Chapter 55: Revelry

As soon as the post went up, paid trolls tried to steer the narrative. They moved quickly, filling the first few replies with copycat abuse.

However, things did not go as the trolls had planned. The comment section gradually became polarized, making the trolls’ presence stick out like a sore thumb.

After scrolling through a few pages, the thread was mostly taken over by passersby.

Sanyao users naturally detested this kind of doxxing and cyberbullying. They did not know Qiong Cang and could not speak up for her, so they decided to muddy the waters and talk trash instead.

“Doxxing. Reported.”

“@Moderator, time to work. Have you met your performance targets for the month yet? Get out here! Your KPI has been served right to you!”

“Don’t lock it just yet, let me have some fun! It’s been ages since I joined a crowd like this. Isn’t it rare to run into an OP like this? 【Shedding tears of gratitude】”

“I’m not worthy of being an A University student. 【Bursting into tears】 I’m actually not overjoyed.”

“Overjoyed? Who do you think you are, the Seven Fairies^[1]? Why don’t you pool some money for me instead? I’ve been on Sanyao for a long time. I guarantee my troll comments will blend right in without giving away the game, and they’ll all be high-quality reviews.”

“Hire me, I can stay up all night whitewashing your reputation. If you say QC’s degree is fake, I’ll spin it for you. Professional and hassle-free, five yuan per post, twenty percent off for bulk orders. Don’t miss out!”

Since the post contained private information, the moderator deleted it immediately upon discovery. However, the topic was too hot, and the original poster had come with ill intent and thorough preparation. Even after their account was banned and the post deleted, they relentlessly directed their trolls to start multiple related threads on the homepage, causing Qiong Cang’s personal information to be leaked anyway.

Many marketing accounts reposted the content to other platforms for discussion, sparking fierce debates there as well.

Qiong Cang had risen to fame too quickly. Wherever financial interests were involved, unspoken rules followed. Even though she did not care about popularity and had no intention of becoming an influencer, her sudden rise had indeed made many people uncomfortable.

Some began to subtly steer the narrative.

“@A University, can you verify this? Is it true?”

“Regardless of anything else, I think it’s necessary to avoid any conflict of interest. If she and Fan Huai were teacher and student, this kind of behavior is rather inappropriate.”

“The more I think about it, the creepier it gets. Shouldn’t Sanyao tighten its management? Isn’t 【Case Analysis】 famous for its ridiculously strict screening? A teacher fired by a university usually has moral issues. They shouldn’t be recruited into this game, right?”

“I guess she counts as my elder. An auntie, or maybe a grandma? She seems to have a lot of life experience.”

These people were acting too impatient, and the internet users were not buying it. After all, they had just finished watching a live stream and were still carrying an IQ-boosting buff. Trying to stir up trouble so clumsily was practically an insult to their intelligence.

Besides, Sanyao’s audience had always been fiercely protective, especially of those high-IQ, socially awkward, technical players. They were all absolute treasures, irreplaceable and rare, and had to be carefully protected.

“Wow, that was a fast collab. Usually you guys are on a 2G network, only issuing statements after something hits the trending search. Today you’re suddenly connected to gigabit fiber?”

“I don’t get it. The big shot is clearly a technical player, and there’s at least a thirty-point gap between her and you guys. There’s no conflict of interest, so why are you so nervous?”

“Everyone speaking up is a signed player. I’m starting to suspect some company is maliciously trying to suppress a rising star.”

“Blocked them all. Grandma? Grandma my foot! Damn it! You monsters! Don’t you know green tea bitches^[2] aren’t allowed to become spirits?”

·

Curiosity is an almost insurmountable human instinct. Although everyone knew that invading someone’s privacy was wrong, when the internet began discussing Qiong Cang’s identity on a massive scale, a group of people still could not resist going to A University’s official website and forum to verify the rumors.

After all, without some data on hand, arguing just did not feel satisfying.

Before long, all kinds of trending posts began to pop up. Every single discovery shattered the netizens’ preconceived notions.

#Wait, guys, haven’t you noticed? This big shot is actually only twenty-six!#

“Following the clues from that hater next door, I searched the A University forum. Qiong Cang, resigned this year, female. The name Qiong Cang is very unique, so there can’t be duplicates. Only one person fits these conditions. But this guest lecturer’s age is listed as twenty-six! She’s not in her thirties or forties at all! She’s a genius, okay!”

“【Pupils shaking violently】 Really? Well… thinking about it, it actually makes sense. After all, she’s a genius player with a score of ninety-six. You can’t judge her career path by a normal person’s age.”

“Damn! That’s hilarious. Who was it that just called Qiong Cang an elder? They even called her grandma. 【Pounding the ground laughing】”

“Well, Qiong Cang became a father figure to so many people at such a young age, so technically she is an elder, isn’t she? Life is so hard for her.”

