Chapter 49

Help

"You really know Zhao Shang?" Brother Wu's breathing quickened, all his attention glued to Chao Musheng.

Xiao Liu and Xiao Qi also stared at Chao Musheng with burning eyes, afraid he would give a negative answer.

"He's over 1.8 meters tall, has double eyelids." Brother Wu incoherently described every small detail about Zhao Shang: "Thick hair, doesn't like to smile much..."

"Is this the person you're talking about?" Chao Musheng still had the photo Zhao Shang sent after returning to his hometown. He pulled out the photo and handed it to Brother Wu.

In the photo, Zhao Shang and Zhang San stood on a busy street, looking at the camera together with joyful smiles on their faces, as if talking to the person outside the photo.

"It really is Brother Shang, and Zhang San is there too." Xiao Liu was extremely excited, shaking Brother Wu by the shoulders: "That's great!"

All three of them had received favors from Zhao Shang. Seeing Zhao Shang appear in the photo unharmed, they were so excited they forgot their identities in the dungeon, grabbing Chao Musheng's phone and looking at the photo again and again.

Brother Wu's mind was in chaos. He looked at Chao Musheng as if looking at an omnipotent, magical existence.

How absurd. The answer he had sought from countless players without success was actually found from a dungeon native.

Being able to lead them out of the folded space in the cruise ship corridor and having news of other dungeon players, what level of NPC is Mr. Zhao exactly?

"I'll send the photo to you." Chao Musheng remembered that Brother Wu had taken a photo with him in the middle of the night last night and added him as a friend, so he sent the photo directly to him.

"Thank you, Mr. Zhao." Brother Wu opened the photo and looked at it repeatedly: "Brother Shang is the savior of the three of us. We owe him a lot of gratitude, but recently I haven't been able to contact him. Do you know his whereabouts?"

"He went back to his hometown." Seeing the three of them overly agitated, Chao Musheng comforted them: "Zhao Shang is a retired soldier. He has an upright character. When he saved you, he probably didn't expect you to repay him."

"Back to his hometown?" Brother Wu's fingers trembled uncontrollably. He didn't even dare to think about what this so-called "back to his hometown" meant: "When? Mr. Zhao, please tell me. This news is very important to me."

Chao Musheng glanced at Xiao Juan and saw her secretly nodding to him, so he continued: "Around mid-May, he and Zhang San came to our school for further studies. After passing the studies and saying they wanted to return to their hometown, I sent them to the station."

Xiao Juan listened very seriously from the side. This was the first time she knew how Brother Zhao sent players back to their "hometown."

So the campus dungeon Brother Shang entered and the current cruise ship dungeon belong to the same spacetime interface?

Brother Wu looked at the photo on the phone again: "This photo was sent to you after they arrived home?"

The total annihilation of the campus exploration dungeon was something they all knew. Brother Wu couldn't imagine how Zhao Shang survived with Zhang San after the system obliterated them. Could it be that they also discovered the use of the signal jammer?

There was too much confusion and incomprehension in Brother Wu's heart, but in front of Chao Musheng, this NPC, he dared not reveal anything to arouse suspicion.

"It seems to be the photo sent the day after they left." Seeing the three of them distracted, Chao Musheng waved the gift box in his hand to Xiao Juan: "I'm going back first. Send me a message when you want to find me."

"Okay, Brother Zhao." Xiao Juan smiled and watched Chao Musheng leave. Turning her head to see the three still staring blankly at the phone, she turned on the jammer again and kindly reminded them: "Have you ever thought that the 'back to hometown' Brother Zhao mentioned means sending them back to the original world?"

"If I'm not mistaken, Zhao Shang and Zhang San should come from the same interface." Seeing them reveal expressions of a shattered worldview, Xiao Juan was satisfied: "To tell you the truth, Brother Zhao and I didn't meet on the Moon Gazing. Our first meeting was at the Kunlun Building, which is the previous company exploration dungeon."

"The current time is August. I entered the previous exploration dungeon in July. Zhao Shang and the others entered the campus dungeon in May." Xiao Juan was very satisfied with the three people's quiet listening expressions: "This shows that the time of the exploration dungeons appearing in this world is flowing, and there are no repeated dungeon plots."

