Money could bring you a good life but sometimes it is not.
Money means everything to you because of your identity, mercenary.
Try to survive in this story.
[[Drink up this bottle of wine]] and start.{
(set: $answerToDoor to 0)
(set: $expensiveFood to false)
(set: $isMeet to false)
(set: $haveMoney to false)
(set: $isKilled to false)
}On a freezing night, you arrive a small tavern miles away from the nearest town.
You are hungry and cold, so you want to enter this pub to hide from the heavy blizzard.
[[>Knock the door<]]
[[Leave]]
You knock the door weakly but it doesn’t open.
After a while, someone speaks behind the door.
“Who is it? ”
[["I’m the butler of the North manor. I want to stay here for a night."]]
[["Oh, do you have any more wine? I want to buy some for a night."]]
[["Do you need someone to work for you? I am the one you are looking for. I only need some bread."]]
[[Leave]]The cold wind outside the hotel makes it hard for you to stand.
At this moment, you see that there seems to be someone burning the fire inside the courtyard wall of the hotel.
[[//You walked over the courtyard wall to see who was cooking inside//|Hire2]]
[[//You decide to go to the door//|>Push the door<]]The person behind the door sounds instantly refreshed: “Oh! I didn’t expect that was you. It is my pleasure to welcome you!”
(set: $answerToDoor = 1)
[[>Enter the tavern<]]The person behind the door sounds depressing: “Come in, there is enough wine.”
(set: $answerToDoor = 2)
[[>Enter the tavern<]]The person behind the door doesn’t reply immediately.
“We don’t hire anyone for now, but you can come here days after.”
The door is still closed, and you are standing in front of it, trembling.
[[Leave]]
[[>Push the door<]]You entered the pub, (set: $isMeet to false)
(if: $answerToDoor is 1)[The tavern owner leads you to a seat and says: “You must have suffered a lot on the trip, look at you, this is not what a rich person should look like. Please seat, you will love this place”
You sit down and start to order.]
(if: $answerToDoor is 2)[The tavern owner is counting his coins, and he doesn’t look up.
A few minutes later, he says:“Find yourself a seat. There is enough space.”
]
(if: $answerToDoor is 3)[Seems you are already a member of this place. Nobody notices you. You sit down at a corner and start to consider the next step.]
(if: $answerToDoor is 1)[[You pick the most expensive food from the menu]]
(if: $answerToDoor is 1)[[You think for a while, then choose a bottle of ginger juice and a piece of bread]]
(if: $answerToDoor is 2)[[//You find there is no chance for you to earn money, so you plan to leave this place after eating.//|Enter the backyard2]]
(if: $answerToDoor is 2)[[//You believe there is still a chance for you, so you plan to wait for it.//|Sleep]]
(if: $answerToDoor is 3)[[//You find there is no chance for you to earn money, so you plan to leave this place after eating.//|Enter the backyard2]]
(if: $answerToDoor is 3)[[//You believe there is still a chance for you, so you plan to wait for it.//|Sleep]]
You smashed the door with your strong but weak arm because of hunger.
Miraculously, the door opened, and it didn't seem to be locked inside.
(set: $answerToDoor = 3)
[[>Enter the tavern<]]The tavern owner smiles at you, and starts to prepare for the meal.
You find that you are able to afford this meal.
[(set: $expensiveFood to true)]
[[>Continue<]]The tavern owner seems surprised by your order, but he still smiles at you.
You take a look at your pocket: this may be the last meal you can afford.
[(set: $expensiveFood to false)]
[[>Continue<]]Double-click this passage to edit it.You fell asleep in a daze while thinking.
I don't know how long it has been, someone is calling in your ear: "It's time to wake up, young man."
You get up from the table, and you see a well-dressed old man standing in front of you, looking at you with a beard.
"I think you are sleeping soundly, so I told my buddy not to disturb you. You should have a hard time. I have a friend who thinks you are very strong and wants to hire you. I wonder if you want to."
[[//You immediately stood up and expressed your willingness to meet this person’s friends//|Hire]]At this time, an old man comes and sits in front of you. He says:
“Are you the one who claims himself the butler of the North manor?”
(set: $isMeet to true)
[["Yes", you answered confidently]]
[[You shake your head, and deny it.]]The old man smiles at you: “I acquainted the owner of North manor before, so I know there is no butler like you.”
(if: $expensiveFood is true)[It looks like you can't afford this meal anymore. As a reward for your honesty, I invite this meal. But there is one thing, after eating, you can no longer brag to others that you are the steward of Beizhuang. "Speaking, stuffed a money bag in your arms.]
