Chapter 300: The Great Philanthropist

No. 26 Huayuan Street, Wu Chang and Erin sat on the attic, watching Amber fall into sleep.

Wu Chang stared at Amber's hand, fixing on the newly burned area, a startling hypothesis forming in his mind.

Could the fire in Sigfus City be connected to the burn Amber just suffered?

If so, why?

In the resentment of the fluorescent fungal colony, Amber frequently suffered injuries in daily life—never mind distant events, just two days ago in the Mirror World, Grace, possessed by the Mirror Killer, had pummeled Amber relentlessly.

In terms of injury severity, the wounds Amber endured then were certainly far worse than a simple burn.

In the past, when Amber was injured, Sigfus City never reacted—why did it react this time?

Yet if there was no connection between the two, the coincidence was too extreme.

But regardless of whether Sigfus City's sudden fire was linked to Amber, Wu Chang could be certain of one thing: Amber was anything but ordinary.

In Sister Sister Amanda's resentment, in her desperation, Amber had lifted the heavy statue crushing Sister Sister Amanda, and when she saw him burning, she had surged forward with speed surpassing even Wu Chang and Erin's.

This burst of power had shattered countless human limits—it could not be explained as mere athletic potential unleashed in extreme anger.

Wu Chang shook his head, setting Amber's identity aside, and turned his gaze to the prompt floating before him.

Before falling asleep, Amber's approval of him had risen further.

"You successfully protected Amber, freeing her from the curse of bringing misfortune to those around her, enabling her to open her heart to others once more."

"You gained partial approval from Amber. Amber's current approval value toward you: 40 points."

"You gained an additional 10% attribute liberation."

Wu Chang's current attribute panel:

Life: 36

Strength: Body: 36 / True Self: 92

Agility: 25

Endurance: 27

Energy: Body: 115 / True Self: 68

Inspiration: 49

Willpower: 68

After another 10% attribute liberation, Wu Chang finally had one attribute surpassing three digits, resembling his old numerical-monster self.

Attribute increases were good, but he had destroyed the fluorescent fungal colony and freed Amber from the mastermind behind her endless misfortune—why had her approval only risen by 20 points?

It seemed his earlier guess when defeating the Mirror Killer was correct: to gain Amber's full approval, he needed to help her resolve five troubles—or five inner demons.

There were still three more troubles like the Mirror Killer and the fluorescent fungal colony!

Wu Chang sighed, his gaze toward Amber filled with pity and helplessness.

A child barely over ten, where did she get so many life-threatening worries? When he was in elementary school, he spent his days figuring out how to sneakily play with his phone.

Wu Chang and Erin waited until ten o'clock before Amber slowly awoke from her coma.

Awake, Amber looked at Wu Chang, her face hesitant, as if unsure what to say.

Wu Chang stood up, removed the pink apron he had been wearing, and said: "Stop sitting there like an idiot—let's eat first."

Amber was still growing; having skipped dinner until ten, she was already hungry, and at Wu Chang's mention, her stomach growled in response.

She blushed slightly and walked toward the dining table, murmuring: "Okay."

"Wait." Wu Chang called out to Amber, then pointed to the sink.

"Go wash your hands first."

When Amber had been manipulated by the fluorescent fungal colony, she had held hands with her friends and sung—a creature whose true form was a luminous fungal colony; touching those things, who knew how many kinds of bacteria were on her hands?

Amber: "Okay."

At the dining table, Wu Chang casually brought up the attic's contents.

"I've met your friends. They're no good."

Amber's eating hand froze. She vaguely remembered that during her control, the mushroom people had launched the first attack against Wu Chang.

When the mushroom people attacked, she felt a familiar terror—the same feeling she always had whenever someone important in her life met with disaster.

That was why, the moment she regained consciousness, she had frantically searched for Wu Chang and Erin, fearing they might be hurt.

Amber said nothing, but Wu Chang continued:

"Although I was once a combat athlete, my profession was hitting people, I encountered some individuals with extraordinary abilities when I was young—I know a little about fighting spiritual entities."

"I'm not a control freak—I don't interfere with every friend my daughter makes—but these friends who harm you? I won't allow them to exist. Even if you hate me, I won't agree."

Amber wanted to say she wouldn't blame Wu Chang, but clearly, it was because of her that he had been put in danger—she seemed to have no right to say those words.

The atmosphere grew heavy.

Erin spoke up at the right moment: "Since the attic matter is settled, will you come down to sleep?"

Amber nodded after hearing this.

That's what family is like: someone must play the bad cop, someone must play the good cop.

Wu Chang needed to bluntly break through Amber's inner reservations and establish himself as a reliable figure, so Amber would no longer fear.

Though Amber would silently appreciate him, the incident had originated from her—discussing these matters, even after resolution, she would instinctively want to avoid them.

Erin, however, offered her a safe harbor.

Not only signaling the matter was closed, but actively inviting her down, seeking to understand her further.

