Human Hearts

The overall strength of the two districts differed by a full ten percent!

A suffocating gap.

It was clear that their district was more prominent, as several district-wide announcements had all originated from their side.

Others noticed this as well, and for a moment, all eyes turned toward Zhu Jiusi.

Zhu Jiusi opened his mouth, then glared back. The meaning in his eyes was clear: Don't look at me! My brain just started working again; I haven't adapted to how to use it yet.

Clatter— The skateboard slid forward. Rain Seeker stepped forward and sighed softly: "Shall I take over?"

Her parched eyes held a hint of helplessness. These few people she had just become familiar with didn't seem to be the type skilled at using their brains. How did she, a Red Carp who used to be a secretary, end up becoming the intelligence core?

Everyone looked toward her.

Rain Seeker paused for a moment, then looked at Fox Waiter: "How long does the Small Market exist?"

Fox Waiter looked at her with admiration: "Starting now, one hour."

Only two hours, which basically aligned with the duration of their Dao Discussion Cards.

Rain Seeker straightened her posture: "Help me list the full product catalog as quickly as possible, including the wealth value!"

As she spoke, she turned her parched gaze toward the people around her: "Collect all the Gourds in the entire district. 4 basic resources for each ordinary Gourd, 20 for bronze. I will calculate what to exchange them for."

Each type of resource had a different wealth value, and the required number of Gourds varied as well. Rain Seeker needed to exchange the lowest quantity of Gourds for the highest possible wealth value.

Fox Waiter smiled slightly: "The product catalog is right here, but what is 'wealth value'? What you see may not be the same as what we see."

Journey Survival was fair; there were things only NPCs could see, and naturally, there were things exclusive to Path Seekers.

Rain Seeker looked at Sword Seven: "Sister Sword Seven, help me verify the wealth values. Read them to me, ship by ship, item by item."

Sword Seven nodded. She couldn't bring herself to hawk goods like a merchant, but reading out wealth values was no problem.

She picked up Rain Seeker's fishbowl, went to the riverbank to scoop up a bowl of water, dropped Rain Seeker inside, and began immediately.

"Guobaorou 35, Crystal Pork Skin Jelly 13."

"Sister Sword Seven, read the other items that don't spoil easily first."

Sword Seven turned the page: "Life-Facing Stone 5456, Heavenly Stellar Crystal 7789."

Rain Seeker: "...The ordinary ones!"

The markup on those items was too high; reading them was useless.

Sword Seven turned the page again: "Life Stone 50, Soul Jade 50, Sword Sharpening Stone 38..."

While they were quoting prices, Zhu Jiusi and the others were rapidly flooding the chat.

Orchid Pavilion Scholar: "Buying Gourds! Buying empty Gourds that have already been opened, high price!"

White Beard's Fist: "Buying as well!"

After shouting for a long time, only a few people listlessly put out a hundred or so Gourds.

Suddenly, a group of top-ranked players was buying Gourds in the chat, and those guys thought they were rare commodities, actually wanting to hoard them.

Orchid Pavilion Scholar: "We are raising the overall strength of District 66! If you have Gourds, sell them quickly!"

He shouted it several times, but even fewer people were willing to sell, and those who did only offered one or two.

If it could raise overall strength, the value of these Gourds must be more than 4 basic resources.

Who knew that the things they used to hold water every day were actually treasures?

"Rain Seeker, that bunch of blockheads won't sell. Should we raise the price?"

The Red Carp surfaced from the water, her eyes regaining their luster: "No!"

If they raised it by one, the others would think they could raise it by two. It would be endless, and the more they raised it, the fewer people would sell.

The price she had already offered was extremely high.

"If we don't raise it, no one will sell! Only a few who have good relations with us sold theirs, but they all want to pry into what's happening."

"Keep buying at the original price!" Rain Seeker said firmly.

The group continued to shout prices in the chat. But after half an hour, they had only bought a few dozen.

Orchid Pavilion Scholar was furious: "A bunch of idiots! The Cave Master told you to come over for the Dao Discussion Card and see for yourselves what's happening, but you didn't come! We told you to sell your items, and you won't! Are you all blind? Can't you see the comparison of the two districts' overall strength on the Scroll?

Do you not want a 10% resource boost?! I am trying to raise the overall strength of District 66!! Sell them or don't, I don't care!"

He was exasperated.

After cursing for a dozen messages, some people finally started selling, but it still wasn't much—all in all, they only managed to get their hands on three hundred Gourds.

Rain Seeker immediately exchanged these Gourds for resources.

On the Scroll, everyone could see that the overall strength of District 66 was rising slightly.

But at the same time, the overall strength of District 33 was skyrocketing.

Someone in their district must have found a way to directly boost the enthusiasm of the entire district to sell their Gourds.

"Rain Seeker?" Orchid Pavilion Scholar looked over.

Rain Seeker glanced at the time, then listened to the item wealth values Sword Seven kept reciting, calculating incessantly in her heart.

She had already exchanged the gourds of everyone present for supplies.

But compared to an entire district, it was still a drop in the bucket.

While listening and calculating, she looked up and glanced at Orchid Pavilion Scholar: "Lower the price by one. From now on, we buy Wood Gourds for 3 basic supplies and Bronze Gourds for 15 basic supplies."

Orchid Pavilion Scholar: "??"

They wouldn't sell for four, but they would sell for three?

Rain Seeker blew a bubble: "Tell them, we stop buying in an hour and a half."

The others didn't understand why, but they were obedient. They posted the message in the group exactly as instructed.

In an instant, the scrolls of the entire District 66 lit up continuously.

It had been half a month; who didn't have a couple of friends to chat with and consult?

This time, some people sold their gourds, but it was still sparse, with most people observing.

But this time, Rain Seeker didn't let anyone shout for purchases; she just had Orchid Pavilion Scholar go out and rant like a shrew.

He used sarcasm and passive-aggressive remarks, almost going so far as to insult their ancestors.

But gradually, even Orchid Pavilion Scholar stopped talking.

Until half an hour passed, the several big shots simultaneously posted a message in the chat area.

The price for Wood Gourds has dropped to two resources, and Bronze Gourds to ten. We won't wait past the deadline.

This suddenly made many people anxious. Some even jumped out to accuse them, asking why they lowered the price and by what right they did so.

Orchid Pavilion Scholar: "Because I feel like it, and because I'm the one buying the gourds, not you. Sell if you want, don't if you don't; I'll buy if I want, and I won't if I don't. If you have the ability, offer a higher price than me, and I'll sell you as many as I have. If you don't have the ability, shut up!"

That person immediately wanted to resist, but didn't quite dare.

This group of people had all been summoned by the Master of Cloud Stack Cave and all possessed Dao Discussion Cards. This guy with the foul mouth wielded a blade and had a Life stat as high as 13—and that was data from half a month ago. After half a month, whose Life stat hadn't improved a bit?

"@Master of Cloud Stack Cave, Big Brother, can you explain what is happening? We don't know anything!"

Zhu Jiusi snorted like a pig twice: "Although the Scholar is cursing, he isn't wrong. We just want to beat District 33. Whoever wants to know why, just send a Dao Discussion Card over. Journey Survival has rules; we cannot speak of it openly."

"Additionally, in half an hour, the purchase price for Wood Gourds will drop to 1 resource, and Bronze Gourds to 5 resources. We will stop buying in one hour."

"Whether you want to sell or not is your own decision. I don't care if we keep the name of District 66; killing a couple of people will make up for any losses."