Helping people isn't wrong, but there's only so much one can do to support another—and almost killing himself over a stall?
Shun couldn't help but chuckle at his own foolishness.
As he continued walking, he spotted a half-completed house. He walked over and observed its workers. One thing he immediately noticed was the diversity of the crew.
An elf—just as stunning as the media portrayed them.
A demon—horns protruding, ominous wings on the back. Their features looked hostile, yet they seemed friendly to humans.
A centaur—magnificent and mighty as ever!
And a… floating, sentient cube.
What the heck? Is the employer trying to prove a point? he pondered inwardly.
The rest of the workers were ordinary humans.
Just as he was about to move on, he felt a light tap on his shoulder.
He turned to the source and found a man with dazzling golden hair, wearing a white, loose-collared shirt with the sleeves rolled up, partially tucked into a fitted brown vest.
His trousers were dark and slim, tucked neatly into calf-high black boots. The outfit was simple but well-kept, giving him a slightly rugged, practical look.
"Can I help you?"
Shun moved his gaze up and down, scrutinizing him. He looked friendly, yet something about him unsettled Shun.
"May I know who you are?" Shun took a step back.
"I am Alden, the city's developer." He offered a polite smile. "You don't seem to be from around here."
"Yes, I'm a traveler. The name is Shun."
"A traveler?" His gaze flickered with excitement, evidenced by the slight rise of his shoulders.
He then cleared his throat, calming himself down. "You seem rather interested in this building. Would you like to buy it? The client backed out due to… personal conflicts." His eyes glinted ominously.
Shun couldn't care less about the fate of some unknown person. More importantly, why was he offering a traveler a house?
"I'm going to pass on the offer. I don't plan to stay here that long."
"Truly? That's unfortunate. It's a good building, made of the highest quality by skilled workers. Give it a hundred—or even five hundred—years and a harsh climate, and it won't change. Still as good as new! It's especially perfect if one has an elf as their partner." His smile widened. His enthusiasm was almost as infectious as a virus.
Shun grunted in acknowledgment and turned his gaze to the building. "Where did you get that wood?"
Alden didn't take offense to Shun's flat reaction and replied, "It's harvested from the Forest of Eldritch Waste. While it's high quality and relatively easy to find, it's a different story if you want to bring it out alive."
"Is this the only wood around here?"
"Not exactly. There are fifteen types, but eight are of the worst quality—mostly used for firewood. May I ask what you need the wood for?"
"I'd like to build a temple."
"A temple?" Alden seemed to lose track for a moment. "You're a traveler, right?"
Shun realized the situation a heartbeat later. If he explained poorly, they might hang him at the stake!
"Doesn't matter anyway." Alden abruptly shrugged, leaving Shun momentarily stunned.
"To build a temple, you'll need wood that's durable and rot-resistant," he continued.
"Where can I get that?"
"Considering your identity as a traveler, it'd be almost impossible to obtain—unless you find a middleman to buy it for you."
"A middleman?" Shun tapped his chin. As he pondered, Alden looked at him with eyes so bright they could guide someone through the dark.
Shun smiled. "Could you help me, Alden?"
"Sure." His lips lifted to his eyes. "How much wood are you going to buy?"
"How do you buy wood?" Shun asked curiously. "Is it by weight? Per lumber? Per bundle?"
"Is this your first time buying wood?" The corner of Alden's lips twitched as his smile faded.
"Yeah."
"And you want to build a temple?"
"Yes."
Alden gritted his teeth, visibly restraining his irritation.
"May I know what kind of temple you're planning to build?"
Shun looked at the panel and noticed there was no specific description of how big the temple should be.
"A small one should suffice."
Alden nodded and contemplated for a moment, motioning to calm his emotions—like the surface of a tranquil lake—evident by the way he took a discreet deep breath.
Shun wondered why. It didn't seem like he'd done anything to enrage him.
"Very well. A small temple, yes? Not glamorous, but humble—just as the gods intended for humanity!
"Let's say the temple is roughly sixty-six feet by ninety-eight feet, with a single room, modest roof, and minimal ornamentation.
"It would approximately require three to six tons of wood, depending on density.
"All in all, it'll run you around twelve beams of Soothwood, a hundred bundles of Peaceplank, and a Soulbead Core. That'll cost you around fifty Dreamcoins."
Shun had no interest in those unfamiliar terms but focused on one.
"Dreamcoins?"
"Traveler, you don't know what Dreamcoins are?" He eyed Shun curiously.
"No. What are they?"
"You don't know? How did you manage to travel across continents and cities then?"
"Luck," Shun replied without missing a beat. It seemed he had a talent for lying. The sunny sky might be jealous.
Alden chuckled. "I've heard stories of such travelers. They gain favor from people and use that in their journeys. Money and fame hold little value to them—their voyage itself is what matters most."
"Yes, something like that. I'm quite lucky. If not for them, I doubt I'd be here." Sorrow flashed through his eyes.
"But it's still odd that you don't know about the currency. How have you managed to stay alive this whole time?"
I do wonder how I managed to do that, Shun recited in his heart.
Memories of his childhood returned like a stubborn cockroach.
It was far from leisure—he never had the chance to play like kids should.
Far from modest—he couldn't comprehend what it meant to eat three times a day.
Far from enough—he used to dream how nice it'd be to drink every day.
Yet somehow, one way or another, he managed to get through each day.
His gaze was short but pierced deep—beyond the seven heavens. Following those lonely eyes, he threw a bitter smile.
"Truly, I got lucky."
Swept away by that smile like a giant flood, Alden failed to utter a word. The atmosphere seemed heavy—it pulled down even his voice.
So he let the stillness linger.
"Sorry if I asked something rude. You probably had it rough."
"No, it's okay. Anyway, would you mind answering my question?"
"Yes. Dreamcoins are the currency of this world. Starting from the bottom, there's bronze, then silver, above that is gold, and at the peak—Dreamcoins."
He went on to explain the currency system and its value.
This was the sheet Shun created in his mind:
10 bronze = 1 silver
100 silver = 1 gold
10 gold = 1 Dreamcoin
"What's the fastest way to earn money?"
"Rob a bank, but I don't really recommend it," he joked dryly.
How the heck are you able to come up with such suggestions? I didn't even think of it, but now I'm tempted! Shun said in his heart.
Compared to the real world, the Dream Realm was simply an illusion created by the Tower. It looked real, but at the end of the day, it was still an illusion.
Whatever he did here didn't really matter.
As he reached that line of thought, he remembered what he'd tried to do earlier with the old man.
"I'm really stupid." Dark, gloomy strokes shaded his face—tears seemed ready to trickle down.
"It's okay to be stupid, better than being a deadbeat."
Alden's voice snapped Shun back to reality.
"Is there another way besides robbing a bank?"
It was wise to consider his options.
"There's bounty hunting, completing quests at the guild as an adventurer, or taking on ordinary jobs."
Being an adventurer sounds alright. Bounty hunting might be faster but more dangerous, and ordinary jobs are safer than both… hmm.
He pondered for a moment and looked at Alden.
"Could you tell me where the nearest bank is?"