After returning to Peach Blossom Spring, the three sat under a tree to rest and discuss their next move.
According to Xue Mingyue, Moon City has tens of millions of native inhabitants and Challengers combined. The city is larger than the capital city of Earth era, so finding two people in such a large city is not easy.
Xue Mingyue's approach inspired Xiao Lou: "Why don't we go to the train station and make an announcement to find people?"
Liu Qiao nodded in agreement: "We can give it a try."
The three of them came out of Peach Blossom Spring and took a taxi directly to Moon City Station.
Unlike the tree-shaped buildings at airports, the train station is shaped more like a blooming flower. The green leaf section on the first floor is the arrival level, while the flower section on the second floor is the departure hall. The emerald green leaves paired with light blue flowers make the entire station very distinctive.
There are more pedestrians here than at the airport, and it's hard to tell the Challenger from the locals just by looking at the passing travelers.
Xiao Lou and his two companions rode the escalator side by side toward the arrival floor. Just as they were about to go to the information desk to find an announcement, a middle-aged man suddenly walked up to them and asked with a smile, "The three of you, looking for accommodation? I can help you find a hotel."
Yu Hanjiang gave him a wary look: "No need?"
The man leaned closer and whispered, "I also offer consulting services for Challengers."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Lou couldn't help but wonder—how could this man tell they were Challengers just from their appearance? Did they have " Challenger " written on their faces?
Seemingly noticing his confusion, the middle-aged man smiled and said, "You must be newbies who just arrived in Moon City. You didn't bring any luggage, am I right?"
Xiao Lou looked around and noticed that the passengers coming and going were indeed carrying luggage. Some were dragging suitcases, some were carrying travel bags, and some white-collar workers were carrying briefcases. The three of them, however, had empty hands and did not look like passengers going to take the high-speed train.
Xiao Lou said, "We're going to pick someone up."
The middle-aged man said, "When picking someone up, you should use the side arrival passage, not this way."
His words had exposed his lie, so Xiao Lou could only smile helplessly: "Alright, what do you want from us?"
The middle-aged man said, " The Challengers who just arrived here are just like you, empty-handed, with nothing but cards on them." Meeting Yu Hanjiang's cold, sharp gaze, the man immediately waved his hand, "I mean no harm. I specifically look for newbies at the train station to provide consultation services; it's just a way to make a living. Life is tough in Card World!"
With a sincere expression that said, "I have elderly parents and young children to support, and making a living is not easy," he said, "You can consult me if you have any questions. For example, which hotel has a good environment and is cheap, where the food is delicious and affordable, which agency to find for renting a house, and I can also help you contact a travel agency if you need a day trip to Moon City."
He looked at Xiao Lou with a big smile: "My fees are low. You only need to pay after you get a satisfactory answer to a question. If you're not satisfied, I'll give you a refund. The consultation fee is only 5,000 gold coins per question, which is equivalent to 50 RMB. By the way, you can call me Lao Mo. This is my business card."
Xiao Lou: "..."
This guy is pretty clever; he actually came up with the idea of making money this way.
However, Challengers who have just arrived in Moon City really don't know anything and wander around like headless flies. They are easily deceived and scammed. If they accidentally stay in a "black shop" run by a Freelancer who hates them, like Financial Crisis did, not only might their money be stolen, but they might even lose their lives.
Consulting a knowledgeable person like The Lover isn't too expensive at 50 yuan.
Xiao Lou wondered if this old Mo was reliable. He looked down at the business card.
Mo Xuemin, 40 years old, is a designer at Xinxin Decoration Company. For inquiries, please call 0099-86590876.
Yu Hanjiang simply pulled out 10,000 gold coins from his pocket and said, "Two questions. If you can answer them, I'll give you the 10,000 gold coins. First, how do I contact the Intelligence Bureau?"
Old Mo was taken aback: "You guys are really well-informed. You know about the Intelligence Bureau as soon as you get here?"
Yu Hanjiang asked, "Do you know how to contact them?"
The man chuckled and touched his nose, saying, " The Intelligence Bureau is very mysterious. Their boss has never shown his face in any setting. Everyone only knows that his surname is Tang, and they all call him Mr. Tang. Nobody knows where the Intelligence Bureau's headquarters is, but it has four branches in Moon City and Sun City."
He leaned closer mysteriously and whispered, "These four branches all have big 'Tang's Welfare Lottery' signs hanging on their facades. They're located in the city center and appear to be selling lottery tickets, but actually, the people at Card World don't understand lotteries at all. These lottery shops are only open on Wednesdays. You can contact any of the branches when the tickets are issued on Wednesday."
Having interrogated so many prisoners, Yu Hanjiang found this man's expression and gaze to be completely honest. He dared to look Yu Hanjiang in the eye when answering questions and his attitude was sincere. Yu Hanjiang temporarily believed his answers and gave him 10,000 gold coins.
Following that, Yu Hanjiang asked, "Do you know about the Challenger Association? Could you give us a brief introduction?"
