The NPCs are getting better at killing people invisibly.
A chill ran down Zhou Qi’an’s neck, and he instinctively recoiled. While wary of his vampire boss, he had already used the lucky item, and the team leader position offered some benefits, so giving it up was out of the question. If the boss got promoted to team leader, there would be too many variables. For him, clearing the instance was paramount.
NPC sacrifice for boundless magic.
Unexpectedly, no bloody scene occurred.
“So, it’s allocated by class, then uses an elimination system to prevent capable individuals from doing too much work.” The boss mused, almost clapping his hands in admiration. “What an excellent management method.”
Zhou Qi’an almost lost his footing, but luckily, Shen Zhiyi supported him from behind.
The latter part of the sentence pleased the tattooed man, who growled with a thick neck, “Alright, everyone get to work immediately!”
The tattooed man left after speaking.
No player continued to introduce themselves; they all seized the time to understand their surroundings. The entire space was incredibly messy. Someone opened a cabinet, and a pile of single pages scattered everywhere. Almost identical agreements, with “Hao Hui Sha Corporation” stamped on the last page.
“So, their main business is insurance.” Someone picked up scattered documents from the table. “Listening to the name, I thought it was an assassin group.”
Zhou Qi’an picked up a document, and unlike others, he first looked at the compensation scope:
“Blindness in both eyes, hmm, so if you lose one eye, no compensation. Deafness in both ears, paralysis of both legs… it’s all based on pairs. Suicide, natural disasters, and other situations are not covered…”
In summary, this doesn’t compensate, and that doesn’t compensate.
The office fell silent.
Where did this genius interpreter come from?
Zhou Qi’an leaned against the office desk, his legs appearing even longer. He squinted as he finished reading the Hao Hui Sha Corporation’s information. Unlike the insurance system in the real world, the company they worked for was definitely a black-hearted one. The product introduction was only a single sheet of paper, three-quarters of which were disclaimers. It would be a miracle if they could attract any customers.
“This is a very rampant criminal group.”
The little girl with the hunting dog heard this and said, “Just looking at these documents isn’t enough to define it as a crime.”
Zhou Qi’an glanced at her, “Employing underage child labor.”
“…” Defined.
Among the players, the energetic old man smiled and said, “It seems this survival mission is clear: sell insurance to meet performance goals.”
Currently, the tenth floor had nothing much to research. Insurance definitely couldn’t be sold indoors, so they each took some new contracts and prepared to go out and see.
The old man was still the first to walk to the elevator, “I suggest we go to other floors first. Didn’t they say there were other team members? Let’s see how others work.”
With no stairs visible, the players had no choice but to cram into the elevator car.
Zhou Qi’an shook his head, “No emergency exits, fire safety isn’t up to par. This is also quite criminal.”
The old man looked at him deeply, “How about the ninth floor? It’s closer.”
Although it was a question, he had already pressed the button.
Zhou Qi’an saw through his intentions. The team leader identity represented a certain level of power, and the old man seemed very interested in this position. From his demeanor, it seemed he believed Zhou Qi’an wouldn’t live long and was already laying the groundwork for a pre-election campaign.
Without pointing it out, Zhou Qi’an deliberately avoided the boss and stood with Shen Zhiyi after almost causing an “insubordination” incident earlier.
After entering the elevator, Shen Zhiyi, who had not spoken, quietly reminded him, “Try not to get into conflict with anyone in the company, including verbal ones.”
The tattooed man had a strong aura of malice, which only comes from frequent killing. Normal NPCs in a regular instance wouldn’t have accumulated so much negative karma. As he spoke, he slipped something cold into Zhou Qi’an’s pocket.
Zhou Qi’an reached in and felt it; it was the pocket watch from the previous instance.
Shen Zhiyi said, “The game prompt says only those recognized by the King of Drama can use it.”
Just as Zhou Qi’an was about to say a few more words, the elevator door opened, and he closed his mouth.
