The mountain road is rugged and the muddy ground after a heavy rain makes it even more difficult to walk.
Thick fog swept across half of the mountain. The player riding on the ox was a player named Tian Wanling. Except for the cart pulling chickens, all players who chose to ride donkeys or mules sat in the front, and the paired guests sat in the back.
No one wants to expose their back, so players have to look back from time to time to prevent being backstabbed by their paired guests.
"Honey," the sickly male rider who was riding with her asked coldly, "Why do you keep looking back at me?"
Tian Wanling swallowed and didn't look back. Fortunately, there were two other players very close to her and they could remind each other.
Liu Yun and Zhou Lulu were very close to him. Liu Yun kept looking back, not to guard against the paired guests, but to see if Wen Shi was coming over.
Zhou Lulu: "I'm not trying to throw cold water on you, but it will be difficult for Pei Wenwei to come over again."
The villagers who had means of transportation left first, and the ones left at the end were those leading dead dogs and those carrying paper carts. It was so weird. Out of curiosity, Zhou Lulu once talked to the villager who was leading the dog and learned that if he went with him, he could get free tolls.
She had only one thought at the time: whoever wanted to waive the fare could do so; she would rather pay the money obediently.
NPC's free lunch, whoever eats it will be unlucky.
Several female players almost all chose to ride bicycles, as they could run faster if they encountered dangerous animals. The two male players, riding on a three-wheeled chicken cart, opted to share a ride, and the villagers didn't object. The result of this shared ride was that the wheels of the carts got deeply stuck in the mud, requiring a teammate to frequently dismount and dig them out.
"Fuck, what is that?" The male player who was digging the wheel out felt extremely itchy on his calf. Looking again, he saw something similar to a red silk worm floating in the mist below. It could accurately find people's pores and drill into them.
The male player was so scared that he jumped into the car and reluctantly cut off a piece of flesh from his calf. He kept taking potions to relieve the pain, while tilting his head back and gasping for breath.
The fog affected visibility. The players in the car took a look with lighting props and saw nematodes in the bright red meat, which were almost the same color as the meat, happily devouring the blood. The chickens in the car felt the worms and ran over. A few of them took the nematodes into their sharp mouths in just a few bites.
The villager in charge of pedaling the scooter chuckled and said, "I've told you before, my scooter is the most expensive, but the safest."
If players didn't share the ride for the sake of cheapness, it would be extremely safe.
There was more than one chicken car, not counting the paired guests. Ji Yuanzhi and Yan Yan both chose to travel alone, and had already left these people behind for some distance.
The fog gradually thickened, and suddenly a faint bell sound came from behind.
Several players subconsciously looked back and saw a small broken cart appearing in the vast fog. The host wiped the sweat from his forehead and pulled the cart forward with all his strength. On the cart, A Sang was holding the small lantern given by Wen Shi, which became the only source of light in the fog.
As for Wen Shi, he was yawning lazily with a bell tied around his delicate neck.
This bell can ward off evil spirits. Considering that the Ghost Gate will open tonight, Wen Shi still wears it on himself, although he doesn't know how many uses it will have.
The cart came closer and closer, and soon surpassed the chicken cart, mule, etc. The players stared at the host pulling the cart in amazement, unable to say a word.
The gold medal host's legs were steadier than a camel's. He practically pulled the cart at full speed without slowing down.
When they reached the mountain road ahead, Wen Shi saw a familiar figure and said hi happily.
When Ji Yuanzhi heard the sound and saw this scene, the frame of his glasses slipped a little from his high nose bridge. Yan Yan, who was nearby, looked even more amazed when he saw this.
Not wanting the guests to see too much of his embarrassment, the host kept walking, not giving Wen Shi a chance to continue. On the narrow road, the rickety car vanished into the mist like a flash of lightning.
The bumps were still within acceptable limits. Ahead lay a vast expanse of white, with nothing visible. Wen Shi simply closed his eyes and tried to catch up on some sleep in the car. He didn't know how much time had passed before he heard a voice, mixed with gasps, reminding him, "We're here."
