Extra's Strategy: Cultivate Protagonists, Become Invincible-Chapter 168: Scamming The Scammers

The person who had barged into their space was a stout middle-aged man. Han Xuhan recognized him. He had avoided his grasping hands just a few minutes ago while entering the pavilion.

His unfriendly face made the young worker flinch. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel-com

"....It’s only one customer, big brother. I needed some money too-"

"You don’t have mouths at home to feed. What are you going to waste it on? You’re not planning to continue your cultivation, are you? Idiot!"

The middle-aged man casually threw out a kick, and the younger guy avoided it effortlessly. But he didn’t press the matter. Giving Han Xuhan a miserable look, he jogged away from the aisle.

The older worker turned towards Han Xuhan with an ingratiating smile on his face.

"Aha! I see that you’re intending to purchase quite a few things! Big spender, big spender! I admire disciples like you the most, who know how to spend money wisely in large amounts! Let me help you choose-"

"Actually, I’d prefer it if Elder Shen helped me choose, senior. Thank you for the warm welcome, though," Han Xuhan cut into his musings with an equally fake smile.

The worker’s expression turned sour.

"Elder Shen is unavailable at the moment. Not to mention, why would he deal with disciples from the outer court? These transactions are beneath his status. Only inner court disciples can deal directly with him."

"Well, I am not buying anything, then. I’ll come again when he’s available. As the overseer of this pavilion, how can he turn down his basic duties and discriminate against me just because I’m from the outer court? My expenditure is far higher than most inner court disciples!"

"Suit yourself, kid. I can tell you’ve got a deadline to meet. Are you sure you want to come here every day and go back home empty-handed? Because that’s exactly what’s going to happen!"

The worker’s smile was dirty, making his intentions clear. He wasn’t going to let Han Xuhan contact the Elder in charge so easily.

After holding his mocking gaze for a moment, Han Xuhan opened his wallet and began to sift through it.

"Oh! Backing down, I see. You’re a junior who understands the rules fast! That’s rare! I like you, young man!" The middle-aged man laughed uproariously, putting his large palm forward to receive the bribe.

A second later, his smile froze.

Looking down at the large number of spirit stones placed on his palm, he also noticed the blue, glowing crystal grasped in Han Xuhan’s hand, and his thoughts fell into disarray.

"The emergency contact token?" he muttered in a daze.

"Correct. The Sect’s rulebook says that any Elder near an activated emergency contact token is obliged to appear and help." Han Xuhan recited the rule from memory.

The burly worker’s face twisted into an ugly smile.

"Hah! Do you think Elder Shen will appreciate the fact that you’re interrupting his cultivation session for your personal business?!" He said incredulously.

"This contact token can only be used in times of fatal danger, you idiot!"

At that very moment, the roar of an aged voice sounded outside the Pavilion.

"Who is it?! What is it?! Who dares to make a scene in my treasury?!"

An old man furiously rushed into the building, as if tracking a spiritual signal, and caught sight of the glowing crystal in Han Xuhan’s hand. His expression turned strange.

"What’s happening here? Hey, you!" He pointed at the worker instead of Han Xuhan. "Explain it to me!"

Han Xuhan sucked in a breath. The Elder was clearly picking the side of this scammer! It seemed that this wasn’t the first time someone had tried this method.

The senior worker played the role of a dumbstruck salesman perfectly in front of the manager. Han Xuhan was the Karen of his story.

A small crowd had already gathered around them. All of them seemed to be enjoying the drama, eyes lit up in schadenfreude.

As soon as he concluded the one-sided tale, Elder Shen let out an enraged bellow.

"How insolent of this outer court disciple to interrupt my cultivation for his personal busi-"

Han Xuhan cut in sharply before he could complete the scripted line.

"I interrupted your cultivation session because this senior robbed my spirit stones. He threatened to cripple me if I didn’t hand my pouch over. What else could I do if I couldn’t seek the help of an elder?"

"...." Elder Shen glanced at the worker meaningfully.

"A bucket-load of lies!" The guy roared indignantly. "He thinks he can accuse anyone of any crime like this?"

"The evidence is in your hand, senior. Those are my spirit stones," Han Xuhan said. "And this is my contact crystal."

"Lies! These spirit stones are mine, Elder. He wanted to borrow some of my money to buy resources. But when I tried to hand the amount to him, he-"

"How many coins are in your hand, senior?" Han Xuhan asked.

"...Well, I didn’t keep count, did I? I took out whatever fit in my palms!"

"But I know how many spirit stones are in your palms. It’s impossible for me to count what’s in that pile without going through each spirit stone one by one.

"The total number of spirit stones in your palm, added with the number remaining in my pouch, is one hundred and six. I can also tell you their exact value; it’s 600 low-grade coins."

"...."

"....."

Both Elder Shen and the senior worker fell silent this time, unable to come up with a retort.

"I would never be able to make this calculation, had that pile originated from your bag as you’ve claimed... So what is it going to be, senior? Are you going to stick to your false claims?"

Han Xuhan spoke the last sentence with his eyes fixed on Elder Shen’s face, which was turning sourer and sourer with each word.

Han Xuhan’s counter elicited a round of barely suppressed snickers and interesting expressions from the crowd. The noise turned Elder Shen’s neck red.

"Let me handle this matter. Old Peng has embarrassed this pavilion. Wait a moment, young man..."

Seeing the Elder grab the worker by the neck and drag him away like a chicken, Han Xuhan had to hide his sneer.

"I wonder what his expression will be like if he comes to know that I was lying about the amount. I really want to see it..."

Updated from fr𝒆ewebnov𝒆l.(c)om