novelraw Chapter 124: Transplant Clinic, Black-Hearted Merchant
Chapter 124: Transplant Clinic, Black-Hearted Merchant
[You slowly push open the heavy metal door…]
[All that meets your gaze is a vast expanse of white mist.]
[The entire city of Sophia is shrouded in endless white fog. Though the glow of the setting sun pierces the mist and casts its light, it still cannot dispel this fog known as the Veil of Knowledge.]
[Your field of vision is swallowed by the boundless mist. Even with your six eyes wide open, you can only make out the things nearby…]
[As you gaze into the fog, memories buried in the shell begin to stir…]
[…Driven by an ever-expanding hunger for knowledge, people instinctively and blindly consumed information, gradually turning from seekers of truth into beasts lost in their own desires.]
[They madly gouged out the eyes of others in order to gain more knowledge, trying to satisfy their eternally unquenchable thirst for it.]
[The great Omniscient True Knowledge cast down the Veil of Knowledge to isolate and sever humanity’s insatiable desire for learning…]
[The fragmented memories end there.]
[You have acquired knowledge. Your Knowledge stat increases by 80! Current Knowledge: 285/600]Lin Xun stroked his chin in thought.
It seemed that the Omniscient True Knowledge had cast down the so-called Veil of Knowledge in an attempt to protect its children.
But judging from the current situation, that protection had likely failed.
[You notice something within the white mist not far ahead.]
[You move forward to investigate…]
[It’s a four-wheeled, two-seater coach.]
[The horse appears to be forged from brass, its whole body glinting with a metallic sheen. Gears and connecting rods are exposed in its abdomen, and bursts of hot steam occasionally spray from its nostrils.]
[The sealed carriage offers no view of the interior, but based on the classical and ornate exterior, it’s easy to imagine the luxurious decor within.]
[Do you wish to explore the mist, or board the carriage?]
This must be the coach bound for Bennett’s Transplant Clinic.
But Lin Xun wasn’t in a hurry to board it. Instead, he clicked Enter the mist.
[You step into the Veil of Knowledge to explore the road ahead.]
[All you see is dense white fog, you can’t make out anything, nor distinguish direction…]
After waiting for a while, the text displayed:
[…]
[You wander aimlessly, soon losing your bearings within the Veil of Knowledge.]
[…]
[You stumble about, unable to escape the mist.]
[…]
[You stumble about, unable to escape the mist.]
The text repeated endlessly from there.
Lin Xun muttered inwardly, just as expected.
The Veil of Knowledge directly blocked off the path ahead. According to the game’s logic, the rest of the area couldn’t be explored through normal means.
[You stumble about, unable to escape the mist.]
After waiting even longer, the morbid game finally displayed.
[Knowing you can go no further, do you wish to commit suicide to return to the starting point of your journey?]
Switching back to the student shell he used as a disposable puppet, Lin Xun clicked ‘Yes.’
[You crawl along the ground and slam your head viciously against the floor.]
[Thud!]
[You died!]
[An ordinary wandering soul is reborn in the ancient lecture hall…]
The minor enemies outside the second-floor corridor had respawned, so he retrieved another student shell.
Lin Xun left the teaching building and chose to board the coach.
[You approach the coach. The carriage doors open on their own.]
[You step onto the brass steps extending from the base of the carriage and enter…]
[As the doors close behind you, the coach begins moving slowly in an unknown direction.]
[Sitting on the velvet cushion, you unconsciously close your eyes and gradually fall asleep…]
[…]
[You suddenly awaken. At some point, the carriage has come to a stop.]
[The carriage doors open automatically. You step down slowly…]
[In front of you stands a building shrouded in the same thick mist. You can only see the first and second floors, while the upper levels are obscured, only the faint outline of pointed spires and flying buttresses are visible.]
[Do you wish to enter Bennett’s Transplant Clinic?]
[You step into the clinic. Behind the front counter is a figure wearing a black beaked mask, leaning against the desk while reading an ink-printed newspaper.]
