The Trial Game of Life

Not only did Black Hat have the 5th Movement, but he also got the 12th Movement without anyone knowing. It was truly shocking to the players to have someone use two movements at the same time. 

Jin Cheng still couldn’t figure out Black Hat’s intention, but the matter had reached this point and directly banging into Black Hat’s store was definitely not wise, so he quickly made a decision ― Let’s first go to the Ruby Bar to find K.

Ruby Bar was a franchise like Black Hat’s Miscellaneous Store. Naturally, there was one in Zone E.

The waiter recognised Jin Cheng’s face and respectfully greeted him, but when Jin Cheng asked about K, he shook his head and said: “Sorry sir, my boss isn’t in Zone E right now.”

Jin Cheng raised his eyebrows: “Are you sure of he isn’t here?”

“He’s really not here.”

“Okay.”

As the word “okay” fell, before the waiter could even breathe a sigh of relief, a truly threatening force fell directly on his head: “Go tell your boss, I’ll wait for fifteen minutes.” 

After that, Jin Cheng took Tang Cuo into the nearest room.

Then he closed the door and sat down.

Tang Cuo said bluntly: “K is obviously avoiding you.”

Jin Cheng: “It’s normal, he’s much closer to Black Hat than me. But this doesn’t mean that Black Hat and he are on the same side. Maybe he knows about the Twelfth Movement, but he doesn’t necessarily know what Black Hat wants to do with it.”

“Black Dragon Scale, The Pale Heart, Drake’s Gem and Spark of Forgiveness. What use are these four items?”

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

“I’ve been in Yong Ye City for only three years.”

Jin Cheng shrugged: “The only thing that is certain is that these four items must be extremely important and have uses that we don’t know. And looking at the names, they seem to come from a Western Fantasy dungeon.”

Tang Cuo immediately thought of [Kingdom Hidden In The Moonlight]. In fact, the thing that worried him the most was the timing of Black Hat using these movements. It had been a while that Black Hat had the 5th Movement in his hands, so why did he choose today?

A few days ago, K learnt of the news that Tang Cuo and Jin Cheng triggered a hidden dungeon, then K brought them the news about Lin Yandong.

K had a relationship with Black Hat, and Black Hat happened to mention four items that seemed to come from a Western Fantasy dungeon. Could there be any connection between these?

Jin Cheng also had this speculation, but there was no concrete evidence so it was useless to say more. In addition, these items like Black Dragon’s Scale were produced by a dungeon, so if Black Hat was willing to exchange his 5th Movement for these, they must be extremely rare and could be set aside for the time being.

However, the more problematic issue now was how Black Hat used the 12th Movement to advertise that thing.

“The [Twelve Movements] can’t just be simply used for advertising. This Infinite Market of Dreams is likely based on a certain item trading system in Yong Ye City.” Jin Cheng said.

“Why did Black Hat open a miscellaneous store?” Tang Cuo suddenly asked.

“It started about seven years ago. He didn’t take the civil service exam when he first came to Yong Ye City. He changed his game class after he levelled up to Zone A.” 

“He knows Lin Yandong.”

“That’s right.” Jin Cheng snapped his fingers: “Regardless of whether it’s a normal player or a civil-servant player, they must be closer to the truth than any of us. Compared to Lin Yandong, Black Hat and K, we still know too little. Then there’s that reclusive fortune teller in Zone B, a very strange woman.”

“A fortune teller?”

“She’s also a civil-servant player, and her ability is prophecy. She opens a fortune telling shop, but it only takes in customers every three months and entertains three people at a time. I went there once. She told me that in April this year, my life would have a major turning point.”

April? Wasn’t it the day when Tang Cuo came to Yong Ye City? It was also the beginning of everything.

Tang Cuo couldn’t help but think of those unfinished words in the movie theater again, but he knew now wasn’t the time to talk about it. At this moment, someone knocked on the room door.

“Yo.” K walked in, clad in his standard flashy purple suit. He glanced left and right and subconsciously wanted to sit next to Tang Cuo, because he didn’t want to sit with Jin Cheng.

But when he was about to sit down, Jin Cheng’s long legs stretched out and blocked his way. He stood up and firmly sat down beside Tang Cuo, then he gestured to K to sit opposite them with a cold expression.

“Does it bother you so much?” K was lost for words.

“It does.” Jin Cheng crossed his legs and put his hand on the back of the sofa, looking as though he was a rich man coming here to collect his debt. Knowing his temper, K shrugged helplessly: “You can’t blame me for what Black Hat does.”

