Wen Shi had dealt with all kinds of NPCs. Their common characteristics were cunning, hatred or contempt for humans, and taking pleasure in killing players.
This demon doesn't seem to possess these characteristics, but it still does what it should do.
Wen Shi's amber eyes were fixed on the black ball in front of him whose face could not be seen clearly, and he continued to summarize the other person's characteristics.
——Well-informed.
The devil knows that the current environment is a story and is aware of the feud between himself and Pei Hongxin. This means that the devil is looking at everything from a bystander's perspective, and it is very likely that it is watching the live broadcast in some way.
I don't know why, even though I can't see anything clearly in the black shadow, Wen Shi always looks towards the other person's eyes unconsciously, as if he has seen him somewhere.
"Son."
Suddenly, a voice came from outside the window. The voice was so strong in the wind that it sounded like someone was calling "goose".
The stairs were blown up, and Ayu hated elevators, so she chose to climb through the window to see Wen Shi.
"I was wondering why the aura was so close..." Upon seeing the shadow, Ayu immediately reached for the bell at her waist: "So you came here."
Wen Shi shuddered. Ayu had always said that he wanted to catch a pet for him. Could it be this demon?
Before he could utter a word, Ayu had already rang the bell. The bell had different sounds depending on the target. Now it rang like a clear wind chime, its sound waves spreading layer by layer to the demon. Faced with the mysterious, all-pervasive vibrations, the black shadow remained unmoved. Once the sound waves reached it, the shadow was reduced to a puddle of mud in a second.
A bizarre scene happened.
The mud stood up in a hideous and twisted manner, solidified into a statue on its own, and finally turned into a black shadow. It said in a businesslike manner: "The price of pretending to be a pet is one-tenth of your soul."
A Yu's smoky eyebrows frowned slightly.
"It's a bit unique."
She looked at the black shadow thoughtfully, and there was no way to lock her soul.
Wen Shi, who had just gotten out of bed, became more serious when he heard what his pet said. Sure enough, this demon had been watching everyone's words and actions.
It also knew what Ayu said when he came.
A Yu looked at Wen Shi, asking with his eyes whether he wanted to continue scratching.
Her power is limited by this world. Although she has not yet figured out the devil's true strength, she will not lose in a fight.
Wen Shi pondered for a while and shook his head.
It was truly unsafe to carry around something so uncertain. Furthermore, he couldn't sense any malicious intent from the demon at the moment. It could even be said that the demon was quite indulgent towards them, having not retaliated after being suddenly attacked. A real falling out might not be a good thing.
"I will cooperate with your business," Wen Shi looked at the shadow warily, "but how can I ensure that this person will not be adopted by someone else in the future?"
Many stories in "Horror Society" are repeated, which is why Wen Shi didn't use longer methods of torturing people even though he had them.
If you don't remove the roots of the problem, it will always be a hidden danger in the future.
The shadow is a demon of integrity: "Everyone who has been in an orphanage has only one chance to be adopted." It specifically emphasizes a quantifier: "eternity."
Wen Shi fell silent.
Even people's words in the dungeon cannot be trusted, let alone monsters.
However, in this matter, the probability of the devil lying is low. Ayu was unable to hurt it with one blow. There is no need for the devil to waste time and engage in psychological warfare for an unimportant believer.
After considering all factors, Wen Shiwei nodded.
The demon disappeared cleanly.
Ayu seemed to be very sorry to let this thing go: "Such a dirty evil thing is very useful."
Wen Shi was very open-minded. At least today he learned a lesson: it is better to have free things than cheap things.
At least it's free and you can make a short-term profit. Anyone who wants to make a deal with this devil will be in trouble for the rest of his life.
Wen Shi suddenly covered his heart.
A Yu asked worriedly, "Are you feeling uncomfortable?"
"I'm despising my own kindness." Wen Shi sighed.
Just for a second, he actually felt sympathy for Pei Hongxin.
After making sure that he was not feeling unwell, Ayu left temporarily and reminded Wen Shi that if the devil came back, he should call her at any time.
Wen Shi considers himself the number one parent: "Don't worry."
Silence returned to the room. Wen Shi sheathed his Aoki Sword and returned to his electronic device. Comments were still pleading for a list of demons to avoid. C+-tier dungeon monsters were generally ignored. After scrolling through the screen for a long time, no one had offered an answer.
"Patients at Frank Hospital..."
After Wen Shi said a few words, the monsters in the comment section finally turned their attention back to him.
"Want to make a bet with me?" He flipped the coin between his fingers that was left as a debt with the fat man. This coin seemed to have magic. Every time Wen Shi made a bet with someone, the smooth side would become softer, similar to the touch of skin.
Patient No. 109 was the most active among all the patients and slowly sent out a question mark.
