Applause

Transaction complete. The host may select one additional option. However, the total value of the additional reward obtained must not exceed the estimated value of the transaction item (approximately 100 Shop Coin/1 Life Coin).

"I know how to do this one. I choose C—I'll still take the Pollution Item. For the second option, D, open the shop and let me see what good stuff it has."

This was not his first time making a choice. Since he roughly knew what options would appear, Lu PingAn took out the choice he had prepared beforehand without hesitation.

The "extra pollution" of Option A was actually the guaranteed income of every ordinary trainee.

Lu PingAn had just completed his advancement and needed some time to adjust, so naturally, he would not choose it.

Perhaps he would never choose it for the rest of his life.

Lu PingAn had actually hesitated quite a bit over Option B. Previously, he had experienced that day-long "pseudo-Silver" Life Blessing and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Without the Magic Plant Affinity and control enhanced by the blessing, those tendrils would never have been so obedient.

And those Tier 2 magic plants that exploded successfully after only a few attempts had also been the result of the Silver blessing.

This small blessing improved Gardeners in every respect, from actual combat to Research and Development. Lu PingAn desperately wanted such a blessing to become permanent.

"Give it up. This is only a Tier 1 Secret Realm, so its upper limit is low. Even with a top-tier evaluation, the rewards can't exceed Tier 2. At this level, powerful blessings are all temporary. Permanent blessings are all trash."

With someone there to guide him, Lu PingAn saved himself the cost of stepping on landmines.

So, he chose C and D without hesitation.

"...Most importantly, Pollution Items are valuable. Extremely valuable!"

As he learned more about the hidden side of this New World, Lu PingAn increasingly realized how correct and fortunate his first choice had been.

Taboo Items, or Pollution Items, were extremely rare, and most were controlled by certain organizations or the authorities.

An individual's capacity was limited. Items that could make up for "shortcomings" and enhance "strengths" were never too numerous.

As long as they had even a little use, many Professionals had no intention of selling them in their entire lives.

What about Taboo Items with overly severe costs? Just don't use them, or sell them. There would always be a suitable buyer, and there would always come a situation where they had to be used.

The flexibility and disposability of Taboo Items made them far more useful than "professional abilities," whose costs could not be changed once locked in.

In fact, among the rewards Gu Da offered, the most valuable and appealing to Professionals was actually that "one Silver-Rank Taboo Item."

The shovel Lu PingAn had sold for seventy thousand was only Black Iron Grade. Although its highly useful "Rebirth" ability added to its value, what mattered more was the inherent high value of a Taboo Item itself.

Considering the enormous gap between each level of Bronze and Silver, even the most useless Silver Taboo Item was an irresistible temptation.

It was far more tempting to Professionals than the other conditions. Many Taboo Items could be used for a lifetime.

"Come on, come on. Let's see how lucky I am."

Light drifted through Lu PingAn's luggage. He only hoped his luck would not be too bad—that whatever he received could at least be sold. It would be even better if he could use it himself.

Suddenly, the light dispersed directly. Had the pollution failed?

"It can do that?"

It was a completely unexpected answer, yet one that made perfect sense given the countless precedents. But in the next moment, the system notification sounded.

Congratulations, host. You have obtained the Black Iron Mid Rank cursed item, "Hibernating Seed Bag."

Hibernating Seed Bag (Black Iron Mid Rank cursed item)

Function: Winter Hibernation (Black Iron Mid Rank). Provides a space of up to 3 x 3 x 3 meters, allowing one animal/plant to enter dormancy (up to Tier 2).

Curse: Winter Famine (Black Iron Mid Rank). Provide ten Sacrifices each day, each no more than one tier below the "hibernating creature." If the dormant being is a plant, they may be seeds; if it is an animal, they may be young.

A certain goddess's message: This should be what you need most, right? Our debts are all settled now.

When he saw the notification, Lu PingAn breathed a sigh of relief, though his feelings remained somewhat complicated.

"Sure enough, so-called randomness is all a lie. It's just that this bag... sigh."

It was not that the bag was useless. Any Gardener who reached a certain level would consider spending a fortune on an item for "carrying magic plants." It was practically a necessity. The issue was...

"...At least I'm saving money. Their portable magic plant containers start at one hundred thousand."

