Chapter 41

Cruise Ship

"Sister Juan, are you and Brother Number 2 hiding something from me?"

Ah Ze noticed that Sister Juan had messaged Number 2 several times, chatting secretly on their phones without including him. Just a few days ago, Sister Juan was beating up Number 2, so why had things changed now?

Xiao Juan put away her phone, stared at Ah Ze for several seconds, and sighed faintly: "It has nothing to do with you, don't worry about it blindly."

"Sister." Ah Ze leaned his head in front of Xiao Juan and whispered: "What about our main mission?"

He didn't want to die; he wanted to go back to be with his mother and grandmother.

"Don't worry, I have a way." Xiao Juan was silent for a moment: "Ah Ze, don't trust other players easily in the future."

A player like Ah Ze, who relied purely on skills to clear two simple instances, wouldn't survive in the instance world without enough defensiveness.

Not every instance allows you to cling to a big shot like Chao Musheng.

Hearing Xiao Juan say she had a way, Ah Ze didn't doubt for a second and believed her immediately.

Manager Zhu saw the most useless intern pulling the most motivated intern to whisper during work hours, pretended not to see anything, and turned away.

Today was the last day of the internship. He would endure it a bit longer. In eight hours, he could send this major headache away.

"Xiao Chao, going to the cafeteria again for lunch?" Lao Mo saw Chao Musheng walking out: "The President's Office should be arranging a big meal for us today."

"Two friends are finishing their internship today, I want to go chat with them." Chao Musheng walked out of the R&D office, took his phone from his personal locker, and took the elevator downstairs.

"It's normal for someone like you not to become a regular employee. The entertainment industry relies on luck."

"Forget it, there's nothing to say to someone like him who is leaving the company tomorrow."

"Didn't you get notified when the era of technology arrived?" Chao Musheng walked out of the elevator and looked at the two people talking: "Employment is a two-way choice between the company and the employee. What does it have to do with you?"

"What does it matter to you..." The employees from the Film and Television Department noticed the other person's exceptionally outstanding appearance and felt a bit puzzled. Is this a newly signed artist for the Film and Television Department?

"Brother Chao." Er Qiang smiled at Chao Musheng, then turned to mock the two assistants from the Film and Television Department: "Say a few more words to me, and be careful I don't jinx your artist too."

"Trembling now that you've found a new thigh to hug?" The employees didn't expect the intern, who usually wouldn't talk back no matter how much they mocked him, to actually talk back today: "Our Ah Xu is the company's top brother. New artists need to understand seniority."

"Your Film and Television Department's rectification isn't in place yet?" Chao Musheng frowned: "Your Ah Xu is the company's top brother, then what is Xu Chenzhu?"

The employees were dumbfounded. This newcomer had no rules, daring to bring up the big boss?

"You newcomer really don't understand things. Who signed you into the company?"

"Xu Chenzhu and Secretary Liu invited me into the company." Chao Musheng pointed to the work badge on his chest: "If you have any dissatisfaction, go tell them."

52nd floor?

The two employees glanced at Chao Musheng's work badge and turned pale with fright.

"Sorry, brother, we didn't notice."

Worshipping the high and trampling the low, arrogant before and respectful after.

Er Qiang looked at these two assistants who changed their faces faster than flipping a book, and finally understood why Xiao Juan thought this was the real world.

Because the NPCs in the instance world controlled by the main god don't change their faces so quickly, and their mouths aren't so cheap.

Chao Musheng didn't want to bicker with people, so he brought up Xu Chenzhu and Secretary Liu. Seeing the two surrounding him to curry favor, he took two steps back: "Those who should work, go work; those who should eat, go eat."

The two assistants were best at observing expressions. Seeing that Chao Musheng didn't mean to make things difficult for them, they quickly turned and left, not forgetting to apologize to Er Qiang in front of Chao Musheng before leaving.

"Brother Chao, thank you for helping me out. Song Xu and Lin Hui have similar development paths, and their relationship is terrible. After Lin Hui was shelved, Song Xu took his anger out on me." Er Qiang felt he was quite unlucky. Most of his time in the instance was spent being tormented by Lin Hui and Manager Wang. After they fell, he still had to suffer the anger of competitors on behalf of Lin Hui.

