Chapter 82

"Hello, I'm Qin Xiaoyue."

The young girl at the door extended her hand, and Su Peng shook her still delicate and fair hand, saying,

"I'm Su Peng, hello."

"Come in, we're having a morning meeting, it lasts for thirty minutes every week," Qin Xiaoyue said to Su Peng. Su Peng nodded and followed Ning Cai inside, while Lei Ming nodded and left on his own.

"Hello everyone, I'm Su Peng. You are all my seniors, please take care of me," Su Peng said, looking around. There were about twenty people gathered around Ning Cai, who was sitting behind a desk. The room was about 240 to 250 square meters, with cubicles inside and a desk and a blackboard outside.

The people in the room responded to Su Peng, and Ning Cai, holding a stack of forms, nodded slightly, seemingly not paying much attention to him, and continued to lead the meeting.

"… We need to strengthen the intelligence gathering in Jiangning County. That's about it for today. It's Monday and the beginning of the month, so everyone report your target points for this month."

"Two hundred points."

"Eighteen points."

"Two hundred and forty points."

The people around Ning Cai reported their numbers. Su Peng was a bit puzzled but felt someone nudge his elbow. Qin Xiaoyue, who had opened the door for him, whispered, "You're new, so you might not understand. In our Dark Owl Group, we use a contribution point system. Every month, the valuable intelligence you submit, the tasks you complete, and even the game items you submit, are all converted into points. If a small team completes a task, each member gets different points based on their role. At the beginning of each month, everyone reports their target points for the month, which serves as their monthly goal and performance metric."

"Thanks," Su Peng nodded, understanding the system, which was similar to some sales store policies, but he didn't expect Ning Cai to implement it in the game.

"Team leader, I'll report four hundred points this month. If I complete it, can I get a solo position?" Suddenly, a man with a slightly sinister voice asked Ning Cai.

Su Peng looked at the man, who had slightly long hair and a middle part. His complexion was not good, and he looked a bit overindulged in alcohol and women.

"No, Liu Feng. Last month, seventy percent of your performance was due to team cooperation, unlike Peng Zhen and Zhao Qiu. If you want to be a solo, you need to report at least six hundred points and complete eighty percent of them independently," Ning Cai shook her head and said to the man with the middle part.

"Damn…" Liu Feng, who was called out, pounded the wall behind him and said dejectedly.

"I'll report seven hundred points this month," a short and sturdy man behind Liu Feng said with a grin.

"Alright, Peng Zhen, you must complete it. If you don't, your bonus will be deducted," Ning Cai replied. The short and sturdy man smiled smugly at Liu Feng, as if mocking him.

"Nine hundred points," another voice suddenly rang out, and Peng Zhen's face stiffened.

Su Peng looked at the man speaking. He was tall, about 180 centimeters, with a ponytail. He was very handsome but cold, and he was holding a small silver flask, drinking from it.

"Drinking during work hours? This guy seems to have a high status in the Dark Owl Group…" Su Peng glanced at the man and his flask, and noticed that the others seemed to be used to his behavior.

"Indeed, the top solo. Nine hundred points noted. I hope you can exceed your target this month, Zhao Qiu," Ning Cai twirled her pen and said to the man with the ponytail.

"Team leader, Su Peng's position hasn't been arranged yet, and he hasn't reported his points!" Qin Xiaoyue suddenly raised her hand, seeing that most of the points for the month had been reported.

"Right, I've reviewed the new recruit's information. He will be a solo for this month," Ning Cai said calmly.

"Whoa~" Hearing this, the veterans of the Dark Owl Group whistled in unison.

"Is that wrong?" Su Peng asked Qin Xiaoyue, who seemed talkative, in a low voice.

"Solo! Do you know, most of us in the Dark Owl Group work in teams, sharing intelligence and points, but we must follow the organization's rules… However, there are special positions, like solos… As a solo, you have complete control over your game time, don't need to coordinate with others, and can develop tasks independently, which is very free…"

"Of course, the corresponding obligations are also significant. As a solo, you must complete at least six hundred points per month. If you need other members' intelligence or cooperation, you must pay them points. If you fail to complete your tasks, you will be demoted from the solo position… Currently, there are only two solos in the Dark Owl Group, Peng Zhen and Zhao Qiu, both of whom you've met… Oh, and that somewhat disgusting Liu Feng, who has always wanted to be a solo but hasn't succeeded."

"I don't accept it!"

While speaking, Liu Feng, who looked overindulged in alcohol and women, suddenly shouted, pointing at Su Peng, "Why? I average about four hundred points per month and can't be a solo, but he, a new recruit, can be a solo right away?"

"My decision doesn't need your approval," Ning Cai glanced at Liu Feng coldly and said.

"Liu Feng, don't act like a girl. He's a new recruit, and the team leader wants to test his abilities. If he's not capable, he will be demoted," Peng Zhen, the short and sturdy man behind Liu Feng, said to him.

Liu Feng quieted down a bit but still glared at Su Peng angrily.

"Su Peng, how many points will you report?" Qin Xiaoyue suddenly asked Su Peng.

"I… One of the solos reported nine hundred points just now, so I'll report nine hundred points too," Su Peng said, glancing at Zhao Qiu with the flask.

Hearing this, the people around him gasped in surprise. Qin Xiaoyue stuck out her tongue and whispered, "You really don't know your limits, comparing yourself to Zhao Qiu."

"Nine hundred points. If you don't complete them, you'll be demoted from the solo position. That's it. Time's up, everyone get to your stations. Qin Xiaoyue, you're the most lively here, so take care of the new recruit and show him the rules," Ning Cai put down her pen and said to everyone.

Everyone agreed and went to their stations, and Su Peng was assigned to station C5.

"Right next to me!" Qin Xiaoyue exclaimed, as the Dark Owl Group's area was divided into four zones, with C zone being more inside.

"Please take care of me," Su Peng said to Qin Xiaoyue, who made a V sign and nodded, saying, "No problem."

As they walked inside, Qin Xiaoyue told Su Peng about a few locations in the game, which were the Dark Owl Group's secret bases in Jiangning County and the identities of some group members in the county.

After explaining, they reached the station area, and Qin Xiaoyue said, "That's it. I won't say more. If you need any intelligence, just call me."

"Alright," Su Peng nodded and logged into the game.

...

Su Peng logged into the game and found himself still in Jiangning County, and it was morning.

"I need to step up my game. I have nine hundred points to complete this month, but it's also my first time interacting with other players in the game…" Su Peng thought, looking at the various people moving around in the city.

Shaking his head, Su Peng cleared his mind of distractions and headed to a black wolf ear rendezvous point in the city.

He arrived at the breakfast shop serving as the rendezvous point, sat down, and ordered a steamed bun. Soon, a man in gray cloth and a plain headscarf walked in, sat opposite Su Peng, and ordered a steamed bun as well.

Just as the man was about to finish eating, he wiped his mouth and whispered, "Tang Kun of the Four Seas Gang has informed Fire Wolf that the suspect has been found. He is staying at…"...