Because of the enormous demand among Gardeners, several companies specialized in developing "enchanted items" for that purpose. Their effects could not exactly be called impressive, but they basically came with no cost.

Well, perhaps there was still a cost. Slightly better ones, with better built-in ecological environments, were expensive enough to make one doubt life itself.

"How ignorant. This thing is quite practical among low-tier Taboo Items. A sufficiently large space can hold even medium-sized magic plants, and the sleeping state doesn't require extra supplies. Its cost can practically be ignored."

Lu PingAn nodded and happily accepted it.

The Maiden of the Forest truly deserved to be the provider of the Gardener and Healer paths. Her favoritism was outrageous.

If a Beast Tamer got this bag and wanted to put a Tier 2 magical monster inside, it would mean consuming ten Tier 1 magical monster cubs every day.

But if it was the seeds of the Tier 2 magic plant Balsam Thunder, ten of them cost one hundred. Lu PingAn was even planning to check whether there were cheaper options.

"Not bad, not bad."

Lu PingAn directed his consciousness into the void, and a Kale Blue panel appeared before him.

Though only he could see it as well, it had a completely different style from his own system.

"...So this is the Secret Realm Shop? I hope it has something I want."

These were the Secret Realm's rules rather than his own, which also meant many other secret keepers had enjoyed them before.

"Weapons, weapons, and medical items... Tsk, only things under two hundred coins. That leaves almost nothing worth picking."

Before coming here, Lu PingAn had already decided that this potentially unlocked Option D was his best choice.

Random Taboo Items could not only yield nothing, but also depended too much on luck. What Lu PingAn needed now was steady improvement.

He had even decided on the type of exchange in advance, yet after seeing the shop's specific list, he was still extremely hesitant.

"Any decent weapon starts at five hundred. Black Iron Mid Rank gear that can actually fight costs at least two thousand... Looks like I can only get something from the Healer path."

Some choices went against intuition. As the provider of the Gardener and Healer paths, most of the Maiden of the Forest's Secret Realm rewards were related to those two paths.

Lu PingAn had originally planned to get an item from the Gardener path or a precious magic plant—something he could use and sell easily—but Chris called him ignorant.

"...The number of Taboo Items you can carry is limited. But it is widely believed that the first priority should always be making up for shortcomings and concealing weaknesses. What is your greatest weakness? Don't you know that yourself?"

Lu PingAn's greatest weakness? Every ability came at a cost, and Lu PingAn was naturally no exception.

Innate abilities often formed the foundation and core of a Professional's powers, such as Lei Shui Yun's "Cat" and Calamity Fist's "Wish Come True."

But at the same time, those strongest points were also their greatest weaknesses. They often brought severe costs, as well as fatal flaws one would struggle against for a lifetime.

"My weakness is that my life has already been controlled by my ability."

It had been mentioned before when introducing the Life Bank facilities: Lu PingAn could not receive treatment from others. Most supernatural healing methods had no effect on him at all.

At its root, it was because his life had all been "exchanged" into Life Points and was controlled by the Life Bank.

Naturally, other low-tier life manipulators could not affect him in the slightest.

Just as Big Cat had said before:

'Countdown of Life' is the price you paid for gaining your ability, a curse you placed upon yourself. No one can save you—not even the great Mother of Life.

That life countdown was the bank's counter. What truly claimed his life was not those numbers, but the constantly diminishing Life Points. They represented that Lu PingAn's life no longer belonged to him.

"...You can't receive treatment from Healers? That's rather tragic. If you're afraid of getting hurt, things will be difficult. But even if I get an item from the Healer path, it won't solve my problem, will it?"

Professionals of the Healer path could not treat him, and Taboo Items were the same.

But Chris, who had been born a Healer, had countless ways to circumvent restrictions.

"...If supernatural paths won't work, what about natural methods? In the end, self-healing is just the body accelerating its metabolism. Find a Taboo Item that speeds up your metabolism and improves your self-healing ability. It may work slowly and have strong side effects, but at least it works."

"That works too? But wouldn't that mean actively shortening my lifespan? Forget it, pretend I said nothing."

The two weaknesses came together, yet offset each other to some extent.

Although Chris sometimes made people wonder how she had managed to survive this long, she possessed astonishing knowledge and sharp instincts when it came to the supernatural professional system.