The ninth and tenth floors had little difference in decor, with a primitive tribal style and a few office desks on concrete floors, but the employees were dressed more formally. When they saw someone coming, they immediately showed an exclusive expression.
A graceful woman walked over and said unhappily, “Who are you? New employees?”
The woman’s work badge had no name but stated her identity: Team Leader of Group Nine.
Almost all the players stepped back, letting Zhou Qi’an go forward. This was a conversation between team leaders; they weren’t worthy.
Zhou Qi’an’s mouth twitched, secretly thinking they were a bunch of old foxes. The next moment, he opened his mouth and said, “The leader instructed us to learn from our seniors on our first day.”
Throwing the leader out first, then stating his request, this tactic was always effective. The woman indeed said nothing more, only coldly stating, “As a salesperson, it’s all about observation and rhetoric.”
Then, she randomly pointed at a player, “I said to be observant, didn’t you see that the hygiene here is a bit dirty? The corner of the wall and table legs haven’t been wiped in a long time.”
The woman’s team members also said, “Team leader, the toilet is clogged. We have to go out for business later.”
The woman nodded and continued to order the players, “Perfect, you help clear the drain.”
What workplace bullying.
The pointed-at player said with a forced smile, “The leader told us to go to work immediately after learning…”
Before he could finish speaking, the woman walked in front of him, “You, a bottom-level temporary worker, dare to refuse me?”
She folded her arms. NPCs in instances always liked to make things difficult for players; everyone was already used to it.
The old man suddenly said to Zhou Qi’an in a hoarse voice, “Team leader, please mediate.”
As a team leader, he could decline or help change the subject.
Zhou Qi’an didn’t speak immediately. They were both team leaders, but he didn’t have a badge, so his authority was definitely different.
Shen Zhiyi had emphasized not to conflict with company personnel, and even if he hadn’t, Zhou Qi’an wouldn’t speak up for a stranger. It was a five-star instance, so it was better to be cautious.
Just as the pointed-at player was about to say something else, the woman’s smile vanished, and she raised her arm—
The player was directly dragged forward.
Their height and build were completely different, yet he couldn’t resist at all… no, his wildly kicking feet on the ground showed he couldn’t resist. A hero doesn’t suffer immediate losses, and the player immediately changed his tune, “I’ll go clean right now!”
As the words fell, the woman’s movements paused. The player had just breathed a sigh of relief when he was suddenly picked up, and his head slammed into the glass.
No one knew how much force the woman used, but the glass shattered on the spot, and the player’s head was covered in blood. The next moment, under the roaring wind from the high-rise, he was directly thrown out. Cold wind poured in. The high-altitude wind was already strong, and in an instant, the papers on the office desks were blown wildly.
This scene was beyond everyone’s expectations, even Zhou Qi’an didn’t react for a moment. By the time they regained their senses, the tragedy had already occurred. Zhou Qi’an guessed the player who bore the brunt was also scared silly. Because until his death, he didn’t even have time to scream “Ah.”
The atmosphere on the entire ninth floor instantly became incredibly stiff. The smell of blood from the shattered glass, mixed with the cold wind, was inhaled into their lungs, reminding them of a life lost.
Forcing himself to steady his mind, Zhou Qi’an said, “I’ll take someone down to check; don’t let it hit any passing leaders.”
The woman gave a chilling smile, not responding, just looking at him. Shen Zhiyi, with an extremely low sense of presence, stood at the very back, having already pressed the elevator door open.
Zhou Qi’an turned and left.
Until the elevator door closed, the woman was still standing there, and everyone in Group Nine was staring intently at them. The somewhat old elevator reacted very slowly, and the descent was long. No one spoke throughout the entire process. After descending to the first floor, about ten meters away was the company entrance, outside of which lay a dismembered body.
As they descended, an invisible force seemed to accelerate their speed. The upper half of the body was almost a pile of flesh, but the head was relatively intact, and the person died with wide-open eyes.
