Chapter 54 Schemes
In the square of Fairy Tale Town, players gathered together, sharing their terrifying experiences from the previous night, creating a somber atmosphere.
Han Chunhua patted her chest, her face still pale, and described the previous night's experience to Elena and her followers with lingering fear: "...It was terrifying! That wolf's face suddenly appeared right in front of me! My flowers...my flowers were completely useless! They didn't even look at them!"
Her tone carried lingering fear and a hint of frustration at the fact that her superpowers were useless.
Elena gently comforted them, "Light will punish darkness. Your flowers represent vitality and beauty. It is their loss that they cannot appreciate them."
While the words were comforting, they did not address the core issue of Han Chunhua's lack of practical application of her supernatural abilities.
Just then, a lazy voice broke in:
"oh?"
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw that Wu Jueji had wandered over there at some point. He was leaning against a lamppost with his arms crossed and his eyelids drooping, as if he hadn't fully woken up yet.
His gaze fell on Han Chunhua, his eyes devoid of emotion, yet they made Han Chunhua inexplicably tense.
Wu Jueji yawned and continued casually, "It's no fun letting them watch the flowers at the door... Can you make them... bloom inside their bodies? That would be amazing."
After saying that, he ignored everyone's reaction and, as if he had said something perfectly ordinary, turned around and strolled toward the thatched hut where Gu Yunqing was.
"Flowers blooming inside the body?"
Han Chunhua was struck dumb, frozen in place, her big eyes wide open, filled with unprecedented shock and... a mind that had been forcibly opened.
She had always regarded her "flowering" ability as mere decoration; she had never imagined... never imagined that her ability could be used in this way.
Directly inside a ghost's body... to make the flower bloom?
The thought exploded in her mind like a thunderclap, instantly shattering the barriers that had long bound her thinking.
If... if she could control the growth and blooming of flowers within living organisms... what a terrifying attack power that would be!
Those seemingly delicate flower stems and petals grow wildly, burst, and pierce through things within the confined space...
Thinking of this, Han Chunhua couldn't help but shiver, but then an unprecedented surge of excitement and exhilaration welled up inside her.
She looked at Wu Jueji's receding, seemingly lazy and unrestrained figure, and her eyes changed completely.
Several lines of comments flashed in Han Chunhua's live stream:
"Holy crap, it's blooming inside my body?!"
"Uncle Wu's way of thinking... is so damn unique."
"But...it seems feasible."
"Chunhua's eyes changed; she understood."
"Killer flower, just thinking about it is thrilling."
Gu Yunqing took in the whole scene, and the corners of her mouth curved into an almost imperceptible smile.
If Han Chunhua's special ability is developed properly, its potential should not be underestimated.
He silently noted this down, thinking it might come in handy later.
At the same time, in order to cope with the enormous economic pressure, players began to seek ways to make money with higher returns.
On the quest board next to the town tavern, a striking new quest caught everyone's attention:
[The Arena's Provocation]: A powerful, undefeated champion, "Savage Stone," has arrived at the town's arena. Defeat him to win a huge prize of 3000 yuan. (Note: Life and death are irreversible in the arena; please act according to your abilities.)
3,000 yuan is a huge sum of money that can greatly relieve the pressure on any player.
But the risk was too high, so Elena only glanced at it and then stopped paying attention; she preferred to accumulate wealth steadily.
As Ji Changyu looked at the task, a fervent light suddenly appeared in his gambler-like eyes.
High risk, high reward – that's exactly his area of expertise!
Without the slightest hesitation, he stepped forward and accepted the task.
On his way to the arena, he took a deep breath and quietly began to activate his "probability modification" ability.
'My chances of defeating Man Shi... are probably only 10% at first... that's too low.' Ji Changyu thought to himself, his mental energy subtly adjusting certain 'lines' in the unseen realm.
'Increase to 20%...30%...' He felt his mental energy being depleted, beads of sweat forming on his forehead, but his eyes grew increasingly excited. '40%...50%...No, any higher would consume too much energy and might cause an uncontrollable rebound...60% it is!'
He forcibly raised his win rate from an extremely low level to a level that was barely over 50%, but without overexerting himself and causing him to become powerless later on—60%.
This is a number that gamblers have carefully calculated, teetering on the edge of risk and reward.
The arena was open-air, with a few NPC spectators sparsely seated on the simple stone stands.
In the center of the arena stood a burly man named "Barbarian Stone," as tall as an iron tower. His muscles were bulging, exuding a fierce aura, and there seemed to be traces of blood still wet at his feet.