The middle-aged man took the gold coins and said seriously, " Among Challengers, the largest association is called [ Eternal Kingdom ], headquartered in Sun City. Their motto is to live happily in Card World, only dealing with the weekly routine and not continuing to challenge. Some of them even marry local residents and have children. Almost everyone lives a happy life with a car and a house."
"The second largest association is the [ Distant Place Association ], whose ultimate goal is to return to the real world. Its president, codenamed Old Ghost, is a calligrapher. He requires members to keep their distance from the residents of Card World, stay true to themselves, and not be assimilated by this place."
"The third largest association is called [ Luoying Pavilion ]. It only accepts female Challengers. The president is a very powerful woman. It is said that anyone who crosses her gets killed by her." He paused here and said, "I'm trying to make money so that I can save up more money to prepare for the upcoming Plum Blossom Secret Chamber … Sigh, I have to do the Weekly Routine and continue with the secret chambers. It's more tiring than going to work."
Xiao Lou asked with some curiosity, "Why do you insist on going back?"
A hint of disappointment flashed in Lao Mo's eyes. He lowered his head and said with a bitter smile, "When I had the accident, my daughter had just been admitted to a key middle school. She lost her mother when she was ten years old. She can't lose her father too. She has to take the college entrance exam alone and get married alone in the future, can she?"
The three of them fell silent.
This man is indeed very honest. He earns his income by selling information. In fact, his approach is similar to that of the Intelligence Bureau. However, he is alone and has limited resources, so he can only find newcomers to Moon City to sell people information related to daily life.
Liu Qiao asked, "Uncle, since you want to go back so much, have you joined the Distant Place Association?"
Old Mo smiled wryly and said, "No, the Distant Place Association has very strict requirements for recruitment. You must have more than two S cards to be eligible to join. So far, I have mostly achieved an A rating in clearing the escape rooms. I have a bunch of A cards, but I have never drawn an S card."
Xiao Lou was taken aback. No wonder the Distant Place Association invited him and Yu Hanjiang directly. They had broken the world records for Heart 3 and Red Heart 4 escape rooms and were sure to get an S rating. There was no doubt that they had more than two S cards.
Yu Hanjiang seized on the key point in Lao Mo's words and asked, "What you just said meant that you cleared all four types of escape rooms— hearts, spade, diamonds, and plum blossom —with an A rating?"
Old Mo said, "Yes, it's just that I can't get an S rating, sigh."
Xiao Lou only realized what was happening when she heard this.
This Mr. Mo is actually quite impressive. He's like some students who don't have any particular strengths or weaknesses in any subject. He seems average, but if he could get excellent grades in all subjects, his total score would be even more advantageous than that of a student who specializes in only one subject!
What does this mean? It means that the man in front of you is at least quick-witted and knowledgeable.
Xiao Lou immediately became interested in him and said with a smile, "Mr. Mo, may I ask what you do in the real world? Of course, this involves your privacy, so it's okay if you don't answer."
Old Mo chuckled, "When I was young, I worked in sales. After making enough money, I started my own renovation company. In this world, I also work part-time as a designer for Xinxin Renovation Company. If you need design services for your future house purchases, you can contact me for a 20% discount!"
Xiao Lou's eyes lit up. His salesmanship was indeed impressive; no wonder even Captain Yu was swayed by his few words and sought to buy information from him. The renovation company involved extensive spatial design, and this old Mo must have a strong sense of space. The fact that all the escape rooms received an A rating was no coincidence. His forties had etched the marks of time on his face, but also bestowed upon him a wealth of experience.
Moreover, he was worried about his daughter, and his determination to go back was unwavering.
Yu Hanjiang readily handed him the gold coins and said, "Thank you."
Mo Xuemin smiled and waved: "You're welcome. Good luck to the three of you. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions."
He turned to leave, then stopped a couple coming down the escalator, eagerly promoting his "information-selling" business.
Seeing how hard he was working, Xiao Lou felt a pang of sadness.
Liu Qiao sighed softly and said, "I can understand his desire to go back. My dad loves my sister and me very much, and I can tell that Lao Mo misses his daughter. As a father, he certainly wouldn't feel comfortable leaving his daughter alone."
He shamelessly harasses newcomers everywhere in this world and makes money by selling information. His daily income must be very substantial. People who have worked in sales are quick-witted. Xiao Lou actually admires him quite a bit.
It's not easy to stay true to your original aspirations.
Yu Hanjiang watched as Xiao Lou put the business card into his pocket and asked, "You're keeping his business card because you want to stay in touch with him in the future?"
Xiao Lou smiled and said, " After the contract book is upgraded, there are many more people that can be added. I'll keep it for now and see how it goes later. I think Lao Mo is a good person, and his A rating in all the escape rooms means he's quite skilled. I might consider him."
Liu Qiao also felt that Lao Mo was particularly kind and sincere, much like her father. Unfortunately, because he didn't have two S cards, the Distant Place Association refused to take him in, so he had to find a way to make a living on his own.
She would be very supportive if Professor Xiao and Captain Yu were willing to accept Lao Mo.
