Ye Jinran greatly admired players who possessed this kind of determination. After all, it meant he could earn even more.
“Of course it’s possible,” he replied without the slightest hesitation. He leaned his upper body forward a little, his gaze fixed intently on He Ran’s eyes. “Telling you the method itself is a very simple matter but mastering that method and purchasing the corresponding items and services will be extremely difficult.”
He Ran had not failed to anticipate such an outcome. Her expression remained firm as she spoke. “Then tell me the method first.”
“One thousand points or one week’s time,” Ye Jinran said. “Either can be exchanged for a single method.”
Taking into account the balance in the client’s account, Ye Jinran decisively offered two possible options.
He Ran transferred the time without hesitation. She had also purchased the monthly card service, which credited points to her account with every daily login but she still wanted to save up a little more. Otherwise, looking at a number that was neither particularly small nor especially large always left her with a lingering sense of insecurity.
When dealing with paying players, Ye Jinran’s attitude became noticeably more amicable. He activated an item to block out sound, ensuring that only he and He Ran could hear the conversation and then continued, “My suggestion is to fight poison with poison, summon something sufficiently powerful and eerie to confront the one that’s causing the ice storm.”
“Wait,” He Ran interrupted, catching onto a key detail. “You said an ice storm, not a hurricane?”
“That’s right. It’s not merely a hurricane. It’s mixed with ice and snow. You can already foresee that it will force Country A into a prolonged state of deep winter. Life will vanish, water and power systems will collapse and no one will be able to survive.”
Hurricanes were generally tropical cyclones. Even though this one had been calculated to originate from the Arctic, she and her classmates had still instinctively ignored the strong possibility that it consisted of cold air.
Half joking, Ye Jinran said, “Since the temperature is dropping, why not raise it instead? Invite a few fire spirits to come over as guests. Who knows, they might balance things out.”
He Ran had heard of the kind of eerie beings he mentioned and she also knew that they served a certain great existence as well. She let out a sigh and said, “Wouldn’t that really turn into a clash of ice and fire? They could set an entire city ablaze and they eat people too.”
“You actually care about the lives of game NPCs?” Ye Jinran looked at her with a half smile that wasn’t quite a smile. “Alright, I think I roughly understand what kind of player you are now.”
Wang Aimin, who had been wandering aimlessly around the shop, quietly poked his head out from behind a shelf, straining to eavesdrop but all he could see was the two of them talking, their mouths opening and closing without sound.
How could He Ran not care? Although she had only known them for two days, she and that group of classmates went in and out of the lecture halls and laboratories of a top tier university every day. They ate together and lived together, were close in age and got along extremely well.
They faced difficulties together, studied late into the night under dim lights in search of a way forward. She knew exactly how much effort her companions had poured in and she had already come to regard them as friends she absolutely had to protect.
In the line of work of being a player, the biggest taboo was falling in love with NPCs but she didn’t care. Feelings were not something one could restrain.
“The second method, do you want to hear it?” Ye Jinran could already guess her answer but he still asked out of habit.
Without the slightest hesitation, He Ran handed over one week of time and listened attentively.
“Run away. It’s still not too late,” Ye Jinran said coldly.
Humanity was not even capable of conquering the natural world of Earth. How could they delude themselves into opposing a god that surpassed nature itself?
Ye Jinran spoke each word slowly and seriously. This was what he genuinely believed to be the best option. Only by surviving could there be a story afterward.
He respected the will of players. He Ran clearly wanted to save as many people as possible, including the original inhabitants of the instance. Her way of thinking was naive in a PVP instance yet it was not necessarily impossible to realize.
Even Ye Jinran himself was someone who did not want to take risks and prioritized staying alive above all else. He did not think that avoiding danger was something shameful. He wanted to make money but he had to stay alive to spend it.
“There’s no time to evacuate all the humans on this land. The best solution right now is to move underground and wait for the ice storm to pass,” Ye Jinran said. In reality, Bai Yanzhou had already thought of this long ago. The fully armed factory was merely a smokescreen, his living area had been arranged beneath the ground.
He Ran seriously considered this suggestion, because at the very least, it sounded far more reasonable than the previous one.
While she was thinking, Ye Jinran deactivated the sound blocking item. Having waited for a long time, Wang Aimin finally seized the opportunity to step forward and speak. “I want to buy a gun!”
