บท 7: Chapter 7: Going on the Offensive
He wasn't dead.
As long as the other did not kill him at the first available opportunity, he had already survived the most dangerous hurdle.
The demon of charm indeed showed a bit of interest, not caring why an attendant would speak up:
"Go on."
The higher the level, the more they pursued superiority. This made them more susceptible to falling into even higher level traps.
Hunters use bait to capture prey. Capitalists also use various "superior" things to lure humans.
Zhou Baiyu's confidence was growing.
"You want to experience a higher level of pleasure, wanting us attendants to bring you a different kind of sensation from ordinary ingredients."
"You're also feeling bored and confused, aren't you? But actually, it's not that we, as ingredients, can't bring you higher pleasures; it's that there's something wrong with the way you consume us."
"Next, please play a game with me, my esteemed master."
"Orator" does not mean absolute persuasion of others, rather, it means arousing emotions more easily.
It is only by precisely hitting the other's needs that one can pique their interest.
The demon of charm indeed became interested:
"What game?"
"This game... let's call it Red Whale, I will explain the rules to you. At the same time, to ensure you gain maximum pleasure, I hope you can grant me a bit more time."
The name of the game was arbitrarily chosen by Zhou Baiyu. But the principle behind it was quite simple.
The principle the game exploited—gambler's dilemma.
People only cherish what they have invested effort and care into.
The more one invests and gives, the less willing they are to end up with a bad result, and the worse the result, the more they increase their investment and commitment. This is the terrifying nature of gambling, and Zhou Baiyu often advised those around him to be able to take hold and let go, not to get carried away.
The big online gaming companies have always been using this principle to manipulate players.
Zhou Baiyu, having once served as a lecturer for a pyramid scheme, knew this all too well.
Many people, after buying too many products, even after realizing they were scams, would brainwash themselves into thinking it wasn't a scam.
But what Zhou Baiyu intended to do was slightly different:
"The first thing I need you to do is to take me on a tour, to let all the demons of charm see me, but you must protect me."
"You lowly animal, are you commanding me?" The demon of charm raised an eyebrow.
Zhou Baiyu looked sincerely devoted:
"Of course, I wouldn't dare. You could kill me right now, and I would accept my death with pleasure, but then what would differentiate me from ordinary ingredients?"
"You may as well give it a try, happiness might be within it."
The first time he spoke up and wasn't killed, he had succeeded halfway.
And since his first request wasn't rejected, that was half of a half of the success.
Driven by the desire for superior pleasure, the demon of charm eventually agreed to the request.
It was the first day and the first task.
That day, Zhou Baiyu acted like a personal attendant, accompanying the demon of charm on a tour around the whole inpatient building.
Along the way, he always gazed at the demon of charm with affection.
He would occasionally lean close to the demon of charm's ear and whisper sweet nothings, meanwhile guiding the demon to feel the jealousy of the others.
He considered himself a piece of merchandise, yet he was exclusive merchandise.
Other attendants were merely attractive dead things, whereas Zhou Baiyu was alive.
He overcame the human fear of monsters, acting as if he truly considered the demon of charm his master.
But he also distinguished himself from the other demons of charm.
This exclusive and unique privilege gave the demon of charm leader a great sense of satisfaction while accompanying him on their round—the joy derived from showing off.
She used to deal with these attendants no differently than with ordinary humans.
But now, Zhou Baiyu's appearance, quality, and the envy of the other demons of charm all added to Zhou Baiyu's value.
This value brought the demon of charm leader a different experience, for she saw in the eyes of the other demons of charm, not just fear, but desire.
And it was Zhou Baiyu's words that were key to drawing out this emotion:
"Look, now every demon of charm knows you have an attendant who can speak, and I am more handsome than their attendants, and... I belong only to you."
"You must protect me well. Do you see the envy in their eyes? But I can only die by your hand, even if you kill me, trampling me underfoot, no matter how lowly I appear in front of you, I am still something they cannot have."
"Just look at that unmistakable jealousy, but it's meaningless; who are they compared to you?"
Zhou Baiyu was well aware of one thing—people love to show off.
Just like those who like to flaunt a glass of plain water at a five-star hotel. Is the tap water there sweeter?
Obviously, the feeling of satisfaction from showing off is much greater than the sensory stimulation from that glass of water.
Zhou Baiyu had once wondered why some people, in order to show off an 80,000 yuan salary, end up causing the man to lose his job.
For many humans, comparison, flaunting, a sense of superiority, and the high derived from such things can make them lose reason.
Zhou Baiyu later discovered that even knowing such acts are foolish, people still couldn't help but show off.
There were far too many examples he could use, and many strategies available to him.
In this short tour, he made the demon of charm leader strangely happy.
Plus, with Zhou Baiyu's orator trait, he was also amplifying the emotions of the demon of charm leader bit by bit.
