Chapter 72: The Game Store, Limited-Time Opening
"Once you've finished packing, go to bed."
"Brother, I can't sleep..."
Cheng Cheng was too excited to sleep; after all, she was finally about to embark on the very first trip of her life.
So, she gathered her things, while showing off to her classmates.
The internet connection at home had been set up, but they hadn't yet bought a computer. Cheng Yao planned to purchase a top-of-the-line desktop once they returned.
He could compromise on many things, but never on his own comfort.
Cheng Yao was chatting with Zhang Ya about tomorrow’s plans and what they needed to buy. Sunscreen, swimsuits, and the like could be bought at their destination—these things didn’t vary much from place to place.
As for the itinerary, Zhang Ya had already arranged everything; she’d been there twice before and knew the area well.
Cheng Yao’s role was simply to bring people and money and follow her lead.
As midnight approached, a familiar game notification sounded.
[You still have two unused lottery draws. Please use them as soon as possible. The limited-time game store will open promptly at midnight—don’t forget to check the store and purchase items. These items will help you master the game faster.]
Two lottery draws. Back then, Lu Mengyao’s favorability had shot straight to 100, though it had since cooled and now hovered steadily between 92 and 93.
Zhang Ya’s favorability was rising steadily at a normal pace.
Host: Cheng Yao
Appearance: 84
Skills: Guitar, Exceptional Hearing, Heavenly Voice
Wealth: 70,418,600
Girlfriends: Zhang Ya (bound), Lu Mengyao (bound)
[Would you like to draw a skill?]
[Congratulations, you have obtained the skill “Art of the Movie King”—you now have perfect control over emotions, expressions, eye contact, and micro-expressions, seamlessly integrating them into daily life.]
This must be an upgraded version of Lu Mengyao’s “Art of the Tea Master,” he thought.
Just like the previous skill draws, the guitar skills he drew from Lu Mengyao were not necessarily as advanced as her own, but that was the nature of the game: the skill level drawn from a person was random.
It could be ordinary, or it could be the best in the world.
Cheng Yao’s face remained calm—armed with the “Art of the Movie King,” he could walk straight onto any film set.
[Congratulations, you have obtained the skill “Advanced Piano Technique”—you have reached the threshold of professionalism. Please keep striving.]
Finally, he drew piano skills—it was becoming a bit of an obsession for him.
Unfortunately, it was only advanced, not professional or master-level.
So far, he’d extracted five skills from Lu Mengyao and Zhang Ya.
Not bad at all!
Cheng Yao was no longer particularly excited about artistic skills. He had no intention of becoming a celebrity; these were just for the occasional show-off. Money and new ways to develop were what mattered most.
A well-digger; the soul of a well-digger...
Despite insisting she wasn’t tired, Cheng Cheng played around for a while before finally heading to bed. Ever since the last incident, Mr. Li from next door hadn’t returned—probably still in the station. Rumor had it he’d seriously hurt someone, and the victim was pressing charges.
His wife ran off with another man, and now the lover was suing him. What a miserable fate.
At midnight, another notification sounded.
[The game store is now open. Don’t forget, host.]
1: Isolation Capsule x1: 100% contraceptive effect, lasts one month.
Price: 100,000
2: Cupid’s Red Thread: Ties you by fate with a random woman nearby. That’s as much as the old man can help you.
Price: 100,000
3: Schumacher’s Possession: For five minutes, gain the skills, techniques, and luck of racing legend Schumacher at his peak.
Value: 5,000,000
4: Low-level Gene Capsule: Permanently enhances physical and mental strength, speeds up metabolism.
Value: 10,000,000
5: Appearance Capsule: Permanently increases appearance by 1 point.
Value: 10,000,000
...
Cheng Yao’s eyes lit up as he surveyed the items in the store.
He’d never seen the first item when playing the game before—clearly, the game was keeping up with the times, tailoring itself to a man’s heart.
The second item he knew; it was a bit of a bug.
Besides the Red Thread, there was also the Silver Thread, Hemp Rope, and Steel Cable—all from the Matchmaker, and each one more outrageous than the last.
The Red Thread was the lowest tier, randomly selecting a lucky girl. The higher the tier, the more targeted it became, with the top level allowing you to choose your target.
He was familiar with the Schumacher skill, but what truly excited him was the gene capsule.
[You have obtained Isolation Capsule x1.]
[You have obtained Cupid’s Red Thread x1.]
[You have obtained Schumacher’s Possession.]
[You have obtained Low-level Gene Capsule x1.]
[You have obtained Appearance Capsule x1.]
Without hesitation, Cheng Yao cleared out the store, spending a total of 25.2 million.
He wasted no time swallowing the Appearance Capsule and the Low-level Gene Capsule.
Host: Cheng Yao
Appearance: 85
Skills: Guitar, Exceptional Hearing, Heavenly Voice, Piano, Movie King, Racer
Wealth: 45,218,600
Girlfriends: Zhang Ya (bound), Lu Mengyao (bound)
Items: Isolation Capsule, Cupid’s Red Thread
Just like that, over 25 million was gone...
Yet Cheng Yao felt surprisingly calm. The items, on the other hand, gave him a thrill.
In the game, these items had instant effects. He’d never tried the gene capsule in real life, and after taking both pills, he felt nothing at all.
Still, they couldn’t possibly be fakes.
Zhang Ya and Lu Mengyao didn’t need Cupid’s Red Thread—they had already been won over.
He actually hoped the Red Thread would tie him to Lin Ketong; that would make his conquest of her much faster, bringing her into his “pond” of admirers.
[Thread tied successfully. By a stroke of fate, you and Zheng Yuechan have formed a mysterious connection. In the near future, you’ll cross paths—host, seize the opportunity.]
Cheng Yao: ?
Zheng Yuechan?
Cheng Yao was at a loss for words. She was a woman in her thirties—who knows if her profile pictures were filtered, or if her figure was real. Was the game really pushing him to go after an older woman?
But after a moment’s thought, he found the idea rather appealing. As a manager, Zheng Yuechan certainly knew the ins and outs of the entertainment industry. If he could get close to her, or even poach her, wouldn’t his plans move forward?
The more he thought, the more feasible it seemed.
So be it—Zheng Yuechan it is. At worst, he’d just let her take advantage of him!
A great undertaking requires flexibility. Wasn’t it all for the sake of art and ambition?
Who else but him?
He was willing!
After clearing out the store, it vanished from view—it wouldn’t reappear until November.
Tomorrow’s flight was at 8:40 a.m., and everything was packed. Men didn’t have much to bring anyway. If it weren’t for the need to pack clothes, he wouldn’t have bothered with a suitcase—traveling light was always best.
...
...
Meanwhile, in the Magic City.
Inside a hotel room, a beautiful woman in a form-fitting outfit had just finished her yoga session when she received a call from her company.
“Yuechan, Shiqi just landed an ad gig. Please accompany her on a trip to Jinling…”
“Jinling? Got it. Bye.”
After hanging up, Zheng Yuechan pondered for a moment. She remembered that Cheng Yao was from Jinling as well, wasn’t he?
...
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