Chapter 468: Chapter 468

Jiang Yuan was listening quietly on the side to all the gossip, which really wasn’t much different from what Wu Yegen had said.

Sure enough, the guy who’d been tricked argued for a bit but eventually conceded defeat.

"This is really lame. At least make a scene, print a banner and pull it up, live stream the whole ordeal with your phone, make it big. The barefooted aren’t afraid of those with shoes, let’s see who’s really scared!" The convenience store owner rolled his eyes and went back to browsing his phone.

The sausage seller muttered in a low voice: "Easier said than done. Do you really think someone like Qi is a pushover? To rent such a large place to set up a net café, he must know people. I’ve heard he’s well in with those thugs—who dares to mess with him?"

Jiang Yuan watched coldly as Qi Deqiang spat arrogantly and went back into his shop, while the honest and upright guy stood on the street hesitating with his phone for a long time, eventually beaten down and ready to leave.

"Hey buddy! Are you working as a game porter at Thunder Tiger Internet Cafe?" Jiang Yuan hurried to catch up with him, and after turning the street corner, asked him: "What’s the situation inside? I was thinking of trying too."

The guy cursed when he heard, "Did you see the job posting on a forum or in a group? Damn, that Qi guy is a fraudster!"

His emotions were very stirred up, swearing and trembling in tone, seeing this, Jiang Yuan simply pulled him aside and bought a bottle of water so he could tell the story slowly.

"I first saw the job posting on a forum, then in a game group as well; he definitely has some shills!" With a clogged heart and nowhere to vent, the guy was talking a bit incoherently.

But after Jiang Yuan sorted it out, he still understood.

The game for earning money is called "Mysterious Realm" International Edition, apparently, it was a hit last year as an adventure-style game, thrilling enough with plenty of sponsors, as long as you’re willing to grind, the yields are decent.

Qi Deqiang made himself a mod on forums and created several groups, specifically putting job postings online to fish for victims.

The interviews were very simple, as long as you knew how to operate, but the ID card and personal information checks were meticulous, the purpose being to avoid trouble, basically targeting easily bullied individuals.

"I usually play this game and occasionally make a hundred eighty bucks. After graduating and not finding a suitable job, doing odd jobs everywhere, wanting to earn quick money for two months, I calculated the commission he offered was decent, so I came."

The guy took a sip of water and said regretfully: "He says he offers accommodation, but actually just rents out a basement in the residential area behind the net café, all damp and dirty, impossible to live in; I usually sleep on a chair in the net café.

Meals I had to pay Qi Deqiang, the net café offers instant noodles, egg-filled pancakes, and other things more expensive than outside! But going out to eat wastes time; eating and working in the café together is better.

Besides mining materials and selling gold, I also craft equipment, and just a few days ago, I got lucky and crafted a +15 Treasure Sword to sell. I figured I’d earn at least 15,000 this month, but Qi Deqiang says I haven’t even made a thousand!

This month I strained myself playing games, got no wages, and even had to pay for my meals!"

"Are there other people there? Aren’t others worried if you can’t get your pay?"

"Don’t know if anyone else got scammed, but anyway, I’ve been here a month just focused on grinding, didn’t notice... the net café staff are all shady types, I hadn’t said anything and got kicked out.

The key is that the game account and password aren’t mine, I have no evidence to prove I earned that money!

Just now I tried to expose Thunder Tiger Internet Cafe fraud on forums and groups, but my post got deleted instantly and I was banned; I got kicked out of the big group as well... Definitely that bastard Qi Deqiang’s doing!"

"What do you plan to do next?"

"What else can I do? I’m almost out of money for food, gotta find a job to fill my stomach. More issues mean more trouble, guess I’ve gotta accept the loss." He paused, and angrily said: "I want to go in-game and blast the news to the world, let everyone know this place is a big scam!"

Jiang Yuan thought the idea was not bad; other grinders seeing the world messages might wake up, right?

But then the guy lost his spirit again, "Forget it, each blast costs twenty bucks, I’ve already lost quite enough already. A few messages won’t do much, and more blasts, I can’t afford."

No wonder Qi Deqiang has been able to trick people into unpaid labor for so long.

Jiang Yuan considered helping him find a job, but once heard it was factory work and not manager positions, the guy shook his head like a rattle drum, "I mean, I’m a college graduate. If I went into factory work to turn screws, I would’ve done it after middle school, why would I wait until now? Gotta find a white-collar job in an office to be dignified!

I’ll go crash with a classmate for a couple of days, regroup, and keep looking for a job. If you want to make quick money, better to drop this thought sooner!"

After watching him leave, Jiang Yuan took his phone and looked up game forums to brush up on some basic knowledge, then sorted his specially chosen old jacket and jeans, heading straight to Thunder Tiger Internet Cafe.

"Where did you see the job posting?" Qi Deqiang asked, cigarette dangling from his mouth, eyeing him up from his clothes and concluding he was indeed an unemployed drifter.

He also checked the ID card, the address precise to the township, village, group—it’s a kid from the village with no money, no background, and average education. Tʜe source of this ᴄontent ɪs NoveI-Fire.ɴet

Qi Deqiang prided himself on being skilled at sizing people up, whether they’re honest and easy to manipulate he’d determine at first glance pretty accurately.

His business seeks honest young people, preferably from the village, who’ve been conditioned to not stir trouble, even when bullied and calling family for help, to be scolded for "checking their own faults"—that type of easy target.

The guy in front fit the criteria: clean features, gentle eyes—a look that shows he’s never fought or even argued, an honest child.

Clothes and shoes combined likely don’t exceed 200 bucks, poor, easy to control!

"Oh, that phone isn’t cheap." Qi Deqiang was about to nod and recruit him for heavy exploitation when he spotted a corner of a pricy phone sticking out of his pocket, revealing its high cost.

Jiang Yuan smiled bashfully, "Just bought the new model, couldn’t resist and bought it on installment. So, I want a quick-money job..."

Qi Deqiang was suddenly overjoyed, buying a pricey phone on installment highly matched the young people’s compulsive vanity.

"Alright, as long as you work hard, a monthly income over ten thousand won’t be a dream!" He stood invitingly, "Come with me, I’ll explain the job requirements."

Jiang Yuan followed the endlessly chattering Qi Deqiang through the net café ground floor hall, admittedly far better than the cyber cafes from over a decade ago, better-kept, well-equipped, yet mid-afternoon it was sparsely populated.

Aside from some scattered tables upstairs, there were competition areas, private booths, and lounge areas, decent decor yet still underpopulated.

This scene invoked a sigh within him.

Indeed, net cafés have become a sunset industry, now how many people can gather like a decade ago in cafes to game overnight?

Tablets, mobile games, short videos, and other faster entertainment modes all infringe on new generations’ free time.

The nostalgic segment has reached middle age, sandwiched between taking care of elders and children and facing midlife crises, having less time and energy to gather and game.

Though the e-sports industry flourishes, net cafés remain uninviting, no wonder Qi Deqiang resorts to such dirty tactics to exploit people.

If not conning unpaid workers to earn, such a large venue relying solely on casual internet users, can hardly cover the costs.

"Here, this is your workstation." Qi Deqiang led him to a corner computer, skillfully typing in the account and password, "You can start working now, wages settled monthly."

Jiang Yuan snapped back and asked: "Boss, isn’t there a contract to sign? So how does it count as me working for you?"