I'm Already the Richest Man, Why Did My System Just Arrive?

"Speak! Who... are you, really?"

Zheng Xiu stood ramrod straight, the killing intent in his eyes no mere act. He held the frail Chu Susu aloft with one hand, his grip tight around her neck as he bellowed his question.

This sudden turn of events left Ruchen so stunned he couldn’t speak. After a moment of dazed silence, the Monk tried to step forward and intervene. "Brother Zheng, don’t be rash! Susu is young and naive. I don’t know how she offended you, but there must be some misunderstanding!"

Ruchen’s words did nothing to sway Zheng Xiu.

Zheng Xiu mentally replayed the details of his trip to Shuzhou from beginning to end.

If hunting down the "Cannibal Painting" had been his own choice...

...then after entering General Town, the appearance of Chu Susu, her attempt to steal Feng Bei’s waist token, her leading them to Ruchen, and following the trail to Yunliu Temple—it had all fallen into place far too smoothly. Throughout his interactions with Chu Susu, her backstory, her experiences, her Miracle Technique... it all struck Zheng Xiu as remarkably coincidental, but he had found it hard to think otherwise.

But now, weighing all the inconsistencies anew, Zheng Xiu realized that without Chu Susu, he and Feng Bei would have never been able to obtain the Ancient Painting.

Once is a coincidence. Twice could also be a coincidence. But a third time... explaining it away as coincidence was simply deceiving himself.

Chu Susu had played a crucial role in him obtaining the "Ancient Painting," making it impossible for Zheng Xiu not to be suspicious.

Thinking back further, Chu Susu had volunteered to accompany them to Yunliu Temple, and her reason for doing so had been rather flimsy.

It was as if she had known all along. From the very beginning, she seemed certain that the item Zheng Xiu sought would be at Yunliu Temple, and just as certain that she could steal the painting.

Master Dengdeng’s "Wait and See Zen" had redefined Zheng Xiu’s understanding of Path Mystic Skills. Regardless, for Chu Susu to snatch the scroll from Master Dengdeng’s arms in a single instant was simply unbelievable.

When the Crow Fosterer attacked, Chu Susu hadn’t waited for Zheng Xiu to make arrangements; she had immediately followed Ruchen. This was another thing that had felt slightly off to Zheng Xiu.

No matter how deliberately she feigned panic and helplessness, her movements in a crisis were faster than anyone’s. Her body was being too honest, reacting in a way that didn’t match her supposed age.

All of the above was just Zheng Xiu’s suspicion. He had no proof. But after testing the waters just now, he had finally made Chu Susu slip up.

Choked by the Mighty Man’s brutal grip, Chu Susu struggled, her face turning from red to a deep, bruised purple.

Seeing that someone was about to die, Ruchen lunged forward to stop him, but Zheng Xiu sent him flying with an effortless kick.

Ruchen suddenly flipped over and scrambled to all fours. A vicious expression appeared on his face as he lurked in a dark corner of the cave, letting out a strange laugh.

"Good kill! A good kill! I’ve had it with this bitch for a long time! Hehehehe!"

For an instant, Ruchen became a different person. The subtle changes in his features, his tone, his accent—Zheng Xiu found it difficult to connect the Ruchen of this moment with the Ruchen he knew.

Zheng Xiu shot a surprised glance at Ruchen in the distance, his heart tightening.

Chu Susu’s eyes rolled back, showing only the whites. Her breath was as thin as a thread. Suddenly, just after Ruchen spoke, Chu Susu thrust a hand into her robes.

But Zheng Xiu was already on guard. With a SMACK, his other hand clamped down on her wrist.

This seemed to be Chu Susu’s final struggle. Her feet stopped kicking, and her movements gradually ceased.

Zheng Xiu suddenly felt his hand holding Chu Susu grow heavy. A moment later, a series of crisp cracking sounds came from all over her body.

Amidst the sound of popping bones, Chu Susu’s limbs and torso began to lengthen, bit by bit.

Her damp clothes suddenly strained. Her chest burst open with a RIP, pale flesh spilling out. The lower part of her garment also grew taut from the sudden expansion.

In the blink of an eye, Chu Susu transformed from a frail fourteen-year-old girl into a full-figured, mature, and beautiful fair-skinned woman.

’What in the world...’

The dark, skinny girl had suddenly become big and pale, as if she’d been artificially ripened. Zheng Xiu was stunned for a moment.

’Is this some kind of magic show?’

Zheng Xiu had never actually intended to kill Chu Susu.

He was not a cruel man.

A show of force before diplomacy—flexing his muscles a bit would make the subsequent communication much smoother.

After her grand transformation, Chu Susu was dropped to the ground by Zheng Xiu. Clad in tatters, she lay there coughing uncontrollably.

"Who are you?"

Nearby, Ruchen had reverted to the "normal Ruchen." He turned away, covered his eyes, and faced the wall, asking in shock.

