Chapter 108: Delivering Himself to the Door

It was a very ordinary alloy key, about as long as a pinky finger, engraved with a tiny emblem—a simple logo that appeared on every product made by Aileen Corporation, outsourced parts included, as well as all office supplies issued to their employees, from computers and desks to notebooks and pens.

And now, the key in Zhang Beibei’s hand...

“A key to the confidential laboratory?!”

Wen Nan was stunned. He thought the plot design for this mission was incredibly considerate. Just as he was secretly planning how to get hold of that key, someone handed it to him willingly?

Sure enough, a romance strategy game’s main selling point was to ensure players never got bogged down by the storyline, allowing them to fully enjoy the daily romance.

Hearing the surprise in Wen Nan’s voice, Zhang Beibei hurriedly raised her hand to cover his mouth, glanced at the locked storeroom door, and lowered her voice. “Keep it down! The pantry’s right next door; people come and go constantly, and walls have ears!”

Wen Nan thought to himself, “You just realized walls have ears? When you cornered me a moment ago trying to harass me, why didn’t you remember then?”

Ignoring his questioning look, Zhang Beibei returned to the topic of the key.

“Listen, I know this is a lot to take in all at once, and you might not be able to accept it right away.

“Honestly, I shouldn’t be telling anyone this, but I’m truly out of options. I have no choice but to ask for your help. Senior Brother, no matter what, you have to help me this time. You always manage to sort things out for me whenever I’m in trouble. You won’t disappoint me now, right?”

Her little sisterly tone rambled on, but with her hand still over his mouth, Wen Nan’s muffled voice slipped through her fingers: “Get to the point!”

Zhang Beibei gritted her teeth and dropped a bombshell: “I wasn’t originally an employee of Aileen Corporation. I hadn’t even graduated from undergrad when I started working for Yang Jingyuan. Later, I joined Aileen Corporation under the pretense of following in your footsteps, but actually... I’m a corporate spy planted by Yang Jingyuan right under Boss Guan’s nose.”

Wen Nan was shocked.

Good heavens, Yang Jingyuan really had planted a mole close to Guan Aileen—and that mole was none other than his seemingly innocent, simple-minded junior sister?

She always seemed so carefree and naive, yet here she was, involved in espionage?

No wonder Guan Aileen suddenly suspected Wen Nan himself earlier in the CEO’s office.

So it wasn’t that Guan Aileen was paranoid; there were genuinely few people around her she could trust.

Zhang Beibei lowered her gaze, avoiding Wen Nan’s eyes. “Senior Brother, don’t look at me like that. I know what I’ve done is terrible, but I had no choice. My family is poor. I took out student loans and worked part-time, but I was still short on money.

“It was Boss Yang who helped me out when I was at my lowest, gave me some money to pay off my debts. I owe her, so I have to do her bidding.

“Actually, ‘corporate spy’ sounds scarier than it is. When I work under you, I’m just like any other employee. I haven’t sabotaged the company in any way. I just report the Big Boss’s movements to Boss Yang regularly.

“So this morning, when I got this key, I was stunned…

“Just as you went to the CEO’s office, Boss Yang found me, handed me this key, and told me it opens a certain confidential lab. She ordered me to sneak into that lab today, steal an S-grade classified document, and hand it over to her.

“I really can’t do that!”

Her voice cracked with tears as she spoke, clearly distressed.

“This is really asking me to be a spy, which is illegal! I—I’m so scared.

“And I don’t even know where the lab is. Boss Yang gave me the key and rushed into the CEO’s office without saying more.

“Even if I knew where the lab was, there’s no way I could steal the document right under the Big Boss’s nose. Although she looks pretty, she’s no pushover. I haven’t been here long, and she already suspects me. I know she’s been secretly keeping tabs on me, watching me closely.

“Whenever I try to get near important floors, someone stops me immediately. And now suddenly I have to go to the confidential lab—if the Big Boss finds out, she definitely won’t let me off.

“Senior Brother, what should I do? Please help me.”

Tears welled in Zhang Beibei’s eyes again, her lips quivering downward like a little catfish.

Wen Nan stared at her for a while, then sighed helplessly.

He couldn’t really judge the actions of a character from the game. Since she was handing him such a crucial clue, he wouldn’t refuse.

After a moment’s silence, Wen Nan said gravely, “I can help you, but there’s one condition.”

Zhang Beibei nodded vigorously. “Senior Brother, say whatever you want!”

“Once this is over, either you cut ties completely with Yang Jingyuan and stop working for her, or you leave Aileen Corporation.”

Basically, he wanted her to stop being a corporate spy.

Zhang Beibei clenched the hem of her clothes, bit her lip, thought for a moment, then nodded firmly. “Okay, Senior Brother, I promise.”

Wen Nan reached out and took the key from her.

Zhang Beibei looked at Wen Nan with curious eyes again. “Senior Brother, how do you plan to help me? Do you know where the confidential lab is?”

Wen Nan glanced at the girl beside him. “Leave it to me. Don’t worry about it, and don’t ask.”

9527: [Congratulations, target ‘Fresh-faced novice junior sister who can squeeze water out of a stone’ has reached 89% progress.]

After leaving the storeroom, Wen Nan immediately scanned the key with the system and received the message—

9527: [Congratulations, player! You have obtained the key to the confidential laboratory, a critical item for Main Quest 2.]

This item couldn’t be stored in the guild’s equipment inventory nor shared directly with other players.

Wen Nan shared the information in the Steady Wins guild chat, then tagged Gu Jinxing—

[Jiux: Come to the elevator entrance on the top floor of HQ quickly. Pick up the key.]

[Jinxing: Got it, on my way.]

[FireFireFire: Damn, Boss, how’d you get it?! Such a vital item, and you found it so fast?]

[Yao: Awesome, Guild Leader.]

[Xiao Fu: Guild Leader is amazing.]

Reading the flurry of praise in the chat, Wen Nan shrugged without responding.

Of course, he wasn’t about to tell his members that the item had simply been handed to him on a silver platter; he hadn’t even searched for it.

Just as he was thinking this, a message from Yang Jingyuan popped up—

[Xiao Yuan: Wait for me at the usual place.]

(End of chapter)