MS Chapter 77

“I don’t care, you’re coming with me even if you’re a man,” the billionaire said, his neck stiff with stubbornness.

Lu Qingjia: “…”

He finished tying his tie, squatted down, and untied the ropes binding the billionaire. After glancing at him, he couldn’t help but marvel, “There are plenty of people with holes in their heads, but ones like you with such a peculiar location are rare.”

With that, he kicked the billionaire to get him to change into party attire. “Start preparing, the guests will be arriving soon.”

“Do I care if they arrive or not? I’ve suffered a ton of damage, endured pain beyond my years, and now you want me to put on a happy face and entertain guests? Who do they think they are? Are they even worthy?”

“I’m telling you, if we don’t clear this up today, no one’s leaving. I’ve got plenty of time to waste.”

Lu Qingjia nodded, “Understood. But after all, guests are guests, and it’s not proper to leave so many people hanging.”

“Let me go out and explain the situation to everyone, inform them that the billionaire has been daydreaming about a man and is now deep in a self-imposed shadow of depression. I’m sure they’ll understand.”

Upon hearing this, the billionaire shuddered, “What are you doing? Trying to make me lose face? I’ll have you know I wasn’t raised to be scared—Hey! What door are you opening? Don’t go out—”

He quickly grabbed Lu Qingjia, conceding, “I get it, you’re tough, you’re amazing, okay? I’ll change and go out to entertain the guests.”

He looked utterly miserable, as if a purebred courtesan was being forced into service for the first time.

As he changed, the billionaire couldn’t help but sneak glances at Lu Qingjia.

He had never been interested in men before. He was narcissistic, with superior external conditions and innate intelligence and talent.

Simply put, those around him who were wealthier weren’t as young and handsome, and those more handsome weren’t as wealthy. He had always been undefeated in the field of romance, openly and clearly a scoundrel, with plenty of girls queuing up to play with him.

This time, he had derailed, and it was a bloodbath of high expectations. The billionaire felt as if he had been struck by a heavy blow.

He was both unwilling and suffocated, unable to vent his frustrations. The most shameful part was that the attraction and interest he felt earlier hadn’t diminished even after realizing the other party was a man.

If he had spoken out of anger before, as time passed, a strange thought inexplicably arose in his heart.

Maybe, give it a try?

So, did he have this preference all along? He hadn’t noticed in the first twenty years of his life. The billionaire found it hard to digest this hidden aspect of himself, as it was too stimulating.

But the other party was indeed really good-looking. The billionaire had never appreciated a man with such an eye before.

From this perspective, the other party was truly a radiant and exceptional person, with unparalleled beauty, a graceful demeanor, a clever and cunning approach to things, and mysterious and sophisticated tactics.

Judging by the other party’s temperament, he must also come from a distinguished background, having grown up bathed in praise and envy, and must be very popular with women, as evidenced by the attitude of the female players earlier.

This was undoubtedly a very outstanding man. If it were in the real world, the billionaire might consider him a competitor.

But at this moment, the competitive spirit couldn’t surface, and instead, inexplicable thoughts began to stir.

Despite the turmoil in his heart, his hands moved quickly as he changed. The stylist had prepared a vampire progenitor outfit for him.

A lavish and exquisite costume with a long cape, a black eye mask, and slightly pointed canine teeth—of course, with the abilities of a player, there was no need for fake teeth; it was obvious the other party had transformed them himself.

Lu Qingjia asked, “Do you have a vampire or zombie lineage?”

The billionaire rolled his eyes and said haughtily, “Don’t think you’re the only one who’s been an exchange student. I’m also a top player, and my current predicament is only temporary. I have a way out.”

Lu Qingjia nodded, “I believe that. Although the rules set by a certain existence here are sinister and cunning, it also shows a lack of confidence in controlling the overall situation and a lack of strategic vision.”

“After your initial mission failure, you immediately took advantage of the gaps in the instance world to establish your superior status over the trapped players. I don’t think it’s just for the vanity of enjoying a world of less than ten thousand people.”

