How can someone be tied up as a gift?

In the wake of the storyline's unveiling, a whirlwind of conjecture and anticipation swept across the gaming community. Theories and predictions about the plot were being tossed around like confetti, each more imaginative and intriguing than the last.

Meanwhile, Luo Mo, the mastermind behind this much-anticipated game, was deeply engrossed in orchestrating its development. His days were consumed with overseeing the diligent team of developers and designers, ensuring that every aspect of the game was progressing smoothly and efficiently.

Simultaneously, two eminent figures, Dr. Tesla and Dr. Einstein, were en route to the company. Their arrival was eagerly awaited as they were due to fulfill a significant appointment that could potentially influence the trajectory of the game's development.

In the midst of this flurry of activity, Luo Mo found himself engaged in a perplexing conversation with Theresa over the phone. His brow furrowed in confusion as he listened to her cryptic words.

"So you're saying that today is an auspicious day for marriage, buying a house, and yet not for moving?" he echoed her words incredulously.

He paused for a moment before continuing, "I find it rather peculiar that you, being a European, would place such faith in the Chinese lunar calendar,"

His voice was laced with bemusement as he posed this question to Theresa.

"Theresa," he began again after a brief pause, his tone now laced with suspicion. "You're not planning to default on your debt, are you? It's one thing to default on your teacher's salary, but to do so when you're at the academy is quite another matter altogether."

His words hung in the air as he awaited her response, his mind already racing with potential implications of this unexpected turn of events.

["What are you talking about, I… I'm not reneging. The Headmaster never reneges!"] came the indignant response from the other end of the line. The voice was filled with a mix of surprise and a hint of defensiveness, as if caught off guard by Luo Mo's accusation.

["There's something going on today, it's not convenient,"] the voice continued, a note of evasion creeping into the tone.

Luo Mo's frown deepened at this vague explanation. "What's not convenient?" he asked, his instincts alerting him to a potential complication.

"No, you grant me a room, can't I just go in and experience school life?" Luo Mo proposed, trying to navigate around the issue at hand.

The response was immediate and somewhat flustered. ["How can that be! Uh, I mean, you're a boy after all, you need an extra person to watch over you."] The voice seemed to be grasping at straws, trying to justify the unexpected inconvenience.

["Don't think about it, just come tomorrow,"] came the final instruction, leaving no room for further discussion.

Luo Mo sighed, recognizing that he had hit a dead end for now. "Okay," he conceded reluctantly, already planning his next move.

Deciding to table the issue for the moment, Luo Mo turned his attention to the imminent arrivals. His gaze drifted towards the bustling street adjacent to St. Freya's Week, where the headquarters of Mihoyo company stood proudly.

A sleek limousine pulled up to the entrance, its polished exterior reflecting the vibrant city life around it. A security officer disembarked from the vehicle, his eyes scanning the surroundings meticulously. Once he was satisfied that there were no suspicious individuals in the vicinity, he proceeded to open the backseat door.

In a bid to fortify their collaboration with Schicksal this time around, Anti-Entropy had dispatched a delegation to St. Freya's bright station. Two confidential personnel from Anti-Entropy, one clad in blue and the other in red, stepped out of the vehicle. Dr. Tesla was among them and upon spotting Luo Mo, his brow furrowed slightly.

"Where is the company boss? Why are you the only one here? And why are you wearing that suspicious mask? Is this some sort of company tradition?" Dr. Tesla queried; her gaze fixed on Luo Mo's masked face.

"… I am," Luo Mo responded, "I had an unfortunate accident a few days ago which resulted in some facial injuries. Hence, I'm wearing this mask for now."

Recognizing Luo Mo's voice, both Dr. Tesla and her companion visibly relaxed. They had been expecting to be greeted by an employee but seeing a familiar face was undoubtedly more reassuring.

"Please follow me," Luo Mo gestured towards the company building, his fox mask adding an air of intrigue to his persona. As they walked towards the entrance, Luo Mo began to introduce them to various aspects of the company.

Luo Mo had been donning the confounded mask for two or three days now, a necessary disguise to hide the remnants of a recent altercation. He was hopeful that by tomorrow, the evidence of his injuries would have faded enough to allow him to remove it.

"Theresa's hands are really heavy! She seems to have a knack for aiming at faces," he muttered under his breath, a touch of resentment creeping into his voice. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, replaying the incident over and over again, yet he couldn't bring himself to acknowledge his own part in it.

Before long, the trio arrived at the dubbing room, a space filled with high-tech equipment and soundproof walls. Luo Mo handed out sheets of paper containing their respective lines, the crisp rustle breaking the silence in the room.

"So, you just need us to lend our voices for this game?" Dr. Einstein queried, scanning through his script with a thoughtful expression.

