"Ah, popular stuff? You should've said so earlier! There are plenty of routines like that. To be honest, I only started practicing traditional performance arts recently. Popular acts are our bread and butter."
Guinaifen patted her chest.
"Everyone! Today, I'll be performing fire-eating for you! If you like it, remember to follow and share!"
"Oh..."
Raven showed an interested expression at that moment.
"What... are you doing?"
Gray Serpent looked at the farce over here and finally couldn't hold back anymore.
But Gray Serpent's approach did nothing to stop Guinaifen from gathering a fireball in her hand.
"Everyone! Watch closely! Little Gui is going to swallow it!"
"Just like that. Watch her perform," Raven said matter-of-factly. "Well, I suppose Gray Serpent wouldn't understand."
"No, I understand."
Gray Serpent watched Guinaifen raise the fireball high and stuff it into her mouth.
"That's why I was thinking, if this stunt fails..."
Bang—!
"Eh, eh, eh, eh?"
Guinaifen, who had been knocked down and pinned to the ground by Raven, wore a bewildered expression.
Fear still lingered in Raven's eyes.
"I'm giving you two three thousand each for six months' living expenses! From now on, neither of you is allowed to do this kind of dangerous activity!"
Damn it! She had only just realized it! If anything happened to these two, forget a raise—Serpent's Master would tie her to an operating table!
"Eh? I'm very experienced at this."
"Experience doesn't matter! You'd be better off biting a lighter! No, wait! You're not allowed to bite lighters either!"
"I don't bite lighters! How about I perform sword-swallowing for you instead?"
"You'd be better off biting a lighter!"
Raven barked, then pulled out three bills from her waist pouch and tossed them to Liu Bai beside her.
"You're her boss, aren't you? Keep an eye on her! Don't let her do this again!"
"Miss Raven, you wouldn't want Little Gui..."
"Five thousand!"
As Raven viciously raised her offer, her favorability also dropped from 20 to 15.
+5000g
g was the currency of World City. Basically, it was just an abbreviation of gold...
"Then, Miss Raven, what about our room?"
"Can't you live in the pot?"
...Fine. Living in the pot was not bad either. At least it was safer than outside.
"By the way, can my bodyguard and I go out normally?"
Liu Bai did not ask Raven that question. He asked Gray Serpent.
"Yes, but please wear these."
Gray Serpent nodded politely and took out two wristbands.
"Highlord has set your permitted activity hours from eight in the morning to six in the evening. If you cannot agree to that, then I apologize."
Tracking Communication Wristband
"Please rest assured, these are not dangerous items." Gray Serpent explained as he watched Liu Bai take the wristbands. "They are tracking and communication devices intended to prevent you from being abducted... After all, the entire city now knows about the 'visitors from beyond the stars.' Other factions have already issued bounties. Although your appearances have not yet been exposed, caution is still necessary. Moreover, not every organization maintains a neutral attitude toward visitors from beyond the stars as we do."
Liu Bai really wanted to complain about this so-called "neutral attitude."
But he did not just complain internally.
"Hmm... Other factions, you said? How many factions are there in the city right now? Could you tell me about them?"
Although Liu Bai vaguely felt that Mobius replacing Kevin might be related to the plot of Moth to Flame, he still felt that he should confirm the situation with the other factions.
"Of course. I will send the information to your wristband later... I wish you a pleasant life on Earth."
It felt strange to be wished that by someone...
"I don't have time to look after the two of you. Contact me through the wristband if anything comes up." After receiving Guinaifen's promise, Raven finally let her go and stood up. "If you dare to run away..."
"Not for now."
"The words 'for now' were unnecessary—though that was excessively honest."
After saying that, Raven turned and left.
"Ow, ow, ow..." Guinaifen rubbed her butt as she stood up, but then her gaze was drawn to the green bills in Liu Bai's hand. "Boss, is that a lot of money?"
Guinaifen could tell that although her boss had ended up stranded on this planet, he seemed unexpectedly familiar with it.
"Not much, but it's enough as starting capital."
"So we can start streaming?"
"...I can tell you really love streaming."