Ji Changyu's appearance did not attract much attention; he did not look particularly strong.
As the bell tolled to signal the start of the battle, Man Shi let out a deafening roar, his massive body charging towards Ji Changyu like a cannonball with overwhelming force.
He had no fancy techniques, only pure power and speed. His fist went straight for Ji Changyu's face, and the force of the wind it generated was almost suffocating.
A gasp rippled through the stands, as if they could already foresee the horrific scene of Ji Changyu being blasted away by a single punch.
However, Ji Changyu made a move.
His movements were completely different from the fierce and powerful Man Shi; they were as light and swift as a ghost.
Faced with this powerful punch, he did not choose to retreat. Instead, at the last second, he slid his body slightly to the side at an incredible angle, cutting into the inside of Man Shi's thick arm like a fish.
"Sizzle!"
A flash of cold light appeared.
A short blade appeared in Ji Changyu's hand at some point, and its edge precisely sliced across the tendon where Man Shi's arm and torso connected.
Although the attack did not cause deep, bone-revealing damage due to Man Shi's high level of physical defense, it was enough to cause a momentary stagnation and numbness in the movement of Man Shi's arm.
"Roar!" Man Shi was in pain and even more enraged. His left fist swept out like a pendulum, sealing off the space to Ji Changyu's side.
Ji Changyu seemed to have anticipated this. He suddenly tapped the ground with his toes, leaning back almost parallel to the ground, narrowly avoiding the sweeping attack.
At the same time, his other hand shot out like lightning, not to attack, but to precisely grab Man Shi's left ankle, which was slightly raised due to his punch.
"Pour it out!"
Ji Changyu exhaled and shouted, unleashing his full strength in an instant. Combining this with a clever leverage principle, he suddenly lifted himself upwards.
Although Man Shi's lower body was stable, the precise attack on his support point while he was supporting himself on one leg, combined with the momentum of his forward lunge and punch, caused his massive body to lose balance and crash forward with a thud.
Dust flying everywhere!
The stands fell silent for a moment, then erupted into an even louder uproar.
No one expected that the first to fall would be Man Shi, who seemed to have an absolute advantage.
Ji Changyu didn't pause at all; he knew this was only temporary.
The moment Man Shi fell to the ground, he clung to him like a leech, his short blade flashing like a viper's tongue, aimed straight at the back of Man Shi's neck, a vital spot exposed as he fell.
Man Shi was also extremely experienced in combat. Sensing the fierce wind coming from behind, he forcefully twisted his massive body and used his thick arms to block backward.
"Clang!"
The short blade collided with some kind of metal armor on Manshi's arm, producing a piercing sound and sending sparks flying.
Ji Changyu missed his attack and retreated immediately, putting distance between himself and Man Shi once again.
His breathing was slightly rapid, and sweat was visible on his forehead, clearly indicating that the series of lightning-fast attacks and defenses had greatly exhausted his physical and mental strength.
Man Shi got up from the ground, the contempt in his eyes gone, replaced by solemnity and violence.
He touched a shallow bloodstain on the back of his neck, then looked at the cut on his arm, let out a low growl, and pounced again.
This time, his offensive was no longer as aggressive as before, but rather more cautious.
Ji Changyu's expression was calm, but his eyes were sharp as an eagle's.
He no longer approached easily, but instead circled the barbarian stone, his footwork unpredictable, sometimes charging forward as a feint, sometimes retreating rapidly, constantly shifting the barbarian stone's center of gravity, searching for the next opening.
He was like a master hunter, patiently maneuvering against a powerful prey.
Every movement and feint he made was purposeful, designed to wear down Man Shi's stamina, test his reaction, and wait for the opportunity to deliver a fatal blow.
Man Shi was getting increasingly annoyed by this slippery fighting style. Several of his heavy punches landed on empty air, and he even started to pant slightly because he had exerted too much force.
He finally lost his patience, seized an opportunity, and thought that Ji Changyu had nowhere to retreat. He suddenly lunged forward, punching hard with both fists, trying to lock Ji Changyu down completely.
Now!
This is the opportunity he's been waiting for.
Faced with the seemingly unavoidable attack from the barbarian stone, he did not retreat but instead charged towards it.
Just as the two were about to make contact, he suddenly ducked down, slipping under Man Shi's outstretched arms like an eel.
At the same time, the short blade in his hand seemed to come alive, drawing a cunning and ruthless arc and piercing Man Shi's neck with perfect precision.
"Pfft!"
This time, the short blade pierced right to the root!
"Ugh—!"
