Matryoshka Off-Limits Chapter 27 Part 2

Chapter 27.2 Virtual World

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As long as they knew the player numbers, they could use items from the in-game store to send one-sided messages in the virtual world. However, whether the recipient reads them or not depends on them.

Wen Shi opened the messages. They were all basically the same, using persuasive language. They claimed that if he was willing to hand over the instance clues, they would ensure his safety, provide protection for his future instances, and even offered thousands of points and beginner-friendly items as additional incentives. All the promises were genuine and valid, signed through contract items.

After reading them, Wen Shi found it laughable.

Such light promises were like dismissing a beggar.

He had waited until now to see how much these people valued the information in his hands, and now it was clear: at any cost.

Boss Zhang had already arrived in front of Wen Shi, his large hands reaching for Wen Shi’s neck.

Wen Shi looked calmly at him, and his lips moved, “Three, two… one.”

Just as Boss Zhang was about to roughly grab his hair and drag him to the edge of the water pool, the final countdown ended, and his communicator rang.

The person on the other end said only one word, “Stop.”

Not just him, but also the hotel security watching the situation, the underground guilds exchanging fire in the corridor, and the people outside keeping watch. All received the same message at the same time.

Boss Zhang was stunned. “I don’t understand. If we withdraw now, won’t all our previous efforts be in vain?”

“The reinforcements you called for have already withdrawn, and the Second Commandment Guild has redeployed defenses around the hotel. If you don’t leave now, you won’t be able to leave at all.”

Boss Zhang gritted his teeth, no longer hesitating, and called his underlings, “Let’s go!”

On the other side, the puppet seemed to have received some secret instructions and quickly disappeared as well.

During their retreat, Boss Zhang was about to contact his acquaintances to inquire about what had happened when he suddenly noticed an unread private message. After reading it, his face changed.

The in-game store had a dedicated trading platform for players. Any transaction conducted within it must have a minimum value of one thousand points, with the system taking a ten percent cut. This feature was rarely used. People preferred to do offline trading in the trade district for buying and selling anything.

However, there were some benefits too. If a player conducted more than a hundred transactions or if a single transaction exceeded a total value of ten thousand points, the game would reward them with a 2% discount card and a random small item.

Overall, it was a somewhat useless feature.

The higher the price of the sold items, the more valuable they became on the market. Players might not be willing to auction them, as the money from the commission could buy a decent item.

But today, someone used it.

One minute ago, Wen Shi had posted a trade offer in auction format. The starting price was one thousand points, and the auction would begin at midnight. As for the item for auction, it was a team slot.

Clicking on it would reveal more detailed information:

【Item: Team Slot *1

I promise to team up with the final winner for the next instance.

Note: Please provide your own two-person team item.】

Boss Zhang’s immediate reaction was, “This is madness.”

“Madness,” almost at the same time, he heard his accomplice hiss the same word. The other person had also seen the latest trade listing.

Using the in-game store’s trading platform, the game would broadcast the news to all players once for free. Except for those currently in instances, the entire virtual world now knew about Wen Shi’s upcoming auction. After the initial shock, they immediately understood the underlying intention.

In any case, no matter how he played innocent, he would offend people, and once he entered the instance, he would attract significant attention. In that case, he might as well profit from it.

Wen Shi might as well have said outright: “I’m giving you all a chance to harm me, torment me, and extract information from me, but this chance comes at a cost.”

“Fearless, arrogant, and mad… but very clever.”

Even Boss Zhang couldn’t help but objectively comment on these maneuvers.

Before entering the instance, the final winner wouldn’t outright worship the newbie as their ancestor, but they would at least ensure his personal safety.

As for whether someone would buy it, the answer was undoubtedly yes.

For major guilds, no one could resist the temptation of super-rare instances. Previously, there were players who triggered new instances, but the highest difficulty they reached was B-grade. As the first person to directly trigger a 3S instance, one would possess a significant amount of useful information and potentially unique advantages.

With the current chaos, no one could guarantee extracting the information they needed. After all, a player who survived in a dire situation was likely to withstand any torture in a few days. They themselves were engaged in a battle of attrition. No matter how strong their willpower was, enduring the abuse each time they came out of the instance was challenging.

Now with this turning point, everyone preferred to wait until the auction in the evening was over.

Boss Zhang cursed, “This newbie is definitely even worse than us.”

The essence of the game was like a skillful capitalist, excelling in exploitation and plundering, while the newbie had engaged in a risk-free transaction. In this auction, he hadn’t invested anything, only gained.

•

Ten minutes before midnight.

Wen Shi came out of his room, ordered the best red wine and steak, and sat in the restaurant on the first floor to enjoy.

The lighting was just right. At this time, no one came down to eat, making the entire hall spacious and bright. The ambiance was very pleasant.

Halfway through his meal, a bespectacled man appeared across from him. “Would you like me to join you?” 

“The hotel is yours. Feel free.” 

Both of them tacitly avoided discussing the turmoil at the hotel during the day.