The billionaire was surprised by the high praise from the other party, feeling flattered and his face turning red.

He couldn’t help but smile, trying to suppress a silly grin: “So, you think so highly of me?”

But then he heard Lu Qingjia add, “Unfortunately, I will definitely be the first to break through the instance.”

“Hoho? That’s not certain,” the billionaire’s competitive spirit flared up, and he felt somewhat excited.

By the time they left the room, he had already forgotten the previous awkwardness and displeasure, now focused on how to showcase his abilities and earn the other party’s admiration and submission.

Lu Qingjia shrugged, he liked such a seemingly shrewd fool.

When the two left the room, the bodyguards outside were indeed dumbfounded, not understanding why a woman went in and a man came out.

Could the billionaire have that kind of preference?

But despite their curiosity, they didn’t dare to ask and followed the billionaire to the banquet hall.

The guests hadn’t arrived yet, and Lu Qingjia, having participated in the earlier arrangements, had already memorized the layout of the first-floor hall, garden, and some rooms.

He said to the billionaire, “You modify according to my instructions. Although my abilities can achieve it, obviously the effect is better when combined with your abilities.”

The billionaire snorted, “It’s good that you know my abilities are superior to yours. If it weren’t for your underhanded tactics, it’s uncertain who would be at whose mercy now.”

“Yes, yes, the forthright person who put poison in the wine,” Lu Qingjia said.

He then had the bodyguards temporarily clear out the staff who had finished their work.

Lu Qingjia asked, “Can these people who have become NPCs handle the work of bodyguards?”

“Of course not!” the billionaire said candidly, “It’s just to create an atmosphere and show my style.”

Lu Qingjia: “…”

The billionaire: “But they’re not completely useless. Their memories, abilities, points, and items are gone, but the physical enhancements from their points remain. Some who were good at combat in real life or consciously improved in this area still retain their combat memory.”

“Although they might struggle against players who still have their abilities, they’re not entirely useless. In scenarios involving sheer numbers, they can be quite effective.”

Lu Qingjia was intrigued, as several of his previous guesses collapsed into one conclusion.

He asked the billionaire, “What about spiritual power? Do NPCs retain their spiritual power?”

The billionaire looked at him, his expression gradually becoming serious, realizing a key issue he had overlooked.

He quickly summoned a waiter over. The waiter seemed to have average physical abilities and wasn’t particularly agile.

Thus, to appear in the intermediate level game, it must be due to abilities or items.

But to adapt to the gradually increasing difficulty of instances, one must have a certain level of spiritual power to activate these abilities or items, making this a representative case.

A book appeared in the billionaire’s hand, its cover featuring a Q-version ghost, looking both eerie and cute.

He casually tore out a page and threw it aside.

The moment the paper left the notebook, it transformed into a resentful ghost with a strong presence, noticeable to any player.

The billionaire asked the summoned waiter, “How many people are here?”

The waiter was puzzled by the question but cautiously replied, “Including me, three?”

The billionaire said, “Really? Count carefully?”

The waiter was even more confused but looked around the hall again and gave the same answer.

The billionaire waved her off and beckoned with his hand. The ghost flattened and thinned, becoming a piece of paper again and flying back into his hand, where he reattached it to the notebook.

“It seems spiritual power is gone too.”

Because both of them were clear that the waiter’s gaze never fell on the ghost, and when looking in its direction, her gaze passed through it to the wall behind.

A person’s reaction might be faked, but the focus of their pupils couldn’t deceive. Both Lu Qingjia and the billionaire, being top players in the intermediate level, could easily discern this.

“This is interesting,” the billionaire said softly.

In fact, if a player’s assets were to be prioritized, abilities, items, and points would be secondary, even though most people rely on them.

Only continuously growing physical and spiritual power are the sources that maintain levels and drive everything.

