Prev | Table of Contents | Next
Chapter 60: He didn’t look seductive, but every inch of him was enticing.
An Wujiu stared blankly.
“Anticipation for what?”
Perhaps it was Shen Ti’s too-long and complicated adjective, or maybe his thoughts were tangled for a moment, making him feel that he had misunderstood.
“Good question.” Shen Ti chuckled and stretched lazily.
“Let me figure it out on my own before I tell you.”
The system began the settlement, so An Wujiu couldn’t continue to inquire.
In the end, he still didn’t understand.
“Congratulations to all of you for successfully clearing the level and becoming survivors of the ‘Abandoned Baby Shelter.'”
“The reward pool for this round has a total of 90,000 points. All players except Josh will share these ninety thousand, each receiving 15,000 points.”
“Josh, your identity is exposed. There is no reward for this round, but you have successfully escaped the shelter. The resurrection task is complete, and you can return to the player status at the Holy Altar, qualifying for the next round of the game.”
Josh breathed a sigh of relief, his brown eyes glancing at An Wujiu.
“Thank you.”
An Wujiu smiled at him without saying anything.
Everyone’s points had already been credited. An Wujiu’s current total points were 70,750.
He didn’t know if this amount of money would be enough for his mother’s treatment.
Thinking about it, An Wujiu fell into distress again because he had no idea where his mother was now.
“After returning to the real world, you will have 24 hours of free time.”
Nan Shan lazily spoke with both hands on the cage. “Is it always 24 hours every time?”
The system replied, “Not necessarily. Sometimes it may be shorter, sometimes longer.”
No regularity?
“Please follow the rules of the Holy Altar and return to the game pod on time. Otherwise, we will [eliminate] survivors directly.”
“Remember, survival is temporary; only death is eternal.”
After this statement, their surroundings turned glaringly white, abruptly turning into complete darkness. An Wujiu’s body plummeted once again, crashing heavily to the ground.
Opening his eyes, his blurry vision gradually cleared. The glass cover separated the outside world, and the high ceiling was pitch black, like the night sky.
Finally woke up from the game pod.
An Wujiu removed the breathing mask and disconnected the nutrient tube from his body. The glass pod door opened automatically.
“Until next time,” the game pod bid him a very mechanical farewell.
Supporting himself, An Wujiu came out. He was still wearing the black T-shirt, and as soon as he looked around, he saw Shen Ti.
“Long time no see,” Shen Ti waved at him.
They just saw each other a moment ago.
An Wujiu put one foot on the ground, feeling a bit weak from not moving his legs for a long time. He almost kneeled down, but a hand reached out, grabbing his forearm and lifting him up.
“You’re too soft.”
Being very close, An Wujiu could even feel the warmth of Shen Ti’s teasing breath.
Everything was normal before, even if Shen Ti got close. But for some reason, now it felt a bit off.
His heart was beating fast, very urgently.
An Wujiu broke free from his half-embrace, said a quick “thank you,” and then looked to the other side.
Zhong Yirou and Wu You also safely emerged, and An Wujiu’s half-suspended heart finally settled.
“You care about them so much?” Shen Ti’s implicit meaning was evident in his words.
Pretending not to have heard, An Wujiu watched as Zhong Yirou stretched her arms, relaxing het body like a cat.
“Finally out!” Zhong Yirou smiled brightly. “I feel like this time, it was all thanks to Wujiu leading the way.”
Wu You put his hands in his hoodie and muttered under his breath, “No need to feel; it’s true.”
“That’s because I often fainted; this setting made me seem delicate and weak…”
As they were talking, they heard the sacred sound of another game pod opening nearby.
Unexpectedly, it was Yang Erci.
Looking over, Yang Erci also glanced in their direction. Zhong Yirou took the initiative to wave, “Hello, beautiful sister, thank you for taking care of me.”
Yang Erci’s expression changed.
“No need.”
The group left together, and Wu You glanced back.
Shen Ti teased him, “Are you looking for your Taoist brother?”
