Matryoshka Off-Limits Chapter 148

Chapter 148 The Horror Club

Most of the people who came to become certified bodyguards recognized Wen Shi.

That seemingly fragile body was like a piece of paper filled with an outrageous story—fragile and powerless.

“Is he here to end his own life?” a big guy voiced the question that everyone was thinking.

People generally had two reactions: first, someone at the lowest rung wouldn’t die today, and then they sighed. This person didn’t even meet the minimum standards, making it unlikely for machines to consider him as a benchmark for a bodyguard

Queueing in line would require at least half an hour of waiting, but Wen Shi made his way to the very front.

“Big Brothers, I’m rushing to be reborn. Can I go ahead?”

“……” Said like that, the big brothers had to yield. The line leader said, “Sure.”

No one disagreed.

Wen Shi finally laid eyes on the testing apparatus of the Golden City.

A shapeless hunk of metal stood against the wall, with a brick-like display screen in the middle. Behind it were a few massive boxes, each emitting a loud, engine-like hum.

Wen Shi thought the testing method would involve humans being read like chips, considering how high-tech the Golden City appeared. However, in reality, smart robots handled everything.

Following the instructions, Wen Shi placed his electronic ID card in the scanning port. Surprisingly, his player number briefly appeared on the screen, followed by a dizzying stream of data. Upon seeing his player number, Wen Shi immediately scanned the machine left and right and smoothly found the manufacturer: Open-World Games High-Tech Company.

As expected, it had the word “game” in it.

The screen didn’t immediately display【Evaluation Failed】which made the people waiting in line crane their necks, thinking: Can this guy be somewhat skilled?

Wen Shi himself stared at the screen without blinking. The last time he felt this confident was in Sealed Coffin Village, but it ended with everyone’s disappointment.

“SSS!”

The screen suddenly emitted a clear sound. The people in the room were already on high alert, the queue instantly scattering, assuming defensive postures.

When he saw the fireworks burst on the screen, Wen Shi breathed a sigh of relief. He had actually passed the certification so smoothly!

Because it went so smoothly, Wen Shi’s body quivered in excitement. From his hair to his fingertips, it seemed to spell out the words “SALTED FISH TURNS OVER.”

A’Yu asked softly, “Son, why are you so surprised?”

Unable to explain it, Wen Shi finally sighed with profound weariness. “You wouldn’t understand.”

Every time he faced a challenge, it always caught him off guard. Fortunately, this time, nothing went wrong. Perhaps his achievements in the field of saving lives were so impeccable that even the game couldn’t nit pick.

He belatedly realized that the sound came from an identification device. The usually noisy bodyguard certification hall now only had faces filled with astonishment.

Wen Shi distinctly heard a gasp behind him. Even the electronic eyes of the smart robots momentarily showed a human-like surprise.

Click!

A flash of white light, and the machine’s electronic camera suddenly took a photo. It happened so suddenly that Wen Shi’s normally fair face had a hint of bewilderment.

The Golden City was a city of data. After Wen Shi’s evaluation results were out, the original first place was pushed down. His own electronic business card started playing on screens in some buildings and squares.

【Lin Hejing: SSS-level bodyguard

Experience: Volunteered as a human airbag to save a falling man; successfully protected colleagues who lost limbs and tongues; recently established a nation for self-preservation, rescuing students…】

People on the roadside, in the mall, and even some midday breakers unconsciously stared at this electronic business card for an extra couple of seconds.

With such a small white face, you’re telling me he’s the most outstanding bodyguard in the history of the Golden City?

Looks like there’s an issue with the Talent Tower’s machines!

Fellow professionals whose rankings had suddenly dropped called the Talent Tower immediately for further confirmation.

To their disappointment, the official response was that the machine was fine, and the bodyguard named Lin Hejing had a completely genuine record.

Inside the Talent Tower, the first to regain composure were the robots.

A smart robot promptly issued Wen Shi a professional license and a smart device, signifying that he could operate as a bodyguard in the Golden City.

While the smart robots were busy, Xiao Hua took the opportunity to ask, “Is there any certification for professions like Sadistic Queen here?”

Wen Shi’s mouth twitched, quietly reminding her, “Choose popular professions…”

The smart robot replied, “Professional sadist ranked ninth on the list of popular careers. Because the groups in that field are relatively stable, certification is only done in July each year.”

Xiao Hua sighed in disappointment and told Wen Shi, “I’ll check if there are other professions and contact you later.”

Wen Shi nodded and said, “Go ahead.”

With his qualification certificate in hand, he confidently turned and walked away, leaving the other applicants itching to test his skills. However, unless there were specific circumstances, duels among peers required a series of procedures, or else they would face punishment according to the “Code.”