"But it seems I have very few lines. On the other hand, Dr. Tesla, your script appears to be much more substantial," she observed, comparing her thin stack of papers with Tesla's considerably thicker one.

Turning to Luo Mo, she asked, "Why is there such a disparity in our lines?"

Luo Mo responded with an air of certainty, "Of course it's because Dr. Tesla is set to play the sub-heroine in the upcoming episode!"

Tesla's face lit up at this revelation and he gave Luo Mo an approving pat on the shoulder. "I'm very satisfied with you, good job!" he exclaimed, before shooting a provocative glance at Einstein.

Einstein, however, was quick to retort. "Though I don't want to undermine your self-confidence, Dr. Tesla, if the game truly mirrors your personality, then I must say I have serious doubts about your ability to portray a female lead!"

Tesla bristled at this comment and shot back defiantly, "What do you mean! Cockney! I'll show you how it's done!"

With a huff and a determined expression, Dr. Tesla made her way to the dubbing room, script clutched tightly in her hand. Her brisk pace and focused demeanor were a clear indication of her resolve to prove her doubters wrong.

"So, what exactly is the role that Dr. Tesla is playing, Mr. Luo?" Dr. Einstein inquired, turning her calm gaze towards Luo Mo. The tranquility in her eyes belied an underlying intensity that added an extra layer of intimidation to her query.

"Sub-heroine, of course… Part-time, part-funny character," Luo Mo responded, his words hanging in the air as he watched Einstein's reaction.

"Pfft, I'm off to dub." A faint smile tugged at the corners of Einstein's mouth as she stifled a chuckle. Rather than further engaging in the playful banter, she turned her attention back to the task at hand, taking her script and heading off to complete her own dubbing assignment.

The dubbing process progressed steadily with the duo lending their voices to their respective characters. Their performances revealed glimpses into the storyline - it was evident that the two characters from Anti-Entropy had chosen to collaborate with Delisa and were heading towards the headquarters of Heaven's Destiny to thwart a mysterious plan.

A frown of concentration creased their brows as they immersed themselves in their roles, but they refrained from asking any further questions for the time being. Their focus remained undeterred until they neared the end of the dubbing session.

"Boss Lo, what's this, what's this line?" Dr. Lobster Twin Ponytail, the fiery redhead, queried, her voice laced with confusion as she tugged at Luo Mo's sleeve for attention.

"I can accept being kidnapped by the enemy, after all, it's a common occurrence in games for characters to be captured," she began, her tone reflecting a sense of resignation to the plot's twists and turns.

"But what's this about being sprayed with perfume, tied up with a silk scarf into a bow shape, and then having the person who tied me up profusely apologize!" Her voice rose in disbelief as she read out the peculiar scenario described in her script.

"Are there really people like that? Treating others like they're delicate gifts? I swear, one of these days I'm going to give her a taste of my mecha's hammer! And besides, is this how a sub-heroine is supposed to be treated?" Her questions hung in the air, echoing her bewilderment and frustration.

In response to her barrage of questions, Luo Mo adopted a philosophical approach, attempting to downplay the unusual circumstances: "Don't you see that you have significantly more lines compared to Dr. Einstein, and your character features prominently in the plot."

"That's not wrong," Dr. Tesla conceded after a moment of contemplation. This was a rare opportunity for her to outshine Mophead with the approval of others. However, she quickly added with a hint of defiance, "But why do I have to be subjected to such treatment by someone else?"

"Heroines are always surrounded by trouble," Luo Mo replied with a shrug and a wink towards Einstein who was observing their exchange.

She considered her words carefully before speaking, "Dr. Tesla, we did make a commitment to complete the dubbing, and we're just a few lines away from finishing your part."

"Hey, well, not that I'm reluctant," Dr. Tesla sighed, a hint of resignation in her voice. "It does sound like something I would say, after all!"

Then, with a thoughtful look in her eyes, she posed a question to Luo Mo. "So, Boss Lo, what is the relationship between this game and reality?"

Einstein's interest was piqued at this inquiry. It was a question she had been meaning to ask herself but hadn't expected Tesla to seize the opportunity to voice it first.

Caught off guard by the question, Luo Mo paused momentarily. He knew he couldn't evade their query and had fortunately thought of a plausible response. "Parallel worlds!" he declared.

The two doctors exchanged a glance, their brows furrowing in unison. They were naturally skeptical of his explanation, but they couldn't deny that the concept of parallel worlds was the first thing that came to mind when they encountered the game's storyline.

However, Luo Mo chose not to elaborate further. Instead, he exited the dubbing room, leaving the two doctors with their thoughts as he moved on to attend to another task.