"Hehe~ Boss, you have to trust Little Gui's streaming skills. Supporting you will be absolutely no problem!"
Liu Bai: Everything Was Still Within Calculations!
"Come to think of it, is it really okay that you can't go back?"
Liu Bai looked curiously at the lively Guinaifen.
"Well..." Guinaifen scratched her head somewhat embarrassedly. "The money you gave me is enough for my younger brothers and sisters to live without worries on the Luofu. Forget only being unable to return for a while—even if I had to climb mountains of blades and cross seas of fire, I'd go with you, Boss."
That backstory setting was rather... real?
As Liu Bai reflected on that, Guinaifen continued, "So, Boss, how about we use this money to buy a streaming setup? Then..."
Guinaifen lowered her voice halfway through.
"Forget supporting you, we could even support... without any pressure!"
Guinaifen had also grown up in harsh circumstances, so she naturally knew what she should and should not say.
What Firefly?
She didn't know anything!
"Building up followers takes time, doesn't it?"
Although Liu Bai was tempted for a moment, he ultimately remained rational.
"I have a way to make money. Come with me."
Liu Bai took Guinaifen by the hand and headed down the corridor.
There were many legitimate ways to make money.
For example, making things himself and selling them, reselling goods, or taking various jobs.
But there were also illegitimate ways to make money—or rather, how could a player possibly not have illegitimate ways to make money?
Was anyone who earned money honestly even a player?
At the end of World Serpent's corridor was a staircase. At the top stood a heavy black mechanical door. After their wristbands let out a beep, the door immediately opened automatically.
Beyond the door was a bustling hall. Everyone wore similar uniforms, and there were even robots.
"This is...?"
"A company called Shencheng Pharmaceuticals."
Liu Bai explained.
The people in the hall did not seem to care about Liu Bai and Guinaifen coming through the door—these people already seemed like qualified corporate drones.
"A big pharmacy..." Guinaifen nodded as if she understood.
"It's not quite like that... Follow me."
No one stopped them along the way. In fact, after seeing the wristbands on their wrists, people would even greet them with, "Hello, leaders."
Ten minutes later, Liu Bai stopped in front of a vending machine in a meeting room upstairs.
...Honestly, the very fact that there was a vending machine in a meeting room was already absurd.
Who would come to a meeting room to buy something?
Even Guinaifen was stunned when she saw the vending machine.
"Some things are placed here for a reason."
Liu Bai looked toward the vending machine.
This was the only vending machine where one could buy World Serpent's top-tier medicines without grinding Gray Serpent's favorability.
Of course, the price was doubled.
"Sure enough, it's still here."
Failed Potion A failed medicine produced by a World Serpent scientist. After consumption, it can moderately restore stamina. After being broken down, it may yield certain random components. Price: 1000g
Liu Bai directly bought four potions.
-4000
With the remaining 1,000, Liu Bai spent another 50g at the vending machine on bread and water, then returned to the Serenitea Pot and gave them to Firefly.
"...Um, Mr. Liu Bai, you're not planning to do anything dangerous, are you?"
Firefly took the water and bread, looking at Liu Bai with concern.
"Actually... don't let my appearance fool you. I can fight too."
"Don't worry. For now, everything is still within my calculations," Liu Bai reassured her.
Under the current circumstances, Firefly still could not go outside.
Liu Bai then took the Love Potion Trial Version from the box and returned to the real world.
Guinaifen was sitting idly in a chair in the meeting room.
"Come on, Little Gui. Let's go make some money!"
"Got it!"
Instance Dungeon: Ice Scythe Duet Enemy Composition: Glacial Scythe Special Ability: Super Armor Quantity: Very Few
This was it!
He knew that high-level undead enemies would spawn in the alleys around Shencheng Pharmaceuticals.
"Little Gui, when they come out later, throw these potions at their faces."
Liu Bai handed all five bottles of potion on him to Guinaifen.
"Th-These... what are these?" Guinaifen looked confused.
Guinaifen did not know what the other four potions were, but the pink potion Liu Bai had brought back from the pot looked extremely ominous.
Before you continue