#What is wrong with you guys? Isn’t this the most shocking part?!#

“【Image】 I dug up a super blurry ID photo of the big shot from the official website! Surely A University’s official site wouldn’t use a stolen photo? Or did I open the wrong website?”

The photo in the very first post had been a snapshot of Qiong Cang lecturing with her back to the camera. The picture only showed that she was tall and slender, but nothing else could be distinguished.

In this photo, however, Qiong Cang wore a white shirt and had soft, long hair. Set against a blue background with bright lighting, even though the screenshot was somewhat blurry, it could not hide her striking features. Especially her irreplaceable, aloof aura, which made every muscle on her face scream “I am a master”… it was damn charming.

The netizens instantly clutched their heads and went wild, feeling as though their wife had suffered a terrible injustice.

Soon, the news on the A University forum spread, reaching those hot-blooded students. At first, they were confused, but once they understood the facts, they were absolutely furious. They immediately gathered a bunch of their peers and charged onto the frontlines of the Sanyao Forum to do battle.

Their method of clarification was clean, direct, and soul-striking, making it impossible for netizens to refuse: they simply dumped photos.

#Since her identity has already been exposed, there’s no helping it. I’ll share my private collection of photos with everyone. 【GIF】 Calm down! Everyone must calm down! Don’t act like you’ve never seen the world before!#

In the GIF, Qiong Cang had likely just finished a meeting. Dressed in a black suit, she walked from the far end of the corridor with the light behind her. Carrying her lesson plans in one hand and keeping her other hand in her pocket, she exuded an imposing aura with every step.

As she walked to the window, the light refracting through the glass suddenly brightened the screen. The camera’s autofocus flickered before locking onto her face again, bathing her in a soft glow.

“I’m dead, but I can still go on. 【Bring it on! Don’t hold back on this delicate flower!】”

“Damn! 【Nosebleed】 This is a nuclear-level scene!”

“This face, this body, this IQ, this resume… isn’t she the heaven-sent superstar^[3] I’ve been begging for all these years?! I can die with no regrets! 【Inhaling oxygen】”

“Are you guys doing this on purpose? Hiding her so deep? Students from top universities are so selfish, not sharing her earlier. I see right through you all!”

“Thanks to the hater! Heartfelt thanks to the hater from before! You’ve worked hard!”

#I was just afraid you guys couldn’t handle it, which is why I didn’t say anything. But now, her sheer talent won’t allow her to keep a low profile anymore, will it? 【Image】【Image】#

#Last time Teacher Qiong Cang saw my phone background, she wasn’t angry at all. She even smiled and told me it was a good photo. 【Image】 Let everyone see this gorgeous photo certified by the lady herself.#

#Four years! It’s been four years and I’ve never managed to get into her class! But that doesn’t stop me from sneaking in to audit, hehehe~ 【Image】#

Some of the photos were candid shots, while others were taken when Qiong Cang noticed, her gaze looking straight into the lens.

She didn’t forbid taking photos in class. After all, the fastest way for students to take notes was to snap a picture, as long as they didn’t disrupt the classroom order.

It had to be said that these students truly respected her. A person as stern as Qiong Cang actually looked a bit gentle in these shots. Perhaps she didn’t realize it herself, but in the eyes of her students, that was just who she was.

Even though she was usually reserved and not one to show her feelings, these young people could read between the lines and sense her deep care. She did her job diligently, cared for her students, guided them with concise words, and taught them with penetrating insight.

She never said sweet words, but she could remember exactly which student had gotten which question wrong.

The public’s attitude was very clear.

Even though Qiong Cang had already left A University, and even if their classes had ended or they had already graduated, they still refused to let baseless accusations slander the person they respected.

“Can you not bully our teacher? Especially in the name of A University students. Some people only focus on Fan Huai being her student, but can’t they see that she has many other students who have established themselves and are contributing to various fields?”

Netizens put on a shameless display online, completely derailing the atmosphere.

“Yeah! Don’t bully my wife!”

“Why isn’t my wife resting well? Look at those tired dark circles under her eyes. The students of A University must be a real handful. 【Sigh】”

“My darling is too thin. She should have come to 【Case Analysis】 earlier. This game doesn’t have much else, but it’s very convenient for me to throw money at her.”

·

This turn of events clearly exceeded the thinking limits of the paid trolls.

Having taken the money, they couldn’t just stop working. After scanning the public opinion, they had no choice but to bite the bullet and continue to pick fights:

#This society is hopeless. People will fan over someone with such twisted values. As long as they have a pretty face, it doesn’t matter, right?#

The Sanyao netizens, backed by the students of A University, quickly recovered their fighting spirit and fired back sarcastically.

“Did she do something so heinous and unforgivable? Why do you hate her so much that you wish for her demise?”

“What? A teacher has to take the blame for teaching a criminal? Have the criminal’s family members been locked up? Even non-relatives aren’t held collectively responsible, so why should a teacher be? Does she have to run a background check on every single one of her many students to see if they’re scumbags before teaching them? Turns out teaching is a high-risk profession after all?”