Wu You retorted with irritation, “I’m looking for your dad.”
Yang Erci had a spacious and advanced spacecraft, making Wu You’s eyes gleam.
Zhong Yirou sighed, “With your conditions as a young lady, you shouldn’t have come to the Holy Altar to court death.”
“I have reasons why I must come.” Yang Erci didn’t elaborate, and they didn’t inquire.
Yang Er Ci invited them to leave together, and everyone didn’t refuse. Shen Ti and An Wujiu sat in the last row. Although the spacecraft was already quite spacious, their long legs still had no proper place, especially Shen Ti, whose feet were almost reaching between An Wujiu’s legs.
“Can’t fit? Should I go to the front?” An Wujiu suggested.
“No need.” Shen Ti quickly refused. “It’s fine; a little squeeze is warm.”
But isn’t it summer?
After the startup, the artificial intelligence on the spacecraft reported the day’s temperature and weather. The windshield also displayed a three-dimensional route map.
“Welcome back.”
Thinking of something, Shen Ti mimicked, “Hello, Xiao You.”
Wu You opened his mouth and said, “Hello, deserving of a beating.”
“Both of you really…” Zhong Yirou shook her head. “I don’t even know who the real child is.”
During the journey, Yang Er Ci appeared very silent, only exchanging a few words when Zhong Yirou mentioned An Wujiu’s purpose for entering the Holy Altar.
“You said you didn’t find your mother at St. Georgia Hospital?”
“Yeah. I remember she was there, but there was no information about her when I checked.”
Yang Er Ci’s eyes glanced at the rearview mirror.
“In general, it’s possible she was transferred. St. Georgia is not affordable for ordinary people, and there’s a shortage of beds. In these complex private hospitals, those with connections can directly get in and replace others’ positions. In your case, with no one at home to take care of, your mother’s spot has probably been taken.”
She seemed to be very familiar with these situations, An Wujiu thought. She admitted to being a researcher, likely not working in a hospital but possibly being the largest shareholder of St. Georgia—Mattor BioTech Corporation.
“Did you work at Matol before?” An Wujiu directly asked.
Yang Er Ci remained silent for a moment as the spacecraft drove to the end of the road.
“No,” she denied.
“I worked at Sha Wen. Matol is one of Sha Wen’s subsidiaries.”
So, Sha Wen was even more powerful than Matol.
It was the largest biotechnology company in the United States and even the world, with a massive business empire that almost monopolized global cutting-edge technology and scientific resources.
Shortly after, she added, “But now I’ve lost all my access to Sha Wen. In other words, I can’t get in at all; I’m completely blocked. If I were still inside, maybe I could use my privileges to help you find her, but it’s not guaranteed.”
“You get blocked after resigning?” Zhong Yirou clicked her tongue a few times. “The evils of capitalism.”
“It’s okay.” An Wujiu accepted it calmly. He knew this matter wouldn’t be so easy.
“Where’s your home?” Yang Er Ci asked.
She didn’t specify, so Zhong Yirou had to ask again, “Who are you talking about?”
This time, Yang Er Ci looked at her through the rearview mirror.
“You.”
“Me?” Zhong Yirou smiled. “No need to take me home. I’m going to pick up my custom-made cheongsam! It’s also in the downtown area, the city center. Can you give me a ride?”
“Sure,” Yang Er Ci agreed.
Wu You didn’t say anything out loud, but in his heart, he thought, do I not have a home?
Do the three of us have no homes?
Where are we even going?
But he didn’t manage to ask the last question.
They drove all the way to the city center. When they came out of the game factory, it was already evening. The enormous holographic advertising display in front of the civic square had been replaced with a new one, featuring a new hallucinogenic drug. Amidst the vibrant lights, rain suddenly started falling. The color of the rain was murky gray, casting a massive glass canopy over the entire surreal world.
Every person, every giant building, turned into specimens preserved in glass vessels, devoid of vitality over the years.
