Chapter 15 Let's Set Sail, ███! [Your shop is now logged in...]
Xue Chao retreated to his real escape route—the watch of the tattooed man on Pu Fengchun's wrist—and very cooperatively pretended to have a malfunction, striving to achieve Zhu Wen's expected effect and generate another wave of buzz.
Although Pu Fengchun was the one he chose for the treasure tablet, and the stakes were higher than for other players, he wouldn't put all his eggs in one basket.
Among the players, those who are teammates or veteran players who are in groups will inevitably share information and cannot be selected. Inexperienced newcomers are not of much help either, and those like Wang Song who are holding back their anger and ready to make a big fuss at any time are also unacceptable.
Ordinary players like Pu Fengchun, who have no roots or faction, and tattooed men who are clearly taboo as cultists are the best candidates.
The former is low-key enough to be a visible target, making others think twice before acting. The latter is actively rejected by others, making him a natural blind spot, which is suitable for him to do his "secret" work.
Pu Fengchun watched as the watch went out, then the screen flashed wildly before going completely dark before she could ask anything. No matter how she called out to it, there was no response.
"..." She was stunned for a moment, then quickly realized that this was the so-called "code". Perhaps because they had spent some time together, she suddenly pursed her lips and became "panicked". She spun around in place like a headless fly, but failed to wake up the disappeared artificial intelligence, which amused the comments section.
Comments section:
"Congratulations to the little jellyfish for winning! Fireworks! No suspense at all!"
"Who said the little jellyfish got tricked? Come out and kowtow! I feel so good!"
"Look at how scared she is, hahaha, her backer is gone, she's dumbfounded now."
"They're both cowards, two noobs."
With top ten players on the leaderboard, and having just taken down a troublesome "minor villain" NPC, only to have Zhu Wen reveal that the NPC was actually the host who had been hiding in the shadows, the multi-level plot twists created an explosive show effect, attracting more viewers to the game room.
The room suddenly leaps from one end to the other, landing at the very end of the recommended page, unlocking the achievement for "Hot Drop Tower".
Popularity: 30
[The room's viewership rating has reached 30 points. Congratulations on unlocking the 'Shop' feature!]
[Congratulations on your room entering the top 100 of the real-time recommendation list!]
Within the gray shop icon, the triangular roof resembling the All-Seeing Eye blinked, the swirling patterns completed a rotation, and the shop icon brightened from the pupil outwards, transforming into a reddish-brown-gold color scheme.
[The store has been added to your copy, please find it as soon as possible!]
Xue Chao looked at the lit-up store icon and smiled. Zhu Wen had indeed not disappointed him.
This was the third time he had used Zhu Wen's words. He gave a perfunctory thank you in his heart. He was tired of their fake politeness and hoped the store wouldn't disappoint him.
Why does something feel off about Pu Fengchun?
"【Pu Fengchun】I feel like something's been revealed... Did the watch on the memorial tablet get changed?"
"[Zhu Wen] You guys are so stubborn, hahaha."
After Zhu Wen unlocked the camera, many viewers rushed to see him. At that time, half of them were busy opening half of the champagne and the other half were busy mocking his mishap. Few people noticed the watch-changing incident. Now that the host's explosive moment has been exposed, even fewer people are making the connection.
However, a few people still noticed something amiss and, in the comments section where those who had been watching the spectacle failed turned around and criticized Pu Fengchun and the host for their incompetence, insisted that they had a backup plan.
The comments had no effect on the players. After Pu Fengchun obtained the badge using the news of his disappearance, he began the most important task at hand—finding the shop.
The early game relies heavily on shops, so the earlier you find them, the better. Who knows if there are any crazy players who intentionally buy up all the necessities?
Shops are quite mysterious; forums often complain that shops seem to have legs and run away, and vehemently criticize posts that say "finding a shop depends on fate" as being disposable.
Based on her experience, shops often prefer to be located in places that are both far away and close at hand; seemingly hidden in nooks and crannies, not easily noticed, but in places you can easily imagine if you try hard enough.
Moreover, despite appearing out of nowhere, it blends perfectly into the style of each instance, as if it can not only wander around but also dress up and disguise itself.
If the shop is in Zuogang, the transparent floor-to-ceiling windows erase the possibility of it being on the border. It's either a duty-free shop in a remote location, or it's a risky, water-covered copy. If the map can be extended to "underground," then it might be underwater.
But Zuogang was a decoy, while Yougang, with its strange European classical style... Without surveillance, Pu Fengchun hadn't even seen a map and didn't know its structure or layout. This place was much more luxurious and grand than Zuogang, and also more "ancient." She needed to carefully familiarize herself with it.
After inquiring with the guards using his badge privileges, Pu Fengchun learned that the second floor was a special area for VIPs to rest and have fun. It was not easily opened to the public and was guarded. Outsiders were not allowed to enter without permission. However, just by passing by, Pu Songying could hear waltz music and laughter from opening champagne inside, indicating that there were quite a few distinguished guests.
Although we don't know what kind of monsters or ghosts are inside, the second floor of a bar or small market does resemble the location where shops would be located. Shops always have a strange, "secluded" or "quiet amidst the hustle and bustle" atmosphere.
