Chapter 150: Ruined the script
Shin stared at the frenzied bullet comments with indifference, though inwardly he was satisfied.
He had succeeded in diverting the netizens attention away from Lucia’s scheme while at the same time exposing Leo Nafplion for what he truly was.
Netizens had always been like this. Whichever topic was louder, more dramatic, and more relatable, that was where the crowd would flock.
Today, Leo himself had dug his own grave. Shin almost wanted to thank the fool for being so easily provoked.
As expected, Leo’s temper boiled over. His fingers spat venom through his keyboard.
[KingNafplion: You f*cking bastard, tell me who you are! Dare to compete with me for a woman, you must be asking for death! Yeri Zhi is my fiancée. We were promised since we were kids!]
[KingNafplion: Who are you calling a scumbag? It’s not my fault there are so many wh*res in this country! Throw them some grains and they’ll throw away their dignity. They should blame themselves for having no self-respect!]
[KingNafplion: I’m taking notes of all of you who are slandering me! Think I’m joking? I could sue every single one of you with just a flick of my finger. Laugh now, hide later. I won’t let anyone off!]
The comments section exploded. Some netizens were just here for the drama, but many weren’t intimidated in the slightest.
In fact, his threats only fueled them further. Trolls and veteran keyboard warriors flocked in, mocking him ruthlessly, turning his arrogance into their playground.
Leo must have realized the user he originally fought with, "S" had gone quiet.
Desperate to win back, he sent another barrage, challenging his anonymous rival not to hide like a coward.
Shin only scoffed. He already had people watching Leo Nafplion. That man wasn’t anywhere near freedom. Since the incident at the Zhi manor, the Nafplion family had quietly moved him from Neri Psychiatric Ward to a private rehabilitation center.
Want to meet? That would depend on whether he could even get out of rehab.
[S: Sure. Your address.]
The netizens erupted again, flooding the chat with cheers and demands for KingNafplion to respond.
[KingNafplion: Why should I tell you? What if you don’t come? You coward tell me where you are instead!]
The crowd waited for S’s reply, expecting more fireworks. But before Shin could type, another voice cut through the noise.
Yeri finally commented herself, her words calm but firm. She denied any connection to KingNafplion, flat-out rejecting his outrageous claim of engagement. Furthermore, she added that she would return all gifts she had received during the livestream because she didn’t need them.
And with that, she ended the live.
---
The hospital room fell into silence. Nina had been itching with curiosity the entire time. The moment the screen went dark, she blurted out,
"Do you know that King-something guy?"
Yeri saw no harm in explaining. She leaned back against her pillows and shared, her voice steady despite the unpleasant topic. She told them about Leo Nafplion’s harassment, his false claims, and his unwanted pursuit.
Nina’s face twisted in disgust while Levi clenched his fists, indignant.
"Are they crazy? Everyone in our circle knows what Leo is notorious for. No proper lady from any family would marry him unless they were forced at gunpoint."
"Don’t worry, Yeri," Nina said, puffing out her chest with a rebellious glint in her eyes. "If the Nafplions threaten your family again, I’ll tell my dad and grandpa to step in. If they don’t help, then I won’t go to school anymore!"
Her dramatic vow made Yeri’s heart soften. She might not have many friends, but the few she had were true and dependable.
Warmth lingered in her chest as she smiled faintly. But then, as if remembering something important, her expression turned thoughtful.
"There’s actually something I haven’t told you two," she said.
Both Nina and Levi straightened, sensing the weight in her tone.
Yeri hesitated for a heartbeat before continuing, "I’m about to get engaged."
The silence that followed was deafening.
Nina: "..."
Levi: "..."
Both looked like their brains had short-circuited, their faces frozen in the same expression of utter disbelief.
"Engaged...?" Levi finally muttered, his tone dazed. "You mean, like... that kind of engagement? To a person?"
Nina smacked his arm so hard it made a crisp sound.
"If not to a person, then what do you think? A cat? A ghost? What’s wrong with you?!"
Levi winced, realizing how idiotic he sounded. He quickly looked back at Yeri, still blinking in shock.
Yeri chuckled softly. "Don’t worry. It’s not anyone disgusting like Leo Nafplion. And it’s not some forced alliance either. It’s... mutual. We’ve been dating for a while now."
"Dating for a wh—" Nina froze mid-sentence, her face flickering between shock, curiosity, and outright suspicion.
Unlike Levi, she had an idea of who Yeri might be referring to.
"You’re in a relationship?!" Levi’s eyes went wide. "Since when? Why didn’t I know?"
Before Yeri could answer, Nina suddenly squealed, practically jumping onto Levi’s arm like a child who had just won a golden ticket. Her entire expression screamed victory.
