Settling Accounts

As soon as the words left his mouth, the atmosphere instantly tightened. Zhang Qiuqiu immediately cooperated by taking a half-step forward, and in the distance, Lu Zihan stopped sharpening his blades.

Ren Yi took the initiative to strike first, his tone unhurried. "Lord Cha, I seem to have forgotten. How exactly did we end up in this Instance of yours in the first place?"

Before Lord Cha could answer, Ren Yi slapped his own forehead.

"I remember now!" His smile vanished instantly.

"It seems it was because we entered your room and then 'accidentally' fell into this place, wasn't it?"

"Lord Cha, why would you leave a mirror on the floor like that? It’s so dangerous."

"And later on, these rules kept changing back and forth. As the person in charge, you really weren't very professional..."

Lord Cha shrunk his neck and defended himself in a small voice, "I... I didn't expect the intensity of the Instance to spike so suddenly. I really didn't mean to screw you over..."

"You didn't expect it?" Ren Yi interrupted, his voice growing a few degrees colder. "With a simple 'I didn't expect it,' you threw the three of us into this game without a word?"

Lord Cha was left speechless, his scalp tingling. His ears drooped as he wilted on the spot, not even having the courage to look up and make eye contact, his heart filled with guilt and panic.

Seeing this, Ren Yi seized the opportunity to change the subject. "Back then, you claimed that no matter what problems arose, you would take full responsibility and were willing to serve us hand and foot to make amends."

"Now that the Instance is over, it's time to settle the bill. How do you plan to fulfill that promise? How are you going to serve us?"

This question sent Lord Cha into a panic. He looked up, his face a picture of bewilderment and helplessness, his voice weak. "Then... how do you want me to make it up to you?"

Ren Yi stared at him for a long time before waving his hand with a show of feigned generosity, putting on a magnanimous front.

"Actually, it’s not that big of a deal. You love the Board Game Club and want to run it well. We can see your passion, so it’s not a major transgression."

"We aren't the kind of Anomalies who are unreasonable or cling to petty grievances."

"After this experience, I actually feel that taking a nominal title in your Board Game Club and helping out occasionally wouldn't be so bad."

Lord Cha was stunned, his mind buzzing with confusion.

Before Lord Cha could react, Ren Yi continued, "Since we're willing to join as nominal members, that makes us core members of the Board Game Club. It's only right that we contribute to the club and help meet performance targets."

"Coincidentally, Player 2 here is a high-quality S-rank permanent NPC. He’s reliable and fits the theme perfectly. We’ll convert him right now and offer him as a major contribution to the Board Game Club, filling your combat power gap for free."

"An equal exchange, mutually beneficial." Ren Yi’s smile was gentle, but his words held a hidden edge.

"In the future, all profits from the Board Game Club's Instances will be split equally among us core nominal members. That sounds fair and legal, right?"

At this point, even as slow as he was, Lord Cha realized something was wrong. His heart tightened as he instantly understood that things were taking a turn for the worse.

He hurriedly waved his hands in refusal, his tone urgent. "No, no! You can't calculate it like that!"

"The core architecture of this entire board game Instance was built by me and the previous members. Besides me, Wutong is also a registered member, and he has a share of the dividends..."

The two sides immediately began a tug-of-war of words, going back and forth without giving an inch.

Ultimately, both sides took a step back and quickly finalized a compromise agreement.

First, Lord Cha would voluntarily surrender fixed equity in the Board Game Club, allocating ten percent to each of Ren Yi, Zhang Qiuqiu, and Lu Zihan. All future Instance profits would be automatically deducted and distributed as dividends every month. This was a long-term agreement that could not be revoked or withheld.

Second, this equity would serve as compensation in exchange for the three Anomalies joining the club as nominal members. This ensured the club would not be disbanded due to a lack of members. Simultaneously, Ren Yi’s trio promised not to seize controlling rights or maliciously disrupt operations.

Third, Lord Cha would make additional private amends. During the three's time at school, whenever they needed a temporary Anomaly NPC, a minor mob for a venue, or a gatekeeper Boss for a level, Lord Cha would be on call to provide free labor without excuse.