Man Shi let out a deafening scream, his forward lunge instantly freezing. Half of his body was paralyzed by the excruciating pain and nerve damage. His massive body crashed to the ground again, like a mountain collapsing and a jade pillar toppling.
This time, he struggled a few times, but couldn't get up again.
Ji Changyu stood beside the fallen Man Shi, slowly pulling out his short blade, blood dripping from the tip.
He was slightly out of breath, his forehead damp with sweat, but his eyes remained calm and sharp as he scanned the stunned audience in the stands.
He won.
Incredulous gasps and sporadic applause erupted from the stands.
Ji Changyu stood in the middle of the field, panting heavily. Although he was disheveled, with many abrasions and his physical and mental strength were greatly depleted, his face was full of the excitement and smugness of a gambler who had won a big bet.
He received a 3,000 yuan bonus!
People in Ji Changyu's live stream began to wonder:
"He won?! Didn't he modify his skills? How come he was originally this strong?"
"It looks like a close call; it was like dancing on a knife's edge."
"But the energy expenditure must be huge; look how pale he is."
Gu Yunqing was also in the crowd, quietly watching the entire battle.
He noticed that although Ji Changyu was excited after winning, his eyes were tired, and his steps were unsteady, making him look like he was about to collapse.
At this very moment, Ji Changyu couldn't resist showing off.
"Hehe... See that? This is what making money is all about!" Ji Changyu panted heavily, waving the money in his hand at the other players as if showing off.
Then he could no longer hold on and collapsed to the ground, panting heavily, clearly exhausted both mentally and physically.
Ji Changyu quickly exchanged for several bottles of psychiatric potions and drank them, which greatly improved his condition.
'Probability modification…' Gu Yunqing recognized the mental potion Ji Changyu had exchanged, analyzing it in her mind, 'Its effects are powerful, directly influencing the balance of victory. However, it consumes a huge amount of mental energy, unable to create victory out of thin air; it can only adjust the probability based on the existing probability, and there is a certain upper limit or risk of backlash.'
This is a powerful ability, but it requires precise control and involves taking risks.
Ji Changyu is bold and meticulous, but too flamboyant. He is worth observing, and perhaps he can be of use in certain situations.
Jun Xiangbei also witnessed the battle, but compared to Ji Changyu, he paid more attention to Gu Yunqing.
His gaze involuntarily turned to Gu Yunqing, only to find that the other party still maintained that calm and observant demeanor, as if everything was under control.
With Ji Changyu's victory, the town's wealth structure was instantly disrupted.
The massive influx of funds made Ji Changyu an instant "tycoon," but it also made him a target of public criticism.
Envy, jealousy, scrutiny... all kinds of gazes were focused on Ji Changyu. Although he had barely recovered thanks to the psychiatric medication.
But the weakness after overexertion was hard to completely conceal, which made him feel a sense of unease amidst his excitement—possessing a treasure is a crime.
Han Chunhua, on the other hand, went alone to the edge of the town and began to conduct a... dangerous supernatural experiment on some pitiful flowers and plants.
Wu Jueji's insightful comment and Ji Changyu's reckless gamble were like two pebbles thrown into a lake, creating ripples that led to the unknown in this seemingly fairytale-like but actually cruel town.
The real test comes not only from the ghosts at night and the economic pressure, but also from the gradually emerging differences in ability, changes in mentality, and... potential conflicts among the players.
Gu Yunqing stood in the shadows, like a skilled chess player, calmly observing the movement of each piece on the chessboard.
The best is yet to come.
Jun Xiangbei took in all of this.
Relying on his strong abilities and accurate judgment, he took on several high-risk but equally rewarding missions.
For example, clearing out the swarm of crystal scorpions that infest the abandoned mine (reward: 1200 yuan), and repairing the core magic array of the town's water tower (reward: 1100 yuan).
His accumulation of funds was not slow; in fact, it could be said that it far exceeded that of most players.
But the daily fine of 1,000 yuan is like a merciless hourglass, constantly reminding him of the urgency of time.
The goal of earning 17,000 yuan in 7 days means that he needs to earn more than 2,400 yuan per day on average.
This almost required him to complete one or even two challenging tasks every day, without any time to catch his breath.
The immense pressure was like an invisible shackle, and even someone as calm as him showed a hint of seriousness between his brows.
He was used to being in control of the situation and achieving his goals through precise calculations and absolute strength, but the rules of this instance made him feel the suffocating feeling of being strangled by economics for the first time.
In stark contrast, Gu Yunqing chose the "affordable" housing option.