Long before the host opened his mouth, the noise of shouting and bargaining in the busy market had already awakened Wen Shi.
As the mist cleared, the eight paired guests, led by the deformed man, couldn't help but exclaim in surprise. They had lived in Fengguan Village for years, but had never witnessed such a bustling and prosperous scene. Not to mention the distant ones, a nearby stall held several ceramic jars with the word "stillborn" written on them in red. Next to the vendor sat cross-legged on a straw mat, a colorful array of water pipes in front of him, and across from him were intact fox and mink pelts.
The deformed men and their companions were among the poorest in the village. Seeing the vast market, their toes tapped against the ground in their straw sandals. They had been running all the way here, and their calves were badly bitten by red worms. These monsters were covered in rotting flesh, and the worms usually sucked a few bites before losing interest and scurrying away. So, while the bloodstains looked splattered, they weren't actually serious.
"What a big world." The deformed man sighed.
The host was sweating profusely, his pink suit was soaked through. He quickly put on powder and makeup, and sprayed some perfume on himself.
Holding his breath, he returned to his work, forcing a smile for the camera: "Dear viewers, upon learning that this year's 'inn' will be held in Fengguan Village, many merchants arrived early to reserve stalls. The annual ghost market has already begun early."
While Wen Shidong was looking around, players arrived one after another. The host's mention of the ghost market just happened to reach their ears, and their faces looked unhappy.
The host opened his eyes and spoke nonsense as he began to explain to the players, "This ghost market sounds scary, but it's actually just vendors without business licenses setting up stalls together. They sell a wide variety of things here, and every year there are unscrupulous merchants selling counterfeit goods."
As the last chicken cart arrived, the male player with an injured leg limped down, and all the players arrived.
The host looked at the time and clapped his hands to signal everyone to gather.
"We're incredibly lucky this time, arriving at just the right time. Not only can we enjoy the natural beauty of Fengguan Village, but we can also experience the Ghost Market," the host announced the events of today's romance variety show. "As the saying goes, you don't know how expensive fuel and rice are until you manage the household. This event is primarily designed to teach everyone how to live frugally. This round, you're only required to complete four transactions at the Ghost Market, each of which must satisfy your basic needs for food, clothing, housing, and transportation."
The host offered an analogy: "I won't dwell on food and clothing. Any container can be considered housing." He casually pointed to the clay pot containing the dead fetus. "That counts, too. As for transportation, there are many different types, such as crutches, communication tools, etc. The initial 200 yuan trial fee has been distributed to everyone. The ghost market gets busier as the night progresses, and crowding is unsafe, so please complete your transactions as early as possible."
The last sentence is particularly meaningful.
The system prompt sounded synchronously——
[Side quest: Going to the market.]
After a day of getting along, you have gained a deeper understanding and finally begin to experience the feeling of living together. Please complete the four transactions as soon as possible.
During the free shopping phase, just remember one thing: you cannot buy items that other players have already purchased.
"What do you mean by deeper understanding?" Wen Shi muttered. The paired guests around him had changed twice, and he hadn't even asked the name of the woman in the red coat before she disappeared.
From choosing the means of transportation in the early morning to doing the transaction now, the theme of today's session seems to be "choice", and every choice is crucial.
Liu Yun was about to go over and say a few words to Wen Shi when Ji Yuanzhi stopped her: "Wait a minute."
I saw Wen Shi glance at the chicken cart lightly.
Yan Yan, who had been observing secretly, immediately realized something and rushed over to discuss with the villagers, asking, "How much do you want to sell your chicken for?"
Thanks to Wen Shi's glance, he had a brilliant idea: compared to picking up uncertain things at the market, the stock in the hands of the villagers who came with them would definitely be safer. "And this cart, can you sell it for a discount?"
Villager: "One hundred and thirty in total."
Yan Yan frowned. He had spent twenty yuan on travel expenses when he came here, so he only had fifty yuan left.
