Jing Shu ran out of the villa courtyard, her boots thudding against the transparent floor, while the little robot followed behind her. Its mechanical steps pattered eagerly, the small wheels whirring as it kept pace. From the courtyard gate, she looked toward the mansion's front entrance where the giant screen flickered. She adjusted her translator, focusing the device on the speakers. She wanted to hear what this middle-aged man was actually saying.
He wore gray dress pants with a sharp crease, a crisp white shirt, a tailored vest, and a perfectly knotted blue tie. Everything about him seemed just right: his posture, his clothes, even the custom-made formal hat perched on his head. The man exuded a refined grace, his movements deliberate and slow. The silver mask covering his face glinted under the studio lights, making him look even more aristocratic.
Jing Shu quickly translated the voice that came through the screen, the synthetic output ringing in her ears.
"My apologies, my friend. I may have disturbed your leisure, and I offer my sincere apology for my rudeness. At the same time, I thank you for visiting my private estate, Rhine Manor, despite your busy schedule. Of course, I welcome your arrival."
A rich man. He was the owner of this private estate.
The man removed his hat politely, a gesture of apology and greeting. He stood up from his chair, leaning his weight on an elegant cane topped with a polished orb. His back was turned to the camera for a moment, revealing the fine weave of his vest, before he slowly turned around again.
"You must be a capable adventurer or perhaps part of a team. After all, how else could you have infiltrated this place and retrieved the 'key' from a trap filled with lasers? I must say, I'm quite impressed. You have passed my test."
Jing Shu's eyes darted around warily, scanning the shadows for movement. Was this video pre-recorded? Then what triggered its playback? Was it this little robot? She remembered it beeping twice earlier, a small electronic chirp that had seemed insignificant at the time.
Ignoring the man's speech, she kicked the robot hard. Her boot connected with its side, but the thing didn't even dent. Instead, it wobbled on its base and then cheerfully followed her again, the silver tray still held high.
Meanwhile, the gentleman on the screen continued speaking, his voice smooth and untroubled.
"Do you like Rhine Manor? How is your harvest so far? Consider this my gift to you. Yes, you heard correctly; everything within Rhine Manor now belongs to you or your team. Of course, it's up to you to uncover its value. After all, this place is still full of dangers, heh."
Key point: he "didn't have time to take away" everything.
"So, he ran away?" Jing Shu murmured, her breath hitching slightly. "No wonder the estate feels half-empty. He must have already taken some of his supplies. Left in a rush, was he escaping?" She tapped her chin, her mind racing through the possibilities. She remained cautious, her hand hovering near her belt.
The man's voice continued smoothly, echoing off the stone walls of the courtyard.
"Alright, my friend, I actually have a request for you. I don't know why you came to Rhine Manor, but there's no denying you succeeded. Whether you're after the formula for the new medicine, the valuable supplies, or life-saving remedies, I have prepared everything for you. They're in the middle of the tower, inside a secret room. As long as you carry the 'chip key,' you can enter freely and take whatever you want."
Then his tone darkened, the light reflecting off the silver mask in a cold flash.
"In that same room, you will also find my 'corpse.' Yes, all of Rhine Manor's assets now belong to you. I, the great Jobus Bus, have only one request: help me provide proof of my death. Simple, isn't it?"
The man gestured with his cane. "The clever and powerful adventurers who killed the top American tycoon Job Sibus in his secret chamber, claiming his fortune; it sounds thrilling, doesn't it?
Now, follow Xiao Bu. It will take you there. Oh, by the way, Xiao Bu only recognizes the holder of the chip as its master. From this moment on, you're the new owner of Rhine Manor."
The man smiled, the expression visible only in the crinkle of his eyes behind the mask.
Jing Shu thought the broadcast would end there, but the screen stayed on, the image of the masked man frozen in place. She hesitated, the wind whipping her hair across her face. This Job Sibus probably wanted to fake his death to escape something terrifying, likely the government. If even someone that rich had to run for his life, then maybe she and her team were way out of their depth.
But what if she refused? She already had the chip key tucked in her pocket. Jing Shu took it out again. It was blinking with a faint, pulsing red signal. She couldn't tell whether something or someone was connected on the other end. Either way, it was a problem waiting to happen.
Suddenly, the man on screen leaned forward, his face filling the display until the silver mask seemed to loom over her. His smile twisted into something devilish.
"You must complete my commission. If you don't finish it by 8 PM on April 2nd, trouble will come knocking. Unless, of course, you would rather take my place as the dead man."
The screen finally went dark.
The giant display flickered once, then shut off completely, leaving only the blue glow of the walkways. Silence fell across the courtyard. Jing Shu raised her hand and checked the time on her watch: 7:59 PM.
"Hmm? Did I just miss it perfectly?" she muttered, her eyes widening. "So now what? Guess I should grab whatever is in the tower and get the hell out. This place is probably about to turn into a war zone."
Hands on her hips, Jing Shu sighed. Tonight's mission had gone completely off-script, changing too fast for her liking.
Everywhere she looked, danger lurked in the dark corners of the manor.
"Wake up, wake up, Hao Yunlai!" she shouted, leaning over the sack. She slapped him a few times, her palm connecting with his cheek. He didn't even twitch, his head lolling to the side.
Jing Shu bit her lip. For her own safety, she decided to give him a drop of Spirit Spring. That guy might actually be useful later. If things went south, at least he could help her cover an escape.
She let a single drop fall into his mouth, watching the liquid disappear. Then she texted Yang Yang, her fingers flying over the keypad as she briefly explained what happened. "I think I found the formula data. Meet me now."
Dragging Hao Yunlai along, she kept moving, the sack scraping over the glass and stone.
After a while, he groaned. His eyes fluttered open, blinking against the artificial light. "Ow, ow, ow, that hurts!"
"Where does it hurt?" she asked, turning her head.
"Give me a hand," he said through gritted teeth. His voice was raspy.
Jing Shu grabbed his arm and helped him up. That's when she saw it: his backside and thighs were scraped raw from the dragging, the skin red and angry. He could barely walk, hobbling like an old man as he tried to find his footing.
"See? I'm injured. I probably can't walk anymore."
Jing Shu's eyes fixed on him speechlessly.
"Cough, cough," she said awkwardly, her gaze shifting to the side. "Sorry about that. Things were kind of hectic, so I just dragged you along. Want me to pull you the other way instead? There's been a bit of an emergency."
"Sure," he said, obediently taking off his jacket and laying it over the sack beneath him to provide some padding. "Ready when you're."
Something about this felt off, but she couldn't quite place it.
Jing Shu took off running again, hauling him behind her. Hao Yunlai's head poked out of the bag, and he kept getting smacked by the dozen bundles swinging from her shoulders. Thud. Thud. The packages of loot bounced against him. He quickly ducked back inside, tearing a small hole in the sack so he could peek outside at the passing scenery.
She sighed. Too bad she probably couldn't store anything else in her Cube Space now. It was filled to the brim. There was still that secret chamber of supplies, right? But bringing the newly-awakened Hao Yunlai along was the safer choice.
The robot ran ahead at impressive speed, its rounded body tilting as it took the turns. It was always just a step faster than her. With it leading the way, the target was clear: the tall, dark tower silhouetted against the sky in the distance.
===
The character's name is 乔布·斯不斯 (Qiáobù Sībùsī), Job Sibus.
乔布·斯不斯 (Qiáobù Sībùsī) is a direct and humorous riff on "Steve Jobs" (史蒂夫·乔布斯 Shǐdìfū Qiáobùsī).