Power of Magic

"Hmph!" Bim snorted coldly. "What on earth are you doing during working hours?"

"Boss, we don't want to either, but this magic is real. It's so captivating that you want to watch it again after seeing it once!"

The assistant was enthusiastic about Amway, "I can't explain it clearly. Boss, please come and take a look. Just take a look, and you'll understand!"

"What the heck? Are you doing this during working hours?"

Bim looked bewildered and firmly declined, "I don't want to watch it! I won't even watch it if you paid me!"

As a boss, even if his subordinates were a bit lazy, and even if they were fishing during working hours, he couldn't get caught up in it. Leading by example was crucial, and he mustn't succumb to such trends.

It's just a magic trick; what's so fascinating about it?

Absolutely ridiculous!

He decided to address this tomorrow and possibly fire them all.

"...Hahaha..."

After a while, one of the employees finally snapped out of their daze.

After watching the video, Bim still felt a bit unsatisfied.

Bim was both amused by the humor in this magic show and intrigued by the flawless execution of the magic tricks.

Anyway, he couldn't figure out how these tricks were done!

Just as Bim was about to watch the video again, he suddenly realized something.

Had he...

Had he said something before?

What was he doing now?

Bim was instantly startled. After a moment of realization, he quickly exited the room, not bothering to disperse the employees who were still engrossed in the video, and returned to his office.

In the office...

Bim retrieved his phone, feeling somewhat embarrassed. He searched for the video and clicked to watch it again.

After watching it one more time, Bim couldn't help but relax.

Could taking a moment to relax even be considered slacking off? Well, perhaps it could.

However, Bim still felt a sense of responsibility and began tidying up the scattered newspapers on his desk, planning to review the information within them for any overlooked details.

But when he looked at the newspaper's cover again, he was stunned.

Wasn't this the same magic show from the video he had just watched?

Then...

Bim's mind started racing, and he quickly understood why Jack had urged him to watch that performance video.

Now, he finally understood the reason.

In a rush, Bim found the phone number written in the newspaper and dialed it.

After a few seconds, the call connected.

"Care to make a guess?"

Jack's relaxed voice put Bim at ease. "I guess you've had a change of heart."

Soon, Jack returned to the office.

Compared to their earlier negotiation, the current situation felt more like Bim wanting to be a loyal supporter, eagerly seeking Jack's favor.

"No need for this. My conditions remain the same as before. They won't change due to these minor hiccups, nor will they change because of our negotiations," Jack said with a nonchalant smile.

In fact, Jack hadn't gone far at all because he believed that Bim would soon reach out to him voluntarily.

Firstly, through their initial exchange, Jack had recognized Bim's flexibility of mind.

It appeared that Bim hadn't seen his own magic show, so he couldn't fully comprehend the potential for endorsements in this new style of magic.

Next, solving the problem should be easier.

Since Bim hadn't witnessed his magic show, perhaps the issue could be resolved by letting him watch it?

The [Elementary Confusing Skill], also known as hypnosis, was undoubtedly the most useful skill at this moment.

Although Jack hadn't used it yet, he could infer its effectiveness.

Jack wouldn't directly hypnotize Bim, not because it posed a challenge, but because...

If he did, it might be considered "coercion" by the system and wouldn't be counted as a fair "deal" between both parties.

That would mean Jack's reward wouldn't include experience points!

Jack wasn't in dire need of money; he sought experience points.

If hypnotizing others didn't affect the transaction, Jack would have targeted the CEO of a major corporation rather than seeking endorsement from a smaller company.

Though the system was daring, it wouldn't leave such glaring loopholes for Jack to exploit.

As for less obvious loopholes, well, Jack hadn't discovered them yet.

Although he couldn't hypnotize Bim directly, there had to be other ways to achieve it.

When Jack left earlier, he encountered some people on the way who snapped their fingers and dropped a few suggestive phrases, easily inducing a hypnotic state among the employees.

Afterward, it was the scene that Bim had witnessed.

