment.

This was a breaking point, a highlight of the day! Fang Ziyang truly was a “giant” in terms of popularity!

Afterwards, the journalists started interviewing the students and teachers of No. 1 High School, trying to find out more about Fang Ziyang at the school. As for Yan Tong, the top scorer in the college entrance exam… well, let’s talk about that later. Right now, the focus was on the buzz.

The teachers and students of the school didn’t have a good expression on their faces. Seeing Fang Ziyang on TV was not a pleasant feeling for them.

However, they couldn’t openly make up stories to respond to the journalists’ questions; they could only answer honestly.

Thus, the news about Fang Ziyang’s remarkable progress in his academic performance, his consistently scoring above 700 in dozens of mock exams before the college entrance exam, quickly spread throughout the school. This thoroughly confirmed Fang Ziyang’s statement about being a poor student only because he didn’t want to study.

Fang Ziyang didn’t stay with the journalists for too long. He quickly dispelled the suspicion of cheating and hurriedly entered the school auditorium to prepare for his speech.

Zhou Jun and Zhao Jingyu also returned to school today.

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