Abilities can be replaced, items can be rebought or rediscovered, points can be re-earned, but once spiritual power is lost, one would instantly drop from their previous level.

The same ability could produce vastly different effects depending on the strength of the spiritual power.

Seeing the billionaire’s reaction, Lu Qingjia chuckled, “It’s a wonder you’ve managed to operate for so long without noticing this.”

The billionaire: “…”

Then, the two didn’t delve deeper into the issue but continued to set up as per Lu Qingjia’s request.

Their abilities were powerful and convenient, and both had purchased items in Infinite City, making everything straightforward.

Half an hour later, players from Lu Qingjia’s team brought several busloads of players from the station.

Of course, not everyone was convinced, but the explanations were enough to persuade most, as being stuck in a station loop without even crossing the task threshold was a significant blow.

Upon arrival, Lu Qingjia didn’t waste words and delegated tasks after a brief.

By the time the banquet started, the invited guests arrived as scheduled.

They were all operators of various factories, workshops, or companies in the city. If not for the accident, the wax museum owner’s family should have been here as well, enjoying the fruits of their labor.

Apart from the billionaire’s banquet, those players trapped at their workplaces didn’t have the chance to leave, so except for a few hindered by other matters or with different ideas, almost everyone was present.

It was also a chance to breathe fresh air periodically.

Everyone was dressed according to the party’s theme, with all kinds of horror costumes from ancient to modern times, both Chinese and Western.

Honestly, the scene was more realistic than any high-end masquerade party in the real world, as no matter how good the costumes, props, and special effects makeup were, they couldn’t match the postures presented by players’ abilities and items.

Lu Qingjia put on a mask and acted as the billionaire’s assistant, moving together with him.

It was evident that the billionaire was quite popular here—at least the abilities he held were in demand.

From the start of the banquet speech, people continuously approached him, trying to cozy up, with women in the majority.

However, soon everyone noticed that today’s billionaire seemed uninterested in the attentions of women.

Under normal circumstances, the billionaire would not refuse the advances of beautiful women and enjoyed having them around, but today he seemed listless.

Some inquired with the people in the mansion and found out that a beautiful woman had visited the billionaire before the banquet started.

Having just finished a big meal, he probably wasn’t in the mood.

Some stranded female players who had dressed up with purpose could only regret their late actions, also hindered by the situation, otherwise they would have arrived earlier.

Just as they were about to give up this time’s goal and prepare for the next, they saw the billionaire walk towards the stage.

He held a glass of champagne, and without any prompt, the venue quieted down, awaiting his speech.

Unexpectedly, he said, “Today, apart from the routine harvest celebration, we’ve added a new game.”

Cheers of anticipation erupted from below; the billionaire was known for his extravagance and innovative ideas, and his suggestions were usually spot on.

Then, the billionaire stepped aside, and the assistant who had been with him since the banquet’s start came forward.

He addressed the crowd, “I believe everyone is tired of the monotonous dances and entertainments that lack novelty.”

“Being stranded in this world isn’t by your choice, but the billionaire also hopes that even in dire straits, you won’t forget your original intentions.”

“As players, you’ve turned into hunters for a long time, with remarkable achievements, successfully contributing to the growth of this world.”

“But the billionaire is also concerned that with the convenience and advantages provided by the rules, whether your abilities might degrade? Whether you can still adapt to the harsh environment as prey after leaving, and whether you still possess survival advantages?”

The more he spoke, the more people felt something was amiss, and just as panic began to spread, he grinned—

“So for the sake of your career longevity and long-term development, the billionaire has specially prepared an after-dinner entertainment today.”

“We’ve named it ‘Space Escape,’ please enjoy it to the fullest—oh, and a friendly reminder. Your formal attire might be inconvenient, so I suggest changing into more active wear within thirty seconds.”

As soon as he finished, someone yelled, “What the hell are you talking about?”

They turned to the billionaire for help, “Sir, this is a prank for this time, right?”

The billionaire shrugged helplessly. Although he was also a stranded player, he had no empathy for this group.

