Volume One Chapter One: The Dream of Wealth

In 2023, the film "No Turning Back" was released. Its gripping storyline revealed the terrifying reality of Southeast Asian telecom scams and other shadowy industries, as well as the utter depravity of those bosses who would do anything for money. But as someone who has lived through it, I must say that the real Southeast Asia is far more horrifying than what the movie portrays. What you see on screen is merely the tip of the iceberg.

Ninety percent of those who go to Southeast Asia are chasing the dream of overnight riches; the rest are lured or deceived by friends. For some, luck allows them to return home unharmed; for others, escaping is a near-death ordeal. The unlucky are kidnapped and ransomed; the most unfortunate are buried in a foreign land, never to return.

I was lucky enough to come home safely. Even so, I paid the price: I faced legal punishment and became a criminal, a stain that will mark me forever. Yet, that is not what matters most. What I want to tell everyone is this: in life, you must walk your path with steady steps. There are no windfalls, and greed for overnight wealth will only lead to disaster.

In the story that follows, I will show you what it means to earn money but never live to spend it, and whether Southeast Asia is a paradise or a living hell.

At the start of 2019, an old classmate got married and invited me to the wedding. Among the guests was another classmate, Aaron, whose arrival instantly overshadowed the groom and made him the center of attention. He drove up in a Porsche Panamera, and when it came time to give a wedding gift, he casually tossed a thick stack of bills onto the table as if it were nothing more than a sheaf of paper.

When someone offered him a cigarette, he declined, went out to his car, and returned with two cartons of expensive cigarettes, handing out two packs to each of us. A heavy gold chain swung from his collar, and he was dressed head to toe in designer brands, so lavish that people spoke to him in hushed tones.

I can’t speak for others, but I was deeply shaken. How could someone my age be so different? Not only did he drive a luxury car, but he gave away ten thousand yuan as easily as if it were a glass of water, wore gold and designer clothes, while I couldn’t even afford a single tire, agonized over a three-hundred-yuan gift, and was dressed in cheap market goods.

Watching Aaron joke and laugh, I was intrigued. How had he suddenly become so wealthy? I remembered just a year ago, he was working on a construction site and even borrowed money from me, which I had to ask for twice before he finally repaid, almost ruining our friendship.

How could he have transformed so completely in just one year? Truly, appearances can be deceiving!

Someone asked Aaron, "Boss Aaron, what big business are you in now? Shouldn’t you help out your old classmates instead of keeping it all to yourself?"

Aaron smiled and said, "I’ve got a little venture going. I’ll tell you all about it sometime later."

As the drinks flowed, another classmate tried to pry into Aaron’s story, hoping to learn how he made his fortune. But Aaron was evasive. "It’s nothing special. I started a company in Pu’er, Yunnan. Got lucky and made some money. Let’s not talk about work now—come on, let’s drink."

Everyone sensed he didn’t want to discuss his business, so they didn’t push further. After the wedding games ended, Aaron, drunk, suddenly grabbed me and asked me to take him home.

On the way, he asked what I was doing recently. I told him my startup had failed, and I was looking for work to pay off debts.

He laughed, "Dong, if you still consider me a brother, come work with me. As long as you put in the effort, earning thirty to fifty thousand a month is no problem."

Thirty to fifty thousand a month? My heart raced. I pressed him for details, wanting to know if the job was something I could handle.

Aaron patted my shoulder. "Don’t worry. You’re a college graduate, smart, you’ll do fine. The job’s simple: just act as a customer service rep on the phone, operate some games."

Hearing that, I immediately agreed. At home, thinking about my debts, I became even more determined to join Aaron’s company. After all, jobs that paid thirty to fifty thousand a month weren’t easy to come by. If I went the usual route, I’d never pay off what I owed. Speedy debt repayment was my top priority.

The next day at noon, I went to Aaron’s house to talk about the job, since some things said while drunk can’t be trusted. When I got there, I learned his company had run into some trouble, and he’d rushed back to Pu’er early that morning. I messaged him, asking if he really wanted me to work with him.

He replied quickly, "Of course, brother! You know how close we are—we grew up together. I don’t want to bother with the others, their education is too low. But you’re a college graduate, just the kind of talent the company needs."

"Whenever you’re ready, just come over and work with me. If you really put in the effort and get lucky, making a million or two by year’s end is totally doable."

A million in a year—enough to pay off debts and still have plenty left for a house, a car, to become a winner in life. The more I thought about it, the more excited I became. I packed my bags as soon as I got home.

Once Aaron knew I was ready to set out, he asked for my ID number to book my ticket, and sent me two thousand yuan for travel expenses.

All the way, my mind was consumed with thoughts of earning a million in a year, planning how much to spend on a house, how much on a car.

I flew to Changshui Airport in Yunnan, then transferred directly to Pu’er. After landing, Aaron told me he had things to take care of and someone else would pick me up. All I had to do was follow their instructions.

Soon, a stranger called me, found me, and led me out of the airport. As we drove, the road became more and more remote, clearly heading into the mountains. I was confused and a bit nervous, so I asked the driver where we were going.

He chuckled and told me not to worry, the place was a bit out of the way and it would take a few more hours.

Since Aaron had arranged everything, I figured there was nothing to worry about and didn’t think much of it.

After three or four hours of bumping along, we stopped in front of a three-story hotel—it was already six in the evening. The driver took me up to a room on the third floor and told me, "It’s still early, you can eat something and get some sleep. When the time comes, I’ll call you and someone will pick you up."

After he left, I lay on the bed, thinking over everything that had happened. Something didn’t feel right. The scenery had grown increasingly desolate, and now I was in a remote little town. I couldn’t figure out where Aaron’s company was. He wasn’t answering my messages.

I played on my phone for a while, then drifted off. When I was woken by the ringing phone, it was already three in the morning.

It was the driver from earlier, telling me that the person picking me up was downstairs and I should hurry and bring my things.

As I went downstairs, my confusion deepened. Why start out in the middle of the night? Where could we possibly be going at this hour?

Despite my unease, thoughts of earning a million drove all my worries away.

When I arrived downstairs and saw the person who had come for me, I was completely stunned.