Chapter 12

Just as the words fell, the customer who had been waiting in line couldn't help but speak up: "Boss, he's just looking for trouble! He even cut the line—can't let him have a look!"

Yeah, everyone waited in line with great effort—how come he gets to cut in as soon as he arrives?

Even a streamer can't cut the line!

The customers complained bitterly, but Ling Yue wasn't someone who only cared about money.

Seeing her not speak, Guangtou Qiang grew a little anxious—this was the best livestream effect he'd had in years; just a moment ago, the backstage tips had already reached tens of thousands.

Several big shots specifically asked to keep watching.

Whether they wanted to see the shop owner or the anti-fake exposé is unknown.

He hurriedly said, "I know you have rules here, Boss. I'll take fifty thousand and be the last one."

Besides, Boss, I'm livestreaming—I have nearly a million fans on the Shark platform, and I'll promote your shop; others invite me and I don't go.

Guangtou Qiang gave a kind smile, but with his flesh‑covered face it only made him seem less like a good person.

Ling Yue gave him a deep look, noting the Shark livestream. She naturally saw his intent and knew he wouldn't give up easily, saying, "Then you'll have to wait a moment."

As for that fifty thousand,' she turned her head to look at Big Black, the dog obediently holding a small blackboard, walking through the crowd along the cleared path, where it fit perfectly onto the rack outside the door.

Ling Yue's new rule: besides ten regular consultations a day, there are three advanced consultations, each costing ten thousand.

Seeing this, Guangtou Qiang felt relieved: "Then I'll pay fifty thousand for one advanced consultation!"

His heart raced—spending fifty thousand for such popularity, he'd struck it rich! Even the livestream audience called the streamer generous, saying fifty thousand is fifty thousand.

As for the later advanced consultation, Guangtou Qiang gave a hehe laugh; seeing his appearance, those familiar with his online friends all knew this guy was up to something sneaky.

Guangtou Qiang can have nearly a million fans on the Orca livestream, proving his strength; each time he does an exposé, his ideas keep coming, leaving people thrilled.

【This kid is always so sneaky!】

【The shop owner is about to have terrible luck—what a waste of such a beauty.】

Guangtou Qiang watched from the side; Ling Yue seemed unfazed, her calm composure and almost divine consultation process leaving the livestream audience utterly amazed.

【No, what's wrong with this cat? Even the poop‑scooper dare not touch it, and when they see it they roll over—could it be a dog turned into a cat?】

【Holy crap, just the time it took me to turn around and grab something, and the disabled dog recovered—is the shop owner a deity?】

【Hey brother up front, you didn't see—the dog was just pretending, deceiving its owner, but the shop owner saw through it at a glance and exposed it with a chicken leg!】

The livestream audience was thoroughly entertained; in the blink of an eye it was Guangtou Qiang's turn. The surrounding customers didn't leave—instead, they gathered even more.

People love to join the fun; hearing that a Shark platform streamer with nearly a million followers was challenging the shop owner, they wished they could bring a little stool to watch the showdown.

The melon‑eating crowd was even more peculiar, munching on seeds and enjoying the sight—of course, mainly to see the shop owner. Ling Yue's hair stayed neat; her smooth consultation just now doubled Guangtou Qiang's pressure—maybe the shop owner truly has real skill?

He glanced at the bottom‑right corner of his phone—his popularity had jumped nearly tenfold from just moments ago, now reaching several million. Guangtou Qiang's eyes almost popped out of his head; he was overjoyed.

Guangtou Qiang: "I want to buy a pet—I don't know if the shop manager can recommend one."

As soon as he said that, many of the online fans laughed.

Anyone who follows his longtime fans knows Guangtou Qiang has no affinity with animals—whenever they see his animals, they run faster than anything.

That's quite a problem.

Ling Yue: "Any other requirements?"