Most of those who stayed had betrayed their teammates in life-and-death situations or were lucky enough to turn the tables after being betrayed. The billionaire belonged to the latter, but regardless, there was no possibility of trust or unity among the people here.

With a feigned tone of helplessness, he said, “Indeed, one flourishes in adversity and perishes in comfort. You’ve only been stationed here for three years at most, yet you’ve completely forgotten your skills and vigilance from past instances.”

“This suggestion is indeed the right one.”

As soon as he spoke, those quick to react were already thinking of escaping through the doors.

However, the entire manor was already surrounded by a tight net, and the hall began to divide, seemingly extending into a vast space.

People who were once close now appeared far away, with walls, floors, and ceilings becoming disoriented and chaotic.

Black sludge spread everywhere, and once caught, one would disappear, transported into Lu Qingjia’s sludge space.

Inside the sludge space awaited various escape scenes filled with traps and players freshly brought from the station, full of fighting spirit and survival instincts.

Those with convenient abilities, like teleportation, tried to escape the hall when things went wrong but collided with bubbles enveloping the mansion.

One or two with abilities similar to Lu Qingjia’s Anywhere Door, capable of directly teleporting back to their territory, were intercepted by Lu Qingjia with a scalpel at one’s neck, while the other managed to escape due to cunning.

But this was the only one who escaped, yet it had no impact on the overall situation.

The hunting space constructed by the combined abilities of Lu Qingjia and the billionaire allowed them to clearly know the current state inside.

Demons danced wildly, blood was shed, and wails filled the air—a scene of hell on earth.

Lu Qingjia said, “If my prediction is correct, then even now, no player or stranded player in this world will truly die.”

“After all, some things can only produce a continuous supply if they’re alive.”

The billionaire said, “But we can only trap stranded players. By tomorrow morning, the players you brought from the station will automatically appear in the surrounding hotels, losing their memories because their save points have passed today.”

“It’s not a big issue, just keep the stranded players here.”

He added, “Since you’re the billionaire, you should know the locations of all the employment agencies in this world, right?”

The billionaire raised an eyebrow, “I do, but this favor is a bit big. Are you sure our meager level of trust is enough to convince me to help you?”

Lu Qingjia looked at him in confusion, “Where is there trust between us? Isn’t it because you’re not strong enough and have fallen into my hands, now bound by countless restrictions I’ve placed in you?”

“Given a little face, you forget your position, don’t you?”

The billionaire’s face immediately darkened, but Lu Qingjia pushed him, “Hurry up, take me to the employment agency here.”

“What if I’d rather die than submit?” the billionaire said stiffly.

Lu Qingjia smiled, “I like playing with tough bones.”

For some reason, the billionaire’s face turned red at this remark.

Then he heard Lu Qingjia say, “I’ve observed that although you have many good abilities, you lack spiritual abilities.”

“In this regard, I have an absolute advantage. Want to make a bet? No matter how strong your will is, I can extract everything from you through skill and ability.”

“From your first bed-wetting incident to your elementary school essays and the foolish things you did during your rebellious phase, nothing will be left out. Then it won’t just be a matter of losing face.”

“Have you heard of social death?”

Upon hearing this, the billionaire’s hair stood on end, and his back turned cold. He looked at Lu Qingjia as if he were a beast, “You, you’re not human.”

“Thank you for the compliment. This is just the mildest method. After all, we are in opposition. Although I always believe in peaceful coexistence and wouldn’t exterminate players from other factions unless necessary.”

“But sometimes, for the sake of efficiency, it’s okay to set aside moral bottom lines.”

Lu Qingjia leaned in and whispered, “What do you think I, who successfully delivered the goods, would do to players not of my faction?”

The billionaire swallowed hard, his face a picture of martyrdom.

But he said, “Hmph, if it weren’t for your slight ability, I wouldn’t agree to help you.”

With that, he opened a spatial passage and said to Lu Qingjia, “What are you waiting for? Do I need to invite you?”