With Jack's intellect, such calculations required minimal effort.

"Speak," Bim listened attentively.

"Firstly, what I wish to sign is a gambling agreement. Considering the enhancement in your company's performance after the advertisement, I won't require any payment upfront. However, if there is a financial gain, the more significant the increase, the higher my fee will be.

Secondly, I reserve the right to unilaterally terminate the advertising endorsement without compensation.

Thirdly, during the period of accepting your endorsement, I can also accept other endorsements."

"These terms..." Bim began to negotiate, "I agree with the first and third conditions. Can you modify the second one?"

"I have stated my terms," Jack maintained a calm smile. "They remain unchanged. If you are willing, we can cooperate. If not, then... we won't."

...

Ultimately, they reached an agreement. Bim was reluctant to pass up the missed endorsement opportunity with Jack. Apart from the second condition, which made Bim slightly uneasy, everything else was acceptable.

When Jack departed, he released the hypnosis that had enchanted those around him. In truth, Jack didn't need to snap his fingers or speak for his magic; it was simply for show.

As for why he chose to snap his fingers...

Well, it was probably because it looked cool!

In short, Jack's plan was proceeding nearly flawlessly. Everything was going according to his expectations. A week later, Jack teamed up with Daniel for another performance - "Shoe Duke."

This act combined satirical humor popular in Europe and the United States with magic at its core, and it was a tremendous success. The media dubbed the duo of Jack and Daniel as twin stars in the world of magic. Their innovative performance style was seen as pioneering a new era in the magic industry.

However, few could perform at the level of Jack and Daniel. After all, true magic abilities were quite rare among magicians. This was simply a fact of life in their field.

As expected, their first endorsement was a massive success. Jack's approach to advertising was impossible to ignore. While others inserted advertisements and endorsed products based on their programs, Jack customized the programs to fit the products. The impact was undeniable.

Endorsement deals started pouring in like snowflakes. However, Jack had principles. He turned down any products of poor quality or from shady businesses with a bad reputation. Only the remaining three conditions were offered for collaboration. If the other party agreed, they would cooperate; if not, they would part ways. Jack had confidence in his approach.

Moreover, Jack and Daniel had another agreement. All the income from magic performances belonged to Jack, but he would give 70% of it to Daniel. This arrangement puzzled Daniel, but he couldn't fathom Jack's motivations.

So, they followed this model for a year...

One night, backstage.

"Are you sure about this?" Daniel asked in surprise.

"Absolutely," Jack nodded.

"But... but..." Daniel found it hard to accept. "Now of all times?"

"Why not now?" Jack smiled. "You've lost your way, Daniel."

"What do you mean?" Daniel was puzzled.

"Look at that mirror over there," Jack pointed to a large magic mirror nearby. "Can you see your former self up there?" "...Can you?"

Daniel gazed at his almost unaltered reflection and struggled to understand.

"No, that's hardly you anymore," Jack chuckled. He approached the mirror, adjusted his attire, and looked at Daniel through it.

"You've been blinded by money. Now, it's time to break free... How long has it been since you practiced magic with dedication? Laziness, it's the most potent and terrifying weapon. It can advance a civilization or destroy it. The same goes for individuals."

"Remember, you're a magician, not just someone who performs tricks."

Jack took out a deck of playing cards, cut and shuffled them smoothly, then handed them to Daniel.

"Think back to your original dream. Was it to stand out in the world through magic or to attract the attention of the Sky Eye Society and enter that place that's like a holy land for magicians?"

Daniel took the deck of cards, suppressed his instinct to use magic to manipulate them, and instead used his own techniques to cut and shuffle the cards. The cards scattered all over the floor.

"Haha..." Jack patted the bewildered Daniel on the shoulder and walked away.

"Get ready. This is our last performance, our final collaboration, and for you...

After this, if you still want to join the Sky Eye Society, why not... try going back to the beginning and rediscovering the magic you've lost for so long?"

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