Chapter 26: The Master of Puppetry – 2

To accommodate the little Doll, who didn’t want to leave the room—and because Tu Jin himself had no desire to take her outside and risk running into Qing Guizhu—he naturally opted for room service.

The only people qualified to work as servers on the third floor were the seven A+ Rank Players.

Therefore, once the restaurant’s serving hours had ended, several Players who were following the head chef’s orders by crouching in the kitchen and peeling the skin off their fingers soon received a notification.

Room Service Request for Room 3-01: Food Delivery and Basic Room Cleaning.

For a moment, every Player in the kitchen instinctively turned to look at the Player named Storm, who was sitting in the corner.

Although his chosen Player name sounded rather aggressive, Storm himself actually had a very refined and scholarly air about him.

Even now, with everyone staring at him, he calmly set down the small knife he had been using to peel skin from his fingers. Before standing up, he casually borrowed the faucet nearby to wash his hands.

“Why are you all looking at me?”

He lightly shook the water droplets from his hands and smiled as he glanced around the room, seemingly oblivious to the dark expressions that had appeared on several faces. Original translation by Lhaozi, read at lhaozitranslation.com

“If any of you want to go, I certainly won’t compete with you for it.”

After all…

His gaze lingered meaningfully on the few Players whose expressions had turned unpleasant. The smile at the corners of his lips gradually grew gentler.

“Provided, of course, that you’re actually capable of walking out of this kitchen.”

Aside from the Player who had died earlier, there were only five A+ Rank Players remaining in the current Instance, excluding him.

Although they were all A+ Rank Players, their actual strengths were clearly not on the same level.

At the very least, Storm was certain that even if all the remaining A+ Rank Players joined forces when it came down to it, they still wouldn’t be a match for him.

In other words… Original translation by Lhaozi, read at lhaozitranslation.com

His only real difficulty had always been the Instance NPCs, not the Players.

He hoped these people would know better. Otherwise…

The smile on Storm’s face grew even gentler.

“I’m a man who always keeps his promises. If you don’t believe me, you’re welcome to find out for yourselves.”

Find out?

Find out what?

Whether they’d die at his hands if they tried to leave the kitchen?

The remaining five Players exchanged glances. Deep wariness rose in their eyes. In the end, they all lowered their heads and continued peeling the skin from their fingers, pretending nothing had happened. Original translation by Lhaozi, read at lhaozitranslation.com

Storm was evidently a little disappointed with this outcome.

But it didn’t matter.

There was no need to rush when it came to killing one to warn the others. Ultimately, as long as they didn’t interfere with him, it wasn’t so bad for everyone to mind their own business.

With that thought in mind, he continued moving. He efficiently went to the changing room and put on the exclusive third-floor room-service uniform. Only then did he push the food trolley, which the kitchen staff had prepared while he was changing, toward Room 3-01.

“Greetings, esteemed guest. Room service.”

That was quick!

Hearing the sound outside the door, Ye Jiujiu turned her eager eyes toward Tu Jin.

“I’m hungry. Hurry up and open the door.” Original translation by Lhaozi, read at lhaozitranslation.com

Tu Jin had been about to tell Ye Jiujiu to answer the door while he changed into something cleaner.

He fell silent.

Then he gestured for Ye Jiujiu to look at the hand she had draped over him—the very hand she was shamelessly using to take advantage of him.

Seriously. Even if she wanted him to answer the door, shouldn’t she at least remove her hand first?

What could Ye Jiujiu do?

All she could do was… slowly lift her hand away.

Even so, before withdrawing it completely, she couldn’t resist giving him one last, lingering pinch.

“Go on, go on.” Original translation by Lhaozi, read at lhaozitranslation.com

Tu Jin watched helplessly as a distinct crescent-shaped mark appeared on his skin.

…

And she was telling him to go on?

Was he a dog she was ordering around?

Looking at the little Doll, who no longer showed any trace of her earlier fear, Tu Jin once again put on a fake smile.

Forget it.

