Chapter 459 - 440: That’s a Speedrun?
Lin Qingfeng sat in the main seat, the tea in his hand long since gone cold.
He stared at the translucent interface that had popped up before him, mentally cursing the system’s eighteen generations of ancestors.
’What the hell is this?’
That chief steward had painted such a grandiose, moving picture that he nearly brought himself to tears.
But to Lin Qingfeng’s ears, it could all be translated into a single sentence.
Hand over your family’s treasure to be the main attraction at our "Nabo Garden." As for who it belongs to after this or whether you’ll ever get it back—well, this is all for a grand literary event and the enlightenment of the common people. A mere commoner like you shouldn’t ask so many questions.
Wasn’t this just blatant robbery? And they even insisted on erecting a monument to your supposed generosity.
’Do I even need to choose between these two options?’
The first option was basically the same as writing "I’m a sucker" across his forehead.
Meanwhile, beside him, Su Ling’er—forced into the role of a pretty maid—stood perfectly still, her mind racing with thoughts.
At first, hearing the fat steward’s description of his grand vision and his heartbroken expression, Su Ling’er had actually been captivated by the magnificent narrative.
To share a private collection with the public, allowing poor scholars and common peddlers alike to gaze upon a priceless treasure... This... didn’t that sound like a form of mass enlightenment? Wasn’t this a kind of great love for all?
’Could it be... Eldest Martial Brother brought me here so I could transcend my own petty self and understand this realm of self-sacrifice for the greater good?’
The moment that thought emerged, Su Ling’er felt a sudden clarity in her mind, as if waking from a dream.
’No! This is all wrong!’
’Who is Eldest Martial Brother? He is a lone hero in the Demon Sect, holding his ground all by himself, willing to become a vile dragon to protect the righteous path in his heart!’
’Every step he takes hides layers upon layers of profound meaning. Why would he bring me to witness a simple act of charity?’
Besides, since this Nabo Garden is a structure of the Demon Sect, it couldn’t possibly be as glamorous as it appeared on the surface! It must be hiding human greed and treacherous traps!
’Na... bo... Garden...’
Su Ling’er mentally broke down the name, mulling it over and over.
And then she understood.
This so-called "public exhibition via donation"—once the item left your hands and entered that storeroom, would it ever see the light of day again?
The moment it was out of the Lin Mansion’s gates, the steward would "borrow" it for his private residence, turning it into a plaything to line his own pockets!
This Nabo Garden was nothing but a trap, a gaping, gluttonous maw hidden beneath a veneer of elegance!
And the Demon Sect’s purpose for creating this trial was even more malicious!
It was designed to make those who experienced it slowly grow accustomed to the helplessness of being held hostage by a "greater cause." To teach them to wrap naked plunder in high-sounding rhetoric. It was a subtle indoctrination to make the disciples understand: in the Demon Sect, even when you devour someone, you must do it with a certain style!
’To continuously assimilate the sect’s disciples, sending them down a path of corruption from which they can never return!’
’How insidious! How evil!’
’To package the intent to brainwash so righteously... it’s like poison-laced candy, designed not just to kill the body but to crush the spirit! If Eldest Martial Brother wasn’t right here beside me, if I didn’t already know this was the Demon Sect, I might have actually fallen for that nonsense, stepping into the abyss and being lost forever!’
’It’s terrifying! Absolutely terrifying!’
’Eldest Martial Brother brought me here to let me see the truth hidden beneath the Demon Sect’s glamorous mask with my own eyes!’
Having figured this all out, Su Ling’er looked at the fat steward’s self-righteous face and felt nothing but disgust.
Her gaze couldn’t help but drift to Lin Qingfeng in the main seat.
Eldest Martial Brother remained as steady as a mountain, his expression unchanged.
’That is the true bearing of a master!’
Su Ling’er was now certain of it. Her Eldest Martial Brother had long seen through this seemingly elegant but utterly filthy scam. In the next moment, he would surely tear this veil of hypocrisy to shreds!
And sure enough, Lin Qingfeng had no intention of being a sucker, so he chose the second option.
"You must be joking, sir. A treasure like this enters the gates of your esteemed garden, and you expect us to ever see it again? It’s less a public exhibition and more an opportunity to fill certain private coffers. I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but even I know what happens when you throw a meat bun to a dog."
"I will not be donating the item."
As his words fell, the atmosphere in the main hall froze.
The smile on the fat steward’s face stiffened.
The finger he pointed at Lin Qingfeng was trembling as if he had Parkinson’s. "You... you... How audacious! How dare you slander the reputation of Nabo Garden, which was built under the personal supervision of the imperial court! You defy the elegant sensibilities of this entire city! You are cutting yourself off from the literary world, cutting yourself off from the hearts of the people! You... you money-grubbing..."
Before he could finish his tirade, a figure stepped out from behind Lin Qingfeng.
It was Su Ling’er (in her capacity as a maid).
’Huh?’
Su Ling’er was completely stunned, her mind a blank slate.
’What am I doing? Why is my body moving on its own? Has Eldest Martial Brother activated his Thousand Silk Puppet Skill? What is he going to do with my body?’
She was filled with terror, yet also a strange hint of anticipation.
And then she saw herself—or rather, her controlled self—raise a hand.
’What’s he going to do?’
’Is he going to...’
Next, under the fat steward’s astonished gaze, she watched her own arm swing, landing a solid slap across his face.
"SLAP!"
The crisp sound echoed through the main hall, so sharp that the lid on a teacup on the table rattled.