Ye Jinran sized up his small frame. Suppressing his laughter, he spoke seriously, “A friendly reminder: although because of the instance’s automatically applied patch the NPCs don’t see you as a minor, you still possess a physique that matches your real age. You won’t be able to withstand the recoil of most firearms and your shooting accuracy will drop drastically.”
Wang Aimin had no need to use a gun to intimidate NPCs, so if he was buying one, it could only be to deal with other players. Ye Jinran didn’t believe he could hit Bai Yanzhou with a gun. This wasn’t some virtual shooting game.
Disappointment was written all over Wang Aimin’s face. “Right… then how about a couple of potions that boost strength?”
“Unfortunately, they’re sold out.”
Ye Jinran glanced at the inventory. The amount Bai Yanzhou had purchased last time had far exceeded the stock on hand. The factory’s production line had practically been worked to the point of smoking and there was still no way to fill the gap yet.
Wang Aimin nearly slumped to the ground in despair. In the end, unwilling to give up, he asked, “Then Bai Yanzhou’s hiding place, his coordinates. You can at least tell me that, right?”
Ye Jinran felt a surge of delight in his heart. He had been waiting for a player to find Bai Yanzhou’s self built factory fortress, so that all the items he had sold him could truly come into play. To conceal his impatience, he deliberately adopted a profound tone. “That will require you to pay a certain price.”
At least he hadn’t been outright rejected. Wang Aimin let out a sigh of relief, his expression easing noticeably. “Just tell me what it is.”
“I can give you two options,” Ye Jinran said as he adjusted the brim of his hat. “The first is to tell you Bai Yanzhou’s current location, as well as the place where he lives in the instance. The second is to give you a tracking item that will report his coordinates once every five minutes.”
Wang Aimin was deeply shocked. “That’s even possible? The second one must be more expensive, right?”
“Of course. One hundred thousand points,” Ye Jinran replied without hesitation. Location reporting items in PVP instances were extremely valuable.
Wang Aimin was once again overwhelmed by the number. He clutched his chest, almost unable to catch his breath. “You could just take my life directly and yet you’re even giving me an item. Shopkeeper, you’re really a good person.”
“This is a very cost effective deal. Oh right, you can call me by my name, Black” Ye Jinran said. Since he had already fabricated a story in front of Amanda, he might as well let them know too.
It took Wang Aimin a long time to recover. “Then… let’s go with the first option.”
He truly couldn’t afford the second one.
Ye Jinran revealed a genial smile. “Ten thousand points. Thank you for your patronage.”
Wang Aimin: “……”
It felt like he had been scammed again somehow. Was this the so called broken windows effect?
With a heart full of pain, he transferred the ten thousand points.
Ye Jinran directly sent Bai Yanzhou’s real time coordinates to Wang Aimin through the system and added, “He’s still at the base and hasn’t moved, so this is also his place of residence.”
Wang Aimin nearly broke down. “I thought I was going to get two pieces of information but it turned out they’re actually the same one!”
Ye Jinran felt not the slightest pang of guilt. A lawless little brat like this ought to experience the harsh lessons of society early on and then obediently offer up their points with both hands.
Beside them, He Ran struggled to hold back her laughter while patting Wang Aimin on the back to comfort him. “Alright, alright. Didn’t you say before entering the instance that you were going to show off your skills? Now that you’re fully prepared, are you ready? If there’s anything else you need, just trade for it using my time.”
Wang Aimin was so aggrieved that his face turned bright red. He said resentfully, “Forget it, sis, don’t waste your time. I think this place is just a shady shop!”
The kid was quite stubborn. He had probably wanted to look cool in front of others but hadn’t prepared the appropriate items and now that he had lost face, his thin skin wouldn’t allow him to continue trading. Ye Jinran shook his head helplessly and said, “Low level items are much cheaper than intelligence. You’ve just made a big purchase, I can offer you a discounted price. Once you miss this, it’ll be gone.”
As long as the two of them stepped out the door and then came back in, Ye Jinran would mercilessly restore the original prices. Opportunities, once gone, did not come again.
