"Character card generating..."

"ID: Liu Zheng (modifiable)"

"Level: lv1"

"Strength: 14"

"Constitution: 12?"

"Spirit: 11"

"Perception: 10"

Looking at the character panel in front of him, Liu Zheng was a bit dazed.

He had only filled out a survey, yet was selected by some Hell Game.

Are these main gods recruiting players so casually now?

People doing promotions usually ask about family situations first.

"The dungeon will open in one hour. Please prepare, players."

That mechanical voice sounded again, and a countdown timer appeared on the panel.

"Sending a frozen patient into a dungeon? Isn't that too inhumane?"

Liu Zheng felt speechless.

He didn’t have many months left to live; this trip out was basically to pick his own grave.

He already had his demands in mind.

It had to be a large apartment facing south, preferably with a nineteen-year-old high school girl as the neighbor.

"The player has signed a wager agreement and must abide by the game rules."

The system said coldly.

"What wager agreement?"

Liu Zheng looked at the survey and was stunned to find it had completely changed.

"Name: Wager Agreement

Type: Item

Quality: ???

Effect: The user’s dungeon rewards will automatically be replaced by those related to their wish until the wish is fulfilled. The user will be forcibly transformed into a player. Each dungeon completion rating before fulfilling the wish must not be below A grade, or else the user will be erased."

"Note: Where are the kids crying every day? Where are the losers every day?"

What was his wish again?

Liu Zheng scratched his head, then remembered.

Health and longevity.

A request that was very rude to a terminally ill person.

"Alright then."

He sighed.

Better a short pain than a long one; being erased was a bit better than slowly waiting to die.

What could he do in an hour?

Watch a movie, have a big meal, write a will, throw a party...

But Liu Zheng did nothing. He just turned on the car stereo and played "Bohemian Rhapsody."

Then,

He watched the countdown reach zero.

"Dungeon name: Bloody Restaurant"

"Dungeon type: Beginner Trial"

"Number of players: Single"

"Objective: Survive 72 hours"

As the system prompt sounded, a ball of black fire instantly enveloped him, disappearing inside the car.

When Liu Zheng woke from dizziness, he found himself standing at the entrance of a residential complex, holding a letter in his hand.

He looked at the complex’s gate. The sign "Jin Xiu Xin Yuan" was covered in mottled rust, and the stone pillars were full of wind erosion marks.

He glanced inside the complex; the buildings were still in their original places, but when Liu Zheng tried to look closely, everything became blurry.

At the same time, a sharp pain surged in his mind.

"Warning, rationality decreasing."

The system’s prompt sounded.

Liu Zheng quickly looked away.

If he wasn’t even allowed to look, then entering the complex was impossible.

So, he raised the envelope in his hand.

The clue for his next move should be inside.

Liu Zheng tore open the envelope. Inside was a folded A4 paper.

Opening it, he found a notice.

"Dear human citizen:"

"We regret to inform you that you have been unemployed for two months. Please follow the instructions to attend the designated location for an interview. Failure will result in loss of citizenship and entry into processing procedures."

"Municipal Employment Security and Promotion Office."

No job, no citizenship. This Hell Game was really up-to-date with current affairs.

Wait, human citizen?

He suddenly caught a key point.

Since there were human citizens, naturally there must be non-human citizens.

Combined with the so-called "processing procedures," the situation suddenly became terrifying upon reflection.

"Interesting."

Liu Zheng felt a bit excited.

This was the kind of world he wanted — an abnormal, non-daily world.

He flipped the notice to the back. It was a map.

There were five red marks on it, one a pentagram, the other four simple dots.

No need to guess, the pentagram was the designated location.

The other four spots were probably follow-up missions or side quests.

If the player’s personality was playful, maybe they’d check the four dots first.

But with Liu Zheng’s personality, he went straight for the main objective.

He followed the map, seeing no pedestrians on the way, not even small animals. The surrounding buildings all had tightly closed doors and windows.

Yet Liu Zheng constantly felt countless hidden gazes watching him. The source of this content ɪs NoveI(F)ire.net

Countless figures stirred restlessly in the shadows of door cracks and building corners that he couldn’t clearly see.

"You can’t stay outside for long."

Dangerous instincts warned Liu Zheng, and he quickened his pace.

After nearly half an hour of brisk walking on the dead-silent street, he finally reached his destination.

