North American Detective: I am Proficient in All Kinds of Gun Quick Draws Chapter 319 205: Gay Spicy Hot Pot, Closing the Case1

"Dean, we were just discussing the ga you're playing. I swear, I didn't say anything bad about you."

Seeing Dean's darkening expression, Harry, who had just been badmouthing him, felt his insides clench and hurriedly explained.

He knew the man in front of him all too well—seemingly handso and refined, genuinely good to friends, but not particularly forgiving. Those criminals who had provoked Dean were probably already lining up to reincarnate. Once Dean had you in his sights, even a passing dog that barked would have to endure a couple of slaps before it could leave. Harry certainly didn't want *this* guy sending him to the night market district to try out the 'police after-hours reemploynt program.'

The usually impassive Carlo also instinctively lowered his head, pretending to look at so docunts. Daisy, however, watched Harry shrink back, covered her mouth with a giggle, and helped deflect the attention. "Dean, how's that 'The Fallen Hero' ga?"

Dean replied with a serious expression, "This ga has a major problem. Each level is actually a subtle form of psychological conditioning, designed to filter and ultimately recruit players who et specific requirents!"

"What do you an?" Daisy hadn't played the ga and was sowhat confused.

Harry, due to his background, had seen plenty of depravity. He caught on quickly, frowning as he asked, "Dean, are you saying this ga is rigged?"

"Yes. After I passed Level Ten, I was prompted to go to a website and leave a comnt to get a ten US dollar coupon, which could be used directly at many physical supermarkets."

Daisy interjected, "That's quite normal, isn't it? Sounds like a marketing tactic."

Harry and Carlo also nodded, confirming they had followed the instructions, received their exclusive coupons, and already used them. The rewards were real, not a scam.

"But the requirent for Level Twenty changed," Dean continued. "I had to stand in a crowd, take a really embarrassing video of myself, and upload it to a designated email. Then I'd get a one hundred US dollar coupon. Only, this ti there was an additional prompt!"

"You actually reached Level Twenty in a single afternoon?" Harry and Carlo were stunned.

They had been grinding away day and night for days and were still stuck on Level Nineteen. Yet Dean, just casually playing for an afternoon, had already cleared Level Twenty!

Dean nodded and said casually, "The first twenty levels of this ga mainly test things like nerve reaction Speed, hand-eye coordination, mory, and strategy. They're pretty simple. Actually, I just finished Level Thirty. Those ones were more ntally taxing and took a bit longer!"

"FK!"

Facing such blatant humblebragging, Harry and Carlo felt a crushing blow and suddenly lost all interest in the ga.

Daisy, however, focused on the prompt Dean had ntioned. "Dean, what was that prompt you were talking about?"

"From Level Twenty onwards, you have to choose whether to continue the ga or end it," Dean explained. "If you continue, the coupon amount from the previous level is added to the next level's reward. Otherwise, your network IP gets locked, and you can't continue clearing levels or redeeming rewards. I chose to continue. So..."

Dean gave Harry and Carlo a mischievous smirk. "You guys don't need to bother struggling with that ga anymore. I've already claid the reward for the precinct's network IP."

"Oh."

Harry and Carlo felt a frustration akin to tirelessly pursuing a girl, only for Dean to effortlessly woo her away and take her to a hotel room.

But Daisy giggled and pressed on, "Dean, didn't you say you reached Level Thirty? What was the prompt for that level?"

"Level Thirty asked to prank a close friend on video," Dean began.

"And I would get a one thousand US dollar coupon!

"If I didn't go through with it, then I'd lose the previous one hundred US Dollars I'd won.

"And that option appeared again.

"But this ti it was a bit different. It said:

"'Congratulations, Hero!

"'You've proven your gaming prowess. This round has a total of fifty levels. The next level offers a ten thousand US Dollar reward, and the final level a grand one hundred thousand US Dollars, along with an invitation to the next round of the ga.

"'The next round of the ga.

"'Starting reward: one hundred thousand US Dollars!

"'Continue or end?'"

At this point, Dean turned to the three, who were now breathing heavily with a mix of excitent and apprehension. "Now, do you still think this is just an ordinary marketing tactic?"

"On the surface," he continued, "these requirents seem very simple—almost like picking up free money.

"But this is actually a very blunt and effective form of psychological manipulation.

"Think about it. When you realize you can easily get a large sum of money just by doing sothing that seems foolish but is manageable if you grit your teeth, how many people can resist that temptation?

"That in itself isn't fatal.

"The deadly part is, if you want more, you have to stake your previous winnings.

"From that mont on, your no-risk venture turns into a gamble.

"With every win, your sunk costs increase, while the prize money for the next stage increases tenfold.

"At that point, you've transford from a 'heroic player' into a gambler. And the further you go, the more reluctant you beco to quit. Even if the tasks beco deeply uncomfortable, even if they challenge your fundantal principles, many people would probably still choose to try.

"'The Fallen Hero'—that na probably refers to this very process."

Daisy, Harry, and Carlo lacked Dean's quick mind and breadth of knowledge.

Daisy was shocked by the sums involved. "Wow, one hundred thousand US Dollars! Just hearing you talk about it is tempting. Never mind pranking a friend—if it ant getting that much, I might even consider feeding Harry actual manure!"