Tricked by a second-rate school during my studies, I learned nothing of value—what a miserable fate...

Fooled by a failing company when job hunting, my youth is hopeless—truly miserable...

Duped by a heartless girl in love, my romantic dreams are shattered. Utterly miserable...

Buying a car and a house, I was swindled by unscrupulous merchants again. Life is hopeless, misery upgraded, what a tragedy...

With so much misery and tragedy, you really can’t get by in this world without first reading “Super Swindler” to pick up some anti-swindling skills. Otherwise, if you get tricked again, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Oh, and let me remind you right now—go ahead and click, recommend, and bookmark this for me. Don’t let someone else trick you into giving it away...

Volume One

A Non-mainstream Career Guide

Chapter 01

Divination in Zhongzhou, Encounter in the Park

On Mount Taihang stands Taihang Pass; a hundred miles beyond the pass, not a mountain in sight.

This folk saying paints a vivid picture: the mighty Taihang Mountains stretch to their end here. Descending from the southern slope through Taihang Pass, you reach the vast, flat plains. The first stop along the way is the heart of the Central Plains: Zhongzhou City.

This city, one of the eight great ancient capitals, known as the “Crossroads of the Nine Provinces” and the “Heartland of China,” bears the enduring marks of its long history. Whether it’s the incense wafting from the Zhongyue Daoist temples, the solemnity of Xuanyuan Hill, the morning light at the ancient Shaolin Monastery, or the evening mist at Songyang Academy; whether it’s the majestic Zhongyue Song Mountain or the mighty, winding Yellow River, you can clearly sense the fleeting passage of a thousand years. In this city, where history and modernity are fused, what attracts people even more is its modern atmosphere: a railway hub with three horizontal and three vertical lines, highways connecting all directions, a nationwide air transport network, the most advanced international convention center in Central China, the largest international small commodities market, and large shopping centers leading the way in business models—all drawing visitors from everywhere. The tremendous convenience of transportation has brought about extreme commercial prosperity.

The story takes place in this bustling metropolis. The protagonist is just an ordinary member of this city of over seven million people...

The story begins in a park—yes, in People’s Park, located in the middle section of Zhongzhou Avenue in Zhongzhou City.

It’s a spring morning. The breeze is still tinged with a slight chill as it brushes past the weeping willows by the artificial lake. The green willow branches sway gently, casting irregular shadows on the rippling surface of the lake. The dark green water is bottomless, but you can see the morning mist rising. Scattered on a dozen benches around the lake are a few early-rising citizens—some chatting and laughing, some napping, some reading their newspapers, some listening to snippets of rousing Yu opera on their radios, humming along as they stroll by the lakeside in the fresh air.

What a tranquil and harmonious scene. If you were here, what would it make you think of?

At this early hour, you certainly wouldn’t expect a clichéd romantic encounter by the lake, nor any melodramatic hero-rescues-beauty plot. In fact, in the fast-paced city life, most people who have the leisure to come here for morning exercise are middle-aged or elderly. Look at the lawn not far away—a group of old men and women are slowly waving their tai chi swords. Behind the rockery, soft yet lively music is playing—that’s the senior citizens’ yangge dance troupe. Their bright red and green costumes, paired with silver hair, are strikingly beautiful in an unconventional way. Their silk scarves and flowing sleeves add to the festive mood. Even those strolling among the flowers and trees are mostly in groups of three or five, or in pairs, all middle-aged or elderly. For city dwellers, perhaps only at this age do they finally have the time and leisure to make up for their neglected health.

And so, the story begins in this peaceful setting...

Let’s bring the camera back to the lakeside. The rising sun sparkles on the water, the green trees, green water, and green lawns making the whole scene overflow with the vitality of spring. If you glance over, you might be slightly surprised by a young man sitting upright on a bench by the lake. Dressed in a suit and tie, he sits with perfect posture, reading a newspaper with intense concentration. His shoulder bag is slung at his side, and his serious expression is quite out of place in this relaxed environment.

But only slightly surprised—people like him are quickly ignored by passersby, since young men dressed like this are everywhere in Zhongzhou, even on the morning buses. Either just graduated, still unemployed, or maybe already laid off—otherwise, why would he have such a serious expression at his age, reading the newspaper so intently? The only explanation is that he’s looking at job ads.

That’s right, he’s looking at job ads. As usual, there’s nothing promising: the high-paying jobs are out of his league, the low-paying ones he doesn’t want, and the ones with decent pay don’t want him. As always, this young man lets out a sigh of bad luck, just as he’s about to fold up the newspaper, his attention is caught by a few unexpected visitors nearby.

Three big fat men are walking toward him, their footsteps heavy, talking loudly as they go. When they reach the bench a few steps away, the one on the far left plops down onto the bench, calling the other two over. All three are panting heavily, their breathing as noisy as a leaky bellows—clearly exhausted.