Tasin watched the unfolding drama in the practice hall, his mind racing faster than ever before. He wasn't just observing a predictable clash between a rising protagonist and cartoonish villains anymore. Iris's explanation about antagonistic luck, about Jin Li being a pre-packaged 'experience pack' destined to fuel Fang Hao's rise, shifted his perspective entirely.
If the world itself gives these antagonists high luck and talent just to be 'plundered' by the protagonist... why can't I take a share? A cunning glint entered Tasin's eyes. Iris had mentioned two ways to use Children of Luck: plunder their luck directly or subdue them. But what about these high-luck antagonists? Subduing seemed... viable. Jin Li had 'Bright' talent – the same level Tasin had just painfully acquired. She had high, albeit plot-dependent, luck. She was Peak Channel stage, significantly ahead of him right now, but with his Nebula Heart Sutra and the System's potential, catching up wasn't impossible.
Why let Fang Hao get all the benefits? Tasin mused. If I could somehow... co-opt Jin Li? Turn this 'stepping stone' into one of my pieces? Her talent, her existing cultivation, her plot-driven luck... she could be incredibly useful. Maybe even the foundation for my own future faction. A cold, ambitious smile touched his lips. Heh, maybe I am brilliant.
[Delusions persist, Host,] Iris murmured dryly in his mind. [Focus on the immediate opportunity.]
Tasin snapped back to the present, ignoring Iris's jab. Alex Chen had swaggered right up to Fang Hao, who was still pounding the training dummy, trying to ignore them.
"Well, well, if it isn't the campus 'genius'," Alex sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. "Still pretending you can achieve something with that garbage talent? Why waste time hitting a dummy when you could be doing something useful?"
Fang Hao stopped punching, his knuckles white, but kept his back turned.
"Tell you what," Alex continued, circling Fang Hao slowly, Jin Li standing silently a few steps behind him, watching with cool detachment. "My family's company always needs manual labor. How about a job as a doorman at our main warehouse? Oh, wait..." Alex tapped his chin mockingly. "Sorry, I forgot. Even our doormen are at least early Channel stage. You wouldn't qualify." He laughed, a harsh, grating sound.
"How about this then," Alex leaned closer, lowering his voice conspiratorially, yet loud enough for nearby students to hear. "You could clean the bathrooms at my villa. Polish the floors. If you do a good job licking the boots clean, maybe I'll be satisfied and toss you a few credits."
Jin Li remained silent, her expression unreadable, though Tasin, observing closely with his Gaze active, noticed a flicker of... something. Impatience? Disdain for Alex's crudeness? It was hard to tell. Her gaze swept the onlookers, then briefly met Tasin's across the hall. He held her stare for a moment, his own eyes calm, analytical, devoid of the lust or pity she usually saw. A spark of curiosity flickered in her depths before she looked away.
Fang Hao finally turned around, his face taut with suppressed fury. "Unlike you, Chen," he spat, his voice low and tight, "I don't rely on mommy and daddy's money to buy cultivation resources I don't have the talent to properly absorb. If you had to rely on your own effort, your own pathetic Standard talent, you wouldn't even have reached Peak Sense by now. You'd still be sniffing my dust."
Alex's face flushed with rage. Being called out on his reliance on family wealth and his mediocre talent hit a nerve. "You dare?!" he snarled. "So what if I have good parents? Better than being an orphan scraping by on trash! Are you jealous, waste?"
He stepped closer, invading Fang Hao's personal space, dropping his voice to a venomous whisper only Fang Hao could clearly hear, though Tasin's enhanced senses picked it up. "And speaking of trash... this little bitch Jin Li? Don't think she actually likes me. I'm just using her for fun. Once I'm tired of her, maybe I'll toss her back to you, like the garbage she is. You can have my leftovers, dog."
Fang Hao visibly trembled, his fists clenching so hard his knuckles turned white. Raw killing intent flared in his eyes for a split second before he wrestled it back under control.
[Ding! Target: Fang Hao's emotional state is highly agitated. Significant Luck fluctuation detected. Prime plundering opportunity available. Host must be within 10 meters.]
"Shit," Tasin cursed inwardly. He was easily fifteen meters away. He needed to get closer without looking suspicious. Thinking quickly, he started walking casually towards a set of weight-training machines located nearer to the confrontation, pretending to inspect the equipment. He ambled past another student, nodding slightly, eventually positioning himself about eight meters from Fang Hao and Alex. "Okay, Iris! Absorb! Quick!"
[Luck Plunder initiated...]
A faint, invisible tendril seemed to reach out from Tasin's consciousness, latching onto the turbulent aura around Fang Hao.
[Ding! Luck Plunder successful. +10 Luck Points obtained.]
Tasin felt a subtle, invigorating warmth flow into him, settling alongside the cool presence of Iris. He quickly checked his mental status:
Host: Tasin Ahmed
...
Talent: Bright
...
Recycle Points: 60,050
Luck Points: 110
Nice! Tasin grinned internally. Only 110 though? The system needs 100 for the first upgrade? No, Iris had said she needed 100 at first, implying that was the cost for the first upgrade. So he already had enough. But... maybe I can shear some more wool off this sheep first. Greed flared briefly. Let the drama continue.
