Starting as pearl divers, they have endless jobs.

Chapter 103 Job Change: Mirage Courtesan!
Chen Ye had a sudden thought, but he didn't make it public. Instead, he made the decision in the backstage dressing room after the curtain call.

In an instant, the text before my eyes changed again, revealing three completely different career paths.

【Profession 1: Prison Guardian Martial Artist】

[Description: A practitioner who has entered the Dao through martial arts, whose makeup is fierce, whose singing voice is like thunder, and whose movements are as solid as a mountain.]

[Talent: Body that can ward off evil spirits - Blood and Qi are like mercury, capable of dispelling evil spirits]

【Career Two: Puppet Master】

[Description: All people are actors in a play, their emotions swirling in their hands. With the human heart as the string, they manipulate joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness, portraying the myriad aspects of life.]

[Talent: Threads of Emotion – The ability to weave invisible threads of emotion, subtly guiding and amplifying the audience's feelings]

【Career 3: Mirage Court Musician】

[Description: As the singing begins, a grand pavilion rises from the ground; as the flowing sleeves fall, a dreamlike sea appears out of thin air. Your performance can construct a dreamlike realm where reality and illusion are indistinguishable, captivating the audience and turning their dreams upside down.]

[Talent: Prodigy of Illusion – Able to integrate one's own divine sense into the script, weaving illusions that are indistinguishable from reality, allowing viewers to feel as if they are there and experience the same emotions.]

Faced with three choices again, Chen Ye fell into deep thought.

The Prison Warrior is very strong, but the path he has taken is different from the path he has taken in this life, and it also overlaps somewhat with that of his previous life.

Like the storyteller from last time, the Puppet Master is a control-oriented class. This type of class has a characteristic: it can only rise to prominence in the very late game. In fact, there are better alternatives for its talent description.

Chen Ye's gaze fell on the third option.

The ultimate skill of a performer lies in creating an illusion within a play, making it difficult for the audience to distinguish between reality and fiction.

Moreover, his control over his emotions was stronger than that of the puppeteer, so Chen Ye no longer hesitated.

"I choose, Mirage Courtesan."

[Job change successful! Class: Mirage Court Musician (lv1)]

A mysterious power surged from the depths of his soul. Unlike the bone-cleansing and marrow-washing he experienced when he changed to the martial arts profession, this feeling was more like a spiritual sublimation.

Just as Chen Ye was carefully comprehending the mystery of the mirage courtier, the turmoil outside intensified.

Upon learning of Chen Ye's suppression, Lu Jinghong was so anxious that she burst into tears and immediately ran to find her father.

"Father, you must help Chen Ye!" She told Lu the whole story in one go.

Meanwhile, Qi Nana also told her father, Qi Shihao, about the matter.

Qi Shihao is now the second-in-command of the Six Doors system in Zhenhaiwei, and is a very important figure in the official system of Zhenhaiwei.

Lu the wealthy man and Qi Shihao had a long private conversation in the study.

“This Li Kang has a complicated background; it’s said he has connections with some big shots in Beijing.” The wealthy Lu frowned.

Qi Shihao, holding his teacup, snorted coldly and said, "So what? This Li Kang has overreached himself. Does he really think he can control everything in Zhenhai Guard?"

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing the resolute look in each other's eyes.

It wasn't just for their daughter; Chen Ye's demonstrated value was enough for them to lend a hand.

Soon, an invisible net quietly unfolded.

First, several casinos and opium dens operated by Li Kang were investigated one after another. Although he managed to smooth things over each time by spending money, people who come to these places are looking for peace and quiet. As a result, with investigations happening every day, who would dare to come? As a result, his business was greatly affected.

Soon after, Li Kang's legitimate business also began to be affected. As expected of a wealthy household, Lu Da Hu launched a price war specifically targeting Li Kang's shop.

Li Kang was in a state of utter chaos, but that wasn't the end of it.

The ladies who were crazy about Chen Ye suddenly unleashed an amazing energy after realizing that their idol's performance was affected.

Inside one of the most upscale Western restaurants in Zhenhaiwei, a group of elegantly dressed wealthy women gathered together, filled with righteous indignation.

One of them was the owner of a large silk shop in Zhenhaiwei. She immediately made a decision: "I've checked. That guy surnamed Li owns several shops. Sisters, from tomorrow onwards, anyone who goes to these shops to buy things is going against me!"

