Chapter 90

“Everyone has their strengths limited in some way . We all come from different circumstances, and we have different forte as well . Some people love using their fists to solve their problems . Some prefer to use their brains to overcome their difficulties . Forming a team with others would allow you to overcome your weaknesses! After all, we are not superhumans . Your character panel should remind you of this as well . The previous quests that you have completed were probably designed to be completed alone . However, you will be in deep trouble if you come across a quest that cannot be completed alone!

Of course, solo-quests have their benefits . The yield for each quest is fixed, and you get everything that you earned . Being in a team, however, would mean that you’ll have to distribute your loot equally . Usually, people would only go solo after they have become stronger . Still, the risk of failure is very high . You can make all kinds of mistakes when you go solo on a quest . ”

Zhang Heng was dumbfounded . The old man with the Chinese attire was the one who had invited him to join this quest . It seemed that the other players entered the game differently . He did not receive the invitation that the professor mentioned earlier . Until now, he had also not met other players at the game stop . It was no wonder that he was still playing the game alone .

Technically speaking, the old man did not actually put his life in danger . The extra 24 hours that he had was for him to solo the quest . This bonus time he had substantially lowered the risks of all the quests that he played .

“Unfortunately, my team is full now . Otherwise, I would have given you a test before allowing you to join my team . My advice is to go to the city that you live in and look for a team to join . This is going to be a long game . Your mental and physical state will undergo great stress, and you will eventually need someone to share it with . After all, we can never share these things with our friends and family . Your team members will be your pillar of support . ”

Zhang Heng knew that the professor was right about everything . Unfortunately, he also knew that he was meant to keep those secrets to himself and not share it with others . Considering that he spent two years alone marooned on a desolated island, he had no problems with staying and playing alone .

“I heard someone mentioning something about a guild . What is that?”

“Guilds and chambers of commerce are formed by players, with both providing different services . Though you are still a newbie, I’m pretty sure that you’ve heard that the real world is actually not as safe as we thought it is . That is why certain players band together and form a guild to look after each other’s backs . Some of them even volunteered to deal with the supernatural stuff that happens around them . ”

“Sounds good to me . Why are you so against the idea of joining a guild?”

Earlier, the professor had criticized the guild member that speaking on the stage . Zhang Heng could sense hostility between his words .

“Guilds are supposed to exist to serve the greater good . As time passed, the definition of ‘guild’ changed . In a guild, everyone was supposed to take care of each other . Sadly, when certain members become more and more powerful, they wanted more than just taking care of each other . Due to this, some guilds have become unstable, the contributors to the chaos right now . We all have different opinions about guilds . Right now, I’m happy with my own team, and I have no interest in joining any other guilds . ”

After chatting for a while, the professor descended to the first deck for a round of cards, and Zhang Heng stayed on the third to listen to speeches from different guilds . An hour and a half later, everyone stopped what they were doing and gathered at the ballroom .

Zhang Heng came up with a rough estimate that there were around 4000 to 5000 people here . There were more than 500 items to be auctioned off today . Among these were 12 valuable items that required the bidder to raise their number if they wanted to bid for the item . As for the rest of the 488 items, players could only bid for them online . The system would then determine the highest bidder .

While walking around, Zhang Heng crossed paths with Ding Si once again . It seemed like he had just closed in on a deal as he was smiling from ear-to-ear . He even greeted Zhang Heng first .

He whispered, “According to a rumor I heard just now, I was told that a B-grade game item would on auction later . And there are a few unique C-grade game items as well . ”

“Are B-grade game items rare?”

“Of course! There are less than 200 B-grade game items within the entire circle of players right now . Most of the players I know would never sell these off . If I’m not mistaken, it was a B-grade item that left everyone in shock last year!”

Ding Si was really excited as he described the game item . As a businessman, he was always infatuated by objects that carried extreme value .

“Dreamland of Death! It’s an item that can be used to curse others,” Ding Si exclaimed . ”

Everyone was afraid of this thing a few months ago . It can kill someone in their sleep when they are dreaming . The way to trigger this item is unknown . How the curse is lifted is unknown as well . A few elites in the player base have been cursed . The guild leader of Silver Wing was the owner of an A-grade game item and managed to survive the curse . In the end, a few guilds had to work together to eliminate the previous owner of the item . Since there’s only one, it has been decided that they would auction it off . ”

“It’s basically impossible for anybody to bid for it . Leaders of these powerful guilds would never allow such a powerful item to land in the hands of an unknown stranger . I’m pretty sure that one of the guilds would eventually get it, and, the rest would take the game points instead . Anyway, their financial strength is unparalleled amongst all guilds and players,” he continued .

While they were talking, the auction finally began .

The auctioneer was a 60-year-old man who looked really serious . The wrinkles on his face resembled the bark of an old tree . He had no intention to hide his face . Just like the bartender lady, he should be one of the employees of the committee as well .

He waited until everyone was seated before presenting his five-minute-long welcome speech . Then, he introduced the first item to be auctioned .

“Escape Dagger . Grade-C . It can be used to teleport within a small area . Remaining uses: 3 . You can check out its description after you bid for the item . The starting bid is 1,200 game points . Every additional bid costs 50 game points . The bidding ends when the hammer drops three times . Let’s begin . ”

“Damn . That’s a good item!” said Ding Si .

“Are you going to bid for it?”

“It is a good item . Items that can be used to improve in-game survival are usually extremely costly! I’m here to looking for treasure for Fu Lou . It’s not for myself . Items that are undervalued are my target tonight,” answered an excited Ding Si while switching on his tablet .