"Oh my god, I knew it! I knew it!"
Levi blinked at her, utterly confused.
---
While the three were enjoying their conversation, Lucia, who had stirred up this whole mess finally ended her livestream.
This wasn’t the outcome she had planned. The reason she chose to go to SC University instead of directly to Zhi Corporation was because she already expected the school to drive her away. The school’s reputation wasn’t her concern; it was just a stepping stone in her scheme to stir emotions and fuel public outrage.
The true battlefield was supposed to be Zhi Corporation.
Her calculation was simple: whether the company allowed her inside or not, she would win. If they rejected her, they’d be branded as cold and heartless in the public eye. If they accepted her, she could play the frightened victim, hinting at mysterious threats that would only spark more speculation about what went on inside.
But Yeri ruined the script. By going live herself and revealing she was in the hospital, sympathy shifted. People were now worried about Yeri’s health and questioning Lucia’s true motives.
If she caused another scene in front of Zhi Corporation now, wouldn’t she look like the unreasonable, scheming one?
"Lucia, are we going to the hospital now?" someone in the crowd asked.
Even after she ended her stream, a group of people lingered, their phones still pointed at her, livestreaming her every move.
Lucia forced a smile, though her palms were clammy. "I... I don’t think now is a good idea. I didn’t know Miss Zhi was unwell. I don’t know what happened, but I sincerely hope she recovers soon."
"But she said she’d allow you to visit! You could livestream from the hospital," another voice pressed.
"Yeah, that way you can prove for yourself if she’s really sick."
Lucia bit her lip, feigning hesitation. "Miss Zhi must already be under a lot of emotional strain. If her condition worsened because of me, I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself..."
Her words sounded caring on the surface, but she was actually planting the idea that she could be blamed if Yeri’s health took a sudden turn for the worse.
"It’s fine, we’ll come as witnesses!" someone offered.
"Yeah! If you livestream, no one can accuse you. Everyone will see it!"
Lucia’s scalp tingled with irritation. She wanted to scream at these people.
Why couldn’t they just leave her alone? Didn’t they have anything better to do?
"Oh my gosh, I already have two thousand viewers!" someone squealed.
For the first time, Lucia understood what it felt like to be cornered by social media. She had always been the one wielding public opinion as a weapon, gaining sympathy, turning crowds against her enemies but now the pressure was aimed at her, and she found she couldn’t stomach it.
She broke down in tears, babbling incoherently about how she didn’t want to upset Yeri further and that it would be best to set the matter aside for now.
Before anyone could argue, she dashed to the curb, flagged down a taxi, and fled.
Everyone: "..."
In the aftermath, people began forming their own opinions about her. But this time, they weren’t as blindly sympathetic as before.
Many started doubting her sincerity, realizing they might have been too quick to hurl false accusations at Yeri and her family.
---
Nina and Levi lingered at the hospital until visiting hours ended, but Lucia never appeared.
In the end, they left together with Levi lost in a daze, still chewing on the shock of Yeri’s sudden engagement, while Nina was already daydreaming about being the maid of honor, planning color schemes and debating whether her dress should have sequins or lace.
Meanwhile, Yeri finally confirmed with Shin that he was indeed the mysterious "S."
[Yeri: I sent you back the gifts.]
But the moment she returned them, Shin resent everything back, this time doubled.
Was this... a competition over who could outspend the other?
Yeri sighed, staring at the mountain of gifts. She didn’t dare try sending them back again.
It wasn’t even about bragging, Shin really did treat this amount of money as nothing more than spare change, just as the netizens claimed.
Unbeknownst to her, right after she ended her livestream, Leo Nafplion was fuming. He couldn’t stand being outdone, so he bombarded "S" with endless messages and provocative posts, trying to draw him into a public spat. But Shin never cared about people’s opinions, much less the ravings of a lunatic like Leo.
Without a reaction from S, netizens’ excitement gradually fizzled out.
Still, his mysterious silence only drew more attention. Shin unexpectedly gained an army of unwanted followers, including countless women sliding into his inbox with bold messages.
Irritated, he eventually locked down his account so no one could message him anymore.
Later that evening, Yeri sent another text.
[Yeri: Will you be visiting today?]
Shin caught himself smiling as he read it. Did she... miss him?
[Shin: Not tonight. Is there something you need? Or anything troubling you?]
Yeri pouted at her screen. Her human pain reliever wasn’t coming, so she could only endure the throbbing pain.
That same night, Shin drove to Palazzo Archon for the clan meeting. The exclusive community, tucked far from the noise of Sin City, was where most of the clan elders had already relocated.
Before heading out, Shin made a quick call to Zahn Neri, just in case, to check on Yeri’s condition. Once reassured there were no emergencies, he finally continued toward the meeting.