She was his Doll.

He could just endure it. Original translation by Lhaozi, read at lhaozitranslation.com

It wasn’t as if he could divorce her, was it?

He’d make do. He’d get used to it eventually…

While skillfully talking himself into accepting his fate, Tu Jin walked over to the door.

Once it was opened, the food trolley was smoothly pushed inside.

Storm kept his eyes lowered, appearing completely absorbed in his work. In reality, he was carefully observing everything around him from the corners of his eyes.

After keenly sensing the displeasure radiating from Tu Jin, he became even more cautious with every movement, including the way he arranged the dishes.

This reconnaissance operation should have gone smoothly.

Unfortunately, that was how things were supposed to go. In reality, it was another matter entirely. Original translation by Lhaozi, read at lhaozitranslation.com

Ye Jiujiu was sprawled on the sofa like a spoiled young lady, watching Storm arrange the dishes. She tilted her little head and studied his appearance quite seriously for a while.

Then…

She turned around and seemed to make a comparison, carefully examining Tu Jin from head to toe.

And then…

She let out a long sigh.

Ye Jiujiu hadn’t said a single word, yet somehow, it felt as though she had already said everything—and had made her point perfectly clear.

Storm’s hands paused as he arranged the plates. He immediately sensed that something was wrong.

Tu Jin’s reaction was even more obvious. Original translation by Lhaozi, read at lhaozitranslation.com

He watched the little Doll with an amused yet dangerous smile. After glancing at him, she had actually tried to turn around and continue staring at Storm.

Tu Jin felt as though even his back teeth were beginning to itch.

One second, she had been nestled in his arms, crying and asking whether he would abandon her. The next, she was staring at another man without even blinking?

Ha! Doll!

Only you could pull off something like this!

As expected of you!

“Would you like me to ask him to take his clothes off so you can get a better look?”

Hmm? Original translation by Lhaozi, read at lhaozitranslation.com

There was such a service?

Storm’s entire body stiffened as the little Doll’s ears immediately perked up.

“Does the hotel… offer that kind of service?”

She pretended to decline while clearly hoping he’d insist.

“Wouldn’t that… be inappropriate?”

He didn’t know whether the hotel offered such a service, but he certainly wasn’t offering it himself.

Looking at the expectant expression on the little Doll’s face, Tu Jin was genuinely grinding his teeth this time.

“Oh, so you do know it’s inappropriate?” Original translation by Lhaozi, read at lhaozitranslation.com

The sarcasm in his voice was so thick that even Storm didn’t dare sneak another glance.

An S-Rank NPC was an S-Rank NPC. As an A+ Rank Player, Storm at least had enough self-awareness to know his place.

He couldn’t afford to provoke him.

However, Storm’s self-awareness didn’t mean that a certain little Doll had any!

The little Doll, who had absolutely no intention of being reasonable, immediately looked at Tu Jin in shock.

“You’re scolding me?”

Her expression gradually turned aggrieved, yet she somehow managed to look completely justified.

“I was only looking! It’s not like I was going to do anything. Besides, you’re the one who brought it up! I never asked for it! And now you’re scolding me?” Original translation by Lhaozi, read at lhaozitranslation.com

Tu Jin: …

“I’m sorry. It’s my fault, my fault, my fault.”

He apologized without even a second’s hesitation.

“Don’t be angry, sweetheart?”

They could discuss anything calmly. Just don’t lower her Favorability!

Those were Points, damn it!

Storm, who had expected Tu Jin to lose his temper: …

His hand nearly trembled as he arranged the dishes. Original translation by Lhaozi, read at lhaozitranslation.com

Well…

Just listen to how practiced that apology sounded. It was almost heartbreaking.

All he could say was…

Being an NPC these days really wasn’t easy.

And had things gotten so competitive that even S-Rank NPCs were now acting like lovesick dogs?

Storm didn’t understand.

But Storm was thoroughly shocked.

  Original translation by Lhaozi, read at lhaozitranslation.com