This was the second time Yue Shi had entered a vortex. Unlike the first time, where he was tossed about miserably by the turbulence, he was prepared this time.
He blocked out the spatial turbulence and adjusted his posture, pulling the snow leopard cub closer into his arms so it could sleep more comfortably.
When he opened his eyes again, the sky was filled with a rosy glow.
A patch of orange-red clouds stretched from the horizon to the zenith, painting the entire city in warm tones. The high-rises, streets, and pedestrians were all gilded with a golden edge.
He had clearly entered a new world—another room within the Bewitching Beauty Painting Workshop.
Yue Shi was currently standing on a street next to several trash cans.
He activated his hidden state, and the passersby completely ignored his sudden appearance.
Yue Shi looked at the heads of those passersby and suddenly felt that something might have appeared over his own head as well.
He looked up and saw a number: 0.
A shimmering golden 0 was suspended about thirty centimeters above his head, hanging there quietly like a small lamp lit only for him.
He reached out to touch it, but his fingers passed through the air, hitting nothing. The number 0 just hung there, much like a health bar in a game, resembling some kind of forcibly attached marker.
“Ghost, come out,” Yue Shi called to his subordinate.
Ghost floated out from a button on his collar and stretched. Although an information lifeform didn't actually need to stretch, the action made him feel more human.
He was just about to complain that Yue Shi only thought of him when something was up and ignored his existence otherwise, but before he could speak, he saw the number above Yue Shi’s head.
“Holy shit! What's with that 0 on your head?”
Ghost marveled at the sight and instinctively looked up, only to see a 3 hanging neatly above his own head.
He reached out to touch it, but his fingers also passed through the air. “What's the deal? A 0 and a 3... is there a 1 missing?”
Yue Shi rolled his eyes. “No gay jokes.”
Ghost chuckled and looked around, only to be shocked to find that everyone on the street had a number above their head.
A young mother pushing a stroller had a 247; a student looking down at their phone had an 89; an old man walking a dog had a 453; and an office worker making a call by the roadside had a 12.
Some numbers were rising, while others were falling rapidly.
A middle-aged man in a suit walked across the street with an 894 over his head. He walked quickly, his footsteps clicking rhythmically.
When he passed an old beggar crouching in a corner, he paused, pulled a bill from his pocket, and bent down to place it in the broken bowl in front of the beggar.
As the bill hit the bottom of the bowl, the beggar thanked him repeatedly. “Thank you, boss! May you strike it rich, boss! May good people live safe and sound forever!”
The number above the middle-aged man’s head jumped, turning into 895.
The 23 above the beggar’s head remained motionless.
“Another one farming points with missions,” someone by the roadside sneered, their voice loud enough for the middle-aged man to hear.
The man’s face turned bright red, and he quickened his pace, soon disappearing into the crowd.
A girl in a school uniform ran hurriedly across the crosswalk. She saw an old lady standing tremulously at the intersection, a vegetable basket in her hand so heavy she couldn't straighten her back.
The girl ran over, took the basket, and helped the old lady across the street.
The old lady took a breath and patted the girl's hand. “Thank you, young lady. Young people these days are truly kind-hearted.”
The girl’s number jumped from 156 to 157. She quickly scanned her surroundings and, finding that no one was paying attention to her, sighed in disappointment.
She pulled her phone from her pocket and began scrolling. On the screen was a map application densely packed with red dots, each with a small note next to it:
【Solitary elderly person, needs someone to talk to】
【Stray cat feeding point】
【Assistance for blind people crossing the road】
She selected the nearest task point for good deeds and walked away quickly.
Yue Shi watched for a while and slowly pieced together a general idea.
He found a milk tea shop on the corner and sat down. Ghost floated beside him, infiltrating the city’s network.
Countless pieces of information flooded in. Ghost screened, filtered, and organized them, relaying the useful parts to Yue Shi.
“This is clearly a modern world. Everything is similar to that film studio world from before, but there are special world rules.”
Ghost’s voice carried a tone of ‘I’ve seen many ridiculous settings, but this one is truly a bit much.’
He chose his words carefully and said, “From the moment they are born, everyone in this world has a number above their head. They call this number a ‘Good Person Card.’
“Do good deeds, and the Good Person Card value rises. Do bad things, and the number drops.”
“Residents with high Good Person Card values enjoy many privileges, such as priority employment, low-interest loans, skipping the line for medical care, and extra points for their children’s school admissions.”
“Those with numbers below zero are called ‘Moral Bankrupts.’ Banks won't give them loans, no company will hire them, and they even have to pay extra security deposits just to rent a room.”
Yue Shi looked out the window.
Across from the milk tea shop was a Charity Porridge Shop with a red sign and yellow lettering. A long line had formed at the entrance.
The line consisted of all sorts of people. Some clearly didn't lack money and had no need for free porridge, yet they still queued up.
The owner didn't seem to care. Standing behind the porridge vat, he stirred the thick white porridge with a large ladle, a professional, enthusiastic smile plastered on his face.
“Free porridge, limit one bowl per person!” he shouted at the top of his lungs, his voice booming.
Those who received the porridge stepped aside, finished it, and then turned to bow to the shop owner. “Thank you, boss! You are truly a great philanthropist!”
The number above the owner’s head jumped a few times, but only a few. Despite giving away so much food, his Good Person Card only increased by a single digit.
Yue Shi felt a bit puzzled seeing this.
“They aren't sincerely grateful,” Ghost whispered. “Whether a good deed is effective and can increase the moral value depends on whether the person being helped is sincerely grateful.”
“I see.” Yue Shi leaned back in his chair, his gaze shifting from the porridge shop to the hurried pedestrians on the street.
“The porridge shop owner’s goal is obvious to anyone. He’s trading porridge for morality, with a clear price tag. It’s essentially a business. It really is hard for those drinking the porridge to feel sincere gratitude.”
...
Through the network, Ghost quickly uncovered an entire industry chain.
The “Thank-you Black Market”—the largest gray market in this world.
Poor people survived by selling their ‘gratitude,’ helping others complete good deed missions in exchange for payment.
Wealthy people spent money to buy ‘gratitude’ to farm their own moral scores.
Even worse, some people specialized in ‘Moral Scams,’ intentionally creating scenarios where they needed help in front of rich people, then demanding a thank-you fee once the rich person took the bait.
Ghost said in a strange tone, “Did you know? Some people have even started companies for ‘Moral Acceleration’ services. Paid members can spend money to summon a group of ‘Professional Thankers’ whenever they need them.”
“Like brushing for fake orders?” Yue Shi remarked.
Ghost nodded. “This world is messed up.”
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