Guangtou Qiang gave a giggle laugh: "No, I don't have any preferences—I just want to find a little animal I click with; that's not too much to ask, right?"

As he spoke, his gaze suddenly sharpened; relying on his sturdy build, he said, "But if you can't do that, you'll have to close the shop—don't deceive everyone here!"

【The streamer's up to his old tricks again!】

【No requirements at all, yet you demand a click—this isn't like finding a needle in a haystack; the shop owner is doomed.】

【Qiang Ge is just overflowing with a fake sense of justice—I watched earlier and it felt totally phony; could there really be such an amazing skill? Definitely not! They're just plants hired by the shop owner.】

【As Zhang Wuji's mother said, the prettier a woman, the better she lies!】 Finally, this person, seemingly having suffered some emotional hurt, spoke with extreme bias.

The livestream was full of doom‑saying; Ling Yue didn't know, and the opponent's pressure felt nothing to her—she just stared steadily at them.

I don't know why, but at this moment Guangtou Qiang felt flustered, as if she could see right through him—even an X‑ray in the hospital couldn't match the sharpness of Ling Yue's gaze.

Ling Yue went out and entered the pet store. Hearing her purpose and seeing a crowd gathering, the shop owner also found it odd, cheerfully greeting: "Just browse, just browse—pick whichever you like."

As soon as Ling Yue stepped inside, she heard all kinds of noises, yet she remained calm: "Anyone want an owner?"

The cats and dogs looked up fearfully at the towering big man, straining to lift their heads just to see a human face; once they made it out, they became even more fierce.

No, no! I don't want him as my owner—he's too fierce!

Waa waa waa, I'm so scared, I'm so scared—the Demon King's here!

Tch, this human is so ugly—not even worthy of me!" The golden tabby in the pet cage licked its paw and didn't even glance.

The cats and dogs shrank into a ball from fright; Guangtou Qiang's face broke into a smile as he lightly coughed: "All good?"

Just then, Ling Yue suddenly headed toward the corner.

There, a white long‑haired cat as soft as a pile of snow lay on the cage, its sea‑blue clear eyes gazing dreamily at Guangtou Qiang, its paws a delicate pink pressed against the wire, like a deformed Q‑elast jelly: "Is this going to be my owner from now on? He looks so strong—I really like him, kitty!"

That's the one.

Ling Yue suddenly spoke up; after holding it out, everyone was stunned.

A pure‑white long‑haired cat, like a naïve little fairy—no, a little fairy cat—had fallen into the mortal world, exuding an ethereal aura and utterly adorable.

"Is this the pet you're giving me?" Guangtou Qiang doubted with his words, but his eyes were glued to it, unable to look away.

Meow~

No one expected the little cat to call out cutely, then step lightly onto Guangtou Qiang's size‑42 shoe—it wasn't even as big as one of his feet!

Hello, owner~

The melon‑eating crowd was so shocked their seeds fell out without them noticing—the fierce, strong man and the dainty fairy cat, beauty and beast, this combo was so contrasting it made people's eyes pop out!

Guangtou Qiang almost melted from its cuteness, but he steeled himself and said, "Ahem, this kitten really doesn't seem shy, but how do you know it likes me?"

Ling Yue clapped her hands to get the kitten's attention: "Kitty, if you like your new owner, make a heart sign—raise your little paws and press them together."

The melon‑eating crowd was dumbfounded—make a heart? What kind of joke is this!

A shocking scene appeared: the cat calmly stepped onto the shoe, raised both front paws high above its head, pressed its pink paws together—indeed, it formed a little heart!

It also let out a sweet, coquettish cry, acting cute and spoiled.

Not only Guangtou Qiang, but everyone watching was stunned; the shop owner even gaped: "Holy shit, this cat is only a month old—I never taught it anything! How does it know to make a heart gesture?"

Ling Yue looked at Guangtou Qiang: "It seems it really likes you. Do you like it?"