The other woman was a banker's wife. She sneered, "One of his money shops recently wanted to borrow money from our bank for working capital. I'm going back to tell my husband right now that this loan is not negotiable!"

"And his mistress, she even tried to get me to introduce her to our book club last time, no way!"

These women, who usually only know about romance and poetry, can be far more proactive and destructive than anyone can imagine when it comes to protecting the people they love.

They spontaneously organized themselves and used their families' influence in the business, political, and even social circles to launch a comprehensive campaign to crush Li Kang.

In an instant, the number of customers at shops associated with Li Kang plummeted.

Business opportunities to collaborate with him also fell through.

Even at high-society parties, whenever his female relatives appeared, the ladies would all leave, leaving him extremely embarrassed and humiliated.

Li Kang quickly felt the immense pressure coming from all directions.

At first, he didn't take it seriously, but when Qi Shihao's trusted confidants kept a close eye on his most important gray businesses, and when his most important shops suddenly faced the crazy price-cutting and dumping by Lu Dahu's businesses, causing his profits to plummet, Li Kang started to panic.

What troubles him even more is that his business partners, who used to greet him with smiles, are now avoiding him like the plague.

He finally realized that he had stirred up a hornet's nest.

This baffled him. How could an actor have such power that he could even attract the attention of both the legitimate and criminal worlds, and cause people from both public and private sectors to come after him?

But it was too late to say anything now. Li Kang could only try to get information from Lu Dahu and Qi Shihao through an intermediary.

The response they received was unusually harsh.

"Young friend Chen is someone I, Lu, value. Anyone who dares to bully him is going against me, Lu!"

"Mr. Li has overstepped his bounds. There are some rules he should know."

After hearing the message, Li Kang remained silent for a moment, then finally sighed helplessly, "Withdraw the men."

"Yes!"

In just half a day, the thugs and hooligans who had been entrenched around Guangle Tower disappeared without a trace.

The invitations to performances that had been cancelled by the Qingchun Troupe have gradually been reinstated.

Deng Ming also received a generous gift from Li Kang, along with a letter. The letter was sincere, stating that everything before was a misunderstanding and that he hoped to clear up the past.

Seeing this, Deng Ming was overjoyed, feeling that the storm was finally over.

Chen Ye merely glanced at the letter indifferently, offering no comment.

Can you suppress us whenever you want, or reconcile us whenever you want?
There's no such thing as a free lunch.

However, he did not make a fuss about it, but silently kept this debt in his heart.

After the turmoil subsided, Guang Le Lou returned to its former bustling state, even more popular than before.

Major newspapers resumed their extensive coverage of Chen Ye, as if nothing had ever happened.

After being transferred to the position of court musician in the Mirage Tower, Chen Ye made his stage debut.

He found his senses becoming incredibly clear; the voices of every audience member—whether admiring, appreciating, or jealous—flowed in his ears like tangible musical notes.

Suddenly, he sensed a familiar, naked malice.

That malice was filled with greed and undisguised possessiveness.

Chen Ye's gaze passed through the crowd and landed on a very secluded private room on the second floor.

Li Kang.

"He actually dared to come." Chen Ye sneered inwardly, then composed himself and began his performance.

"Such a beautiful day and lovely scenery, yet what a pity! Whose courtyard enjoys such delightful pleasures..."

Everyone was stunned when he opened his mouth.

If Chen Ye was previously skilled in exceptional techniques, he has now almost reached the level of Tao.

His singing style is no longer just a sound, but a power that can directly move people's hearts.

The audience below the stage was completely captivated. It was as if they were no longer sitting in the theater, but had actually seen the garden full of spring colors and felt Du Liniang's sorrow and longing for spring.

Everyone was immersed in the illusion woven by Chen Ye's singing.

Including Li Kang in the private room on the second floor.

He was mesmerized by what he saw, and his possessiveness grew wildly like weeds.

Damn it, I can't rush this time. I have to think things through carefully and come up with a foolproof plan.

Just as he was pondering to himself, he didn't notice that all the sounds outside suddenly disappeared, becoming extremely quiet, followed by a knocking sound at the door.

Li Kang was startled, then looked up in surprise and realized that the private room was empty, and his personal men were nowhere to be seen.

Damn it, he went out for a stroll again while I wasn't looking!

Li Kang cursed under his breath, assuming his men had gone out to play, and therefore didn't pay any attention to it.

Just then, the knocking sounded again, accompanied by a clear, youthful voice.

