“This newbie is absolutely shameless!”
“Such a blatant profiteer.”
In the crowd, some people cast scornful, disdainful glances.
However, Qing Li smiled cheerfully and said loudly, “Helping others ward off disasters and accepting payment for it—how could that be shameless? We’re all in the same boat here. Since I’m new and unfamiliar with the rules, let’s call this my grand opening special. A talisman for just 100,000 points—first come, first served!”
As she finished speaking, she pulled out a handful of crumpled talisman papers from her small pouch.
The expressions of everyone in the hall became indescribable.
Where did this shameless newbie come from, and why was she a charlatan on top of it?
“Only an idiot would buy that,” someone muttered in the crowd.
No sooner had the words left his mouth than Lin Zizhou excitedly shouted, “I want ten! No, twenty! Actually, I’ll take them all!”
His enthusiastic and elated demeanor made him look like a plant paid to hype her up.
But Lin Zizhou knew the truth—these were genuine life-saving talismans!
“Each person is limited to a maximum of ten,” Qing Li declared.
If Lin Zizhou bought them all, how could she develop new clients?
“Fine!”
Lin Zizhou looked dejected, lowering his head pitifully.
Under the gaze of the entire crowd, he received Qing Li’s talismans. Along with the 1,000,000 points he owed her from before, he transferred a total of 2,000,000 popularity points to Qing Li.
In the Horror World, popularity points were their currency for transactions.
Although Lin Zizhou seemed utterly useless, he was, in fact, a bona fide rich second-generation heir in the real world. His popularity points came entirely from family rewards. Thus, while his ranking wasn’t high, his earnings placed him in the top ten of the entire livestream community.
“Pleasure doing business with you!”
After receiving the transfer, Qing Li’s eyes sparkled as she looked at Lin Zizhou.
This was a golden goose! She resolved to exploit him thoroughly in the future.
“Anyone else want to buy? The grand opening special is for today only!”
Seeing no further takers, Qing Li raised her voice and continued her pitch.
The expressions on the crowd’s faces were a mix of disbelief and speechlessness. Did this charlatan really think they were idiots?
This obvious scam only worked on Lin Zizhou, a fool with too much money.
“Hey, sir, your forehead looks dark, a sign of imminent doom. Would you like to buy a talisman for protection?” Qing Li proactively targeted someone, enthusiastically marketing her wares.
“Nothing good comes out of your mouth! You’re the one with imminent doom!” the man snapped angrily.
In the Horror World, the phrase “imminent doom” was akin to a curse, striking fear in anyone who heard it.
“Give me one.”
At that moment, a man stepped forward, and his appearance silenced the entire crowd.
Mo Ting—ranked sixth in the livestream leaderboard.
However, many speculated that based on Mo Ting’s capabilities, he undoubtedly deserved a spot in the top three.
The man was exceptionally handsome, dressed in a black trench coat that accentuated his tall, elegant figure. His warm, breezy smile made many female players blush.
“One talisman for 100,000. But since you’re handsome, I’ll give you a 5% discount,” Qing Li said.
Mo Ting chuckled, lowering his head slightly, and teased himself, “Suddenly, I’m very grateful for my looks.”
“Miss Qing Li, are you saying I’m not handsome?”
Lin Zizhou looked aggrieved.
Why was it that he, too, a good-looking guy, didn’t get any perks?
Qing Li gave Lin Zizhou a look that clearly said, You don’t understand.
She hadn’t yet cracked open the trading market in the Horror World livestream. This man seemed influential, and his purchase could inspire others to buy. So Qing Li didn’t mind offering him a small discount.
Mo Ting raised his wrist, revealing a black smartwatch, and completed the transaction with Qing Li. A crumpled talisman paper ended up in his hands.
“Mo Ting, that tacky woman is obviously a scammer. How could you fall for it?”
The person who previously ridiculed anyone buying the talismans couldn’t hold back their complaint.
Mo Ting smiled faintly. “Whether it works or not, buying a bit of peace of mind is worth it.”
His smile immediately dazzled several female players, leaving them starstruck.
Seizing the moment, Qing Li ramped up her pitch. She shouted, “Do you want to own the same exclusive talisman as your male idol? For just 100,000 points each, you can share the same limited-edition item with him!”
“I’ll buy…”
“Give me one…”
“Me too…”
“Damn it, stop pushing!”
With just one line, she effortlessly convinced the women to open their wallets.
Watching this charlatan rake in the profits, many people turned green with envy.
For some new players, 100,000 popularity points represented their entire savings.
The name “Qing Li,” this newcomer, was now etched into everyone’s memory!
“Ding! Task evaluation is now starting.”
Suddenly, the system’s cold, mechanical voice echoed throughout the hall, plunging the room into silence.
At the top of the hall, a massive screen lit up, displaying the player rankings.
Task Name: East Suburb Hospital at 3 A.M.
Task Completion: 100%
Task Performance Ratings:
– Shen Ruo: C Grade, 300 XP awarded, ranking upgraded from 65 to 63.
– Zhou Ya: C Grade, 300 XP awarded, ranking upgraded from 74 to 71.
– Lin Zizhou: B Grade, 500 XP awarded, ranking upgraded from 81 to 75.
– Qing Li: F Grade, 1 XP awarded, ranking upgraded from 100 to 98.
1 XP—the lowest in history.
“Hahahaha…”
“I suspect the system gave that as charity.”
“Do you think the people who spent 100,000 points on talismans regret it now, believing in a charlatan with just 1 XP?”
Laughter erupted among the crowd, and many gazed at Qing Li with contempt.
Qing Li remained expressionless but inwardly complained to the system: [You piece of trash, are you messing with me?]
The system replied in a clear, official tone: [Levels and experience points are determined by performance during tasks. I did not treat you unfairly.]
If she could drag the system out of her mind, Qing Li would have rewarded it with a Five Thunders Exploding Package right then and there.
However, Lin Zizhou’s B Grade drew some attention from the crowd.
After the system finalized the task results, Qing Li’s smartwatch received a notification with her assigned room number, along with a key that appeared in her hand.
“Looks like we’re neighbors,” Mo Ting remarked, noticing the room number on Qing Li’s key. He smiled faintly.
“Really?” Qing Li’s face lit up with delight.
“Yes, I live in room 806 on the 8th floor,” Mo Ting confirmed with a nod.
To everyone’s surprise, Qing Li immediately raised her key and shouted, “Auctioning the room key next to the male idol! Want to live beside the male idol and bump into him every day? There’s only one key and one chance! Highest bidder wins!”
Even someone as composed as Mo Ting was left stunned.
This newcomer—she really was shameless!
“I’ll bid 200,000!”
“500,000!”
“I’ll bid 800,000!”
The crowd, including some male players, eagerly joined the bidding war. After all, being neighbors with the sixth-ranked Mo Ting could prove instrumental in forming a good relationship with him.
“30,000,000.”
A tall, stunning woman with fiery red lips stepped out from the crowd, her voice commanding attention.