The villagers frowned impatiently: "If you don't want to buy, then get out of the way and don't delay my business."
"Buy, buy." Yan Yan saw that another player was ready to make a move, so he quickly took out the money.
Lose money to avoid disaster. This way, he only needs to pick two items at the ghost market, and the safety factor is greatly increased.
Wen Shi witnessed the completion of this transaction, and with a smile on his face, he said to Ji Yuanzhi and the others, "Let's go and pick out some good stuff together."
Liu Yun looked at Yan Yan with disdain: "He got away with it for nothing."
When you encounter someone in a dungeon who always wants to climb up by stepping on others, it is like an uncertainty mine buried in the soil.
"It's okay, he's probably not going to make it." Wen Shi reminded, "We need to avoid anything that has animals in it later."
The calendar says that today is a good day to take in animals, but that is from the perspective of ghosts. As a human being, it is better to stay away from them.
He spoke with great confidence, which showed that he did have a clue.
Liu Yun was surprised: "So you were deliberately tempting me just now..."
Wen Shi interrupted with a smile, "I just glanced in a certain direction. He made the decision to buy the chicken himself."
Liu Yun was silent. She knew that Pei Wenwei would not let Yan Yan go. If she were in his place, she would not let go of someone who brought trouble upon herself. But she did not expect that Pei Wenwei would trick Yan Yan with just a look.
A look!
The market is now mainly populated by vendors. The host was not exaggerating. Today, there are visitors from all over the place. Some of them are wearing brightly colored clothes and are obviously not villagers from Fengguan Village.
Ji Yuanzhi was pushing the girl in the wheelchair, Wen Shi was holding A Sang's hand, and eight men were following behind. The woman who was in the team with Liu Yun suddenly felt a chill in her heart as an exception.
Not long ago, everyone was happily riding in a hearse to find a partner, but now some are dead and some are disabled. This is not a good sign!
"You can buy whatever you like," the woman said. "I don't like crowded places. I'll wait for you outside."
Liu Yun also didn't want to get along with her, and the two hit it off immediately.
Girl in wheelchair: "Me too..."
Ji Yuanzhi shook his head when he heard the news: "Your legs and feet are not convenient, I am worried about you being outside alone."
As he was speaking, he noticed an empty seat in front. He looked at Wen Shi and they both walked over.
Ji Yuanzhi suddenly leaned over and picked up the girl. As she stared at him in confusion, he set her aside and then calmly called out to the customers passing by: "Wheelchairs for sale. Anyone in need?"
Wen Shi took out his white coat and tried to sell it, but Ah Sang had already put a straw on his head and said, "Is there anyone who needs a child?"
Liu Yun, who was watching everything, felt his eyebrows jump.
That's right, the host only said it was a transaction, and there was no requirement to buy, they could also sell.
As she was thinking about whether she had anything to sell, she bent down and reminded Ah Sang: "Business must be related to food, clothing, housing and transportation."
A Sang stared at the small broken bowl.
Liu Yun: "A bowl can barely be considered one."
But does anyone want this thing?
"No, that's not it." Ah Sang hurriedly explained, protecting his precious bowl. "[Clothing] means stripping off the clothes and purse; [Food] means waiting for a customer to come, smashing the watermelon with the bowl, and taking out the edible things from his head; [Housing] means hollowing out the body and leaving only the shell, which can be used as a container. This intact shell might be very popular; [Travel] means taking out the bones and making them into crutches, which can also be used to make bone soup and resell."
This would more perfectly meet the needs of food, clothing, housing and transportation, and he could then sell these things and make another fortune.
When talking about doing business, A Sang was not vague or stuttering at all, and finished speaking in one breath.
Liu Yun's face was filled with shock.
All the paired guests around began to step back unconsciously.
Ji Yuanzhi adjusted the frame of his glasses and took a deep look at Wen Shi, who also used to make money out of nothing as his business strategy.
Wen Shi took a breath of cold air: "Wo..."
Wo Ri.
He finally understood what the similarities were between him and this child.