The Goblin’s Despair and a Paladin’s Promise

After a brief rest, Li Chunsheng surveyed his surroundings. His colleagues, catching sight of him, instinctively lowered their gazes, their faces etched with a blend of awe and cautious distance.

He carried himself as though he were a Paladin incarnate.

A sigh escaped him inwardly. With so many witnesses, it seemed futile to maintain his pretense any longer.

If concealment was impossible, then he would simply cease concealing.

Of paramount importance now was to contain the repercussions of this incident within a manageable scope.

Thus, Li Chunsheng adopted a mysterious air as he addressed those around him: “My identity is of considerable significance. I kindly request that you refrain from discussing it widely.”

He strove to project an aura of effortless calm. This, coupled with the power he had just exhibited, proved remarkably intimidating.

Indeed, some were swayed by his demeanor, hastily nodding. “Yes, yes, we understand perfectly, Lord… please rest assured!”

In that instant, the surrounding crowd echoed their agreement.

Li Chunsheng nodded with satisfaction. With a flicker, his form blurred into an afterimage, streaking towards the twentieth floor.

Upon reaching the lounge, he found Mu Shengling and her grey-haired attendant, as well as Ah Qiang, the young security guard he had just rescued, all still present.

“Li Chunsheng, what exactly is happening?” Mu Shengling was the first to speak, her face etched with confusion as she inquired, “Your aura…”

At this moment, Li Chunsheng was unreservedly releasing a powerful Bronze-tier aura from his body.

Rarely did Li Chunsheng show such a softened expression towards Mu Shengling. He offered a wry smile. “This matter… it’s a long story. Please, Miss Mu, help me cover it up for a bit…” As he spoke, he cast his gaze towards the young security guard.

Mu Shengling, intelligent and perceptive, discerned that he seemed to have other pressing matters. She did not press him; instead, she nodded thoughtfully. Her gaze towards Li Chunsheng held an even deeper shade of scrutiny.

The unexpected events of today had truly surpassed all her expectations.

Li Chunsheng, whom Mu Shengling had initially regarded as merely possessing a peculiar utility, had now become an enigmatic figure in her mind.

‘To think that even I, a Saintess candidate, would be so repeatedly surprised. What an… intriguing man.’ Mu Shengling’s resolve to claim Li Chunsheng burned even hotter. She found herself increasingly less averse to the complexities their relationship might entail.

Li Chunsheng, seeing that Mu Shengling understood his meaning, no longer paid her any mind. He turned to look at the young security guard, Ah Qiang, who was hunched on the ground, utterly dejected. He queried, his voice grave: “Ah Qiang, why did you attempt to jump?”

“Is there truly anything in this world that necessitates resolution through death? Is it not preferable to simply live well?”

The young security guard named Ah Qiang weakly lifted his head. His voice was hoarse as he spoke: “Brother Tieshi… thank you for saving me.”

“But, everything is over… everything is meaningless… I will die sooner or later.” As he spoke, Ah Qiang’s voice became choked with sobs.

“Tell me, then, what precisely transpired?” Li Chunsheng pressed.

“I… I’m out of money! Even if I get paid this month! After I pay off all my debts, my net worth will undoubtedly plummet into the negative!”

“I am destined to become a goblin! I… I, I, I… I shouldn’t even be alive!” Ah Qiang’s emotions finally shattered completely. He collapsed onto the ground, sobbing uncontrollably, his voice raw with despair.

Becoming a goblin, always becoming a goblin… Li Chunsheng’s heart grew heavy.

Becoming a goblin was the ultimate fear for all men in this world.

In this world, women possessed a myriad of choices. Upwards, they could strive diligently, empowered by the Church with formidable authorities, competing with male Paladins across various domains.

Downwards, they could opt for domestic life, becoming wives, relying on their innate ‘blessing’ abilities to be supported by their husbands and live stable lives.

Only men were compelled to constantly ascend, or at the very least, struggle to maintain their current standing. Should they stumble and fall from the ladder, they… would cease to be considered human.

They either became men of towering stature, or they forfeited the right to be called ‘human’. Before all men lay only these two paths, which were hardly choices at all.

