chapter 11

After deducting Cheng Miao’s Intermediate Dormitory Room Fee, Ah Zhang let out a surprised whistle, “Balance 157. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a Player perform so well in a Newcomer Game!”

With a snap of his fingers, the door that had blended into the wall slowly opened. Cheng Miao was just about to step inside when, suddenly, a Man burst out from somewhere nearby.

The Man’s eyes were wide open, as if he’d witnessed something utterly hopeless. His body twitched nervously, and he muttered, “So I’m not dead! That’s great, that’s great! I’m still alive!”

As he spoke, he tried to rush into the door. “Bang!” Cheng Miao watched as the Man crashed into thin air, a visible bruise appearing on his forehead. It seemed as if an invisible wall blocked his way, silently refusing him entry.

“What’s going on! Why can’t I get in!” The Man wailed in panic, pounding desperately at the air before him, despairing and unwilling to give up.

Ah Zhang slowly flew over to him, “Tsk, someone who died just a few minutes into the Game still wants to squeeze in.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the previously still, almost tangible Fog suddenly began to ripple, as if shattered into drifting ice shards by a passing ship.

From within the icy fragments, a shiny black Tentacle suddenly shot out, deftly avoiding Cheng Miao and grabbing the Man, slowly dragging him back.

The Man screamed wildly, kicking and punching, grabbing onto Cheng Miao like a lifeline, mumbling, “Save me! I don’t want to die!”

Cheng Miao was suddenly seized, unable to break free after several attempts. She knew clearly that this Man didn’t even have a Check-in Voucher, and his fate would be anything but pleasant. But aside from a sigh, there was nothing she could do.

Seeing the two locked in a struggle, another Tentacle reached out from the Fog, aiming for the Man’s foot. The Man saw it coming, a flash of madness in his eyes, and with a forceful tug, he threw Cheng Miao toward the outstretched Tentacle.

Caught off guard, and with the desperate strength of a dying man, Cheng Miao felt her vision blur as something cold wrapped around her waist, holding her firmly in place.

At this point, the Man was nearly deranged, pointing at Cheng Miao and laughing, “Hahaha, I can’t survive! And you won’t get in either! Go die with me!”

Having grown up in a law-abiding society, Cheng Miao had rarely witnessed such filthy human nature. There was no time for disgust or resentment; instead, she turned to Ah Zhang, who hovered nearby watching the spectacle, and said, “I’m a paying guest. Are you planning to cheat me?”

Ah Zhang, as if just noticing the situation, snapped out of his trance and hurried over, laughing in a shrill voice, “We’re a legitimate Inn. Of course we wouldn’t do such a thing.”

With a pat of his slender hand, the Tentacle, as if receiving instructions, gently placed Cheng Miao back at the half-open doorway and silently withdrew.

In stark contrast, the Man, driven even madder by Cheng Miao’s safe escape, received no such gentle treatment. The Tentacle wrapped around his leg and waist, and with a light tug-

Cheng Miao pressed her lips together, watching as blood surged out with a “crackling” sound from the Man’s severed waist, pooling on the ground.

The Man wasn’t dead yet; blood foamed from his mouth as he opened and closed it, his hands still clawing futilely at the floor.

Pointlessly, the Tentacle slowly dragged him into the dense Fog.

Suppressing the sourness rising in her stomach, Cheng Miao said nothing as she entered the door.

The Intermediate Dormitory was noticeably better than the Basic Dormitory. The room was much brighter, and a crooked, old Clock hung on the wall beside bright red lettering: Intermediate Dormitory (20/30)
The mattresses that had once been carelessly piled on the floor had turned into rows of wooden beds, thoughtfully paired with curtains. Not far away was the public Bathroom, with a simple shower room and a row of filthy squat toilets.

Against the wall was a shopfront resembling a small Grocery Store, its shelves packed with goods, many of which were impossible to identify.

Ah Zhang perched on the counter, watching Cheng Miao look around, and helpfully announced, “This is my brother Ah Lang’s Grocery Store. Ah Lang is busy right now and not here. If you need anything, just let me know.”

Cheng Miao glanced at the large cockroach without replying. If she guessed correctly, that enormous Tentacle from earlier must have belonged to Ah Lang.

Although the Cockroach Brothers charged little for the Room Fee, their earlier conversation made it clear that the Newcomers generally lacked quality, and few managed to clear the Game. Those who failed became “snacks and extra meals.”

Cheng Miao scanned the price list: Items, skills, even food, daily necessities, clothing, and even cosmetics were available.

Spotting one particular section, Cheng Miao became interested. “This Space Backpack-is it the kind where you can take out anything you think of?”

Ah Zhang twitched his Tentacle, crawling out from behind the counter with a small box. “Not that advanced. It needs a carrier, but functionally, it’s about the same.”

Cheng Miao opened the box. Inside were accessories: Necklace, Ring, brooch, hairpin, and the like.

“Pick one. It will be your Space Backpack. Touch it to browse and retrieve the items stored inside.”

Cheng Miao chose a plain silver Ring-not polished, but with a matte embossed pattern she found appealing. The Ring was inconspicuous and easy to operate; a simple rub between her fingers would activate it.

“Space Backpack, 100 Travel Coins. Confirm payment?” Ah Zhang put away the box and began the transaction in a businesslike manner.

Seeing only 57 coins left in her balance, Cheng Miao felt a pang, but the Space Backpack was too valuable and useful-this was not the time to save money.

“Didn’t you say Travel Coins could be exchanged for wishes? I don’t see any Wish Exchange options here.” Cheng Miao scanned the densely packed price tags; by her estimate, there were tens of thousands of goods.

“Wish Exchange is only available at Hotel-Level Inns.” Ah Zhang shrugged. This was the lowest-level Inn, so many services were unavailable.

After hesitating, Cheng Miao couldn’t help but ask, “Can I buy Attribute Reward Items at the Grocery Store?”

“Whoa! You actually got an Attribute Reward? That’s rare! You know, out of 500 Players who clear the Game, maybe only one gets an Attribute Reward!” Ah Zhang perked up, buzzing and flying around again.

“Attribute Rewards are generally based on the Player’s performance and personality in the Game. You can think of them as permanent buffs, only granted for extraordinary actions. The Grocery Store doesn’t sell them.”

“Upgradable attributes are even rarer.” With nothing else to do, Ah Zhang sat cross-legged and began to explain to Cheng Miao.

The Intermediate Dormitory was crowded, but most people had just escaped death. Most were either sitting in a daze or had drawn their curtains to catch up on sleep. No one paid attention to the conversation at the Grocery Store.

“Upgradable attributes require you to continue acting in the same way as when you first obtained the attribute in subsequent Games. There’s a chance you can upgrade it.” Ah Zhang smacked his lips. “These are all good things, but it depends on whether the Player knows how to use them. Plenty of good things turn bad, and many have lost their lives over rare attributes.”

Cheng Miao put on the Ring. As she was leaving, she glanced coolly at Ah Zhang. “If I hadn’t spoken up just now, were you planning to watch me get eaten?”