Chapter 51 Mission

At this moment, a system notification sounded in every player's mind, revealing the core rules of this instance:

Welcome to 'Fairytale Town'.

[You are all newly arrived residents of this town.]

Main Quest: Earn 10,000 coins within 7 days.

[Special Note: This town places great emphasis on community aesthetics and environmental harmony.]

Houses categorized as 'sturdy' or 'economical' will be subject to a daily environmental maintenance fine of $1,000 if their appearance does not meet the town's aesthetic standards.

[Affordable housing can generate an additional 2,000 yuan in income per day.]

[Warning: Uninvited guests will visit the town at night, showing particular interest in residents living in less-than-ideal houses. Residents who choose sturdy houses will be spared.]

Funds can be obtained by completing tasks posted by townspeople.

Wishing all townspeople a happy life and abundant wealth.

The moment the notification sound ended, players who made different choices reacted in different ways.

Inside the dilapidated thatched hut where Gu Yunqing was, apart from him and Wu Jueji, who was still lazily leaning against the wall, Ji Changyu and the ordinary player's faces instantly turned pale.

"A daily fine of 1000? And you get attacked by monsters?!"

"This 'affordable' room is a trap!" The ordinary player almost cried, regretting it to the core.

Ji Changyu had a good attitude and even comforted the ordinary player: "Each room has its own characteristics, and everyone starts from the same point."

When Gu Yunqing heard that the "economic" room could generate 2,000 yuan in daily income, a very faint smile appeared on the corner of her mouth.

The "economy" shifted the cost to "defense," thereby providing stable financial returns.

You can consistently earn 2000 per day. After deducting the daily penalty of 1000, you only need to earn 3000 in 7 days.

For those who are capable enough to handle the dangers of the night, this is actually the best option.

Wu Jueji lifted his eyelids, lazily glanced at the panicked ordinary player, then looked at the composed Gu Yunqing, and muttered vaguely, "What's all the noise about... the sky hasn't fallen."

After saying that, he closed his eyes again, as if everything around him was irrelevant.

His calm demeanor subtly calmed the panicked person down a little; at least this seemingly unassuming "uncle" didn't appear worried.

At the same time, players who chose the "Sturdy" stone house also received a notification that a fine of 1,000 yuan would be deducted.

Jun Xiangbei stood calmly inside the solid but aesthetically unappealing stone house.

He quickly did the mental calculation: the daily fine is 1,000, so the fine for 7 days is 7,000. They also need to earn 10,000, which means they need to earn 17,000 yuan through tasks within 7 days.

This is a lot of pressure.

He subconsciously used the temporary team communication system established after entering the instance to check on the situation of his other teammates.

The silent monk beside him still wore that blank expression, seemingly unconcerned about the fine.

When he "looked" at the point of light representing Gu Yunqing, he found that the other person's breathing was steady and there was no panic.

Jun Xiangbei's gaze flickered slightly.

Gu Yunqing chose the "Economy" room, bearing the risk of being attacked at night, but with the lowest economic goal... He immediately understood the key to it.

Gu Yunqing must have something to rely on, whether it's his own strength or the seemingly unfathomable Wu Jueji.

Inside the ornately decorated, palace-like room, Elena wore a knowing smile on her serene face.

She gently reassured the two slightly uneasy believers beside her and Han Chunhua, who had followed her, "There is no need to worry, no need to pay a fine. This is the right choice that the light has guided us to make."

"God blesses the devout; we only need to focus on accumulating donations."

Her words carried a strange, calming power, quickly pacifying her followers and making them look at her with even greater devotion.

Han Chunhua patted her chest and breathed a sigh of relief: "Luckily, we chose a beautiful house."

However, a subtle hint of seriousness flashed deep within Elena's emerald eyes.

While avoiding fines is certainly convenient, it also means there are no additional benefits.

The goal of 10,000 yuan requires them to actually complete tasks to earn it.

Moreover, under immense economic pressure, players in the solidified group will inevitably fight even harder for mission resources... the competition will likely be more intense than expected.

In Gu Yunqing's live stream, players learned about the dungeon rules and began discussing and sharing their opinions:

"Affordable housing is where the real money comes in later; you can make a net profit of 1,000 every day, you can win without even doing anything."

"The premise is that you can withstand the monster's attack, so it's better to choose a sturdy house. I just don't know how dangerous the daytime mission is."

"Gu Yunqing is definitely confident, look at his calm demeanor."

"The pressure on Jun Shen is immense; he needs to earn a lot of money every day."

"The saintess's choice of beauty is the safest bet; she won't be fined or have to earn that much money."

"The mission might be more dangerous at night, while the mission during the day might be much easier."

Ignoring the anxiety of the other two people in the room, Gu Yunqing quickly flipped through the [Outpost Management Manual].

In addition to the basic rules, the manual also includes a simple map of the town, marking key locations such as the mayor's house, the quest bulletin board, and the general store, as well as some tips about the town's residents' preferences and potential quests.

