Calamity Messenger

Chapter 139 - 112: Online Treasure Exchange

No longer burdened with heavy thoughts, nor was there the slightest trace of resentment.

Shang Xinlei seemed to have truly reconciled with herself, found a new goal, and had new aspirations, so there was no longer any doubt or confusion in her eyes. She could move forward without hesitation. On reflection, it made sense. After all, she once thought she was doomed. Now, finding a glimmer of hope was akin to being reborn, much like High Monk Gaode, who attained great enlightenment and saw through the worldly illusions.

Yet Yan Qing always felt she was filled with anticipation, as if severing ties with the Thief’s House was a good thing for her.

Suddenly, Yan Qing abruptly pushed Shang Xinlei away, avoiding her restless little hands.

Shang Xinlei clicked her tongue, "Anyway, we’re going to be the famous female and male thieves of Jiangnan in the future. Can’t I just take a look at what you look like? Just one glance, just one glance."

"Saying all this, don’t you just want me to come back to save you?" Yan Qing feigned a cold laugh, "Aren’t you afraid I’ll never return?"

"Not afraid." Shang Xinlei crossed her hands behind her back, raised her head, puffed up her chest, turned around to lean against the stone wall, tilted her head, her bright eyes and teeth shining, smiling: "Because I’m your friend."

"Besides, I’m not inferior to Jiang Shi."

With promises, emotional cards, and explanations of benefits and losses, Yan Qing was left without a temper by her words. It’s no wonder she’s Shang Xuanwen’s daughter. Despite being in a disadvantageous position, she skillfully turned her disadvantages into advantages, with a feel of ’since you’ve already invested so much sunk cost in me, a little more won’t matter.’

It’s just that Yan Qing felt something strange, why mention Jiang Shi?

And in what way are you not inferior to Jiang Shi? Physically?

It can’t possibly be in combat strength, can it? Jiang Shi is under my control, after all. You lot, as first-person three-dimensional beings, couldn’t possibly beat me, a master in the action game domain.

It seems there’s no way to persecute Shang Xinlei now. Yan Qing sighed, put the Return Order into the Storage Ring, and pointed at the glazed cabinet holding the Five-Sided Heart-Protecting Mirror, "You go open it."

"Why?" Shang Xinlei looked puzzled, "Are you planning to loot it again before leaving?"

"You just said you’d agree to any request I made, and now you’re questioning me?" Yan Qing wanted to maintain his aloof persona, responding coldly, "Hurry up and go then."

"Fine, I’ll go." Shang Xinlei pouted, taking less than five minutes to return with the Five-Sided Heart-Protecting Mirror, "Here, take it."

At this moment, Shang Xinlei noticed another token in Yan Qing’s hand, but it wasn’t the Return Order. The token had the words ’Treasure Hunting’ inscribed on it. This wasn’t the first time she encountered this token. As early as when opening a treasure chest in Mansu Forest Land, the chest offered a ’Treasure Hunting Order’ as a rare item, but she didn’t know its use and needed a Rare Marvelous Flying Ring more, so she passed it by.

Where did Yellow Dog get this token? Was it spoils from another Secret Realm?

"Red Snake," Yan Qing slowly said, "Can I trust you?"

"Do you have the right to ask that, you coward who doesn’t dare to take off your mask?" Shang Xinlei retorted irritably, "I’ve never even seen your face, but you know who I am and where I live. I just risked my life jumping as you said, and now you ask if you can trust me?"

Yan Qing was somewhat embarrassed by her words. Fortunately, with the mask on, he managed to respond coldly, "What happens next, you must keep secret. If leaked out..."

"If my father hears my thoughts, or a messenger with a similar token hears my thoughts, will you still punish me?" Shang Xinlei immediately asked.

Yan Qing was stumped, but thankfully he quickly came up with a response, "If you’re discovered, you should first think about how to escape before I can punish you."

"If I’m caught, will you come to save me?"

Gosh, the feeling earlier was right, you’re a familiar but incredibly annoying pest once known. Yan Qing began to regret not leaving with Black Wolf and White Fox tonight, but instead deciding to keep an eye on Shang Xinlei.

He took the Heart-Protecting Mirror with his left hand and pressed the Treasure Hunting Order with his right hand. The trading interface immediately appeared before him. He glanced at Shang Xinlei nearby and found her expression unchanged, indicating this interface was invisible to others.

Taking a deep breath, Yan Qing silently muttered a command, and information popped onto the interface:

"Do you want to list Heart-Protecting Mirror for sale? The price range is 300~8000 Spiritual Jade (or player-specified items), with a transaction fee of 30%."

"Since the highest selling price is ≥1000, you can opt for auction mode."

It can indeed be done.

