Chapter 38
**Chapter 48: Am I Being Scammed?**
In her previous life, the official power had always overshadowed the major families and conglomerates. Was it really just about righteousness and numbers? She didn’t believe it! Take Su Baige and Liang Yuchuan’s uncle, for instance; they probably dreamed of ruling the world.
Yu Xunge’s heart raced faster, her eyes sparkled brighter. She sat up straight, fixating on the two people across from her.
Wu Qingbai & Zhao Shuying: “…”
Please don’t look at me like that; it’s terrifying.
---
Yu Xunge’s attitude took a complete 180. She took the water away from in front of the two and asked, “Coffee, juice, or tea?”
Zhao Shuying: “…” This doesn’t bode well; I have a bad feeling about this.
Wu Qingbai coughed, clenching his fist. “Don’t do that; we’re scared.”
Yu Xunge prepared two cups of the finest coffee and pulled out a few plates of her homemade snacks, which had received high ratings but didn’t exceed 80 points, placing them on the table. “I apologize for the earlier lack of hospitality.”
Zhao Shuying: “Just say it.”
Yu Xunge: “Alright, I’ll be straightforward. Do you have a way to enter the game?”
The expressions on Zhao Shuying and Wu Qingbai’s faces were like they had been punched. The worst-case scenario had come true; Yu Xunge’s talent was too unique, and their attitudes were so obvious that it was no surprise she could guess.
Soon, their expressions turned serious. Wu Qingbai said, “If you want to know more, you must join us. Don’t worry; we offer great benefits and will give you the maximum freedom within the rules.”
The benefits meant her contributions would definitely outweigh her earnings, and the freedom within the rules meant a lack of freedom.
She had seen through these two actors’ tricks. Yu Xunge shook her head regretfully. “It seems we won’t be able to cooperate.”
That was a clear-cut refusal.
Zhao Shuying took out her phone. “Is it alright if I make a call?”
Yu Xunge raised her hand. “Go ahead.”
After Zhao Shuying left, Wu Qingbai asked earnestly, “Can I ask why you’re unwilling to join us? Is it disbelief or reluctance?”
Yu Xunge replied, “Both disbelief and reluctance.” She was candid. “I know this game is unusual, and I know you’re great, but where there are many people, there will be faction disputes and issues of interest distribution. Can you honestly say there won’t be any? My previous company had three major factions. I can’t play those games.”
Wu Qingbai asked, “What about the Su family?”
Yu Xunge replied, “I never considered joining the Su family or any faction. I prefer to be a free agent, even though it comes with many risks. I might not get access to the best resources, but it’s still better than wasting time on intrigue.”
Wu Qingbai fell silent. He couldn’t refute Yu Xunge; where there were many people, there would inevitably be disputes and factions. Even if everyone had the same goal, different working philosophies would naturally create divisions—hardliners, moderates, radicals, each with their own differences… Not to mention, people can’t be devoid of self-interest.
Crisis meant change; there would always be someone wanting to reshuffle the deck.
Even he and Zhao Shuying weren’t from the same faction. Their partnership was not just about collaboration but also about mutual supervision and restraint.
To be honest, he was tired of it. He had long wanted to quit, but going solo would lead to Yu Xunge’s current predicament—knowing nothing and having no access to the best resources.
As the two fell into silence, Zhao Shuying returned. She said to Yu Xunge, “Regardless of whether we reach a cooperation, you’ll need to pay a quota of fate gears to receive this information.”
Yu Xunge, never one to quibble over necessary expenses, replied, “Alright!”
Zhao Shuying handed her a transparent crystal the size of a blueberry.
**Skill Storage Stone (Single Use):** Use a skill on the crystal to store it for someone else to use. It can be activated by crushing it. (Creator: Yi Chang)
In her previous life, Yu Xunge had seen skill stones before, but she didn’t know much about them. They were something she wouldn’t spend on; after all, spending dozens of silver coins or even a few gold coins for a single-use skill was too extravagant.
This was her first time seeing a blank one. She used **“Feeling Happy Again”** on the crystal, and red mist spread within, turning the entire crystal a vibrant red. From a distance, it looked like a small cloud of red fog. She checked her skills and found that **“Feeling Happy Again”** was now on cooldown.
It seemed it couldn’t bypass cooldowns, but this item could ensure that some skills with limited uses wouldn’t go to waste.
She immediately asked, “How much is this crystal?”
