Bai Zhi's Toxic Chicken Soup Lesson

"What are you talking about? Old friends?"

Seeing Bai Zhi walking towards her, Xu Lian, who was so bored she was practically squatting on the ground drawing circles, quickly stood up.

"No, it's just a creditor-debtor relationship. We're even now... Here you go."

As he spoke, Bai Zhi casually flicked a coin at him.

"Since we still have time, let's go explore other places."

"One hundred yuan worth... Hey, could you tell me more details?"

Before she could even examine the Gray Coin she had just received, the other person had already walked right past her and put the coin into their Inventory. Xu Lian quickly followed after them.

"For example, what exactly are these Gray Coin? Does this amusement park attract Tourist just for these Gray Coin?"

"What else could it be? It's money. At least those Gray Coin in this amusement park are money."

As he walked towards the crowd, Bai Zhi gave a casual reply.

"As for its essence... everyone possesses it, but the quantity and value of what each person possesses are different. What do you think it would be?"

"Hmm... lifespan or Soul?"

After thinking for a moment, Xu Lian gave her answer.

"If it's lifespan that's being consumed, then if Tourist runs out of all their Gray Coin in the amusement park, it corresponds to their death in the Real World. If it's the other way around, then it corresponds to becoming a vegetable in the Real World... Is that right?"

"Pretty much, but of course it's also possible that it's consuming other things, such as physical health or Life..."

Bai Zhi kept his attention focused on his surroundings and gave a rather perfunctory answer.

Although the battlefield was placed in the Inner World, which greatly reduced its impact on the Real World, the impact still exists, only it has been infinitely reduced.

--For example, the Tourist around us, immersed in the joy that the amusement park brings them.

Seven hours have passed in the Real World, but almost three days have passed here. As time goes by, more and more Tourist will flock here until a dynamic balance is reached between the Tourist who have been exhausted and the Tourist who have come in.

By then, the terror level of this [Eternal Night City Amusement Park] will increase further. If it drags on until then, even if we can completely resolve this Anomaly and Walkthrough the Dungeon, it will require paying a heavy price...

There are hundreds of similar Dungeon, large and small, in the Inner World, and Player need to Walkthrough Dungeon all before the 30-day deadline... This is no easy task.

"... Are you looking for Tourist who have run out of money?"

After observing for a short while, Xu Lian suddenly spoke up.

"Tourist who have run out of money are basically the same as us Player, aren't they? The reason those Staff chased us was probably because they thought we were Tourist who were no longer of any use to them. So I think if we're going to find these kinds of Tourist, we should go to..."

Before Xu Lian could finish her long-winded explanation of her reasoning, she was slightly dumbfounded to see someone beside her walk a few steps to a shop, spend one Gray Coin, and ask Boss shopkeeper for a pot of hot water...

Xu Lian: "..."

... So you were looking for hot water to make instant noodles?

Five minutes later, in front of several rows of tables and chairs provided for people to rest by the roadside.

"... I haven't finished what I was saying before, now I'll continue."

Looking at the bucket of instant noodles in front of her, Xu Lian remained silent for a moment before raising her head.

"I think Tourist who have spent all their money should..."

"Hmm? That? I already knew that."

While eating instant noodles, Bai Zhi casually waved his hand.

"When I was trying to steal business from others before, I did some testing in this area. After all, we are basically no different from the other Tourist around us. By putting ourselves in the shoes of Tourist, we can easily deduce that those Tourist who have spent all their money have probably been taken away by the Staff somewhere."

"... You knew back then? Was it a deliberate test?"

"Otherwise what? I don't have that kind of perverse sense of humor. If I really want to make money, I have to do something big Single-use. Making a child cry and then only getting ten dollars back, I'd be ashamed to admit it if word got out."

Bai Zhi pursed his lips and looked up at the other person.

"Let's leave those minor details aside and get to the important part. You should have gotten A-rank or higher in the Novice Quest, right?"

"... Hmm, S-rank rating."

Xu Lian, who was eating instant noodles with her head down and was almost withdrawn, spoke up in a muffled voice.

"This is the highest rating the system has released so far, so I thought I was pretty good. Therefore, after the Campaign Quest notification appeared, I signed up without hesitation..."

"You just finished the Novice Quest and you dare to sign up for this kind of quest?"

Bai Zhi closed the empty Instant Noodle Box and pushed it aside, raising an eyebrow slightly.

"A newborn calf is not afraid of a tiger, and the younger generation surpasses the older generation... Think what you want, but I used to think I was pretty smart."

The Young Girl's voice sounded rather muffled.

"So what now?"

"Now?"

She looked up at Young Girl with a resentful expression and spoke softly.

"Beyond the mountains, there are more mountains; beyond the buildings, there are more buildings. There's always someone better, and there's always a higher sky. Right now, I feel like I'm showing off my skills in front of Guan Yu, or trying to do something like Lu Ban's work. I'm like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, overestimating my abilities and making a fool of myself... Indeed, people cannot be compared to each other."

"You studied humanities, right?"

Bai Zhi rolled his eyes, slightly speechless.

"Yes, the College Entrance Exam is next year, and I'm currently studying intensively."

Xu Lian sighed.

"I shouldn't have joined this Campaign Quest in the first place..."

"You can't stay like this."

Looking at the listless Young Girl in front of him, Bai Zhi couldn't help but frown slightly.

"Okay, let me ask you a question."

"Uh... what's the problem?"

"If you lose one Game, it might be because your Teammate are bad. But if you lose every Game, where do you think the problem lies?"

"... on my own body?"

After thinking for a moment, Xu Lian seemed slightly hesitant.

"You mean I shouldn't be too confident, that I should learn to look for problems within myself, and that I shouldn't be complacent just because I got the highest rating in the Novice Quest. I should be strict with myself and reflect on myself three times a day..."

"Stop, stop, stop! What nonsense are you spouting?! It's completely wrong!!"

Frowning, Bai Zhi sized her up and, with a lecturing tone, began to reprimand her with great displeasure.

"Losing one Game proves your Teammate are bad. But losing every Game proves your Teammate are bad every single game!!"

Xu Lian: "????"