Chapter 258: Golden Paws
Translator: BeetleBarker Editor: Tennesh
Upon hearing the commotion and to prevent Curly Hair and the "rabbit" in the water tank from fighting, Fang Zhao flashed an apologetic look to the host before getting up and lifting Curly Hair, who was about to put his paw into the tank.
The cameraman felt a little disappointed. Actually, he had also wished to see the golden competition dog worth more than 100 million go head to head with the extraterrestrial hybrid sea slug. He wondered who would win in a fight. Would the golden competition dog bite the extraterrestrial hybrid sea slug, or would the extraterrestrial sea slug poison the golden competition dog?
How unfortunate. Why had Fang Zhao interfered at the moment this exciting battle had been about to start?
Not only was the cameraman disappointed, online audiences were also feeling regretful. When Fang Zhao had not turned around, all the viewers had been spamming the comments section asking Fang Zhao to get up, and when he had done so, they were all regretting not getting to see the "Rabbit and Dog Battle."
Outside the study.
Zuo Yu and Yan Biao were chatting.
The study was soundproof, so their chatter would not affect what was going on inside. At the same time, they wouldn't be able to hear anything from the inside.
Yan Biao was complaining about how his personal terminal bracelet wasn't good to use and he wished to change it.
Bracelets functioned as a computer, mobile phone, and storage for credentials, and they had identification purposes. In the New Era, bracelets had already become a basic item for everyone. It was only natural for Yan Biao to want to switch to one that was easier to use.
"Are there any bulletproof ones?" Yan Biao asked.
"Of course, but it all depends on how much you pay. Different grades of bulletproof ones have different prices."
Zuo Yu showed Yan Biao a few models. The better the quality, the higher the price. Smacking his lips, Yan Biao said, "When I have saved enough wages, I will buy one that is easy to use."
"Recently, to publicize their new products, Fiery Bird is hosting a bunch of activities. Among them is a lucky spin. Old members get three chances, and newly registered members get five chances. I guess you haven't registered as a member with Fiery Bird, right? Since I don't see you use many Fiery Bird items and you don't play games."
"Yeah, I haven't registered yet. There is a lucky spin? What prizes are there?"
Yan Biao leaned over to look at the screen Zuo Yu had opened. Of the prizes displayed on the lucky spin wheel, there were points, game equipment, physical prizes, earpieces, stereo equipment, game consoles... and a personal terminal?
"Since when does Fiery Bird manufacture personal terminals? Don't they manufacture game consoles?" Yan Biao asked.
"They even manufacture mechas!" Zuo Yu joked.
Indeed, the 10th-generation console had been used as a mecha in Muzhou some time back to save Su Hou at Dongshan Farm. After that, it had been coined by netizens as a "game console inbuilt in a mecha, and a fighting machine inbuilt in a game console." During crucial moments, it could be used as a suit of machine armor to protect oneself.
"This personal terminal is being manufactured as a collaboration between Fiery Bird and another company. From what I hear, it is not bad. However, in this sort of lucky spin, don't bother dreaming about drawing those high-quality items. My expectations aren't high. I just wish to draw a red packet. The 10,000 one will do."
As they were speaking, the door of the study opened and Fang Zhao carried Curly Hair out before pointing at Curly Hair, indicating Zuo Yu and Yan Biao were to keep an eye on him and make sure he didn't cause trouble around the house.
Zuo Yu nodded his head and silently mouthed, "Understood."
After placing Curly Hair outside, Fang Zhao shut the door, and the study was once again isolated from the outside.
However, Curly Hair was a little moody, and he whimpered and scratched the study room door.
Observing his mood, Zuo Yu brought Curly Hair further away. "Master Curly, don't scratch the door. It's just a 'rabbit' in the water tank. You can go back in after boss is done. If you keep scratching the door now, you might not get anything to eat."
Curly Hair stopped at once and laid down and kept his silence.
Zuo Yu picked up where he had left off with Yan Biao. "I spun the wheel once and got some points. What's your situation like?"
