Chapter 43 Interview + Infinite World [The losing party must fulfill the terms of the bet...]
[Congratulations! Your room remains at number one on the real-time rankings during the interview!!!!]
[Achievement already loaded into archive]
Xue Chao strolled leisurely and sat down on another sofa. The two sofas tilted slightly towards each other, like the two strokes of a television set. He leaned back casually, crossed his legs, and acted as if he were on his own turf. To the completely bewildered Zhu Wen and the audience, it was pure provocation.
"【Xue Chao】??????"
"Brother Xue Chao! You're not dead!!"
"【Xue Chao】Holy crap... My family isn't what I think, is he...?"
"[Xue Chao] My brain is making a crackling sound like a CPU overload! What's going on?! Does anyone understand?!"
"Hello everyone, welcome to my studio. I am Xue Chao, the host of this game."
When Xue Chao spoke again, it was his own voice. This man seemed more like a guest invited to take the seat of honor than a host, speaking to himself: "Everyone knows who this is, so I won't waste time introducing him. Let's move on to the next item, about..."
"You bastard, how dare you lie to me!!"
The angry shout from the little ancestor as he lifted the roof was accompanied by the whooshing sound of a fishing line being cast. Xue Chao didn't even lift his eyelids. Suddenly, the rays in the all-seeing eye of the sofa beneath him began to rotate, one after another, quickly merging into one, like flowing ripples melting onto the surface of the sofa. The fishing line was cast back intact.
[WARNING! Fighting is strictly prohibited in the studio! Yellow card warning issued!]
As expected. Confirming his suspicions, Xue Chao propped his chin on one hand, tilted his head to scrutinize the boy whose face was contorted with anger, and, as if that wasn't enough, mocked this true newcomer, "Is this your first time in a studio?"
Unable to vent his anger, Zhu Wen tried to turn around and slam the door, but when he kicked the door, he realized that the interview was not over and the studio was a no-go zone. He was both angry and annoyed.
I don't know what kind of great mental preparation he did, but he turned around fiercely, his wide eyes like two laser beams, shooting straight at Xue Chao, wishing he could slice off the bastard's head in one glance—forget about the bet, forget about the bait, he just wanted to kill this hateful thing in the water!
He probably used the sofa as Xue Chao's spine and plopped down on it. However, the sofa was so soft and elastic that it could break through the wooden door. The boy was bounced around a couple of times, and his bright hair swayed up and down with his movements, just like a small jellyfish moving forward with its tentacles. His momentum was weakened a bit.
Xue Chao doesn't usually flaunt his good looks, but when others stare at him in admiration, he's happy to oblige and not spoil the fun. He goes about his business as if he's doing a good deed. So he treats it like a little kid admiring a mature man's sexiness, considerately not bothering him, and idly browses the comments section.
The comment section finally reloaded, flashing wildly like it was infected with a virus, filling the entire screen. It turned out that it wasn't that the viewers were just recovering, but that there were so many comments that it crashed.
Most of the comments were exclamation marks, question marks, and interjections, and there were even many censored symbols, which shows the audience's "enthusiasm." Xue Chao patiently waited for them to calm down.
Zhu Wen was the first to recover. Once the higher-ups had cooled down a bit and finally processed the deception, they raised their chins and loudly questioned, "The host's identity is AI?"
The roles of host and guest have really been reversed. Xue Chao glanced at him lazily: "Are you the host or am I the host?"
Zhu Wen seemed to be reminded: "The host didn't have a camera position, so you killed Wang Song to take his camera position."
"You're judging others by your own standards," Xue Chao added. "That trench coat was indeed useful, but unfortunately, I only got to use it this once."
Zhu Wen asked clearly, while Xue Chao gave an ambiguous answer. But in just a few sentences, the audience finally understood the cause and effect. Whether the host's death was real or fake, or the newcomer was suspected of being searched and hunted, it was all just a means for Xue Chao to hide his identity and manipulate things in secret. All sorts of thoughts eventually converged into one sentence that flooded the screen:
"Brother, you're such a good actor!"