"Song Xu is that whatever top brother?" Chao Musheng shook his head: "No impression."

Er Qiang thought, if Song Xu knew that the son of the editor-in-chief of Time Magazine had no impression of him, he would probably have a mental breakdown.

"Don't believe that nonsense about jinxing." Chao Musheng led Er Qiang towards the restaurant: "When I was a child, the fortune teller at the village entrance said I was a god descended to earth just to earn money. Have you ever seen a god who attends evening self-study and goes to work?"

Er Qiang saw the cafeteria lady obviously add an extra scoop of chicken wings for Chao Musheng.

Being able to make the cafeteria lady voluntarily give an extra scoop of meat, how does that not count as a god-level worker?

Chao Musheng: "For things like fate, as long as you remember two points, there won't be big problems."

Er Qiang's expression became serious, and he listened intently.

Xiao Juan and Ah Ze, who had gotten their food, also sat over: "Which two points?"

"If someone says your fate is good, it means the master is accurate."

Ah Ze: "What if they say the fate is bad?"

Chao Musheng: "Then the other party is talking nonsense, swindling and bluffing. We young people don't engage in feudal superstition."

The three of them: "..."

Thought it was a method to break fate, turns out it's the selective belief method.

Er Qiang suddenly realized that Chao Musheng said these words probably because he was worried that he would be affected by the assistants, so he specially came to enlighten him.

The long life in instances made him slow to realize the kindness released by others.

He looked up at Xiao Juan and Ah Ze. Were they so close to Chao Musheng because his existence was special, or because he was inherently a good person?

"Brother Chao." After eating, Xiao Juan put down her chopsticks: "Today the manager gave me a regularization contract, and I refused."

Seeing that Chao Musheng didn't ask why, she explained: "Kunlun is a very good company, and getting along with you, Brother Chao, has been very pleasant, but I must leave."

Ah Ze stopped shoveling rice. After leaving the instance, they would never see Brother Chao again.

Er Qiang sat aside without making a sound. He didn't have much friendship with Chao Musheng. Before last night, these people were just NPCs in his eyes, and he didn't have much affection for this world.

Chao Musheng saw Xiao Juan's seriousness: "Are you going to do something you think is very important?"

"Very important." Xiao Juan nodded: "Very, very important."

"Then I wish you success first." Chao Musheng extended his hand.

Xiao Juan was stunned for a moment, then shook Chao Musheng's hand.

"If you want to come back to work at Kunlun in the future, I'll help you with an internal referral." Chao Musheng let go of Xiao Juan's somewhat cold hand: "I signed a two-year technical consultant agreement with Kunlun. When you want to come back to work, just come find me."

"Thank you." Xiao Juan looked at the smiling young man in front of her, deeply etching his appearance in her mind.

This young man who grew up watered with love gave her, a lost traveler, a rare warmth.

Lost people may never find the right direction forward, but even if they are buried in the wind and sand, they will not forget the oasis they encountered when they were thirsty.

At five in the afternoon, Chao Musheng received a summer internship certificate stamped with the official seal.

In the comments of every department, he was praised to the utmost. The signature in the bottom column for the leader was not the leader of the HR department, but the three flamboyant characters "Xu Chenzhu".

"Among several internship certificates, only yours is personally signed by the boss." The team leader was very gratified. The boss was sensible and knew to give special treatment to talents.

"Several?" Chao Musheng remembered that there seemed to be twenty or thirty interns in this batch. Why were there so few people left now?

"When I went to the HR department, that's what they said." The team leader patted his shoulder: "I remember you have a good relationship with a few interns. Get off work early today and gather with them."

"Thank you, team leader."

"No need to thank me. Check if you've finished packing your things?" In the customer service department office, Manager Zhu handed the internship certificate to Ah Ze: "Make sure not to leave anything behind."

Great, starting tomorrow, he wouldn't have to see this annoying thing anymore!

Ah Ze looked at the department comments where the manager actually praised him for being "hardworking and motivated, caring for colleagues," and was moved to tears: "Manager, you are so good. I really want to stay here and continue working."

Manager Zhu shuddered all over. That wouldn't be necessary.

"Unfortunately, I can't stay."

That's fantastic!

