It was nearing the closing hour for Jin’s Dungeons and Pandas yet there were many people still hanging around to use the Pet Battle Royale Instance. In fact, he was earning more from the Pet vending machine than the dungeons for that particular day.
If not for the almighty System that was able to produce an unlimited amount of cards, Jin’s card machine would have broken down within an hour. Many people were overwhelmed by the simplicity of the gameplay and yet complexity underneath it all. Some even took pictures of their pets and began to show them to their friends on social media.
Bu Dong and his buddies did not hesitate to recommend Jin’s place to the online card forum they had always visited and even took pictures of their cards as proof. Many people online were doubting the authenticity of this particular new game but some showed interest in it. There was even a customer that recorded the entire match via phone cam and uploaded it online.
Also, Mr Know-It-All did make a phone call to a specific contact and reported this particular card game design to his old friend. “Yes, you know me well enough to understand that I do not lie. If you can convince Jin to sell you the schematics for his instance and the workings of the technology, you will profit tremendously.” Mr Know-It-All was talking inside his idle car.
“Buy his technology?? All I have to do is see the workings of his instance, and I can probably make a better copy!” The friend of his replied.
“Nah. Your company’s technology is too outdated. Even that prototype you showcased in that major convention three months ago should not be able to recreate it. Believe it or not, his technology is industry changing, breaking all traditional notions of dungeon instances. Compared to you, his use of dungeon instance is at least five to ten years more advanced. He might just be the new underdog in dungeon instance technology.” Mr Know-It-All giggled.
“Haha! Do you wish to turn this into another bet?” His friend asked.
“Why not? What are you going to bet?” Mr Know-It-All questioned.
“If I cannot replicate his technology and I cannot buy out his technology, I will fulfil two requests of yours which-“
“Which I have to create on the spot and no changes after the bet. And if I lose, I have to pay you 1 million USD. Wow, you do know that bet of yours is so old school and useless to you. When you are earning millions by the hour.” Mr Know-It-All rolled his eyes.
“You piece of shit, if not for the fact that you are my best buddy, I would not have let you off for owing me 20 million USD.” His friend argued.
“You are still counting those junior school bets? Hahaha, anyways, here are my two requests. One, please continue to fund my organisation as always, your donation is well appreciated. Two, even if you cannot copy or buy his idea, perhaps, partner up with him? Making that shopping district the next big thing in Shenzhen would be equally interesting.” Mr Know-It-All gave his requests to his friend.
“You care for this boy a lot eh? No wonder I feel a little lonely these days. I mean for the first time your requests are not as self-centred as before.” His friend sneered at him.
“Hahaha, people do change you know. Besides, these are also my orders from Boss. You know him well enough, that’s why I ask this from you.” Mr Know-It-All said.
“Fine, since it’s from Boss I will take on this bet. But remember, I am doing it for Boss, not for you. I am still not letting you off the hook. 20 million USD, please pay as soon as possible.” His friend finally agreed to help Mr Know-It-All.
“After I strike the lottery 20 times consecutive.” Mr Know-it-All meant fat chance.
“Ahh, whatever. Bye asshole.” His friend dropped the phone call, and Mr Know-it-all drank the last portion of his wife’s Oolong Tea.
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“What do you mean that you were not able to pick into the shop’s lock?! Aren’t you supposed to be the best lockpicker in Shenzhen?” Wo De Tian, the CEO of King’s Monster shouted at the lockpicker.
“I tried. It wasn’t a digital lock like most people use, but a mechanical door lock. Since, you did not specify that he had a mechanical lock, all the tools I brought were useless.”
“However, I did bring an extra set of conventional tools, but they were also not working. The pick felt different from usual.” The lockpicker argued back at De Tian as he was a respected person in his field.
“So? What are you waiting for? It’s already night and you are not going to try again?” De Tian looked furiously at him for retorting.
“My payment first.” The lockpicker demanded.
“Screw you and your payment, Chen Hai. You have yet to show results for this store.” De Tian waved him off, but Chen Hai banged De Tian’s table in his office. “After all the stores I helped you infiltrate, and with just this one failure, you are going to dismiss me?” Chen Hai fought back for his employment.
“Okay.” De Tian gave a long pause before continuing. “I shall put my trust in you again this time around because of your past merits. So show me the results.” De Tian threw a thick fat envelope on the table which he took out from his drawer. “Buy whatever tools you require, I do not care if you need to demolish the building or something. Get me his dimensional portal server.” De Tian who was slouching back on his chair, leaned forward and gave a deadly serious look at Chen Hai. The office was suddenly filled with chi that represented the embodiment of death.
“But if you ever run away from me or if you ever dare to come back to me with no results again. Do not blame me for being ruthless.” De Tian spoke in a rather slow and quiet tone.
“And I hate people that bang my precious table,” De Tian said as he continued to slouch back on his chair and turned his chair away to look at the window, where he could see in plain sight the building with King’s Monster logo. Chen Hai got the feeling he nearly avoided calamity, he now humbly walked away with the envelope.
Chen Hai realised he had pushed too far as he had forgotten that De Tian was the vice head of another Triad in Shenzhen, one capable of fighting toe to toe with the Three Eyed Tiger Triad.
The Ruby Rat Triad, notorious for their highly complicated involvement of the entertainment culture in China, especially Shenzhen, and high levels of corruption which even the police was not able to pursue.
It was rumoured that the Ruby Rat Triad was able to buy off judges and politicians to the point that it was able to hinder the results of a ten years corruption investigation in just three weeks. Buying bails for the vice heads, torturing and later killing the policemen and detectives involved through murders disguised as accidents.
If you compared them in terms of ruthlessness, the Three Eyed Tiger Triad could be considered the modern day Robin Hood while the Ruby Rat Triad was the equivalent of Al Capone less the drugs.
“Hmmph, Panda. You watch out. Coming into Shenzhen to carve a name for yourself in the entertainment industry is the one and only mistake you should not have made.” De Tian stared at the distant for a while before he continued to do his work.
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