The world has turned into Hell's Game, why should I stay human?!

"That's right."

Ace said.

"The guys over at the Ministry of Finance are real big shots; every time we draft a budget, they make us run around like headless chickens. But if we get them involved, the Sanitation Department will have to give some face."

"Can we get them to help?"

Liu Zheng asked expectantly.

"Sigh..."

Ace let out a long, drawn-out sigh and finally made a decision as if he had resolved something.

"I can help you, but you have to agree to two things for me."

"Name them."

He nodded.

"First, take me through the Land of Chaos once."

Ace said.

"What's that?"

"The treasure of the Red Witch board game store, said to be the most difficult campaign module in the entire Metropolis. I've tried many times, but every time we can't get past the third act before we're wiped out, damn it!"

Ace said disgruntledly.

"Playing with you is no problem, but as for leading you through, I'm not so confident. I'm actually quite bad at these games."

Liu Zheng didn't make any promises.

"No worries, if once won't do, then twice, if twice won't do, then three times. As long as you're willing to play with me, that's all I ask. Oh, and bring the nightingale along."

Ace said.

"You don't have a thing for her, do you?"

He raised an eyebrow and said.

"No way. Every time we fail a run, she says it's because I'm too bad to carry her. I just want her to know it's actually her who's too bad to carry me."

Ace said passionately.

"Hmm... that's quite ambitious."

Liu Zheng squinted and said.

"Of course. I take board games very seriously."

Ace said proudly.

"Alright. What's the second thing, then?"

"The second thing, you have to help me with my matchmaking situation."

Ace said.

"Do you want me to find someone to fake a matchmaking date for you?"

He immediately had an idea.

After all, Liu Zheng had done similar things in real life before.

Of course, it never turned into something real.

After all, once parents knew about his family background, they wouldn't let their daughters jump into a pit of fire.

Unless it involved marrying into the family, which Liu Zheng wasn't willing to do.

Even though he had no feelings for his biological parents, he shared the surname of the old director, and while others might not care, he did.

"That's fine, whatever you come up with, I'll go along with it. I'm so tired of hiding out at work, playing cards with those rookies, I'm going to turn into a rookie myself."

Ace complained.

"Alright. Is there anything else I need to prepare?"

Liu Zheng asked.

"Prepare five million then; send it to me along with the delivery. Although my uncle is willing to cover this expense, if he pays, he'll have even more reason to control me."

Ace thought it over and said.

"Okay."

He accepted without a change in expression.

The wind blows the eggshells away, money goes, and people find peace.

The human psyche is a strange thing; childhood desires that go unmet often result in two extremes when we grow up.

One is an obsession with pursuit, like never having enough meat as a child, leading to a voracious appetite that results in high cholesterol and fatty liver, unable to stop.

The other extreme is steadfast refusal, such as never affording burgers and sodas as a child, and not touching them even as an adult, despite having the money and a generous coupon deal.

Liu Zheng falls into the latter category.

Poor as a child, he also has no concept of saving as an adult.

Spends lavishly when he has money, becomes frugal when he doesn't.

After hanging up, he called 4399.

When asking someone for a favor, whether necessary or not, it's common courtesy to let them know.

"Brother 4399, I've found another way to solve this."

Liu Zheng said.

"What way?"

4399's question seemed a bit forward, but he had no choice but to ask.

At present, Liu Zheng is the most important unofficial member of the "anti-favor" faction, more critical than many official members. They have to understand his connections, especially those within City Hall.

If there were another case of someone falling for the honey trap, it would make the "anti-favor" faction the laughing stock of City Hall.

"Ace lent a hand. His uncle's daughter-in-law's uncle's classmate is now the Deputy Director at the Ministry of Finance."

Liu Zheng replied.

"What conditions did he set?"

4399 pursued the question.

"Two things..."

He relayed Ace's conditions to 4399.

"Hmm, any financial difficulty?"

4399 asked.

"It's okay. I made some money flipping wine from the Du Kang Wine Workshop earlier. By the way, Brother 4399, does our group need any purchasing quota from Du Kang Wine Workshop? I have a quota of a hundred million."

Liu Zheng remembered to ask.

Among the people he knew, only 4399, White Feather Chicken, novelist, and others could handle such a large quota.

"...Why do you have such a large quota?"

Even with 4399's serene mindset, massive waves stirred within him.

A hundred million—it's not something he, as a leader of the new generation of the "anti-favor" faction, could hope to earn in his lifetime.

"Because I have poor sleep quality and often have nightmares?"

Liu Zheng half-joked.

Everyone knew he was a Black Mountain Goat Cub mixed blood, but there's a vast difference between an ordinary mixed-blood and a chosen one who's heard the Gospel multiple times.

If he told 4399 the truth, there's no telling whether the "anti-favor" faction would donate him to City First University as a research subject.

"...I'll ask around."

4399 had no patience for his Versailles nonsense and decisively hung up the phone.

"Sigh, locals really lack manners."

Liu Zheng shook his head and called Guo Koutangzi.

"What now?"

Guo Koutangzi asked.

"Help me prepare four dishes, one soup, one dessert, and two appetizers. No poultry meat, and the soup should be mushroom soup..."

He relayed Ace's requirements.

"Where to deliver?"

"To the Logistics Division of the Department of Public Security. The order is for Bill Homme, phone number XXXXX."