"But according to past rules, shouldn't the Main God continue to arrange players to enter the original dungeon until someone clears it?" Xiao Liu realized many things were wrong: "And the 'back to the original world' you mentioned, is it... does it mean what I think it means?"

Zhang San and Zhao Shang indeed came from the same real world, so their relationship was the best in the alliance.

"Maybe." Xiao Juan remembered Ah Ze who suddenly disappeared and hid in a place where the sun couldn't reach.

Seeing this, the other three also hurriedly followed: "But how is this possible?"

"But in this world, everything is possible. Doesn't this small handheld signal jammer also allow us to temporarily break away from the system's control?" Xiao Juan chuckled with unclear meaning: "Have you ever thought that maybe the so-called dungeon world originally exists in reality?"

"Impossible. Xiao Qi and I accidentally entered a folded space in the cruise ship corridor. If Mr. Zhao hadn't suddenly appeared, we wouldn't have been able to walk out at all." Brother Wu subconsciously retorted: "In the real world, how could there be folded spaces?"

Xiao Juan asked back: "Were you thinking of sneaking into certain rooms at night to find clues for clearing the level?"

Brother Wu and Xiao Qi didn't speak.

"Players are the minions sent by the Main God to invade the world. Of course, the world consciousness will resist your invasion." Xiao Juan sighed: "But even so, the world consciousness here only let you go around in circles in the folded space, and didn't spawn monstrosities to chase and kill you."

In other dungeons, players would have been chased two miles away by monstrosities long ago.

"Who exactly is Mr. Zhao?" Brother Wu quickly reacted: "Campus dungeon, company dungeon, cruise ship dungeon, he was in all of them. Is it a coincidence?"

"I don't know." Xiao Juan looked in the direction Chao Musheng left: "But I know he is a very good person."

After a moment of silence, Brother Wu looked at the photo of Zhao Shang and Zhang San, and the photo Chao Musheng took with him last night, and said: "You haven't told me why you are doing all this."

"I hope you can cooperate with me to overthrow the Main God's conspiracy together."

You are the rebellion talents I have my eyes on.

"Brother Liu." Chao Musheng walked to the door, and Secretary Liu just came out of the room with documents.

"Little Zhao, back so early?" Secretary Liu looked at his watch and stepped aside to make way, "The boss is bathing in the room. You can go straight in."

He glanced at the room card in Chao Musheng's hand. So the boss gave the room card to Little Zhao. He worried too much.

The soundproofing in the VIP suite was very good. Chao Musheng sat on the sofa in the living room and couldn't hear a sound. He put the gift box on the sofa and turned on the TV to wait for Xu Chenzhu to come out.

The TV was boring. Chao Musheng took off his sun hat, got up, and put it in the wardrobe in his room.

The phone vibrated. It was a message from the waiter who just added him as a friend.

[Hello Mr. Zhao, I am Little Wu. Thank you for telling me Zhao Shang's whereabouts. Wish you a happy life.]

[You're welcome.]

Chao Musheng put down his phone, touched the fine sweat on his neck, and simply went to take a shower too.

Coming out refreshed after the shower, Mr. Xu was already sitting neatly dressed on the sofa outside. Chao Musheng heard the male character on TV angrily asking the heroine why she wouldn't look at him more, why she wouldn't love him.

The awkward roaring echoed in the living room. Chao Musheng touched his nose embarrassedly. He forgot to turn off the TV when he went into the room just now.

"There are always different people appearing around you. You are nice to them, smile at them! Why won't you turn back and look at me more, even just one glance is fine!"

Xu Chenzhu turned his head, saw Chao Musheng holding a bath towel with water still dripping from his hair, and got up to find the hair dryer: "Why did you come out without drying your hair?"

"My hair isn't long." Chao Musheng sat cross-legged on the sofa. Xu Chenzhu plugged in the hair dryer and turned it on: "You can't be lazy about health. Drying it is good for your body. I'll help you dry it."

"I'll do it myself, I'll do it myself." Chao Musheng quickly took the hair dryer from Xu Chenzhu's hand.

Are you kidding? Letting the boss serve him to dry his hair? He's not trying to rebel.