Amber looked at Erin, hesitated a moment, then gathered courage and said: "Erin, I'm afraid to sleep alone—can I sleep with you?"

Erin gently wrapped her arm around Amber's shoulder and said: "Of course you can."

Of course you can…

This reply reached Wu Chang's ears like a thunderclap on a clear day.

No, what's going on?

He had barely helped Amber escape her misfortune and eliminated the lurking Thousand Eyes; he had already planned how to ask Eileen for a reward—or how to reward Eileen for eliminating the fluorescent colony.

Two worthy celebrations happening together should have brought him double joy—how did it turn out like this?

I'm scared too, being alone.

He opened his mouth several times, but ultimately couldn't tell Amber, a child her age, that she should return to her own room to sleep.

Forget it, since you're pitiful, Eileen's yours for now.

He lowered his head, scooping rice from his bowl, and muttered sulkily, "Then I'll sleep in the guest room."

Under Eileen's guidance, Amber gradually emerged from the shadow of the attic incident.

After eating, for the first time she didn't immediately return to the attic, but followed Eileen, helping to clear the dishes.

Before bed, Amber asked Wu Chang: "I want to go out with Grace this weekend."

Wu Chang flipped through the Siegf Evening Post and said, "Should I come with you?"

Amber shook her head, her voice firm: "No!"

She knew well that Grace had designs on Wu Chang; she must reduce Grace's meetings with Wu Chang.

She didn't want Eileen to be heartbroken, nor did she want Wu Chang in prison.

Wu Chang shrugged. "Stay safe. Remember to come home before dark."

He asked only to go through the motions—either way, he'd secretly follow behind her.

What joke? Amber still has three troublesome issues on her, and he couldn't possibly let her out of his sight.

He watched Amber, smiling broadly, hug her pillow and enter the bedroom with Eileen; he rolled his eyes and returned to the guest room with the newspaper.

At midnight, a scream jolted Wu Chang awake—the scream seemed to come from Amber.

He rushed to the next room and saw Eileen holding Amber, soothing her.

There were no misfortune markers nearby, no abnormal events—seems the scream wasn't caused by an attack.

"What happened?"

Eileen gently stroked Amber and looked up. "Amber had a nightmare."

Nightmare.

At this moment, Amber's face was pale, her whole body trembling—as if she had just endured a terrifying ordeal.

Although Amber longed for redemption and affection, that didn't mean her heart was weak.

On the contrary, Wu Chang had never met anyone as strong as her; whoever could scare Amber this badly couldn't have triggered an ordinary nightmare.

He crouched down, looking at Amber, and asked:

"What did you dream about?" Amber shook her head slightly. "I can't remember."

Wu Chang pressed on: "Do you often have nightmares like this?"

Amber thought for a moment, then shook her head again: "This is the first time."

Wu Chang spoke softly: "It's fine. Eileen will stay with you, and I'm right outside. No matter what you dream or what happens, we'll appear by your side the instant it occurs."

Seeing Amber's drowsiness return under Eileen's comfort, he turned off the bedroom light and returned to the guest room.

When he saw Amber's approval rating was only 40 points, he knew the troubles surrounding Amber weren't over—but he hadn't expected them to come so fast.

A nightmare that appeared for the first time, with no details remembered.

The things Amber encounters are growing harder to handle.

The next morning, over breakfast, Amber seemed to have shaken off the nightmare's effect; she wore a smile, as if anticipating her meeting with Grace.

Eliminating the fluorescent colony helped Amber gradually open her heart; the beneficiaries weren't just him and Eileen, but Grace too.

!

Previously, Amber always believed she was different from ordinary people; she longed to be friends with others, yet feared bringing misfortune to friends, or being seen as a freak after her abnormalities were exposed.

Now, unburdened, she could interact with people more sincerely and openly.

Perhaps, she was about to gain her first friend in life.

It was the weekend; after breakfast, there was no rush to school or work. Wu Chang turned on the TV during mealtime—the local Siegf station was broadcasting the current fire situation.

There were five ignition points for the wildfire, blazing on all fronts, impossible to contain.

In just one night, three large communities had been reduced to ashes; the villas near Mount Isade had been swallowed by flames before midnight.

The fire had not yet been controlled; the wildfire was spreading toward the city center, and the entire southern sky of Siegf City glowed a black-red haze of smoke and fire.

During a break in the fire coverage, the station aired an interview with the great philanthropist Mr. Peace.

The screen switched: True Self, dressed in a full suit, wearing thin metal-framed glasses, his figure shrunken by one size, sat in the studio being interviewed.

Below the screen scrolled Mr. Peace's bio: his life story directly copied Miles's, except now he graduated from a prestigious university, amassed great wealth through investments, returned to Siegf City with vast capital, and vowed to revitalize his hometown.

The script was prepared by Miles; the True Self on screen was merely a talking machine with expressions.