[Noticing your arrival, it puts down the newspaper and warmly comes to greet you.]
[Bennett recognizes you. As a former customer, it was the one who transplanted your second pair of eyes.]
[Apparently, it hasn’t seen a living person in a long time and starts rambling endlessly.]
[One moment it praises your second pair of eyes as beautiful, the next it criticizes the crude technique used for transplanting your third pair.]
[As a returning customer, if you wish to purchase new eyes, it will waive the carriage fare for this trip.]
[Do you wish to trade with Bennett?]
???
Lin Xun slowly typed out three question marks.
The carriage ride costs money too?
Could this Bennett be a scammer in disguise?
He didn’t rush to trade and instead opened his inventory.
He clicked on the Bennett’s Emblem he had just obtained.
[You present Bennett’s Emblem…]
[Bennett is astonished that you managed to obtain this item. It takes the emblem and offers you two choices.]
[1. One-time free acquisition of a pair of eyeballs, limited to Rare-grade or below.]
[2. A permanent 20% discount on all future purchases and services from Bennett.]
Lin Xun frowned slightly.
The first option seemed good, free eyeballs.
The second also seemed decent, a permanent discount.
But he didn’t know the standard prices of Bennett’s eyeballs, making it hard to judge.
[Bennett seems to notice your hesitation and helpfully hands you the ink-printed newspaper on the counter…]
[Printed in ink are the prices for eyeballs available in the clinic.]
Looks like this NPC was pretty easy to deal with, good service and customer care.
Lin Xun carefully read the text.
[Unknown Creature’s Eyeball (Fine grade): 3,000 Spirit Essence]
[Unknown Creature’s Eyeball (Fine+ grade): 5,000 Spirit Essence]
[Unknown Creature’s Eyeball (Rare grade): 10,000 Spirit Essence]
[Unknown Creature’s Eyeball (Rare+ grade): 30,000 Spirit Essence]
[Unknown Creature’s Eyeball (Epic grade): 50,000 Spirit Essence]
[Unknown Creature’s Eyeball (Epic+ grade): 100,000 Spirit Essence]
[Unknown Creature’s Eyeball (Legendary grade): 500,000 Spirit Essence]
[Except for special types, all eyeballs must be purchased in pairs. Otherwise, their innate functionality cannot be activated. Origins and functions of the eyeballs will only be revealed after the transaction is complete.]
Lin Xun stared at the long trail of zeroes in Bennett’s price list.
All the eyeballs were just labeled Unknown Creature’s Eyeball, with no indication of origin or ability.
This was like a gambling addict’s mother opening the door for him, gambling all the way home!
He took back his earlier praise about Bennett’s considerate service. Now he had only two words. Total scam!
[Bennett wagged its finger, indicating there was more on the back of the newspaper.]
[You flip the newspaper over. It lists the surgical fees for eyeball transplants…]
[Fine-grade transplant fee, one pair: 1,500 Spirit Essence]
[Fine+ grade transplant fee, one pair: 2,500 Spirit Essence]
…
[Epic+ grade transplant fee, one pair: 50,000 Spirit Essence]
[Legendary-grade transplant fee, one pair: 250,000 Spirit Essence]
Just the surgery fee alone was half the price of the eyeballs themselves.
Lin Xun once again took back the two-word evaluation of Bennett.
He changed it to three words: utterly damn ruthless!
[Bennett wagged its finger again, gesturing toward the corner of the newspaper.]
[You look to the corner, where new information is clearly marked.]
[The outside world is already shrouded by the Veil of Knowledge. To leave the clinic, you must ride the exclusive carriage. Each trip costs 1,000 Spirit Essence.]
Lin Xun felt fury rising in his chest and murderous intent bubbling at the edges of his mind.
He had only just over 30,000 Spirit Essence total, how could he afford to be extorted by Bennett like this?!
He was itching to possess the Earth Giant shell and smash this black-hearted merchant into paste with one swing!