"The reporter who ran into the hospital is my friend." Since the host's identity has been exposed, there is no point for Wen Shi to cover it up. He thinks about every word he says.
The monster loves to get pleasure from hurting other people's relatives and friends. The host is far from being an important person, but if Wen Shi wants to save him, he needs a rescue relationship that will convince the monster.
"If I can get 10,000 viewers on my own before the next story is over, you have to keep the reporter team alive."
A Yu's ability has been exposed, and Wen Shi specifically emphasized the three words "rely on yourself".
Patient 109: What if I lost?
"This live broadcast port seems very powerful. If I lose, I'll have the administrator bring me in front of you and let you deal with me as you please." Wen Shi deliberately said in a light tone, "It's a gamble. Win or lose, you won't lose anything."
Wen Shi didn't know that the letter he wrote to the host last time was very effective. After being discovered by the monster in the hospital, the host praised the first dean as he said, and was not immediately killed on the grounds of writing a biography.
However, this reason cannot be used as a life-saving talisman. If there are no deep-area patients willing to save him, the host will either go crazy or die.
Wen Shi's heart kept calling for games.
Dear Youfushang, I didn't say when I would go, but after the 3S dungeon is released, I will definitely go to this dungeon sooner or later. If you lose the bet, don't waste your energy to teleport immediately.
However, on the surface——
"What does it matter if I risk my life for my friends?" A smile appeared on Wen Shi's lips. The coin bounced high up and he caught it with one hand, as if everything was under his control.
Patient 109: @Sex addiction pervert, do you want to bet with him?
Patient 233: I don't mind. I'm bored after being woken up.
Ten thousand readers is not a small number. For example, at present, there are less than three hundred viewers in total.
Unless monsters spread the word privately about this unpopular short story, no one would actively click on it. After the bet, other monsters were even less likely to advertise for an individual.
Patient 109: @Administrator, please come out and notarize it.
[Grandma Scissor: I finally waited for the character in the story to die on his own initiative. I'm glad I didn't give up.]
"Administrator You entered the live broadcast room."
[Can.]
Red blood words appeared on the public screen.
A solemn and murderous atmosphere came over me. It had to be said that the credibility and prestige of the game were almost directed at monsters covering all dimensions.
After it appeared, the comment section became much more disciplined. It was not until the system prompted that the game administrator had left the live broadcast room that the barrage of comments began to slowly mock Wen Shi's arrogance.
Wen Shi felt relieved and turned over and fell asleep holding the coin.
In the middle of the night, the familiar sound of sirens reappeared outside the villa. The housekeeper had been taken away, charged with the serious crime of releasing a dangerous explosive. As for the alteration of the will, the true suspect had yet to be identified, and the other players unanimously placed the blame on the housekeeper. Without further evidence, no players had been taken into custody, but the police had asked them not to leave the villa without further notice.
Despite the request, Wen Shi prepared to go out as soon as the sun rose.
After sleeping for less than three hours, he went to the bathroom and washed his face painfully with cold water: "No one is more tired than me."
In fact: yes.
Pei Hongxin didn't sleep a wink all night.
The demon's words about ending the trouble became his only hope. Pei Hongxin didn't hold out the unrealistic hope that the demon would kill the little beast. He hoped that Pei Wenwei might have overlooked a detail, and end up like the others who had received the will, with nothing left to show for it.
"I'm suffering, and you can't expect to have an easy life..."
The curse filled with resentment spread from between his teeth, but before it could spread further through the air, it was interrupted by a laughing voice at the door.
"What are you mumbling about?"
When Pei Hongxin looked up, he saw Wen Shi standing against the door frame with his arms folded, a pair of car keys in his hand. The smile on his face was the same as when they first met at the orphanage, as if he was gentle and friendly to the core.
"I finally found Grandpa's car keys." There were still drops of water dripping from Wen Shi's hair. He opened his arms and said, "My dear son, let Dad drive you out for some fun."
Wen Shi stood where he was, but Pei Hongxin couldn't help but step back.
Unprecedented panic took over his mind, and he couldn't explain why he was panicking. He had the deal with the devil as a foundation, but his inner uneasiness was rising sharply.
"Oh..." Wen Shi sighed and could only take the initiative to move forward.
Pei Hongxin had retreated to the corner, and the chill from the wall behind him rushed up his spine.
A pair of big hands lifted him up directly. The child's legs struggled in vain in the air. Pei Hongxin tried to call out to the devil.
"Save me," he said, no longer caring about being exposed. As he was carried through the corridor, he roared towards the study, "You promised!"
In the study, the statue stood quietly in the shrine, like an ordinary clay sculpture, motionless.