"Go, go." Manager Zhu's scalp went numb, "Hurry up and get off work."

"Oh." Ah Ze carried his bag and obediently followed Xiao Juan out.

"Hey, Xiao Fei... Ah Ze." Manager Zhu looked at Ah Ze's back as he walked out with his head down, and sighed.

"Manager, you can't bear to part with me either?" Ah Ze turned back in surprise.

Manager Zhu's face changed colors, and finally, he picked up an apple from his desk, walked up to him, and stuffed it into his hand: "Be more mindful in doing things in the future. I wish you... a bright future and peace."

Without him, which leader could tolerate such a little fool?

"Mn!" Ah Ze nodded heavily and happily pocketed the apple: "Thank you, Manager Zhu."

The manager even wished him a bright future. The manager must really be reluctant to let him go.

Hehe.

The bustling night market.

Wan You brought the grilled meat to the four of them and glanced at Xiao Juan: "Take your time eating, no discount on barbecue today."

"He, he..." Er Qiang pointed at Wan You's back, and under Chao Musheng's puzzled gaze, squeezed out a sentence: "Isn't he our fellow townsman?"

That famous pretty boy gigolo is actually still alive?

"Yeah, isn't it a coincidence?" Xiao Juan finished enjoying Er Qiang's shock and raised her drink cup: "Brother Chao, I know you don't like drinking, so I'll use a drink instead of wine to thank you for taking care of us during this time."

"We took care of each other. If you guys hadn't accompanied me to and from work, I would have been bored alone." Chao Musheng raised his drink cup and clinked it with the three of them: "Cheers."

"What are your plans next?" Chao Musheng put down his cup: "Is there anything I can help with?"

Ah Ze shook his head blankly: "I just want to go home now and reunite with my mom and grandma."

He was simple-minded and had no great ambitions. He just wanted to go back and help his mom run the shop.

Without him, grandma and mom would be very tired.

Chao Musheng smiled: "Then I wish you go home soon."

"Thank you, Brother Chao." Ah Ze smiled foolishly: "I really hope I can go back tonight."

The longing for reunion in Ah Ze's eyes stung Er Qiang's eyes. Almost every player who just entered the infinite space harbored the dream of going home. At that time, they were still normal people, not monsters assimilated by the infinite world.

"I haven't had a deep relationship with my family since I was young, so it doesn't matter if I go back or not." Before the parting on the last night, Xiao Juan rarely opened her heart: "When my plan is completed, I hope Brother Chao can still remember me."

She raised her cup: "Brother Chao, wish me success in getting what I want."

"I wish all three of you get what you want." Chao Musheng clinked glasses with her: "When you come back, I'll arrange a job for you."

Xiao Juan smiled: "Thank you, Brother Chao."

Er Qiang saw this scene and couldn't bear to look, averting his gaze.

New instances open every moment in the infinite space. After parting today, will there be any chance to meet again?

After eating barbecue, sitting on the 114 bus again, Xiao Juan looked nostalgically at the beautiful city night view outside the window.

What a wonderful world.

"What a coincidence, it's you guys again." The passenger pretending to be a ghost got on the bus. Seeing these familiar passengers, he skillfully put on a mask. Since they were so familiar, he couldn't scare them anymore.

In this bustling city, everyone is busy with their own lives.

Getting off the bus, Xiao Juan stopped: "Brother Chao, goodbye."

"Xiao Juan, Ah Ze?" Chao Yin, who came back from a walk with Papa Chao, saw Xiao Juan and Xiao Ze and smiled: "Tomorrow is Saturday, come to our house for dinner."

"Thank you, Auntie Chao." Xiao Juan looked at Chao Yin: "Next time, I'll come next time."

She only learned later that the person surnamed Chao was not Brother Chao's father, but his mother. She had addressed them wrong so many times, but the uncle and aunt never corrected her.

She was very lucky to meet such a nice family in this instance world.

"Alright, next time I'll treat you to a big meal."

"Auntie is so nice." After parting with Chao Musheng's family, Ah Ze walked into the dilapidated Xingfu Community: "But Sister Juan, why do you call her Auntie Chao?"

"Because Brother Chao takes Auntie Chao's surname." Having lived in the community for a month, Xiao Juan could remain expressionless even if she stepped on garbage: "The person surnamed Chao is the auntie, not the uncle."