Yu Hanjiang rarely objected to Xiao Lou's decision, and upon hearing this, he nodded: "Yes, I remember that a senior contract book can only accommodate a maximum of 15 people. First, find CEO Shao and Ye Qi, then find Lao Mo to find out about the Weekly Routine mission and the subsequent secret room. If conditions permit, we can add more reliable people to improve our team's capabilities."
Xiao Lou smiled and said, "Okay, let's go find CEO Shao and Ye Qi."
The three of them walked to the information desk. Xiao Lou politely said to the pretty lady at the information desk, "Hello, could you please make an announcement for us? We got separated from two friends who came from out of town and we haven't been able to find them."
The beautiful woman said, "Okay, sir, please write down what you need to broadcast on this form."
A moment later, the gentle voice of a female announcer rang out at Moon City train station: "Out-of-town visitors, Mr. Shao Qingge and Mr. Ye Qi, your friends are waiting for you at the information desk. Please proceed to the information desk immediately after hearing this announcement. Thank you."
The broadcast read it continuously
Xiao Lou thanked her twice and waited patiently.
However, an hour passed and there was still no sign of Shao Qingge and Ye Qi.
As it grew later and later, at 10 PM, Xiao Lou broadcast again, but the two still hadn't arrived. He looked at Yu Hanjiang helplessly and said, "I think we've probably missed them."
Yu Hanjiang frowned slightly, gave the two a wink, and walked to a secluded corner to lower his voice, saying, " Guardian can manipulate the time. The Red Heart 4 escape room requires three days on the bullet train, but three days in the heart room might only be thirty minutes in the main city. There are two possibilities—either CEO Shao and Ye Qi have already arrived and settled down on their own since they can't find us, or they are still in Red Heart 4 and haven't come out yet."
Xiao Lou suggested, "Why don't we settle down first, and then look for it properly?"
Yu Hanjiang stroked his chin thoughtfully: "But what if they arrive at their stop after we leave? Or what if they've already gone to the city center? In such a big city, finding two people is like finding a needle in a haystack."
Liu Qiao thought for a moment and said, "It would definitely be very expensive to ask the Intelligence Bureau to help find someone, and the Intelligence Bureau only opens on Wednesday, and today is only Monday. Didn't you two agree on a place to meet? Like Central Square, or the biggest coffee shop in the city or something."
Xiao Lou gently rubbed his temples, smiling somewhat helplessly: "This was indeed my oversight. I thought that when we went to Moon City, everyone would be teleported to the same location."
Yu Hanjiang suddenly said, "If we really get separated, we can try going to a certain place; maybe we can find CEO Shao there."
Meeting his deep eyes, Xiao Lou's eyes suddenly lit up: "That's right, an underground casino!"
Moon City boasts the most professional underground casinos, dating back to Spade 3. During the Financial Crisis, Shao Qingge mentioned that he wanted to come and see for himself if he had the chance. So, when CEO Shao and Ye Qi can't find them either, maybe CEO Shao will go to the underground casino he mentioned before to wait for them.
Thinking of this, Xiao Lou immediately said, "Let's go now!"
The three of them took a taxi to Moon City's largest underground casino.
I had imagined casinos to be places filled with smoke and extravagance, but to my surprise, the place was very well-managed. The guests were dressed smartly, and the receptionists were all handsome, smiling as they personally opened the doors for them.
The three were ushered into the casino.
The casino has three floors; the first floor is the lobby, while the second and third floors are private rooms.
The hall, which seemed to stretch as far as the eye could see, was filled with card tables. The dealers, wearing white gloves, dealt cards to everyone, and the players sitting at the tables didn't make a sound; they all spoke in hushed tones.
CEO Shao would definitely like an orderly gambling game.
Yu Hanjiang's gaze swept quickly across the entire room, and then he suddenly turned and walked towards a corner.
In the corner, at the card table, sat a handsome man with chestnut hair tied in a small ponytail. His almond-shaped eyes held a hint of a smile as he collected all the coins on the table, saying, "Sorry, I won this round again!"
A boy sat next to him, looking rather uneasy as he glanced to the left and right.
—It was Shao Qingge and Ye Qi!
Xiao Lou's eyes lit up, and he followed, stopping about ten meters away from the card table.
Shao Qingge spotted them and immediately stood up, saying, "Everyone, I have to go now. Let's play together again another time."
He walked over with a smile, holding a pile of gold coins: "Gentlemen, I've finally waited for you."
Xiao Lou asked in confusion, "When did you arrive?"
Shao Qingge said with a headache, "We arrived at eight o'clock in the morning and waited at the station all morning. We were so hungry that we took Xiao Ye Qi to eat. In the afternoon, we heard that some people came from the airport, so we went to the airport to look for them... After dinner, I suddenly remembered that there was a casino here, so I came over to play a few rounds and wait for you guys."
Ye Qi leaned closer mysteriously and whispered, " CEO Shao is amazing. He just played ten rounds and won hundreds of thousands."
Xiao Lou smiled and gave a thumbs up: "As expected of CEO Shao."
Yu Hanjiang glanced at the time and said, "It's almost eleven o'clock. Let's find a hotel to settle down first."