Fourth, Player 2 would be officially and forcibly converted into a permanent NPC for the Board Game Club. He would be registered under Ren Yi’s name, while Lord Cha would be fully responsible for his daily supervision, job assignments, and work scheduling.

Fifth, all of Player 2’s salary, benefits, living expenses, and position stipends would be independently borne by President Cha. They were to be paid in full every month, with the salary direct deposited into Ren Yi’s account.

Sixth, the conversion fee for Player 2 would be borne entirely by Lord Cha and would have nothing to do with Ren Yi’s trio.

Neither side had any objections, and an agreement was reached.

Ren Yi turned to look at Player 2, who had been standing obediently by the side, not daring to interrupt. He reached out and lightly patted the man's shoulder.

"Alright, everything is settled."

He gave a casual instruction, finalizing Player 2's future destination. "Go on, young man. Work hard and follow this Cha."

Player 2 nodded blankly, his face devoid of much expression. He had clearly accepted his fate completely.

From now on, he would change from an Instance Participant into a permanent NPC who worked for a monthly salary and lived a stable life. He would never have to experience life-and-death gambles again. Perhaps, it was a form of liberation.

After settling the matter of Player 2, Ren Yi turned back to Lord Cha. His smile remained unchanged, and his tone was casual. "Words are fleeting. Let's sign a contract to avoid anyone regretting it later when things get complicated."

With that, Ren Yi elegantly raised his hand and reached directly into his own chest.

A moment later, he slowly withdrew his hand, holding a set of paper and a pen.

The paper was pure white with a parchment texture, faintly shimmering with subtle patterns. It clearly didn't look cheap.

In the past, he had been too limited by his imagination. He had always envied how his older brother could throw things into 'shadows,' but he had forgotten that his own body was the most convenient storage space.

No matter what it was, he could just swallow it. It could be considered a budget version of his brother's ability, right?

He picked up the pen and, with a few swift strokes, wrote down the basic framework of the contract, listing all the agreed-upon points one by one.

After finishing the contract, Ren Yi pushed the paper and pen toward Lord Cha. His tone was flat. "Take a look. If there are no issues, sign it."

Lord Cha leaned in and quickly scanned the contents. Confirming there were no discrepancies from what they had just discussed, he felt a pang of heartache over the lost profits but could only grit his teeth and accept it.

He picked up the pen and scribbled his name crookedly onto the contract.

In his mind, however, he was already scheming.

Hmph, it's not like Ren Yi and the others can watch my Instances every day. As for the profits, isn't that up to me and Wutong to decide?

I'll just take some kickbacks on the side later and give them a smaller share. They might not even notice, hehe.

However, the very instant that thought crossed his mind, a sudden sense of restraint washed over him.

It felt as if something had stepped hard on his tail. The force was significant, and it hurt so much that he accidentally cried out.

"Ow!" Lord Cha let out a shrill scream and jumped up, clutching his tail.

He hurriedly turned around to see who had stepped on him, but there was nothing behind him—not even a shadow of an Anomaly.

"W-what's going on? Who stepped on my tail?" Lord Cha frowned and looked around, his eyes filled with bewilderment.

That sensation just now had been real and painful. It was definitely not an illusion.

On the other side, Ren Yi ignored Lord Cha's situation and was talking to Zhang Qiuqiu. His voice reached Lord Cha's ears.

Zhang Qiuqiu’s gaze fell on the paper and pen in Ren Yi’s hand, her tone tinged with curiosity.

"That paper and pen seem quite unusual. The texture is very special. It must be expensive, right?"

Ren Yi toyed with the pen in his hand, his tone cheerful.

"It didn't cost a cent. A Great Anomaly I’m on good terms with gave it to me as a gift of friendship. He just happens to love making these kinds of covenants and contracts."

Zhang Qiuqiu raised an eyebrow and continued, "What does that Great Anomaly do?"

Ren Yi smiled, his tone relaxed yet carrying a hint of something intriguing.

"Oh, him? He runs a casino."