Guangtou Qiang's face hesitated; deep down, he had already been completely captivated by that heart-making cat, but he hadn't forgotten that he was here to debunk fraud—how could his attempt to expose fraud end up getting him slapped in the face instead!

At that moment, the long-haired white cat weakly curled into a ball, nestling at his feet, soft as a puddle: "Owner, please hug me! (づ′`)づ"

"Blood! He's bleeding!" someone shouted.

The livestream audience only then realized the streamer was actually having a nosebleed!

【Holy shit, is this too exciting!】

【I still remember I came to watch the debunking—what's going on now?】

【This cat is so spiritual; if the streamer doesn't like it, I'll pay—sell it to me!】

Guangtou Qiang lowered his hand to touch; two streaks of wetness under his nose, his fingers covered in red blood—this tough, iron-willed man had actually been made to bleed by cuteness!

Ling Yue: "You don't want it? If not—"

"I want it!"

Guangtou Qiang's heart tightened; he immediately bent over and scooped up the kitten, as if holding a fragile crystal ball: "I also really like it. Shall I call you Snowball? Snowball is really pretty."

What a good buddy—he even gave it a name; what else could this be if not affection?

This reversal made the livestream netizens burst out laughing—what kind of debunking is this? It's literally a livestream face‑slap, and they're the ones getting slapped!

Guangtou Qiang paid a heavy price for this—nearly a million fans dropped by hundreds of thousands; not only did he fail to climb on others' coattails, he ended up making a wedding dress for Ling Yue.

After this incident, Ling Yue became completely famous.

However, when the netizens drawn by the hype arrived at the destination, they found the place closed; unwilling to have made the trip for nothing, they asked the neighboring shop owner.

The shop owner glanced over: "Ling Yue? She's off work."

"It's written on the blackboard: fifteen orders a day, but she's so capable she finished early and closed up—come back tomorrow."

The netizens who had rushed over specially: "……"

At noon, in the winding alleys of the old residential complex, a faint squeaking sound suddenly rang out.

"Owner, go forward, turn right, keep walking; in front of the house where things are hidden stands a huge willow tree—so big three people can't encircle it."

Hearing this, Ling Yue's face showed a hint of a complex expression.

From the dedicated pet bag she was carrying, a little head peeked out furtively—it was the treasure‑finding rat, this fellow looking especially excited.

After walking just a few minutes, the view suddenly opened up; a dilapidated courtyard appeared abruptly at the turn, before it a thick, sturdy willow tree with lush branches and leaves—exactly the place the treasure‑finding rat Duo Duo had mentioned.

Ling Yue: "……"

This is too much of a coincidence.

After hearing her words, the treasure‑finding rat froze, clutching its two paws: "Owner, you said this is the Wang family's residence?"

"I thought it was just an abandoned, uninhabited courtyard."

Ling Yue looked at the house and sighed somewhat: "Calling it an abandoned courtyard isn't far off; I heard my mother say that decades ago, the Wang family forcibly seized someone else's courtyard, caused a death, was deemed inauspicious, so the Wang family never moved in. It looks like it hasn't been repaired in decades, and these few rooms are about to collapse."

To call the house a house is already generous—what lies before us is nothing but a pile of ruins.

Crows cawed overhead on guard; Ling Yue employed basic martial arts and nimbly scaled the wall to get inside.

Under the guidance of the treasure‑finding rat, in the dust‑filled house's center, mice had already dug a half‑meter‑wide round hole; the rat stood with hands on hips, supremely proud: "Hey, what's this? I, Grandpa, gave a shout, and my little rat brothers dug it out in just a few days."

It looked at Ling Yue: "Owner, should we now haul it out?"

Ling Yue nodded, but seeing the excavated hole, she didn't want to jump down at all. Her gaze fell on the treasure‑finding rat: "Owner, I ask you to do one thing—there's meat to eat."

The treasure‑finding rat's small eyes instantly flashed with excitement, it sniffed: "What's the matter?"

