The streets were packed with people. Upon hearing the news of the end of the public beta, all players rushed out into the streets like madmen, creating an extraordinary commotion. Fighting, brawling, and looting items were everywhere, with more insults directed at the player who had completed the specialized class transfer and the system itself. The conditions for ending the beta were clear: either one month had passed or someone completed the specialized class transfer. Due to the exceedingly difficult leveling past level forty, no one had objected initially, but who could have known...
Amidst the uproar of players cursing, I secretly felt fortunate that the discomfort of being robbed of first place was somewhat diluted. The system's voice calmly announced adjustments made after the end of the beta... seemingly quite extensive, though few were paying attention.
Fatso was the kingpin of Taisy City, knowing almost every shortcut in the city. Despite the crowded streets, it took us over half an hour to reach the city mayor's office under his guidance. By then, Global was already waiting with a group of people, looking anxious.
Apparently, players with even a modicum of business sense knew that equipment prices would skyrocket after official launch, so Fatso's sales were swift.
First, a deal with Skinny, then transactions with several underlings of Fatso's, who acted like minor career merchants. Finally, my gold coins reached ten thousand—a staggering amount now, but probably insignificant in twelve hours.
Now... with 8 minutes left until the server shutdown.
The NPC at the Land Management Office showed no sign of the players' anxiety, calmly sitting and reading a newspaper.
"Comrade, I want to buy a piece of land." Pushed into the office by Fatso, I stuttered.
"Hmm? Do you have enough reputation?" The man in the chair posed the standard newbie question, looking arrogantly.
"Yes, I have enough. Check it if you don't believe me." Damn, playing bureaucratic games at a time like this.
"Fine, just enough. So, which piece do you want to buy?" The junior bureaucrat waved his hand, and on the wall appeared various plots of land in Taisy City for sale, numbering over a thousand. Each plot had a price tag, and the largest one, adjacent to the appraisal club, was the one Fatso wanted to buy, priced at ten thousand gold coins.
"That one, that one, I want the largest one." I pointed hastily.
"10,000 gold coins."
"No discount?" I grumbled. Didn't Fatso mention there would be discounts?
"Prices will definitely skyrocket after this. You still want a discount?" The damned NPC looked at me like I was an idiot, a smirk playing on his lips. Damn!
But his words reminded me—didn't I still have over three thousand gold coins on me? They would surely depreciate soon! Strike while the iron is hot; flipping land seemed like the wisest choice.
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
"I also want this one, and this one." Calculating quickly in my mind as I looked at the prices everywhere. There was a small plot near the city gate for only 500 gold coins—perfect for opening a small grocery store. Then there was a slightly larger one near the largest plot, costing 2500 gold coins, but its proximity would ensure a bustling business like a restaurant.
After smoothly transferring funds, the junior bureaucrat pulled out a manual. "Landowner's guidelines: First, you cannot..."
"Forget it, big brother, do you have to read all of that? Can't I read it myself later?" Damn, the system had already begun a three-minute countdown. The uproar on the street reached its peak; I could even hear it from here.
"Fine. From now on, you are the owner of these plots. The system will levy a monthly management fee and taxes based on actual circumstances." The bureaucrat stamped three certificates, and the three plots on the map turned into sold status.
Taking the land ownership certificates, I walked out and struck a victorious pose for Fatso. Finally relaxed, I felt drained, as if in a state of exhaustion.
"Alright, alright, it's done! Go offline and rest well." With Fatso's hearty laugh, the system's voice requesting offline mode sounded crystal clear in my mind. "Ten, nine, eight..."
A lightning bolt struck my mind. Where should I go?
No!
---
**VIP Ward, Capital Baiyun Hospital**
Upon receiving the system message, Dr. Fu rushed to the ward. Based on the daily reports from the nurses, Dr. Fu concluded that for some special reason, Xiaoyi had never logged out of the nutrient tank. Surprisingly, the system had not forcefully logged him out, much to Dr. Fu's astonishment.
However, today was different; the server was forcibly shutting down, and everyone had to log out. Perhaps a miracle would occur.
Regrettably, Xiaoyi remained unconscious in the nutrient tank, his expression frozen in terror. Dr. Fu rubbed his temples. Should he give up?
At that moment, the ward door burst open, and Mr. and Mrs. Xiao Tian, having been notified on the way, rushed in.
"Old buddy, still no change..." Dr. Fu shook his head, a bitter smile on his face.
Seeing Xiaoyi still lying in the nutrient tank, Mr. and Mrs. Xiao Tian already knew the answer. "Ah! Old buddy, you did your best," Tian said as he walked to the side of the nutrient tank, looking at Xiaoyi's painful expression. "I wonder how he's been inside..."
"According to the EEG analysis, it's been a mix of emotions. At one point, he was in a state of intense excitement," Dr. Fu said, raising a thick stack of documents. "I suspect he may have experienced a significant event in the game."
"You brat! Still joking at a time like this." Mrs. Xiao Tian grabbed her husband's shoulder, weakly pushing back.
"Oh, by the way, how's your company doing? Heard your competitors have nearly taken you down?" Dr. Fu noticed their grief and changed the subject.
Upon hearing this, Mr. Xiao Tian was visibly startled. Before Xiaoyi's accident, many business matters had been handled by him. At that time, any occasion would hear envy of Mr. Tian and praise of Mr. Yi.
"It's okay. Thanks for your concern, old buddy," Tian said, forcing a smile and gently patting his wife's hand, letting out a sigh.
"Good, focus all your energy on the company's affairs from now on. Here, I'll make sure everything is well taken care of." Unable to bear seeing his old friend's decades of work ruined, Dr. Fu promised to do his utmost.
"Yeah, thank you."
"Don't thank me yet. If the wife's okay, get another one. Both hands, strong!"
After logging off, Du Ruo's first action was to grab a bottle of champagne from the fridge, tilt her head back, and chug it down in one go.
As a woman, a beautiful woman, a strong and beautiful woman, Du Ruo was very satisfied with her achievements today. Upon hearing the system congratulate "Player Floating Leaf for successfully becoming an Archer," Du Ruo knew that she would spend the entire day immersed in excitement and pride. The angry shouts from players on the streets couldn't dampen her mood in the slightest.
Looking at the fully stocked fridge, Du Ruo thought of the warehouse filled with equipment. Ha! It's a game after all—who says women can't match men?