Wang Aimin was just about to turn around and leave when Ye Jinran’s words stopped him. He thought it over, then returned to the counter. “Fine. I’m not someone who covets small bargains, it’s just more convenient this way! I need one liter of human blood, any blood type is fine, stored in a sufficiently safe and concealed container and fine hemp rope, enchanted silver needles…”
He rattled off a long list of materials in one breath. After listening, Ye Jinran looked at him with interest. “That’s doable but buying all this, are you planning to use that kind of vicious spell that originated in Africa?”
“Black, you really know your stuff,” Wang Aimin said awkwardly, turning his gaze away. “But don’t say it out loud in front of my sister. How much?”
“Actually, most of the items you just mentioned can be purchased elsewhere,” Ye Jinran replied. “But as you said, it’s more convenient to buy everything together. Package price, five hundred points.”
Wang Aimin let out a sigh of relief. Just as he’d expected, it wasn’t very expensive. He didn’t hesitate much before paying.
In the end, he left the system shop holding a large thermos, while his sister carried the other miscellaneous items packed in plastic bags.
As they pushed the door open, He Ran lowered her voice and asked, “Will your method really work…?”
“Don’t worry, sis. The moment he shows himself, he’s dead.”
The two figures gradually disappeared into the distance.
For the next several hours, aside from the occasional native of the instance coming in to shop, hardly anyone approached the convenience store. The players were all busy with their own affairs.
Bored, Ye Jinran scrolled through trending news on his phone.
Official media had refuted rumors of the end of the world, denying information about an impending hurricane. All related suspects had been arrested. During the police operation, one reporter resisted arrest and escaped. Their whereabouts were currently unknown and a hefty reward had been posted.
The counterattack of “I Am Not a Medical God” had begun.
At a press conference, a young congresswoman angrily condemned today’s online media for stopping at nothing to attract attention. She once again reiterated that current environmental protection efforts were steadily improving, that extreme weather conditions were only temporary and would soon pass and that the public need not worry.
She had originally had little experience giving speeches yet in just three short days, it was as if she had been reborn. Standing before countless cameras and microphones, she showed no sign of stage fright, her voice filled with persuasive power.
The desire to survive could draw out a person’s hidden potential. Several players each displayed their own methods, praying for their continued survival. Ye Jinran had joined the game for over a month already but he hadn’t watched many PVP instances. Work kept him busy most of the time, cleaning up the mess left behind by the former shop owner. Experiences like this were fairly rare for him.
Sometimes, Ye Jinran would imagine what he might do if he were also a player, how he would act in certain situations, or whether he could do better. Before actually putting it into practice, those questions had no answers.
Once business stabilized and he no longer needed to pick up items or personally oversee the physical shop, he planned to participate in a few instances using a player identity.
Staff members entering competitions was indeed a form of cheating but he valued his life. Under those circumstances, it felt just right.
On the video screen, the Chinese descended congresswoman finished her long statement and finally found a brief moment to breathe. She casually took the insulated water bottle handed to her by an assistant, opened the lid and tipped it into her mouth. A few seconds later, her expression changed instantly.
But she quickly regained her composure. Even though that fleeting moment of panic had already been captured by the camera, she still calmly poured all the water from the thermos down her throat.
Ye Jinran watched the entire sequence and let out a soft laugh. He already had the answer in his mind. Poisoning, no special item was involved. It had used materials found within the instance setting. The poison altered the taste of plain water and “I Am Not a Medical God” noticed it the very instant it entered her mouth.
But despite realizing this, she still drank the water. That meant the person who carried out the poisoning could only have been Amanda.
Amanda had taken Ye Jinran’s advice to heart and decided to kill “I Am Not a Medical God.” The other party, having grasped that intent, offered her trust in return. In order to preserve her companion, she drank the lethal substance without hesitation.
✦ ✧ ✦
Nycreth
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
The Realm’s ancient scrolls mention something called… “buy them a coffee.”