"Brother, you're such a good actor!"
"Brother, you're such a good actor!"
...
Xue Chao's beautiful phoenix eyes curved into a smile: "Thank you for the compliment."
He usually has a fierce look, but when he smiles, he becomes a bit affectionate, and the comment section is once again flooded with praise for his good looks.
"Although I'd love to answer your questions, as the host, I'm paid by the company, so I can't just do nothing." The host, who had been lounging around since entering, dusted off his clothes, stood up, and, feigning seriousness, faced Zhu Wen. "Everyone's time is precious, so let's get straight to the point—do you remember there was such a thing as an additional note?"
[The performance-based agreement is in effect]
[Please have the losing party fulfill the terms of the bet.]
"..." Zhu Wen stood up abruptly, gritting his teeth, "Be careful not to listen or you'll shorten your lifespan!"
In Xue Chao's eyes, the kitten's teeth hadn't even grown in yet, and it was just meowing randomly.
“I knew the seventh-ranked player would keep his word and accept defeat.” Xue Chao leaned in and said, “I’m all ears.”
Zhu Wen usually calls young people "uncle" and "aunt," but when he actually calls them "uncle" and "aunt," he turns into an old man and an old woman, just to annoy people.
He was happy to be a child, a "child" that even the old folks had to fawn over and fear. Ultimately, he was proud that he could be so high and mighty at such a young age.
But this time it's different. What he's called isn't the point. The person who was high and mighty has changed. He's now the real kid who's going to get a spanking, which isn't fun anymore.
Zhu Wen struggled for a long time but couldn't utter a single sound. His youthful features contorted like freshly fried honey twists. He gave a light nod, as if bowing, and muttered the word quickly: "...Brother."
Even though Xue Chao was so close, he couldn't hear him clearly. Not to mention whether there was any intonation, he probably even swallowed the pinyin. It sounded like a soft burp. Even a mosquito's buzz would be more accurate than his pronunciation. He raised an eyebrow and saw Zhu Wen turn and run to the door—the brat thought he had completed his punishment.
Does Xue Chao's nod count as a bow?
"[Xue Chao] That was great! I almost heard him call me 'brother,' am I deaf?"
When Xue Chaoding added the annotations, he wasn't very strict. He only said "bowing" and "calling me brother," without specifying the degree of the bend or the pitch. At the time, he just wanted to use the congratulatory message as a gimmick to attract more viewers.
Whether Zhu Wen's work is complete or not is hard to determine right now. The TV is crackling and sputtering, like a cassette tape is stuck, as if it's hesitating about how to judge it. After all, this little brat is too thin-skinned when it's his turn to play, and he's really just going through the motions.
Xue Chao asked the audience, "How do you think it should be calculated?"
"【Xue Chao】Hahaha, that doesn't count, let's do it again!"
"【Xue Chao】One more time!"
"【Xue Chao】One more time!"
...
"It seems the audience isn't very satisfied."
During the interview, players invited to the studio could see the comments section. Although Zhu Wen had his back to the TV, he knew what the audience's attitude would be, and there were definitely people who called themselves his "fans" among those who were making a fuss.
That's just how dog games are. When he's doing well, we cheer for him to the fullest. When he makes a mistake, we still cheer. Pshaw, he's hardly a entertainer. Compared to these spectators who only dare to hide behind their screens, he's a good kid who doesn't like to join in the fun!
His eyes were a little red, not from grievance, but from a real murderous intent rising within him, the fishing line twitching eagerly inside his sleeve.
Fighting is prohibited in the studio... but it's not entirely impossible, just at a high cost.
Why not...
The judgment was not over, and the door still could not be opened. Zhu Wen, who was standing at the door with his back to Xue Chao, suddenly stopped moving, as if shrouded in a shadow.
"But I'm satisfied." Xue Chao, who had been propping his head up and looking at him, slowly said in a smug tone that said, "Okay, I'm not teasing you anymore." "I'm the winner who set the punishment, and I'm also the host who supervised the execution of the betting. Isn't it enough that I'm satisfied?"
