Chapter 33: Thoughts

On the clean plate lay a few small, blue beads.

Xia Wulei picked one up to examine it. Smaller than a fingertip, the bead was crystal clear and icy to the touch, though its material remained a mystery. Even knowing that this was an abnormal world, she couldn't help but feel speechless.

"Is this supposed to be breakfast?" Xia Wulei asked, looking disgusted.

A-Shui, by contrast, twitched her nose, her eyes filled with longing. "This is a form of energy; the residents here need to consume it daily. Back when I was a player, I looked down on things like this, but seeing it now, I’m actually a little hungry..."

Xia Wulei held up the bead. "Do you need to replenish this now, too?"

A-Shui shook her head. "I can eat it, but it’s not required. The energy in your spatial storage is far purer than this; at best, this is just a snack."

Xia Wulei shook her head. Food meant only for filling one's stomach was food without a soul! She tossed the beads to A-Shui, grabbed her coat, and headed out to do some shopping.

She had no idea how large the Trans-Frontier Realm was. She had expected to run into Zhu Chen, since they were both players who had arrived in this world at the same time, but that clearly wasn't the case. Chu Wei and Hong Qi had mentioned their addresses earlier, but Xia Wulei hadn't committed them to memory; it seemed they would have to wait for fate to bring them together again.

A convenience store near the hotel sold daily necessities, and the prices were quite reasonable. After chatting with the owner, Xia Wulei realized he was a player.

"You look like a newcomer," the shopkeeper remarked. "Actually, most people in the Trans-Frontier Realm are players; only the managers of the official accommodations are natives."

"The houses offer protection against the ghosts that roam at night, though some shops only operate after dark. This place is known as the World of Yin and Yang. During the day, it's used by those of us who haven't fully died yet, but at night, it’s a different scene entirely."

"For a shop like mine, you can apply to the managers to rent space. It's charged by the day, and it also provides protection against ghosts, though the fees are significantly higher than renting a room."

The owner pulled items from behind the counter and handed them to Xia Wulei: a towel, a toothbrush, bags, rope, and other daily sundries. It came to a total of five points.

"Where do you get these things?" Xia Wulei asked out of curiosity.

The owner scratched his head and smiled. "Some were left behind by the previous owner, some were brought out from dungeons, and others were bought from other players. Not everyone can run a shop, so it’s normal for them to sell their goods to us to earn a few points."

Xia Wulei nodded. She wondered how long the Trans-Frontier Realm had been running; the people here had already developed their own set of survival rules. Hearing that she also wanted clothes, the owner rummaged around and found a casual set, charging her three points. He noted that if she wanted specialized clothing, she would need to find a dedicated shop, though such places were rare in the Trans-Frontier Realm.

After thanking the owner, Xia Wulei returned to the hotel with her supplies.

***

When she returned, A-Shui had already finished the blue beads. She wasn't particular about clothes, but after changing, she was eager to go out and explore.

"Remember to be back before dark," Xia Wulei cautioned, then paused. A-Shui wasn't a player; she was a water ghost herself. Surely she would be fine outside at night? Still, the child was growing up and needed to learn to handle things on her own. Xia Wulei decided to let her spread her wings.

After all, she had important matters to attend to.

"System, you there? I need to ask you something."
[...Go ahead.]
"How many points does it cost to rent a shop in the Trans-Frontier Realm?"
[Two hundred points per day. This covers the land lease only; the building is extra.]

Xia Wulei gasped. *Damn, what profiteers!*

"System, can items from dungeons be brought out?"
[When you exit a dungeon, the items you carry on your person will leave with you.]

Xia Wulei nodded. It seemed the shops relied on this rule to stock their inventory. If that was the case, her idea might actually work.

***

A-Shui wandered around for the day. Dressed in ordinary casual clothes, she looked like any other player. The streets were bustling; some people looked relaxed after clearing a dungeon, while others were nervous as they prepared to enter one. The place felt both strange and familiar to her, but the sheer novelty of it left her feeling excited. It was just a shame she didn't have any points to buy anything.

As the time neared, A-Shui remembered Xia Wulei’s instructions. While she was finding her way back, a pair of people wearing swords and exuding an ethereal, immortal aura walked past her.

"Huh? Why is there ghost energy here?" The handsome man in white tilted his head, seemingly sensing the lingering aura.

"What? Ghost energy? That’s impossible, Senior Brother! It’s daytime; those things from underground can't come out!" the pretty woman beside him said, pulling his arm to keep moving. "Let's go, let's go! You promised that if I cleared this dungeon, you'd buy me a prop—no backing out!"

Distracted, the man lost the trace of the ghost energy and laughed helplessly. "Fine, fine, I know. Let's go."

A-Shui had heard their conversation and felt a chill. She quickened her pace and left the area.

"Wulei, let me tell you..." A-Shui pushed open the door to their VIP room, ready to recount what she had seen, but she stopped abruptly.

The table was filled with a feast. Coke wings, spicy diced chicken, a fish stew... and other dishes A-Shui couldn't name—at least seven or eight in total.

"You're back? Perfect, try what I made." Xia Wulei was dripping with sweat, but looking at the food on the table, she felt a profound sense of satisfaction.

"Is... is it a holiday today?" A-Shui murmured. Since her death, she had never eaten normal food again. It wasn't until she was pulled to the table and picked up her chopsticks that she snapped out of her daze. "Wait, I don't need to eat, do I?"

"Oh, you don't have to be hungry to eat. Don't you ever crave it?"

That was true. A-Shui happily accepted Xia Wulei’s logic and began to eat. A wondrous flavor exploded on her tongue, and as her taste buds were fully satisfied, she felt as if she were floating. How long had it been since she tasted something so magnificent? She couldn't remember, but in that moment, she seemed to have rediscovered the meaning of her existence.

"How is it?" Seeing A-Shui silent for so long, Xia Wulei felt inexplicably nervous. She didn't know if a ghost's tastes were the same as a human's.

"Delicious. It's delicious." A-Shui’s eyes grew moist. She lowered her head in a hurry and began to eat in large mouthfuls.