When they met in the morning, the bespectacled man had only given Wen Shi his communicator and contact information, but now he voluntarily introduced himself, “My surname is Ji, Ji Yuanzhi.”

In a reciprocating manner, Wen Shi wiped the corner of his mouth and reached out to give a virtual handshake. “Pei Wenwei.”

Ji Yuanzhi: “I’ll be direct. The more skilled the players, the harder the game will match them with instances. Those participating in the auction are all elite players. As a newbie, you will typically be matched with C-level instances, but if you team up with elite players, there’s a high probability that you’ll be placed in A-level instances.”

Wen Shi: “Oh? Oh.”

Two consecutive ‘ohs,’ from excitement to disappointment.

The good news was that he didn’t have to go to an A-level instance, but the bad news was that he would be heading to an A+ level instance next.

Ji Yuanzhi noticed that he genuinely had no fear, adjusted his glasses, and remained silent.

The clock was about to strike midnight. Tonight was destined to be a sleepless night for many.

Ji Yuanzhi sat across from Wen Shi, preparing to participate in the bidding on the trading platform.

At the moment the auction began, Wen Shi propped his legs on the table, swirled his wine glass, and occasionally looked out the window at the night, with a serious expression.

The manager, who temporarily played the role of a waiter from a distance, pursed his lips, finding this scene quite… weird.

Midnight arrived.

In less than a second, the auction price had increased by five hundred, and before anyone could even blink, the price skyrocketed. One thousand, two thousand, within half a minute, it soared to five thousand.

Wen Shi set the record for the fastest bidding increase in the auction.

He stared at the panel in his mind, feeling a twitch in his eyelid. Were all these guilds so wealthy?

Currently, the highest bidder was from the Puppet Guild, bidding 5800.

Thinking of the puppet that broke into the hotel during the day, Wen Shi withdrew his gaze from the night sky and asked, propping his head, “Tell me about this possible client.”

“Members of the Puppet Guild mostly possess the【Puppetry】skill. Under certain conditions, they can manipulate people’s wills, even temporarily controlling players as war puppets.”

Although they were the second largest guild, when Ji Yuanzhi mentioned the Puppet Guild, there was a hint of dread in his tone. The current guild leader of the Puppet Guild was incredibly powerful, and with no moral constraints, they could fully unleash the potential of their skill.

Wen Shi showed no signs of panic, but rather excitement. “Then they will surely bid high to buy this slot, else, it would be a waste of their manipulative skill. Help me raise the price to seven thousand. They will definitely bid higher.”

Ji Yuanzhi gave him a deep look and replied, “No need to tell me, I’ll raise it.”

After adding one thousand points, Ji Yuanzhi asked, “Aren’t you afraid of really teaming up with the Puppet Guild?”

Wen Shi smiled and said, “If anyone tries to turn me into a puppet, I’ll kill them.”

Ji Yuanzhi calmly responded, “In instances, you can’t openly kill others.”

“I know.” Wen Shi’s smile became even gentler. “But my Big Sister told me that if there’s injustice, settle it all with a single strike. Whoever kills shall be killed.”

The alcohol in this bottle was much stronger than the fake wine mixed with pigments in the instance. As the alcohol took effect, Wen Shi’s cheeks slightly flushed, and his eyes, like peach blossoms, made him look radiant, like a begonia flower. The words he spoke were difficult to achieve in the game. To anyone listening, it sounded like drunken talk full of resentment.

While Wen Shi mumbled to himself, the auction price had already been called to ten thousand.

“Such a rich person.” Wen Shi stared at the string of zeroes. Feeling numb, he shook his head in amazement.

“It was me who made the bid.”

For a large guild, producing ten thousand points was not difficult.

Wen Shi immediately changed his attitude, sat up straight, and said, “Hello, wealthy patron.”

As a qualified second party, he didn’t inquire about how Ji Yuanzhi would plan to deal with him inside the instance but simply encouraged him to keep bidding.

It was basically a contest between the First Commandment Guild and the Second Commandment Guild.

Tonight, the entire city was watching this thrilling auction, with some even privately placing bets on which guild would back down first.

Wen Shi pumped his fist on the spot, cheering, “Go for it, go for it, go for it! If I end up in the A-level instance, there’s a high chance I’ll die in there, and it will be difficult to get this opportunity again! Big Brothers, cherish me while I’m about to become a rare commodity!”

Ji Yuanzhi: “……”

Eleven thousand!

Twelve thousand!

Fifteen thousand!

When the auction price reached 15500, the First Commandment Guild stopped bidding.

Ji Yuanzhi calmly raised the bid to 15600.

Wen Shi anxiously scanned the scene, not waiting for the First Commandment Guild to raise the bid again.

“Don’t think about it. If the price goes higher, they’ll probably think it’s more appropriate to spend another ten thousand points to eliminate you.”

Wen Shi wasn’t disheartened. His eyes and brows brimmed with joy as he anticipated the points he was about to receive. He asked the manager for another wine glass and poured it full for Ji Yuanzhi. “Cheers, dad.”

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