A Wager
The Solar System, Platinum Temple.
Sun Ruowei knelt on the ground, gazing expectantly at the huge virtual screen in front of her.
On the screen, the most prominent image was what she considered her most beautiful personal photo.
That photo was taken while I was living in the Flame Galaxy.
She wore a flowing white dress, the hem billowing in the wind like butterfly wings. Her graceful figure, accentuated by the crimson flames, appeared even more curvaceous, delicate, and voluptuous.
Her peerless beauty was half-hidden in the floating fire mist, while the burning stars in the background spewed out towering crimson flames, sweeping across the sky like infernal fire. This only made her appear more like a banished immortal emerging from the abyss, otherworldly and captivating to all.
Below the photo, a line of large, scarlet text stood out. "Brothers, this girl is my friend. She recently asked to borrow some money from me, not much, just 800,000,000,000,000 Universe Coin. She said she needs it to break through to the Immortal Realm, and if she fails, she'll be my slave. Should I do this deal?"
The voting options below have only two buttons: [Agree] and [Disagree].
What followed was a massive 100 million traffic promotion.
In an instant, a flood of comments poured in like a burst dam.
Daoist Xuanyuan: "??? This guy is an idiot, appraisal complete!"
Vivisue: "Eight hundred trillion Universe Coin? Even robbing the Universe Bank wouldn't dare to ask for that much! I suggest you block them immediately to avoid being harassed by them!"
Dominator Five: "Holy crap! This girl is absolutely gorgeous! Flames against White Clothes, that figure, that face, I'm blown away! But borrowing money is out of the question. With eight trillion, what kind of girl can't I find? It's not worth taking this gamble."
Eternal Night Will Sleep: "Hiss! This girl looks familiar—like my boss? Wait, that's her!"
I saw this photo on her WeChat Moments before! Holy crap, borrow 800 Hunyuan? Forget 800, I'd even take 80!
Hey bro, need a guy? I'm super nice and always available!
Read All Books Under Heaven: "What kind of monsters and demons are these? Eight hundred trillion? Why don't they just rob the head office of the Universe Bank? This girl is obviously a gold digger, wake up, OP! Don't let beauty cloud your judgment! But—if you really do borrow it, could you share some with me? I'll crowdfund 1 million Universe Coin."
Gentle: "Sister, only I understand you. After all, we're both bitches, just like each other. But I don't have as big an appetite as you; 100 Hunyuan is enough for me."
Moon: "I'm 50! I'm cheaper than her!"
Taotie: "Hehe, are you all stupid? Someone who can casually take out 800 Hunyuan, would you be short of a little money? I'll just give it to you for free!"
I just want a pro to guide me!
Yongheng: "Good heavens, they've all jumped on the bandwagon? Then I'll just pay them! As long as I can get on the good side of this big shot, I'll even pay them 100 Hunyuan!"
The comments section was ablaze with arguments, with supporters and opponents each sticking to their own views, and profanity and mockery mingling together, escalating the flame war. Meanwhile, the voting data on the right side of the screen was soaring at a visible speed, with the red "disagree" votes consistently leading by a wide margin.
Tang Ping leaned casually against the Purple Gold Dragon Throne in the center of the hall, enjoying the service of the maids.
Sun Ruowei remained kneeling on the ground, her hands clenched tightly, her nails digging deep into her palms, blood dripping from between her fingers. Her gaze was fixed on the ballot box.
Success or failure hinges on this one move!
A day passes in the blink of an eye, and the promotional time for 100 million views has been exhausted.
More than one million people participated in the vote, and the final result was as expected: the "disagree" vote accounted for an overwhelming majority, with most people, regardless of gender, voting against it.
The few "agree" votes all gave the same reason: to urge the original poster to take over the business quickly and prevent this kind of "bitch" from harming people.
The reasons for opposition varied: most men advised the poster not to fall into a trap of beauty; while most women's reasoning was surprisingly, "We can't let her snag such a wealthy man; if anyone should be snatched, it should be us."
Seeing the mere 14% "agree" rate on the screen, Sun Ruowei's face instantly turned deathly pale.
Just then, her Personal Terminal suddenly started vibrating wildly, and a barrage of @ notifications popped up in the company's internal group chat, all discussing the poll.
It's over!
According to company regulations, employees who engage in behavior that damages the company's image will be dismissed for minor offenses and held accountable for serious offenses.
Even if she could offset the punishment with her years of accumulated contributions to the company, she would still fall to rock bottom and might even become a plaything for those powerful and wealthy people in the future. Just thinking about the perverse ways those powerful and wealthy people had played with her made Sun Ruowei tremble uncontrollably.
It's all or nothing!
"Splash~"
A powerful surge of Origin Force erupted from Sun Ruowei's body, instantly shattering her standard battle suit into fragments that scattered on the ground. Barefoot, she slowly stood up and walked step by step toward Tang Ping on the dragon throne, a forced confident smile on her face.