He wasn't in a good mood: "I didn't want a younger brother anyway. He's a brat, a nuisance."
As soon as he finished speaking, the wooden door clicked open. Zhu Wen paused slightly, pressed the handle, and the door opened.
Xue Chao teased, "Aren't you going to say something harsh before you leave?"
The boy turned back as he wished, his arrogant grin returning, but his dark, round eyes stared at him: "Uncle, you'll regret not killing me in this dungeon sooner or later."
Xue Chao waved his hand: "We'll talk about it on that day. Goodbye."
The guest left, and the interview time entered its ten-second countdown. Without the threat of life and death in the dungeon, Xue Chao smoothly laid down his arms, ignoring the still enthusiastic and reluctant viewers, and casually waved to the TV: "Well then, everyone, goodbye."
With a hiss, the antique television suddenly turned off, the mosaic of the All-Seeing Eye faded away, the doors and windows turned back, the extra wooden door disappeared, and it returned to the living room of the villa.
However, all the room doors had black nameplates hanging on them, made of obsidian. Most of them were blank, without any words, except for the back door leading to the backyard, which had words on it that read "Infinite Building".
Pushing open the door led to a long, narrow corridor. To the left were walls as hard and black as obsidian, and to the right was a row of floor-to-ceiling windows with transparent black glass. Each window was painted with a scarlet all-seeing eye, all staring at him.
There was some light outside the window, like an ordinary night, except that the side he was on was probably facing away from the starlight. When he looked down, he saw a huge shadow cast on the ground, which was an hourglass-shaped building, dark and enormous, which must be the shape of this company building.
Even without seeing the front, Xue Chao's mind, poisoned by the All-Seeing Eye logo, instantly conjured up the building's true appearance: a strange structure made up of two giant pyramids, one facing forward and the other backward, forming an hourglass shape, perfectly matching the "infinite" company's heritage.
...Perhaps from the outside, each side of the pyramid is an all-seeing eye. After all, the company is more like a dog than a dog; it will pee on and mark even a telephone pole before it sees one.
As for how to break through classical mechanics, there is no need to consider that the pyramid is supported by only one contact point. This place is not something that Newton can control. The pyramid itself is an unsolved mystery, so what difference does one more make?
Xue Chao reached the end and found it to be a dead end. He turned around and a red door appeared in the black wall. It was not at the beginning, not at the end, and not in the middle. It was as if there was a row of hidden doors all along, and one of them suddenly allowed him to "see" it and guide him.
Xue Chao pushed open the door, and there was another narrow corridor. This time it was not a straight path but a slanted one. There were black walls on both sides, which were impenetrable and towering, creating a strong sense of oppression. Even prisons had more human touch here. Only a red door on the right was radiating blood.
He pushed open the red door again. This time, the road was not only slanted but also upward. Xue Chao understood that the interior of the building was not a series of towers, but a maze that had been haphazardly constructed.
So that they don't remember the way or meet up?
After turning seven times, Xue Chao finally arrived at a room covered with logos. There was only a red iron table and a red chair. Xue Chao sat down. In front of him was a black paper contract, and next to him was a sharp knife.
Employee Employment Contract
[Party A: Infinite Games Company]
[Party B: Xue Chao]
[In accordance with the "Infinite World Labor Code," and after assessment by Party A, Party A agrees to Party B signing this contract and will urge Party B to comply with the terms listed in the contract. Party A reserves the right to make a ruling if Party B violates any of the terms.]
...
They started with a condescending attitude, launching into this unequal treaty. The contract was short, only a few hundred words, but Xue Chao quickly gleaned its core message from the shameless official rhetoric:
First, the host must not betray the company; otherwise, the company may execute him.
Second, the host must host one game per week.
Third, the host will be subject to a performance evaluation once a week, and the host is required to reach 10,000 points per week. The evaluation will be checked every Sunday at 24:00. If the host fails to meet the target, a penalty will be imposed.
