Chapter 103
The answer is neither, but the prince does not want to be a prince, he just wants to be a businessman who wants to get rich quickly.
Bai Zhou was sitting with his legs crossed, holding a bowl of soy milk in one hand. He didn't look aristocratic at all.
She had a bracelet on her hand that she got from somewhere, and a pair of exquisite white leather boots on her feet.
What a mix of Chinese and Western styles.
He tilted his head, showing a somewhat embarrassed expression, and asked with a little concern: "By the way, Zhao Zhao, could the profession of puppeteer be part of the system scam?"
"...At present, it seems that all these speculations are possible." Pei Zhao shook his head, "It is impossible to stop. Only by being in the center of the vortex can we get closer to the truth. The only thing we can do is to be more careful."
"Yeah." "Okay." Bai Zhou and Lan Ji nodded together.
The topic was about to end here, and at the same time, the phone, which had been silent for a moment, vibrated again.
Pei Zhao had an obvious look of anticipation on his face, but after clicking it, his expression gradually turned cold.
[Sudi: My system has just notified all puppeteers to return to the system center urgently. 】
System Center?
In just a few days, has that transit area already got its own name?
Pei Zhao was stunned.
The next second, Xiao Rui's businesslike voice rang in my mind.
[Hello host, notice has been issued that all puppeteers must bring their teams back to the system center. 】
"I see."
Pei Zhao put down his breakfast and completely lost his appetite.
"What's wrong?" Lan Ji asked.
"The system just sent a notice to lead the team back to the system center. Sudi and I both received it." Pei Zhao relayed the message in full.
"Sudi's system? Hasn't he always been counted as a member of our team?" Bai Zhou was puzzled.
"Hmm..." Pei Zhao nodded hesitantly, but in fact there was another teammate.
Yu.
I don't know whether that system is aware of Yu's existence.
I hope not.
"I don't know the exact situation yet, but when we get there, try not to mention Yu's name." Pei Zhao felt vaguely uneasy. After thinking for a moment, he sent a message to Zhou Yuli.
Who knew that while I was editing, I received the message first.
[Sudi said he wanted to go back with the team and kicked me out. 】
Can I come to see you? Owner. 】
Pei Zhao's mouth corners raised unconsciously.
[Okay, but don’t call me master anymore.] 】
It would be fine if it was just words, but it would be too unfair to say it in words.
There is less than a day left for everyone.
"Can you please tell me what it is about so we can make some preparations in advance?"
Under Bai Zhou's strong request, Pei Zhao still asked Xiao Rui with a cold face.
Perhaps because of the questioning in the morning, Xiao Rui did not make things difficult for Pei Zhao and actually provided some useful information.
[The System Center wants to stop the Puppet Master Selection Competition, and will conduct a PVE extreme environment competition in the form of a team. The host can prepare some weapons and supplies in advance. 】
"What on earth are they trying to do? They're holding a competition when there's an external threat. Are they crazy?" After listening to Pei Zhao's simple retelling, Bai Zhou almost wanted to throw things.
Pei Zhao had a headache: "Who knows..."
As they were talking, a dark shadow flew into the restaurant.
"Don't forget me! I had such a good sleep." Miu Yi threw himself into Pei Zhao's arms. The little black bat opened its mouth and yawned, revealing its sharp fangs. It gently rubbed Pei Zhao's fingers and said, "It sounds interesting. I want to go too!"
"It's very dangerous, what a lie." Pei Zhao was helpless. He pulled out his fingers and tapped his head twice, jokingly saying, "I still want to keep you here to carry on the family line..."
"Pah, pah, pah!" As expected, no matter what species they are, they will jump up and down when they hear such words. "I want to go, group activities, and defeat the conspiracy!"
"You also think they have a conspiracy?" Pei Zhao keenly caught the words used by Miu Yi and narrowed his eyes. "Did you hear our conversation?"
"Talk? No, I just woke up. I only heard what you said about Rui telling you about a competition..." The little bat nodded its head and flapped its wings twice. "I said there must be something wrong with them. They suddenly found a species that was about to become extinct and turned it into a puppet. It can also travel through the world. How can such a good thing happen!"
"..." Pei Zhao was helpless, as what Miu Yi said did make sense. But they all thought that becoming a puppet and leaving the world was a miserable thing, and they didn't realize that it was a huge blessing for species like Miu Yi.
"Could it be that they were really tricked into applying for a credit card after receiving free eggs..." Pei Zhao, Bai Zhou, and Lan Ji looked at each other at the same time, with obvious uneasiness in their eyes.
·
At Miu Yi's request, Pei Zhao returned to the system world with a full team.
The white light gradually dissipated, and as soon as they stepped onto the place they had been to twice, everyone discovered something was wrong.
"Why are there so many people?" Bai Zhou asked.
Pei Zhao frowned and looked at the various people around him. It's clear they are not from the same world.
Some were dressed extravagantly, some looked like professional expedition teams, and some, like them, looked like students who were forcibly brought here.
"Are these puppeteers from all over the universe?" Compared to Bai Zhou, Lan Ji was much calmer, but this kind of scene was indeed rare. "It's just like a tourist attraction during the holidays."