Zhao Shuying smiled, putting away the red mist crystal, her expression radiating the charm of a top-tier saleswoman. “Three gold coins each.”
Yu Xunge: “…” Karma comes swiftly.
Three gold coins each was obviously a joke. Zhao Shuying continued, “If you want to buy, I can give you a friendly price: one skill crystal for five blank crystals.”
Yu Xunge remained silent, contemplating whether she should look for a way to make this herself. Relying on others was too costly.
Zhao Shuying didn’t mind Yu Xunge’s silence; she began to offer her payment. “We do have a way to enter the game. It involves our bodies going over, which is different from playing during the internal test. Once inside, death is real. We can take you with us and even provide protection, but you’ll need to pay with your fate gear quota.”
The balance of power in the negotiation shifted instantly.
Yet, Yu Xunge wasn’t in a hurry; she felt exhilarated. There was indeed a way to get in. “Where’s the drop point?”
Zhao Shuying replied, “We have a person who bought a small house in the Undercity of the Necropolis. His talent allows him to open a portal, which can take us into the Undercity.”
Hmm, not bad—an enemy’s lair.
Zhao Shuying watched as Yu Xunge’s expression shifted from excitement to calm. “What? You don’t like it?”
“...I do.” The game characters looked different from her real self, and besides, she had disguise skills… Yu Xunge asked, “So how do we get out?”
Zhao Shuying explained, “That involves another fee. We can turn everyone into cute little animals, and another player who can disguise themselves as undead will take us out of the city.”
Yu Xunge could transform into an animal herself and could also disguise herself, but if she didn’t want to reveal those skills, she’d have to pay. She rubbed her forehead, feeling a headache coming on, as if she had signed up for a zero-cost tour only to be forced to spend once she arrived at the destination. “…”
Zhao Shuying’s smile grew brighter, and even Wu Qingbai beside her was grinning.
Yu Xunge asked, “Is there a time limit? Once I’m there, can I stay as long as I want?”
Zhao Shuying replied, “Yes, but whether going or coming back, each time we use our portal, you’ll need to pay fifty skill crystals. Of course, we’ll provide the crystals.”
That price was undeniably steep.
But this was a monopolized industry; if she didn’t join them, she would naturally have to pay a higher price, which was reasonable.
However, just being able to enter that world meant immense wealth, so paying a bit more for the ticket was worth it.
---
**Chapter 49: Smuggling to Zelan Star**
The cooldown for **“Feeling Happy Again”** was five hours, but she had a necklace that reduced cooldowns by 15%. So, in reality, she could use it every 305 minutes. Theoretically, if she timed it perfectly, she would only need a little less than eleven days’ worth of skill quota to exchange for a chance to enter another world. This price was completely acceptable to Yu Xunge!
If she were the one with the portal, she would likely offer a similar price, given the preciousness of the opportunity. It wasn’t too greedy, and it could also foster goodwill.
Yu Xunge said, “I just need you to turn me into an animal and take me out of the city. How much is that?”
Zhao Shuying replied, “Five skill crystals.”
Yu Xunge felt exasperated. She asked one last question, “What if that person dies? Can we still come back?”
Zhao Shuying replied, “Well, that involves another fee.”
Yu Xunge sighed, “How about you just leave? Let’s pretend you were never here today.”
Zhao Shuying and Wu Qingbai stood up in unison. “Alright.”
Yu Xunge raised her hand. “Let’s talk this out!”
Wu Qingbai said, “You won’t like what we have to say.”
Yu Xunge: “…” I’m the grand heroine of a revenge story who has been reborn! How dare you treat me like this… Do you really want to see me angry?
Zhao Shuying chimed in, “We have skill crystals for the portal. Just crush one, and you can return safely. Each one is only fifty-two crystals.”
Yu Xunge: “…Do you accept gold coins?”
Zhao Shuying replied, “No, we only accept your skill crystals.”
Yu Xunge asked, “Can I take out a loan? Like, I go first, and I’ll pay you back a few crystals now and then.”
Zhao Shuying replied, “Of course! Given your special situation, you must ensure to pay at least ten crystals every three days, plus an additional five crystals as interest.”
Yu Xunge: “Are you guys for real?”
Wu Qingbai replied, “Absolutely.”
Yu Xunge felt like she had stumbled into a scam operation.
Smuggling… no, the transport fee was fifty crystals, turning into an animal to get out of the city was five crystals, and the return transport fee was fifty-two crystals, plus the loan fee of five crystals.
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