Chapter Forty-Nine: The Believers Who Could Endure No More!

In fact, the very first video about the “Scavenger Elder” was posted by a content creator under the title, “Failed Author Falls to the Streets, Spends the Night with a Scavenger Elder in a Junkyard.” Most of those who flocked to the streaming site were simply onlookers, eager for a spectacle.

But the moment the scavenger elder appeared, everyone was instantly captivated. It was hardly surprising that viewers were drawn to this old man. It was as if a novice had just entered a game world and immediately encountered a battle-hardened veteran; or just arrived in a newbie village and met its mysterious chief; or like a down-and-out protagonist in a fantasy novel, only to have an old master leap out of a ring, offering guidance.

In such an environment—a junkyard—an old man who survived by collecting scraps, yet had read "Walden" and could play the flute, radiated an irresistible aura of mystery.

From the moment the two videos featuring scavenger elders were released, viewers began to debate fervently about the elder’s background, conjuring all manner of theories. Some speculated he was a retired teacher, collecting trash out of boredom. Others believed he had been abandoned by unfilial children and was forced to live on the streets. Still others were convinced he was a performance artist, committed to environmentalism and the promotion of recycling, making his life a living statement.

Yet there were also skeptics who doubted the authenticity of the scavenger elder, suspecting the whole thing was staged for attention, anticipating a monetization push at any moment.

They had good reasons for their suspicion—how could such a well-read man fail to support himself in some other way? How could he possibly be reduced to scavenging?

However, once the content creator released the scavenger elder’s statement, most of these theories were dispelled.

Upon reading the statement, with phrases like “just an ordinary old man,” “currently living off scavenging,” and “doesn’t need anyone’s help and wishes not to be disturbed,” many viewers were utterly won over by his open-mindedness.

With the statement’s release, the popularity of the “Scavenger Sage” only grew on the streaming site. Some creators began to remix and reinterpret the original videos. Talented editors even turned the video of the elder discussing Thoreau by the campfire into a comedic edit, complete with the existential triple question: “Wasting time? Want to sleep with a model? Are you happy?”

As for the lively debates among these young users, Li Shixin paid them no mind.

However, after seeing his statement posted, and harvesting over thirty thousand “applause points” like a reaper of virtual wheat, he seized the night to invest all seventy thousand of his accumulated system points into the “rejuvenation” option, successfully reversing his age by seventy-six days.

After this, the aches and pains from days of walking had noticeably improved.

In the days that followed, aside from roaming the city with Li Erchun collecting trash, he made a few videos as inspiration struck, following no set schedule.

To maximize the wave of attention, Li Shixin kept his updates sporadic, but never compromised on content.

After reading through viewer comments on Li Erchun’s phone, he noticed that “the anxiety of today’s youth” was a recurring theme. So, during the daylight hours spent scavenging, he organized his thoughts and posted two more videos addressing the phenomenon of “manufactured anxiety” in modern society.

...

“I’ve seen many of you young friends say that your lives are unsatisfying, that you’re unhappy. But have you ever wondered, why are you dissatisfied? Why are you unhappy?”

“These past couple of days, I’ve browsed some content on Li Erchun’s phone—absolute chaos. Things like ‘What’s it like to earn a hundred thousand a month?’ ‘What’s it like to own property in big cities?’ ‘What’s it like to have a girlfriend with a beauty score of 80 or above?’ Don’t waste your time on these kinds of things. You must understand, there’s a limit to what people can take in. If you consume too much of this, you’ll naturally start thinking, ‘Everyone else is so accomplished—why am I so useless?’ Then comes the anxiety.”

“This anxiety is nothing more than emotions born out of unfulfilled desires, flaring up when you compare your situation with others’.”

“But it’s perfectly normal for some people to be more successful—after all, everyone starts from a different place and has different opportunities. The real problem comes from those who deliberately set unattainable standards and use them to belittle ordinary people. They tell everyone how they should live, using the highest standards of the elite.”