"I'm still registering. I say 100 would be good enough, forget about 10,000. As for my personal terminal bracelet, I think it's better for me to save up. However, thinking about it, our wages aren't low either, but we don't have a lot of things to do. Since we returned, all we have done is head to Muzhou to fetch a dog. Us bodyguards really have too much idle time," Yan Biao said.
"As Fang Zhao's bodyguards, after some time, you will realize that bodyguards are nannies," Zuo Yu lamented. "In the past, I was basically just a driver and a sparring partner."
"Sparring partner?" Yan Biao could understand the part about being a driver, but a sparring partner? "What sort of sparring? Fighting? Marksmanship? Or something else?" Yan Biao was curious now. As he had seen Fang Zhao's performance during the terrorist attack, his curiosity was piqued. How exactly had Zuo Yu sparred with Fang Zhao? Yan Biao himself had exchanged pointers with Fang Zhao before, but he felt that he wasn't on the same level as Fang Zhao. Even his marksmanship could not be compared to Fang Zhao's.
"Others," Zuo Yu explained. "In-game sparring. Let me tell you something. Silver Wing's current game department was established by Boss."
The moment he heard in-game sparring, Yan Biao wanted to laugh. However, when he recalled what Fang Zhao had been like during the terrorist attack, he couldn't bring himself to laugh. He swallowed the words he had wanted to say. "When I saw Fang Zhao instantly killing those mutated beasts, I felt my 20 years of life in the military had been fed to the dogs."
Noticing Curly Hair raise his head and look at him, Yan Bao immediately said, "I wasn't referring to you."
Curly Hair returned to lying down.
Under Zuo Yu's guidance, Yan Biao opened Fiery Bird's lucky spin web page and saw a "5" displayed beside the spin wheel. Without wasting any time, he clicked on "Spin."
On the first try, he received a 10-dollar red packet. Yan Biao was satisfied. Wasn't 10 dollars still money? Receiving a red packet was already not bad. A good beginning and a good omen!
Second try, in-game equipment. A gun that wasn't considered exceptionally good or terrible in "Battle of the Century." Yan Biao felt it was all right. He had already made plans to try out the game in his free time.
Third try, discount coupon. Worthless.
Fourth try, points. Sh*t.
Yan Biao laughed helplessly. "Typical. All typical unscrupulous business tactics."
"Duh, what else did you expect?" On Zuo Yu's second spin, he had also received a discount coupon.
Just one chance remaining. Zuo Yu raised his hands when he spotted Curly Hair spread out on the ground out of the corner of his eye. He squatted down and waved for Curly Hair to come over. "Come, Master Curly, let's play a lucky spin game."
Curly Hair's sensitive ears pricked up when he heard the words "play" and "game."
"Come, let's win a large red packet!"
Zuo Yu enlarged the spin wheel, took Curly Hair's paws in his hands, and used it to click on the "Spin" button.
Yan Biao raised an eyebrow and thought to himself, Idiot! Dogs playing games? And even helping you win a prize? Are dog paws more valuable than human fingers?
But in a moment, Yan Biao realized that Zuo Yu's eyes had widened, and his gaze was fixated on the screen. Taking a second look... "What the!"
On the screen at the webpage Zuo Yu was on, a large opened red packet was displayed. Below was a notification: "Transferred to account."
Zuo Yu checked his bank account and his widened eyes became slits as he laughed. "Hahaha! First time getting a cash prize! And it's a large red packet! Master Curly, you have golden paws indeed."
As he spoke, Zuo Yu even stroked Curly Hair's front paw, which he had used to spin, like a crazed person.
Yan Biao sneered in his heart. It's just luck. What has it got to do with the dog!?
Lucky b*stard!
Yan Biao returned to his own screen and was prepared to click on his own spin button. However, when his fingers were almost touching the screen, he paused.
This isn't right.
Lucky Bastard?
Dog?
Turning to look at Curly Hair, who had laid down once again at the side, Yan Biao was at a loss. Finally, he decided to learn from Zuo Yu and said, "Cough, Master Curly, let's play a lucky spin game?"
