Buy and Sell

Zhou You watched the scene unfold before his eyes, a scene worthy of a Grade B horror movie, without the slightest change in his expression.

Part of him had gotten used to such bizarre sights by now. The other part was his newly acquired talent: Basic Acting activated.

So he kept his expression calm, and even smiled as he replied.

"Sorry, this is my first time here. Could you explain in detail how transactions work?"

"Of course." The old woman answered cheerfully. Without what had happened earlier, she might have seemed like nothing more than a kindly shopkeeper.

"I mainly buy and sell some... rather unusual items. The selection is quite varied. For example, a shawl woven from the hair of several people who died unjustly. The curse attached to it can kill your enemies without anyone being the wiser. Or a thangka made from a young girl's skin. Carry it with you, and you'll enjoy great fortune... Each item has a different value, and the payment I ask for varies too. As I said, you might pay with money, an item, your own internal organs, or even... your life."

At that, Zhou You smiled. "Boss, if you've already given up your life, what use would your things be to you?"

The old woman pulled an absurd face and raised a finger, wagging it gently.

"Not necessarily. There are always things in this world more important than life. Take that head I brought out, for example. His wife was caught up in a robbery and stabbed to death. The killer was underage, so he spent only a few years in prison before being released. And because of privacy protections, the poor man didn't even know where to look for the killer so he could take revenge. In despair, this customer came to me and said he'd give up everything to make sure the killer died in the most agonizing way possible. You see? After someone puts it like that, how could this old woman possibly refuse?"

At this point, the shopkeeper paused, then continued.

"Many people come to me when they're desperate: the lovesick, the furious, the yearning, the hateful. In short, we offer every kind of service here—as long as you can pay the price."

At that, Zhou You suddenly thought of something and asked, "Can I pay to bring the dead back to life here?"

As if she had heard the question countless times, the woman waved a hand that looked like a chicken's claw.

"Guest, most people who come here ask me the same thing. Unfortunately, bringing someone back to life requires appealing to a higher being. We don't have that ability, so I can't make that deal with you."

Zhou You wanted to ask what the so-called "higher being" was, but the other party seemed to have anticipated his thoughts. She shot him a seemingly kind, yet utterly cruel look.

Don't ask. If you do, I'll kill you.

"...All right." Zhou You shrugged, giving up on the idea. "Then do you have a catalog? I'd like to see what I can buy."

This time, the shopkeeper said nothing. She simply tossed him a book.

Zhou You gently pinched the cover. By the feel of it, it wasn't as rough as cowhide or as thick as sheepskin.

"...This isn't made of human skin, is it?"

Zhou You glanced up at the shopkeeper. Seeing no particular reaction from her, he cautiously opened the book.

But the next moment, a system prompt suddenly appeared.

"Player has triggered a paranormal event: Gui Po's Shop."

"Entering shop inventory..."

"Opening system shop..."

"Player can now purchase items from this shop through the system. Please note that some items may require a certain level of favorability or special materials before they can be purchased."

"Please note: the entity "Gui Po" cannot have her state reset by a player reloading a save."

A list appeared before Zhou You's eyes.

"Woven Shawl"

"Quality: Green."

"Effect: The wearer's rate of life recovery increases, and they won't be troubled by minor illnesses."

"Curse: The person wearing this item will be plagued by terrifying nightmares. The longer they wear it, the weaker their body will become, until they die."

<From time to time, you can hear whispers coming from the shawl.>

Soul Stone cost: 150

"Human Skin Thangka"

"Quality: Blue."

"Effect: The holder's luck will increase greatly."

"Curse: Each time the holder benefits from their increased luck, part of their body will inevitably rot. This rot cannot be undone by returning; it can only be cured in a scenario through certain special methods."

<The Blood Curse was written by a high monk of a secret sect. Everyone who held it met a tragic death, without exception.>

"Blood-Stained Knife"

"Quality: Green."

"Effect: This item can inflict minor damage on monsters. Players can also use it to hurt themselves and increase their running speed in return. (The duration and degree of the speed boost are proportional to the severity of the injury.)"

"Curse: The blade must be coated with blood once every half month, or this item will lose all its supernatural properties."

<He used it to kill five people: his mother, his father, the wife who loved him deeply, the son he loved deeply, and finally, himself.>

Soul Stone cost: 200

Yungu Ointment

"Consumable."

"Quality: White."

"Effect: Using it speeds up the healing of your injuries, but it won't work on severed limbs or serious wounds."

<It works very well, but don't ever look too closely into what it's made from.>

Soul Stone cost per item: 30

Most of the remaining items were marked red and couldn't be viewed. They probably required a certain level of favorability, as the system had said. But when he reached the last page, Zhou You's gaze suddenly sharpened.

There were three items there.

"Imitation Eyeball"

"Consumable."

"Effect: Use this item outside of combat to temporarily block the Eyeball Ghost's perception of you."

"Purchase requirement: One-third of your liver."

(This item cannot be used by evil entities. If you have already purchased an item with the same effect, the purchase requirement will be doubled.)

"Human Skin Peeled from Someone's Face"

"Consumable."

"Effect: Use this item outside of combat to temporarily block the Faceless Ghost's perception of you."

"Purchase requirement: A section of your intestine."

(This item cannot be used by evil entities. If you have already purchased an item with the same effect, the purchase requirement will be doubled.)

"Incense Bearing a Curse Seal"

"Consumable."

"Effect: Use this item outside of combat to temporarily block the Pious Ghost's perception of you."

"Purchase requirement: One of your kidneys."

(This item cannot be used by evil entities. If you have already purchased an item with the same effect, the purchase requirement will be doubled.)

Seriously, are you sure you're not related to the one in Building Four?