Finally, Zhou Qi’an broke the silence, “Selling insurance is just a basic survival mission; we also need to guard against other unknown causes of death.”
Human life was the best touchstone in the instance. At least now they knew one more piece of information: one cannot disobey the instructions of old employees. However, Zhou Qi’an felt that this point still needed improvement.
Everyone was originally going to the body, but as they passed the propaganda board, they stopped in unison. The white propaganda board recorded the performance of each team.
Group One: 500 orders per day.
Group Two: 490 orders per day.
…
Group Nine: 300 orders per day.
Group Ten: 277 orders.
White background, red characters. Under the contrast, each line of data seemed to glow with blood. Looking at the date, the statistics were from yesterday’s performance.
The middle-aged woman’s voice deepened, “Only twenty-some orders behind, and all members of Group Ten disappeared, then we came and became the new Group Ten.” The office had been messy earlier, and someone’s thermos was still on the desk, clearly not a normal resignation.
“Performance dictates life and death.”
Just as she finished speaking, the system prompt appeared:
[Side mission one activated.]
[Side Mission: Elite Sales Champion. Strive for the best performance; you are the stars of tomorrow.]
[Mission Reward: “Elite Sales Manual” * 1.]
Worried about encountering old employees, and with the side mission now issued, everyone did not stay long in the lobby. The weather outside was gloomy. Judging by the plant growth, it was undoubtedly summer, but the temperature was unusually low. The chill seemed to rise from underground; the company felt like it was built on top of some underworld.
The air was filled with a mix of blood. The previous player’s body was within reach, with one eyeball having fallen nearby.
The old man sighed, “The danger in this instance might come from people, not ghosts, or there might not even be ghosts.” His suspicion was not unfounded; after all, the woman’s killing methods just now could rival those of a ghost.
The boss loosened his tie and said, “Bullshit.” Afraid of getting his expensive trousers dirty with the body, he moved a bit to the side in disgust.
The old man’s face twitched, “I wonder what insights this young friend has?”
“Insights are not really the word, just eyes.” The boss’s eyes showed contempt, “Employee handbook, article forty-eight, states that leaving the employee dormitory after midnight is prohibited, otherwise the consequences are at your own risk.” Such a rule is usually to guard against ghosts.
The old man chuckled, “Such a joke, don’t…”
The boss threw over a corporate culture brochure.
The old man took it and opened it, and the people around him also glanced at it, suddenly pausing: it was really there.
They naturally thought he was making it up when the boss first mentioned Article 48, but they never expected it to be true.
What an amazing memory, and usually, people only focus on insurance contracts, not corporate culture. Wait, on second thought, wasn’t that when people were dying, and he was busy reading the employee handbook?
The place was full of eerie energy. The hunting dog bristled several times. The little girl, impatient, said, “Whether there are ghosts or not, we’ll know when we encounter them. Let’s complete the side mission first.”
“Everyone spread out. We can’t have ten people cornering one customer to sell to,” the middle-aged woman said. “Call if you find anything.”
This instance had provided them with mobile phones.
Zhou Qi’an narrowed his eyes, then smiled and was the first to respond, “Okay, let’s create a group chat first. Calling can sometimes be inconvenient.”
After speaking, he actively created a group chat with the name: [One Less].
Shen Zhiyi saw this familiar group name and his lips curled. The others were somewhat speechless at the name but didn’t bother with such a small matter.
Everyone scattered quickly. Almost at the same time, a unified slogan suddenly came from upstairs:
“Telemarketing, field sales, create new achievements, sustainable operations!” It seemed there was a leading figure, shouting with a hoarse voice, “Repeat after me, if you don’t do well, see you on the rooftop—”
“If you don’t do well, see you on the rooftop!!” The sound was deafening, and the dark clouds in the sky seemed to scatter a little.
The boss’s eyes flickered; he seemed to really like the work atmosphere here. Taking advantage of his momentary fascination, Zhou Qi’an gave Shen Zhiyi a look: Run.