Curly Hair raised his head but didn't move. He remembered that this person's attitude toward him had not been that great. Even if his IQ wasn't yet up to the level of a human's, he could still clearly feel how fond people were of him.
Zuo Yu happily breathed at the side. "You haven't even cleared his sh*t before, yet you wish to get the same treatment as me? This little thing... cough, Master Curly bears grudges. You have to show some sincerity! Genuine sincerity, understand? Dogs are animals with souls."
Yan Biao was a rational person and stared at Curly Hair.
Man and dog stared at each other for half a minute. Yan Biao surrendered and rubbed his face, putting in effort to make his expression seem as apologetic as possible. "Please, Master Curly!"
He walked over, squatted down, hung his head, and raised an arm. Yan Biao then enlarged the wheel and pointed to the personal terminal.
Kneeling was not possible. He had his own dignity!
Zuo Yu curled the corner of his lips. It was just a lucky spin, but Yan Biao was really taking it seriously?
Actually, in his heart, Zuo Yu felt that he had gotten lucky himself. He had just coincidentally used Curly Hair's front paw to click on it. Was what Yan Biao was doing necessary? In the Old Era, this was what people then had known as superstition.
At the other end, perhaps because he felt Yan Biao's attitude was not too bad or perhaps because he himself was curious, Curly Hair raised his paw and pressed the "Spin" button.
After that, Yan Biao kept his eyes peeled to the needle on the spinning wheel.
Zuo Yu also wished to see what good stuff Yan Biao would win by using the dog's paw.
Watching the spinning wheel slow down, Yan Biao and Zuo Yu got more and more tense as they watched the needle inch over toward the large prize.
Personal terminal... terminal... terminal... Yan Biao mouthed the words silently in his heart and prayed that the needle would not be too quick or too slow.
Beside the column for the personal terminal bracelet, on one side was a discount voucher for purchases, while on the other side were member points. Forget about discount vouchers—Yan Biao did not have anything he wanted to buy. As for member points, why would he have any need for them?
As the pointer got slower and slower, the two men held their breaths and watched as the needle passed "member points" and finally stopped on "personal terminal."
Watching the results of the spin land on "Fiery Bird's newest personal terminal," alongside the special effects with confetti and celebratory pops, Zuo Yu could only say this: "WHAT THE F*CKITY F*CK!"
This time, Yan Biao nearly knelt down. Staring at the prize for a while, he finally said, "I finally know why he has such a high value. These paws of his are really gold!"
Inside the study.
The interview progressed as the host and Fang Zhao talked about interesting incidents during his military service, his own experiences, his professional plans, life goals, and many other things. Fang Zhao also did not forget to mention his concert at Golden Age Concert Hall in August.
For composers, their concerts were different from a singer's or performer's. A composer's concert would exhibit one's own personal works. Fang Zhao's plans were to invite a symphony orchestra to perform. These sorts of orchestra performances had more feeling when heard live.
Silver Wing had considered the possibility of Fang Zhao's popularity dropping by August and the venue not being filled. Thus, they had let Fang Zhao take the opportunity while his popularity was fresh on everybody's minds to announce information about his concert and advance ticket sales so there would be more people who purchased them.
However, Fang Zhao also knew how to show restraint. After mentioning his concert, he did not say much else. Just two lines were enough for audiences to clearly comprehend it. Too much would cause audiences to be put off.
After the interview ended, Grace Qian let Fang Zhao show off his merit medals and the gun he had brought back with him. Following that, the camera shot a close-up of the water tank on the cabinet, which contained the only extraterrestrial hybrid sea slug in the world, to satiate the curiosity of the audience.
Although the size of sea slugs had increased after the Period of Destruction and some large varieties had been specially bred for the ornamental aquatic pets market, they were not the same as the one in Fang Zhao's study. If it could be placed on a hand, it was rather large, about the size of a real rabbit.
After the interview concluded and the live broadcast was cut, Fang Zhao opened his study room door.
Stepping out, he saw Zuo Yu and Yan Biao. One was combing the dog's fur and the other was shopping for dog food online.
Fang Zhao was puzzled. When had these two people become so proactive?