But if it's really crowded and the shops seem to mind the noise, they would never appear in such a place.
Moreover... this place is clearly an NPC gathering place, a wholesale market for side quests, and a huge source of information. Players will definitely rack their brains to squeeze in. Before she even finds a shop, she might run into that deadly "competitor"... specifically referring to that deadly child.
So she first checked out the women's hat shop on the first floor, but returned disappointed, so she went to the second floor instead.
At that moment, the watch vibrated slightly again. She raised her hand; the smartwatch was now just a "watch." On the electronic screen, the second hand slowly moved across the dial, and it was now 12:23.
Wait a minute. Previously, the time was displayed digitally, but now it's on a dial that simulates a real clock!
This is a prompt from artificial intelligence.
Pu Fengchun returned to the lobby on the first floor, where there was also a huge clock, but it was not shaped like ocean waves. Instead, it was a bronze clock with gold-rimmed Roman numerals, with gold hands inlaid with rubies turning. However, the clock face was made of openwork glass, allowing a clear view of the sea.
It's not a clock; the hint is the sea.
Pu Fengchun jogged out of the side door of the terminal building, close to the base of the building, braving the rain that was getting heavier. A quiet and empty giant ship was parked in the berth. There were no lights or people. The gap was not small, but she had a suffocating feeling of squeezing through the gap between the terminal building and the giant ship.
She walked around half of the building to the back of the clock. Beneath the clock, a small shop embedded in the wall was lit with a dim yellow light, illuminating a corner of the rock. But the light disappeared right at the edge near the sea, so from inside the building, all you could see was the churning sea in the darkness.
The rustic brown plaque reads "Acheron".
This is the place.
Congratulations on finding the game store!
Pu Fengchun pushed open the door, and as soon as the cuckoo clock above the door turned on, a small, gray-blue wooden bird popped out and called out in a childlike voice, "Welcome! Welcome!"
Xue Chao glanced at it and saw that, in terms of both appearance and voice, the cuckoo was exactly the same as the useless snack who claimed to be his assistant. Now, it had transformed into the shop owner.
Is this the true form of the silly bird, or is the silly bird merely a "figure" in the game?
The carpet is a common yellowish-brown color, but instead of the usual intricate patterns, it features a design composed of equally sized all-seeing eyes inlaid on each other. The wallpaper on all four walls also has the same pattern, which lacks the ornate European classical style and instead has a more eerie, religious feel.
Being watched by so many "eyes" will subconsciously make people tense up, as if a layer of skin has been peeled off for no reason, and they have to be examined nakedly and devoutly.
The shop was small, with a structure similar to a pawnshop. A wall blocked the way in the middle, the upper half of which was transparent glass. Pu Fengchun stood on this side of the wall and could clearly see the tiered walnut wood shelves on the other side. Each shelf displayed several items, supported by red velvet. In front of each item stood a three-dimensional triangular wooden sign indicating its name and price.
The numbers representing the price were followed not by symbols for US dollars or RMB, but by stacked equilateral triangles of coins, presumably game currency. Xue Chao noted down the pattern.
The shop's decor resembled a specialty handicraft store with cultural characteristics, but the goods were a mixed bag. There were some products for sailors, such as lighters, retractable knives, and moisture-proof mats, but there were also many other random items, such as a bamboo raft called "Whitewater Ride," "underwater breathing fluid," and a "Popeye" children's air hammer.
Her gaze swept over the cheap goods in the last row, and became even more chaotic: Taser guns, oil paints used by Van Gogh, fine wine from 1982, beautiful purple and white conch shells... Finally, it stopped on a pack of cigarettes. She didn't know much about cigarettes, but judging from the fancy packaging, they were not cheap, and the name was also very luxurious, so luxurious that it was like holding a funeral for the century, called "Flowering Crane's Crest Red".
She hesitated, wondering if it was smoke or poison.
"Hello, has anyone bought cigarettes here before?"
The wooden bird chimed in again: "No! No!"
No? Didn't that person buy it here?
"Is this the only type of cigarette?"
One is enough! One is enough!
“Then…” The watch vibrated again, and the digital clock flashed two numbers, “1” and “3”. Pu Fengchun glanced at the third item on the first row of the shelf, a broken signal transmitter, tattered and worn, which was actually the cheapest of all the items.
Moreover, it's incredibly cheap. Apart from the launcher, the cheapest item, "Flower of the Crane's Crest," costs 19 coins. The ratio of game currency to contribution points is 10:1. The launcher only costs 13 coins, which is equivalent to 1.3 contribution points. How useless is that?
She hesitated and pointed over: "Um, can I take a look?"
"Wow, you have excellent taste, customer! This is our best product! Buy it, and even if your 'signal' is at the ends of the earth, it will be instantly transmitted back to you, easily crossing oceans, allowing you to enjoy the beautiful sea views without leaving home!"
She opened her mouth, but ultimately didn't ask the question, "Do I look like an idiot?"
Because the real scapegoat is someone else.
The vibration returned, the subtext clear. She could almost picture it: if J were to appear now, a polite line of text would appear on her watch face: Thank you, ma'am.
“…” Pu Fengchun smiled and said, “I want this one.”
She comforted herself, thinking, "It's alright, J might want something else, but I might not be able to afford it."
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