‘Was Senior Sister… also gripped by such despair back then?’ In that moment, Li Chunsheng’s sympathy for the sobbing young security guard before him deepened considerably.

‘Now, it should still be salvageable! Is there anything I can do to help?’

With that, he slowly crouched down, placing his hands on the young security guard’s trembling shoulders. He met his gaze with earnestness and inquired: “Why do you have no money? Can you… tell me in detail?”

“Perhaps I can help you?”

Hearing this, a flicker of hope instantly appeared in Ah Qiang’s tear-blurred eyes. He hastened to explain: “It’s like this…”

After Ah Qiang’s detailed account, Li Chunsheng finally understood the full story.

It turned out that after work, Ah Qiang often provided ‘boosting services’ in a mobile game called *Knight’s Glory*. His skills were exceptional, earning him a minor reputation within the gaming community.

During one such boosting session, Ah Qiang was matched with a female player whom he soundly defeated. Feeling quite indignant, she later added Ah Qiang as a friend, intent on regaining her honor.

Given Ah Qiang’s skill, he effortlessly dominated the female player over several more rounds. Convinced of his prowess, she began regularly hiring him to boost her rank.

Over time, Ah Qiang and the female player grew acquainted. He learned that the girl came from a prominent family; her father, it seemed, was an Investigator.

Such a background naturally instilled greater trust in the naive Ah Qiang. He believed that if her father was an Investigator, his daughter must surely be kind as well.

Thus, through their numerous exchanges, Ah Qiang gradually let down his guard and fell for the girl he had never met.

During one particular chat, Ah Qiang summoned his courage and confessed his feelings to the girl. To his surprise, she accepted.

‘Could a man from the lowest strata, like himself, truly have caught the eye of a young lady from an Investigator’s family?’

This turn of events sent him into raptures. He began to pour all his efforts into doting on the girl, reducing his paid boosting work, which had previously earned him a decent income. Instead, he frequently chatted with her and helped her rank up for free.

Furthermore, the girl often asked him for money and gifts. However, Ah Qiang considered this perfectly natural: ‘As a man, you have to ‘explode gold coins’ for the girl you love! Otherwise, why would she ever look at you?’

Thus, Ah Qiang barely sustained the relationship, even as his income drastically plummeted.

Recently, however, the girl’s financial situation seemed to worsen, and her requests for money from Ah Qiang became more frequent.

Finally, one day, the girl tearfully claimed she was desperately poor and presented Ah Qiang with a colossal sum: eighty thousand Black Iron Coins.

Though not a Paladin himself, the chivalrous Ah Qiang gritted his teeth. He took out a loan using his Black Iron Card and lent the money to the girl.

‘As long as she is well, I can endure anything…’ This was Ah Qiang’s thought at the time.

Burdened by loan debt, he scrambled to make his installment payments, patching up his finances wherever he could. He barely managed to keep his net worth from dipping into the negative.

Yet, just moments ago, he had finally reached his breaking point.

He had meticulously calculated his finances, realizing that in a few more days, his cash flow would completely cease, and his Black Iron Card would mercilessly plunge his net worth into the negative.

In a panic, Ah Qiang contacted the girl, hoping she could return some money to help him out. To his shock, when he made this request, she immediately blocked him.

Ah Qiang was utterly devastated. Overwhelmed by the crushing agony of heartbreak and insurmountable debt, he chose to end his life by jumping, hoping to escape a future devoid of hope.

“Brother Tieshi… can you… lend me money?” Ah Qiang looked at Li Chunsheng with desperate hope. “…Brother Tieshi, you’re so powerful, you must be very rich, right?”

However, seeing a troubled expression on Li Chunsheng’s face, he lowered his head in disappointment. “He murmured, ‘I’m sorry, forget I said anything…'”

“It’s alright, Brother Tieshi cannot lend you money,” Li Chunsheng said, patting his shoulder.

“However, I can help you collect your debt.”

“In exchange, provided you can afford to repay your loan, you can give me a portion of the recovered money as my reward,” Li Chunsheng said with a smile.