Even if it's just a ten percent increase, that pleasure is definitely more thrilling than the pure act of "eating."
Especially the characteristics of a sixth sense player, which naturally increase the chances of avoiding mistakes.
So his words, were always able to precisely stimulate the target.
The demoness leader had also experienced that kind of pleasure. Even if the attendant in front of her was just a mere livestock she could kill at any time, he was uniquely hers, a pleasure other demonesses couldn't enjoy.
However, survival wasn't easy.
"You did well, but just this isn't enough,"
"Of course, my queen. Our game has only just begun. But I need some time,"
Zhou Baiyu didn't act rashly, but still kept a very low profile.
However, he was quite confident about providing the demoness leader with even higher levels of pleasure.
Compared to the founders of debauchery and the historically nefarious sovereigns, the demonesses' playthings could only be considered bloody but definitely not lavish.
Zhou Baiyu... clearly misunderstood the demoness leader's intentions.
At least, he didn't grasp the full meaning.
...
The next day.
Zhou Baiyu, aching all over, opened his eyes.
"I've finally made it through the first day."
Recalling the terror of the previous night, Zhou Baiyu felt the world inside was so very dark.
He then began to comfort himself:
"In such a demon's den, in order to survive with my scant wisdom, paying some price is unavoidable."
"Luckily... this attendant's body is truly abnormal."
Even if the demoness didn't have the intent to kill, an ordinary human couldn't withstand the torment, but the attendant could.
Simply put, Zhou Baiyu's experience last night could be summarized as—
A man lost at 2.21, drifting out of reach. The three hours spent with the demoness cured Zhou Baiyu's spiritual weariness.
Having proven his distinctiveness, Zhou Baiyu certainly couldn't just stop there.
The key for Red Whale was to make the demoness irretrievably obsessed with him.
So on the second day, Zhou Baiyu began the second project—ritual and luxury goods.
These were the capitalists' good tactics for stimulating consumer spending.
How many poor yet refined people, because of the saying "life must have rituals," bought a bunch of impractical things.
Rituals added complexity to an affair, seemingly out of step with human's efficient thinking. Luxury goods were also out of step with human's practical thinking.
But humans are such inherently flawed beings, and demonesses are humans with magnified desires.
So Zhou Baiyu groveled at the feet of the demoness, began another day of cunning maneuvers:
"In 'Washing Sand by the Stream' by Mao Xizhen, it says: Holding my heart silently, I walk up the fragrant stairs, gently moving the arch of my embroidered silk shoes."
"The ancient literary giant Su Dongpo wrote 'Praising Buddha's Feet.' Liu Guo composed 'Splendid Spring of Qinyuan · Beauty's Feet.'
"But they are just a bunch of uncouth ancients who never saw the world. They didn't understand true enjoyment."
"I hope that in today's world for two, you will need to invest effort and infuse ritualistic sentiment—"
"Please put on stockings."
Moving on to the main topic, based on the fact that demoness and human aesthetics were nearly identical, so Zhou Baiyu began trying to instill the concept of "apparel."
He started to mention subtly the various social strata represented by different kinds of clothing in the human world.
He wanted the demoness leader to further feel her transcendent status, which was different from other demonesses, and that she must distinguish herself completely from other demonesses through her clothing.
At the same time, he made her further experience the pleasure brought by luxury.
But well... Zhou Baiyu had shifted the concepts slightly.
For example, in his descriptions, the most noble empresses of ancient humanity didn't wear gold-trimmed phoenix robes, and quality modern women weren't dressed in handmade evening gowns...
Instead—they wore jk, Lolita skirts, nekoumi, cat girl costumes...
This wasn't because Zhou Baiyu was lecherous or thinking with his impulses.
On the contrary, he was very calm.
"A demoness's attire can essentially be non-existent, and primarily based on charm, so I can't rush too much. I have to advance from those pieces of clothing that expose charm. Taking the intersecting part of demoness and human aesthetics."
Based on this logic, Zhou Baiyu naturally thought of those... great garments designed for radiant figures.
In Zhou Baiyu's descriptions, only humans wearing these great garments were noble.
He even cited historical texts to narrate how people, feeling these individuals were too noble, reverently called them female bodhisattvas.
The demoness leader was also precisely kindled with that eager emotion, and she experienced another kind of pleasure.
She had already issued a sacred command, ordering the human slaves to use the most expensive materials, to rush and craft a piece of exquisite and luxurious... bunny girl costume.
On the second day of the seven-day survival, Zhou Baiyu passed without incident or alarm.
That night, Zhou Baiyu finally earned a few hours of respite and solitary time for his standout performance.
In the dimly lit room, Zhou Baiyu sat in the corner, staring intently at a comb on the dressing table.
"The survival crisis has been lifted, and I have gained the demoness's initial trust. But I can't be complacent; I still need more trump cards."
"Perhaps, I should try being transformed..."
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