A little loli trying to scam me?

Lake agreed directly.

As always.

Respect was mutual. Lake felt List’s deep respect for him, and in return, Lake was willing to extend the deadline for the Hydra matter to half a month.

This was reasonable.

He exited The Continental Hotel.

Lake had only one thought in his mind.

I have money.

Finally, he could splurge and do a ten-plus-one draw.

Lake couldn’t wait.

He had a premonition.

This ten-pull streak would definitely yield a golden legendary, he had that feeling, a very strong feeling, much stronger than during his stingy previous draws.

This time… it shouldn’t be an illusion.

He exited the alley.

Restoring his appearance to one with glasses, Lake put his hands in his pockets and walked towards Starlight Tower, which was only a block away.

The weather was great tonight.

Lake looked up at the stars, feeling as if the stars in the sky were winking at him, as if to say, "You’ve got money, you’ve got money."

It was truly magical.

Lake was in a great mood, even quickening his pace. He just wanted to get home, take a shower, and then enjoy his ten-pull draw.

Divine Spark.

Divinity.

Divine Kingdom.

Here I come.

"Bang!"

"Ouch!"

"…"

Lake snapped back to attention, blinked, and looked at the girl who had fallen to the ground three steps away, clutching her head.

What is this?

A scam?

Skye rubbed her head, tears almost welling up.

Her luck had been bad lately.

It was even worse today.

Skye had just finished her part-time job and was heading back to a vacant shack she’d found to sleep in. Unexpectedly, as she reached the entrance, she saw that the abandoned apartment building had been raided by Child Protective Services and the police. Fearing discovery and being taken to that ugly rescue center, Skye quickly turned and left.

As a result.

Skye felt a large bump form on her head. She immediately looked up at Lake and said, "Pay up."

"…What?"

Skye clutched her head, her eyes teary. "Pay up, or I’m calling the police."

Lake gasped.

Good heavens.

It really was a scam.

Damn it.

He had just come into a windfall, and immediately encountered a scammer, and it was a scam by a little loli who seemed to have Asian heritage.

Is she from Korea?

Or Japan?

Lake thought to himself, then, with some curiosity, asked, "How much do you want?"

Skye’s eyes darted around. After thinking for a moment, she looked at Lake and held up two fingers.

Two thousand?

Good heavens, you’re not here to scam, you’re here to extort!

What did two thousand US dollars even mean?

The last time George treated them at that upscale restaurant, the five of them spent a total of eight hundred US dollars. Spending eight hundred US dollars on a single meal was already an extremely extravagant affair.

Lake decided to call the police.

Skye looked at Lake, whose expression had changed, and said, "What, you’re not even going to pay the two hundred dollars in medical fees? Then I’m going to the hospital, I’m going to get examined, and sue you."

Lake snapped back to attention. "Two hundred?"

Skye huffed an affirmative. "Are we settling this privately, or calling the police?"

Two hundred was acceptable.

Lake prepared to take out his wallet, hoping to resolve the issue with money, but as he patted his pockets, he suddenly remembered his wallet was at home.

Skye watched Lake’s actions, then took in his attire, looking somewhat suspicious. "You don’t have two hundred dollars, do you?"

Lake raised an eyebrow.

What’s with the disbelief and suspicion in her tone?

Does she think I’m short on cash?

I just made a million dollars! A millionaire!

Lake shrugged. "My wallet is at home."

Skye said, "Where do you live?"

Lake looked at Skye. "Little girl, what are you trying to do?"

"Come back with you to get the money."

"…"

Good grief.

This little girl must not have experienced the harsh realities of society. Following a stranger home without even knowing them? Is she trying to get herself killed?

Skye said, "Do you have any identification?"

"…Why?"

"Let me see it. I’ll call my friend. If I go missing, the police will find you."

"…Clever!"

"Thank you."

By the time Lake came to his senses, his ID was already in Skye’s hand.

Then…

Lake watched the Asian loli in the nearby public phone booth, seemingly talking to a friend, and blinked. The Black King didn’t have a phone, so he always used public phones. If Lake remembered correctly, that particular public phone had been broken for days and no one had come to fix it.

So…

Who was this Asian loli talking to?

The air?

A moment later.

Skye emerged from the public phone booth and returned Lake’s ID with an imposing air. "Let’s go. I’ve already told my friend that if I don’t call her in an hour, she’ll report me to the police."

Lake opened his mouth.

The next second.

Lake decided to keep the secret of the public phone booth hidden.

He wasn’t a bad person, after all.

And besides…

A little surprise in his monotonous life was a nice touch.

At the base of Starlight Tower.

Skye’s mouth fell open as she gazed up at the skyscraper that pierced the clouds, its exterior alone exuding immense luxury. "You… live here?"

She could hardly believe it.

Skye knew of Starlight Tower’s uniqueness. After all, news of lawsuits between Black people and the building’s owner appeared in major media outlets every month.