That man always seemed to have a nonchalant and indifferent demeanor.
He didn't risk his life in the arena, nor did he take on as many difficult missions as I do.
Most of the time, he simply took on seemingly ordinary tasks with the颓废 (颓废 is a difficult word to translate directly, but it implies a state of being decadent, dispirited, or颓废) uncle Wu Jueji and Wang Hu, but they always managed to gain unexpected rewards.
What bothered Jun Xiangbei even more was that Gu Yunqing didn't seem too worried about the nighttime attack.
That witch Jueji actually managed to hold onto that dilapidated thatched hut.
This allowed Gu Yunqing to focus more on accumulating resources and collecting information during the day, creating a virtuous cycle.
"A seemingly safe choice may not come at the lowest cost. And risk often goes hand in hand with opportunity."
Gu Yunqing's words echoed in Jun Xiangbei's mind once again.
He didn't fully understand at the time, but now, looking at Gu Yunqing's calm and composed demeanor, and comparing it with his own situation where his funds were growing rapidly but he was being dragged down by fines, as well as the potential crisis after Ji Changyu's successful gamble, he suddenly had a moment of clarity.
Is the house truly safe? Yes, it protects against the dangers of the night. But the price of this "safety" is a hefty fine of 1,000 yuan per day, economic pressure that forces him to constantly push his limits, and a hectic pace with almost no room for error.
Gu Yunqing's choice of the "affordable" room, while seemingly fragile and requiring her to face the risks of the night, offers a stable daily income of 2,000 yuan, greatly reducing her daytime financial burden.
This allows him to make plans at his own pace, and even... has the ability to explore things with greater long-term value, but with less obvious short-term returns.
Risk and opportunity... are not only reflected in the choice of tasks, but also in the initial strategic choices.
Am I... relying too much on traditional "safety" thinking, thus falling into the trap of rules?
Once this thought arises, it creeps up on you like a vine.
Jun Xiangbei tried hard to convince himself and made up an excuse to go see Gu Yunqing.
Finally, after completing another task to clear out the raging wild boars on the outskirts of the town (reward of 900 yuan), Jun Xiangbei looked at his personal panel and saw that although the funds had increased, they were still some distance from the target. He also saw the system notification that he had been fined another 1,000 yuan. He made a decision.
He needs to talk to Gu Yunqing.
The setting sun bathed the town in a warm golden hue, and the players, having finished their day's travels, returned to their lodgings, some weary, some excited, and some worried.
Instead of returning to the stone house, Jun headed straight for the dilapidated thatched hut on the edge of the town.
The thatched hut was even more dilapidated than the first day; the door was crooked, and the walls had many more claw marks and dents from impacts, but it still stood there stubbornly.
Outside in the open space, Wang Hu was sweating profusely as he tried to reinforce the thatched hut with planks and straw, while Wu Jueji remained leaning against a relatively intact wall, his eyelids drooping, as if everything before him was irrelevant.
Gu Yunqing sat on a tree stump outside the house, holding a piece of parchment that seemed to be a map of the town. She was studying it with her head down, her fingers occasionally tracing light lines across it.
Hearing footsteps, Gu Yunqing looked up and saw Jun Xiangbei walking towards her. She did not show any surprise on her face, but only gave a gentle and slightly distant smile.
"Mr. Jun, is there something you need?" He put down the map, his tone calm.
Jun Xiangbei stopped in front of him.
Gu Yunqing appears clean and harmless, which is out of place with the dilapidated environment around her. She also overlaps with and is separate from the image of the "female disciple" who depended on him in Jun Xiangbei's memory of the illusion, bringing a strange sense of disconnect.
"Hmm." Jun Xiangbei responded. He wasn't very good at this kind of conversation that sounded like he was asking for advice, and for a moment he didn't know how to start.
A very subtle hint of embarrassment flashed across her cool face, but it was quickly masked by her usual calm.
His gaze swept over Wang Hu, who was working hard to repair the house, then fell on Wu Jueji, who seemed to be falling asleep at any moment, and finally returned to Gu Yunqing's face.
"Judging from your words... you seem to have a good grasp of the rhythm of the dungeon." Jun Xiangbei carefully chose his words, trying not to sound too eager.
What are your thoughts on how to balance risk and return?
A knowing smile flashed in Gu Yunqing's eyes, so quick it was almost imperceptible.
He didn't answer immediately, but instead gestured to another tree stump next to him: "Mr. Jun, why don't you sit down and we talk?"
Jun Xiangbei paused, surprised that there was an unexpected surprise?