Watching Chao Musheng treat his hair simply and roughly, Xu Chenzhu stopped himself from speaking, bent down to pick up the bath towel that had fallen to the ground, and sat on the adjacent sofa.

After drying his hair in a few moments, Chao Musheng casually grabbed it, turned his head to see Xu Chenzhu smiling at his hair, and tilted his head in confusion: "Mr. Xu, what's wrong?"

Xu Chenzhu's lips curled up: "Nothing."

"Really nothing?" Chao Musheng aimed the phone camera at his head and found several tufts standing up, like a silly hedgehog.

"So Mr. Xu, you also laugh at people?" Chao Musheng put down the phone and pressed down the sticking-up hair with his hand.

"Let me do it." Xu Chenzhu stood up, walked behind Chao Musheng, and extended his slender, beautiful fingers to comb his messy hair.

The originally stubborn hair became obedient under his fingertips, quickly lying down nicely and returning to its usual appearance.

Chao Musheng shrank his neck; his scalp was a bit itchy.

Noticing his dodging, Xu Chenzhu's fingertips paused, and he withdrew his hand with propriety, sitting back in his original position: "Your hair quality is very good."

"Maybe because when I was little, my grandma and grandpa often made sesame paste for me." Mentioning his grandparents, Chao Musheng smiled happily: "Grandpa planted a patch of sesame in the field. When I went back to my hometown for summer vacation as a child, I liked stepping on the dried sesame stalks the most. The sound was crisp."

He reached for an orange from the fruit bowl. After peeling it, he remembered that the oranges on this ship seemed very sour, so he tasted a segment himself first.

Not sour at all, very sweet.

He shared half with Xu Chenzhu: "Very sweet. Mr. Xu, try it?"

"Thank you." Xu Chenzhu took the orange: "You like orange-flavored things very much?"

Chao Musheng nodded: "There is an orange orchard at home. Every winter, it bears a lot of fruit. I often climb to the treetops to pick the biggest ones."

When he brought the big oranges home to his grandparents, they always secretly took the oranges to the activity center to show off to everyone, saying he gave them the biggest oranges.

"Your childhood must have been very happy." Xu Chenzhu's eyes were soft.

That's really great.

"Almost forgot something." After Chao Musheng put down the orange and wiped his hands clean, he found the gift box forgotten on the sofa: "Mr. Xu, try these cufflinks."

"For me?" Xu Chenzhu opened the gift box. A pair of dark green cufflinks lay in the box, emitting a charming luster.

"When I was wandering in the mall, the first time I saw them, I felt they suited you very well." Chao Musheng looked at Xu Chenzhu's shirt cuffs: "Try them?"

"Okay." Xu Chenzhu extended his arm in front of Chao Musheng: "It's inconvenient for me with one hand. Can you help me put them on?"

"No problem." Chao Musheng shifted his body, sitting closer to Xu Chenzhu, took off the original cufflinks on the sleeves, and replaced them with the ones he bought.

The dark green gems were low-key and luxurious, indeed very suitable for Xu Chenzhu's temperament.

After Chao Musheng put on both cufflinks, he admired them seriously for a moment: "Very suitable for you."

Xu Chenzhu withdrew his arm, gently rubbing the cool surface of the gems, his eyes seeming to sink into a lake: "Zhao Zhao, thank you."

Hearing this slightly intimate address, Chao Musheng looked up in surprise into Xu Chenzhu's soft eyes.

"You are only twenty. Calling you Musheng or Little Zhao always feels lacking a bit of vitality." Xu Chenzhu smiled faintly: "I am older than you. Calling you Zhao Zhao is smoother. If you don't like it, I'll change the address."

"It's not that I don't like it, just that relatives and friends around me basically don't call me that, so I'm a bit unaccustomed." Chao Musheng reached out, pulled back the arm Xu Chenzhu had withdrawn, and helped him smooth the wrinkles at the cuffs: "It seems my taste is quite good."

"Zhao Zhao's taste has always been quite good. I like these cufflinks very much. Thank you." Xu Chenzhu rubbed the cufflinks again and again. Only in this way could he suppress the roaring emotions in his heart.

His emotions cannot bring trouble to Zhao Zhao. Zhao Zhao will always be free.