Finally, Yang Er Ci set down Zhong Yirou at the place where she was picking up her cheongsam. Wu You happened to see a new antique market there and requested to get down as well. Zhong Yirou then forcibly dragged him up.
“It just so happens I need a little brother to help me carry my bag.”
Wu You: “…”
After the two left, Yang Er Ci spoke up, “I have another way.”
An Wujiu raised his eyebrows. “Tell me.”
“I know someone. Like me, he used to work for Sha Wen, but in the marketing department. His network is even broader than mine. After he resigned, he engaged in many illicit businesses, including selling medical equipment. He has connections in hospitals all along the East Coast; you can give it a try.”
As she finished speaking, An Wujiu’s game panel made a beep sound, indicating a friend request from Yang Er Ci.
After accepting it, Yang Er Ci sent an electronic business card with the details of a Mexican guy named Gabriel. He had a bright pink explosion hairstyle, a gold chain around his neck, and a fierce expression.
At the bottom of the card, there was an address.
“You can try contacting him. But he’s not an easy person to deal with.”
Shen Ti chuckled. “Isn’t this the kind of scene where you say, ‘Find him and mention my name’?”
In the rearview mirror, Yang Er Ci’s face was reflected. She raised an eyebrow. “I don’t have a particularly good relationship with him. Mentioning my name might get you kicked out the next second.”
“I’ll figure something out.” An Wujiu thanked her.
Although Yang Er Ci had a somewhat cold demeanor and spoke with sharp words, she was actually kinder and more straightforward than An Wujiu had imagined. She was, indeed, a person of integrity.
“I’ll drop you off here.” Yang Er Ci said, “I still have a tricky matter to deal with.”
An Wujiu thanked her again. The spacecraft found a legal landing spot and set the two of them down.
Originally, An Wujiu thought Shen Ti wouldn’t follow him anymore, given the limited 24 hours of free time. However, Shen Ti stayed close.
“Don’t you have anything else to do?”
Shen Ti shook his head. “Didn’t I tell you I’m homeless?”
“Or do you want me to leave?”
An Wujiu thought for a moment and decided to keep Shen Ti with him. Not because he thought Shen Ti could be of help, but because it felt a bit unusual without him.
“We should go then.”
With only the two of them left, the scent of acid rain permeated the air with an industrial undertone. The streets here were far from tidy and even chaotic, littered with unattended waste and garbage. The high-saturation neon lights created a surreal world, reflecting off everything; even the marijuana packaging on the road became colorful.
However, Shen Ti felt that with just the two of them and hearing An Wujiu say “we,” it was quite pleasant.
Following the coordinates on the business card, they walked for about fifteen minutes. Eventually, the two crossed through the bustling market and found the location behind a secluded block.
“78 Olive Street, this is it.”
But contrary to their expectations, the place had a closed gate, surrounded by darkness. It looked lifeless and not as lively as the previous red-light district.
There was an old doorbell in the upper right corner of the gate. An Wujiu tried pressing it, and unexpectedly, a window next to the gate suddenly opened. It was more like the steel plate used for visits in prisons, ready to be pulled up or down at any moment.
As soon as this small window opened, the noisy music and chaotic lights from inside burst out like uncontainable water, flooding toward them.
A half-face appeared inside, a short-haired woman with a pointed chin, applying nail polish to herself. Her narrow eyes glanced over, “Do you have a reservation?”
Reservation?
An Wujiu had no idea what kind of reservation she was talking about.
Seeing the two not speaking, the woman couldn’t be bothered, “You can’t come in without a reservation. If you don’t have one, please leave.”
She was about to close the window.
“We’re looking for someone,” An Wujiu said.
The other party didn’t respond at all, and the window was already halfway down.
There was no room for negotiation at all.
“Hey, wait a minute.” Shen Ti approached, placing a hand on the edge of the window. “Beauty, what’s your name?”
As the window lifted again, the chaotic music and confusing lights from inside seemed to pour out. The woman revealed half of her face, a round face with a short haircut and black lipstick. She glanced at Shen Ti’s face.
Indeed, it was a handsome face.
