Chapter 195: [Gold Medal Salesperson] An Instance Within an Instance
Li Dao-peng had no choice but to start clacking away on the keyboard.
Buyer: We don’t know how to use this printer.
Buyer: I’m not asking for a return or refund either. Can you give us a little compensation? We won’t return the printer then.
Li Dao-peng: “…”
He raised his head to glance at the players surrounding him, forced to type out a reply with utmost patience.
After-Sales 07: We have installation videos available here. If you don’t know how to do it, we can also guide you via remote control, online instruction, or a voice call.
Buyer: We can’t understand those things. My mom is getting up there in years, taking care of two kids at home all by herself.
Buyer: Her family is poor, and she never went to school.
Buyer: My maternal grandfather sacrificed his life acting heroically when he was young.
Buyer: Just give me a little compensation out of the goodness of your heart.
The spectating players: “…”
Everyone exchanged glances with one another.
Fortunately, they didn’t have to keep slaving away at this job anymore, capable of clearing the game at any moment.
Utterly moronic.
Then, they fixed their collective gazes on Li Dao-peng.
“Boss, you’d better pay close attention—compensation is strictly out of the question, but we can’t let him file a complaint either. Look, this account already holds a 100% complaint rate, so you have to bring that complaint rate down somehow. We won’t make things too difficult for you—as long as that 100% complaint rate drops to 90%, we’ll leave immediately.”
Li Dao-peng: “…”
After-Sales 07: We are very sorry, but our company holds no such policy. You can tell us which part you’re struggling with, and we can guide you through it.
Buyer: On what grounds are you refusing my compensation?! I’ve already said so much—don’t you feel any pity for me at all?
Buyer: If you don’t pity me, can’t you at least pity my family? My mom works hard every day washing clothes, cooking meals, and taking care of two kids while I work away from home. We lack education and can’t learn these things, yet you insist on teaching us—what, are you looking down on us?
Buyer: Fine, I get it now. You people are just snobs who look down on others.
Buyer: Pity my maternal grandfather sacrificed his life acting heroically, only to protect a bunch of garbage like you!
Buyer: I’m going to file a complaint against you right now!
“Tsk, tsk, tsk! Boss, you’re not cutting it! Look at how you talked—how could you let him file a complaint against you?”
“Exactly! Your professional competence is thoroughly lacking! How can you be a boss? As a boss, you’re not even as capable as an employee—do you think that’s appropriate? On what grounds are you supposed to convince everyone to respect you?”
“Look at you—you’re not young anymore, yet your ability to handle tasks is so atrocious. How long can you stay a boss like this? What are you going to do if you can’t be a boss anymore? Where will you go to earn money? How are you going to support a wife—can you afford a child? Doesn’t a child cost money for school? Don’t your wife’s cosmetics and skincare products require money?”
“Right on! You’re not one of those young folks anymore either—your physical health can’t compare to the young ones, nor can you out-hustle them. If you can’t be a boss and go out to look for work, no one will hire you! When that time comes and your wife and kid abandon you, let’s see what you do then!”
“Don’t stand there dazed—keep working! Isn’t another customer arriving right now?”
“Don’t be angry, Boss. We’re saying all this for your own good. As for us, we’re all about to quit and won’t be staying at your company, but you’re different—you have to work long-term in the company moving forward. After all, you’re the boss, so you can’t quit! You need to understand these operational tasks to properly manage your employees, right?!”
Li Dao-peng’s lips trembled as his mental state gradually descended into dazed incoherence.
The players felt nothing but immense, refreshing gratification deep in their hearts.
Especially when thinking back to the grief and frustration they had suffered all day yesterday.
Bai Cha didn’t join in on this crusade against the boss. She was still scrolling through her phone, discovering a wealth of messages inside once connected to the internet.
First off, her purchase history indeed contained the transaction record for that so-called Reincarnation Stone.
Secondly, she discovered that Li Yun seemed to have participated in several cult-like rituals.
Someone noticed Bai Cha’s silence as well.
“Ahem, Sis, what are you up to?”
Thanks to Bai Cha’s help, they were able to wake up directly on the second day.
Had it not been for Bai Cha’s reminder, many of them might have truly suffered sudden death here.
This game’s danger level wasn’t high indeed—it was purely, brutally difficult.
The massive barrage of information overload left players zero breathing room to contemplate anomalies.
The boss’s toxic, gaslighting psychological suppression would further impact the players’ mental states, making them even less likely to pay mind to unusual details.
Even though that basement clearly contained entities like ghosts, the group—already in a weakened mental state—would only seek to flee the moment they were spooked.
Only a select few could realize the underlying issues and exit the game.
Besides, to be completely honest, even if someone miraculously obtained a chip, whose very first instinct would be to press it against their head?
They would almost certainly think of using a reader device to inspect it first.
One thing leading to another, crucial time would be wasted.
Yet when Bai Cha offered her reminder, it was merely the first night, before everyone’s condition had deteriorated too heavily.
“Mm… let me ask you guys something. Are there any issues with your identities?”
Bai Cha thought it over, deciding to bring the matter into the open after all.
Her understanding regarding the game remained limited, in the end.
In this game, currently—aside from her identity issues—the fact that deceased players’ ghosts remained trapped inside the game after suffering sudden death was a topic well worth deep discussion.
That part could wait until she stepped out to exchange thoughts with Shen Qingchen and the others, however.
She remained far more concerned about Li Yun’s narrative line.
“What do you mean by issues?”
“It’s like this: the reason I was able to realize something was wrong so quickly was actually because I encountered a ghost after returning home last night.”
Bai Cha concealed a portion of the details, stating simply: “Last night, a man broke into my house, only to be scared unconscious. He claimed my mother had already been cremated seven days ago, yet in my prior memories, my mother wasn’t dead—merely ill.”
Everyone froze on the spot.
Immediately following, a system notification chimed beside everyone’s ears.
Ding—!
[Notification: Hidden plotline detected in instance “Gold Medal Salesperson.” Players may explore it on their own.]
[Regardless of the completion percentage, the game will grant corresponding rewards.]
[Instance completion duration updated: 7 days.]
[Within seven days, players may freely choose whether to depart the game. Exploration is not mandatory. Players are advised to pay attention to their personal safety.]
[The Secretive App wishes you a pleasant life~]
Unsuppressible astonishment surfaced across the players’ faces.
“Holy crap, an instance within an instance!”
“Didn’t they say only A-rank instances and above feature instances within instances?!”
“Not sure, but was there really much difference between B9 and A1 in this instance to begin with?”
“No, no, no, the difference is massive! Instances below A-rank are tied to reality and relatively less difficult, whereas A-rank instances and above often break away from reality, turning far more eerie—which is precisely why instances within instances occur, because the world view itself is unstable.”
“So that’s how it is…”
Indeed, not everyone held access to this information, as encountering an instance within an instance was exceptionally rare under normal circumstances.
At most, one might stumble upon bits of information regarding other instances within a run, a scenario carrying a relatively higher probability.
For instance, obtaining a certain item that served no purpose in the current instance, which might instead be meant for use in a different instance altogether.
Bai Cha held such an item in her hands right now—the key given to her by Zheng Yue in that Appearance Above All instance had remained unused to this day.