Jin Cheng smiled: “Don’t you have your share of the 12th Movement?”

K: “I’m a businessman. As long as someone buys information from me and can afford the price I name, I’ll give it to them. You never asked me if I had any clues on the 12th Movement. How can you blame me?”

Jin Cheng: “So now it’s my fault? “

K shrugged as the corner of his mouth tugged upward.

With smiles on their face but curses in their hearts, the two men sat opposite each other across the table, neither of them able to see the other’s true plan. Suddenly, Jin Cheng said: “Can you guarantee that you didn’t leak my information to Black Hat?”

K: “That is against my professional ethics.”

Jin Cheng: “But K, looking at the two laws that Black Hat made, it’s not a question of ethics. You should know what consequences this will bring. You may not care about what will happen to ordinary players, but are you really going to side with Black Hat to fight against me? What do you think — will the remaining seven movements fall into my hands or Black Hat’s?”

K smiled elegantly, a cold light flashing in his eyes.

Remaining calm as always, Jin Cheng lowered his gaze to his fingers that were tapping on the table: “I want to get him out of the way, which is part of my purpose behind the [Twelve Movements]. Do you really think that I’m a good man because I used the first two movements to do some good deeds?”

What a blatant threat.

K established a foothold in Yong Ye City and was specialised in intelligence business. With his unique ability, even Lin Yandong wouldn’t take him lightly. Throughout the whole zone, only this lunatic Jin Cheng dared to threaten him head-on like this.

But even K must admit that Jin Cheng really had such capabilities.

“I never deliberately revealed any information about you to Black Hat, nor did he ask. I was also surprised by what happened today.” K said calmly: “When I asked Black Hat what he wanted to do with the 5th Movement, he didn’t answer me. He caught you off guard this time, which means he definitely didn’t let any news leak out prior to all this. If you want to ask more, you might as well go to the lady boss. “

Jin Cheng: “What’s the use of those four items?” 

K raised his eyebrows: “This may require a number of points. “

Jin Cheng asked back: “Do you really have relevant information?” “

“Not right now.”

“Then put it on your tab.” 

Two creditors talked with such a straightforward tone. Tang Cuo understood how they worked so well with each other.

“What about the Infinite Market of Dreams? If you don’t even know this, close your business. “

“Tsk.” K began to learn from Jin Cheng as he found that this word really expressed his inner thoughts. But he couldn’t smash his own signboard and still had to do business with Jin Cheng. 

He sorted his thoughts and said: “This one, let me give it to you for free. The Infinite Market of Dreams is actually a gambling platform. You can also regard it as a special dungeon of Yong Ye City. “

Before Jin Cheng spoke, Tang Cuo opened his mouth: “If the players are there to gamble, what is the bet? Who are they betting with? Who is the dealer?”

K looked at Jin Cheng’s little disciple who had remained undisturbed from the beginning to the end and felt very intrigued: “You can bet on everything you have. You can bet against the system or against other players. The dealer is Black Hat. He’ll draw a portion of the winnings in each game as a commission.”

Tang Cuo: “He won’t play the game himself?”

K smiled. He found that Tang Cuo really hit the right point every time he asked a question: “We can’t exclude this possibility.”

Jin Cheng then asked him: “Isn’t your face twitching too much today?”

K: “??? “

Jin Cheng : “If your face is having muscle problems, go find a cure.” 

K: “Is something wrong with your head?”

I’m being so cooperative here and you say I’m having muscle problems? K was so angry that he rolled his eyes, secretly wishing to just kick Jin Cheng out.

Jin Cheng didn’t fancy staying here either. There was no way that flashy purple suit dude could be straight, and he kept smiling at Tang Cuo. Besides, Jin Cheng didn’t totally believe what he said just now.

The players of Yong Ye City were all swindlers.

In the end, Jin Cheng put down the payment for the tea and said: “Tell Black Hat that he wouldn’t want to get on my nerves.”

After leaving the bar, Jin Cheng’s face was dark. The smile on his lips was a little bit cold but his eyes were terribly cold, as though anyone who looked into those eyes could die at once. Tang Cuo rarely saw him like this and asked: “Is it bad?”

Jin Cheng: “Very bad.”

Tang Cuo: “?”

Jin Cheng: “He delays my major life event, he’ll be struck by lightning.” 

That Black Hat bastard should be pierced by a thousand knives. Of all the timings to pick, he had to cause trouble right when Jin Cheng was about to confess. He deserved to be kicked by his lover and stayed single for a lifetime.

