Chapter 32: Heard the City Lord's Mansion is Recruiting Dark Guards

"Deng Li Buduo, was the marketing idea yours?"

"What a marketing genius! Damn it, I've heard it twice and my head is full of this sound."

"How much money can this shop make in a day?"

"The couplet has seven characters on one side and six on the other. How did you convince the shopkeeper to do that? What is the remaining character?"

"Is there really a ghost in the shop?"

【Kuguateng】 and the others surrounded 【Deng Li Buduo】, throwing out a series of questions all at once.

They came so fast!

Good thing I was prepared.

【Deng Li Buduo】 glanced at Lin Bai, who was hiding in the shade to enjoy some leisure, and said, "That's right, the marketing idea was mine. Please don't block the door; it affects business. If the boss fires me, I won't have anywhere to reason with. It's not easy to earn some money in the game."

That's right.

In order to monopolize Lin Bai, he shamelessly took all the credit for himself.

Among the NPCs in Jiamu City, Lin Bai was too dazzling. If he didn't cover up Lin Bai's brilliance, he estimated that all the players would come to snatch this piece of fat meat.

Lin Bai could only be his.

At least before becoming his Disciple, he couldn't share him with others.

As for afterwards?

He already knew the Dragon Subduing Palm, so what was there to fear? At worst, they could just PK!

A bunch of losers.

【Deng Li Buduo】 was even kind enough to offer advice to the group: "Everyone, the level of intelligence of the NPCs in the game is very high. If you can convince them, the probability of winning their trust is very high. If you don't know how, go back and read a few more transmigration novels, see how the protagonists in them do it, and just follow along. A great god on the forum said something very reasonable: we should treat ourselves as transmigrators, not game players."

The players were lost in thought.

【Kuguateng】 asked, "Old Deng, you planned such a huge marketing campaign for him, how much money does the boss split with you? These lyrics of yours are quite addictive; I feel like they could be used in reality."

【Deng Li Buduo】 looked at Lin Bai walking over and proudly puffed out his chest: "It's not too much, thirty percent of the equity!"

Damn!

Who gave you the nerve?

Thirty percent equity?

Daoist Qingfeng paid three thousand taels and only got ten percent, okay!

However, Lin Bai didn't feel like exposing his employee during the players' private channel conversation. After all, he was still helping him make money; bragging in private didn't count for much!

"Thirty percent equity, that's at least ten taels of silver a day!"

"That's awesome!"

"Big boss, please carry me, let's form a group. Does your shop still need a waiter? Take me, I can work the night shift. I don't ask for much pay, ten taels of silver a month is enough. I'll definitely be more diligent and responsible than an NPC."

"Not hiring." 【Deng Li Buduo】 coldly rejected the players who wanted to join the group. "Everyone, it's time to clear out. You're blocking the shop door and affecting business. We can talk about anything in private. I worked hard to get this career going, don't mess it up for me, brothers."

"One last question, is this really a Haunted House?" 【Lan'ai Wuqi】 asked.

"It is a Haunted House, but the ghosts inside are also NPCs. We're opening for night sessions in two days, so don't even think about dungeons or anything like that." Lin Bai had already arrived among them. 【Deng Li Buduo】 explained hurriedly and quickly greeted Lin Bai, "Greetings, Shopkeeper."

"Little Deng, are these all your friends?" Lin Bai swept his gaze over the group of players, his eyes filled with a smile.

"They are some fellow villagers!" 【Deng Li Buduo】 glared at the players irritably and said with a fawning smile, "They heard I was working here and came to take a look. Shopkeeper, I'm not familiar with them. If they affect business, I'll chase them away immediately."

"Little Deng, that's where you're wrong. More friends mean more paths; you never know when you might encounter difficulties, and a friend might be able to give you a hand!" Lin Bai looked at the group of leeks before him, a smile on his face.

"The Shopkeeper is right. Brother Deng, you're just too stingy." 【Jingbuyi】 looked at 【Deng Li Buduo】 teasingly and laughed, "Shopkeeper, are you still short of people? I don't have any other strengths, but I have plenty of strength. You can pay me whatever you see fit. It's not for anything else, just to find some work to do!"

"..." 【Deng Li Buduo】 glared angrily at 【Jingbuyi】, naturally understanding that his lies hadn't fooled the guy in front of him.

"Not hiring anymore." Lin Bai took in everyone's expressions and smiled, "Besides, what kind of future is there in being a waiter at a small shop? Just now, I heard in the crowd that the City Lord's Mansion is recruiting Dark Guards. Being able to enter the City Lord's Mansion as a Dark Guard, that is truly securing an iron rice bowl..."

City Lord's Mansion Dark Guards?

Lin Bai's words immediately aroused the interest of the players.

"Shopkeeper, is the news reliable?" 【Fengzi Nan】 asked.

"Who knows, I heard it from others too." Lin Bai said ambiguously, "It is said that someone was caught in the city these past two days, and the City Lord discovered their aptitude was excellent. So, they want to find similar young people in the city. I didn't hear the specifics too clearly..."