4. If a host's weekly score has reached 10,000, any games they host will be considered extra work, and the points and salary earned will be multiplied by 1.5 times, which will be considered overtime pay.
Fifth, the host has a contract and is protected by the company in the infinite world outside the instance.
One game a week seems humane. 10,000 points doesn't seem high, considering he earned eight times his initial investment in one dungeon run... But that's based on two points: first, his rating for this run was the highest level, S; second, he exploited a loophole in the item system, got a free player account, participated in the betting, and doubled his winnings.
These are not common occurrences for most hosts, and even Xue Chao himself may not be able to replicate his success.
The so-called "one show per week" is just a safety net for top-tier hosts, in case they make enough money to last a month without hosting any shows.
If Xue Chao's guess is correct, the reward range between different levels should be quite large. 10,000 points is definitely not an easy score to earn; it can't be earned in just one dungeon.
For most hosts, it would probably take three or four games a week to meet the standard and avoid punishment.
There's no door once you enter this room; if he doesn't sign, he probably won't be able to leave.
The unequal treaty was full of arrogance and hidden exploitation, and was shameless enough to say "Congratulations on becoming livestock." It didn't intend to pretend to be a good person and be polite, but it still mentioned "under the protection of the company in the infinite world" - this sentence is probably true, and can be regarded as a "benefit" given by the company. In other words, even if he leaves the instance, the infinite world he is in now is not safe.
So be it. He has no choice in the matter, and it's not like he can just throw his arms around and resist. Since he's here, he might as well accept it.
Xue Chao picked up the knife next to him and cut his finger. The moment the blood dripped onto the contract, it automatically formed his name. The handwriting was bold and sharp, just like a knife.
The contract was signed and then disappeared. The red door reappeared, and a neatly folded black cloak appeared on the table. The huge hood faced Xue Chao and was printed with a huge all-seeing eye. If he wore the cloak, this eye would look like a head on his neck.
Product Name: Anti-spy Work Clothes
[Product Description: Congratulations on joining Infinite Games! To protect the privacy of all employees, we have prepared "anti-spy uniforms" as a welcome gift. Socially anxious people no longer need to worry about embarrassing encounters with colleagues at work!]
[Instructions for use: Simply wear work clothes inside the company building to blur all your features, protect your privacy, and conceal your true identity.]
Xue Chao put on the long black cloak and felt as if he was completely covered. The hood covered his entire face, but he could still see the road in front of him clearly, as if... the all-seeing eye on the hood had become his eye.
To be honest, this thing doesn't look like a work uniform at all; it looks more like something out of a cult. If he took a torch, he could go and participate in a black magic ritual.
He returned to his villa, which served as his office at the company. It's estimated that every host has such a private space as their base, which was connected to this eerie building.
He returned to the living room, where the television had switched from "watching" mode to "game" mode. The icons had changed from upright triangles to inverted triangles, the layout was almost identical, and the page was divided into various categories, all of which were copies.
Top:
Your role is "Host".
Please select a instance and start your game room!
The viewing mode is for the audience to choose the "programs" they want to watch, while the game mode is where the host chooses instances, players choose instances or rooms, which is where "program teams" are formed.
He glanced at it briefly. The largest category area, like the viewing mode, was divided according to the type of instance, such as "Battle Royale," "Rule-Based Ghost Stories," and "Role-Playing."
Then there are "tag sections" categorized by theme, background, and characteristics, such as "Folklore," "Castle," and "Maze."
There are also some leaderboards with different viewing modes, such as "Player Leaderboard", "Guild Leaderboard", "Host Leaderboard", "Achievement Leaderboard", "Most Improved Player Leaderboard", and "Audience Favorite Leaderboard".
Clicking on "Personal Center" reveals the basic information about the room, including avatar, name, and room number. The name is now his real name, "Xue Chao".
The remaining majority of the page was blank, which was puzzling.
Xue Chao was pondering what this meant when a notification suddenly appeared at the top of the blank page: a "friend request".
[Player "Pu Fengchun" has requested to become your friend. Do you accept?]
【whether】
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