(if: $expensiveFood is false)[I guess even the traven owner can see something from your reaction. In this world, which butler from big manor would order this kind of food. "]
This person looked at you carefully again and said: "I will introduce someone you know, and you work with him in the future to ensure your benefits."
(if: $expensiveFood is true)[[//You put the moneybag in your arms and made a gesture of thanks//|Hire]]
(if: $expensiveFood is true)[[//You didn't accept his money but made a gesture of thanks//|Hire]]
(if: $expensiveFood is false)[[//You thank him and swear to repay him in the future//|Hire]]
(if: $expensiveFood is false)[[//You thanked him, but rejected his offer//|Enter the backyard]]The old man smiles at you: “Well, you are honest at least. I acquainted the owner of North manor before, so I know there is no butler like you.”
(if: $expensiveFood is true)[It looks like you can't afford this meal anymore. As a reward for your honesty, I invite this meal. But there is one thing, after eating, you can no longer brag to others that you are the steward of North manor. "Speaking, stuffed a money bag in your arms.]
(if: $expensiveFood is false)[I guess even the traven owner can see something from your reaction. In this world, there is no butler from big manor would order this kind of food. "]
This person looked at you carefully again and said: "I will introduce someone you know, and you work with him in the future to ensure your benefits."
(if: $expensiveFood is true)[[//You put the moneybag in your arms and made a gesture of thanks//|Hire]]
(if: $expensiveFood is true)[[//You didn't accept his money but made a gesture of thanks//|Hire]]
(if: $expensiveFood is false)[[//You thank him and swear to repay him in the future//|Hire]]
(if: $expensiveFood is false)[[//You thanked him, but rejected his offer//|Enter the backyard]]After a while, the old man brought in a small but very energetic middle-aged man.
The old man introduces to you: "This is my friend John, and he will be your friend too, trust me. By the way, he is also a personal character in this area, so you can rest assured about the rewards. I have a little trouble. Go ahead, you can talk slowly in a while."
Saying that he introduced you to John again, he hurriedly left.
(if: $answerToDoor is 1)[After the old man left, John said to you: "I heard the old man say that you pretended to be the butler of North manor, but his old man did not expose you. I am the butler of Beizhuang, so you were seen through by him so quickly. Anyway, I can offer you a job. But you must only listen to me."]
(if: $answerToDoor is 2 or 3)[After the old man left, John said to you: "I heard the old man say that your life is not easy. He wants me to help you. But I am more faithful and cannot tolerate any untrustworthy things. I can offer you a job. , But you must only listen to me."]
[[//You swear not to betray him//|Transition]]
[[//You expressed willingness to work with him//|Transition]]After dinner, you bid farewell to this weird old man and plan to take a walk in the hotel yard.
At this time, you see someone in the yard warming the fire, so you go over to see who it is.
[[//Contiune//|Hire2]]After that, you work for John. From time to time, he will post some tasks for you, such as eradicating newly hired thugs in South manor or stealing important items from it. In the tasks, you gradually learned the identity of John. He is the steward of North manor, and he can mobilize one third of North manor's financial resources at will. It can be said that he is very rich. But every time you get a bounty from him is far lower than expected, which makes you very dissatisfied.
[[//Continue//|Task]]Sitting in front of the fire was a middle-aged man. Although he is short in stature, he is very energetic.
The man looked at you and waved his hand: "Come and sit down, I will be the one."
You come over and sit down, rubbing your hands. The man continued: "You can call me John. It looks like you haven't found a job yet. If you don't mind, I happen to have a good job here for you."
[[What job is it?]]
[[I hope it’s not like picking up rubbish and sweeping the floor]]Man: "You are a mercenary, at least you used to be. You just need to help me to deal with some trouble people. It shouldn't be difficult for you. As for compensation, this must be very generous. You have my word and you will not tolerate any untrustworthy things. I can offer you a job, but you must only listen to me."
[[//You swear not to betray him//|Transition]]
[[//You expressed willingness to work with him//|Transition]]Man: "Oh, how come my friend. You are a mercenary, at least you used to be. You just need to help me to deal with some trouble people. It shouldn't be difficult for you. As for compensation, This must be very generous. You have my word and you will not tolerate any untrustworthy things. I can offer you a job, but you must only listen to me."
[[//You swear not to betray him//|Transition]]
[[//You expressed willingness to work with him//|Transition]]One day, John calls you for a new mission. While tasting the fruit, he said, "To be honest, I didn't offer you enough reward in these years so you must not be satisfied with me. But don’t worry, I have a new task for you. You need to help me kill to the owner of the North manor, and his name is William. After this is done, you will be the new steward of the North manor, and you will also control the wealth I have now."