Shen Zhiyi was about to say he could handle it, but the next second his wrist was suddenly grabbed. The boss looked up at the rooftop, while Zhou Qi’an led Shen Zhiyi to a more secluded spot in the parking lot.
“…” They were holding hands, so let’s run. Cooperating, they reached the boss’s blind spot. Shen Zhiyi, wanting to appear more distinguished, rarely focused on the mission:
“Do you want to complete the performance first, or go check out the employee dormitory?”
Zhou Qi’an: “I want to drink coffee first.” In the real world, it’s already 996. Only a fool would continue to work in an instance.
The players went their separate ways. The middle-aged woman suddenly stopped halfway, and a man and a woman beside her also paused. She leaned against a lamppost, habitually playing with a string of beads. The woman’s skin was delicate, and the beads in her hand really seemed to come alive. The beads were clearly not ordinary, with a velvety texture and an unusual luster on their surface.
The man and woman looked at her: “President…”
“No need to rush, let’s wait for someone first.”
The man and woman looked puzzled. Shouldn’t they be rushing to do business right now? Otherwise, they might die horribly. Moreover, they were on a mission this time.
After finishing business, they still had to rush to do other things… a deal with the Whalers’ Association. When the middle-aged woman didn’t speak, the other two, even if anxious, could only wait quietly.
After a moment, the middle-aged woman sneered, “Think about what that tattooed man said. Who gets unlucky if performance isn’t met?”
Wouldn’t it be them? The other two’s eyes darted around, and they suddenly realized something. The tattooed man had consistently emphasized “group” units and hadn’t mentioned individual sales performance evaluations. If the goal wasn’t met, the team leader would inevitably take the blame.
The younger girl thought for a moment, “But on that sales performance board…”
The middle-aged woman directly interrupted, “The previous team members’ incident wasn’t entirely due to performance.” No matter how rampant the old employees were, they couldn’t have carried out that level of massacre in a single day. She was just deliberately leading everyone’s thoughts in that direction.
The younger girl asked, “So if our performance is zero, will we be the first to suffer?”
The middle-aged woman looked back. In the distance, the old man and a few players were approaching. She knew the person she was waiting for had arrived and calmly said, “As long as most people stay at a certain level, like only getting two or three orders.”
The final responsibility would still fall on the team leader.
The man and woman players smiled upon hearing this, “This way we can easily deal with Zhou Qi’an, and our deal with the Whalers’ Association will also…” The middle-aged woman waved her hand, signaling them to stop talking, as other players were already approaching.
Except for Zhou Qi’an and his two companions, the other seven reunited. Upon meeting, the old man opened his mouth with a kind expression, “It seems everyone has thought of the same thing.”
Clearly, they all wanted to push Zhou Qi’an forward. Their starting points were different, but they led to the same conclusion. For other players, selling insurance also carried risks.
Since players were powerless against company employees, perhaps they were also powerless against ordinary people in this world. Were their customers human or ghost? What was their strength? All were unknowns. To survive, the team leader would inevitably try desperately to get business, and they only needed to observe to summarize experience.
Gathering together was too conspicuous, so after discussing, the group split up again. The old man temporarily accompanied the middle-aged woman and others, preparing to first inquire about matters related to the Hao Hui Sha Corporation.
The company’s location was relatively remote; they needed to walk a long distance to reach a bustling commercial area. Along the way, the old man and the middle-aged woman chatted pleasantly.
The old man suddenly frowned, “Am I seeing things?” He stretched out his arm and pointed to a spot.
The others followed his gaze. Through a huge floor-to-ceiling window, they could see a young man drinking coffee and reading a magazine, occasionally looking up and chatting with the man opposite him.
Most of the food on the table had been consumed, indicating that the two had been sitting there for some time.
Exchanging glances, they walked in. In the restaurant, Zhou Qi’an heard footsteps, looked up, and wiped his mouth with a napkin on the table, “Are you all here for Western food too?”