A small three-story Western-style building with no other buildings within a hundred meters.

The feeling of being watched quietly vanished as Liu Zheng entered this area.

"Bloody Restaurant."

When Liu Zheng clearly saw the huge sign, his pupils shrank.

Because the restaurant’s name wasn’t painted on.

They were nailed to the wooden board with rusty iron nails, continuously twisting as if welcoming him.

"Warning, rationality decreasing."

The system reminded him again.

Liu Zheng quickly looked down, no longer looking at the sign.

"What is rationality?"

He asked aloud to divert his attention.

"A hidden attribute. When rationality drops to a certain level, symptoms such as intelligence decline, mental confusion, coma, or temporary madness will appear."

"What if rationality reaches zero?"

"Permanent madness or..."

Liu Zheng couldn’t hear the rest clearly.

"Those crazies in mental hospitals, could they all be players whose rationality hit zero?"

He joked.

As expected, the system did not respond.

Liu Zheng exhaled deeply and stepped into the restaurant.

*Clap clap clap*

Continuous crisp sounds rang behind him — fingers snapping.

He didn’t know if they were welcoming a new colleague or celebrating something.

He walked into the restaurant, and the scene surprised him.

Unlike the hellish scene he had imagined, the restaurant’s lobby was very clean and bright, decorated in a magnificent and grand style.

A faint elegant fragrance filled the air, and light piano music drifted to his ears.

Yet, Liu Zheng did not see anyone playing.

"Is anyone here?"

He called out.

"We haven’t started business yet. Please come back later."

A cold voice responded.

Liu Zheng looked up. A woman dressed in a high-necked inner shirt and a white wool coat appeared on the second floor without him noticing.

Her hair was tied in a high bun, her face dignified and peaceful like a noblewoman from a Republic-era drama.

A teardrop-shaped sapphire circled her fair neck, sliding into a deep, unfathomable cleavage.

Such a beauty would capture any man’s heart at first glance.

Yet for some reason, Liu Zheng felt only a slight chill inside.

"I’m here for an interview."

Liu Zheng raised the notice in his hand.

"The Municipal Office just throws garbage at me again."

The woman frowned.

Her evaluation left no ripple in his heart.

He had heard worse.

"I’m Si Xue, the owner of this restaurant. There are three positions left. Which one do you want to apply for?"

The woman glanced at him and said.

"May I ask what the three positions are?"

Liu Zheng asked politely.

"Delivery, kitchen helper, waiter."

Si Xue said indifferently.

Of these three, waiter sounded the safest.

After all, the kitchen itself represented blood and violence, and delivery meant going outside the restaurant’s world.

Although nothing happened on the way here, that was probably plot protection.

But judging from the Bloody Restaurant’s decoration, the customers here were probably either rich or noble.

Rich people are troublesome enough in reality; these weird world rich people were definitely harder to handle.

"Boss, whatever you assign me, I will do. With your insight, the position you pick will definitely suit me best."

Liu Zheng thought and said.

"Interesting, a slightly clever trash."

Si Xue’s lips curved slightly, the sudden dazzling smile almost making him dizzy.

Liu Zheng quickly held his breath to suppress that wave of emotion.

One smile almost broke his composure. Too dangerous.

This woman was definitely not human.

"Then you’ll do delivery."

Si Xue’s smile vanished instantly, her expression turning cold as ice, making one doubt the smile was just an illusion.

"Alright, boss."

He nodded.

That was fine; he had delivered before and had experience.

"Beast, take him to hand over the tasks."

Si Xue said indifferently, then walked step by step up the stairs, disappearing around the corridor corner.

"Yes, boss."

A muffled voice came, and a beast suddenly ran out from a corner.

It had the body of a horse and the head of a bull, with two horns reflecting dark oily light.

Yes, literally a bullhorse.

"What are you staring at? Never seen a bullhorse before?"

It said in a hostile tone.

"Sorry, I’ve never seen such a handsome bullhorse before. I didn’t react at first."

Liu Zheng withdrew his shocked gaze and quickly apologized.

"Good eye, I forgive you."

The bullhorse snorted.

It was obvious it was very pleased with Liu Zheng’s compliment.

"The boss said right. As a human, you really are smart."

The bullhorse lifted its forehoof and patted his shoulder.

"Work hard, human. Don’t make me eat you."

It opened its thick lips, revealing jagged, sawtooth-like sharp teeth inside.