[Ding, there are currently 22 players remaining in this dungeon. Players, please find the avenger as soon as possible and help the avenger bury this cruise ship before the dungeon ends.]

Just after waking up in the morning, he received a prompt from the system that 8 players had been eliminated by the dungeon.

"Those eight people stayed at the bottom layer and didn't find a chance to rise." Xiao Liu tidied the table in the breakfast room and whispered to Xiao Juan: "Players at the bottom layer will use every means to make high-floor waiters make mistakes in order to rise. You have to be extra careful."

"Sister Juan, good morning." Chao Musheng passed by the two and greeted Xiao Juan.

Xiao Liu noticed that the look in the foreman's eyes towards Xiao Juan became affectionate.

She was silent for a moment, forgetting that Xiao Juan had Chao Musheng, this golden thigh. Now among all players, the safest person should be Xiao Juan.

Hearing Chao Musheng take the initiative to greet Xiao Juan, Xu Chenzhu slowed his steps slightly, turned back, and nodded slightly to Xiao Juan.

Scaring Xiao Juan into bowing back.

The mysterious big boss actually nodded to her. This is Brother Zhao's face.

Brother Zhao's face is always so authoritative!

"You've been working for so long, go to the staff lounge to have breakfast first. Leave this to me." The foreman walked over and took the tray from Xiao Juan's hand: "In an hour, a few waiters are needed at the entrance of the conference room. You and..."

She glanced at Xiao Liu, recalling that Xiao Juan and Xiao Liu had a good relationship: "You and Xiao Liu go on duty at the entrance of the conference room together. Go have breakfast now."

Xiao Liu understood.

Sister Juan hugs Brother Zhao's thigh, she hugs Sister Juan's thigh.

When one person attains the Dao, their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven. She can be considered to be enjoying the benefits of the golden thigh.

When she and Sister Juan walked to the door and looked back, they could still see the foreman smiling and watching them leave. She couldn't help shivering. Sister Juan was right; this world might really be real.

Because the puppets in the dungeon can never make such a perfectly fawning smile.

When the two passed the corridor, they met Brother Wu and Xiao Qi face to face. Brother Wu looked at Xiao Liu following behind Xiao Juan like a lackey, stopped, and looked at Xiao Juan in silence for two seconds: "Sister Juan."

Both he and Xiao Juan understood the meaning of this "Sister Juan."

He didn't sleep all night last night. His mind kept recalling allies who died in the dungeon one after another. Some were middle-aged, still missing their families in the real world; some were very young, so young that the greenness on their faces hadn't faded when they died.

If the Main God hadn't summoned them into the infinite space, they would have had ordinary and stable lives, instead of being unwilling to close their eyes even in death.

When he first entered the dungeon, he met a very good big sister. She taught him the dungeon rules and told him that human hearts are unpredictable, but she died in an illusion created by a monstrosity.

Just because she saw her child in the illusion, she jumped into the turbulent river without hesitation, hugging a pitch-black stone, murmuring her child's name, and disappeared into the river water.

No matter how many dungeons he passed, he couldn't forget those anxious eyes when the big sister jumped into the river without turning back.

Later, newcomers came to the player alliance one after another, and old players disappeared one after another. Everyone constantly ran between different dungeons, and finally dared not even mention the word "home."

Reason told him that Xiao Juan's anti-Main God plan was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, but he still wanted to try, even if the hope was slim.

"Mr. Xu means that these advanced patented technologies are willing to be provided to domestic friendly merchants for free use?" At the meeting, everyone was surprised, including the big shots at the inner ring conference table.

"Yes." Xu Chenzhu raised his arm, his index finger tapping lightly on his chin: "As long as you pass our company's qualification review, you can obtain the copyright free use agreement granted by our company."

"Thank you, President Xu." The old man sitting next to Xu Chenzhu had a complex expression: "I think many small and medium-sized enterprises will thank your company for this decision."

The patent fees for these technologies were astronomical. Unexpectedly, Kunlun was willing to give up such huge benefits for domestic development.

"Only by progressing together can we promote national development." Xu Chenzhu's tone was indifferent: "Proceed to the next proposal."

