# Chapter 2746: The Photographer and the Scholar
The people in the manor would never openly check a guest's identity on the spot. The butler had long since disappeared from sight. Xu Huo naturally wouldn't prove himself, only offering a faint smile as he looked at the other person and said, "When someone needs to divert the attention others are projecting onto themselves, they will selectively attack others, letting someone else draw more attention, thereby reducing their own pressure."
"Who are you talking about!" The photographer abruptly stood up, pointing at him. "I'm a guest invited by Mr. Wen. Where did you crawl out from?"
Xu Huo raised his hand. "I'm a friend of Mr. Harry."
This photographer seemed to have a bad temper and a tendency to deliberately pick fights. Xu Huo only responded with a couple of sentences, and yet he was about to come over and hit him.
The foodie and botanist beside him quickly grabbed hold of the man, soothing him while explaining to Xu Huo, "He's in a bad mood, a bit irritable. He's not specifically targeting you."
As they spoke, the photographer had already been calmed down. He shook off the people holding him, straightened his clothes, and said to the butler who had hurried over, "Send dinner to my room."
After the man left, the scholar spoke about the photographer's situation. "He was the first one to arrive here. He originally came to take some vintage photos for Mr. Wen, but Mr. Wen has been sick, in poor condition, so the shoot has been delayed repeatedly. When he came, he signed a contract—he can't leave until the shoot is completed. This has delayed his subsequent work, which is why he's in such a bad mood."
"The delay will definitely pay him compensation," Harry said carelessly. "He can get a high compensation fee without even working. What's he unhappy about?"
The scholar smiled. "Compared to regular work, the delay fee is pretty insignificant, right?"
"All he sees is money." Harry snorted disdainfully, and when the butler handed over the menu, he unceremoniously demanded the best ingredients, even making specific requests about the preparation time and method.
The botanist and foodie beside him showed no reaction, but the scholar praised Harry for his deep knowledge of cuisine.
The fact that Harry's family didn't have much money left didn't mean he had no expertise in eating, drinking, and having fun. Besides, District 022 itself wasn't a district lacking food or clothing. As long as he had the nerve, he could mooch a meal at any relative's house.
After dinner, the group had become a bit more familiar with each other. The botanist's work was nearly finished and he would probably leave in a day or two. The foodie needed to adjust the menu based on Mr. Wen's physical condition. The scholar's main task was to chat with Mr. Wen, so they wouldn't be leaving anytime soon.
Harry had come to visit a relative, so when he left was entirely up to him.
As for Mr. Wen, during the post-dinner chat, the butler told them that Mr. Wen had suddenly fallen ill and was already staying at a friend's house.
After the late-night snack, Xu Huo returned to his room. Before he had even sat down for two minutes, someone knocked on his door.
He went over and opened it. As expected, it was the photographer who had deliberately picked a fight during the day.
The man entered without being invited, closed the door behind him, and said, "Let's be straightforward. I know what you're here for. I've been here for several days too, but unfortunately, that Lady Ti Hui is too formidable. I haven't even been able to get into her room. Since you and I are the same, how about we cooperate?"
"Why not look for the others?" Xu Huo asked.
"Except for the botanist, I'm not sure if the other two are Instance players," the photographer said.
Xu Huo raised an eyebrow slightly. "Are you sure?"
"Of course." The photographer sprawled casually on the sofa, crossing his legs and propping them on the coffee table. "If you don't believe me, you can wait and see. That fake botanist will definitely go to the garden later to look for something."
"What is he looking for?" Xu Huo had already done some investigating before coming in. Indeed, many players had tasks in Rose Fort, but the things they were looking for were different, so the few people already in the manor might all have different goals.
"Who knows?" the photographer said. "Anyway, I've seen him fiddling around in the garden all the time, claiming to be treating the plants, but what he's using are game-standard potions. With such a sloppy disguise, he still dares to come? I can't even be bothered to expose him!"
"But you're different." He stared at Xu Huo. "I tried to trick you today, and you didn't show a single crack. Looks like you came well-prepared."
Xu Huo curved his lips. "Maybe you guessed wrong. I'm not here to clear an Instance."
The photographer sneered. "I won't be wrong about this. Local zone people are different from outer zone people."
Xu Huo didn't press for details but instead asked what he was looking for.
The photographer didn't tell him. "I've been here for a while now. How about you help me first? The thing I want is in Lady Ti Hui's room. You help lure Lady Ti Hui away, and after I get the thing and come out, I'll help you."
Xu Huo let out a laugh. "Do you think this cooperation is fair?"
"Don't be so hasty," the photographer said. "You can think it over for one night. After tonight, you'll know that without help, the chances of clearing an Instance alone are very low."
With that, he waved and left.
The door opened and closed. Before it had even been quiet for two minutes, someone knocked again.
This time it was the scholar.
He hadn't come about clearing an Instance but wanted to do a psychological treatment.
The reason for wanting treatment was mainly work-related stress. "Although I'm knowledgeable, in this era where information is almost completely transparent, there's very little I can do. You know, 'living' and 'living well' are two different concepts. Mr. Wen is also a very learned person. Once I lose his support, it will be difficult for me to find another job in a short time."
"Anxiety doesn't help me at all; in fact, it might affect my performance. But I can't resolve this emotion on my own, so I wanted to ask for your help."
He had also prepared a reward.
"I came on this trip as a guest, not intending to show off my meager skills," Xu Huo paused, then added, "But as a doctor, I can't ignore someone asking for help. Hmm... the environment here is quite nice. You can lie down and rest for a few minutes to relax before we start."
The scholar lay down on the sofa as instructed.
Psychological treatment in District 022 had strict regulations, requiring professional assessment instruments to ensure the doctor's professional ethics. However, away from the treatment facility, Xu Huo had only purchased some simple instruments to put up a front.
After the scholar rested for a while, Xu Huo began to get into the main topic.
The greater function of normal psychological treatment is to provide patients with a space to confide, and through this, to assess the patient's condition, supplemented by medication and other treatment methods. In the game world, the methods are more intense because psychological suggestion can be achieved quickly through spiritual power, so there are more restrictions on psychologists.
Xu Huo didn't perform hypnosis but followed the procedures of an ordinary doctor. He didn't use any spiritual power to assist during the process, but as they were nearing the end, he discovered that the scholar was actually trying to give him a psychological suggestion.