[[//You promised him and are ready to go to North manor//|Meet]]At night, you lie outside the window of the owner's bedroom in North manor, quietly observing everything in the house.
The property in the house makes you dazzled and drooling. You thought to yourself, it would be great if these properties were all yours.
After a while, the owner William came out of the bedroom. Depending on his age, he should have half-length into the grave, but his age did not hinder his exquisite dressing.(if: $isMeet is true)[Isn't this the old man you met in the tavern?]
(set: $haveMoney to false)
[[Kill William as originally planned]]
[[Get down from the room and talk to William]]
[[Leave William alive and leave North manor]]You cut off William's bloody head and prepare to go back for business.
But seeing the gold in the room, you have greedy thoughts in your mind.
(set: $isKilled to true)
[[Anyway, these will be mine in the future, there is no shortage of this gold]]
[[Can't help it anymore.Grab some gold yourself]]You jumped down from the room and walked up to William in a few steps.
William was shocked when he saw a man walking towards him, but soon he recognized that it was you.
After a short conversation, he gave you a few pieces of gold and plans to invite you to stay for a few days.
[[//You politely declined, and plan to leave here//|Return without money]]
[[You stayed and started thinking about what to do next]]Double-click this passage to edit it.You looked at the property in the house with disdain, turned and left the North manor.
[[//Return to John's hideout//|Return]]You secretly stuffed two pieces of gold into your arms, and then left the North manor.
(set: $haveMoney to true)
[[//Return to John's hideout//|Return]]Against the wind and snow, you returned to John's hiding place.
You are preparing for business with a strange mood.
You have a feeling that something bad will happen.
(set: $isKilled to false)
[[//>Continue<//|Return]]On the next night, you paced back and forth in the guest room of North manor. It's time to make the final decision.
[[Kill William as originally planned]]
[[You are going to tell William that John wants to murder him]]
[[//Leaving North manor//|Rich return]]You come outside the house and hear someone talking in it.
[[Push the door]]
[[Eavesdrop outside the house]]You report to John about what happened in the North manor.
(if: $isKilled is false)[After hearing your report, John blasted you out with cursing and claimed that your relationship is ended now.]
(if: $isKilled is true)[After listening to your report, John was very satisfied, claiming that you would soon become the butler of the North manor and let you go to the original tavern to receive the bounty]
(if: $isKilled is false)[[//You have no choice but to return to the original tavern//|Ending]]
(if: $isKilled is true)[[//Go to the tavern//|Ending]]Outside the house, you heard John talking with another killer. The content of the conversation is about how to assassinate you.
[[Go in and kill John]]
[[Leave quietly]]On the way to the tavern, you met a killer. Fortunately, you survived from the assassination.
(if: $haveMoney is false)[Unfortunately, you are now penniless. In the vast snow, hunger killed you.At the time before death, you start to regret why you didn't save a piece of gold.''Bad End'']
(if: $haveMoney is true)[You bought a field in the south by selling the two pieces of gold in your arms, and finally lived a rich life.''Good End'']You killed John, but you were raided by the killer he hired and you ended up falling to the ground.
''Bad End''You plan to stay away from this place and go to the original tavern for shelter.
On the way to the tavern, you met a killer. Fortunately, you survived from the assassination.
(if: $haveMoney is false)[Unfortunately, you are now penniless. In the vast snow, hunger killed you.At the time before death, you start to regret why you didn't save a piece of gold. ''Bad End'']
(if: $haveMoney is true)[You bought a field in the south by selling the two pieces of gold in your arms, and finally lived a rich life. ''Good End'']William was shocked again when he heard that, so he asked you to stay here first.
[[Stay in North manor]]Against the wind and snow, you returned to John's hiding place.
You are preparing for business with a strange mood.
You have a feeling that something bad will happen.(set: $isKilled to false)
(set: $haveMoney to true)
[[//>Continue<//|Return]]A few days later, William tells you: He has expelled John, and you are his new steward.
One third of wealth in North manor is in your control.
Two years later, William died of illness. Since there is no heir, you become the owner of North manor.
''Good End''Your name is __. It is blurred because it isn’t important to you or others. You were born in a family who believe that betrayal is the nature of people. However, you didn’t consider it to be true.
You claimed yourself that you won’t be greedy in the future and you won’t betray anyone. When you grow up, you have to find a job to support your family. It is hard to get hired in your hometown so you decide to travel north.
[[Pack up and begin your journey]]