“Complaining won’t solve anything.” Gu Yunqing closed the booklet, her voice calm yet carrying an undeniable composure.

"Since you've chosen this place, you should find a way to survive, and to live better."

His gaze swept over Ji Changyu and the ordinary player. He had just introduced himself as Wang Hu:

"The most urgent task is to obtain more information and resources. I'll check the mission bulletin board. Mr. Ji, Mr. Wang, are you planning to work together, or explore on your own?"

Ji Changyu was very confident in himself: "I'll go take a look around myself, it's only 3,000, it's easy."

He's a gambler, and no one has more experience making money than him.

Wang Hu hesitated for a moment, looking at Gu Yunqing's calm expression and Wu Jueji in the corner, who, although dejected, inexplicably gave people a sense of security, and whispered, "I... I'll go with you, Mr. Gu."

He knew Gu Yunqing, and he knew that it would be more dangerous for him to act on his own than to follow Gu Yunqing.

Gu Yunqing nodded: "Okay, Mr. Wu."

As he spoke, he glanced at Wu Jueji standing in the corner and asked, "Would you mind watching the house?"

Wu Jueji didn't even open his eyes, just gave a casual "hmm" as a sign of agreement.

Gu Yunqing didn't mind. She gestured to Wang Hu, then pushed open the creaking, broken wooden door and went out.

Sunlight fell on her, and Gu Yunqing squinted as she looked around at this so-called "fairytale town".

The streets were clean, lined with uniformly styled and quite beautiful residential buildings. Some NPC townspeople walked around the streets with stereotypical smiles on their faces.

Their dilapidated thatched hut on the edge of town seemed out of place, attracting the attention of many NPCs.

He walked straight toward the task announcement board marked on the map.

Wang Hu followed nervously behind him, glancing around every now and then.

A number of players had already gathered in front of the bulletin board.

Elena's team and Han Chunhua, who had chosen the "Aesthetically Pleasing" room, were also there, carefully examining the task list posted on it.

Jun Xiangbei and the monk Wuyan, who had chosen the [Sturdy] room, also arrived. Jun Xiangbei was quickly browsing the missions, while Wuyan stood quietly behind him.

There are many types of tasks, such as helping farmers harvest crops (reward 300 yuan), helping blacksmiths find rare ores (reward 500 yuan), cleaning sewers (reward 250 yuan, note: unpleasant smell), helping widows find lost cats (reward 150 yuan)... The reward amounts are generally not high, mostly between 100 and 500 yuan.

Elena saw Gu Yunqing, nodded slightly to him, and glanced at the dilapidated thatched hut behind him, her gaze carrying a hint of pity and a strange sense of superiority.

"Mr. Gu, it seems your choice has put you in a difficult situation. May the light guide you to a way out."

Gu Yunqing responded with a gentle smile: "No need for the Holy Maiden to trouble herself, everyone has their own destiny."

He turned his gaze to the bulletin board, quickly filtering out valuable information.

Jun Xiangbei's gaze briefly met Gu Yunqing's. He saw the calm and composure in her eyes, and his curiosity deepened.

Gu Yunqing... what exactly makes him so calm?

Just then, an NPC dressed like a respectable butler rushed over, posted a new quest notice on the bulletin board, and said in a loud voice:

"The town mayor's office is urgently hiring to prepare for tonight's New Year's Eve banquet. We need a large number of people to help with tasks such as moving ingredients, setting up the venue, and kitchen work. Excellent pay, paid daily. Limited spots available, first come, first served."

The task reward clearly states: a basic daily wage of 400 yuan, with additional bonuses for outstanding performance.

This reward is quite generous compared to other missions, and it looks like a large-scale mission that can accommodate many people.

Instantly, all the players' eyes lit up.

Elena immediately gestured for a believer to step forward and register. Han Chunhua also jumped up and raised her hand: "Me, me, me! I know flower arranging, I can decorate the venue."

Other players also rushed forward, vying for a spot.

Gu Yunqing didn't move. Instead of competing with the others for the seemingly lucrative task, he turned his attention to an inconspicuous task in the corner of the notice board:

[Purchasing Special Timber]: The general store owner needs a type of wood called "Moonlight Cedar" to make amulets for exorcising evil spirits. The purchase price is 200 yuan per unit. (Note: Moonlight Cedar only grows in the dark woodlands west of the town; harvesting it carries some risk.)

Risks... Exorcising ornaments...

A glint flashed in Gu Yunqing's eyes. He tugged at Wang Hu and whispered, "Let's go to the general store."

Although Wang Hu was puzzled, seeing Gu Yunqing's determined expression, he still followed her.

Jun Xiangbei took in Gu Yunqing's actions, but he also did not try to compete for the town mayor's office's mission.

His gaze lingered on the "Moonlight Cedar" mission for a moment, then he looked at Gu Yunqing's departing figure, as if he had gained some insight.

He seemed to be... a step too slow.