He sat down as instructed, his posture still upright, contrasting with Gu Yunqing's slightly casual sitting posture.
Gu Yunqing then spoke slowly, her gaze returning to the map in her hand, as if talking to herself, or perhaps offering guidance:
"The rules of this town are quite interesting. It creates a seemingly clear choice between 'fines' and 'safety'."
"But often, the 'benefits' that the rules explicitly tell you about often hide a greater cost. And the 'risks' that the rules warn you about may also conceal real opportunities."
He raised his eyes to look at Jun Xiangbei, his clear eyes carrying a calm that seemed to see into people's hearts: "Just like this house selection. 'Sturdiness' brings peace at night, but the price is that during the day you must be like a taut string, allowing no room for error."
"The economy has weathered the storms of the night, but in return it has gained the tranquility of the day, and... perhaps the opportunity to discover more 'scenery'."
“Sometimes, stepping outside the ‘safe zone’ defined by the rules and looking at those places marked as ‘dangerous’ might yield unexpected results,” Gu Yunqing added, lightly tapping a “dangerous” area on the map with her fingertip.
Jun looked north, following his fingertip. It was an area north of the town, marked on the map as "The Cursed Manor," with a scarlet skull symbol next to it.
The system task list contains almost no tasks related to this area; it's like a forgotten, forbidden land.
"Where to?" Jun Xiangbei frowned slightly.
That place seemed more dangerous than the Darkwoods, and there was no clear indication of reward.
But looking at Gu Yunqing's confident demeanor, and recalling his earlier accurate selection of the Moonlight Fir mission, as well as Wu Jueji's ability to handle unknown risks... a thought began to grow in his mind.
Has Gu Yunqing... already discovered something?
People in Jun Xiangbei's live stream chat were discussing it:
"The Divine Lord actually took the initiative to seek advice from Gu Yunqing!"
"Iceberg has finally figured things out and knows how to find topics to chat about with her crush."
"What if the Lord God simply wants to understand these things?"
"Gu Yunqing's words are very insightful; they have revealed the essence of the story."
"Danger can be an opportunity... He's referring to that cursed manor?"
Just then, Wu Jueji, who had been leaning against the wall as if asleep, suddenly and without warning lifted his eyelids. His lazy eyes swept over Jun Xiangbei, and in a hoarse voice, he said in a tone that was both mocking and casual:
"Kid, you're only thinking about how to make money to fill the hole, haven't you thought about... just killing the guy who collects the fines? That would solve everything."
These words were like a thunderbolt, leaving everyone present stunned.
Wang Hu dropped the hammer in his hand with a clatter, staring wide-eyed at Wu Jueji as if he had heard something outrageous.
Gu Yunqing raised an eyebrow, looked at Jun Xiangbei, a hint of calculation flashing in her eyes, which then turned into deep thought.
Jun suddenly turned his head to look at Wu Jueji.
Kill...the guy who collected the fines?
This line of thinking is too simplistic and crude, too unconventional, and completely violates the rules and logic he has always followed.
But...why not?
The rules only mentioned fines, tasks, and ghosts... but never that you can't lay a hand on those who enforce the rules.
Who's collecting the fines? Is it the system? Or a specific NPC in the town?
If it's the latter...
Jun Xiangbei's heart skipped a beat.
Seeing his sudden change in expression, Wu Jueji chuckled, closed his eyes again, and resumed his listless and indifferent demeanor, as if he hadn't uttered those earth-shattering words just now.
Gu Yunqing looked at Jun Xiangbei's profile as he fell into deep thought, and the corners of her mouth curved up slightly.
Wu Jueji's seemingly reckless suggestion actually tore away another layer of the rules.
This not only provides Jun Xiangbei with a new way to break the deadlock, but also further deepens his impression of Gu Yunqing's "organization" as "unconventional and daring to challenge the rules."
After a long while, Jun Xiangbei slowly exhaled, and the shock and confusion in his eyes were gradually replaced by a sharp light.
He stood up and nodded slightly to Gu Yunqing: "Thank you."
Afterwards, Jun Xiangbei kept Gu Yunqing chatting for a long time until the sun had completely set before he turned and left.
Gu Yunqing watched his figure disappear into the twilight, gently stroking the sheepskin map in her hand.
The chess pieces are moving as he expected.
Next, let's see just how strong Jun Xiangbei, the protagonist of the original novel, really is. Does he dare to compete with the Pure White Game's system?
Regardless of Jun Xiangbei's choice, for Gu Yunqing, this game will only become more interesting.
Night fell again, and danger crept closer.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