To list items using a Treasure Hunting Order, the biggest challenge is knowing the system information of the item. This is nearly impossible for locals and quite difficult for Yan Qing — he also had to check system information using alt accounts. If he forgot or encountered an unfamiliar item, he couldn’t list it using the Treasure Hunting Order.

Luckily, there were plenty of Heart-Protecting Mirrors here, and he had just recently reviewed the system information, remembering it clearly.

Next comes the critical part.

"Red Snake, repeat the items required by the Secret Realm’s gate."

Though unsure of his intentions, Shang Xinlei obediently replied, "The scholar’s pen, the tailor’s needle, the dancer’s shoes, the gambler’s dice."

Yan Qing looked at the light screen and chose to list the ’Heart-Protecting Mirror,’ requesting the exchange item ’scholar’s pen.’ As he mentally wrote ’scholar’s pen,’ a corresponding item popped up in the item frame, indicating that this commodity indeed existed in the trading directory and was approved by the system.

The system’s approval meant the Secret Realm would naturally accept it, as they were all part of the same game.

"Notice: If you trade item for item, transaction fees will be waived."

"Listing successful."

...

...

Nocturnal Heaven City, in Changsheng Hall.

Apart from the bonfires lit around the stage, the rest of the place was shrouded in darkness. Twenty-five young girls sat beneath the stage, wearing luxurious dance gowns, their faces filled with fear and despair, not daring to move, everyone focused intently on the beauty onstage.

On the stage stood a small table, upon which rested a rack, and on the rack was a fan that seemed quite dirty. When the beauty extended her snow-white hand to touch the fan, there was a peculiar sense of pristine purity being sullied.

Musicians hidden in the darkness began to play, and the beauty unfolded the fan, shielding her neck as fair as jade. It was then that the girls realized the fan was not dirty at all, but stained with congealed blood, with dark red plum blossom markings, leaving one hesitant to imagine the cruel treatment the owner of the blood might have suffered in life.

"Still remember the drums in those days,

How they misled many a green-windowed maiden.

The dreams in the spring boudoir grow cold, the layered silk empty, the letters from afar unfounded.

Who gathers the leather horse armor? The souls gather on the spring platform, all becoming lonely travelers.

Only a few stars remain, illuminating history, writing dismal lines."

The beauty danced and sang, her voice full of desolation, in harmony with the musicians, drawing all eyes onto her flowing crimson dress. Even the fearful young girls found their thoughts completely captivated by her dance, leaving only the entrancing figure onstage in their minds.

Her dress embroidered with white magnolias gradually transformed in the spectators’ view to skeletal remains on a battlefield as her speed intensified, the red dress into a sea of blood, and the fan in her hand into a blossoming carnage.

It is said that dancers skilled in basic steps can allow viewers to appreciate the beauty of dance; those who master advanced dance steps become unforgettable, drawing full houses on tour, even the envoy becoming infatuated.

Yet this beauty on stage transcends any renowned dancer, her voice and movements alone dancing forth seas of corpses, a scene of blood and flowers, transforming Changsheng Hall into a battlefield of bones, making the audience feel as though they were in the heart of battle, surrounded by flying flesh and bones, unable to extricate themselves, as if falling into purgatory.

When the music ceased, the beauty reclined, yet the twenty-five viewers remained, unable to easily forget. Their faces, still filled with fear, were now as if reflecting their own premonition of death.

"Did you see clearly?" the beauty asked.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" the girls promptly responded.

"Now, it’s your turn to dance."

Ying Le extended her hand, and the fire pits around the girls were immediately lit by the Evil Ghost Guards. She withdrew her hand, extinguishing the fire pits around the stage. Now seated in the audience, hidden in the flickering light and shadow, her demeanor was languid, yet her eyes were filled with an eerie red hue, like a monster lurking in the shadows gazing at the world.

Next, it was the girls’ turn to dance. Even if they started awkwardly, Ying Le didn’t mind; it was part of her teaching method. Unlike other dance troupes that took their time, she had no patience, only needing the most talented dancers, so she would gather girls in Changsheng Hall, dance a song herself, and those who learned could stay.

As for those who couldn’t learn, they would keep dancing, dancing, until they learned.

Or until they danced to death.

Ying Le gradually closed her eyes, the Evil Ghost Warriors accustomed to the ensuing process, should any girl grasp Her Majesty’s essence, Her Majesty would awaken and point casually. However, based on past experience, Her Majesty would awaken at most once or twice a night, often sleeping through until dawn.

Yet just as Ying Le was about to drift off, suddenly an Evil Ghost Warrior burst into the hall, disrupting Her Majesty’s moment of instruction.

"Your Majesty, a new trade was just posted on the trading board, and the item for sale is the Heart-Protecting Mirror from the Liang Kingdom!"