Chapter 53 – Financial Crisis 13: Decision

Seeing that the young man was in a daze and his eyes were moist, Xiao Lou placed a hand on his shoulder and spoke softly, “Don’t worry, this time the secret room has us. You will be able to smoothly clear the instance.”

The teenager shook off his memories and looked up with a pair of clear and gentle eyes.

Xiao Lou smiled and said, “You are a weak person and can only escape when encountering danger. Why don’t you join us and clear the 3 of Spades room together? There is strength in numbers and moreover, your cards will be useful to us.”

“You’re saying… the teleportation and eavesdropping cards?”

Xiao Lou nodded. “If you are willing to trust us, can you temporarily lend these two cards to Group Leader Yu?”

Yu Hanjiang quickly understood and said, “Yes. If I have the teleportation card, I can catch the traitor among the challengers and find the materials that he stole.”

The teenager frowned in a somewhat complicated manner. The next moment, he heard Shao Qingge say, “Borrow your card and rent it by day. It will be 50,000 gold coins a day and it will be settled once we leave the secret room. If you fear for your safety, you can also act with us.”

If the three men tried to rob him then he wouldn’t have the power to resist at all.

However, instead of robbing him of his card, the trio ‘borrowed’ it and offered to give him rent.

The teenager looked at the three people and couldn’t believe it.

He suddenly remembered Xiao Lou’s words. ‘This world might be crazy but we aren’t crazy yet.’

All three of them had their own bottom lines and principles. They were still normal people and didn’t lose their sense of reason and humanity. In the Card World, cards were the most important weapon for every challenger and taking someone else’s card was no different from robbery.

Therefore, they didn’t steal and just borrowed.

Xiao Lou’s eyes were very gentle.

The teenager had been running for so long and experienced so much. This was the first time he felt his heart being surrounded by a warm feeling. He nodded hard and said, “I can lend you this card and there is no need for rent as long as you are willing to let me act with you and clear the instance together.”

Xiao Lou smiled and nodded. “No problem, just follow me later.”

Yu Hanjiang opened his mouth. “Then tomorrow morning, I will go to the city with Mr Shao. Professor Xiao and… by the way, what is your name?” He turned to see the boy, the sharpness in his eyes converged a lot.

The teenager spoke earnestly. “My name is Xie Qi.”

Yu Hanjiang nodded. “Professor Xiao and Xie Qi will stay here. If the situation isn’t right, Professor Xiao will take Xie Qi into the Peach Blossom Spring to hide and call me. We will immediately come back.”

Xiao Lou nodded. “No problem, I can arrange the ring traps in advance. If someone tries to rob me then I can pin them down for some time.”

Yu Hanjiang said, “The Peach Blossom Spring lasts for 30 minutes. The teleportation card means I can definitely come back in 30 minutes. Once in danger, immediately give me a call.”

“Okay.”

Shao Qingge added, “Tomorrow, I have to go downtown to find a place to surf the Internet and look at the stock market. I will go with Group Leader Yu.”

The three people discussed today’s strategy while the teenager to the side carefully listened and couldn’t interject.

Shao Qingge suddenly turned back to him. “Xie Qi.”

The called teenager immediately paid attention. “Yes.”

Shao Qingge smiled. “Can I bother you to wash your face and change your clothes?” His eyes swept over the other person’s body. “After all, your face is dirty and you are also covered with a strange smell. It isn’t pleasant for our noses.”

Xie Qi’s ears reddened. “I-I will go to wash.”

He opened a bottle of mineral water and went to the next room to wash his face. Then he took clean clothes out of his backpack and changed.

Once he came back, it was like he changed to someone else.

The young man’s facial features looked good, especially his black eyes that were bright.

Compared to when his face was grey and he was pretending to be a garbage collector, the washed face of Xie Qi really looked a lot more…

Xiao Lou remembered the scene of him singing and couldn’t help asking, “Are you from the Conservatory of Music?”

Xie Qi nodded. “Yes, I grew up loving singing and was a freshman at the Conservatory of Music. Then I unexpectedly came to this world.”

Xiao Lou asked, “Where’s your guitar?”

Xie Qi replied, “That is also my card.” He took out a card and said, “It is an A-grade tool card. The guitar can play music and launch a skill, letting all enemies in range fall asleep for three seconds.”

Xiao Lou, “…”

This guy had many fancy cards in his hand. No wonder why he could survive the Nightmare Room. He was a strong little fighter.

Yu Hanjiang checked the time and said, “It is already 4:30. We should quickly move the materials downstairs over.”

Xie Qi added, “I’ll help too. The teleportation card allows me to instantly move 50 metres. I can carry the box while teleporting and this can save a lot of effort.”

Yu Hanjiang, “…”

This was a good idea.

Shao Qingge stayed while the other three quickly went downstairs to move their things.

Xie Qi used the help of the teleportation card to move the materials directly to the stairwell. Xiao Lou and Yu Hanjiang only needed to move things to the third floor and he could move them into the room.

Xiao Lou watched the young man teleporting with the boxes and couldn’t help feeling, “This guy is really flexible.”

Yu Hanjiang whispered to him, “Do you want to take him as a teammate?”

Xiao Lou smiled. “He could survive the Nightmare Room and his strength is actually very strong. Xie Qi’s most powerful aspect isn’t his fighting ability but his strong flexibility and ability to adapt to the harsh environment. I am thinking about getting him to join. After all, Mr Shao is now alone. They both don’t want to match with teammates due to pig teammates. Perhaps they can go to the next secret room together?”

Yu Hanjiang thought carefully before saying, “Good idea. Shao Qingge isn’t good at the Hearts secret room. If he has the help of Xie Qi’s bug then they can easily clear Bloody Maple Leaf. Then they can draw some good cards.”

“Go back and ask them for their opinions.”

In fact, there was a crucial reason why Xiao Lou was willing to get Xie Qi as a teammate.

Xie Qi knew a lot and had even experienced the Nightmare Room that most challengers didn’t dare to think about. However, Xie Qi still retained a good heart. He bugged the challengers and knew where everyone’s supplies were stored but he didn’t steal a single bottle of milk. He just avoided danger and used his own way to clear the instance.

He didn’t steal despite starving in the Nightmare Room.

It wasn’t easy to maintain your heart in such difficult conditions.

He had experienced betrayal and knew how hard it was to be betrayed. That’s why he didn’t treat people the same way. If he was to join the team, Xiao Lou believed he wouldn’t betray them.

Back on the third floor, Xie Qi told Xie Qi and Shao Qingge his thoughts. “Why don’t the two of you go to the Hearts room together?”

Xie Qi glanced at Shao Qingge. “Professor Xiao’s words are right. I have no teammate and will be randomly matched someone in the 3 of Hearts secret room. If I get a bad teammate then I will probably be eliminated.”

Shao Qingge looked at him with a smile. “Do you want to team up with me?”

Xie Qi nodded hard. “Is it possible?”

Shao Qingge shrugged. “If you drag me down then I won’t hesitate to throw you out.”

Xie Qi immediately reassured him. “No, my clearance score in 2 of Hearts is S-grade. I played some secret room escape games in the real world. It might not be much but I know the way to collect clues and there is absolutely no trouble.”

Shao Qingge whose rating was C. “Okay, I’ll reluctantly take you.”

Xiao Lou and Yu Hanjiang, “…….”

Shao Qingge who was a slag when it came to the Hearts room dared to say this? Wasn’t Xie QI the one taking Shao Qingge?!