It wasn't a huge crowd, but it was definitely packed with people.
The formation could easily be broken up, and just when Pei Zhao was getting annoyed, he felt someone grabbing his wrist.
When I looked in the direction he was standing, I saw Zhou Yuli with a smiling face.
The irritation in Pei Zhao's heart was instantly wiped out. Just as he was about to say something stubbornly, Zhou Yuli spoke first.
"Let me grab it for a bit. It might get in trouble if we get lost." Then he asked for permission pitifully with the look of a wet big dog.
“……” Pei Zhao was silent.
Pei Zhao agreed.
After squeezing through the crowd that had just been teleported over, I finally arrived at a relatively open place.
It was the central area I had been to before, with a high-tower structure, but the roads were wider than before, and even there seemed to be more vendors setting up stalls than before.
"It's almost like a proper city." Pei Zhao sighed, "By the way, Xiao Rui said that we can go back to the residential area first, and the selection competition will be directly transmitted to the host by the responsible system."
"It sounds quite professional." Bai Zhou said.
Pei Zhao was of course happy not to have to crowd with the crowd in the central area.
He led a few people straight to the residential area, but he met an uninvited guest not long after he went.
"Is your team a team of puppeteers and puppets?"
The people were dressed strangely, and their attire looked like traditional ancient clothing, but the design details contained many Western elements.
For example, the lace on the hem of her clothes, and the western flute on her waist where she should have a sword.
"Who are you?" Pei Zhao avoided the other party's question and asked back first.
At the same time, a question arises in my mind: Aren’t they a team of puppeteers and puppets?
"Oh, of course I'm a puppeteer. Since we're both puppeteers, why don't we make a deal?"
Pei Zhao hesitated and exchanged glances with others.
Pei Zhao: What do you think?
Bai Zhou: ...It seems like he has a problem with his brain.
Lan Ji: ...Why don't we first see what kind of deal he wants to make?
Zhou Yuli: I agree with Lan Ji. (Smile)
Pei Zhao retracted his gaze, revealed a profound expression, and nodded: "Okay, what's the deal?"
The man raised his hand and pointed: "I think it looks good, how about you sell it to me?"
Following the direction of his finger, everyone turned back in unison.
What he saw was Bai Zhou, horrified and confused, pointing at himself: "Ah? Me?"
Pei Zhao frowned: "You want to buy someone?"
The man stamped his feet and said, "Puppet! Isn't it your puppet? I want to buy it. Don't worry, I have money!"
"This is not a question of money," Pei Zhao held his forehead with his hand, while Lan Ji's expression darkened.
I thought Sudi’s discrimination against humans and puppets was abnormal enough, but I didn’t expect there were people even more outrageous than him. Could it be that they are the minority in this world?
"My friend, listen to me. Although they are puppets, they have the ability to self-awareness. I can't buy and sell them casually." Pei Zhao tried to explain.
But the friend on the other side obviously couldn't listen. I thought Pei Zhao was a good talker, but now he is being lectured. His face fell and he said unkindly: "Puppets are just puppets. If you don't want to sell them, forget it. You like to treat them as human beings. There is no need to convince me. Not all puppeteers have the same habit as you."
The man left a few words and walked away with a flick of his sleeves.
Pei Zhao was left blinking in confusion: Special hobby? Me?
Seeing the people leave, Lan Ji's expression recovered a little. He put his hand on Bai Zhou's shoulder unnoticeably. To outsiders, they seemed to be so intimate that they were leaning against each other.
After the man walked away angrily, he may have said something to others. Soon, as they continued to move forward, the expressions of the people around them changed.
Lan Ji grabbed Bai Zhou with one hand, walked to Pei Zhao, and whispered: "...Everyone here seems to be able to distinguish between puppeteers and puppets. They seem to have figured out our identities."
Pei Zhao had already noticed it, nodded slightly, and looked past those strange looks, and whispered: "It seems that Sudi's ideas are shared by the majority here."
Pei Zhao didn't say anything. He didn't notice it at other times, but today there were many humans and puppets here. Although no one told Pei Zhao how to distinguish between humans and puppets, whenever Pei Zhao got close to some people, he could clearly feel the difference between the two species.
People have a sense of crisis similar to that when facing their own kind, which naturally stimulates some of Pei Zhao's social instincts, such as socializing or avoiding.
But puppets are different. Although they look like humans, Pei Zhao often ignores them involuntarily.
It’s just like treating the merchandise neatly displayed in a window. If you don’t have the desire to buy the product, you won’t even take a second look at it.
My original misunderstanding of Sudi now seemed to be somewhat understood.
Perhaps in Sudi's eyes, Pei Zhao's love for puppets is like that of some special people with fetishes, which makes him feel embarrassed.
Pei Zhao should have discovered this earlier. When Sudi sent those puppets, Pei Zhao did not treat them as human beings. He just asked Bai Zhou to deal with them as puppet commodities.
Pei Zhao held his forehead with his hand: On weekdays, I completely ignore my own double standards.
Maybe it's because, whether it's Zhou Yuli, Bai Zhou, Lan Ji, or even Miu Yi, to Pei Zhao, they are all beyond meaning, and he has identified them as people and placed them on the same level as humans.
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