When Zen went through the virtual binding contract that Liu Feng discussed with Akiko, he didn’t know what to think. After slaving his whole life trying to pay bills, Zen didn’t believe that anyone would value him this much.

===

Job Contract

Proposed by: Akiko

Witness: Liu Feng

Job Title: External Advisor

Duties:

Game strategy planning for new dungeon floors

Event strategy for primary party members

Cooking meals for primary party members

Payment:

20% of regular dungeon drops

Third pick for boss dungeon drops

First pick for event drops

Benefits:

Guild protection

Party protection

Alliance and Non-aggression pact

Resource sharing with primary party members

===

Zen read through the job contract generated by the system and tilted his head to one side.

“Primary party? Guild?”

Sasha grinned and pointed at herself. “A primary party requires at least three members and can accept up to six members. It’s similar to an omerta deal. Party members cannot betray each other and must work together like blood brothers until the party is disbanded. On the other hand, the guild is simply an alliance of interest. The Death princess founded a guild called “Survivors”, and Johan formed a guild called “Carnage”. Of course, some other smaller guilds are formed among the top hundred. Some people still do not have guilds. A guild just requires five people to join and has no cap limit.”

Zen checked his settings. Indeed, under the contact tab, there was also an option for guilds and parties. He didn’t notice this earlier because he was too busy mass sending friend invitations. Now, there were two notifications under invitations, and Zen tapped on them.

[You have accepted Akiko “Death Princess” Kanzaki’s invitation to join the [Survivors] guild.]

[You have accepted Sasha “Two Shots” Angeloff’s invitation to join the [Godly Food] party.]

“Godly Food?” Akiko questioned, and Sasha blushed.

“I don’t have a better name. However, we joined the primary party because of Zen. I thought it would sound the most appropriate for a unique party name.”

Zen checked the list of members for the guild and primary party. Currently, there were four members in the primary party, including himself. They could still accept two more people if they wanted. What surprised Zen the most was his roles in the primary party.

“Why am I the party leader?” he asked. Liu Feng smirked.

“It’s a good training opportunity to exercise your leadership skills, Godfather worshipper. If anyone is going to be the next Godfather here, it might just be you.”

Zen spluttered, and Sasha patted him on the back. “That’s right. Who else would be able to hold the party together apart from you? You subdued both the Seer and me with your supreme cooking skills. It’s a pity the Death princess doesn’t have an opportunity yet. I’m sure she would fall in love with your cooking the same way we did.”

Akiko blinked. “Not really. I saw how you mentioned food requests in your friend invitation request, but I didn’t write anything. Please don’t be offended that I didn’t make any requests. I don’t doubt your cooking skills. If Liu Feng likes it, I’m sure it is good. However, after going through my poison resistance training, I’m no longer able to taste anything.”

Hearing that Akiko wasn’t able to taste anything, Liu Feng displayed a rare look of pity. Sasha kept quiet, and Zen was horrified. This girl was known as the Death Princess. However, Zen thought that the life she lived was probably worse than death. How did she survive so far? Her guild was called [Survivors]. Was that out of irony or simply a cry for help?

“I see,” he said plainly. “What about your sense of smell and feeling the texture of food?”

Akiko nodded. “I can still do them.”

Zen smiled. “As the [Godly Food]’s leader, I declare that the party must attend tomorrow’s party founding celebration for lunch. I’m going to make a variety of food, so nobody is allowed to skip!”

“I’ll be there early,” Liu Feng clapped in delight and logged off to attend to other matters now that the emergency meeting was over. He looked forward to his char siu buns.

Sasha yawned and checked the time. “I’d go to sleep now. Thank you for inviting us to your guild, Death princess.”

Akiko nodded, and Sasha logged out as well. With only Zen and Akiko left in his room, the dead last student turned to her.

“As the advisor of [Survivors] could I make a bold request?”

Akiko wanted to smile, but she hid it. After letting her guard down once around this boy, she was now cautious.

“What is it?” she tried to keep her tone neutral and professional, just like how a normal guild master and advisor should be.

Akiko’s blank but unwavering stare made the words tangle at the tip of Zen’s tongue. He wanted to be shameless, he really did! In any kind of war, information was king. In any type of game, knowledge was everything! Yet, he didn’t have enough money. Even if the Godfather was generous with his sponsors, 1,700 credits would hardly be enough to purchase every individual’s information in the academy.

“I read in one of the greatest war classics of mankind that there is only one way to win any war. I wonder if Kanzaki-san knows it.”

“Speak.”

Zen gulped, and his voice sounded strained to even his ears. He knew that he was asking a little too much, but only a few people in this academy had that kind of money to pull off what he was about to request.

“It’s to know thy enemy and know thyself. If one has knowledge of everything on the battlefield, it would be impossible to lose even a single war.”

Here, Zen stopped. He didn’t know how to phrase his request now that he made a great opening speech. However, Akiko wasn’t a fool. She understood at once what Zen wanted. In fact, she couldn’t help but be surprised by how greedy, and cunning Zen was!

“You want me to buy information about everyone in this academy and share it with you.”

It wasn’t a question, it was a statement. A solid statement.

Zen nodded slowly, and Akiko remained silent, thinking it over. Then, Zen added. “Including those in the guild.”

The rest was implied. Zen wanted clips about himself, Liu Feng, Akiko and Sasha. He wanted to see everything.

Instead of agreeing, Akiko levelled her gaze. “What will you use them for?”

Zen swallowed. Akiko wasn’t as scary as Liu Feng when he threatened to spill blood earlier. However, her expressionless features betrayed nothing. Zen didn’t know what she was thinking, but the last thing he wanted was making her regret her decision to bring him into her guild as an advisor.

The best way to gain someone’s trust was to make the first move. That was precisely what Zen did.

Akiko took hold of Zen’s book retrieved from his virtual desk and flipped it open. In it, there were records of over twenty students and their character profiles. Her breathing hitched and her grip on the pages tightened just a little. Being ranked 100, Zen had no money to buy information. Yet, he used his wits to gather this many character profiles.

Akiko closed the book and closed her eyes. Liu Feng was right about him. Zen lived in a different world from them. If they wanted to clear this death game together, they needed him.

“I agree. What kind of information do you want to buy? I’ll treat this as an investment for the guild.”

Zen couldn’t believe his ears. “Really? I know it was impudent of me to make such a brazen request when we just met. Would you not regret this?”

Akiko pinned him with one eye and asked, “What’s the success rate of buying all the information you need and the success rate of not buying them for you?”

There was no need to think. “Only 10% if you don’t. However, I could bring that success rate up to 98% if you do.”

“Only 98%?”

Zen bright two fingers up. “1% for external factors and the other 1% for human factors.”

Akiko didn’t know what human factors were, but 98% was very high. Since Liu Feng placed his trust in this boy, she would do the same.

“Very well, advisor.”

[Akiko “Death Princess” Kanzaki has transferred 9,600 credits to you.]

Zen’s eyes nearly fell out of their sockets. When he checked his virtual wallet, he had a whooping balance of 11,300 credits.

“Use it wisely,” she told him. “This is all the credits I have. I’ll have to earn more in the next event.”

With that, the Death Princess logged out, and Zen stared at his balance. It was time for a shopping spree!