Chapter 65 Crazy Love Season
The mountain road was rough, and the ground became even muddier and harder to walk on after a heavy rain.
Thick fog covered half the mountains. Riding on a cow was a player named Tian Wanling. Besides the carts used for pulling chickens, any player who chose to ride donkeys or mules sat up front, while candidates were in the back.
Nobody wanted their back exposed. Players now and then glanced back, wary of being attacked from behind by a candidate.
“Honey,” asked the sickly male participant, Liang Sisao, who rode beside her, “why do you keep looking back at me?”
Tian Wanling swallowed, choosing not to turn back. Luckily, two players were close by, so they could remind each other.
Near him were Liu Yun and Zhou Lulu. Liu Yun frequently glanced back, not for guarding against any participant, but to see if Wen Shi was approaching.
Zhou Lulu chimed in, “I hate to be a wet blanket, but Pei Wenwei’s chances of coming back seem slim.”
The villagers with transportation left the earliest. Those remaining were people walking zombie dogs and those with paper carts. It was as strange as it could be. Zhou Lulu had once talked to a dog-walking villager out of curiosity and learned that walking with him meant no toll fees
At that moment, her only thought was that whoever wanted to avoid paying the toll could do so, but she preferred to pay up obediently.
The NPC’s free lunch meant trouble for whoever ate it.
Several female players chose cycling. It would help them run faster if they encountered dangerous animals. Two male players on a three-wheeled chicken cart decided to share the ride. The villager didn’t object. The outcome of sharing was that the cart’s wheels got deeply stuck in the mud, and people had to take turns getting off to dig them out.
“What the hell?” The male player who was digging the wheel felt an incredibly itchy sensation on his lower leg. Looking down, he saw something resembling a red threadworm floating in the mist below. It had a way of pinpointing people’s pores and wriggling inside.
The male player jumped onto the cart, pain evident on his face as he cut off a piece of flesh from his lower leg. He kept taking potions to ease the pain, gasping for breath with his head tilted back.
The mist reduced visibility. Another player in the cart held up an illuminating tool and saw that the bright red chunks of flesh were being devoured by threadworms almost the same color as the flesh. The chickens on the cart sensed the worms and rushed over, gulping down the threadworms in a few bites.
The villager in charge of pedaling chuckled, “I’ve been saying that my chicken cart is the most expensive but also the safest.”
If the player hadn’t opted to share the cart for the sake of saving money, things would certainly be much safer.
There was more than one chicken cart. Not counting their candidates, Ji Yuanzhi and Yan Yan had both chosen to travel alone, leaving these people behind.
The dense fog grew thicker, and suddenly, faint tinkling bells were heard from behind.
Several players instinctively turned around. In the vast mist, a small, dilapidated pushcart appeared. The host wiped the sweat off his forehead and pulled it forward with effort. On the cart, A’Sang held the small lamp given by Wen Shi, becoming the sole source of light in the mist.
As for Wen Shi, he lazily yawned, a tinkling bell hanging around his tender neck.
This bell had protective powers against evil. Considering that Ghost Gates would open tonight, although he wasn’t sure how useful it would be, Wen Shi still put it on himself.
The small pushcart came closer from a distance, quickly overtaking chicken carts and mules. Players stared dumbfounded at the host pulling the cart.
The host’s gold-tier stamina was as steady as a camel’s, almost sprinting while pulling the cart without slowing down.
Upon reaching a mountain road ahead, Wen Shi spotted a familiar figure and happily waved.
Ji Yuanzhi heard the sound and saw the scene. His glasses slipped slightly from his prominent nose. Nearby, Yan Yan’s expression turned even more fascinating.
Not wanting the guests to see his disheveled appearance, the host continued without pause, not giving Wen Shi a chance to speak. On the narrow road, the small shabby cart vanished in the mist like a bolt of lightning.
The bumps were still manageable. Ahead was a vast expanse of white that obscured visibity. Wen Shi decided to take a nap with his eyes closed in the cart. He lost track of time and heard a reminder mixed with breaths, “We’ve arrived.”