Her still-pure body, along with her prized figure and demeanor, were her last bargaining chips. However, the next second, her body suddenly crashed into an invisible barrier, the enormous recoil causing her to stagger back two steps.
Despair overwhelmed her instantly, like a tidal wave.
Tang Ping lazily raised his eyelids, his tone filled with undisguised disgust. "A bet's a bet. What I dislike most is cheap women like you. Get out of here, or I'll have the guards throw you out."
Sun Ruowei bit her lower lip hard, staring fiercely at the King Anle. In her life, the only two men who had ever rejected her were the King Anle before her and a spoiled brat named Tang Ping.
Tang Ping eventually yielded to her and even transferred Luo Concept Stocks to her at a low price.
Although the stock price has plummeted these days, she has still made a considerable profit based on the future valuation of the Virtual Universe Company. But this time, in front of so many lowly maids, King Anle trampled her dignity underfoot.
Why? Why is the whole world targeting her?! Wait—there's one last chance! The Dark Net!
With the help of the Dark Net and by borrowing money from friends and colleagues, she still has a chance to turn things around! If she can turn things around, she will definitely stand in front of Tang Ping again and proudly tell him what he missed!
Sun Ruowei breath, silently picked up the scraps of cloth from the ground, covered her body, and turned to leave.
"Etc!"
Tang Ping's voice suddenly rang out, tinged with amusement.
Sun Ruowei's body stiffened abruptly, then she quickly turned around, her eyes rekindling with anticipation as she stared intently at King Anle, the man in the world who understood her body most thoroughly.
She would never have touched the Dark Net unless she was desperate. It is a bottomless abyss; once you step into it, there is no turning back, and one day it will even put you on the opposite side of the entire Human Race.
Only those who have truly worked at Virtual Universe Company can understand its immense size and power. Any entity that dares to oppose it faces only one fate: death!
Tang Ping laughed and said, "I suddenly have an idea for a game. How about we make another bet?"
"What bet!" Sun Ruowei's eyes lit up instantly, her face full of hope.
Tang Ping chuckled lightly and said slowly, "I can admit that the voting information just now was a joke, and I will take the initiative to explain it to your company. I can even—lend you money. However, I can only lend you 500 Hunyuan, with an annual interest rate of 1%."
He paused, then continued, "The bet is simple: if you can earn enough funds to build a fund of 300 Hunyuan within two thousand years, I will waive all interest for you."
If you can't do it, the interest will double. If you can't pay it back by then, you'll become my Soul Slave. I'm planning to start a family anyway, and I only trust Soul Slave to manage the accounts."
"It's a deal!" Sun Ruowei was overjoyed and almost blurted it out.
500 Hunyuan! Adding that to her savings, she has a total of 800 Hunyuan! With this money, she can go all in on Luo Concept Stocks again!
This time, no matter what rumors she hears, she will absolutely not give up! Luo Feng is the disciple of the Chaos City Lord, how could he possibly perish like this!
"Then it's a deal." Tang Ping casually tossed a dark gold collar from his hand, which landed with a thud at Sun Ruowei's feet.
"What is this?" A sense of foreboding rose in Sun Ruowei's heart, and her voice trembled slightly.
"A dog collar," Tang Ping said casually. "500 Hunyuan is no small sum. What if you take the money and run away? The universe is so vast; finding a fugitive at the World Lord Rank is quite troublesome. Put it on yourself."
Sun Ruowei closed her eyes, forcefully holding back the tears that were about to spill. After a long while, she opened her eyes again, her gaze resolute, and gritted her teeth, saying, "Fine!"
She slowly bent down and picked up the cold collar. The moment her fingers touched the metal surface, a chill ran through her.
"Smack~"
The collar was opened, and she fastened it tightly around her slender, fair neck herself. The cold metal pressed against her skin, like an invisible shackle, completely binding her fate.
The next moment, a mechanical voice sounded in her mind:
[Beep! A loan agreement has been detected pending signing. Smart reminder: The interest rate in this agreement far exceeds the normal range and violates basic Human Race laws. However, the other party's authority level is above the law. Please sign with caution.]
Without the slightest hesitation, Sun Ruowei signed the contract directly through her Personal Terminal and then completed a series of procedures, including personal identification, exclusive identity binding, and breath recording.
[Ding! 500 Hunyuan have been credited to your account. Friendly reminder: The Virtual Universe is under full surveillance. As an internal employee, you are prohibited from using your position to solicit or accept bribes. Violation will be subject to your own consequences.]
The moment she heard the notification sound indicating the funds had been credited to her account, Sun Ruowei's tense body suddenly relaxed, and the despair in her eyes was completely replaced by intense confidence.
She will reclaim all the lost glory, status, and trampled dignity with her own hands!
"King Anle," she slowly turned around, a spirited smile spreading across her face, her voice clear and bright, "This time, I'm determined to win!"
After saying that, she didn't linger. She straightened her back, turned around, and left.
Watching her receding figure, Tang Ping smiled slightly.
"Interesting----"