There's definitely something wrong with this murder mystery game

For the next two days, Capital City did not appear again, and it was unclear when the promised "next time" would be.

After casually waiting in the studio for two days, Xu Shuo grew tired of waiting. He knew it was the other party's turn to do the investigating now, and they were bound to take the initiative to contact him eventually.

Li Ziwen had officially taken up his post, so the offline game store needed a new manager.

After looking over the week's turnover and customer numbers since the opening, Xu Shuo promoted one of the three Scripted Murder Game hosts to manager. Managing the day-to-day affairs of the offline store was enough.

While the offline Scripted Murder Game was neither hot nor cold, and the popularity was average, the turnover was quite high.

The initial investment was the biggest expense for starting the business, and as for the game core, the Scripted Murder Games, the costs were frighteningly low. In fact, it was just a piece of paper.

Besides a few famous scripts purchased to attract players, the rest were almost all acquired by Xu Shuo from Script Space, making self-production and sales incredibly cost-effective.

Moreover, regionally exclusive and proprietary scripts were extremely profitable. Even though they might only be "launched" once a day, don't forget that the scripts required a minimum number of players. Seven people each paying the same fee to play just one script!

Ah~ Xu Shuo hugged the bills, revealing a satisfied smile.

It had been a week since the opening, and it was time to invite the staff of Mystery City for a meal and to sign the new manager's contract while they were at it.

...

Pei Sheng had no business trips in recent days and didn't want to sit around the studio bored, so he shamelessly followed Xu Shuo to Mystery City in the afternoon.

Since they had mentioned the dinner the day before, Mystery City would close for an hour in the evening. To avoid any hosts being unable to leave, they temporarily stopped accepting new bookings after three o'clock.

However, as Xu Shuo went upstairs, he heard some noise above.

Could it be players dissatisfied with the parking arrangement?

But Xu Shuo also keenly smelled a pungent odor.

"I'm sorry, we really can't allow smoking in the hall here; there's a smoking area in the corridor. You can go there," said the staff member politely.

"What? Is this how you treat your customers, like beggars relegated to some corner?" one of the troublemakers retorted disdainfully.

"That's not a corner… I mean, we have a designated smoking area," the staff member explained, trying to remain patient.

Ji Xiaoxia, as the front desk person on the second floor, patiently explained to the group, displaying an expression of difficulty and looking bullied and fragile.

To cater to some players who disliked the smell of smoke and to maintain fresh air in the store, Mystery City had indeed set up a smoking area opposite the restroom on the second floor.

Although some smokers felt disgruntled in the past, they usually did not make such an unrelenting fuss. Ji Xiaoxia had been persuading them for a while, but among the youngsters, one even brazenly blew smoke in her face, laughing.

The group across from her was clearly a gang of delinquents, hurling jokes and swearing at her incessantly.

With all three hosts in the rooms running games, there were only two young ladies at the front desk. Another girl's face was flushed with anger, but she didn't dare to make a scene.

Ji Xiaoxia was patient, her lowered hand clenched into a fist, and a flicker of chill passed through her eyes as she blinked. However, she held back because this was the real world.

"Hey, call your boss out already, what do you mean by treating us like beggars? I want to speak with him!" one of the provocateurs demanded.

"Our boss isn't usually in the store," Ji Xiaoxia explained, forcing a stiff smile, her eyes blinking rapidly and beginning to water, seemingly pitiful from the sting of the smoke.

But she was ready. If that guy dared to blow another smoke ring in her face, she would punch his head in!

"Oh, is the little sister going to cry~"

"Hahaha, go on and cry, little sister, cry for your big brothers to see!" The burly young men with exposed muscular arms started laughing uproariously, their voices filled with mockery and ridicule.

Ji Xiaoxia's fists were clenched, poised to strike.

But at that moment, a courteous and gentle voice came from the stairwell: "Hello there, I happen to be the owner of this place. What seems to be the matter?"

Ji Xiaoxia hurriedly relaxed, looking over anxiously, "Boss..."

"Ah, took you long enough," said the buzz-cut youth as he turned, a cigarette dangling from his mouth and a vicious scar running down his left jawline, which added to his menacing vibe.

Xu Shuo looked at him, his expression calm.

The buzz-cut youth, however, was momentarily stunned before the cigarette fell from his mouth in shock.

The shorter young man behind him stepped forward and shoved Xu Shuo's shoulder, "So you're the boss, huh? Doesn't look like it. Surely you're not a stooge brought in to play the part?"

Xu Shuo merely looked back at him, quite certain by now that these guys came looking for trouble.

In Yangcheng, Mystery City might be considered the first real Scripted Murder Game store, and these types of offline tabletop game stores were mostly gathering places for young people aged between 15 and 25.

Young people have hot blood and are prone to creating issues.

And a store run by young people is also prone to being targeted for trouble.

Just then, Pei Sheng stomped up the stairs, his expression dark and menacing as he bellowed, "What's this? Someone dares to cause trouble on my turf?!"

His booming voice suggested he might be even less amiable than the troublemakers causing the scene...

The two young ladies at the front desk wore awkward expressions.

The group that was yelled at was taken aback, their faces turning even more hostile as they considered approaching confrontationally.

But right then, the buzz-cut youth jerked to attention and hastily intervened, pulling the groups apart, "Wait! It's a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding!"

"What misunderstanding? I'll have you know no one's leaving today!" Pei Sheng roared as he rolled up his sleeves with an aggressive display, but his gaze paused and squinted when it landed on the buzz-cut youth.

He sounded suspicious, "Don't I know you from somewhere, kid?"

The buzz-cut youth looked embarrassed.