This attempt to save face—

Lu Qingjia smiled and followed.

“This instance world isn’t too big. Although the space isn’t small, it’s far from forming a real society.”

“There are six employment agencies, distributed in the six surrounding cities. If taking a train, the departure point is unified at this city’s station.”

“The structure is relatively simple, but the positions introduced by the employment agencies eventually lead back to this city, so those factory owners and small company workshops are also here.”

“You want to start from the employment agencies to uncover the secrets behind the instance? I’ve tried, but couldn’t find any clues.”

But as soon as he finished speaking, he saw Lu Qingjia pull out a shoulder-mounted rocket launcher from his space and fire a shot at the floor where the employment agency building was located.

With a loud explosion, the building body was blown open, and the floors above collapsed due to the immense power of the projectile.

Lu Qingjia put away the launcher and nodded in satisfaction, “Let’s go!”

The billionaire was completely dumbfounded. Based on his impressions from dealing with Lu Qingjia so far, this guy was meticulous and ruthless, but he didn’t seem like the reckless type.

Could it be that he was too young?

In a daze, he guided Lu Qingjia through all the job placement agencies, all of which were destined to be blown to smithereens.

When they made their final move, a warning from the system echoed in their minds.

But Lu Qingjia was also reckless, showing no restraint at all. Instead, he pretended to pull back, only to lift the cannon again the next second.

The billionaire could sense the atmosphere of the system being infuriated.

Just then, Lu Qingjia provocatively said, “Ah, sorry, I slipped.”

“What should I do? I went against the system’s warning. What kind of punishment will I face?”

After a long pause, he said with a half-smile, “So the system’s warning is just a warning? It really is a minor authority, not as good as the game itself.”

After finishing everything, Lu Qingjia exchanged some points and bought a few things through the billionaire’s channels. As the time approached midnight, he casually found a room in the billionaire’s mansion to rest.

Before leaving, he said, “When I wake up tomorrow morning, you need to report to me what happened after I entered here.”

“Of course, you can choose to hide things from me and hinder my game progress, but if I piece together my memories—”

“I got it, I got it. You’ve got a knife to my throat; how could I not be honest? Go get your sleep.”

The billionaire felt both frustrated and exhilarated today. Although Lu Qingjia acted domineeringly, in the past, any man who dared to show off in front of him would definitely earn his resentment.

But now, thinking back, why did he feel so relaxed and think that guy was so handsome?

It must be because he had been cooped up for too long, feeling stifled.

Today’s events also made the billionaire see a possibility: the collaboration between lingering players and cleared players.

Lingering players wouldn’t lose their memories due to save files, while cleared players were not restricted in their actions. The two sides perfectly complemented the game’s most critical rule traps.

It was just that he had never found someone trustworthy before, but this time he vaguely felt that Lu Qingjia might be reliable.

Because of his intelligence, strength, and rich background, he surely wouldn’t fall for such petty traps for small gains.

As the billionaire was about to fall asleep, he suddenly realized a brilliant point—

Wait, if that guy loses his memory of today, although for various reasons he wouldn’t hide the truth, he could still embellish some unimportant details, right?

Thinking of this, the billionaire felt excited, breaking into a silly grin on his bed. By the time he came to his senses, it was almost dawn.

He decided not to sleep and got up directly, carefully considering his words, then timed it to run over to Lu Qingjia at seven-thirty.

At that moment, Lu Qingjia was just opening his eyes.

The billionaire immediately put on a surprised expression: “Darling, you’re awake!”

Lu Qingjia looked a bit dazed and raised an eyebrow: “Who are you?”

“I’m your love at first sight from yesterday.”

Lu Qingjia nodded, looking rather pained: “Is this instance so difficult that I need to cheat?”

The billionaire: “…Huh?”

Author’s Note:

Green Bro: Don’t stop me, don’t you dare stop me.

Some Fish: Green Bro, just let it go, let it go!