Everyone present was in a state of shock, looking at Xu Chenzhu with extremely fervent eyes, wishing they could pull him to sign the patent use agreement on the spot.

Secretary Liu felt vaguely strange in his heart. The boss seemed to raise his arm more often than usual today. Could it be that his sleeping posture was wrong last night and his arm was sore?

Halfway through the meeting, just as the tea break began, Xu Chenzhu was surrounded by the big shots present. Even Chao Musheng and Secretary Liu were surrounded by people.

"I heard that several businesses of the Song Corporation could also use Kunlun's patents." A rival walked up to Chairman Song with a sarcastic tone, looking at Chao Musheng who was surrounded and fawned over by countless people: "What a pity. Some people have no foresight and offended the most promising junior. Now they don't even have a chance to use the back door."

Chairman Song's hand holding the cane trembled violently.

"Did Young Master Song not come to the meeting again today?" The rival shook his head and sighed: "True, at five he dared to push his aunt. Now at twenty-five, if anyone at the meeting makes him unhappy, wouldn't he push us?"

"Chairman Song is kind-hearted. He would rather lock up his precious grandson than let us get hurt. Admirable." The rival gave a thumbs up to Chairman Song.

Chairman Song was overcome with anger and finally collapsed headfirst.

"What happened?" Chao Musheng heard the noise behind him and turned back to see only smiling faces.

"Nothing, Mr. Zhao. Please tell us again about the conditions for applying for free patents." At this time, who would care about a fainting old man?

"Mr. Xu." Only the few big shots sitting at the inner ring conference table dared to surround Xu Chenzhu. Most of them were over sixty. Standing with Xu Chenzhu, they looked like elderly ministers welcoming a young emperor.

"President Xu's cufflinks are really beautiful." A female big shot wearing pearl earrings noticed Xu Chenzhu's posture with arms crossed and guessed he might not want to chat with them in detail about work, so she took the initiative to change the topic: "They look mysterious and noble. Are they custom-made?"

Then she saw President Xu, who had been expressionless, actually turn his gaze to her, his face softening a lot. His beautiful, slender fingers gently touched the cufflinks, obviously liking them very much: "Really? This is a gift from a friend."

The female big shot understood immediately: "Then this friend of yours must value you very much, otherwise they wouldn't have given such a suitable gift."

The corners of Xu Chenzhu's mouth curled up slightly: "Is that so?"

"Of course." The female big shot said: "Choosing a gift is about the thought. If they didn't value you, how would they put thought into it?"

"You are right." Xu Chenzhu chuckled lightly. This smile was like ice and snow melting. Even a pig brain could see he was very happy.

After the tea break, the female big shot received a cooperation agreement personally delivered by the Kunlun President's secretary.

She had personally gone to Kunlun three times to discuss this cooperation agreement without result. Unexpectedly, Kunlun was finally willing to relent today.

She put on her glasses, read the agreement again and again, and let out a long sigh of relief.

Thank those cufflinks, thank the kind person who gave the cufflinks.

Men, no matter what status, indeed need to be praised more.

After the second half of the meeting began, the person sitting in Chairman Song's seat changed to Song Cheng. Everyone present knew about the conflict between Song Cheng and Chao Musheng.

After the meeting ended, people nearby avoided Song Cheng one after another, leaving the conference room in a hurry as if he were a plague.

Song Cheng's face was livid. Afraid he would go crazy on the spot, the secretary quickly said: "Young Master, the Chairman is still in a coma. Let's hurry to take care of the Chairman."

"As Grandpa's grandson, Chao Musheng just lets Grandpa be angered into fainting without caring?" Song Cheng looked at Chao Musheng in the distance, surrounded by stars like the moon: "Does he have any basic humanity?"

The secretary smiled bitterly, wishing he could jump up and gag Song Cheng.

When you caused him to almost die in the womb back then, why didn't you consider that he was also your grandfather's grandson? Now you remember?

"Go call Chao Musheng over." Song Cheng took a few deep breaths: "Don't worry, I will talk to him properly."

"Me?" The secretary pointed at his own nose, then turned to look at the business big shots surrounding Mr. Zhao: "Young Master, I might not be able to squeeze in."

