Light Evening Breeze spoke calmly, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Bai."
"Mr. Evening Breeze, I read the email you sent me. Just... what exactly is this place?"
Bai Mu gripped his cocktail glass. He hunched over with his head bowed, presenting an outward appearance of deep despondency. However, his eyes were locked onto the micro-expressions of the man sitting across from him, carefully observing the movements of his feet and arms.
The man made no superfluous movements. His posture was entirely relaxed, as if he felt everything was completely under his control.
Thus, Bai Mu doubled down on his display of unease and anxiety, asking, "Is there really no way for me to go back? Those bizarre, grotesque people make me incredibly uncomfortable. I... I just want to go home..."
Light Evening Breeze paused for a moment before speaking in a low, deep voice, "Before I answer your question, Bai, I want you to answer one of mine. Do you still want to live?"
"Want to... live?"
"Surviving in Paradise is not an easy task. You might have seen it on your way here—there are women who trade their bodies with other Players for Community Time. To stay alive, they rack their brains to please others, all just to secure even a tiny bit more safe time where they do not have to fear for their lives."
Bai Mu remained silent. He had indeed witnessed the phenomenon Light Evening Breeze described, and he understood that the man was deliberately trying to amplify his anxiety.
It was a common sales tactic. By first making you feel a desperate need, you would then be seduced by some carefully packaged product, allowing your emotions to take over and drive you toward an irrational purchase.
"You have just experienced a beginner Script, so you should understand the power of Paradise. When your Community Time runs out, you will be randomly thrown into the next Script. You cannot predict what you will experience, but you must complete the Main Quest of Paradise before you can even hope to return to the K-Community for a brief rest."
Light Evening Breeze picked up his glass and took a small sip.
"You might not be able to comprehend it right now. But if you truly want to live, and fight hard to survive, you will soon discover just how luxurious and precious this time we spend chatting together really is."
"Therefore, if you haven't given up hope of surviving, it would be best to stop agonizing over meaningless questions like 'where is this place' or 'can I still go home'."
"Then what should I do?" Bai Mu asked.
"Utilize everything at your disposal to improve yourself. Only then will your survival rate in the next Script increase, and only then will you have a chance to live longer."
"But I don't know how..." Bai Mu tossed the reins of the conversation to Light Evening Breeze. This man clearly wanted to dominate the discussion, so Bai Mu simply let him lead the way.
"First of all, I must tell you, Bai: never trust so-called friendship in Paradise," Light Evening Breeze said, swirling his drink. "This is a place that solely values profit."
"Everyone's time is incredibly precious. I wanted to meet with you, and it certainly wasn't just to make friends."
Hearing this, Bai Mu raised his estimation of the man slightly. At the very least, he wasn't spouting tedious nonsense in an attempt to get something for nothing. If the man had tried to deceive him with feigned concern, Bai Mu would have instantly blacklisted him.
"Mr. Evening Breeze, you wish to make a trade with me?"
"I like talking to smart people." A faint smile graced Light Evening Breeze's face.
"But what do I have that you could possibly want? And what can you give me?"
"I am an administrator of the K-Community, after all. I always keep a few rare items on hand," Light Evening Breeze said. "As for what you can offer me: the Community Time and Points you possess, and even the intelligence you gathered from the Script you cleared. All of these are things worth my investment."
"Since we have reached this point, I will be straightforward. I possess an admission ticket to an Adventure Script that is perfect for a newcomer like you. You can inspect the goods first. If you are interested, we can continue our chat."
With that said, Light Evening Breeze tossed a rust-mottled key onto the tabletop.
"I imagine you know how to appraise it."
Bai Mu stared at the key, and a stream of information immediately projected into his vision.
[Name: Key to the Lost Backyard]
[Type: Special Item]
[Quality: Unique]
[Description: A key abandoned in a forgotten corner, reeking of a disgusting, rotten stench. Using it opens the Adventure Script: Dave's Backyard.]
"This is a special item I obtained during a certain Script," Light Evening Breeze explained. "It can open a repeatable Script for its holder free of charge. You can think of it as a ticket to a special stage."
"Although you cannot earn Community Time or Points in an Adventure Script, you can obtain special item rewards. Moreover, unlike the unpredictable main Scripts, everything you encounter in an Adventure Script can be anticipated. That means I also have a clearance guide for [Dave's Backyard] right here, guaranteeing that you won't leave empty-handed."
"If you are interested, we can discuss the price. You can use your Community Time to purchase a one-time use of this key."
Bai Mu fell silent for a long moment. He had to admit that the item Light Evening Breeze produced was incredibly tempting.
After taking a stroll around the K-Community, he had come to a realization: Community Time was essentially a currency. Using it purely for relaxation and rest was actually the most wasteful thing a rookie like him could do.
Every single minute and second he consumed could be seen as bleeding money. In fact, on his way over, he had briefly debated spending ten hours of his time to sleep with that woman he saw earlier.
But compared to sleeping with a strange woman, Light Evening Breeze's deal was clearly far more reliable.
After all, the rules of Paradise did not deceive.
A controllable Adventure Script—this was practically a gift.
"Mr. Evening Breeze, is it convenient for you to tell me what kind of Script this is, and what possible rewards I might obtain from it?"
"Of course, assuming you buy it."
"..."
"Please understand, Bai. A businessman cannot afford to take a loss every day."
"How much is it going to cost me?"
Light Evening Breeze extended his right hand, spreading all five fingers wide. "Fifty hours. Give me fifty hours of your Community Time, and you will receive a one-time use of this key, along with my professional clearance guide. Any transaction involving Script items and Community Time is overseen by Paradise, so you don't need to worry about being scammed. Paradise will forcefully compel both of us to honor the contract."
'This guy's asking price is absolutely ruthless,' Bai Mu thought. 'If I hadn't received an S-grade rating, I would have had at most seventy-two hours of Community Time, and this man demanded fifty hours right out of the gate.'
Of course, he could also understand the reasoning behind the price. If this item truly possessed the effects Light Evening Breeze claimed, then it wasn't actually that expensive.
Bai Mu had already decided to buy it, but to maintain his crafted persona, he feigned hesitation, stammering out a question. "I have one more question, Mr. Evening Breeze. Is it possible for me to die in this Adventure Script?"
Light Evening Breeze replied, "Although this place is called Endless Paradise, if you actually treat it like an amusement park, you're doomed. I cannot guarantee that you will survive clearing [Dave's Backyard], but I can promise that my guide is genuine and effective. Including myself, no fewer than a hundred people have successfully cleared it."
"I just hope I can clear it smoothly."
"My judgment has always been excellent, Bai. You are a man with great potential. I believe you will live a very long time. I look forward to our next meeting."