Chapter Thirty: The Mission Begins

The bartender immediately changed his attitude upon recognizing the card Ma Wu handed him. With deference, he apologized, “I’m sorry, sir. I was rude earlier, and I sincerely apologize for my recklessness.” Then he took Ma Wu’s bank card and went to fetch the drinks.

The group of young people nearby were dumbfounded, unable to comprehend why the bartender’s demeanor shifted so abruptly. One outspoken girl, still puzzled, exclaimed, “What’s going on? Why did the bartender chicken out as soon as he saw the card?”

Brother Qiang was equally astonished. Among these youths, he was the wealthiest and most worldly. After a moment’s silence, he said in a low voice, “That card looked like a Dark Gold Card from Huaxia Bank. I heard only people with over ten million in deposits at Huaxia Bank can own one. My father has one too.”

The others were left stupefied, especially Sister Qin, who began to feel a twinge of regret. She clearly did not want to admit that the Ma Wu she had looked down upon might actually be so wealthy. Still, she put on a brave face and scoffed, “Who knows if it’s real? Maybe he’s just trying to fool people with a fake card!”

At that moment, the bartender returned with a bottle of Royal Salute and the Iron Blue that Ma Wu had ordered. Hearing Sister Qin’s remark, he snapped, “Silence! This gentleman has already used the card to make a purchase! There’s no doubt about its authenticity. If you keep making trouble, don’t blame me for having you thrown out of the bar!”

Sister Qin immediately shrank back, glaring venomously at the bartender. She didn’t exactly hate Ma Wu—how could she, knowing now that he was worth over ten million? She barely had time to curry favor, let alone bear a grudge.

The other young people now looked at Ma Wu differently, especially Brother Qiang, whose face was dark with anger. He had suffered a major blow to his reputation in front of his own lackeys and had no way to recover from it.

Ma Wu let out a cold laugh, took a sip of the Iron Blue, and smiled, “A thirty-thousand-yuan glass of liquor is nothing special, after all.”

The young people’s faces grew even darker at his words. Damn, if you’re rich, could you stop showing off already?

Ding! You have slapped the faces of many young people who looked down on you. Your Face-Slapping Points have increased by 500 and have reached the current maximum of 2000.

Ding! By claiming that a thirty-thousand-yuan liquor is unimpressive, you have made the young people envious, jealous, and resentful. Your Pretentiousness Points have increased by 500 and have reached the current maximum of 2000.

A maximum value? Ma Wu frowned and quickly asked the system what this mechanic meant.

Ding! Master is currently at Level One. To advance to Level Two, you must acquire: Basic Physical Enhancement, Basic Combat, Basic Firearms Mastery, Basic Melee Weapon Mastery, Basic Driving Skills, and Basic Special Training.

Ma Wu was speechless. Why did this lousy system resemble an online game, with so many prerequisites just to level up?

He searched the system’s shop for these skill books and found that Basic Physical Enhancement cost 500 Success Points, while Basic Melee Weapon Mastery required 2000 Pretentiousness Points. Seeing these numbers, Ma Wu felt a little hopeless and didn’t bother to look at the others.

On reflection, he realized he was already embroiled in the dangerous Ye Qing side-quest, and even the system had warned him of the high stakes. His priority had to be learning these skills; hoarding success points would do him no good if he died with them unspent.

Without hesitation, Ma Wu purchased Basic Physical Enhancement and Basic Melee Weapon Mastery, spending 500 Success Points and 2000 Pretentiousness Points respectively.

The effect of Basic Physical Enhancement was immediate and excruciating. Ma Wu felt as if his spine was being snapped and rebuilt, while lactic acid surged through his muscles, making his whole body swell and ache unbearably. Worst of all was the recurring, throbbing pain in his head, driving him nearly mad.

Fortunately, the sensation lasted only a few seconds. Even so, Ma Wu broke into a sweat. He twisted his body, and his bones crackled audibly.

He felt a newfound strength coursing through his frame, as if he might touch the ceiling with a single leap. Of course, he restrained himself and didn’t actually try it.

Learning Basic Melee Weapon Mastery was different—much like acquiring Basic Firearms Mastery, it was accompanied by a subtle sense of familiarity, but nothing more.