Wen Shi also noticed the “Code” displayed prominently on the wall, Article 34: No brawling allowed.

Suddenly, he felt that the laws of the Golden City weren’t entirely useless.

A’Yu looked at Wen Shi with confusion as he strode by, scanning his surroundings vigilantly, appearing both composed and cautious at the same time.

Sensing A’Yu’s confusion, Wen Shi said, “My situation is a bit unique.”

Without adding any skills, he dared to guarantee that no one present could defeat him. However, this didn’t stop Wen Shi from confidently moving forward.

“Identity,” Wen Shi spoke the word as he stepped back into the elevator.

He realized an important feature of “The Horror Club” was that in each short story, participants had to compete for their identities. In the “Eagle’s Vigil” short story, only one player could survive, who would then gain the identity of “Lin Hejing.” In the “Aristocratic Family Succession Battle,” it was undoubtedly a struggle for the heir’s identity. Now, he was striving to be a common worker.

If luck was on his side, perhaps he could eventually inherit one of these identities, gaining a title or achievements.

Wen Shi preferred the latter. The practical effects of achievements were more appealing.

Just as he contemplated the possible bright future, a barrage of blinding flashes from cameras overwhelmed him, making it impossible to keep his eyes open.

Outside the building, a crowd of reporters had gathered. There was a saying in town that once you enter the Golden City, you step into the world of fame and fortune. Every top player in the Golden City became a topic of media attention.

Amid the frenzy of questions from reporters, Wen Shi felt a surreal and absurd sensation, where reality and instances blurred. He didn’t have vanity in this regard. It was more like an invisible force within the city was interfering with his consciousness.

Wen Shi remembered when he worked as a night-shift security patrol at Big Factory, there were rules for amplifying mistaken perceptions in the quality control area. By extension, it seemed that the Golden City could enhance people’s sense of belonging.

Just as he had this realization, a notification sound rang almost instantly:

【You’ve discovered one of the rules of the Golden City.】

【Additional tip: If you stay in the city for more than seven days, you will become a true citizen of the Golden City.】

Seeing Wen Shi about to be overwhelmed by reporters, A’Yu promptly rang a bell and guided him through the sea of people.

Finally able to breathe fresh air again, Wen Shi felt vibrations at his waist and realized his phone had been vibrating.

The vibrations were coming from the smart device sent by the robot.

The phone came with a protective case with a straightforward message written in small letters: This phone is a top-of-the-line product and cannot be tracked. It is specifically for receiving assignments.

Contact information was an essential component of a business card.

Those requiring assistance could easily make contact, while professionals had the option to choose assignments through these devices. They could also turn off their devices during their daily work.

Wen Shi thought the call was from someone eager to hire him until a mature, deep voice came through.

“Come to Golden Plum Casino.”

Li Nan was at work, so he couldn’t talk much. He sent a location and hastily hung up the phone.

Wen Shi initially forwarded this to Xiao Hua, telling her to join him after completing her certification.

The casino was a bit far from here, and Wen Shi didn’t have any money in circulation in the Golden City except for the game-issued paper currency.

His principle was simple: hitch a ride if necessary.

He had missed calls on his phone, one from Floral Shirt Guy. Wen Shi listened to the voicemail, mostly groundhog-like squeaks, asking when he learned those skills and subtly inquiring if Master Lin’s death had anything to do with him.

The analysis was all wrong, but the conclusion was right.

Wen Shi borrowed some money from Floral Shirt Guy, as the city emphasized honest business practices. Not long after, a dedicated courier brought him a 500-unit note.

Currency exchange in the Golden City was quite complex. Floral Shirt Guy didn’t give him too much.

Wen Shi, accompanied by A’Yu, took a taxi and departed.

In this bustling city, the taxis raced through the streets. In less than fifteen minutes, the vehicle stopped in front of a building second only to the Talent Tower.

The Golden Plum Casino was the largest casino in the Golden City, serving tens of thousands of guests daily. Darkly painted windows concealed the interior, luxurious lights shone day and night, creating an atmosphere of extravagance and revelry.

Being too well-known wasn’t always a good thing. Wherever Wen Shi went, he attracted attention.

As he was searching for Li Nan, someone not far away in the lounge area called his name.

The person was slightly plump, but the flesh on hus body didn’t seem burdensome. He wore a jade thumb ring and smiled, nodding to Wen Shi. “I’ve heard of your name.”

Li Nan had just finished his shift change on the other side, swapped out his work attire, and also arrived in the lounge area.

“Congratulations.” He was the first to congratulate Wen Shi.

