Looking at the floating text in front of her, Shuyue couldn't help but widen her eyes.
"Is this... a supreme ability?"
So the golden rarity ability is referred to as a supreme product from her perspective, Chen Xuan thought to himself.
He had chosen "Liberty Leading the People" LV1.
"Impressive, isn't it? This is quite a rare ability... I wouldn't show it to just any customer."
After carefully reading the ability's description, Shuyue asked skeptically, "It certainly seems extraordinary, but I don't understand... how can this ability possibly resolve the plight of Qing State's citizens?"
Literal interpretation makes it sound mysterious, even sinister... if the description is true, it's an arcane skill that can manipulate people's hearts.
Any official or general would be ecstatic to encounter such an ability, but since she neither governs nor commands troops, acquiring this ability would be a waste.
Of course, Shuyue also knew better than to fully trust the description.
It's too brief and carries an obvious tone of mockery.
Though she didn't understand why Chen Xuan made the product description so frivolous.
"The reasoning is simple," Chen Xuan explained. "At this point, it's impossible to stay uninvolved. You either ignore everything from the beginning, or you take it a step further and become the leader of these refugees. Not to mention what I just saw — the refugees fleeing to Zhangwei are of all sorts, and even dare to commit atrocities in broad daylight over food. Sometimes, they're just one step away from becoming bandits."
Shuyue had no words to refute.
This was the truth.
Or rather, after prolonged hunger, refugees would eventually turn into raiders... and when tens of thousands of raiders gathered here, Zhangwei City itself would be in grave danger.
"To help them, firstly you must prevent them from turning into bandits... or even inhumane 'demons'. This requires uniting the disaster victims fleeing here, eliminating barriers, and preventing them from accumulating hatred through internal strife. In the face of any crisis, a powerful group's ability to combat risks always far surpasses a loose collection of individuals. With this ability, you can more effortlessly achieve this, providing them with a central figure to depend on, thus at least preventing further internecine strife among the refugees, or attacks on the residents outside the city."
"But what's the use?" Shuyue still didn't understand. "Even if I can manage them for now, I can't do it forever. They're holding out now because the relief porridge hasn't been completely cut off. Once the food is entirely insufficient, order will definitely collapse quickly."
"I will handle the food issue."
"What?"
"After you confirm the transaction, this shop will handle the supply of relief grain for you," Chen Xuan repeated. "But before that, you'd better manage this batch of refugees well, and don't let them become a thorn in the government's side."
Shuyue froze for a second.
Then she realized, "So you already had a way to resolve the grain issue, and the ability exchange is the price?"
Indeed, she was very perceptive.
Chen Xuan nodded slightly. "Do you think I'm taking advantage of people in danger again?"
But this time Shuyue didn't glare at him coldly, instead she waved her hand and put up four abilities right away.
"Celestial Mist Skill" LV8.
——People with an IQ below 150 are not fit to learn it. It can permanently evolve the body, taking the first step towards ascension. Fortunately, thanks to the ability exchange, even a fool like you can master it.
"Divine Eye Technique" lv9.
——If you are targeted by assassins every day, it's an invaluable ability worth more than gold. Paired with iron hands, you will find catching flying bullets is merely ordinary. Note: Excessive eye use may lead to blindness, not suitable for patients with congenital eye diseases.
"Golden Cicada Shell Escape Technique" lv1.
——While death is unavoidable, it can help you escape once.
"Thousand Thoughts Sword" lv10.
——Can be used to chop vegetables, or to counter tanks. At this level, the sword is no longer a sword in the narrow sense, but a synonym for the art of killing.
Apart from the Thousand Thoughts Sword being blue-grade, the other three were actually purple-grade.
"Hurry and trade, you can't back out." Shuyue urged.
Chen Xuan was somewhat surprised, "…Why did you agree so readily this time?"
"In five years, I've made numerous transactions with many people, and in the end, found that straightforward pricing isn't so bad." She exhaled lightly, the weariness reappearing in her expression. "As long as I can achieve my final goal and the other party doesn't renege on their promise, it's already a good deal."
"What will you do after trading these?"
"I have backup cultivation techniques of similar grade, just slightly narrower in application... like blessings, arrays, and talismans... of course, you can choose these if you want."
"No need to switch, these four are fine."
Seeing the counterpart being remarkably generous, Chen Xuan wasn't picky either. After all, what he needed most were performance points, and the store's evaluation of these four abilities wasn't low.
After confirming the transaction, he received 5 performance points. Combined with the transaction with Joan and the leftover from the first trade, he now had a total of 9 points, only one step away from applying for a Level 3 store manager.
"I've received the abilities. Would you like another cup of coffee?"
"No... I hope this matter can move forward soon," Shuyue looked him directly in the eye. "When will you have news? I don't want to say goodbye once and then not see you for another five years."
You could just say you want to supervise me at work.
