Chapter 57: The Youth

"You really finished dealing with the Rule Punishment—what are you planning to do next?"

"Make big money, buy a big house, buy a luxury car, and start a harem," Zhang Wenda answered matter-of-factly.

Although he didn’t know why the other party was asking, it didn’t seem to matter much that the other party knew he wasn’t a kid anymore.

"No, that’s not your wish. Compared to that immortal Rule Punishment, this is what I’m really worried about. You’ve already forgotten what you truly wanted to do. I actually don’t care that you came here. I’m more worried about this problem."

Zhang Wenda was baffled. "You’ve stayed in your ivory tower too long, haven’t you? Do you know how important money is in modern society? What’s wrong with wanting to make money?"

"Is that really what your heart wants? Or is it something others instilled in you?"

"What difference does it make, Teacher? You can’t even feed yourself, and you're talking about free will?"

As he spoke, Zhang Wenda pulled out all his money and waved it in front of him.

"This thing is what matters most—it’s dearer than your parents! With this, you can do whatever you want! Otherwise, in other people’s eyes, you’re just a piece of trash!"

After saying that, Zhang Wenda slapped the paper money into the Rabbit’s hands.

"Don’t be so sentimental next time! Others say a few fake words and you give them everything. You’re gonna get scammed like that!"

Zhang Wenda didn’t waste any more words and left with the others.

The Rabbit stood in the middle of the bustling street, holding the money Zhang Wenda had shoved into his hands, without chasing or moving, simply staring quietly at Zhang Wenda’s departing back.

Just as Zhang Wenda was about to leave, the Rabbit murmured in a voice too low for him to hear, "You’ve even forgotten what you once most wanted to do. Are you still truly yourself, or just a domesticated, trained prefabricated human raised by adults? That’s what I’m really worried about."

A few minutes later, on the street, Song Jianguo said irritably, "Seriously, how could you just give him money?"

"I wanted to! What’s it to you?" Zhang Wenda couldn’t be bothered to argue. Now that he’d dealt with the Rabbit, it was time to figure out how to find the three drops of Oil Tyrant.

With that, he could completely eliminate the Rule Punishment on him.

"Want all you want, but you’re full and we’re still starving! You gave him all the money—what are me, Aunt Flo, and the cats supposed to do, drink northwest wind? Go get the money back."

"Scram, missing one meal won’t kill you. Eat when we get home."

"If you won’t go, I will. That Rabbit actually dared to take it! That was my money!"

"You come back here!"

At that moment, the Lamp Spirit wasn’t idle either. He ran over and asked, "Um, I’ve completed my task. Can I have my stuff back? You guys can continue arguing after I leave, okay?"

Just as Zhang Wenda was wrestling with the hungry Song Jianguo and the Lamp Spirit, he suddenly stopped, grabbing Song Jianguo’s cat ear, and looked off into the distance. "That is…"

All eyes turned in that direction, and they saw a long-sleeved youth stumbling toward them in a panic.

"Kid, look, that’s funny, that guy kinda looks like you," Aunt Flo joked.

She had just finished laughing when her expression froze.

"I think you guys mentioned before that past and future things can exist in this network world, right?" Although Zhang Wenda had already guessed it from the Lamp Spirit’s corny lines, he still wanted to confirm.

"Not good—that’s his future self! Don’t let them meet!" the Lamp Spirit quickly warned.

Zhang Wenda quickly hid behind Aunt Flo’s tall frame. Peering through the gap under her arm, Zhang Wenda saw his younger self.

He looked exhausted, with dark circles under his eyes. The cuffs and collar of his shirt were covered in scars.

A jar on a nearby stall wobbled, and the youth flinched with a startle reflex.

Just then, the Lamp Spirit’s nervous hand reached over and completely blocked even that gap.

After a while, once the youth completely disappeared at the street corner, they sighed in relief and stepped aside, letting Zhang Wenda out.

"What happened to your future self?" Aunt Flo asked curiously.

"How would I know what happens in the future?" Zhang Wenda replied carelessly. "Why are you guys so tense?"

"Tense? Don’t you know the most important rule of the network world?" the Lamp Spirit said in shock. "In the network world, it’s strictly forbidden to make contact with your past or future self. If it causes a paradox, serious consequences will follow!"

"Not only will you be cursed, but everyone nearby will be cursed too!"

"I know, I know, don’t be so nervous. Network taboos, right? The girls repeated that like ten times before we came in. I never said I’d interact with him."

Zhang Wenda dug into his pocket, pulled out a White Rabbit Candy, and handed it to Song Jianguo. "Here, hold on for now. Let’s go. That Oil Tyrant stuff seems tough to get."

As he spoke, Zhang Wenda started walking ahead.

After just a few steps, several men in camouflage uniforms burst aggressively through the crowd, chasing after the youth version of Zhang Wenda.

Behind them was a man in a white lab coat. He wore glasses and had a constant smile on his face.

Zhang Wenda calmly glanced at the Four Institutes insignia on their shoulders, crouched down, and smiled as he asked a nearby vendor where he could get some Oil Tyrant.

Everything about Zhang Wenda seemed perfectly normal—only Song Jianguo noticed that Zhang Wenda’s right hand was gripping his own thigh so hard that his nails had gone pale.

After watching him chat enthusiastically with the vendor for a while, Song Jianguo shoved the candy in her mouth and snorted lightly.

Zhang Wenda didn’t manage to find out where Oil Tyrant was made, but he did learn its price.

One drop cost 200 yuan. Three drops cost 600 yuan.

Looking at that tiny bottle of black liquid, not even bigger than a booger, Zhang Wenda was a bit speechless.

600 yuan—probably equivalent to several months of Rabbit’s salary.

Zhang Wenda pulled out the enamel tea jar and weighed it in his hand, then asked the Lamp Spirit, "How much is this worth?"

"Didn’t you say you’d give it to me? You liar!" the Lamp Spirit protested.

Zhang Wenda casually tossed it over. "I was just asking, didn’t say I wouldn’t give it to you. No fight, no friendship—how about we be friends?"

The Lamp Spirit looked at Zhang Wenda in surprise. He thought the kid was just bluffing, but he actually gave it back.

"Uh… sure, little brat, from now on we’re friends."

"You really don’t want it?" Song Jianguo asked in surprise.

"In a dangerous place like this, a friend is worth way more than a container," Zhang Wenda said, then turned to the Lamp Spirit. "Friend, can you help me find where Oil Tyrant is made? I really need it."

The Lamp Spirit felt this kid wasn’t bad, and hesitated over whether to share his exclusive intel.

Just then, his vision blurred—Song Jianguo reached out and snatched the enamel jar from his hands.

"If you don’t want it, then it’s mine! Hahaha!" she laughed, running off ahead with a group of cats.

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