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
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ChaptersChapter 1 · Blood Moon Town: ShhhChapter 2 · The Mist of Nanjin Village (1)Chapter 3 · The Mist of Nanjin Village (2)Chapter 4 · The Mist of Nanjin Village (3)Chapter 5 · The Mist of Nanjin Village (4)Chapter 6 · The Mist of Nanjin Village (7)Chapter 7 · The Mist of Nanjin Village (6)Chapter 8 · The mist over Nanjin Village (7)Chapter 9 · The Mystery of Nanjin Village (The End)Chapter 10 · Real WorldChapter 11 · Riding The Wind (1)Chapter 12 · Riding The Wind (2)Chapter 13 · Riding The Wind (3)Chapter 14 · Riding The Wind (4)Chapter 15 · Riding The Wind (5)Chapter 16 · Riding The Wind (6)Chapter 17 · Riding The Wind (7)Chapter 18 · Riding The Wind (8)Chapter 19 · Riding The Wind (9)Chapter 20 · Riding The Wind (10)Chapter 21 Part 1 · Riding The Wind (11)Chapter 21 Part 2 · Riding The Wind (11)Chapter 22 · Real World (1)Chapter 23 · Real World (2)Chapter 24 · Golden Sands Fade Away (1)Chapter 25 · Golden Sands Fade Away (2)Chapter 26 · Golden Sands Fade Away (3)Chapter 27 · Golden Sands Fade Away (4)Chapter 28 · Golden Sands Fade Away (5)Chapter 29 · Golden Sands Fade Away (6)Chapter 30 · Golden Sands Fade Away (7)Chapter 31 · Golden Sands Fade Away (8)Chapter 32 · Golden Sands Fade Away (9)Chapter 33 · Golden Sands Fade Away (10)Chapter 34 · Golden Sands Fade Away (11)Chapter 35 · Golden Sands Fade Away (12)Chapter 36 · Golden Sands Fade Away (13)Chapter 37 · Golden Sands Fade Away (14)Chapter 38 · Golden Sands Fade Away (15)Chapter 39 · Golden Sands Fade Away (16)Chapter 40 · Golden Sands Fade Away (17)Chapter 41 · Golden Sands Fade Away (18)Chapter 42 · Golden Sands Fade Away (19)Chapter 43 · Golden Sands Fade Away (20)Chapter 44 · Golden Sands Fade Away (21)Chapter 45 · Golden Sands Fade Away (22)Chapter 46 · Golden Sands Fade Away (23)Chapter 47 · Golden Sands Fade Away (24)Chapter 48 · Golden Sands Fade Away (25) The EndChapter 49 · Main God’s DomainChapter 50 · Anomaly Investigation Bureau (1)Chapter 51 · Anomaly Investigation Bureau (2)Chapter 52 · Item FactoryChapter 53 · Defrosted Friendship (1)Chapter 54 · Defrosted Friendship (2)Chapter 55 · Defrosted Friendship (3)Chapter 56 · Defrosted Friendship (4)Chapter 57 · Defrosted Friendship (5)Chapter 58 · Defrosted Friendship (6)Chapter 59 · Defrosted Friendship (7)Chapter 60 · Defrosted Friendship (8)Chapter 61 · Defrosted Friendship (9)Chapter 62 · Defrosted Friendship (10)Chapter 63 · Defrosted Friendship (11)Chapter 64 · Defrosted Friendship (12)Chapter 65 · Defrosted Friendship (13)Chapter 66 · Defrosted Friendship (14)Chapter 67 · Defrosted Friendship (15)Chapter 68 · Defrosted Friendship (16)Chapter 69 · Defrosted Friendship (End)Chapter 70 · The Real WorldChapter 71 · Matching TimeChapter 72 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (1)Chapter 73 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (2)Chapter 74 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (3)Chapter 75 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (4)Chapter 76 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (5)Chapter 77 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (6)Chapter 78 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (7)Chapter 79 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (8)Chapter 80 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (9)Chapter 81 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (10)Chapter 82 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (11)Chapter 83 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (12)Chapter 84 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (13)Chapter 85 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (14)Chapter 86 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (15)Chapter 87 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (16)Chapter 88 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (17)Chapter 89 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (18)Chapter 90 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (19)Chapter 91 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (20)Chapter 92 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (21)Chapter 93 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (22)Chapter 94 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (23)Chapter 95 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (Complete)Chapter 96 · The Main God Invites You for TeaChapter 97 · The Player ForumChapter 98 · Training GroundChapter 99 · Eternal Night – The Stone-Striker (1)Chapter 100 · Eternal Night – The Stone-Striker (2)Chapter 101 · Eternal Night – The Stone-Striker (3)Chapter 102 · Eternal Night · The One Who Strikes the Stone (Finale)