Global Collapse-Chapter 436 - 411: It seems like I am late again_2

Chapter 436: Chapter 411: It seems like I am late again_2

However, Gu Mian wasn’t concerned about those things. What caught his attention was the strange shift schedule. It seemed this was his job in the instance. It must be something like a restaurant waiter, but looking at these time slots, it seems only one person is ever needed. That feels a bit sketchy.

And for some reason, Fatty’s name wasn’t on it.

Moreover, Gu Mian couldn’t be sure if ’Liu Jie’ and ’Yang Ziwen’ referred to the two people currently sound asleep or if they were the names of other players. However, since they shared a dormitory, they must know each other.

He couldn’t just wake them up now and ask, "What’s your name?"

Gu Mian had softly opened the door. The layout resembled his old school dormitory. Outside was a long corridor, but one glance revealed it was a place for adults. The hallway was cluttered with cardboard boxes and wooden planks, and someone had piled several bags of garbage by their door. Opening the door seemed to have disturbed a rat foraging in the darkness; a rustling sound scurried along the corner of the wall.

He remembered that when he’d opened his eyes, the clock showed 00:20. They could leave the instance in just forty-eight hours.

Time was incredibly tight—for the ghosts.

"Doctor, what should we do?" Fatty whispered from behind Gu Mian. He still hadn’t figured out what this instance required them to do. However, since they could leave in just forty-eight hours, it implied danger could strike at any moment during this brief period.

Gu Mian stared thoughtfully down the corridor. He had sensed a malevolent gaze moments ago, but it vanished instantly. Perhaps the ghost had already targeted them.

Thinking this, Gu Mian turned to Fatty. "Are you sleepy?"

Fatty, taken aback, answered honestly, "Yes."

He’d been jolted awake from a deep sleep and was now utterly exhausted.

"Then get some sleep first. I’ll keep watch," Gu Mian said, walking towards his own bed.

Fatty, somewhat bewildered, followed him and whispered, "But there are only forty-eight hours! With nine people in the instance, that averages out to the ghost killing someone a little over every five hours. We might not be safe tonight..."

No, others might not be safe tonight, but being next to the Doctor, I should be quite safe.

With this comforting thought, Fatty sat back on his bed. "So, Doctor, aren’t we going to look for Brother Chu and the others?"

As he spoke, he lay down, tugging at the corner of Gu Mian’s shirt as if that would make him feel safer.

Gu Mian shook his head. "They could be anywhere. Searching blindly probably won’t help us find them. It’s better to check out the workplace tomorrow and see."

Gu Mian had checked the schedule beside the duty roster; today was Friday. According to the Friday schedule, Gu Mian was on duty from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM, and Liu Jie from 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM.

Although Gu Mian didn’t know who Liu Jie was or where their workplace was, he figured he could ask the other two when they woke up tomorrow. He’d have to be discreet about it, though.

Fatty snuggled deeper into his blanket, one hand still clutching Gu Mian’s shirt. "Aren’t you sleepy, Doctor?"

"Not at all."

"Alright, I’m going to sleep then..."

Soon, the sound of Fatty’s snores once again filled the room.

Meanwhile, Magical Girl Little Rabbit Ball was huddled under her blanket, too scared to move. She’d been matched into this instance alone from the ticket booth earlier today. It was an instance completely at odds with her nickname and temperament. Not only did its name exude a bizarre aura, but the first thing she saw upon opening her eyes was a dead body!

Her room door was ajar, directly facing the doorway of another room. That door was also open, and the faint light of a mobile phone screen spilled out from within. A phone lay face-up on the floor beside the bed, its screen emitting an eerie glow.

On that bed, a woman lay on her side. Her neck was bent at an unnatural angle, her face turned towards the door. Her mouth was agape, and her eyes bulged as if about to pop from their sockets. This grotesque face was staring right at her.

Just as Xiao Tuwan cowered under her blanket, frantically wondering how to escape, she suddenly heard footsteps in the living room. Her body went rigid; she didn’t dare make another sound or movement.

There were only a few sounds from outside before silence fell again. She waited, huddled in her blanket, until long after the sounds had ceased, then cautiously peeked out through a tiny opening.

She saw a deathly pale face staring at her from beside the bed.

When Fatty woke up, the first thing he asked was if anything had happened last night.

"Nothing happened," was Gu Mian’s reply.

And indeed, nothing had. The other occupants of the room were now awake. They seemed to know each other well and were on the balcony, washing up and chatting. Truth be told, these two were quite presentable; they would definitely turn heads on the street.

At that moment, Gu Mian said softly, "I’ve found out about our job."

"Our job?" Fatty paused. "Am I included too?"

His name hadn’t been on the duty roster.

Gu Mian nodded slightly. "Indeed, waiters. To be precise, waiters in a coffee shop. However..."

However, what? Fatty leaned closer to Gu Mian, curious.

Gu Mian paused for a good while before finally saying, "However, it requires... using your looks."

Fatty’s face puckered, and he nervously clutched at his clothes.

"It’s not what you’re thinking." Gu Mian explained, "Ever heard of a maid café? Just replace the maids with men. That’s our job."

Fatty blushed slightly. "So, does that mean we have to wear uniforms?"

Gu Mian glanced at Fatty. "You don’t."

"Why not?" Fatty asked, puzzled.

"Because you’ll be cleaning."

"..."

The staff dormitory was very close to their workplace, so Gu Mian quickly led Fatty to the venue. It was a coffee shop of modest size. Because such themed establishments weren’t common, it attracted many customers despite its unassuming appearance.

The moment Gu Mian stepped inside, he saw Liu Ruyan behind the counter. It was a familiar scene. For an instant, Gu Mian felt as though he’d been transported back to the time before the game started, back when he used to go home.

"What a coincidence," Liu Ruyan said with a smile from behind the counter. "I’m the proprietress."

She showed no intention of discussing player strategies, instead pointing directly towards a back room. "The work clothes are in there. Go get changed."

Seeing her unsettling smile, Gu Mian felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickle.

I just hope it’s not some bizarre uniform... Gu Mian thought as he walked into the back room, with Fatty trailing behind him.

Gu Mian then saw the work attire laid out on a cabinet. A white shirt and a tailcoat—indeed, an outfit perfect for leveraging one’s attractiveness.

Fatty had already covered his eyes. "Doctor, you go ahead and change. I won’t look!"

Naturally, Gu Mian wasn’t about to let Fatty stay in the changing room with his eyes covered, so he unceremoniously kicked him out.

Fatty had no choice but to sit outside, craning his neck expectantly.

Gu Mian changed quickly and came out. He was fastening the last button on his cuff as he looked up at Fatty. "Well? How do I look?"

Fatty clapped a hand over his nose. "Amazing!"