Chen Xuan smiled, ready to answer that it would take effect tomorrow, but he immediately paused, remembering that he couldn't control where the shop door would open at will. After this farewell, the shop would return to the neighborhood, and who knows when it would connect to Liu Shuyue's world again.
Don't say five years, even half a month could turn the situation in Qing State upside down.
Seeing him lost in thought, Liu Shuyue also became a bit nervous, "You're not planning to back out, are you?"
"How could I? Our shop values honesty above all." Chen Xuan suddenly remembered the shop had a housing department open, and a major core of guest accommodation was the ability to visit guests at any time. Does this mean there's a function to contact guests quickly on the second floor? "What I mean is... why don't you just stay at the shop?"
"What?" Liu Shuyue looked around, "You mean... stay here?"
"Right, there are guest rooms upstairs. This way, you won't have to worry about finding me."
She considered for a moment, "Understood, then I'll go say hello to the Governor."
"Have you always stayed in the Government Office?" Chen Xuan curiously asked.
"Not always, I rarely stay in one place for more than half a month. The best part about staying in the Government Office is not having to spend any money." At this point, Liu Shuyue's face suddenly tightened, "It's not free here, is it? I don't have much money on me."
"Of course, there's a charge. You can't stay for free," he teased, "But lodging money is a separate matter, unrelated to trading for abilities. If you don't have money, you can owe it and pay later... with a disciple's skills, this kind of money should be easy to come by."
"So how much is it?"
"Depends on the room grade you stay in. But before that, register as a VIP." Chen Xuan switched to the housing page and aimed the scanner gun at her again.
"VIP?"
"It means Very Important Person."
Liu Shuyue was clearly skeptical. And there was also the "spicy hot pot" sign before... The things in this shop are mysterious, yet the names are unbearably tacky.
"I was going to ask earlier, is this a Magical Treasure?" She pointed at the scanner gun and the screen on the bar counter.
"Sort of," Chen Xuan followed along, "There are plenty of treasures in the shop."
That part she had no doubt about.
The first time she entered the shop, she noticed that the overhead lighting was bright and even, with the light sources hidden in the corners of the ceiling yet still illuminating everywhere. Also, the sofa seemed to be wrapped in a material that looked like leather but wasn't and was highly elastic... and the wall paintings, decorations, ornaments, each had their mysteries.
The Sect also had Undying Spirit Flame, deep-sea pearls that glowed constantly, and Ten Thousand-Colored Ice Crystals as thin as cicada wings... but most were treasured in the Treasure Vault and not as openly displayed in the hall of this shop.
That's why she believed the shop owner had a significant background.
But none of these could compare to the Magical Treasure in the shopkeeper's hand.
It could let her see characters and pictures out of thin air, treasures of first-rate quality.
Such as the "registration operation" in front of her.
Liu Shuyue glanced at the agreement and silently nodded.
Sure enough, there was an immediate response, "OK, you've been registered, room number 201, let me show you."
What is OK?
Compared to the last time she entered the shop, she vaguely felt that the other party had become more casual... or rather, more approachable.
Chen Xuan led Liu Shuyue to the second floor, to the door marked with the number 201—his personal visit was necessary because the guest room doors had been locked before, and he had never seen what the room looked like inside. If it were shabby, old, and falling apart, he'd be embarrassed to ask guests for lodging fees.
This time, the electronic lock on the door was showing a green light.
Sure enough, he thought, only after registering a guest in the housing management could the door lock be activated.
Chen Xuan placed the 201 room card against the lock.
With a light beep, the door lock opened.
"Please come in."
Stepping inside the room, Liu Shuyue was stunned.
"Are you... really giving me a room like this?"
Following her inside, Chen Xuan was also a bit taken aback.
You tell me this is a guesthouse in a residential building?
Inside, it was a completely different world!
Past the entrance was a huge, flat natural bluestone, spanning ten meters wide and long; on it stood a large bed, with pillows and quilts that looked incredibly soft. Surprisingly, in front of the bluestone emerged a pool of clear water—yes, there was a clear pond in the room! With fish swimming inside!
Even more astonishing were the surrounding walls... they were all moss-covered stone cliffs, not sealed at the top, but encircling an open hole. Sunlight streamed in from above, shining onto the pond, turning the entire water surface a transparent cyan green. Small streams of water trickled down from the cave opening, forming a sparse "curtain."
Chen Xuan had imagined the scene in the room, at worst a moldy, smelly partitioned room, at best a beautifully decorated hotel-style suite.
But he never dreamed that inside, it would resemble a grotto heaven, with impeccable scenery and devoid of any traces of modern implements and furnishings.
The bed was made of solid wood, the quilts of silk weaving, the faucet replaced by a mini bamboo waterwheel, the basin made entirely of clay, with even the accompanying toothbrush and toothpaste transformed into willow twigs and salt blocks!