"Then Brother Chao is like me, I also take my mom's surname." Ah Ze walked to the door of the rental room, took out his phone and looked at it: "Two minutes to midnight."

Strange, why is his system so quiet tonight, not urging him to complete the task?

He opened the door and muttered softly: "Sister Juan, that main line..."

Suddenly, the entire corridor fell silent.

Xiao Juan yanked the door open. The room was empty. Ah Ze had disappeared without a trace right under her nose: "Ah Ze?!"

[Ding! Countdown to instance closure. Please submit the main mission in time.]

The secret of Kunlun Enterprise is?

Xiao Juan turned on the signal jammer hidden in her bag. Until the time passed midnight, she turned off the jammer again and clicked on the system complaint.

[Why is there no response from the system when I submit the task, even though the instance determined the submission valid?]

[Zzz! System under attack by unknown energy.]

[Zzz, two players complaining simultaneously...]

[Zzz zzz zzz zzz.]

[Instance anomaly, please submit the task again.]

Xiao Juan suppressed the excitement in her heart. After repeatedly turning the jammer on and off countless times, the system seemed to have been invaded by a virus, and the entire screen page was flickering.

The moment the exit instance page flashed, Xiao Juan clicked on it with quick eyes and hands.

She guessed right. The consciousness of this instance world retained kindness towards players.

After a moment of darkness, Xiao Juan stood in the player hall. Her rating for this instance was a big red question mark.

She looked down and found that she was still tightly clutching a bag in her hand.

Wait, how could she bring a bag out of the instance?

Inside the bag was the signal jammer from Brother Chao's world!

Not far away, Er Qiang was looking around. Seeing her, he immediately breathed a sigh of relief and ran to her.

"Where is Ah Ze?" He looked around again and again but couldn't find him.

"He disappeared suddenly before the instance settlement." Xiao Juan closed her eyes, remembering what Ah Ze had said to Chao Musheng.

[I really wish I could go back tonight.]

[Wish you get what you want.]

"Mom, Grandma?"

Ah Ze opened the door, and what appeared before him was not the rental room, but his mom and grandma sitting at the dining table.

He closed the door in disbelief, took two deep breaths, and opened the door again. He still saw his mom and grandma.

"Ah Ze, what are you doing?" Mom looked at her son's silly behavior and smiled helplessly: "Why don't you hurry up and wash your hands."

The child slept for a night and woke up looking even sillier?

"Mom!" Ah Ze rushed into the living room and hugged his mom tightly.

So Brother Chao didn't lie to him. He said he could get what he wanted, and he really came home.

"What's wrong?" Mom stood on tiptoes and touched Ah Ze's forehead: "Were you wronged?"

"No." Ah Ze leaned on his mom's slightly thin but warm shoulder: "Mom, I had a very long dream. In the dream, I met very good friends."

Mom felt a sourness in her heart: "Did they treat you well?"

The child didn't have good friends in life. Even meeting them in a dream could make him happy for a long time.

"Very well, very well." Ah Ze nodded: "They are the best people besides Mom and Grandma. One is called Chao Musheng, and the other is called Wang Xiaojuan..."

What one thinks about during the day, one dreams about at night.

Maybe because the R&D team's server had been attacked, Chao Musheng dreamed that he was sitting in a boundless room, and the computer in front of him was being attacked by an unknown virus.

Someone dared to launch a virus sneak attack in front of him, what an arrogant attitude!

Chao Musheng rolled up his sleeves, not only intercepted all the viruses but also followed the opponent's attack path, threw back two Trojan viruses, and deleted more than a dozen important documents in the opponent's software.

This is the consequence of provoking him.

"What? More than a dozen A-level and S-level instances closed suddenly at the same time?!"

"What's going on with the main god recently? A while ago, several intermediate instances were closed, and now even advanced instances are closed. Is He planning to pack up and run?"

"Isn't that great? Then I can go home."

"What's good about going home? In the infinite space, you can not only maintain youth forever but also train new players."

"Shh, don't talk nonsense, be careful not to be noticed by the main god."

"By the way, did you hear that rumor?"

"Which one?"

"That the instance world is actually..."

