“She is the divine child, she is the savior, the one who frees this world from disaster and suffering.”
Mom said that, gave up her long-unproductive great cause of exorcism (scamming) and created the Eternal Bliss Cult for her daughter on the spot.
“…Dad, is Mom doing this really okay?” Xing looked at her mother, who was loudly advertising to the victims that her daughter was the spokesperson of a god.
She had completely turned into a cult leader.
“…It’s okay, baby. Dad will figure out a way to earn more money and go to the shrine for talismans.” Dad, the health supplement salesman from the Cheat-You-to-Death Company, said gravely.
…So you’ve been using the old folks’ money to buy amulets for Mom all along.
Xing’s gaze sharpened.
Sakurai Mom claimed to be a descendant of a savior shrine maiden, and had always taken exorcising evil and saving people as her duty, though she never realized that she had no talent at all and was just blatantly conning people…
Sakurai Dad was deeply devoted to Mom. His phone was packed with the contact information of more than a thousand old folks, and every day he was caring and attentive, recommending health supplements to them, using the money he earned to buy blessing and warding-off-evil items for Mom.
Now, Sakurai Xing had gloriously inherited her parents’ trade and become both the cult leader and divine child of the Eternal Bliss Cult.
What a criminally warm family.
That said, Sakurai Xing didn’t dislike it.
She stayed in Dad’s arms while being soothed, and Mom carefully checked the wounds on her feet.
The consequence of having too low physique, strength, and agility was that after she only walked a few steps barefoot on the ground, the edges of the talismans had cut her feet.
“Does my Xing-chan hurt? Don’t worry, baby. From now on Mom won’t let you walk by yourself again!”
No, that wasn’t necessary.
Although the Eternal Bliss Cult was an evil cult Mom had come up with on a whim, its doctrine faintly matched her skill.
Keeping a calm attitude and living happily, there was no need to force yourself to do things that made people miserable or in pain.
Doesn’t the Itchy Monster make people happy?
Then let’s just go with the mistake like this. Making Mom a little happier wasn’t bad either.
…
Mom, who had been swindling people for years, was still very skilled at it, to the extent that everything she said was twisted logic that made you want to call the police on the spot.
She was also very good at putting on a show.
Since the first time she had done exorcism barefoot, Mom had never let Xing get hurt again.
Mom made a gorgeous and comfortable seat for her. She only had to sit high and mighty on the cushion and wait for the believers to lift her palanquin. Her slender hands never had to strain to hold a bowl or pick things up, because believers would bring the food and water she needed to her mouth. It didn’t matter that her body was frail and she could only eat vegetarian food either; Mom hired the best chefs to cook for her.
Even if the family had piled up huge debts because of this, Dad still supported Mom without hesitation, only spending more time calling people and running around with health supplements in hand.
The player looked at her rushing parents and silently accepted the task issued by the system.
Comfort lonely old people, reward 500 yen/person
Treat patients with mental illness, reward 10,000 yen/person
Heal suicidal youths, reward 20,000 yen
…
In short, under Dad and Mom’s joint efforts, Xing turned into the leader of the Eternal Bliss Cult and began receiving believers one after another.
Most of them were Mom’s regular customers (this woman had somehow never had a mishap[[2]] even to this day), and after experiencing the comfort of the Itchy Monster, the victims loudly said things that hurt the conscience, like “Your divine power has surpassed your predecessors,” “This girl is the child of a god,” and so on.
While using the skill “Exorcism,” Sakurai Xing gradually discovered… this skill was actually damn useful!
Most of the people who came for help were actually just suffering from hallucinations caused by psychological suggestion. As long as she touched them once, they were basically cured.
A small number of cases really seemed to be caused by evil spirits. As long as she hardened her heart and activated her talent, she could actually resolve the crisis too, and incidentally harvest some bizarre system prompts.
[Purged Grade 3 cursed spirit perception +0.1]
[Purged Grade 2 cursed spirit perception +0.3]
…
From then on, Sakurai Xing never got nervous when exorcising evil anymore.
Most importantly, many believers who had come into contact with her now had a [Fool’s Faith follower] tag.
Sakurai Xing opened her attribute panel, and after the Fool’s Faith · B trait there was now an [Activating] tag, and her innate skills and attribute values also gained a buff that sped up growth.
…This was a family of scammers destined by fate.
No, she really could exorcise evil, so she wasn’t a scammer.
“Dad, take me to see the grandpas and grandmas.” As Sakurai Dad once again picked up the health supplements and card reader and was about to leave, Sakurai Xing stopped him solemnly. “From now on I’ll support Dad and Mom. Dad, don’t go tricking people into buying vitamins anymore.”
Yes, those overpriced health supplements were just vitamins.
Sakurai Xing’s conscience couldn’t take it.
Sakurai Dad was so moved by his well-behaved daughter that he hugged his head and cried.
“Baby, don’t worry! Dad will never do bad things again! Starting today, I, Sakurai Saburou, am the organization’s enemy! The natural enemy of criminals!”
The father who had been a swindler all his life immediately quit the Cheat-You-to-Death Company and swore that from then on he would assist the work of his wife and daughter.
The silly dad rushed to the little safe and stuffed a pile of documents into it. Carrying the big case he never left behind, he opened the front door, turned his head, and gave Sakurai Xing a bright smile. “Baby, be good. Dad is going to quit right now! You and Mom stay home obediently, okay~”
After saying that, he turned around and instantly changed into a vicious, ferocious expression, cursing furiously, “That damn Gin,” “That idiot Rum,” “Today I’m going to make the organization collapse,” “Just watch me report all of you,” and then drove off and disappeared.
Mm…
Why did she have a bad feeling about this?
Sakurai Xing thought about it and decided to turn on her hacking skill for a bit.