With the TV station's official endorsement, after this morning interview, the entire Siegf City would know a great philanthropist had returned home in glory and made significant contributions during this fire.

What those contributions were, the program didn't specify—and no one dared to ask.

Wu Chang watched only a few seconds of the interview, then turned off the TV and told Amber:

"Watch less of this kind of show. Don't learn bad habits from people on TV. Finish eating. I'll take you to Grace's house afterward."

Wu Chang had a very clear self-perception: he was never a good person, nor did he ever want to be one.

He did good deeds only because the things he wanted to do happened to be good—never because the act itself was good.

These days, everyone holds a gun, waiting for a good person to show their head—it's a high-risk profession.

At this moment, the villain Peace had just finished the interview; on his way out of the studio, he removed his tie, tight as a noose, and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt.

Phew, this stuff is suffocating.

Leaving the TV station, he got into Kent's former car; Miles was already waiting in the back seat.

Seeing Zhenwo emerge, Miles hurriedly reported:

"Boss, the operation is going smoothly. In the burned-out neighborhoods, seventy percent of residents can't afford the high land taxes or cleanup costs, and have agreed to sell their plots at low prices."

Wu Chang took off his suit and asked casually: "What was the residents' reaction?"

Miles smiled: "They're thanking us. After all, the prices we offered are twenty percent higher than what insurance companies and real estate firms are paying."

Bai Lao doesn't lack money—he lacks clean money.

Kent acquired a large amount of cash by selling flour, but this cash has no legitimate source and cannot be circulated directly.

Normally, a series of operations are required to launder illegal money into legal funds before it can be safely deposited into accounts.

This process is costly and requires professional hands—it's even more troublesome than earning the money itself.

But now, it's unnecessary. The eruption of Yisai Mountain has thrown Xigefu City into chaos, and those above want to resolve the matter quickly as a political achievement.

Solving the problem requires money.

Insurance companies, citing the scale of the disaster, have rejected all claims. Where will the money come from? Only City Hall can figure it out.

As for federal funding, the old men in Congress are still bickering—the allocation is nowhere in sight.

At this moment, it's time for the great philanthropist to step in.

After a night of negotiations, led by Bai Lao's patrons and with coordination from top to bottom, Bai Lao's new boss became a great philanthropist returning triumphantly to his homeland this morning.

The vast stash of black money hoarded by Bai Lao has now been transformed into charitable donations raised at a gala.

Bai Lao cashed out his money and acquired the land plots; Wu Chang gained prestige; City Hall now has funds to solve the problem.

A triple win.

Miles paused, then said: "We've secured the land, but to use it, we still need to give these people a cut. They didn't expect the fire to be this big—or that we'd make this much—and they want a larger share."

Wu Chang shrugged: "Send the Negotiation Master to deal with them. My bottom line is buying their land at original price, with a 30-70 profit split—but I take seventy percent."

"Whoever wants thirty percent is begging on their knees."

Miles looked uneasy: "This… won't be easy to negotiate."

Wu Chang said: "Tell them that if they agree to my profit split, and give me a seat in the council, Bai Lao will handle the entire firefighting operation."

Miles quickly urged: "Boss, we may have many men, but firefighting isn't just about numbers—it requires professional equipment."

"Xigefu's fire department is completely ruined. If we hire private firefighters from other cities, even tripling our flour business wouldn't cover the cost."

Wu Chang waved his hand: "Just do as I say. How to put out the fire—I'll figure it out."

His core energy has recovered to 115. Combined with the Water Thunder Art, he can summon wind and rain to draw moisture from the docks to Yisai Mountain. While extinguishing all the mountain fires at once is difficult, putting out two or three patches at a time is more than enough.

If he acts, he can quell the flames in no more than two or three days.

At that point, as the man in charge of extinguishing the fire, he can claim his piety moved the gods.

To move the gods to grant protection—wouldn't that earn him the title of Saint?

Xigefu City, a remote southern region, is socially isolated and steeped in intense religious belief—nearly ninety percent of its citizens are devout.

With the title of Saint, his influence in Xigefu City is bound to soar.

With grassroots influence and Bai Lao's muscle, he will become Xigefu City's top local power.

When that time comes, everything those bastards have swallowed will be spat back out—double.

This is what he learned from Saint Song Company: exploiting the lower strata yields far less than targeting the fat, bloated pigs feasting at the top.

What's the point of eating vegetables? Wu Chang eats only when he feasts on meat.

Of course, he never told Miles these plans. To Miles, the boss was throwing away easy money to invite trouble.

Miles dared not say more. He prepared to hand the work over to the Negotiation Master and let the newly recruited bunch deal with the headache.

He adjusted his mood and said to Wu Chang:

"Boss, there's one more thing to report—we found the person you're looking for."

Wu Chang, lost in thoughts of Anbo and slaughtering pigs, didn't immediately react. "Who?"

Miles said: "The man with the severed hand."

Wu Chang's brow lifted. "Where is he? Take me there now!"

(End of Chapter)