Ayu had gone somewhere during the day, and worried that the naughty kid would cause trouble while driving, Wen Shi invited Xiaohua, who was strolling in the garden, to go for a ride. Xiaohua resisted the urge to poison Pei Hongxin and mute him, put on earplugs and got into the sports car.
Normally, she would never share the same space with a noise source, but Xiaohua was a little concerned about the thing that the lawyer gave to Wen Shi last night, so she was willing to go along.
At first, Pei Hongxin thought Wen Shi was going to throw him into a monster den, just like the group of players had threatened him to do before. But after the car drove a distance and observed the scenery outside the window, Pei Hongxin, who had an excellent memory, suddenly changed his expression.
He finally guessed Wen Shi's destination!
Pei Hongxin shuddered. After a brief moment of panic, he immediately used his meager remaining points to exchange for attack items, attempting to cause a tragic car crash and fatalities.
Unfortunately, with Xiaohua around, Pei Hongxin didn't even have the chance to release his weapon.
A soft long whip wrapped around her slender wrist. Xiaohua didn't use this thing often. Compared with Liu Yun's whip, her whip lacked sharpness and strength, and was more like a suffocating long snake.
"Such a big reaction?" Seeing deep bloodstains on his wrist bones and Pei Hongxin still struggling, Xiaohua raised an eyebrow and asked, "Are you going to send him to the crematorium?"
Wen Shi glanced at the situation through the rearview mirror and said lightly: "Orphanage."
Xiaohua wasn't interested in worldly grudges. After asking, she closed her eyes and began to rest. The car went further and further off the track. Besides the occasional curse from Pei Hongxin, the only other sounds were the navigation system's intelligent prompts.
"I swear, as long as I don't die, I will make you regret it one day." Pei Hongxin tried to guide Wen Shi to kill himself in this way.
The story chapter of the orphanage has ended. Pei Hongxin has witnessed with his own eyes how the players who entered there died, and he dare not imagine what he will face if he goes in again.
The harsh words did not receive a response, so Pei Hongxin continued to speak a lot, from the promises of the game to the real benefits, and even mentioned that he would turn himself in after he got out.
Wen Shi turned a deaf ear to everything and focused on driving.
The car window was half open, and soon the familiar smell of coke from the wilderness came over.
This time, Wen Shi drove the car all the way to the door. On the rainbow plaque, the words in the middle of the orphanage were still full of mystery.
Xiaohua frowned: "This thing..."
"Don't keep staring at it." Wen Shi reminded her, "It will reduce your rationality."
The weather was beautiful today, and a burst of hoarse laughter drifted out. A woman was taking the children in the yard to play on the slide, and when the sound of wheels came, everyone stopped at the same time.
A group of burnt-black children stood hand in hand behind the woman, looking at the visitors in the yard today with strange smiles.
Wen Shi got out of the car calmly, with the frantically struggling Pei Hongxin still hanging on his arms.
"Long time no see." He took the initiative to greet the woman.
In fact, it only takes two or three days.
Wen Shi had already mastered the art of speaking here, and he asked directly, "Can it be returned to its original owner?"
The woman's dry face made it hard to tell whether she was happy or angry: "Are you going to abandon her?"
Wen Shi answered the question irrelevantly: "I want to donate money. I just inherited a large inheritance, and I decided to donate most of it here."
He looked at the simple slide and said: "This is all for the children."
This was a trick I'd learned from Jian Qingrong; sponsorship was always helpful. It wasn't his money anyway, so I'd just consider it a blessing for Old Master Lin.
Wen Shi was moved to think that he was the only one who truly cared about Mr. Lin and was not after money or a house.
"I think I'm more suited to raising a real child. This doesn't meet my psychological expectations."
The proposal to donate brought a slight change to the woman's face, which had remained unchanged for many years.
The chill in the air faded slightly. When the woman heard the amount Wen Shi was going to donate, her mind flashed through the future plans for the academy. Ultimately, she decided to turn a blind eye to the return. She lowered her eyes and beckoned Pei Hongxin. The light from her dark nails faintly revealed the fallen ashes, and she motioned for him to come over.
Pei Hongxin had just been quiet for a few seconds, but as soon as his feet touched the ground, he rushed out.
The woman did not move, and Wen Shi did not try to catch it. At the same time, he quietly looked at the young figure rushing out. With the red house as the background, the scene was very strange.
Ten meters, five meters... Pei Hongxin didn't know what he was running for. He had no other choice but to regard the iron gate in front of him as his only hope.
Just run out, just get out of the orphanage!
Just when they were just inches away from the rusty iron gate, the burnt child who had been standing behind the woman a second ago suddenly appeared at the door hand in hand, happily surrounding Pei Hongxin in a circle.
"Why are you running?"
"Why don't you join us?"
The questions they asked were the same as those they had asked the dead players on the first night.
