Chapter 56 - Financial Crisis 16: Change (1/2)
Chapter 56 – Financial Crisis 16: Change
Xiao Lou controlled these six people with the rings and called Yu Hanjiang, Shao Qingge and Xie Qi next door to discuss countermeasures.
He looked at Yu Hanjiang and softly asked, “Group Leader Yu, what is the situation in the city?”
Yu Hanjiang explained, “The water, electricity and Internet are cut off. Traffic is completely paralyzed and a serious stampede occurred at the supermarket.”
Xiao Lou’s expression slightly changed. “It seems that the situation is getting worse and worse…”
Shao Qingge added, “Yes, the banks were smashed, the ATM machines smashed and the supermarket crowded with people. It was terrible. Fortunately, I closed my account before the Internet broke. This time, I made a profit of one million by shorting the stocks.”
Xie Qi heard a million and his eyes widened. “A million? So much money?”
Shao Qingge looked at him calmly. “This is still a small amount. Give me a few days and the profit could double.”
Xie Qi was stunned. Other challengers found it hard to live in the world of the financial crisis. Yet this person with the short braid actually made a fortune from the financial crisis?
Shao Qingge smiled at the teenager’s shocked eyes. “Do you feel honoured to team up with me?”
Xie Qi nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, please take care of me in the future!”
Xiao Lou looked at Shao Qingge and didn’t puncture the truth of this Hearts and Diamonds slag.
Yu Hanjiang spoke seriously, “There is one thing. The hotel that Chief Shao stayed in refuse to let challengers pay for the room rate with materials. Today, the rate has increased by eight times and there are many challengers who checked out to find another residence. All the challengers who previously had their materials stolen have left.”
Shao Qingge added, “However, most of the challengers have stayed at the Shanshui Guesthouse because the boss gave a discounted price. Group Leader Yu suspects that the boss is an accomplice of the thief.”
Xiao Lou wondered, “Accomplice? Is the Shanshui Guesthouse a black store?”
Xie Qi was also surprised by this speculation and thought carefully about his previous experience. “No wonder! The second night, all of our supplies were stolen. No one could’ve stolen from more than a dozen rooms without someone noticing. Perhaps the unscrupulous boss directly drugged the people in the rooms!”
Xiao Lou frowned and thought for a moment. “Previously, Group Leader Yu and I speculated that this person stole things using the invisibility cloak and universal key. The invisibility cloak only lasts for 30 minutes and he can’t move all the supplies unless the boss is his partner. Then he doesn’t even need to move the supplies away from the Shanshui Guesthouse.”
Yu Hanjiang nodded. “The most dangerous place is the safest place. The stolen materials should still be at the Shanshui Guesthouse.”
Xie Qi stated, “The next day, we suspected there was a traitor among the challengers and we searched all the rooms together, finding no materials. Does this guesthouse have a storage room or a type of concealed bas.e.m.e.nt?”
Xiao Lou nodded. “There is a great possibility there is a bas.e.m.e.nt.”
Shao Qingge looked at Yu Hanjiang. “This thief was found by you and directly killed to escape. He is very vicious. Let’s not worry about the guesthouse. The four of us have so many materials and Xie Qi ha the teleportation card and Xiao Lou’s Peach Blossom Spring. We can move at any time and it won’t be a problem to survive for the remaining seven days in the secret room.”
Xie Qi and Xiao Lou also glanced at Yu Hanjiang.
Yu Hanjiang was silent for a moment before stating, “I still want to look.”
After all, he was a police officer. Today’s stampede occurred and he couldn’t do anything. However, the challengers at the guesthouse were innocent. There was a hiding murderer who could steal supplies at any time. He couldn’t sit idly by.
Shao Qingge told him, “Group Leader Yu, you used to be a police officer and saving people is your instinct. I can understand your feelings but surviving this world is the key. You might call me selfish but I think we have no obligation to help the others. If they can’t save themselves then it will be hard for them to survive in future secret rooms. Moreover, if you go to save people then perhaps you might be in danger.”
Shao Qingge’s worry was reasonable. After all, Yu Hanjiang was facing a murderous thief.
Xiao Lou stared at the man’s deep eyes.
Yu Hanjiang took a deep breath. “Professor Xiao, you decide.”
Saving the challengers might put them in danger. Not going to save the challengers meant the four of them easily clearing the instance. Yu Hanjiang and Shao Qingge disagreed with each other, leaving the opinion to Xiao Lou.
Xiao Lou didn’t use any excuses. Since they were a team, continuing to argue would only waste time.
