"Who are you?" Ian asked.
'What Roe said is true, this person is not a Bartwin. Too orderly and dignified. If Bartwin people are usually street-raised and rough, this person has a wealthy background,' Ian concluded.
Ian could tell from the way the man elegantly matched his clothes that he wasn't tacky. Unlike the Bartwins, who desperately wanted to appear rich without considering aesthetics.
"Just call me Magenta." The man now took a seat across from Ian, where Josh was sitting before, forcing Josh to move to the adjacent seat.
"How can I assist you?"
"Hahaha... I like it, no need for small talk. I want you to help my men escape the game."
"Wouldn't that make the game less interesting? And can Bartwin find out about it?"
The man weighed his options for a moment before continuing, "You're right, I only need half of the game."
"What's next?"
"After that, you're free to move as you wish, it's up to you."
"Why?"
"Let's skip that question for now, shouldn't you ask 'how much' instead?"
This time, it was Ian who fell silent, contemplating. Meanwhile, Roe and Josh remained still beside them, now fully convinced that Ian's story was true.
"I know Bartwin gave you too small a share. That cunning old man. And in case you didn't know, the reward isn't divided based on the number of winners. Instead, everyone who escapes the game receives the same amount. So, what I'm offering is to give you my share."
"Tsk! You came too quickly, Mr. Magenta. Your offer is tempting, but it corrupts my credibility as a player. You don't know that I'm trying to build my career from this game, and money can wait."
"Haha, you're right. So, this is how you reject my offer? Strangely enough, this is the first time I'm not offended. But you know, Ian, in the game, there are no rules prohibiting players from killing each other." He said that with a cold tone.
"I could assume that."
"Well, take care of yourself in there."
"Thank you for your concern, Mr. Magenta. I hope your players can survive as long as you wish in there."
This time, Mr. Magenta didn't reply to Ian. He stood up from his seat and tossed a business card onto the table.
"Contact me if you change your mind."
"Of course, sir."
Ian carefully watched as the man's back disappeared through the shop's door, exhaling a sigh of relief.
"Phew... Finally, I can breathe again."
And apparently, his friends beside him felt the same way.
"For real! It felt like the oxygen in this room was being sucked away by his presence. I was afraid to make a sound, or even breathe!" Roe replied.
"Mr. Cheng seemed to stay in the kitchen for too long, unlike usual. Should we check on him?" Josh said with a worried expression.
"Yeah, I'm concerned about the same thing," Ian chimed in, and they walked towards the kitchen, located at the very back, obstructed by a wooden door with a round glass window on top for peering inside.
Josh, being the bigger one and walking at the front, suddenly blocked their entry.
"What's the matter, Josh?! Move aside."
"Yeah! You're preventing us from encountering, grizzly bear."
"Mr. Cheng is dead, you won't want to see it."
"Watch out! I want to see!" Roe jumped up and down, trying to peek over Josh's shoulder.
"Josh, I have to see." Ian calmly requested, and Josh stepped aside, complying with Ian's request.
Roe, who found an opportunity to enter, pushed the door but was held back by Ian.
"Do you want your fingerprints to be stuck there?" That's all Ian said, and Roe, who was about to protest, reflexively hid both his hands behind his back.
Inside, a pool of blood from Mr. Cheng's nearly severed neck flooded the kitchen floor. The glimpses of Mr. Cheng's kindness towards them churned Ian's stomach, and he vomited.
Even when Ted—his father—died, he didn't react like this.
"Is it that bad?" Roe looked at Ian's reaction and hesitated to look.
"Yes, just remember his kindness. We don't need to remember his final moments," Josh advised him. Roe sat back in his chair and pondered sadly.
Josh looked at Ian, who had just expelled stomach acid due to his empty stomach.
"Ian, you've dealt with a dangerous person!" Josh whispered to him, making sure Roe couldn't hear. There was panic in his tone.
Although our lives were intertwined with crime, the ease with which someone was killed for unclear reasons was truly a new concept that was hard for them to believe, even if they knew Mr. Cheng was a good person who wanted to make an honest living to support his family far away in mainland China.
Just yesterday, he had shared his joy about his daughter planning to join him here to continue her studies. Proudly, he showed them a picture of his baby daughter, which they responded to with feigned laughter and happiness.
"It's not my intention, Josh. Do you think I'd be better off dead?"
"It's not that. But, but what about Roe? He's still too young to be involved in all of this."
"I don't know, Josh. My brain can't think when it's hungry."
"Okay, let's get out of here right now." With one hand, he helped Ian walk, and with the other hand, he grabbed a large black trash bag containing their belongings and Roe's.
Now it was Ian who rubbed his head, and the three of them walked in silence, buying some hot dogs from a food truck and taking them home.
Upstairs in Ted's antique shop, they discovered that there were two rooms. The smaller room contrasted with the one next to it because it was empty and clean. There was only one single-sized mattress on the floor.
"I'll stay here, you can take that one," Ian pointed to the room he had occupied earlier in the afternoon.
Josh and Roe nodded and headed towards the room. However, as soon as they entered, an unpleasant smell greeted their noses.
"Let's eat on the balcony instead, how about that? It seems nice to eat in the open area while gazing at the sky," Josh suggested, followed by Ian and Roe.
The balcony was not very spacious and faced a dead-end street below. But the evening breeze made this place feel luxurious to them. Starting from tonight, they were no longer sewer rats, longing to leave behind the life that had always constrained them due to lack of money.
Now, they indeed had a life resembling that of ordinary people, but it turned out that the price they paid was too high. Ian's life was hanging by a thread at every moment.
"Do normal people out there also have the same struggles as us? Is that why they go to work and put on a facade? Because their lives are at stake?" Roe murmured while chewing on his hotdog.
"Hey! Why are you saying that, Roe? Come on, lighten up a bit. Let's cherish the moments we have together while we still can. I'm happy to be here, right now, with you guys," Josh said, attempting to smile but ended up choking on a piece of sausage, resulting in a heavy cough that made them burst into laughter. It sounded like a raging bear.
Actually, Ian had been thinking about something all along—the words Magenta said about helping his subordinates survive until halfway through the game. There must be something in the game, and it wasn't just about the reward money. But what was it?
However, accepting his offer right now would be the same as courting death with Bartwin. Especially since they had just pawned themselves as Bartwin's slaves. There would be no mercy if Bartwin found out they had made a deal with an outsider.
The screeching of tires from a vehicle below caught their attention. A car was parked right in front of the store's entrance. People in black robes emerged from it, with thick red beards.
"There you go, just as I thought. They've arrived," Ian thought.
Ian descended to confront Bartwin's henchmen, followed by Josh and Roe. They wanted to see how Ian worked.
"You have been summoned tonight," Connor's deep voice resonated.
"But I just played yesterday. I need more time to rest," Ian replied.
"You cannot refuse when Bartwin desires it. Oh, and your friends are also invited."
Ian stood frozen in his place. He should have known that he couldn't hide anything from Bartwin.
"No, they are not included in the agreement," Ian protested.
"You know that your defense will be meaningless, don't you? So be silent and comply," Connor forcefully pushed Ian into the car, while his other accomplice pushed Roe to enter separately. Josh, however, remained motionless. Even when two more individuals joined in and attempted to push Josh.
Josh, who was initially uninterested, but upon seeing that both of his friends were already inside, finally entered willingly.
"Josh! Why are you giving up?!" Ian exclaimed in distress.
Josh simply shrugged. He couldn't possibly wait for the two of them to return. And, of course, he wanted to witness Ian's story with his own eyes.
Roe and Josh had no idea what they were about to encounter ahead!