death of hope

Chapter 1042 "Psionic Storm" (115) Open and Honest

The girl stared blankly at him, her dirty little face still bearing the large footprints left from the beating she had just received.

"What's wrong? What are you standing there for?" Li Ang smiled. "Want a reward?"

"It would definitely be free for you, but..."

The girl pursed her lips, lowered her head, and looked ashamed: "My trick was just to fool people..."

"How exactly do you plan to fool me?"

Li Ang bent his tired legs, sat on the curb, lit his last cigarette, and let the rain soak him.

"I'm illiterate, I know absolutely nothing about divination or anything like that."

"Those self-proclaimed experts and demigods are just superstitious, aren't they? They're all the same."

"Uh, okay... what kind of fortune do you want to have told, brother?"

"Guess where I'm from."

"Most people on this planet are of Asian descent. Your blond hair and blue eyes clearly indicate your European descent, but your demeanor doesn't suggest you're an Irish tenant farmer fleeing famine. I think you have noble blood and come from a wealthy and prestigious family."

·
"Um?!"

Li Ang's eyes widened in shock:
How did you figure that out?

"Brother, you're wearing all designer clothes..."

Li Ang shook his head:
"As long as you have money, even gangsters and nouveau riche can buy it."

"Your demeanor is elegant, especially your eyes. You must have grown up in a wealthy and noble family, received an aristocratic education, and even had a silver spoon in your mouth to have such composure."

Li Ang flicked his cigarette ash and laughed, "You've got some skills, kid. You still say you don't know anything about divination."

"I really don't know. It's just a blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse. I'm just guessing based on intuition and experience."

"Guessing can only come from memory; there's no reason to make something out of nothing. You brat, tell me honestly, how did you figure that out?"

·
"I'll tell you, I'll tell you, okay?"

The young master of the lord in my hometown has a similar temperament to you, but he's nowhere near as imposing as you.

The man had a lazy look on his face and bossed his servants around. Although he was just a minor lord, he liked to act like a tycoon, displaying a room full of luxury items, the authenticity of which was unknown.

Once, his fat orange cat broke an antique vase, so he cooked the cat and fed it to the dog. Not satisfied with that, he took his anger out on us serf workers, and it took a long time for the situation to calm down. Later, we found out that the vase was just a fake.

"What a petty fellow! Truly wealthy and noble young men are quite generous, like a gentleman like you. You wouldn't even blink an eye at a broken vase, unlike that filthy fellow."

How did you notice that I was different?

"I've seen that car key hanging on your belt in an ad; that brand definitely doesn't look cheap. You've just put it on a bunch of other metal keys, and it's covered in scratches."

This shows that this car doesn't mean much to you. If it were that landlord's son from my hometown, he would definitely put a plastic case around the car key and treat it like a treasure.

·
"An illiterate person like you can still be so cunning? You little devil, you're quite the clever one. If you were allowed to go to school, you'd be something else!"

As he spoke, Li Ang glanced sideways at the car parked in the distance; it was a limited-edition extended Cadillac Deluxe RS, an expensive gift from Director Joseph to commend him for "taming" Zero.

Li Ang was incredibly excited when he went to the dealership to pick up his car that day. The V12 engine, retro wood interior, starship-level exterior, holographic sunroof, full matrix headlights…

The cars Li Ang rode in when he was a child were much more luxurious than this, but those cars all belonged to his count uncle. This one is different; he earned it by risking his life.

The symbolic significance of this car far outweighs its monetary value, proving that Li Ang had escaped abject poverty and risen from a self-exiled illegitimate son to the upper class through sheer hard work and dedication.

For thousands of years, few of the exiled noble illegitimate sons have been able to complete the trial, but Li Ang did, proving that he can thrive without relying on his family and is a true dragon among men.

Once the project succeeds, the PhD will win the Nobel Prize and become a senior executive in the company. As a key contributor, he will also enjoy a meteoric rise in his career. At that time, he can afford to transport more expensive and luxurious cars, and even buy his own spaceship, returning home in glory with his entire team.
Just thinking about that scene is exciting. How glorious and triumphant it would be! It would be a slap in the face to those sycophants who looked down on him. It is these feelings that have spurred Li Ang to where he is today.

At that point, even if the uncle (the Duke of Vilnius) was unwilling, he would have to abide by the rules established by his ancestors and acknowledge that his sister, the illegitimate child, had successfully completed the trial of exile.
At that time, Li Ang's name will be re-entered into the family genealogy, and he will be entrusted with important responsibilities again, leading the Vilnius family fleet to fight against pirates. As for his uncle's spoiled and foolish sons, they are no match for Li Ang, and it is only a matter of time before they inherit the title.

Such a symbolic car, carrying glory and hope, is naturally cherished. People would want to wax and maintain it every day, and even bought a plastic case to put on the car key, just like the gypsy kid said.

But ever since he made that decision, Li Ang has changed and no longer cares about this precious car at all;
·
To raise funds for their operation, they robbed the Atlantic Bank. The car still had bullet holes from the police chase, so they found a body mechanic on the black market to repair it, repaint it, and get a fake license plate so they could keep driving. They even threw the key case in the trash.

Just like that young hero who burned his boats and abandoned his warship to board a pirate ship, a hero doesn't care about trifles, so why would he care about whether there are scratches on his luxury car?

(I disdain luxury goods, so this kid thinks I have a different kind of aura.)
Li Ang looked at the puddles on the asphalt road and saw his own reflection:

(This rebellious youth, who indulges in smoking and drinking and is in a state of madness and decadence, is more like an upright and honest person than the self-proclaimed refined aristocratic young master he used to be.)

Just like that line from the Chinese opera troupe I heard a while ago: "The tide comes in on the Qiantang River, and only today do I realize who I am..."
After struggling with a moral dilemma for a long time, Leon Vilnius chose to be the original, most innocent, and most authentic version of himself.

·
He sat there for a long time, unaware that his cigarette had been extinguished by the rain. The Gypsy girl didn't dare to disturb him and only spoke after a long while.

"Brother... I've been waiting for you for so long... What other fortune-telling would you like?"

(What does that count for?)

Li Ang's thoughts returned to reality: (Love?) He himself wasn't sure; (or rather, his entire life?)
Under the glow of neon lights and holographic advertisements, the Gypsy girl gazed at the young man sitting on the curb.

The Pierre Cardin suit, soaked by the rain, had turned from gray to black, and the Marlboro cigarette he held between his fingers had long since been extinguished by the rain.
His handsome face was covered in stubble, and his tangled, messy hair and dark circles made him look much older than his actual age. His dreamy eyes were like those of a melancholy prince from Oscar Wilde's fairy tales.

The Gypsy girl clenched her little hands, her heart pounding. Just as she was about to fall in love with this melancholic, handsome older brother, the man spoke:

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Let's calculate this.

I fell in love with a girl, but I deceived her with a false identity and helped villains harm her. Now I've decided to atone for my sins and take her away to escape this hellhole. Will I succeed...?

The Gypsy girl picked up the tarot cards, then gently put them down, pondered for a moment, and said:

“When customers come to have their fortunes told, I say auspicious words and they are happy to give me some small change. But you are my benefactor, so I will tell you the truth.”

The girl took a deep breath and shouted it out:
"You will definitely succeed! Good people have good fortune!"

Li Ang paused for a moment, then chuckled:

"You brat, just say you want a reward. All you're saying are... insincere lies."

After saying that, Li Ang stood up, pulled out a thick wad of banknotes, slapped them onto the tarot cards, and turned to leave.