Is Master Li here?

Li Kang's heart skipped a beat.

That voice... why does it sound so familiar?

That's right, isn't that Chen Ye's voice?
Why would he come here? Could it be... could it be that he's come to his senses and apologized to me?

The thought made Li Kang so excited that he felt hot all over. He quickly got up and rushed over to open the door.

Standing outside the door was indeed Chen Ye, who had already taken off his costume and changed into casual clothes.

The young man was tall and handsome, and when he opened the door, he bowed deeply.

“Master Li, I was young and ignorant before and offended you in many ways. I hope you will forgive me and not hold my offenses against me.”

Li Kang was so excited that he almost forgot himself and couldn't hear any of the polite words.

He kept saying, "It's alright, it's alright, we can just get closer to each other in the future."

He couldn't wait to reach out and help Chen Ye's arm.

But just as his fingertips were about to touch the boy's sleeve...

Chen Ye, who had been bent over, suddenly raised his head.

What a bizarre face it was!
All that could be seen was smooth skin without eyebrows, eyes, nose, mouth, or other facial features.

He merely sketched a few simple facial features in their original positions with a black brush, and even then, the drawing was crooked and uneven, resembling a poorly made paper figure.

At the same time, the paper figure "Chen Ye" chuckled at Li Kang and then spoke in a broken, doll-like voice, as if the battery had run out.

"Mr. Li... are you still... still angry?"

"Ahhh!" Li Kang was so frightened that he screamed and turned to jump out the window to escape.

But when they turned around, they found that there were no private rooms left behind.

The once magnificent theater and its private rooms have now been transformed into a ghostly mass grave.

All that could be seen was desolate weeds and lonely graves scattered everywhere. Under the pale moonlight, a crow landed on a withered branch and let out a hoarse cry.

Just then, the earthen mound beside him began to loosen, and pale arms emerged from the soil.

Immediately afterwards, figures crawled out of the graves.

The key point is that Li Kang knows most of these people.

The one with the dangling tongue and bulging eyes was a respectable young man who had recently been swindled out of his entire fortune by him and ultimately hanged himself.

The naked female ghost, whose skin was covered in bruises and blood was flowing from her seven orifices, was a courtesan he had abducted and who was tortured to death for refusing to comply.

And that one with broken arms and legs, writhing on the ground, was his rival who had fought with him for territory, whose limbs he had personally broken and who had been thrown into the river...

The wronged souls he had killed have now all transformed into vengeful ghosts, their eyes, filled with resentment and hatred, fixed on him.

"Give me back my life!"

"Li Kang! I'll make you pay for this in blood!"

The next moment, all the vengeful ghosts rushed towards him in a frenzy.

"No! Don't come over!"

Li Kang was terrified, but his survival instinct still caused him to unleash a hint of ferocity.

After all, he was a gang leader who had fought his way up from the brink of death, and his temperament was far more ruthless than that of ordinary people.

"Hallucination! This is all a hallucination!"

Li Kang roared, trying to bolster his courage, "You bunch of wandering ghosts, you think you can scare me with your tricks? I'm not afraid of you! You can't hurt me!"

He roared fiercely, trying to dispel the fear in his heart with his voice.

However, when the first vengeful ghost pounced on him and opened its blood-red maw to bite his arm, an excruciating pain instantly spread throughout his body!

The key is that this pain is so real.

"what--!"

Li Kang's defenses completely collapsed at this moment.

He finally understood that this was not an illusion!
These ghosts can really hurt him!

Immediately afterwards, more vengeful ghosts swarmed forward and pinned him to the ground.

Biting, scratching, gnawing...

The extreme pain was like a tsunami, wave after wave, assaulting every fragile nerve in his body.

"I was wrong, I was wrong! Please, please let me go!"

"Stop eating! Stop eating! Ah...!"

Li Kang, tears streaming down his face, rolled on the ground begging for mercy in a pathetic display, but the vengeful ghosts seemed not to hear him and continued to devour his flesh and blood.

"Bang!"

A clear gong sound echoed inside the Guang Le Lou.

This is the signal on the stage that one act has ended and the next act is about to begin.

Inside a private room on the second floor, Li Kang's close subordinates were completely engrossed in watching the show, oblivious to their boss's unusual behavior.

Just then, Li Kang, who was beside them, suddenly let out a shrill scream, then his body stiffened and he fell straight backward.

(End of this chapter)