A player with 15 intelligence feared nothing.
…
That night, Dad came back black and blue.
Following behind him was a young man carrying a guitar case.
Sakurai Xing stood with her arms crossed at the entrance and looked serious. “Did the company boss beat you up, Dad?”
“Waaahhh, baby…” Dad rushed over and hugged Sakurai Xing, crying his eyes out. “Dad got bullied! I almost got killed by that idiot Gin, waaaahhh…”
“I’ll help Dad teach them a good lesson.” Sakurai Xing stroked Dad’s head with a serious face. “Don’t be afraid, Dad.”
“Xing-chan is really my angel! Baby, don’t worry, Dad has already reported them all! As long as Gin is killed, the organization is basically finished, hahahaha…” The silly dad laughed wildly. He pulled the guitar-carrying young man beside him over and said to his daughter, “This is a friend who saved Dad! He’ll be living at our house for a while recently~”
The young man, who had been pulled over, lowered his head. His clear blue catlike eyes met Sakurai Xing’s for two seconds, and then curved into a charming crescent.
“Hello, I am…” He paused, as if thinking for a few seconds, then gave her a gentle smile. “I’m Zhufu Jingguang. Please take care of me in the days ahead, Sakurai-chan.”
Sakurai Xing immediately broke into a bright smile. “Hello, Big Brother Zhufu. You can just call me hoshi (star)~”
She stepped forward and took Zhufu Jingguang’s hand, then turned to Dad and said, “Dad, just go to the room to find Mom. I’ll take Big Brother Zhufu to the guest room. Good night, Dad~”
“Xing-chan is so good! Honey, I’m coming…”
The black-and-blue Dad ran off happily.
“Big Brother Zhufu,” she looked up at the dazed young man and smiled. “Come with me.”
…
Zhufu Jingguang had not felt like this for a very long time.
Immersed in darkness, grinding down his own bottom line, he ran hopelessly through sin for a hope he didn’t know when would come. He was shrouded for years by immense loneliness, pressure, and cold, as if he could no longer even perceive pain.
Until the moment she took his hand.
Like a traveler who had walked too long through wind and snow and finally saw the eaves that sheltered from the snow.
This was also the first time in so long that he had spoken his true name.
Perhaps from the moment the door opened, bright light shone out from inside, and she said “Good evening” to the people outside the door, he had already made his choice. It was only when the girl’s small hand held his that his heart told him the answer.
Sakurai Xing tugged at his hand, and Zhufu Jingguang asked what was wrong while crouching down under her gesture.
She looked Zhufu Jingguang in the eye, her expression very serious.
“Thank you for saving Dad. I caused you trouble, and I’m really sorry. From now on I’ll keep a good eye on Dad, and I won’t let him do bad things again.”
Facing Sakurai Xing’s apology, Zhufu Jingguang could only smile bitterly.
“No, it should be me thanking Mr. Sakurai.”
Just today, his undercover identity had been exposed. During the escape, Zhufu Jingguang had already made up his mind to die, until the organization base was surrounded and wiped out by the police, and the news came that Sakurai Saburou had betrayed them and leaked a large amount of confidential information.
The people chasing him turned around because of that and withdrew urgently.
Mr. Sakurai was his benefactor.
Zero had originally been very suspicious of his reason for betraying them. Sakurai Saburou had been working in the organization for many years, and a large amount of the organization’s operating funds had been earned by him. How could a member who was rotten to the core like that possibly betray them without any warning?
“People like you won’t understand!” At that time, Sakurai, whose head had been beaten until it was bloodied, snorted disdainfully and revealed a smile so happy it was practically punchable. “My precious daughter told me not to lie and scam people anymore. She’ll support Dad and Mom for the rest of our lives… waaaahhh, Xing-chan is really Dad’s little angel…”
A family?
Zhufu Jingguang had heard that Sakurai had a wife he cherished very much, had always protected very well, and that a daughter seemed to have been born a few years ago.
Faced with a man who had been beaten so badly but was still sobbing and mumbling about his wife and daughter, even Zero had nothing more to say.
Being able to struggle out of the darkness for the sake of his family… Mr. Sakurai was actually amazing too.
He would protect his benefactor’s family for him.
But there was still one thing he hadn’t figured out.
That anonymous message sent to his phone when he had made up his mind to kill himself.
It informed him of Sakurai’s betrayal and the organization being surrounded, and also pointed out an escape route, stopping him from going to his death.
He followed the instructions and found Mr. Sakurai, who was being chased all over by Vodka, and then followed the instructions again to successfully shake off all the pursuers.
It wasn’t a message from either the organization or the Public Security Bureau.
Zhufu Jingguang had originally thought it was Zero’s urgent warning, but that point was later denied by his friend as well.
It was only when Sakurai Xing apologized to him on behalf of Dad that he faintly sensed it.
You already figured it out, Xing.
Dad’s business is my business.
The rest and warmth that had come too late had already made him stop wanting to think about why a child could do something like this. Zhufu Jingguang simply followed his heart and said words of thanks.
“Was it you who sent me that message?”
He crouched in front of the girl and looked at her clear, bright smile.
“Thank you, Xing.”
“Xing protected Dad and me, too.”
Sakurai Xing blinked.
“Then Big Brother Zhufu can be my underling! Protect me and Dad and Mom.”
If the Eternal Bliss Cult was discovered, a police underling could help her and Mom pull strings, right.
“Ah.” The young man’s blue catlike eyes widened. Then he showed a refreshing smile.
“Mm. Sure.”
…
Author’s note: Saved the bento, saved the bento[[3]]
I reflected on the female lead’s previous joke, and the sensitive point wasn’t handled well.
I deleted the previously inappropriate joke scene. The later chapters will also be revised.
The liquor company[[1]] will be destroyed within three chapters