Xiao Juan and Er Qiang shuttled among the players. Seeing that the remarks they spread had already reached the ears of some players, they hid in the corner with relief.

"Are you still going to the next exploration instance?" Er Qiang saw Xiao Juan's determined attitude and couldn't help persuading: "Why not wait a bit? You won't have such good luck in every exploration instance."

"Brother Qiang, you should have guessed that only in exploration instances do players have a chance to exploit loopholes." Xiao Juan saw the name of the next exploration instance appear on the big screen of the infinite space—Cruise Ship on the Sea.

"You are an old player. After finishing an instance, you can stay in the space for a month." Xiao Juan opened the player registration page: "During this time, stay in the space and try to contact more players with a conscience, let them know the truth about the instances."

For every exploration instance progress she disrupted, there would be one less place harmed by the main god.

As long as she could cause trouble for the main god, she was very happy.

Less than a minute after the new exploration instance was released, players discovered that three players had already voluntarily signed up for this exploration instance with an extremely high death rate.

It seems that this world has nothing worth their nostalgia, otherwise why would they actively seek death?

"Xiao Chao, the cruise ship is about to depart. Come over here, I'll take a picture of you." Secretary Liu leaned on the railing, looking at Chao Musheng who seemed to be favored by the sunlight: "From boarding until now, how many people have come to talk to you on their own initiative?"

"It's better at the company. Wearing a badge, people know which department I'm from at a glance." Chao Musheng made a V-sign at the phone camera.

"I suggest you stay by the boss's side. On the entire cruise ship, no one dares not to give the boss face." Secretary Liu took the photo, opened the contact list, and sent the photo.

[Xu: ?]

Oh my, used to sending documents to the boss, how did I send the photo to the boss?

[Xiao Liu: Sorry, boss, I sent it to the wrong person.]

[Xu: It's okay.]

Secretary Liu was relieved. He was indeed the secretary the boss trusted most. Even if he sent the wrong photo, the boss wouldn't blame him.

"When they know you are an employee of the Kunlun President's Office, I guarantee no one will dare to bother you again." Secretary Liu led Chao Musheng upstairs: "Let's go, let's find the boss."

[Ding, congratulations to the players for arriving at the Moon Gazing Cruise Ship.]

[Please note, players, the guests on this cruise ship are either rich or noble. Please do not provoke the dissatisfaction of the distinguished guests.]

[Please do your job well, players. Players who are complained about by distinguished guests more than three times will be considered as failing to clear the level.]

Xiao Juan glanced at the clothes on her body; it was a waitress uniform.

Music and laughter came from the deck outside. A chubby foreman walked in and asked them to prepare the food needed for the dinner party.

"You." The foreman pointed at Xiao Juan and several other waitresses with outstanding looks: "You go to work in the VIP dining area. Remember, you must not offend the distinguished guests."

Xiao Juan followed behind the waitresses, looking at the men and women on the ship, her eyes dazzled by the shining brilliance of the jewelry on them.

What a scene of fame and fortune, drunk on paper and gold.

"Ouch." A man in a suit accidentally twisted his ankle. He looked around awkwardly. Seeing Xiao Juan and other waitresses not far away, his face turned ugly: "What are you looking at? Hurry up and wipe the floor a few more times. How can one walk when it's so slippery?"

"Yes, sir." The leading waitress found a mop. Seeing the suit man still unhappy, she had to kneel on the ground and wipe it bit by bit with a towel.

Her action pleased the suit man. He stood there admiring the waitress's servile appearance, a smile on his face.

"What is this doing? When did Boss Li become a cleaning supervisor?" Secretary Liu glanced at the waitress kneeling on the ground wiping the floor and frowned.

"Mr. Liu." Boss Li saw Secretary Liu and immediately bent his waist: "Hello, Mr. Liu, hello."

"Who is this?" He looked at the person beside Secretary Liu.

"This is my boss's capable assistant, Chao Musheng."

Chao Musheng?!

Xiao Juan thought her ears had problems. Disregarding that she might attract the attention of the powerful, she looked up at the people talking.

Sensing someone looking at him, Chao Musheng subconsciously turned back and met Xiao Juan's eyes.

Xiao Juan: !

Dog main god, why do you only catch one sheep to shear?