I Use Illusions To Control The Whole World Chapter 7
A gambling father, a sick mother
Ding-ling-ling! Ding-ling-ling!
The bell signaling the end of school rang out to the students’ delight.
“Finally, school’s over!”
“Let’s go hit the arcade. A new one opened on Xishan Road.”
“I’m starving. Heading home to eat.”
Amid the noise, Yang Dongqing left the classroom without saying a word. His expression had been gloomy ever since he asked to go to the restroom during the first period, as if something was weighing on his mind.
When he reached the school gates, Cui Hao—bruised and beaten—was already waiting with dozens of men he had gathered.
They dragged Yang Dongqing away.
Soon, the car stopped in front of an apartment building. Under the lead of the Viper Gang’s second-in-command, Zhao Chaoyao, he went up to the top floor.
The room was empty, containing only a chair and a telescope positioned by the window.
Also inside were two black-suited thugs and a timid-looking girl in a cheap dress. Her face was delicate and innocent, and she looked nervous and fragile.
Two gang thugs and a vulnerable young girl—this combination inevitably evoked unpleasant associations.
Su Mu ignored everyone else and sat in the chair. Zhao Chaoyao hurried to raise the telescope and carefully placed it in front of his eyes.
“Lower it a bit.”
“Yes, Chief.”
Zhao Chaoyao quickly adjusted the telescope’s angle.
Through the lens, Su Mu’s gaze landed on a narrow, cramped alley.
That alley was now packed with people—Cui Hao, Yang Dongqing, and the gang he had brought.
Cui Hao pointed at Yang Dongqing and cursed loudly, arrogance written all over his face. The dozens behind him shouted along, some holding baseball bats.
“Yang Dongqing! Weren’t you acting all tough before? Now my big bro’s here. Try acting tough again!”
Surrounded by the crowd, Yang Dongqing didn’t show a trace of fear. His brows were furrowed, and there was a hint of anxiety in his eyes, as if he was worried about something else.
“Hey, Rat, don’t scare the kid too much,” said a man in ripped jeans and a denim jacket, cigarette dangling from his lips. He patted Cui Hao on the shoulder.
“Big Bro, this is the guy who beat me up!” Cui Hao shouted excitedly.
The man, called Big Bro, gave him a knowing smile, nodding like a seasoned leader to calm him down.
Then, puffing on his cigarette, he swaggered up to Yang Dongqing and casually patted him on the shoulder, not even looking him in the eye.
“So you’re Yang Dongqing, huh?”
“Take your hand off,” Yang Dongqing said coldly.
Big Bro’s cigarette hand paused. His smirk turned cold. “Kids these days, so full of fire. Reminds me of myself back then. But you should know something, Yang Dongqing. Too much fire in youth is a bad thing, especially when—AHH! OW! YOU DAMN—LET GO OF MY HAND!”
With a swift motion, Yang Dongqing grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back.
Crack!
The bone snapped cleanly.
“Aaagh!!”
A sharp scream echoed through the alley. Big Bro’s face turned pale from the pain as he collapsed to his knees.
“Screw this! What are you standing around for? Kill him!”
The gangsters froze for a second before charging at Yang Dongqing with curses.
Yang Dongqing sneered, “Tough luck. I’m in a bad mood today.”
He charged into the crowd like a human tank, fists smashing and bodies flying. Each punch sent people sprawling with blood spraying.
The bats and sticks that hit him bounced off with the sound of metal clashing. None of them could injure him.
Su Mu withdrew his gaze from the telescope, a faint theory forming in his mind. He turned his attention to the girl in the room.
The girl flinched. Then, forcing a smile, she tried to appear charming.
“This is the girl you found?” Su Mu asked, studying her.
“Chief, her name is Mo Li. She’s the top girl at the Fengyue Club. Mo Li, greet the Chief!” Zhao Chaoyao urged.
Mo Li’s flirty smile grew even sweeter. In a coy tone, she said, “Hello, Boss.”
Su Mu frowned. “Drop the seductiveness. I want someone innocent. Pure. Like a first love. Not someone who just put on a new outfit. Got it? That’s not enough. That’s not what I asked for.”
He turned to Zhao Chaoyao. “How exactly did you explain it to her?”
Zhao Chaoyao shivered and quickly defended himself. “Chief, I followed your instructions exactly!”
“Oh?” Su Mu glanced at him with faint amusement. “So you’re saying I gave bad instructions?”
Zhao Chaoyao instantly broke into a cold sweat and dropped to his knees. “I wouldn’t dare! Mo Li, what did I tell you before? Act like a student!”
Feeling the heavy atmosphere, Mo Li panicked. “I… I’m just good at pretending to be a student. I never really went to school. The club just advertised me as a student…”
“You—!” Zhao Chaoyao looked like he’d been scammed.
“Forget it,” Su Mu sighed. “I should’ve known. A brain full of muscle could never fully understand my instructions.”
“Mo Li, right? Do you know your task?”
She nodded rapidly like a pecking chicken. “Yes, yes. I’m supposed to win Yang Dongqing’s trust—make him fall for me if possible. Boss, I swear I came prepared. I’ve even written out my character backstory and script!”
Su Mu looked intrigued. “Let’s hear it.”
“I’m a girl who dropped out of school to work. I’ve had a dream of becoming a singer since I was little. But my dad gambled away all our money. My mom is sick. I have a younger brother in school. To pay off our debts, treat my mom, and support my brother, I had to quit school and sing at bars… and entertain customers.
One night, a drunk client tried to drag me away. I begged Yang Dongqing for help. He saved me, and then…”
“Stop.” Su Mu massaged his forehead, interrupting her. “How cliché. Gambling dad, sick mom, a brother still in school, and a broken girl. So unimaginative.”
Zhao Chaoyao’s gaze toward Mo Li turned hostile, and her face paled. She knew exactly what kind of monster she was dealing with—the Viper Gang, rulers of District Thirteen.
Especially the young man before her—able to make the Viper Gang’s second-in-command bow his head in respect. His identity spoke volumes.
If she failed to satisfy him, her death would be as easy and meaningless as stepping on an ant.
“But…” Su Mu’s tone suddenly changed, making her heart leap to her throat.
“As they say—classics never die. If everyone keeps using this story, it must still work. It should be enough to trick a simple student.”
Whew!
Mo Li finally let out a breath. She had passed.
“Your script might be acceptable, but you need to change your aura. Get into the role. You’re a girl who’s faced hardships but refuses to give up. You should have stubbornness, a fighting spirit—and that broken but brave look. Got it?”
“Got it. I can do that.” Mo Li took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
When she opened them again, she was a completely different person.
All traces of flirtation vanished. She bit her lip in defiance. Her eyes, now crystal-clear, shimmered with unshed tears—but instead of fear, they showed resolve. She dared to meet Su Mu’s gaze head-on, like a blade of grass bending under a storm but never breaking.
There was light in her eyes—resistance against fate, hope for a better tomorrow. Like the brightest star piercing through the dark night.
“Not bad,” Su Mu praised softly.
Mo Li lit up with joy and smiled sweetly again.
Su Mu frowned. “Keep the previous expression. That one. Zhao Chaoyao, take her away and get her ready.”
“Yes, Chief!” Zhao Chaoyao responded as if granted amnesty, quickly taking Mo Li away to rehearse.