Casinos were the fastest places for news to spread, and the topic of the 3S bodyguard had become a hot discussion at many gambling tables.

“Bodyguard is a popular profession.”

Casinos had strict appearance requirements for staff. Absolutely no messy bangs were allowed. Li Nan, with his distinctive high ponytail, surprisingly blended in seamlessly. He appeared exceptionally agile. “It seems like the main quest is about to begin.”

Through Li Nan, Wen Shi learned that players needed to certify in a total of seven popular professions before the main quest would officially start.

Not every player would certify in popular professions. Before this, six professions had already been certified. Currently, there were more players gathered in the Golden City than Wen Shi had imagined.

Just as he was thinking about it, a timely notification chimed in:

“Welcome, everyone, to the Golden City. Thanks to your efforts, the certification of seven popular professions is now complete.”

“Please earn two billion within the next ten days.”

Ten days. Wen Shi recalled the previous hint that staying beyond seven days would mean forever in the Golden City. The game seemed to be setting traps in various ways.

He received another separate system prompt:

“Congratulations on completing the initial quest. You’ve gained the identity of a【Novice Worker】and established a foundation in the Golden City.”

“You are exceptionally talented, who set the industry’s standards. Remember the principles that outstanding professionals must adhere to.

1. Do not accept ordinary job. Only take top-tier business. 2. Do not accept jobs below ten million. They don’t match your talent. 3. Super bodyguards are legends in the Golden City. Any failure will result in your expulsion from the city.”

Wen Shi felt he could endure listening to the end without getting angry. His endurance surpassed that of 99% of the people in the Golden City.

“I knew it.” The game’s behavior of wearing a high hat was more worthy of vigilance than an immediate face-off.

With all these jobs to reject, will I end up starving in this city?

“Two billion.” The president of Wangcai Bank raised an eyebrow when he heard about the main quest.

Fortunately, the difficulty level of this instance was not even at the A-level. During the gradual progression, Wen Shi could still multitask and do other things.

The president’s gaze briefly passed over Wen Shi, with a faint smile lingering in his eyes.

Having a high certification level might not be a good thing, especially for bodyguards. If one failed their first job, their ranking in the same industry for that day would plummet to the last position, leaving them with only one path: elimination.

Even if they manage to succeed in the first two jobs by sheer luck, a single failure would lead to countless criticisms of this bodyguard legend.

Due to this high elimination rate, under normal circumstances, players wouldn’t take on overly challenging assignments, especially for their first job, as it could determine life or death.

The president rubbed his thumb against the jade thumb ring on his hand, considering giving him another push. Regardless of whom Pei Wenwei had to protect, he would be the one to assassinate them in return.

After Pei Wenwei’s elimination, the bank could use debt relationships to seize most of his assets.

A clean sweep!

Wen Shi was scrolling through his smart device, unaware of the president’s sinister intentions.

The advantage of the electronic business card was evident here. He didn’t need to go door-to-door looking for work. After being recognized as a top talent in the 3S industry, his phone was already filled with job offers waiting to be accepted.

Suddenly, a red exclamation mark appeared on the screen, cutting out in front of all the other orders. Wen Shi’s breath caught as he opened it.

【The City Lord of the Golden City invites you to protect him for one day.】

“Here comes the job,” Wen Shi muttered.

Bank President raised an eyebrow, lifting his glass to conceal his pleased expression. It seemed he was also getting a piece of the action.

Li Nan, as a bystander, knew what Bank President was up to. He had wanted to quietly advise Wen Shi to accept the job without making a fuss, but he beat him to it. “Comrades—”

Wen Shi took a deep breath. “I’m going to protect the City Lord.”

The City Lord of the Golden City, the creator of the city’s legend, the person who held the lives and deaths of all its residents in their hands, was offering a billion for a single job!

Once he established a good relationship with the City Lord, he would undoubtedly walk through the Golden City with confidence in the days to come.

When the time came, the Wangcai Bank that wanted to deal with him, as well as those lurking in the shadows, could all be sent away in a wave by the City Lord’s east wind.

With this thought, Wen Shi picked up a cherry from his cocktail and popped it into his mouth, savoring the crimson juice as it flowed across his lips. His eyes glinted with a more sinister intent than the cherry juice.

One sweep, and I’ll bury you all!

The air fell into an instant silence.

The lounge area felt as if it had been isolated, exceptionally quiet inside the bustling casino.

After a brief pause, Li Nan, seemingly out of the blue, said to Bank President, “I support you.”

Supporting him in challenging the administrator of the Golden City, who practically held the power of life and death over the city.

Bank President: “……”

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