Chapter 178: Countering the Cliché
Protagonist: Lin Chen
Combat Power: 5
Charm Value: 288
Protagonist Halo: 2999
Skills (Golden Finger):
- Prodigy System: The more you show off, the stronger you become! Successfully showing off earns points, which can be exchanged - for various abilities in the system.
- Master-level Driving Skills
- Master-level Stock Trading Skills
- Master-level Magic Performance Skills
- Academic Halo
- Intelligence Reduction Halo: Can reduce a villain’s IQ to below 65.
- Group Pet Halo: When bullied by bad guys, seven goddess sisters will transform into protective warriors.
- Immortality and Invulnerability Halo: Ineffective if protagonist halo points fall below 1000.
Wang Haoran was taken aback as he reviewed Lin Chen’s attribute panel information. This Prodigy System allowed Lin Chen to increase his strength by showing off! Wang Haoran thought he had seen shameless tactics before, but this level of audacity surprised him. An Immortality and Invulnerability Halo? How to even tackle that? Slowly reduce his halo points? But Lin Chen has 2999 halo points. How long would it take to deplete that? Would he really need to win over all seven of his goddess sisters to counter this? Such a vexing task…
“Sister, you’re here too,” Lin Chen exclaimed upon hearing Qiu Qianwei’s voice. He shifted his attention slightly, frowning as he noticed another man present.
[Ding, the Intelligence Reduction Halo of protagonist Lin Chen is about to take effect on the host. Once effective, the host’s IQ will drop to 65 or below (mild intellectual disability). It is detected that the host has sufficient villain points. Does the host choose to spend 3000 villain points to purchase a Resistance Halo?]
After Lin Chen glanced at him, Wang Haoran immediately received a system prompt. Without purchasing the Resistance Halo, he would be reduced to mild intellectual disability! Did he have another choice? Of course, he bought it right away.
[Ding, the host spent 3000 villain points to purchase a Resistance Halo, which can immunize against all negative effects that reduce the host’s attributes.]
Hearing the reassuring system prompt, Wang Haoran felt relieved.
“Three beautiful sisters, I haven’t finished my magic performance yet. Can I continue now?” Lin Chen, ignoring Wang Haoran, cheerfully addressed Xu Muyan, Mu Zhaozhao, and Wen Jing.
“What’s going on?” Wang Haoran questioned abruptly.
“Haha, here’s what happened. This little guy claims he knows magic and can transform leaves into flowers. We doubted him, but he wagered that if he succeeded, we three would become his girlfriends,” Mu Zhaozhao explained with amusement.
“We didn’t want to entertain him after your call, but he followed us,” Xu Muyan added.
“We thought he was just joking and didn’t take it seriously,” Wen Jing confirmed.
Upon hearing this, Wang Haoran silently complained. Is this a universal protagonist strategy? Betting with the female lead to make her his girlfriend? Can’t they come up with anything novel?
“Sorry, my brother can be a bit mischievous, please don’t mind him,” Qiu Qianwei apologized and prepared to take Lin Chen away.
“Seventh Sister, I won’t leave. If I go, I’ll lose three girlfriends all at once!” Lin Chen protested, addressing Xu Muyan and the others. “Three beautiful sisters, you have to keep your word.”
“If they lose and become your girlfriends, what happens if you lose?” Wang Haoran interjected.
“I won’t lose!” Lin Chen declared confidently.
“Your bet doesn’t mention what happens if you lose. Isn’t that unfair?” Wang Haoran pointed out cunningly.
“I’m betting with these three beautiful sisters, not with you,” Lin Chen retorted.
“But we are standing by his side in this discussion,” Wen Jing quickly jumped in to support Wang Haoran.
“Agreed!” Xu Muyan chimed in.
“That’s right, you’re just trying to cheat. We don’t want to bet with you,” Mu Zhaozhao nodded, siding with Wang Haoran.
“Fine, fine, then tell me, what should I do if I lose?” Lin Chen asked reluctantly.
Xu Muyan, Mu Zhaozhao, and Wen Jing appeared lost for an answer.
“May I suggest? If you lose, your sister will become my girlfriend,” Wang Haoran proposed.
“You wish!” Lin Chen quickly opposed.
“Little brat, it seems you have even bigger ambitions, trying to trick three girlfriends at once?” Wang Haoran mocked.
Lin Chen was left speechless.
“Our brother is just joking, don’t take it too seriously,” Qiu Qianwei tried to smooth things over swiftly.
“I’m not joking!” Lin Chen insisted, “Seventh Sister, agree to it, as he said!”
“Lin Chen, this…,” Qiu Qianwei hesitated.
“Seventh Sister, don’t you believe in me?”
“This… okay.” Qiu Qianwei relented. Her remarkable brother always performed unexpected feats, and since he was so adamant, he must have a plan. Surely, he wouldn’t lose!
After reaching an understanding, Lin Chen prepared to resume his performance.
“Hold on a moment!” Wang Haoran intervened, moving around Lin Chen and patting his pockets as if checking for hidden items.
Lin Chen stood confidently, but he smirked internally. His magic prowess allowed him to effortlessly conceal magic props on his body.
“All clear,” Wang Haoran announced.
“Observe closely, this is a leaf…” Lin Chen initially showcased the leaf to everyone, then folded it and miraculously began rubbing it in his palm. At that moment, he covertly swapped it for the magic prop he had skillfully hidden on his body.
“Esteemed audience, please keep your eyes open, a miracle is about to unfold,” Lin Chen declared with a mysterious air and opened his palm: “Change!”
His hand was empty. The leaf had vanished, but no flower appeared in its place.
“Wasn’t it supposed to transform into a flower? Where’s the flower?”
“Isn’t this it? Is this truly it?!”
“I feel my intelligence has been insulted…”
Xu Muyan, Mu Zhaozhao, and Wen Jing voiced their bewilderment.
How could this happen? Where’s my magic prop? Lin Chen was baffled. He distinctly recalled concealing the flower inside his sleeve, so how did it disappear? Could it have fallen while pursuing the three beautiful sisters? It must have!
[Ding, the host pilfered the magic prop, successfully preventing protagonist Lin Chen from showing off, earning 500 villain points, Lin Chen’s protagonist halo -25, host’s villain halo +25!]
Observing Lin Chen’s puzzled expression, Wang Haoran smirked without a word.
“I made a mistake, let me try again. This time I’m certain I’ll succeed!” Lin Chen, relying on his youthful appearance, shamelessly insisted.
Wang Haoran paid him no mind and approached Qiu Qianwei directly: “Miss Qiu, from this moment, you are my girlfriend. Please take care of me.”
“I…” Qiu Qianwei’s expression froze. She never expected Lin Chen to actually lose…
“Miss Qiu, are you really planning to go back on your word?” Wang Haoran asked, an amused smile adorning his face.