Thursday afternoon was Zhang Heng's legal time to daydream.
At this time of the week, he usually wouldn't arrange any work for himself. Instead, he would find a place he liked and spend the rest of his life there.
This place could be a park, a temple, a museum … or, of course, it could also be a maid cafe like this one.
Regardless of other factors, the latter was obviously better than the latter in terms of eye candy.
Hence, this was the place Zhang Heng frequented the most when he daydreamed.
"A cup of Taboo Love and a plate of wine. I can't make it today, thank you." Zhang Heng ordered something that he didn't even know what it was.
"Okay, master. Please wait a moment." The little maid with cat ears crossed her arms, hugging the tray to her chest, and said in a gentle tone.
Professional! Zhang Heng gave her a thumbs up in his heart. The maids in this shop were college students working part-time at nearby schools, and they had a great reputation in the otaku circle.
In contrast, the owner of the maid cafe on Chunxi Road was very insincere. He hired a group of aunties in their thirties and forties to make up the numbers. It was said that when he was short-handed, he even tried to cut the nerves of every customer in the shop with his thick leg hair. Instead of eating there, it was better to say that he was torturing them.
While waiting for his meal, Zhang Heng pulled out a copy of "The Spirit of Halberd Eaters" from the surrounding shelves. He had just flipped through two pages when he heard a voice in his ear.
"It's a pity. I still prefer his previous works."
Zhang Heng looked up and found that a stranger had appeared in front of him. At that time, it was a short old man in a traditional Chinese suit with a small hat and tie. His nondescript attire made him look very weird.
The attention of the people in the coffee shop was immediately attracted by him.
Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows. "Zuo Bojun? He used to be a cartoonist of Beep Beep. "
"It seems that my memory didn't lie to me." The old man grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth. "How's the past month, Zhang Heng? Are you satisfied with my little gift? Don't worry, the thing you're worried about doesn't exist. These 24 hours are an extra gift. It won't be deducted from your life. "
"Did you do something to me?"
"It's not easy for me to do this now, but you're someone I value, so I have to give you a greeting gift, right?" The old man stretched out his hand and grabbed the Forbidden Love from the tray, scaring the little maid who had just walked over.
Zhang Heng smiled apologetically at her. "Thank you. I don't need your service for the time being."
"I won't take advantage of you. You can still drink your drink after we talk." The old man mumbled something incomprehensible, then said seriously, "Now, let's get down to business. I'm quite satisfied with your performance this month. Since the probation period is over, let's talk about the conditions for becoming a permanent employee."
"Conditions for becoming a permanent employee?"
"Yes. To put it simply, I need you to help me win the next game. The game itself can bring you rich rewards. Other than that, you can continue to use the little gift I gave you."
Seeing that Zhang Heng was about to say something, the old man waved his hand. "I know your family situation. Money isn't that tempting to you. Besides, with this ability, it will be a piece of cake for you to make money. But believe me, this game can bring you far more than you can imagine."
"What game?" Zhang Heng asked.
"In the distant past, we used war to solve disputes. It was simple and effective. Oh my god, I miss those bloody and beautiful old days. However, times have been changing. Civilized society should no longer use those barbaric and primitive means, right?"
The old man finished the glass of Forbidden Love in his hand in one gulp. "So now we are using a game to decide the winner and loser. After all, the annoying guy is sitting on the throne now. Limited by those ancient rules, I can't reveal the game's content to you in advance. Strictly speaking, our meeting this time is also prohibited. But don't worry, I can still handle this little trouble."
"Since this game is so important, why don't you participate in it yourself?"
"As I said before, limited by some ancient rules, we can't participate in the game in person. You are like my agent, and I'm betting my chips on you. If you win, I win. If you lose, I lose. The two of us are like grasshoppers on a rope. But my luck isn't very good. My final ranking in the last few games isn't very good."
The old man sighed. "As you can see, I'm also getting weaker. So this time, I decided to place my bet earlier, although it's risky. After all, you may be eliminated halfway."
"Who are you?" Zhang Heng asked curiously.
"For now, you can see me as your investor and partner. As for the future, I can only tell you one thing — the longer you persist in this game, the closer you will get to the truth of this world. Well, we don't have much time. Now, tell me your answer. "
Zhang Heng looked into the old man's eyes. He had just given a long speech that sounded like a chuunibyou, which suited the atmosphere of the maid cafe. However, the fact that he could call out Zhang Heng's name and knew everything about him meant that he wasn't joking.
Zhang Heng thought for a moment. "Sounds interesting. How should I participate?"
"It's simple. Let me see which game point is the closest to your school …" The old man took out a Xiaomi mobile phone from his pocket, opened Baidu Maps, and tapped a few times. "Sex and the City Bar, game point 137. Tonight at eleven o 'clock. You won't regret your decision."
"Oh, I almost forgot." The old man stretched out a hand. "The last step is to establish a covenant. After shaking hands, you are mine."
"Please don't use such ambiguous and terrible terms. I'm already beginning to regret it." Zhang Heng also stretched out his right hand.
When they shook hands, Zhang Heng felt like he was touching a cold, hard rock.
The old man seemed to be in a good mood. "Be careful of the other guys' agents, but you probably won't run into them in the early stages of the game. Also, no matter what happens, you must prioritize survival."
"Wait, do people die in this game?"
"No, you just die in the game. In real life, it's more accurate to say that you disappear. Not only will your body disappear, but all memories related to you will also disappear. It's as if you never existed. I know a guy who's good at this," the old man said in a calm tone, as if he remembered to buy a pack of salt when he went out.
"…"
Zhang Heng wanted to say something, but his eyes suddenly went into a trance. The next moment, the old man in front of him disappeared.
Not far away, the little maid was holding a cup of crimson drink, walking quickly towards him. When she smiled, two cute little canine teeth were revealed.
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