"In addition, our studio can arrange for you to work in one of our villas. You'll have your own private room and be provided with three full meals a day," Don't Play Mobile Games offered. Perhaps because of Xiaofan's excellent performance, their tone had become polite, even respectful.
"A private room? Full meals? Oh, I get it," Xiaofan thought. "Classic pyramid scheme. Lure me in, lock the doors, feed me porridge and radishes, and break my legs if I try to escape. Luckily, I'm too sharp to fall for that trick." Of course, he kept all this to himself.
"No problem! I'll join!" he typed instead. His rule for dealing with scammers was simple: as long as they didn't ask for money—deposits, guarantees, or fees—he would play along. If they paid him first, all the better. But walking into some so-called 'villa' to get brainwashed? Not a chance.
A notification popped up:
"Don't Play Mobile Games has transferred you 500 yuan. You must link a verified bank card within one week to withdraw. Otherwise, the transfer will be canceled."
"Tch." Xiaofan scoffed. "Probably just a fake overlay. Some program to simulate a transfer."
Yet instinctively, he opened his QQ Wallet—only to find the balance really had increased by 500 yuan. And this was an account that had never held any money, never even been linked to a bank card.
Testing it, he quickly added his card and tried withdrawing. Half a minute later, his own phone buzzed: a text from his bank confirmed the deposit. Checking his mobile banking app, he saw it—an extra 500 yuan sitting safely in his account.
"Scams have leveled up, huh?" Xiaofan mused. "Spending money to bait victims? Give me 500 first, just to hook me? What if I cash out and walk away? Wouldn't they lose big?"
Then again, maybe not. If each recruit into their 'organization' was worth thousands, a small upfront cost made sense. These days, people were cautious—scammers had to offer bait.
Maybe he'd played the role too well, and they thought he was easy prey. But what if they lured in someone dirt-poor, someone they couldn't squeeze a cent from?
He shivered. If trapped in that villa, and they realized he had no money, what then? Sell his kidney? His corneas? Ship him off to some underground sweatshop? Either way, the 500 yuan would be clawed back with interest.
Still, for now, the money was a blessing. Raising Xue wasn't easy. Even though Luo Xue covered most expenses, Xiaofan had spent plenty himself. With no time for odd jobs, his savings had dried up. On the run in a strange city, costs only mounted.
"Well, I've got the money. What's next?" he asked Don't Play Mobile Games. The deeper this scam went, the more curious he became.
"Welcome to Panic Studio. I'll add you to our group chat. Your first assignment is to download the full version of Terror City and install it on your phone. Once installed, you must familiarize yourself with the controls. In the future, you'll play alongside our other members."
"That's it? Just playing a game? Any special requirements?" Xiaofan asked. It sounded absurd—five hundred yuan a day for gaming? He was eager to see where the trap lay.
"Yes, that's all. But there is one rule: your character in Terror City must never die. If it does, your contract is terminated. You'll no longer be a member, nor receive daily pay or benefits. In addition, the group will post missions inside the game. Completing them earns you bonuses—the better your performance, the greater the reward," they replied.
"Are the missions mandatory?"
"As an employee, your performance is judged by your mission completion."
"Alright then," Xiaofan thought. "As long as they don't demand real money or bank details, I'll keep playing along. If they push too far, I'll block them."
"Will you come work at our villa?" Don't Play Mobile Games pressed.
"Uh… no thanks. I'm not from Huanghe City. I'll just play from home," Xiaofan declined flatly. No way he was walking into a brainwashing den.
"In that case, you'll only be an external member. External members earn a daily wage of 50 yuan. Because you achieved a 3S score, I can apply to raise it to 100. But you won't enjoy any of the benefits villa members receive," they warned.
"100 yuan a day? Fine. Sorry, but I can't go there," Xiaofan replied.
"Then the 500 yuan we paid is your advance for the next five days. Normally you could've earned 2,500 yuan, but now it's only 500," Don't Play Mobile Games said, sounding disappointed.
"No problem. I'm not greedy. A hundred yuan a day is enough for food and drink," Xiaofan sneered. What, think you'll lure me in with five hundred? Sell me for organs? Make me a slave? Not happening.
"I strongly advise you to come to the villa," they insisted. "With your talent, we could cultivate you specially. Right now your daily base pay is 500, but once your character grows strong enough, you could be promoted to Director level, with 1,000 yuan a day. Higher ranks double again. But if you refuse, your daily pay stays at 100, with no chance for promotion."