Pei Hongxin shuddered uncontrollably.
"No, I didn't run away." He pinched his thigh forcefully and tried to respond calmly.
The child took Pei Hongxin's hand and said, "Come on, play with us."
The numbing sensation made Pei Hongxin's palms sweat. The child seemed to sense his nervousness and smiled sinisterly, revealing the only pale tooth on his body.
Pei Hongxin was led back to the red house.
"Take me away from here." As he passed by Wen Shi, his usually straight spine bent slightly, just like the brief period of depression he experienced when he went bankrupt. "We can sign a contract. I will obey your orders."
The burnt child's hand was so hot that Pei Hongxin felt his palm was about to be burned.
Wen Shi's eyes were calmer than ever before. He looked down at Pei Hongxin and suddenly reached out to touch his head: "Remember next time..."
Just as a glimmer of hope appeared in Pei Hongxin's eyes, he saw Wen Shi bend down, with a hint of helplessness in his tone: "Don't look for demons who offer too cheap a price anymore."
After standing there in a daze for a few seconds, Pei Hongxin suddenly rushed towards Wen Shi's waist like an angry lion. However, because his hand was held tightly by the ghost boy, he could not make any more intense movements.
"You will definitely die!" Pei Hongxin's eyes were bloodshot. "I will use my remaining soul to curse you to hell!"
Wen Shi remained indifferent. He didn't know how much of Pei Hongxin's soul was left, but it was definitely not enough for the devil to attack him again.
"I will come to see you when I finish this copy." Wen Shi considerately hummed a few lines to wish you peace, then walked aside to call a lawyer and entrusted the donation matter to the other party.
Before leaving, he did not forget to nod politely to the woman.
Respectful, polite, and generous.
Wen Shi gave his image of a rich second generation a score of 90.
Sitting back in the sports car, Xiaohua had moved to the passenger seat at some point, tapping the window with her bright red nails: "Now we can talk business."
Wen Shi didn't keep anyone in suspense and directly took out the small box given by the lawyer.
He glanced at Xiaohua, who nodded and said, "Open it."
The small box was not locked, and it was easily opened with a gentle pull.
Inside was a banknote.
Unlike the traditional currency circulating in this city, the front of the banknote is printed with a plum blossom pattern, which is exactly the same as the pattern on Mr. Lin's clothes when he was alive, and the image carved on the shrine in his study.
Wen Shi: "Let's try touching it together."
There is only one banknote, so if there is a hidden map or other tasks, it is likely that only the first person who touches it can trigger it.
Their fingers, keeping the same rhythm, touched the corner of the banknote, and the game's cold prompt sounded:
"You touched the banknotes of the City of Gold."
Xiaohua was a little surprised: "City of Gold?"
Wen Shi: "Have you heard of it?"
Xiaohua nodded. "Li Nan's role is the lover I found behind the old man's back. I heard he's currently working in the Golden City. I received a text message from him saying the president of Wangcai Bank is also there. Not only that, but it seems other top players are also gathered there."
"If that's the case..." Wen Shi leaned back in the seat. "The final dangerous gender says it's going to break through the current B level. It's very likely that even S level won't be able to suppress it."
Xiaohua nodded.
There must have been a limit on the number of people who could go to the Golden City at the beginning. The game probably divided the players' initial areas according to the rankings, so they were not thrown there.
"I'm in the top 50 in the virtual world," Xiaohua said, putting away her usual relaxed expression. "The players in the Golden City are bound to be even more powerful."
You can imagine the danger you would face if you ran straight over.
The benefits and risks are proportional. Xiaohua is capable, so naturally she wants to give it a try.
"What about you?" she asked Wen Shi.
"Go." He said the word firmly.
Wen Shi had a premonition that he didn't have much time left. Whether it was to save the host or to get a better understanding of Frank Hospital through the barrage, he couldn't leave this copy rashly.
Xiaohua: "There's no direct teleportation in the game. The Golden City should still be in this dimension and can be reached by transportation. Let's first inquire about the situation and prepare any props we may need in advance."
Wen Shi nodded, thought for a moment and said, "We also have to put on the shrine in the study."
Xiaohua wondered, "Why bring that thing?"
Wen Shi: "If you really hit a dead end, you can only..."
"You don't want to make a deal with the devil?" Xiaohua wanted to whip him awake.
Wen Shi waved his hand: "Just in case."
You don't have to trade yourself. You can also induce others to trade at critical moments. The devil may even give you some commission.
Of course, the decisive factor that really prompted him to bring the shrine was that the pattern on it was consistent with the banknotes of the Golden City, and there must be a connection between them.
Wen Shi tilted his head and said seriously, "By the way, this demon charges very cheaply, is always available, and has a good service attitude."
Xiaohua: "…"