Tang Cuo had no way to refute this.

On the street and in front of everyone, Jin Cheng blocked him: “Don’t you have anything to say?”

Tang Cuo: “?”

Jin Cheng: “For example, I’m in a very bad mood, coax me.”

Tang Cuo looked around. There were even fewer people on the street now; many of them were walking in a hurry and some were even squatting down by the roadside clutching their heads, looking all painful and helpless. He said: “Other players seemed to be in a worse mood than you.”

“But only when I’m in a good mood can I think of a better way to solve the problem, right?” Jin Cheng also saw what was happening around him, but he had never fallen into the same despair as ordinary players.

Tang Cuo felt that this logic was really flawless, but he was incapable of coaxing Jin Cheng, so he ruthlessly walked past and said: “Wen Xiaoming should be looking for you.”

Wen Xiaoming indeed had reached Zone E. He rushed over immediately after hearing the system announcement and brought news about Black Hat with him.

“Just now, Miao Qi came to find me and said that they were investigating Black Hat. He also said that we shouldn’t make any move. Lin Yandong would come to see him in person soon.”

This was unexpected. Jin Cheng didn’t expect that Black Hat could lure Lin Yandong out from his usual behind-the-scenes position. The two must have known each other before. Perhaps Lin Yang knew Black Hat’s purpose for wanting those four items.

Jin Cheng stroked his chin and asked: “How long haven’t you entered a dungeon?”

Wen Xiaoming: “Three days.”

Jin Cheng: “Don’t rush, use your remaining time outside first. In the next few days, go find Chi Yan, An Ning and her teammates, ask them to spy on Black Hat’s Miscellaneous Store. Remember, I only need them to keep their eyes on the place and record Black Hat’s whereabouts. They don’t need to care about anything else. As for their reimbursement, you take care of it.”

“Okay.” Wen Xiaoming replied neatly, then he asked: “Do you want to spy on the stores in all zones?”

Jin Cheng: “Look at those in Zone A and Zone E. Let Lily take care of the one in Zone A.”

After getting the order, Wen Xiaoming enthusiastically took his leave. Jin Cheng and Tang Cuo went straight to the central area and once again came to the not-so-authentic izakaya.

The izakaya’s business was still as bad as before. There were no customers when the two opened the curtain and walked in. The lady boss was smoking by the pond, her delicate lipstick stuck to the cigarette and her figure still as hot.

She lowered her gaze and didn’t seem to be in a good mood. As she caught a glimpse of the guests coming in, she didn’t say hello. When Jin Cheng came closer and knocked on the table with a smile, she looked over.

“He’s not here.” Her three words were simple and concise.

“Who is he?” Jin Cheng asked with a smile.

“You already know, why are you asking?” The lady boss glanced at him, flicked away the ash and said: “I have nothing to do with the [Twelve Movements]. You’d better not bother me, otherwise, even if you two are handsome, this old lady will still kick you out.”

Jin Cheng shrugged and cast an innocent look at Tang Cuo.

Tang Cuo said: “We’re not asking you about this. We just want to ask jiejie about one person ― Lin Yandong.” 

The lady boss breathed out a puff of smoke and raised her fine eyebrows in surprise.

Tang Cuo put on a faint smile: “Jiejie, you know Lin Yandong, right? Lin Yandong said he couldn’t leave Zone A and made a deal with us. We want to know what happened between him and Yong Ye City. We’re afraid that he would trick us.”

“Handsome xiao ge, you’re really interesting.” As the lady boss said this, she wanted to reach out to touch Tang Cuo’s face. His smile was charming and his smiling eyes were even more captivating.

But the moment her hand was half-way there, Jin Cheng blocked her: “Madam, why are you so nice to this one yet ignores me? You’ve praised me so many times before, but you’ve never reached out your hand.”

“Yeah right.” The lady boss patted Jin Cheng’s hand: “You? You might as well become a monk.” 

It wasn’t like the lady boss hadn’t teased him before; it was just that this heartless, dead straight man couldn’t be moved at all. Thinking of this made her so angry, so she felt even more pleased when her eyes landed on Tang Cuo. Look at this righteous, handsome face.

But Jin Cheng’s intention to protect his little bastard was too obvious. However, the lady boss wasn’t bothered and just kept her eyes on Tang Cuo, her lips tugging into a graceful smile: “I like it that you call me jiejie. A child who knows how to sweet-talk always receives his candies.”