Lake turned to look at the astonished Skye. "Do you dare to come in with me?"

Skye snapped back to attention. "I dare. Why wouldn’t I? I’m here to collect my compensation."

She was already starting to feel hesitant. After all, only a select few wealthy individuals in New York lived in this apartment building. The loose change from such a wealthy person could make her disappear without a trace.

However…

Skye thought about Lake’s behavior just now, and the two hundred dollars. After some consideration, she decided to take the risk.

Two hundred dollars might not be much to others, but for Skye, who had run away from her foster family, it was two weeks’ worth of living expenses, and she could also buy herself a new set of underwear at a discount store.

Lake shrugged and walked towards the building’s entrance.

The lobby attendant greeted Lake. "Mr. Edwin."

Lake nodded.

Seeing Skye following him in, the attendant moved to stop her.

Lake said, "She came with me."

The administrator immediately stopped and then nodded, "Understood."

Lake glanced at the expression on the administrator’s face, feeling a bit speechless, but he couldn’t be bothered to explain anything and walked directly towards the elevator.

Skye jogged over and entered.

Ding!

The door opened.

Skye was completely shocked as she looked at the large living room that opened up, and the small swimming pool on the balcony outside the floor-to-ceiling window directly opposite the living room.

Is this how the rich live?

Lake turned his head and said to Skye, "Wait here, don’t wander off, I’m going to get my wallet."

He had just hired a cleaning service today, and Lake didn’t want any unrelated people messing up his home.

However…

When Lake got his wallet from the second floor and came downstairs, he froze as he looked at Skye, who had collapsed at the doorway.

Has the ‘faking an accident for compensation’ scam leveled up?

Wuwuwuwu!

After Lake watched the New Amsterdam Hospital ambulance load Skye into the vehicle, he turned around, ready to go back.

Tonight wasn’t a good night for drawing lots.

It felt too unlucky.

Lake felt a bit speechless internally.

"Sir."

"…What is it?"

"You need to come back with us."

Lake turned back and blinked when he heard the paramedic’s words, "I don’t know her."

The paramedic said, "Sir, she’s a minor."

Lake: "…"

At New Amsterdam Hospital.

Lake stood in the hallway, feeling a bit speechless.

Jack’s wife, Martha, received the news and came over, "Lake."

Lake looked at Martha and greeted her.

Martha smiled, "I’ve already spoken with Dr. Duncan, he misunderstood."

Lake curled his lips.

Of course.

He, Lake, was only interested in mature women; lolis were merely for appreciation, never for any other thoughts. To reiterate, mature women are innocent, and lolis should only be admired from afar, not defiled.

He had tried it before, and the result was very bad. Again, lolis need to be coaxed, and Lake preferred to be coaxed.

Besides.

Playing with lolis on federal land is suicidal. Even those perverted rich people only dared to play secretly overseas.

Martha then asked curiously what had happened.

Lake sighed and told Martha the story, explaining that it was completely undeserved misfortune.

Just then.

The emergency room door opened.

Lake and Martha walked over.

The doctor looked at Lake, "You are the patient’s family member. The patient has acute appendicitis and requires surgery. Please go and pay the fees."

Surgery.

Wait.

Lake said to the doctor, "I’m not…"

Before Lake could say anything, the doctor, perhaps because he recognized Martha and thought it wasn’t a big deal, re-entered the operating room.

WTF!

I just bumped into her, how did she suddenly get appendicitis?

But.

Let’s just consider it a good deed.

Lake sighed and said to Martha, "I’ll go pay the fees first."

Martha said, "That works too. Once the patient wakes up, notify her parents to come over, and they should be able to pay you back."

I expressed my doubt.

Lake carefully examined Skye’s shoes as she was being wheeled into the ambulance.

They didn’t fit.

They were too big.

Even in the worst family situations, parents would at least provide a pair of shoes that fit. Therefore, the little Asian girl inside was likely an orphan.

Furthermore, her foster family probably treated her very poorly.

The payment window.

Lake gasped as he looked at the itemized bill.

Five thousand US dollars?

Was this a joke?

A black-hearted hospital, charging three thousand dollars for an appendectomy? Even if it were three thousand, wasn’t the two-thousand-dollar ambulance fee a bit excessive?

Lake looked up at the cashier and asked, "Can I use my insurance card?"

The cashier replied, "Are you family?"

Lake shook his head.

"Then no."

"Can I put it on my tab?"

"…"

Lake expressionlessly pulled out his Department of Homeland Security ID and badge, then looked at the cashier. "Put it on my tab. Department of Homeland Security, Senior Federal Special Agent, Deputy Director of Operations, Lake Edwin."

The cashier: "…"

Three thousand words, ten thousand characters. Don’t tell me I’m short and weak now. I won’t accept that. Give me votes, monthly votes. Thank you, mwah!