You’re here for your own funeral, more like.
The middle-aged woman smiled, as if understanding something, “Are you trying to buy insurance for yourself to boost performance?” At her level, she naturally knew about the [Blood-Stained ghost money].
Zhou Qi’an had a “Are you crazy?” expression, using his own money for the company. The middle-aged woman: “Then you…”
Zhou Qi’an: “It’s still unknown whether failing to meet performance goals will lead to death, so we have to try.”
The middle-aged woman smiled, “What if you try wrong?”
Zhou Qi’an continued to cut the remaining steak, red juice oozing from the texture, “Anyway, I have a substitute item. When the time comes, I’ll preemptively perform seppuku to apologize for my zero performance.”
Everyone’s eyes widened. What kind of beastly behavior is this?
Zhou Qi’an sincerely asked, “Do you want to preemptively act together?”
The middle-aged woman stared intently at him, trying to see a hint of a joke on his face, but instead of a joke, she saw half a opera ticket sticking out of his pocket.
Zhou Qi’an held up his steak knife, smiling, “I like to do things in one clean cut.”
“…Excuse me, my violin solo has arrived.”
Everyone moved aside, and indeed, a violinist in a formal suit walked over. Before long, elegant and soothing music filled the air. Zhou Qi’an half-closed his eyes in enjoyment, occasionally humming along, and, under the pretext of not blocking the light, asked the restaurant manager to politely escort the others out.
As they were asked to leave the restaurant, everyone still felt a sense of unreality. The younger girl’s face was pale as she said, “The tattooed man might demand the same seppuku standard from others.”
“It’s not ‘might’.” It’s definite. If the team leader is so sincere, how can a bunch of members with dismal performance not cut themselves? At this moment, their expressions no longer held the same ease as before.
The young girl said in a low voice, “He said that on purpose. I suspect he doesn’t have a substitute item at all.”
The old man asked hoarsely, “Do you dare to gamble?” Everyone fell silent.
Western Restaurant.
The first batch of workers had already departed. After a song, Zhou Qi’an looked at Shen Zhiyi opposite him and asked, “Do you remember what time the company closes?”
The operating hours were on the door, and Shen Zhiyi, whose memory and knowledge inversely correlated, precisely stated:
“8:30 PM.”
It was currently four o’clock. Zhou Qi’an thought for a moment, “At 7:30, I’ll send messages to the remaining few, telling them I’m going for a ‘one-cut’ and that some players are already furiously trying to meet their performance goals.”
One was going to commit seppuku, and a few others were far ahead in performance. The ones at the bottom, to avoid becoming the tattooed man’s target, would certainly scramble to sell insurance.
Shen Zhiyi raised an eyebrow, “Only an hour in advance?”
This would be disadvantageous for the opponent’s overall team leader performance.
Zhou Qi’an clicked his tongue, “Human potential is limitless.” This is called the extreme exploitation principle. The more it’s applied, the more unexpected results can be achieved.
“…Essentially, it’s an alternative to the last-place elimination system. First, internal division occurs. The people behind will view those secretly over-performing as ‘scabs,’ but to avoid being eliminated, they’ll have to put in double the effort. Time is limited, and to catch up on performance, hard selling won’t work; they’ll have to innovate. We can then summarize the most perfect sales plan from their hard work.”
Zhou Qi’an’s face held a gentle smile, “You see, such a simple principle, and that dog boss still has to specifically come to an instance to learn it?”
Shen Zhiyi quietly took a sip of coffee. It had no sugar, but it wasn’t bitter; it even tasted a little sweet. His shadow betrayed his true feelings, secretly writing three words on the ground in response to Zhou Qi’an’s actions: He’s so sweet.
__
Author’s Note:
Zhou Qi’an (drinking coffee): If one isn’t a workhorse, who would work?
Shen Zhiyi (seriously): Qi’an, you could come to our school to teach an “Employment Guidance Training” course.
“…” Isn’t that still work?!
What an icon