Having finished, Ma Wu was about to exit the system when he noticed Basic Driving Skills in a corner of the shop, which required 2000 Face-Slapping Points. After a moment’s hesitation, he decided that more skills could only help him, and so he purchased that as well.

Returning to reality, Ma Wu found Sister Qin sidling up to him, her tone coquettish and ingratiating. “Sir, I failed to recognize you just now. Please don’t hold it against me. Since you don’t wish to buy me a drink, allow me to buy you one instead—as an apology.”

Brother Qiang, standing nearby, turned green with jealousy at the sight of his girlfriend throwing herself at another man. His face wasn’t the only thing turning green.

Ma Wu chuckled. The cheap perfume on Sister Qin was unpleasant, and he was already thinking of how to rid himself of this troublesome woman. Suddenly, a loud crash resounded from the VIP seating area on the second floor.

He saw a large group of security guards, armed with batons, rushing upstairs, and the staircase was quickly blocked by bar staff, trapping everyone on the second floor. No one could get down for now.

Yet the bar itself continued operating as usual. The first-floor patrons barely noticed; the DJ kept singing tirelessly, and the drunken revelers continued their wild dancing, oblivious.

But Ma Wu sensed something amiss. That loud noise just now—

It sounded like a gunshot.

Earlier, in the hospital, the sudden murderous intent Ye Qing had shown made Ma Wu suspect she was an assassin. Now, hearing the gunshot after she arrived at the bar only reinforced his suspicions.

He knew that the system-rated high-risk Ye Qing side-quest was only truly beginning now.

He brusquely pushed aside the chattering Sister Qin, rose to his feet, and forced his way through the dense crowd toward the stairs.

Arriving at the foot of the staircase, he was stopped by a bar staff member, who said politely, “There’s been an incident on the second floor. We’re investigating now. Sorry, but you can’t go up at the moment.”

Ma Wu smiled, flashed his Dark Gold Card, and said, “I’m a loyal customer here. Do me a favor—I need to go up and fetch my girlfriend.”

The security guard was about to refuse, but his gaze suddenly focused on the card in Ma Wu’s hand. After a moment’s deliberation, he changed his tone. “Let me check with my supervisor.”

Ma Wu nodded, not intending to cause trouble, and waited as the guard went to ask.

Soon, the guard returned, his attitude now respectful. “Sir, you may go up. But there’s been a safety incident, so please be careful and don’t do anything else. Just find your companion and come down.”

Ma Wu smiled to himself. Money really does open all doors. With his head held high, he strode up to the second floor.

The décor upstairs was completely different—luxurious, almost palatial, with wood carvings in every corner and gold filigree accenting the edges, creating a truly regal atmosphere.

Ma Wu did not know exactly where Ye Qing was, so he kept moving deeper in, searching for any sign of her.

Following the corridor, he found a room at the very end with a sign reading “Dragon and Phoenix Pavilion,” packed tightly with people. Security guards with batons guarded the door with grim faces.

Ma Wu’s eyes narrowed as he approached. Before he could get close, a guard sternly warned, “Sir, there’s been an incident in the Dragon and Phoenix Pavilion. We’re investigating, so please don’t enter.”

He tried the same trick with the Dark Gold Card, but while the guards became more respectful upon seeing it, they stood firm and refused him entry.

Could Ye Qing be inside? If so, this was troublesome—no matter how strong he was, Ma Wu had no confidence in taking on the entire security team alone.

He stood on tiptoe, trying to peer through the gaps in the crowd, but the guards blocked every inch of the door, and he could see nothing.

He hesitated at the door for a long while, recalling the punishment for failing the first stage of the Ye Qing side-quest: permanent loss of sensation in his right hand. Anxiety began to gnaw at him. If Ye Qing was truly inside the Dragon and Phoenix Pavilion, then he would have to find a way in, no matter what.

He gritted his teeth, ready to act, when suddenly a young man’s rakish laughter sounded behind him. “Hey, beautiful, you’re so cold and alluring. How about sharing a drink with me?”

Cold and alluring? Something clicked in Ma Wu’s mind. He spun around and caught sight of Ye Qing standing nearby, watching him with cold eyes. Her face was pale, as if she’d been injured.

Ma Wu let out a quiet sigh of relief. Thank goodness Ye Qing hadn’t been trapped in the Dragon and Phoenix Pavilion—otherwise, today might truly have become a life-or-death struggle.