Pushed beyond his limit, Fang Hao locked eyes with Alex Chen. "You want to prove who's trash, Chen? Fine! Arena. Before the Academy Admission Trials begin next month. You and me. A duel."
Alex Chen looked momentarily surprised, then burst out laughing. "You? Challenge me? Are you suicidal?" He looked around at the watching students. "Did everyone hear that? The famous Dim-talent wants to fight me!" He sneered. "Fine. I accept. But a fight without stakes is boring, don't you think?"
He puffed out his chest. "How about this: If, by some miracle, you win, I, Alex Chen, will personally give you 100,000 Credits. Cold, hard cash." That amount drew gasps from the onlookers – it was a fortune for most students. "But," his eyes narrowed maliciously, "when I win... you withdraw from the Academy Admissions entirely. You admit you're untalented trash, and you crawl around the main plaza on your hands and knees, barking like the dog you are. Deal?"
Fang Hao didn't hesitate. "Deal!"
Tasin mentally shook his head. Classic protagonist move – agreeing to humiliating terms under provocation.
Just as the tension reached its peak, Jin Li finally spoke, her voice cool and cutting, directed at Fang Hao. "Fang Hao, perhaps you should start practicing your barking now. Save yourself the effort later. You know you can't possibly win against Alex." Her words were like daggers, striking Fang Hao far harder than any of Alex's crude insults.
He stared at her, his childhood sweetheart, the girl he'd loved for years. Disbelief and raw heartbreak warred on his face. His aura pulsed violently with pain and anger.
[Ding! Target: Fang Hao experiencing extreme emotional distress. Luck fluctuation peaking. Optimal plundering window.]
"Do it!" Tasin commanded Iris instantly.
[Luck Plunder initiated...]
Another invisible tendril lashed out.
[Ding! Luck Plunder successful. +10 Luck Points obtained.]
Luck Points: 120
Excellent! Tasin exulted silently. 120 points! Definitely enough for the first upgrade now. If this kid kept getting provoked, Tasin could potentially farm Luck Points regularly.
Fang Hao visibly flinched as if struck. He gave Jin Li one last look, filled with bitterness and betrayal, then snorted contemptuously at Alex. Without another word, he turned on his heel and stalked out of the practice hall, ignoring the stares and whispers that followed him.
Seeing their target gone, the crowd began to disperse, returning to their own practice. Alex Chen smirked triumphantly, then turned to Jin Li, putting on a charming smile. "See? Piece of trash couldn't handle it. So, dinner tonight?"
Jin Li waved a dismissive hand, her cool mask back in place. "I have things to do, Alex. Some research for my advanced technique study. I'll see you later."
Alex looked slightly put out but nodded. "Alright. Call me later then, babe." He strutted off, likely to brag about his 'victory'.
Jin Li watched him go, her expression unreadable. Then, instead of leaving, she paused, her gaze sweeping the hall again until it landed directly on Tasin, who was still nonchalantly examining a weight machine. She walked towards him purposefully.
Tasin straightened up as she approached, meeting her gaze calmly. He had been half-expecting this, sensing her earlier curiosity.
"You were watching us," Jin Li stated, her voice neutral, her Bright talent subtly probing his aura, likely finding only the Peak Sense level he was currently projecting.
"There was a commotion," Tasin replied simply. "Hard not to notice."
"Most people watch with pity for him, or lust for me, or disdain for Alex," she observed coolly. "Your eyes were different. Calculating. Like you were assessing assets."
Tasin gave a slight smile. "Maybe I was." He paused, letting the implication hang. "I was actually waiting for you, Jin Li."
Her perfectly sculpted eyebrows rose slightly. "Waiting for me? I don't believe we've met. And how do you know my name?"
"Word travels fast," Tasin mirrored her earlier thought. "As for why I was waiting... I have a proposition for you. Something I think you'll find far more interesting, and ultimately more profitable, than associating with buffoons like Alex Chen." He gestured towards the exit. "But not here. Walk with me? There's a quieter place nearby where we can talk privately."
Jin Li studied him for a long moment. He was unknown, his cultivation seemed only Peak Sense, yet he spoke with an unnerving confidence. Her intuition, honed by her Bright talent and sharpened by navigating social complexities, told her this young man was more than he appeared. And her curiosity, piqued by his unusual gaze and bold words, was strong. Besides, she was Peak Channel stage; if he tried anything foolish, dealing with him would be trivial.
"Lead the way," she said simply.
Tasin nodded and led her out of the practice hall, through less-trafficked corridors, and towards the edge of the main campus, near a cluster of old, dilapidated buildings scheduled for demolition years ago but never torn down. He led her into the crumbling entrance of what looked like an old dormitory, the air thick with dust and decay. It was utterly deserted.
He walked a few paces into the dim, dusty main hall, then turned, ensuring no one had followed and that they were completely alone. He faced Jin Li, the shadows playing across his features, a calculating glint in his eyes.
"Alright, Jin Li," he said, his voice echoing slightly in the abandoned space. "Let's talk about your future."
This is the finish of chapter