“For example, certain so-called social media influencers claim that to become a workplace elite, you need to master a slew of details; to earn a million a year, you need a special set of qualities. They spout a bunch of nonsense that sounds reasonable but is actually misleading. What do they do next? Under the guise of imparting knowledge, they sell live streams and courses.”

“Young people like you, not yet fully experienced, with worldviews and values still forming, are easily fooled by this kind of thing.”

“It’s no different from us old folks being manipulated by health supplement salesmen. They’ll claim your pale nails are a sign of heart disease—scaring you half to death—then sell you some miracle pill. At its core, this kind of anxiety-marketing is no different from peddling medicine: both are about making you feel inadequate or unwell, and then exploiting that to sell you something.”

“So how do you break free from these traps? It’s simple. Next time you encounter such things, just remember two phrases: ‘None of your business’ and ‘None of my business.’ How great you are is your business, not mine. My life is my own, and you have no say in it. With this mindset, you’ll stop feeling anxious. And remember, the only person you should compare yourself to isn’t someone who earns a million a year or owns a house and car, but yourself. If you did better today than yesterday, that’s progress. If you’re better this year than last, that’s growth!”

On the streaming site, viewers had reached the end of their patience with his erratic updates, sometimes posting nothing for days on end, sometimes uploading in the middle of the night or at dawn, and sometimes even releasing a video only a few seconds long.

Seven days after the first video was posted.

It was past two-thirty in the morning when, at last, the elder—already revered as the “Great Scavenger Sage” and the “Archmage in Tattered Robes”—released a new episode.

After being awed once more by the elder’s profound wisdom, viewers erupted in playful rebellion.

“Where’s the uploader? Tie him up! The footage was obviously shot at midday—why upload it in the dead of night?!”

“Exactly! What’s the point of a procrastinating uploader? He should be... well, punished!”

“Brothers, I’m Half-Sheet Love Letter, the uploader—I’m more anxious than you! The video just reached me, and I posted it immediately. I swear I didn’t delay!”

“Don’t blame the uploader, guys. Think about it: with his popularity, the old man could easily cash in, but instead, he’s offended big influencers and exposed their money-making schemes. That alone proves he’s a free spirit. He’s not doing this for profit, so expecting regular uploads is unrealistic.”

“But I just really, really want to hear him talk about life! What he says is so inspiring—so helpful to me!”

“+1, everyone! Let’s figure out a way to find him! We won’t bother him—we’ll just quietly listen and learn from him!”

“Easier said than done. The old man’s always been secretive about his name and his circumstances. How exactly are we supposed to find him?”

Just as the debate raged, a new comment appeared:

“Brothers, this is Zhang Quandan! Inspired by the old man, I’ve quit my job to pursue my dream of becoming a detective novelist! Today, let me show you some real skills! I’ll find him by following every clue hidden in his videos!”

...

At dawn.

After waking, Li Shixin strolled out of the bus with his hands clasped behind his back.

By the bus, several vagrants had already heated water for him over a campfire, prepared a clean towel, and even brought a disposable toothbrush set swiped from a hotel.

“Old man, look at the stuff I found this morning—do you think it’s useful?”

Li Shixin took the toothbrush from one vagrant and stuck it in his mouth, just as the big guy approached, cradling his finds as if presenting treasures.

In recent days, Li Shixin had not only observed the lives of the vagrants but also discovered that this filthy place was a veritable trove. Items from the seventies and eighties that you’d never see in daily life appeared everywhere in the heaps. Most were damaged and unusable, but with a bit of repair, they’d become the most authentic, natural movie props imaginable!

Looking over the two metal canteens, a metal flashlight, plastic sandals, and a few old books from the fifties and sixties, Li Shixin nodded. “Not bad. Put them in the pile—I’ll sort them later.”

“Got it!” Seeing his finds were useful, the big guy beamed with pride, carefully placing the items atop the growing mountain of junk by the bus.

Having been treated like the leader of a beggar clan, Li Shixin washed up and became the cleanest, most radiant vagrant in the area. Sitting on a small folding stool he’d exchanged from the system, he counted on his fingers.

He’d been out for nine days now. Judging by the calendar, it was nearly time for the audition that Jiao Chendong had mentioned.