“W-what! You said investor?! But according to the rules… investing is something only a ‘guest’ or someone of a higher rank can do. Host, no matter how you put it… you’re just a player…”
191 visibly panicked, sweating profusely.
“But I am indeed the person who has invested the most in this instance, aren’t I?”
Qin Guan looked at it calmly. He also gave Lu Chuan, who was standing off to the side watching the show, a cool glance, then said through clenched teeth with a smile, “I don’t know where my money went exactly… but I’m guessing you transferred it to him somehow.”
191’s little tentacle, which had just been waving in the air, suddenly froze. A chill shot straight to the top of its head, and goosebumps erupted all over it.
No way, no way… the host found out it had secretly embezzled his points?!
It was doomed. If the host found out it had teamed up with Lu Chuan to use him for betting… it couldn’t even imagine how miserably it would die.
Only then did 191 belatedly remember something.
This was bad. A couple of days ago, the Main System updated, saying that to strengthen management and prevent certain systems from abusing their authority for personal gain, a points change notification feature would be added. After spending points, a bill would automatically be sent to the player’s mailbox.
But wasn’t that a feature randomly distributed during the internal test? How could it be assigned to Qin Guan so coincidentally?
Oh no, my host really does seem to be the protagonist.
191 looked toward Lu Chuan behind Qin Guan with a pleading gaze.
The man smiled and held up one finger.
Cover this up, and I’ll split ten percent of the profits with you.
191 clearly choked, then tentatively extended two tentacles.
…How about twenty percent?
The man’s smile deepened. He flattened his fingers and drew them across his neck, making a “kill” gesture.
What do you think?
191 shakily withdrew its gaze, swallowed its resentment, and felt that taking the blame for Lu Chuan a little longer wasn’t impossible.
On the other side, Qin Guan continued to scrutinize the two of them with an appraising look.
“Thinking about it, this guy was just released from an instance and has nowhere else to spend money. He probably used my points to place some boring bet.”
“A hundred thousand points… isn’t that enough for me to become the investor of this B-rank instance?”
Sweat broke out on the little octopus’s forehead.
“Well, it’s not impossible… but there’s never been a precedent for a player to become an instance investor, meow. I may have to ask the higher-ups, meow…”
An investor was someone who could manipulate an instance’s difficulty by investing funds, or assign tasks to a fixed player. Among them were not only “guests” willing to pay for the live stream, but occasionally also big shots from certain organizations.
They brought a steady stream of income to the Filth Room live stream, and they were also the people the System least wanted to offend.
Yet now, Qin Guan… a mere player with no background whatsoever… was saying he wanted to become an instance investor?
『That’s ridiculous. Do newcomers these days really not know their own limits?』
『Wait, isn’t he a newcomer who just entered the instance? Where did he get so much money to invest?』
『Who cares? He’ll be punished by the System anyway for arbitrarily pausing the game.』
『Wuhu! We get to watch another execution scene. So satisfying.』
Hearing that there was a newcomer here who overestimated himself, the livestream room’s viewer count surged again. Most people were waiting to laugh at Qin Guan.
Only a small group of viewers who had been shipping the pair earlier still firmly supported him.
『Don’t give up! Come on! Everyone was a beginner once. I believe in you!』
『It’s okay if you don’t have money! If you need points, I still have some here!』
『Main System: You have received a tip of 100 points』
『Main System: You have received a tip of 20 points』
…
Qin Guan raised his head as if sensing something. Even though he couldn’t see the exact barrage comments in the public chat right now, he had some understanding of the livestream system. Combined with these inexplicable gifts he was receiving, he could roughly guess what had happened.
Qin Guan smiled at the invisible viewers who had been silently supporting him.
“Thank you for your kindness. Don’t worry about me… I’ll find a way to resolve this.”
『Who gets it, family! How is he so handsome and so kind? Wuwuwu, it’s been so long since I’ve seen such an outstanding man. Please don’t die, okay?』
『Sisters, let’s crowdfund! I have a feeling this newcomer will definitely become an incredible Lord figure in the future. Everyone, help him out more! We have to make him an investor!』
『Tip +30, Tip +50, Tip +100…』
He hadn’t expected his words to have the opposite effect. Qin Guan looked at the accumulating tip amount in his mailbox, feeling somewhat helpless.
How was he supposed to explain to everyone that he had already invested 100,000?!
Forget it. He’d set this money aside for now. When 191 came back, he could ask it to include the amount in the investment. When the instance ended, the funds would naturally be returned to the original account along with the dividend-settled points. By then, these kind-hearted girls could also experience what it felt like to be an investor.
Meanwhile, 191 quickly finished communicating with headquarters, but from its expression it seemed somewhat hesitant to speak.
“Headquarters said… given that, boss, your investment amount has indeed met the requirements for an instance upgrade, meow, but for a player to personally invest in an instance game is truly unprecedented…”
“Headquarters requires that you, boss, must prove you have enough strength to clear an S-rank instance.”
Qin Guan wasn’t too surprised by this result.
Or rather, this was his true purpose.
191 gulped and spoke hesitantly.
“Specifically, once the time flow resumes, the instance level will be temporarily raised to S-rank. As long as you, boss, can hold out for three minutes, headquarters will approve your investment application, meow.”
Approve his investment application?
What an arrogant yet high-sounding way to put it.
They had already taken the money, yet they still insisted on putting on a lecturing posture.
It was disgusting to look at.
The three cartilage earrings hummed faintly. Qin Guan gently rubbed the ring on his hand, his expression revealing nothing.
191 floated nearby, sneaking glances at his expression. Even after partnering with the host for so long, there were still times when it couldn’t tell what Qin Guan was really thinking.
“The time pause is about to end, meow. Boss, are you ready?”
Qin Guan nodded. “Let’s begin.”
“Understood, meow. The 421st floor of the instance is ready. Timeline connection starting!”
“Warning! The game ‘Homecoming on a Snowy Night’ will be temporarily promoted to an S-rank instance, effective for three minutes! All Grotesques and supernatural threats will also be promoted accordingly. All players, please prepare for impact!”
“Countdown begins! Three!”
Faint cracks began to appear in the surrounding air.
“Two!”
The rats closest to him began to swell and grow, expanding from their normal size to that of a cat. Their eyes turned blood-red, and they stared at him, hissing ferociously.
“One!”
In an instant, a massive swarm of rats, surging like a tidal wave, shrieked and lunged at the two of them. Yet the next moment, they were all repelled without exception by a terrifying tremendous force.
The swarm of rats hadn’t even had time to enjoy their newly acquired strength before suffering a baffling defeat. They squeaked anxiously, poking their heads out to look around, desperate to know what had inexplicably ruined their good time.
But at this moment, unlike those swarm of rats that had gained a false enhancement, a genuine, terrifying pressure from the pinnacle of S-rank silently spread through the cabin.