When Chu Susu finally caught her breath, the purple hue on her face faded back to a rosy complexion. She looked at the Mighty Man resentfully. "Uncle Zheng, you were choking me so tightly. How was I supposed to speak?"

"Stop with the ’Uncle Zheng.’ From the looks of it, I’m only a few years older than you."

"I am Chu Susu, eighteen this year."

Zheng Xiu cracked his knuckles in front of his chest. "Still not ready to tell the truth?" he said coldly.

Chu Susu lowered her head, bit her lip, and spoke again. "I am Chu Susu, this year... I’m twenty-eight."

Zheng Xiu: "Your real name?"

"If a single word is false, may I be struck by five bolts of lightning from Heaven and die a horrible death."

Chu Susu looked up, on the verge of tears. Her eyes brimmed, and combined with her ill-fitting clothes that had been burst open by her magnificent chest, any outsider would surely misunderstand and assume the Mighty Man had done some unspeakable, wicked thing to this virtuous woman. But he hadn’t. After a moment of fake sobbing, seeing the Mighty Man standing coldly with his arms crossed, completely unmoved, Chu Susu covered her chest with her hand and said indignantly, "Uncle Zheng, you show such tenderness to that Feng Bei, so how can you be so cold to me?"

"Cut the crap. Who are you?"

Hearing this, Chu Susu sighed, knowing she couldn’t bluff her way out this time. She pointed at Ruchen, who was still facing the wall. "Monk, get out."

The Monk was taken aback.

Chu Susu said, "I need to change."

Ruchen wanted to ask why she wasn’t telling Zheng Xiu to leave, but he didn’t say it out loud. He obediently walked out of the cave.

After swimming through the waterway from Jingxin Pond, the three of them had emerged into a hidden cave at the foot of the mountain.

Bright daylight was visible not far away. After Ruchen exited the cave, only Chu Susu and Zheng Xiu remained inside.

"So, can you let me cover myself up? Or could it be that Brother Zheng has... other intentions for me?"

As she spoke the last words, Chu Susu blushed, putting on a coquettish display of feigned reluctance.

Zheng Xiu frowned.

The corners of Chu Susu’s mouth lifted slightly in a foxy smirk.

Zheng Xiu chuckled. "Heh. Don’t play games. A real man isn’t bothered by trifles. You change. No need to mind me. You didn’t really think I’d fall for such a boring reason and give you a chance to use a Miracle Technique behind my back, did you?"

Chu Susu’s rosy lips parted in an ’o’ of surprise. She stared blankly for a good while before finally slumping her head in defeat, giving up her resistance.

She never would have thought the Mighty Man would be so impervious to both threats and pleas.

With a RIP, right in front of the Mighty Man, Chu Susu tore off the remaining strips of her clothes, wrapped them around her front, and tied a knot.

A bandeau top, a short skirt, and bare feet. Chu Susu used the leftover fabric to tie her long hair back. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

In the current dynasty, Chu Susu’s attire was scandalous. A glistening droplet of water trickled down past her navel and into the lines of her abs. The bandeau barely covered the valley of her cleavage, creating a deep, singular line. Such an outfit and behavior would undoubtedly lead people to see her as a "wanton" woman, yet she seemed to complete her task without a care in the world, treating Zheng Xiu as if he were thin air.

Zheng Xiu watched impassively as Chu Susu changed.

The atmosphere might have seemed romantic, but both Zheng Xiu and Chu Susu understood that they were in a standoff of mutual vigilance and calculation. Chu Susu wanted to use her feminine charms to make Zheng Xiu lower his guard, but unfortunately, the Mighty Man wasn’t falling for it, giving her no opportunity for cunning and deceit.

Having covered half of her exposed charms, Chu Susu sat primly before Zheng Xiu. She placed her hands flat on her knees to show she was playing no tricks. With a sorrowful expression, she said, "I hope Brother Zheng understands that I, Chu Susu, bear you no ill will. Susu will tell you everything she knows. I only hope that Brother Zheng, for the sake of the hard work I put in to steal the scroll for you, will show mercy and not deliver a fatal blow."

When Chu Susu revealed her true identity...

...Zheng Xiu finally understood why she had begged for her life in advance.

Chu Susu hesitated for a moment. Her pretty features twitched and changed slightly, but she ultimately couldn’t withstand the Mighty Man’s aggressive gaze. She sighed, "My surname is Chu, my given name is Susu. I am..."

She paused. She put two fingers in her mouth and whistled. A blood-red Raven flew in from outside the cave, soared over Zheng Xiu, and landed on her shoulder.

"One of the Ten Greats of the Incompleteness Tower. My epithet is ’Void’—the ’Void’ from the phrase ’master thief with empty hands’."

Upon hearing this...

Zheng Xiu got hard.

His fists, that is. They instantly clenched.

’Chu Susu is actually from the Incompleteness Tower?’

’And from her introduction, one of the Ten Greats? That makes her some kind of leader, doesn’t it?’

’Similar to... Ye Weiyang’s Twelfth Moon?’