“Frankly speaking, the income from Sanyao live streams is probably ten or dozens of times what the boss makes from teaching. She can participate if she wants to. Can’t people pursue a better quality of life? Why must you insist it’s for Fan Huai?”

“Besides, even if it is for Fan Huai, what’s wrong with that? Is it wrong for a teacher to believe in her student’s innocence? Isn’t that a virtue?”

“Those saying she’s whitewashing him are really wasting the word. I reviewed the boss’s performance in several Instances. She didn’t say a single good word for Fan Huai, nor did she ever stir up drama in the Live Stream Room. In the escape Instance, the methods she used were even more extreme and dangerous than Fan Huai’s. You call that whitewashing?”

“Fan Huai must be so rich, hiring so many people to whitewash himself. After all, the Instance was made by Sanyao, the approval was passed by the officials, and the clues were found by the Players themselves. With that much power, could his real identity be the Crown Prince of Sanya? 【Shock】”

“If he really is the Crown Prince of Sanya, I’ll seriously fan him.”

“Stop, stop, the paid trolls are about to die of anger. 【Shivering and crying】”

Immediately after, all kinds of evidence were brought to light.

#Qiong Cang clearly resigned of her own accord. She left after teaching for a full semester, so there was no dismissal.#

#A University officially debunked the rumors. 【Image】 Qiong Cang only taught two small classes, which were in extremely high demand and fought over every year. Students privately resold spots starting at a thousand yuan. Where did this ‘notorious reputation’ come from? It’s so simple to verify this. Do the paid trolls think netizens are idiots?#

#Offering a hefty reward! Videos of the boss’s classes inside A University, videos of activities she participated in, or scientific research report videos! Calling me a superficial face-con^[4] is just slander; I’ve mainly just developed a sudden interest in science.#

This farce, or rather, carnival, continued late into the night without showing any signs of stopping.

By the end, the paid trolls had completely given up resistance and retreated from the field. The netizens had no opponents left, yet their enthusiasm remained undiminished.

They always seemed to find ways to entertain themselves.

He Jueyun had to write a report that evening, so he hadn’t looked at the Sanyao Forum. Because his subordinate kept pestering him, he had blocked the man in a fit of irritation.

By the time he finished writing the various analysis reports and sent them off, it was already midnight.

He Jueyun leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes to rest for a moment before finally unblocking his subordinate.

The moment the signal reconnected, the young man, who seemed to never tire, called back instantly. He was so fast that He Jueyun was startled, wondering if the guy had planted some kind of virus in his phone.

“Boss, this is bad, this is really bad!” The young man’s frantic voice came from the other end, speaking so fast he could barely breathe. “Why did you block me? Tell me why! Look at what things have come to now. What are we going to do?”

The veins on He Jueyun’s forehead throbbed. “You have three seconds.”

The young man quickly switched gears. “Qiong Cang has been doxxed.”

“What?” That single sentence changed He Jueyun’s tone instantly. He stood up and demanded, “And then?”

“Tonight, someone leaked Qiong Cang’s workplace, identity, and home address,” the young man said, choking up. “And then she… and then she…”

He Jueyun held his breath.

The young man said, “And then she drove all the Sanyao netizens crazy!”

He Jueyun snapped, “What did she do? Make yourself clear!”

The young man took a deep breath, but in the end, he couldn’t hold it in any longer and burst into wild laughter.

“She’s so beautiful! She’s beautiful and smart, the strongest star Player on Sanyao. Once her photos were leaked, a bunch of people were clamoring to have her babies!” The young man laughed wildly. “It’s been so many years since Sanyao had a Player with such great potential. The guys on the forum have already prepared her promotional posters and cheering slogans. I even edited a video for her. Do you want to see it too?”

He Jueyun felt like his heart was about to explode. He let out a cold sneer and said through gritted teeth, “Do you want to die? Do you still want your bonus?”

The young man cried out, “Who told you to block me? I wanted to share it with you right away, but you blocked me! Now you have a bunch of random love rivals, and you missed the chance to play the hero and save the beauty. Look at you…”

He Jueyun couldn’t take it anymore and hung up on him, though he didn’t block him this time.

Not long after, a text message from the young man arrived.

【I checked the IP. It’s likely internet trolls hired by an MCN company. I don’t know how Qiong Cang offended them. I’ve sent the evidence to your email, so pass it on to her. No need to thank me, after all, I am a top-ten employee!】

Seeing that Qiong Cang’s address had been exposed, He Jueyun worried if she might be in danger. Just as he was hesitating whether to call and ask, his phone lit up again.

【Give it to her tomorrow. It’s too late, the young lady needs to sleep.】

He Jueyun: “??” Are you, a mere kid, trying to teach me how to date or what?

The author has something to say:

I told you there’s no angst 【la la la】

Employee: I bear too much.