Chapter 274 I Picked Up Trash on the Battlefield of National Fortune 30
Something flashed through Zhou Jue's mind: they would go and buy something more expensive and more powerful.
A thought suddenly popped into her mind without warning.
In the system shop, there's the ultimate item, [Planet Barrier], priced at over 90 million points.
It remained quietly in the corner, like an unrealistic fantasy, an unattainable goal.
But what if someone actually accumulates enough points?
Zhou Jue stopped pushing the cleaning cart. She looked up abruptly at the empty venue, as if looking at a huge, closing trap.
This auction isn't about selling players high-end equipment.
Rather, it was to prevent it.
Stop anyone, any country, from accumulating enough points to buy that thing!
This guess sent a chill down her spine.
"Brother Tongzi!"
She cried out in her heart, "Come out! Help me verify something!"
"Host! I'm here! I just did the math for you. Besides the equipment that was sold at the auction, many other countries want to buy it. If you can sell one piece to each country, you'll be rich!" The system's voice was filled with the excitement of a money-grubber.
"Stop calculating, all the player points are almost used up, who has money left to buy?"
Zhou Jue's voice was calm: "Tell me, what would happen if a chosen planet successfully bought the 'planetary barrier'?"
The system's voice abruptly stopped. After a few seconds, it spoke again, the silly excitement in its tone gone, replaced by an unprecedented solemnity.
"Host, why would you ask that?"
"Answer me."
“…Alright.” The system sighed. “This matter is an open secret in our Pioneer System’s database.”
"Once the planet is located, there are two possible outcomes if you purchase a 'planet barrier'."
"The first method is to activate the barrier, which will envelop the entire planet and exclude the national destiny system. From then on, the coordinates of this planet will be permanently removed from the Star Network and will never be located again."
"What about the second one?" Zhou Jue pressed.
"The second method is to activate the barrier, which will directly sever all data links between the National Destiny System and the Star Network. The National Destiny System will be completely trapped here, unable to leave or reconnect to the main system."
"Regardless of the outcome, it is all for the national destiny system that has descended upon this planet."
Zhou Jue understood, she understood completely, no wonder the system planned such a flawless harvest.
This is not economic regulation at all; it's self-preservation.
The national fortune system is taking precautions, fearing that it might be "killed" by players using their points.
"Do the players... know about this?" Zhou Jue asked the most crucial question.
"I don't know." The system's answer was straightforward.
Zhou Jue's expression changed.
She looked up at the seats where Long Guo was located. The backs of Jiang Zhe and the others as they left seemed to still be in her mind, carrying the joy of victory, but also the exhaustion of having exhausted their resources.
They were sold out, and they're still helping to count the money.
...
The atmosphere in the Dragon Kingdom's exclusive rest hall reached its peak.
"Old Jiang! We did a great job this time!"
"That's right! With this 20% boost to everyone, our survival rate will be higher on the next battlefield!"
"Nine million points, totally worth it! Absolutely worth it!"
Jiang Zhe also had a long-lost smile on his face. Although the national treasury was emptied, the result was a leap in the combat power of all players in the Dragon Kingdom. No matter how you look at it, this deal was profitable.
He picked up a glass of water, about to say a few words to boost morale, when a figure silently appeared in the shadowy corner of the hall.
He wore a dark brown robe, and his face was covered by a hood.
"boss!"
Jiang Zhe, with his sharp eyes, was the first to spot Zhou Jue. His smile vanished, and he quickly strode over to him.
Lin Feng and Wolf Brother also quieted down, looking at the mysterious businessman with awe.
"What brings you here?" Jiang Zhe asked in a low, respectful voice.
Zhou Jue did not answer. His gaze, hidden under his hood, swept over the excited team members in the hall before finally settling on Jiang Zhe.
“You are very happy,” she said in a hoarse voice.
"Of course!" Jiang Zhe, oblivious to the underlying meaning, excitedly waved his hand: "Boss, we got the [All-Staff Boost Card]! This is incredible news!"
"Good news?" Zhou Jue repeated, his voice devoid of emotion.
"Your points are depleted."
"Bear Country's points have run out."
"That guy from the Bald Eagle paid 9.8 million; he probably even used up his core reserves."
"And those small alliances, they go bankrupt for a chance to go home, for a disaster relief card."
"Everyone has used up all their points, don't you think..."
Zhou Jue paused for a moment: "Isn't that too much of a coincidence?"
Jiang Zhe's smile slowly froze. He wasn't stupid; on the contrary, he was very perceptive.
He was completely immersed in the immense joy of winning the treasure and hadn't thought things through. But now, with Zhou Jue's prompting, his mind went blank.
Yes, what a coincidence! Is it really just that the auction happened to meet the needs of most people?
Each of the final items is like a tailor-made key, precisely unlocking the wallets of different groups of people and then emptying them of their contents.
This is no auction; it's clearly a precise and indiscriminate confiscation of wealth from all players.
“This…” Cold sweat beaded on Jiang Zhe’s forehead. He thought of a possibility, and his voice became dry: “The system… is it collecting points? To maintain economic balance?”
"Does maintaining balance require going to such extremes?" Zhou Jue asked rhetorically.
She held out her hand: "If you don't mind, open your system store for me to see."
Jiang Zhe was stunned for a moment. Although he was puzzled, he did not hesitate at all and immediately raised his bracelet, and a light screen was projected between the two of them.
That was the system store interface he knew all too well, with a dazzling array of goods, shimmering with different colored lights.
Zhou Jue's gaze jumped directly to the last page, which was grayed out and could not be clicked.
Jiang Zhe followed her gaze and spoke somewhat uncertainly.
"Boss, is this what you mean?"
He pointed to the gray page number.
“This page has been like this ever since I came in. I’ve asked other people, and everyone else has the same view.”
"We all thought that the level was not high enough, or that we needed to complete some special task to unlock the permissions."
"Aren't you curious about what's inside?" Zhou Jue asked.
"I was curious." Jiang Zhe smiled bitterly, "But on the battlefield, we struggle on the edge of life and death every day. Who has the mind to think about these ethereal things? Everyone assumes that it is a field that we cannot yet access."
Zhou Jue fell silent. The truth often lies hidden in these corners that everyone "accepts" and "gets used to".
The system used a simple lock and an astronomical figure that was visible to everyone but unattainable to them, to openly reveal its greatest secret to everyone.
It was certain that no one would take it seriously.
It was certain that, under the pressure of survival, no one would care what was hidden in that "unopenable" page.
"Old Jiang."
Zhou Jue lowered his voice even further: "Right now, immediately, contact everyone you can reach."
“Vasily of the Bear Kingdom, the representative of the Serbian Kingdom, and even… Scott of the Bald Eagle.”
Jiang Zhe's pupils contracted: "Why contact them?"
"Just one question."
Zhou Jue's gaze fell on that gray area.
"Is the last page of everyone's online store still locked?"
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