“Lucy,” she replied with a smile, but quickly blocked the way again. “Hottie, even if you’re trying to get close to me, I can’t let you in. It’s the rule.”
“I understand, I understand.” Shen Ti smiled and said, “But we’re not here to play; we have official business.”
“Official business?” Lucy laughed. “Everyone who comes here has official business. Tell me, what serious matter do you have?”
An Wujiu turned his head to look at him, only to see Shen Ti, with a face that didn’t blush and a heart that didn’t jump, adjusting his collar. Then, he casually put his arm around An Wujiu’s shoulder and flashed a charming smile at the woman behind the small window.
“We’re here for a job interview.”
A job interview?
“A job interview?” Lucy’s droopy eyes scanned them like she was carefully selecting fresh fruits at a market.
“Are you sure?”
“Of course,” Shen Ti smiled, the red coral earrings swaying. “What’s wrong? Miss, you don’t think we’re not up to your standards, do you? Maybe our qualifications don’t meet your requirements here.”
Lucy also smiled, putting down the nail polish brush in her hand. “That’s not it. I just haven’t seen such handsome guys like you for a long time. Is it that hard to get by these days?”
The more An Wujiu listened, the more he felt something was off.
But Shen Ti seemed to be in his element, complementing Lucy, “Your hands are really beautiful.” He reached inside, grabbing Lucy’s wrist. “Red nail polish looks the best.”
“Yeah, I spent a long time picking this perfect shade of red.” Lucy started appreciating herself, staring at her fingers for quite a while before looking back at the two. “How about this? I’ll call the boss in charge of hiring to come over and take a look. I’m just a receptionist; I can’t make decisions.”
“Sure.” Shen Ti shrugged.
Lucy sent a voice message to someone. After a while, a tall, slender middle-aged man came out, lowered his head, looked out from the window, and stared at the two with his murky brown eyes.
“Are you the ones here for the job interview?” the man asked. “Where did you see the job posting?”
Shen Ti smiled a bit, sounding casual, “Oh, Gabriel sent us here. You know how it is when the boss speaks; of course, we had to come.”
He leaned over, covered his mouth with one hand, and whispered, “We just transferred from the best club in the city, and we’re here for acquaintances. Give us a break.”
An Wujiu truly admired his ability to lie so smoothly and effortlessly.
The man inside was skeptical and made a phone call, but there was no answer from the other end.
“Do you really expect him to answer your call? A busy man might be doing who knows what right now. Don’t ruin his good thing.” Lucy mocked the man and finished painting her pinky nail.
The man opened the door. “Come in.”
Despite this, he still asked with much suspicion, “Are you sure Gabriel invited you?”
“It was him.” Shen Ti was relaxed and confident. His demeanor made people believe.
Shen Ti was imposing, and the man knew that people of this caliber were favored among the wealthy.
The tall, middle-aged man rolled his eyes and focused on An Wujiu.
He had a bit of rain on him, wet hair clinging to his cheeks. His face was transparent in the night.
Indeed, he was handsome.
Although his expression wasn’t inviting, the feeling of resistance and struggle made him even more appealing. With such fair skin, like a porcelain doll, and the tattoos in just the right places and the satin-like long hair, he could be quite vigorous in bed.
He didn’t look seductive, but every inch of him was enticing.
Shen Ti noticed the man’s gaze, and the playful smile gradually faded from his eyes. His lips still lifted, but he was emotionless as he stared at the man who was unreservedly drooling.
The man stared at An Wujiu, confirming once again, “Are you sure it’s Gabriel? He’s 100 percent straight.”
“Who knows? Maybe meeting us changes things.” Shen Ti reached out, gripping the man’s chin and forcing him to face him.
“Not only am I good-looking, but I’m also good in bed,” Shen Ti declared.
The author has something to say:
An Wujiu: This guy’s words are really not trustworthy.
Shen Ti: Who said they’re not trustworthy? The last sentence is true; I guarantee it. You can try it for free!
Prev | Table of Contents | Next
