Chapter 20: Eliminating Li Yapeng

At the hotel entrance, Ji Yu watched Teacher Li hurry upstairs and couldn't help but chuckle.

Inside the elevator, Li Xiaoran kept her hands tucked deep into her coat pockets, wrapping the garment tightly around herself. She felt incredibly embarrassed thinking about what she had just done with Ji Yu. Thank goodness there was no one in that small park; it would have been mortifying to be caught. Yet, she felt a lingering sense of discomfort and even regretted turning him down. Why bother with the need for a romantic atmosphere? It was truly pretentious of her!

Back in her room, Li Xiaoran turned on the faucet to wash her hands. "The water smells strange," she muttered, scrubbing them clean before changing her clothes. Restless and preoccupied, she lay in bed, unable to sleep, and eventually pulled out her phone to call Ji Yu.

Ji Yu had only just arrived home. Upon receiving the call, he asked, "Do you regret it? I can come over right now!"

On the other end, Li Xiaoran let out a sudden giggle. "Not at all. Why is that all you can think about?"

Ji Yu sighed. "It’s just that Teacher Li is too beautiful; I can’t help myself, honestly."

"So, it’s my fault then?" Li Xiaoran wrinkled her nose.

"Half and half. Half because Teacher Li is too beautiful, and half because I’m too lecherous."

"Shameless! I’m not talking to you anymore, I’m going to sleep."

Li Xiaoran hummed softly. Just as she was about to hang up, she picked the phone back up and quickly added, "Goodnight!"

Ji Yu smiled faintly. "Goodnight."

After hanging up, Ji Yu lay on his bed, lost in thought. He needed to make money, and quickly. Real estate in Beijing was incredibly expensive—thousands per square meter—and prices were only going to skyrocket in the future. He had to earn more; otherwise, renting an apartment in the capital would feel humiliating.

*Ding! The System Store has refreshed!*

Ji Yu snapped to attention and sat up abruptly. The store had finally refreshed! It hadn't been easy. He opened the store with excitement, only to fall into a stunned silence. What was all this garbage?

Pocket pistols, miniature trackers, night-combat gear sets, grenade-shaped lighters, hidden wiretaps, signal jammers, disguise kits, intermediate lockpicks, intermediate stamina potions... The equipment had indeed been upgraded, and there were dozens of items, but they were useless to him. He wasn't an actual spy! What was he supposed to do with a pistol? Hand it over to the government for a reward?

Ji Yu flipped through several pages, all of which were tools used by spies. In real life, their applications were limited, and the prices were steep. The basic items used to cost 100 exposure points, but the new items started at 500. The most expensive item, a random tactical vehicle, cost 1,000 exposure points. What if he spent that much and ended up with a motorcycle? He’d be ruined! He only had 570 exposure points in total, enough to exchange for only one of the cheapest intermediate items. Fortunately, the basic items were still available.

He sighed. It seemed unrealistic to get rich through the system. He couldn't exactly become a black-market dealer—who would he sell these things to? If he got caught, he’d end up in prison. High risk, low profit—it wasn't worth it! Ji Yu lay back, pondering how to make use of these items. Maybe he could just become a paparazzo, installing wiretaps and cameras in every celebrity’s home? Endless scandals!

He pushed the thought aside, rolled over, and yawned himself to sleep.

The next morning, while eating breakfast, Ji Yu saw news about *Detective Ke Lan* in the paper. There were also a few pieces on Jiang Qingqing’s romance rumors, as well as Li Yapeng’s alleged affair with a junior colleague. Ji Yu looked at the photo of himself and was satisfied; the photographer had done a good job. With the hype from the past few days, once *Detective Ke Lan* officially began filming, his debut should leave a lasting impression on many.

After breakfast, Ji Yu went off to work as an extra to grind tasks. Once he became famous, he wouldn't have the time to be an extra, and he’d be too recognizable—unless he used a disguise every time.

Ji Yu spent seven consecutive days working as an extra, completing over a dozen tasks. His fighting and tracking skills were now just one step away from reaching the intermediate level. However, he had to attend the opening ceremony tomorrow and couldn't continue grinding. Over the past two days, he had nearly been recognized several times. If he hadn't used his disguise to hide his handsome face, people would have certainly pegged him as Jiang Qingqing’s rumored boyfriend.

At the production’s opening press conference, Ji Yu arrived dressed in a stylish, sunny, and energetic outfit. When he stepped out following the host's introduction, many in the audience were momentarily stunned. *Huh? He looks familiar. Where have I seen him? Isn't that Jiang Qingqing’s rumored boyfriend? So this is just more hype?*

Many reporters knew the truth, but many others were genuinely unaware. Now, however, they knew—Tangren was just using a newcomer to manufacture buzz. They’d write a scathing review later; that was another story in itself! Many reporters began snapping photos of Ji Yu.

Ji Yu smiled at the lenses, though his eyes struggled with the harsh flashes. He glanced at Jiang Qingqing and Li Yapeng; they were used to the flashes and showed no reaction. *Brother, you’ve still got some practicing to do!*

Once everyone was seated, the reporters began their questioning. The first question was whether the romance between Jiang Qingqing and Ji Yu was a publicity stunt. Jiang Qingqing took the microphone and calmly replied, "There has never been any publicity stunt. Ji Yu and I only met for work-related reasons. Please, do not misunderstand."

The reporters looked as if they’d swallowed something bitter. *If that’s the case, why didn't you clarify it a few days ago?* Jiang Qingqing remained indifferent, perfectly exploiting the reporters' appetite for gossip. *What are you going to do about it? If you have the guts, don't report the news!*

There was a tacit understanding between stars and reporters; they skipped the topic and moved on to questions about the production. After Li Guoli and the producers finished their boasting, the press conference ended. They relocated directly to the Chedun Film Studio to begin shooting.

At that moment, the system chimed.

*Ding! A new task has arrived!*

*Task: Disguise yourself as a detective in the International Settlement and secretly incite chaos and riots to disrupt social order!*

*Task Rewards: Disguise skill fragment *10, Tracking skill fragment *10, Fighting skill fragment *10, Voice-changing skill fragment *10, Assassination skill fragment *10, Driving skill fragment *10, Shooting skill fragment *10, Exposure points *1000.*

Ji Yu was overjoyed. He hadn't expected such generous rewards! Being the second male lead really was different. If he were the lead, would the rewards be even better? He was thrilled, but then he came back to his senses. *Damn it, most of these skills are useless! Why am I so excited?*

He glanced at Li Yapeng. Perhaps he could use some of these tools on him. If he could take down the company’s top star, all the company’s resources would be tilted in his favor! Ji Yu locked onto the wiretaps and trackers in the system store. He would find an opportunity to install them in Li Yapeng’s car and home. That old dog was a serial flirt; he definitely had plenty of dark secrets!