Then, Xu Shuo spoke languidly, "He cornered you in an alley and beat you up during your senior year of high school, causing you to miss the college entrance exam. Have you forgotten?"

Pei Sheng froze, then suddenly realized the connection!

...

Four years ago, he was preparing for the college entrance exams.

But just after leaving the hotel, he was dragged into a narrow alley by a gang of strong, young hoodlums and beaten half to death.

At that time, Xu Shuo, who was also on his way to the exams, happened to pass by and rushed in, beating the group of ruffians to a pulp as well. The scar on the buzz-cut man's neck came from that incident.

In the end, everyone was taken to the police station.

The reason Pei Sheng was ambushed was that a rich second-generation who disdained him in school paid a hefty sum to some street thugs to stop Pei Sheng from taking his exams.

If they could beat him up, they would get an extra bonus!

Turned out that among those thugs, there was a society man, arranged by the wealthy kid, who was truly aiming to cripple Pei Sheng!

The matter was eventually resolved by the Pei Group's intervention.

The gangsters went to jail, the rich kid was sent abroad by his family under pressure to lie low, and it's said he hasn't returned to this day, while those gang members used as pawns also did their time in prison.

Naturally, both Xu Shuo and Pei Sheng's college entrance exams fell through.

As compensation, the Pei Group was willing to sponsor his startup, and even tossed Pei Sheng over to him.

Pei Sheng couldn't be bothered to retake the exams and after hanging a name at a certain university, he just let it be, as someone would specially help him earn credits.

In fact, the reason Xu Shuo initially went out of his way to save someone during the exams was that he had no intention of attending university at all.

So, whether he took the exams or not didn't matter, right?

Rescuing the son of the Pei Group would surely bring some reward, wouldn't it?

Everything simply fell into place!

So smoothly that Xu Shuo even doubted he had written the script himself.

Now, seeing the buzz-cut man again, he couldn't help but feel fortunate that back then this guy, along with his little brother, had gone and beaten up Pei Sheng; otherwise, he would never have had the initial capital for his startup.

Pei Sheng: ???

Felt a chill down his spine for no reason.

Now, realizing the identity of the young man in front of him, Pei Sheng put on a sardonic smile and carelessly placed his hand on the other's shoulder.

"What, got nothing to do after getting out and started picking fights with venues, huh?" he said, his smile belying the danger in his tone.

"No, no! Mr. Pei, you've got it wrong..." the buzz-cut man stammered.

Seeing their boss suddenly change his demeanor, the few guys beside him glanced at each other, not daring to make another peep. The short fellow who had pushed Xu Shuo earlier even hurriedly wiped his shoulder awkwardly.

What a joke, if the boss has backed down, do they want to wait to be retaliated against?

Xu Shuo gestured for the two receptionists to return to their posts, then led the group to the sofas in the lounge. They didn't even dare to smoke now, silent as chickens.

With his arms crossed and a cold expression, Pei Sheng asked, "Tell me, who sent you?"

The buzz-cut man gave a wry smile, "No one, really no one this time, it's just that this street is under our control."

"I recall paying the management fee," Xu Shuo remarked, raising an eyebrow.

Almost every commercial street has a 'management fee' collected by property management companies, akin to another type of "protection fee" because it has no real use at all.

The buzz-cut man rubbed his hands nervously, "That's... different, usually when a new store opens, we'd visit, considering different industries for a fee, and for table game stores like yours that target young consumers, basically..."

Fleece! Thoroughly fleece them!

Xu Shuo nodded thoughtfully. No wonder these guys were clamoring to see the owner the whole time they were causing trouble.

He asked, "How much do you want?"

Pei Sheng glared fiercely at the buzz-cut man right away.

The latter hurriedly shook his head and waved his hands, "No, no, no, how dare I take Mr. Pei's money!"

What, were the jail cells too cozy, or has your body started to itch again?

Yet Xu Shuo smiled slightly, "If you don't take it, are you sure you won't cause trouble for me later on? You know I don't like trouble."

The buzz-cut man was not the decision-maker; if he left empty-handed, there might still be repercussions.

Hearing those words, the buzz-cut man shivered involuntarily, somewhat scared to look the young man in the eye.

The ferocity with which the other had fought had left a deep impression on everyone; the buzz-cut man was still wary to this day.

Pei Sheng was not pleased, "Why should we pay? They're just extorting money. I'll just call my brother in a bit. What a joke, which son of a turtle dares to rob me?!"

Hearing this, the buzz-cut man quickly agreed and expressed that he would explain everything to their boss and not cause any more trouble.

In the end, the group that came to cause trouble was sent out of the store by Pei Sheng with a façade of polite laughter.

The buzz-cut man didn't dare stay any longer—didn't he see how many times that young master had clenched his fists? When the real trouble started, whether they fought back or not, he would end up suffering in the end.

People with his status were just not to be messed with!

"What crap!"

Pei Sheng cursed indignantly, clearly recalling just how miserably he had been beaten before.

Although that incident had been closed for a few years and those people had received their due punishment, remembering it still rankled.

He grabbed a paper cup and headed to the water dispenser, downing a cup of orange juice in one go to cool off.

Then suddenly, he noticed the two receptionists at the front desk sneaking glances at him.

The previously dark expression on Pei Sheng's face changed instantly as he leaned on the counter, flashing a broad, cheerful smile, "Don't be afraid, ladies, I'm a good guy~ Hey, would you like me to get you a cup of orange juice?"

As he spoke, he already busily ran back and forth, bringing them two cups of orange juice.

The two receptionists: "..."

They had thought this guy was somewhat handsome before, but it seemed to have been a mere illusion; the gentle and composed boss was certainly more handsome.

...