Even before the host spoke, the clamor of shouts and haggling in the market had already awakened Wen Shi.
The mist cleared, and the group of eight candidates, led by the deformed man, couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise. They had been in Sealed Coffin Village for years and had never witnessed such a lively and prosperous scene. Not far away, there were several ceramic jars on a nearby stall, with red labels reading ‘Dead Fetus’. A vendor sat cross-legged on a straw mat in front, surrounded by a variety of water pipes. Across from them were intact fox fur and mink fur, and so on.
The deformed man and the others were among the poorest villagers. Seeing the bustling market, their toes clenched inside their straw shoes. They had run here, their calves bitten by red threadworms. These creatures had decaying flesh, and after a few bites, they lost interest and left. So, despite the bloodstains, it wasn’t as severe as it seemed.
“What a big world,” the deformed man sighed.
The host was sweating profusely. His pink suit was soaked through. He hurriedly powdered his face and sprayed some perfume on himself.
Taking a deep breath, he started working again, smiling at the camera. “Dear viewers, we’ve learned that this year’s ‘Relay Station’ is set in Sealed Coffin Village. Many traders rushed here to secure their stalls. The annual Ghost Market has opened ahead of time.”
As Wen Shi looked around, players kept arriving. When the term “Ghost Market” from the host’s mouth reached their ears, their expressions turned less pleasant.
The host continued speaking nonsense with his eyes wide open, explaining to the players, “Although the name Ghost Market sounds scary, it’s just a gathering of unlicensed vendors. They come together to set up stalls. It’s a diverse place where everything could be sold. Every year, there are unscrupulous traders selling counterfeit goods.”
As the last chicken cart arrived, a male player with an injured leg hobbled down. All the players were present.
The host checked the time and clapped his hands to gather everyone.
“We’re in luck this time. We arrived at just the right time. Not only can we enjoy the natural scenery of Sealed Coffin Village, but we can also experience the excitement of the Ghost Market. As the saying goes, if you don’t run a household, you won’t know the cost of rice and firewood. This event mainly teaches you how to budget and live frugally. In this round of the game, we only require you to complete four transactions in the Ghost Market. These transactions must cover clothing, food, shelter, and transportation.”
The host gave an example, “I won’t dwell on food and clothing. Any container can be considered as【shelter】.” He gestured casually towards a jar holding dead fetuses, “That counts too. As for【transportation】, canes, communication tools, and more are all diverse options. The initial experience money of 200 yuan has been distributed to everyone. The later it gets in the Ghost Market, the more crowded and unsafe it becomes. Please try to complete your transactions as early as possible.”
The last sentence carried a profound meaning.
The system prompt sounded in sync—
【Side Quest: Market Visit
After spending a day together and gaining deeper understanding of each other, you finally begin to experience what it’s like to live. Please complete the four transactions as soon as possible.
In the free shopping segment, remember one rule: do not buy items already purchased by other players.】
“What deeper understanding?” Wen Shi grumbled. The candidates around him had changed twice already. He hadn’t even asked Red Jacket Lady her name. She was gone now.
From choosing transportation in the early morning to presently making transactions, today’s theme seemed to be ‘choices.’ Every choice was crucial.
Liu Yun was about to walk over to say something to Wen Shi when Ji Yuanzhi stopped him, “Wait a moment.”
Over there, Wen Shi’s gaze casually swept past the chicken cart.
Yan Yan, who had been observing secretly all along, immediately caught on. He rushed over ahead of everyone and talked to the villager, “How much for these chickens?”
Thanks to that glance from Wen Shi, he had a brilliant idea: instead of picking uncertain items at the market, the inventory held by the villagers who had come to the market with them should be safer. “And this cart, could it be sold at a cheaper price?”
Villager: “It’s a hundred and thirty together.”
Yan Yan frowned. He had already spent twenty on the fare to get here, which would left him with fifty.
Growing impatient, the villager scowled. “If you’re not buying, step aside and don’t hinder my business.”
“Fine, fine.” Yan Yan quickly pulled out money when he noticed other players getting eager.