Ten minutes later, Ling Yue gazed at her feet, her scalp tingling.

A sea of gray‑brown giant rats flooded the courtyard, several especially fat and strong, yet now they lay prostrate beneath the golden, delicate paws of the treasure‑finding rat.

Only around her did the rats form a one‑meter‑wide gap, like a forbidden pool, not daring to overstep.

Under the treasure‑finding rat's earnest instructions, the mice were unusually quiet, until the rat raised its arms and shouted: "Little ones, want to eat meat?"

Pairs of rat eyes glowed green.

"If you want meat, follow me down and haul everything up from below!"

Because there were so many rats, as they got moving, Ling Yue felt the ground seem to vibrate; a few minutes later, boxes of various sizes were lifted out together.

She opened a box, and golden light burst forth.

The large box was filled with aged small yellow fish, unmarked, easy to exchange—apparently meant specifically for future generations to use.

According to Duo Duo, these treasures had been buried for a long time, and the underground chamber had already collapsed.

Another palm‑sized box held piles of gemstones—dove‑egg‑sized colored gems and diamonds, radiant and dazzling.

Ling Yue's eyes glued to the sight, she couldn't look away; her fingers buried in the box made a lovely clinking sound, and only then did she notice a letter placed underneath—when she unfolded it, it turned out to be a blood‑written letter.

Duo Duo seemed to recall something, then suddenly said: "Owner, I remember now—there's a human skeleton still in the secret chamber."

At this moment, Ling Yue had finished reading the letter; her face was extremely solemn.

"It was left by that family."

During those tumultuous ten years, because of ties to foreign powers, a family was completely torn apart; in the panic they only had time to hide these things, waiting for their descendants to come retrieve them.

But after reading the letter, Ling Yue knew this family had no survivors.

The person who died in the house was the family's last descendant; the Wang family was both the black hand that reported them and the enemy that swallowed their house.

The true master of the old residence returned, knowing the house's secret, preparing to reclaim it for revenge—but he underestimated the Wang family's ruthlessness and greed; upon learning the other side had returned to seek redress, the Wang family members, without hesitation, simply killed to silence them.

That person returned to the secret chamber with serious injuries, dragging his body and making various noises that scared the Wang family away; in the end, he succumbed to his wounds and died in the chamber.

Before dying, he left behind a blood‑written letter.

If you want this money, there's only one demand: ruin the Wang family's reputation and let them die a bad death!

Probably Heaven has eyes, and didn't let them discover these things.

Thinking of the Wang family's conduct, Ling Yue instantly understood: this is "the beam is crooked, so the rafters are warped"—the Wang family is rotten to the core!

She had Xunbao Shu Duo Duo hide the gold, restored the cave to its original state, left a few mice to stand guard, and since the target was too conspicuous by day, she planned to return at night.

As for the corpse left by that person, she had the mice clean it up, and Ling Yue had already made her decision.

At night, the moon hid behind the clouds; looking out from the balcony, only a few dim streetlights in the residential area were visible.

Ling Yue took out the mountaineering pack she'd bought for hiking, but it wasn't ready yet when she suddenly heard Da Hei's urgent barking: "Who? Who's outside!"

It smelled a strange scent.

Ling Yue called it off, peered through the peephole, and seeing no one, said, "Maybe someone's playing a prank?"

The neighbor's Le Le was especially mischievous—knocking on doors at random had happened before.

Ling Yue was speaking when she suddenly heard a squeaking: "I'm down here! Look this way! Look this way!"

Ling Yue opened the door with a strange expression, lowered her gaze, and a big, fat, gray rat clung to the door crack; under Da Hei's stare, it pathetically raised its forepaws, not daring to move forward.

It bowed to Ling Yue: "Fei Fei has met the boss!"

"Boss, come save the mouse's life! The boss is about to be eaten by the eldest sister‑in-law!!!"