After thinking for a moment, Xiao Lou suggested, “In the early hours of the morning, I will open the Peach Blossom Spring. Xie Qi and Shao Qingge will stay in the paradise to protect the materials while I will go with Group Leader Yu to check the Shanshui Guesthouse. If we can help then we will. If we can’t help then we will withdraw.”
He glanced at Yu Hanjiang. “We only have half an hour. If the situation isn’t right, we will use the s.p.a.ce teleportation to return to the Peach Blossom Spring. Group Leader Yu, what do you think?”
Xiao Lou had carefully studied the Tao Yuanming card and found a trick.
The Peach Blossom Spring was a separate s.p.a.ce and only he and Tao Yuanming could find the entrance. Other people couldn’t see it and it was very safe. However, it existed only for 30 minutes. Once the 30 minutes were over, the people inside the paradise would be forced back to the entrance.
They would be sent back to the entrance, not disappear.
In other words, if he let Tao Yuanming open the Peace Blossom Spring’s entrance in the northeast corner room of the third floor, Shao Qingge and Xie Qi would bring the materials into the Peach Blossom Spring. Then after 30 minutes, the paradise would disappear and Shao Qingge, Xie Qi and the goods wouldn’t disappear. They would be thrown from the paradise and returned to the northeast corner room.
During the 30 minutes that the Peach Blossom Spring existed, Xiao Lou and Yu Hanjiang could move back to the spring at any time.
The Peach Blossom Spring was like a safe transit station.
In this way, the materials, Shao Qingge and Xie Qi hidden in the Peach Blossom Spring would be very safe while he and Yu Hanjiang could also withdraw to it at any time.
Xiao Lou explained his strategy in detail and then added, “Although Shao Qingge’s account has one million gold coins but money can no longer be withdrawn from the bank and ATM machines in this world. 3 of Hearts is a campus world and there are no ATM machines. If you go into 3 of Hearts penniless then you can’t even afford instant noodles from the snack counter.”
He smiled and said, “Then saving other challengers is actually good for us. We have a lot of supplies and they probably have some spare money to buy our supplies. This would be enough to buy food in the 3 of Hearts secret room.”
His consideration was very thoughtful in all aspects.
Shao Qingge replied, “Professor Xiao’s approach is perfect and I have no problem with it.”
Yu Hanjiang looked at Xiao Lou, eyes somewhat complicated.
He thought his plan to go to the Shanshui Guesthouse would be opposed by everyone. After all, in the secret room, they had to care about their own lives. Other people’s life or death had nothing to do with them. People would become more and more cold-blooded.
However, Yu Hanjiang was a police officer and most of the challengers were law-abiding ordinary people in the real world. Due to all types of accidents, they came here and were forced to play the survival game. They were innocent and he found it hard to watch them all be eliminated.
He couldn’t control other secret rooms but at least in this world, why shouldn’t he save them if he had the ability?
***
Xie Qi didn’t dare express his opinion as he stood next to the three big men.
Shao Qingge’s thoughts were correct while Group Leader Yu’s thoughts were also correct. Xie Qi thought the two people would quarrel and didn’t expect them to give the decision to Xiao Lou. Xiao Lou then thought of a perfect solution that everyone could accept.
It seemed that in this time, the key moments relied on Professor Xiao’s decision.
Xie Qi quietly moved to Xiao Lou’s side. He already knew who he should listen to in the future.
Xiao Lou wondered, “I have captured these six people. Do you have any opinions on how to deal with them?”
Shao Qingge raised his eyebrows. “They dared to directly try and steal materials. Surely you aren’t kind enough to give them food?”
Xiao Lou laughed. “Of course not, these people had malice in their hearts. Just now, the man took out a fruit knife in order to attack me and Xie Qi and steal our supplies. Feeding them will only be raising tigers.” There was a pause before Xiao Lou said, “However, if we let them go, they might expose our hiding place and attract a large number of people fighting over our supplies.”
Yu Hanjiang simply said, “Let them fend for themselves.”
Xie Qi’s eyes were bright and he suggested, “I have a way. In the last few days of the Nightmare Room, I survived by eating gra.s.s and leaves. Then should we give them gra.s.s and leaves to eat every day?”
Shao Qingge spoke helplessly, “Feeding them gra.s.s every day, are you raising a rabbit?”
Xie Qi, “……”
Xiao Lou laughed. “Xiao Qi, you are thinking about people too simply. If you give them gra.s.s, they won’t feel that you are helping them. Rather, they will feel that you are deliberately insulting and torturing them. This will make them more hostile to you.”