Chapter 80
Chapter 80
When Yun Youyou saw the title the Game had given her, her lips couldn’t help but twitch.
If you don’t know how to name things, you really don’t have to try.
Besides, the Experience Points were getting stingier and stingier.
Yun Youyou raised her thumb and pointed it toward the mini princess bed, signaling the Game.
“Now there’s another Unscrupulous Merchant besides you. Are you going to do anything about this?”
Game: [Sorry, this is outside my jurisdiction.]
Yun Youyou knew these two birds of a feather would cover for each other. They were both low-life scumbags.
Sooner or later, she’d have to find a way to deal with that Unscrupulous Merchant.
[The first round of the “Player Showdown” event is currently in full swing! We are urgently recruiting NPCs. All NPCs are encouraged to sign up!]
Every NPC received a sudden notification from the Game.
“Player Showdown? What’s that?”
Yun Youyou was confused.
[To provide Players with a better gaming experience, we have specially planned this event. Only those who endure the freezing cold, survive the scorching heat, and successfully challenge the limits of the human body can become the ultimate Player King!]
As soon as Yun Youyou heard this, she knew the damn Game was up to no good.
“Are there actually Players signing up for this?”
The Game cleared its throat.
[I never said Players needed to sign up to participate.]
[Except for Players currently inside an Instance, all other Players are required to compete.]
Yun Youyou: …
This bastard Game really was a piece of work.
“Are there any rewards for NPCs who sign up?”
Game: [No.]
Its tone was exceptionally firm, as if saying, “You actually want rewards? You’re dreaming!”
Working overtime without overtime pay? Yun Youyou wasn’t about to take such a losing deal.
Without hesitation, she said, “Then I’ll just go to the next Instance.”
Game: [Very well.]
[The next Instance is Primitive Society. Your role is a Sow.]
Yun Youyou: …
A Sow?
With a move like that, it was hard to believe the Game wasn’t doing it on purpose.
[Beginning Instance teleportation. Staff No. 003, please prepare for…]
“Wait!”
Yun Youyou quickly called for an emergency stop.
She really didn’t want to turn into a Sow.
Yun Youyou forced a fake smile.
“I’ve thought about it, and I’ve decided to be an NPC for the event after all. Whether there’s overtime pay isn’t important. What matters is making a contribution to the Game!”
Yun Youyou’s tone was powerful and resonant; she was the picture of a model employee.
One second ago, Yun Youyou: I won’t let anyone take advantage of me.
The next second, Yun Youyou: Being taken advantage of is a blessing. Give me more.
The Game felt gratified to have such a wonderful employee.
[Excellent. Our Game needs dedicated and responsible employees like you.]
[There are ten minutes until the event begins. Please prepare yourself.]
After the Game’s voice vanished, Yun Youyou sighed and flopped back onto the bed.
Suddenly, she bolted upright.
“So, what exactly is my task?”
Game: [Don’t worry, your task is very important. The life and death of all Players will be in your hands.]
Yun Youyou’s almond-shaped eyes widened.
That cool?
The life and death of all Players would be in her hands!
Whoa!
Yun Youyou was suddenly filled with enthusiasm for the job.
Wasn’t this basically going in there to be the Emperor?
At the thought, Yun Youyou couldn’t help but scramble out of bed.
The Game was actually quite thoughtful; it had prepared some cosmetics next to the mirror.
However, they all seemed to be cheap, off-brand products.
Yun Youyou couldn’t afford to be picky. She picked up an eyeliner pencil and began to carefully outline her eyes.
Maybe she was going to be the Boss!
She had to look the part!
[The event is about to begin. All NPCs, please be prepared.]
In her haste, Yun Youyou’s hand slipped.
The wing of her eyeliner suddenly shot up toward her eyebrow.
Yun Youyou: !!!
She quickly tried to rub it off with her finger, only to find that it wouldn’t budge.
Great. Now she looked way too “wicked.”
Yun Youyou slammed the pencil down in frustration.
Where did these knock-offs come from? They were terrible to use.
[Staff No. 003, please proceed to your station immediately! Staff No. 003, please proceed to your station immediately!]
With no time to fix her wicked eyeliner, Yun Youyou scrambled to her position.
A familiar white light, a familiar sensation.
Yun Youyou expected to hear the bustling noise of Players.
Instead, her surroundings were eerily silent.
Yun Youyou opened her eyes and found herself facing a multitude of display screens.
Dense rows of LCD screens formed a massive wall over two meters high.
At the top of each screen was a thermometer.
Below them, a silver console with a metallic sheen was covered in an intricate array of buttons.
Yun Youyou was utterly bewildered.
Didn’t you say I was here to be the Boss who holds the Players’ lives in her hands?
Why did you send me to a place like this?
[The Player Showdown has officially begun!]
As the Game’s voice faded, the screens in front of Yun Youyou lit up one after another.
Each screen displayed a small room.
Four Players were randomly assigned to each room, and the footage on the screens came from surveillance cameras installed inside.
[To become the strongest man or woman among the Players, one must possess a robust physique and superhuman perseverance. You must endure extreme cold and scorching heat. This is the first trial for the Players. The first 1,000 people to be eliminated will receive a small punishment.]
The Players cursed the Game over and over in their hearts.
You and your endless bullshit!
Yun Youyou sat before the screens, looking lost.
“Didn’t you say my job was very important? That I’d hold the Players’ lives in my hands?”
The Game: [That’s right. In a moment, you’ll be responsible for adjusting the air conditioning temperatures. Doesn’t that mean holding their lives in your hands?]
Yun Youyou: …
To think she had specifically put on that botched eyeliner, wasting so much time.
She thought she was coming here to be a grand Boss in all her glory, only to find out she was just a glorified thermostat operator.
A line of text suddenly appeared on the console in front of her.
[Extreme Cold Arrives: Temperature drops by one degree per minute. (Requires manual NPC operation. Temperature limit: -100°C.)]
[Scorching Heat Arrives: Temperature rises by one degree per minute. (Requires manual NPC operation. Temperature limit: 100°C.)]
Yun Youyou: …
Manual operation?
You’ve built something this advanced, would it kill you to install an automatic temperature control system?
The hundreds of rooms were divided into two zones: half were in summer, the other half in winter.
For a split second, Yun Youyou considered just cranking the temperature straight down to -100°C.
But in the end, she couldn’t bring herself to be that cruel.
Left with no choice, Yun Youyou sat in her chair and began manually operating the Temperature Control System.
At first, the Players thought it felt quite refreshing, but gradually, they all began to feel a bone-chilling cold.