Sure enough, after browsing the shop a little, Lu PingAn was surprised to find that items related to "self-healing" were far more numerous than those for "direct treatment," and their costs varied wildly.

"Useful items sell quickly."

Only after Chris explained did Lu PingAn understand that there was an enormous difference between the two in practical use.

"Accelerated self-healing" and "rapid healing" sounded similar, but in actual combat, the gap between them was immense.

With rapid healing, the Healer paid the cost while the frontline warrior remained in prime condition.

But accelerated self-healing could very well drain a frontline warrior of stamina, water, and nutrition, forcing them directly off the battlefield. It could basically only be used after the fight.

"Looks like I'll need to be especially careful about how I use it. This one, then. One hundred and fifty-seven coins. Use the remaining coins to exchange for consumables like magic plant seeds."

Looking at the silver gloves that had suddenly appeared in his hands, Lu PingAn nodded in satisfaction.

Overly Excited Crocodile Skin Gloves (Black Iron Low Rank cursed item)

Function: Overly Vigorous Metabolism (Black Iron Low Rank). Once per day, accelerates the user's metabolism, greatly increasing self-healing speed for three minutes. (Remember to replenish water and energy foods when using.)

Curse: Easily Thirsty Young Flesh (Black Iron Low Rank). Must drink an additional five liters of water every day.

Although the item's prefix left him with a rather strange feeling, its low cost finally made Lu PingAn decide on it.

With these two Taboo Items, along with the two unnamed magic plants he had recently developed, Lu PingAn had gained much greater confidence in the "exam."

Only after finishing the settlement did he realize that people had gathered all around him.

He realized that, in the eyes of outsiders, he had been standing near the dimensional gate's exit all along, the center of everyone's attention.

Lu PingAn smiled. He had never cared much about other people's stares.

Nor did he think Green New Company's people would attack him in full public view. If they really came, couldn't he just take one step back into the Secret Realm?

Having finished the important matter at hand, it was naturally time to go home.

He straightened his clothes and prepared to swagger out.

Clap!

The sudden sound made him freeze.

Had an attack really come in broad daylight? Were they that insane?

"...You did well, Lu PingAn."

An unfamiliar voice sounded behind him. Someone he did not know was actually applauding him.

Clap, clap, clap.

Another stranger, across the street, smiled and applauded.

Perhaps applause really was contagious.

One unfamiliar person after another smiled at the Young Man and applauded.

Along the Young Man's path, pedestrians stopped one after another. Some did so openly, while others exchanged quiet words first, then smiled and began to clap.

Lu PingAn stood stunned. He had suffered hostility, betrayal, and despair, but he had never seen a scene like this.

"I only did it for myself..."

His murmur was meaningless. The smiles and goodwill of those strangers were unbearable to someone accustomed to closing himself off.

He quickened his pace. For the first time since his rebirth, he had the urge to flee from everything.

"...You did well."

An acquaintance passing by greeted him.

It was Calamity Fist. He silently raised his right fist.

Perhaps he was the one who had told everyone everything, the one who had informed others that the "little hero" had returned.

The market was large, and not everyone was clapping, but at the very least, they all smiled at the Young Man.

Only in one corner of the street, the familiar employees of the freshly erected "Green New Company Temporary Shop" wore increasingly complicated expressions.

Some glared angrily at Lu PingAn. Some watched him calmly. Some were full of hesitation and at a complete loss.

They were here now, enduring the condemnation of countless people, because most of them were merely ordinary employees and Student Soldiers.

Even if they had known that the Dragon Snake Gang had some connections with the company, they could not possibly have known everything.

Yet clearly, this incident had affected their futures and prospects. In a sense, they were accomplices to the perpetrators, but they were also victims.

Lu PingAn did not even look at them. He merely walked past calmly.

Clap, clap, clap.

But the applause came from behind him.

Lu PingAn turned around and saw Miss Zhao Ying silently applauding, while everyone else stared at her in shock.

"Justice lives in people's hearts. Before becoming an employee of Green New Company, I am first a human being—and a woman."

The graduate student spoke calmly. Without even looking at her colleagues' varied expressions, she had made her decision as well.

Lu PingAn took a deep breath and quickened his pace.

He still smiled lightly as usual, but his steps had become a little lighter.