Spending money to ward off disaster, this way he only needed to pick two more items at the Ghost Market, significantly increasing the safety factor.
Witnessing the completion of this trade, Wen Shi’s lips curled. He proactively said to Ji Yuanzhi and the others, “Let’s go, let’s pick some good stuff together.”
Liu Yun glanced disdainfully at Yan Yan, “Reaping the fruits without any effort.”
Encountering people in this instance who always wanted to step on others to climb up was like stepping on uncertain landmines buried in the ground.
“No worries, he’s probably not going to make it.” Wen Shi reminded, “Later, we need to avoid anything involving animals.”
The calendar might suggest that today was suitable for welcoming livestock, but that was from the perspective of ghosts. As humans, it was better to stay away.
His statement was firm, indicating that he indeed had a clue.
Liu Yun was surprised. “So you deliberately lured him just now…”
Wen Shi interrupted with a smile, “I just happened to glance in a certain direction. He made the decision to buy the chickens himself.”
Liu Yun fell silent. She knew Pei Wenwei wouldn’t let Yan Yan off. If it were her, she wouldn’t spare someone who had brought trouble her way. But she hadn’t expected Pei Wenwei to trap Yan Yan with just one look.
Just one look!
Most of the market vendors were indeed traders. The host wasn’t exaggerating. Visitors from various places were here today, some dressed in bright clothes, clearly not villagers from Sealed Coffin Village.
Ji Yuanzhi pushed the wheelchair-bound girl, while Wen Shi led A’Sang. Behind them followed eight men, and the woman who rode with Liu Yun suddenly felt an icy chill in her heart, realizing that she was out of place in this case.
Not long ago, they had happily ridden in the funeral carriage together. Now, with the dead and the maimed, it wasn’t a good sign!
“You can buy whatever you want,” the woman said. “I’ve never liked crowded places. I’ll wait for you outside.”
Liu Yun wasn’t interested in spending time with her either. They agreed on the matter.
Wheelchair Girl: “I also…”
Ji Yuanzhi shook his head. “You have mobility issues. I’m not comfortable leaving you alone outside.”
Just as they were talking, he spotted an empty spot ahead. He exchanged a glance with Wen Shi and they walked over together.
Ji Yuanzhi suddenly bent down and picked up the girl. With a puzzled look from her, he placed her casually aside and calmly called out to passing customers, “Selling wheelchairs. Anyone in need of a wheelchair?”
Wen Shi took out a white coat, intending to sell it, but A’Sang beat him to it by inserting a stalk of straw onto his head. “Selling kids, anyone in need of a kid?”
Liu Yun, who was observing everything, felt a flutter in her brow.
That was right, the host only mentioned transaction, not specifying that they must only buy. They could sell as well.
While she was contemplating if there was anything she could sell, she bent down and reminded A’Sang, “Trade items should be related to clothing, food, shelter, and transportation.”
A’Sang stared at his worn-out bowl.
Liu Yun: “The bowl barely counts as one.”
But would anyone even want this thing?
“No, it’s not like that,” A’Sang hurriedly defended his precious bowl and explained, “For【clothing】, I’d strip the clothes and money pouch off. For【food】, when a customer arrives, I’d smash them like watermelons with my bowl and extract edible things from their heads. For【housing】, I’d empty out a body, leaving a shell to be used as a container. These complete shells might sell well. For【transportation】, I’d extract the bones to make a cane. I could also make bone broth for sale.”
This way, it would perfectly align with the requirements of clothing, food, shelter, and transportation. By reselling these items, he could make money again.
When it came to doing business, A’Sang was confident and articulate, not at all hesitant or stuttering. He finished speaking in one breath.
Liu Yun’s face was a picture of shock.
All the surrounding candidates unconsciously began to step back.
Ji Yuanzhi adjusted his glasses and cast a deep gaze at Wen Shi, who also relied on taming white wolves with bare hands as his business strategy.
Wen Shi took in a sharp breath. “Wow…”
Wow, seriously.
He finally understood what similarity he shared with this kid.
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