Gao Yang approached Niu Xuan. "What's up?"
"Let's play dice! You dare?"
Niu Xuan sat sprawled on the sofa by the coffee table, exuding arrogance. He was determined to reclaim his dignity. Before Gao Yang could respond, someone had already pressed the service call button.
Soon, a young waitress entered. "How may I assist you?"
Dressed in a black-and-red attendant uniform that somehow looked tailored rather than tacky on her, she carried herself with the grace of a noble estate's retainer—professional, elegant, and deferential.
The cute white rabbit mask covering her face created a striking contrast with her poised demeanor, adding an air of mystery.
Noticing their puzzled looks, she explained politely, "Today, our VIP guest Mr. Qin is celebrating his birthday. Since he was born in the Year of the Rabbit, all staff—"
"Enough!" Niu Xuan cut her off impatiently. Who cared about some random birthday? "Bring us that... space whatever cocktail."
"The Space Illusion Special. How many sets?"
"Five to start."
"Sir, the Space Illusion is quite strong. For your group, two sets should—"
"What? Think I can't afford it?!" Niu Xuan, already seething, seized the chance to vent.
"My apologies." The waitress bowed slightly. "Five sets of Space Illusion coming right up."
Though Niu Xuan's outburst was crass, Wan Sisi and the other girls pretended not to notice, busying themselves with song selections.
Soon, the waitress returned with a cart bearing five sets of drinks. The slender glasses, arranged in hexagonal metal honeycomb trays, shimmered under the disco lights like something from a cyberpunk fantasy.
Niu Xuan grabbed the dice cup with a flourish. "Guess high or low. Loser drinks. Don't chicken out!"
At this point, how can I refuse? Gao Yang thought.
Niu Xuan was dead set on getting Gao Yang wasted—humiliating him in front of everyone. A goody-two-shoes like him probably had zero alcohol tolerance. Meanwhile, Niu Xuan, a seasoned drinker, could easily handle ten glasses.
And dice was pure luck!
Clatter-clatter—BANG! Niu Xuan shook the cup dramatically before slamming it down. "High or low?"
"You first."
"High!" Niu Xuan lifted the cup—three ones.
He stared blankly for two seconds before downing a glass in one gulp.
Clatter-clatter-clatter—BANG! "Again! High or low!"
"After you." Gao Yang gestured politely.
"You go first this time!" Niu Xuan wasn't falling for that again.
"Then... high."
Niu Xuan lifted the cup—three sixes.
What the hell?! Coincidence. Had to be. After his second drink, Niu Xuan shoved the cup at Gao Yang. "Your turn."
Gao Yang gave it a few shakes. "High or low?"
"High." As Gao Yang reached to reveal the dice, Niu Xuan grabbed his wrist. "Wait! Low!"
"Okay."
"Hold on—"
"High or low?" Gao Yang asked patiently.
"High! Final answer."
Gao Yang lifted the cup—three ones.
Niu Xuan's mind blanked. Is this guy cheating?!
He immediately switched to a different cup, inspecting it and even checking under the table for tricks. After a full minute of vigorous shaking, he set it down.
"You choose first!"
"High..."
"I pick high!" Niu Xuan cut in.
"Then I'll take low."
Niu Xuan lifted the cup—three ones.
His psyche shattered. The two boys watching gasped. "Dude! Gao Yang, what kind of luck is this?!"
Furious and humiliated, Niu Xuan downed another glass and hurled it to the floor. Shards sprayed everywhere. "Again!"
The girls screamed as glass fragments flew at them. One cut Wan Sisi's calf, drawing blood.
Luo Xiaodan, Wan Sisi's bespectacled best friend, immediately knelt to check the wound before rounding on Niu Xuan. Normally she'd never confront him, but this was too much.
"Forget it, I'm fine..." Wan Sisi tried pulling her back.
Shaking her off, Luo Xiaodan marched over. "Niu Xuan! Gao Yang! If you want to drink, go somewhere else! This is Sisi's birthday, not your frat party!"
"Sure." Gao Yang seized the chance to exit.
As he stood, Niu Xuan yanked him back down. "No! Again!"
Luo Xiaodan trembled with rage. "Niu Xuan, act like a human—"
"Shut it, hag! I'll drink where I damn well please!" Niu Xuan, now properly drunk, shed all pretense.
"You—you—"
Gao Yang stood coldly. "I'm done. Find someone else."
"The hell you are!" Niu Xuan kicked over the coffee table with a crash. Glasses and bottles shattered everywhere. The room froze, only the background music still playing.
Luo Xiaodan burst into tears and ran out, followed by the other girls. Wan Sisi glanced helplessly at Gao Yang before chasing after them.
The remaining boys offered half-hearted pleas for calm—they knew better than to reason with a belligerent Niu Xuan. Soon, they too excused themselves to "use the bathroom."
In moments, only three remained.
Gao Yang and Niu Xuan stood amid the wreckage, while Qing Ling lounged in the corner, arms crossed, watching with detached amusement.
Niu Xuan sneered. "Gao Yang! Playing the hero now? Making me out to be the villain?"
"I just don't want to play anymore." Gao Yang's patience had run out. If it came to blows, so be it. His enhanced stats might not fare against beasts, but against a regular human? Easy.
"Oh, you've made your intentions very clear." Niu Xuan grabbed Gao Yang's collar, spittle flying. "I get it—Li Weiwei's dead, you need a new girl. But aren't you with Qing Ling already? Why crash Sisi's party?"
"She invited me."
"You could've refused!" Niu Xuan roared. "What, one girl's not enough? Gotta collect them all?"
"Not as ambitious as you."
"You little—!" Niu Xuan shoved Gao Yang back and aimed a kick at his gut—one that should've sent him flying into the wall.
Instead, Gao Yang sidestepped smoothly and swept Niu Xuan's supporting leg. With a yelp, Niu Xuan did the splits mid-air before crashing groin-first onto the floor.
"Ahhh—!" His scream was pure agony.
Gao Yang offered a hand. "No need for the New Year's bow, Young Master Niu. Let me help you up."
"Help your mother—!" Cursing through the pain, Niu Xuan clutched his crotch and staggered upright, only to hurl a microphone at Gao Yang's head.
The rabbit-masked waitress reappeared as if from thin air, catching the mic mid-flight. "Sir, please calm down. Let's discuss this—"
"Piss off! None of your business!"
"I'm afraid your behavior violates our establishment's rules. If you persist, I'll have to ask you to leave."
"Who the hell do you think—" Niu Xuan swung a drunken punch at her.
THUD.
It happened too fast for Gao Yang to follow. One moment Niu Xuan was lunging; the next, he'd been launched across the room, bouncing off the wall before crumpling unconscious onto the glass-strewn floor.
Gao Yang and Qing Ling instantly went on high alert.
The waitress tilted her head slightly. Though the rabbit mask was inanimate, it somehow seemed to smile at them. "Greetings. The Zodiac—White Rabbit."
"The Zodiac?"
"You've met Electric Rat," she continued, stepping forward, "that idiot obsessed with arcade games and women's chests."
"Wu Hai? You're with the organization?" Gao Yang's eyes lit up. Finally, proper contact—and now he knew its name.
"Yes." White Rabbit glanced at Qing Ling. "You're armed."
Qing Ling didn't deny it.
"Test Two."
White Rabbit nudged Niu Xuan's limp form with her foot.
"Kill this Lost One."