Seeing the secretary so useless, Song Cheng was even angrier. Thinking that the other party was Grandpa's trusted secretary, he suppressed his anger: "Forget it."

"Not even caring when his own grandfather fainted, no wonder Young Master Song is so angry." In the corner, the thin man nudged Brother Tiger: "Brother Tiger, let's hurry to curry favor with Song Cheng now. Now is his most down-and-out time. Sending charcoal in snowy weather is the easiest way to gain trust."

"Oh." Brother Tiger was blank: "But how can we gain his trust?"

"Whatever he wants, we help him achieve it." The thin man had despaired of Brother Tiger's brain.

Brother Tiger continued to ask: "What does he want?"

"Company inheritance rights." The thin man said angrily: "He hates Chao Musheng so much, ultimately because Chao Musheng enjoys equal inheritance rights with him. If we help him get rid of Chao Musheng, the company will be his."

Brother Tiger thought for a moment: "Is Chao Musheng's father still alive? If his father is alive, is his father's inheritance order ahead of Song Cheng?"

The thin man was choked and said after a long while: "This is just a dungeon, not the real world. Who cares if he has a father? Get rid of him first to gain Song Cheng's trust."

"Then how do you plan to get rid of him?" Brother Tiger pointed at the bodyguards around Xu Chenzhu and Chao Musheng: "Can you beat them?"

"I can't beat them, but isn't there you?" The thin man kept reminding himself in his heart not to get angry: "You have the strength skill. Are you afraid you can't beat a few dungeon NPCs?"

He still remembered Brother Tiger's fierce might of one against a hundred in a certain combat dungeon.

"I'm not going." Brother Tiger shook his head: "They have guns."

Thin man: "..."

Unexpectedly, at a critical moment, this big fool's brain became useful again.

He gritted his teeth: "Forget it, I'll think of a way myself."

"What good item do you have to deal with him?" Brother Tiger was curious: "Is it a puppet worm or a talisman paper?"

"It's a puppet mosquito." To gain Brother Tiger's trust, the thin man told the truth: "The puppet mosquito can suck away an NPC's brain marrow, but it has a seven-day cooldown period after one use."

If it weren't for Brother Tiger's unwillingness to act, he wouldn't be willing to use such a good thing.

"Really amazing." Brother Tiger looked envious: "Can you give me one?"

"This is an S-rank item. I only have one." The thin man perfunctorily said: "Next time. If I get this kind of good thing in the next dungeon, I'll give it to you."

"Alright." Brother Tiger's face was full of regret.

"Mr. Zhao, Mr. Zhao!"

Chao Musheng walked out of the room and saw a sturdy man squatting sneakily at the corner of the corridor. He paused: "Mr. Little Tiger?"

"Mr. Zhao can just call me Little Tiger." Brother Tiger put a bottle of insecticide spray into Chao Musheng's hand: "This is for you. I heard Song Cheng plans to release diseased mosquitoes to bite you."

Wuwuwu, he exchanged 50 points for this.

"No need, thank you for your kindness." Chao Musheng laughed: "The room I stay in has a mosquito elimination program. No bugs will fly in."

How can the mosquito elimination program in the dungeon kill the Main God's S-rank item?

Brother Tiger was a bit anxious, but seeing Chao Musheng refuse to accept it, he dared not expose himself, so he had to pocket the insecticide spray.

"This bottle of water is for you." Chao Musheng noticed Brother Tiger's lips were peeling. Thinking that work on the ship was hard, he went back to the room to get water and handed it to Brother Tiger: "Song Cheng has an extreme personality. Stay away from him. I'll be fine."

Worried that Song Cheng would take his anger out on Brother Tiger, he wrote down his phone number on a piece of paper and gave it to Brother Tiger: "This is my phone number. If you encounter trouble, be sure to contact me."

Brother Tiger took the water and phone number, the tips of his ears a bit red. This person is quite nice; I want to protect him.

Forget it. Since Mr. Zhao doesn't believe it, he'll find a chance to secretly spray at the door tonight. The fear is that the 50-point insecticide spray can't kill the S-rank puppet worm.

For the sake of the water and phone number, how about he ask someone for a favor?

Brother Wu or that woman nicknamed the King of Involution?