The slap left the fat steward completely dazed. He spun halfway around, his topknot coming undone and revealing a pathetic expression underneath.
Lin Qingfeng: "?"
’Little Junior Sister, did the plot give you such a fierce personality? What a great slap!!!’
Controlled by the plot, Su Ling’er looked down at the fat steward and said coldly, "Watch your mouth! This is the Lin Mansion, not your den of filth, Nabo Garden. Who are you to be yapping like a dog in here?"
(Lin Qingfeng: ’Well said!’)
Though these actions and words were not of her own free will, Su Ling’er couldn’t help but feel... exhilarated!
’I’ve wanted to smack this hypocrite for a while now anyway!’
’But, this must be Eldest Martial Brother using the Thousand Silk Puppet Skill to make me slap him! The words I spoke were also his, coming from my mouth!’
’But that doesn’t matter! Eldest Martial Brother, beautifully done!’
Su Ling’er was ecstatic.
’Eldest Martial Brother truly sees everything! When faced with shameless swindlers who hide behind the name of a "greater cause," you have to be this firm and not yield an inch! Only by using thunderous methods can one show a benevolent heart!’
However, the scene before them suddenly began to distort and blur, the flow of time accelerating infinitely.
Then, lines of text appeared before Lin Qingfeng, detailing the outcome.
[Because you flatly refused the donation proposal and permitted your maid to slap the steward, the Lin Family has since been targeted by the powerful faction behind "Nabo Garden." Numerous trade routes have been obstructed, and even paths to official careers have been all but severed.]
[Year One]: The powers behind Nabo Garden begin their assault, using excuses like safety inspections and account audits to frequently harass the Lin Family’s businesses. Rumors spread through the city, all claiming the Lin Family is wealthy but unscrupulous and lacks magnanimity. Former partners, wishing to avoid trouble, terminate their contracts one after another. The Lin Family’s business plummets.
[Year Three]: The city’s gentry notice that something is amiss with Nabo Garden, the supposed repository of the world’s treasures. The heirloom jade reluctantly donated by Mr. Wang and the masterpiece calligraphy presented by Mr. Li seem subtly different when on display. Though suspicious, the gentry dare not speak out due to the formidable power backing Nabo Garden.
[Year Five]: The truth cannot be hidden forever. At a black market auction, several authentic treasures originally from the Nabo Garden collection appear! The world finally learns that the steward had long since swapped the real items for fakes and sold them off. The garden’s collection is filled with high-quality forgeries. Mr. Zhang, who had made the largest donation in pursuit of fleeting fame, suffers a stroke on the spot upon hearing his family heirloom had been sold to a foreign land.
[Year Ten]: Following the exposure of this and other scandals, such as chaotic internal accounts, Nabo Garden becomes a shell of its former self and is eventually abandoned and closed. Only your Lin Mansion, because of the events of that year, becomes the sole bastion of authentic culture for a hundred miles around. Scholars and aesthetes from all corners of the world pay hefty sums, begging for a chance to view the real treasures. You establish rules: only the truly refined may enter, a restoration fee is required to view the originals, and a preservation fee must be paid to make copies. With this, the Lin Mansion’s wealth not only multiplies, but it also becomes the region’s undisputed cultural leader.
[TRIAL COMPLETE]
Afterward, an evaluation report popped up.
[Evaluation]: With proud solitude, you endured ten years of dormancy, ultimately preserving your family’s foundation. In a corrupt world, you transformed a cultural artifact into a stepping stone, achieving a magnificent transition from a mere merchant to a magnate of Confucian commerce.
[You have achieved a speedrun ending]: To Be Wise and Protect Oneself
[Achievement Unlocked]: As Clear as Fire (Reward: Basic Attribute Points: Intelligence +1, Composure +1).
Lin Qingfeng: "..."
’That’s it?’
’It’s over already?’
’This is a speedrun?’
’Are you fucking kidding me!!!’
He instinctively tried to swipe at the interface, only to find that the "Trial of Nabo Garden" was now stamped with the label "Cleared (Speedrun)."
And as for the "Pointing at a Deer and Calling it a Horse" title he was after, there wasn’t even a hint of it.
’Wait a minute...’
’What the hell is going on? I just got here, I haven’t even warmed my seat, and I’ve already cleared the stage? Since when was I this awesome? How come I didn’t know? Am I some kind of speedrun legend now?’
He clicked open the details page for the so-called "Trial of Nabo Garden."
Beside the "To Be Wise and Protect Oneself" ending, he saw a long list of grayed-out plotlines and story branches...
He understood everything.
Choosing the second option, refusing to be a sucker, was in his best interest and resulted in no losses.
So the game had thoughtfully given him some attribute points as a reward and even praised him for being smart and perceptive.
The problem was, if he wanted to keep playing, to see all the exciting content that followed, to get that "Pointing at a Deer and Calling it a Horse" title, he had to do the exact opposite.
He had to choose the options that might lead to losses, to personally experience every setback and trap that others had fallen into! ’Fine, to unlock all the achievements, I’ll just have to step on every landmine, good and bad. It’s not like I haven’t played this kind of game before!!!’
’Ashen Heaven, you even stitched this kind of game mechanic in here! You better make it satisfying later! As I thought, the longest road I’ve ever walked is the winding path of your bullshit game design!’
"Restart! Again!"
Lin Qingfeng took a deep breath and, without hesitation, pressed the [RESTART] button.
Go, go, go!!!