"There are indeed many players messing around in the city who got caught." 【Kuguateng】 switched to the private channel. "The credibility is extremely high."

"Excellent aptitude, it matches the nature of the players." 【Lan'ai Wuqi】 said. He glanced at 【Deng Li Buduo】, "It seems that in any game, there are guys who get lucky!"

【Deng Li Buduo】 had a faint smile on the corner of his mouth and remained silent. Go, all of you go be Dark Guards, just don't come and fight me for Lin Bai. The Shopkeeper was indeed his lucky star; a few words were enough to kick away a group of competitors for him.

"You aren't really planning to go apply for the Dark Guards, are you?" Lin Bai looked at the players in astonishment, asking a question he already knew the answer to.

"Why not? What if we make it!" 【Lan'ai Wuqi】 said.

"Trying is good too." Lin Bai smiled, "Young people should have a long-term perspective. In the future, if any of you really become Dark Guards, don't forget Lin's recommendation."

"Won't forget, won't forget." 【Jingbuyi】 laughed, "If we really become Dark Guards, we'll definitely have to come and take care of Little Deng's business in the future."

A bunch of idiots!

【Deng Li Buduo】 snorted disdainfully. You have no idea what you've lost!

"Business or not is secondary." Lin Bai smiled, "If you really become Dark Guards, you can come here and eat and drink for free. Still the same saying, more friends mean more paths!"

"The Shopkeeper is generous." 【Kuguateng】 couldn't help but praise.

They had been playing the game for two days, and none of the NPCs they encountered were easy to deal with. Only here at Lin Bai's did they hear the secret about the City Lord's Mansion recruiting Dark Guards, and they even gained an opportunity to eat and drink for free.

How to describe that feeling? It was like a spring breeze, making one feel comfortable for no reason.

【Deng Li Buduo】 really had the luck of a dog, to be able to encounter such an open-minded NPC...

With the temptation of the City Lord's Mansion Dark Guards, Lin Bai's Kitchen God Rice Divination suddenly lost its appeal to the players.

A few players exchanged glances in secret, and 【Lan'ai Wuqi】 bid farewell to Lin Bai: "Shopkeeper, you're quite busy today. We're going to the City Lord's Mansion to take a look, so we won't disturb your business here any longer. We'll take our leave!"

Lin Bai cupped his hands: "I wish you all a bright future and immediate success."

"And I wish the shopkeeper prosperous business." 【Kugua Teng】 laughed, cupping his hands in return.

Watching the few players leave, Lin Bai's eyes held a smile.

What a cute group of players!

City Lord, I have sent you such a big gift; I wonder if you can handle it?

"Master, is the City Lord's Mansion really recruiting Dark Guards?" 【Deng Li Buduo】 asked.

"Yes." Lin Bai turned back to look at 【Deng Li Buduo】 and asked with a smile, "Are you planning to go try it out too?"

"I want to follow Master wholeheartedly until Master is willing to take me as a disciple; I don't care for any Dark Guard of the City Lord's Mansion!" 【Deng Li Buduo】 said firmly.

He had been by Lin Bai's side for two days, and he knew his future master's personality better than anyone.

He was the type to pluck a feather from a passing wild goose!

Since when did he ever kindly introduce jobs to people?

And a Dark Guard of the City Lord's Mansion at that?

Judging by the name, this was clearly a secret organization.

How could such an organization recruit people by blathering on the street, and so easily be overheard by others?

A bunch of brainless fools, they wouldn't even know if they were being sold out...

Suddenly, 【Deng Li Buduo】 froze. No, the people he was talking to just now were all players, and they didn't reveal anything particularly special. Why would Lin Bai reveal the matter of the Dark Guards to them for no reason?

"Little Deng, what are you thinking about?" Lin Bai's voice rang out leisurely in 【Deng Li Buduo】's ear, "Do you think my actions just now were very strange?"

"No." 【Deng Li Buduo】 shook his head subconsciously.

"You are not people of this world, are you?" Lin Bai smiled slightly and asked suddenly.

"Shopkeeper, you..." 【Deng Li Buduo】 looked stunned.

"Don't be so surprised. You caused such a big commotion two days ago; do you really think the City Lord is a fool?" Lin Bai smiled, "Three years ago, my master told me that a group of Chosen Ones would appear in the future to stir up the winds and clouds of the world. When you appeared, all factions noticed you. Otherwise, why would I have suddenly come to Jiamu City to open such a small shop? It was all to lay the groundwork in advance..."

"Chosen Ones?" 【Deng Li Buduo】 breathed a sigh of relief. Alright, this explanation did indeed fit the game setting; it was fortunate he didn't say they were game players.

Otherwise, they would likely have been enemies of the whole world the moment they appeared.

Immediately after.

【Deng Li Buduo】 was startled by his own thoughts.

It wouldn't matter if he said players, this was just a game after all. Could the Game Company really let NPCs control the players' fates? If so, how would they make any money?

Since when had he subconsciously started treating this as a real world?

(End of this chapter)