WTNL Chapter 584

Lucky Cruise Ship
Chapter 584: Coward, newbie, useless piece of trash.

In the empty town, the puppet wore a stiff smile on its face, watching the group before it with hollow eyes, seemingly quietly waiting for something.

Everyone’s bodies tensed as they imperceptibly turned their heads slightly, glancing at Wen Jianyan, as if asking—

What should we do now?

Wen Jianyan slowly spoke: “How much for one?”

Under the eerie lights, the puppet’s smile was rigid:

“Keke, ten million, keke, each.”

“Everyone… keke, must buy one.”

…Damn.

Hearing this number, everyone gasped inwardly.

Based on their limited understanding of the game “Monopoly,” square “16” had already been occupied by the toy merchant named “Butcher,” which meant that just passing through required paying a certain amount of money.

Naturally, they could afford this price, but the problem was, if they had to pay this much money every time they passed a “toy merchant’s” factory… they’d probably go bankrupt before long.

In the “Integrity First” live room chat:

[Wait, I remember the price wasn’t this high at the beginning, right?]

[It wasn’t, but you have to remember how many days ago that was…]

[Ah, such a shame. The anchor entered too late. The earlier you enter, the more factories you buy, the more advantageous it is. Now the other teams, especially the Oracle’s side, basically already have an overwhelming advantage.]

Wen Jianyan thought for a moment: “Okay.”

The puppet handed over a palm-sized small puppet that looked almost identical to itself, its face bearing an unchanging smile.

“Thank you… keke… for your patronage.”

Watching that small wooden face with its identical eerie expression, everyone felt their scalps tingle.

In the blink of an eye, tens of millions of points were easily given away.

After receiving the money, the puppet turned around, swaying as it walked back toward the toy factory behind it. The decayed metal gate creaked and slowly closed behind it.

The cold atmosphere in the air disappeared, and the taut strings in everyone’s hearts finally slowly relaxed.

Wen Jianyan lowered his head, examining the puppet in his hand.

It was completely a miniature version of the puppet from before—rigid wooden face, eerie smile, hollow gaze—looking very uncomfortable.

“Any problems?”

Wen Jianyan handed the item to Ma Qi.

Ma Qi took the puppet and closed her eyes for a long time before opening them: “No.”

Although this toy looked very ugly, at the end of the day it was just an ordinary toy, without any major issues.

Not far away, Blond stared intently at that small puppet, his brow furrowed, not knowing what he was thinking.

Wen Jianyan nodded and took the puppet back from Ma Qi:

“Okay, let’s continue.”

Blond took a deep breath and nodded. He raised his hand and threw the two dice again. The dice rolled around and quickly stopped, with one face up, the points adding up to a total of 12.

Twelve steps.

The group walked forward along the street and quickly stopped at square twelve.

Wen Jianyan seemed to sense something and tilted his head slightly, looking to one side of the road.

At the end of a small path extending from the edge of the square was an old, unremarkable factory building. Under Wen Jianyan’s gaze, the door slowly opened, but this time, nothing walked out from within.

“…” Several people looked at each other, then stepped toward the factory.

The factory was empty and dim inside, with a dusty atmosphere floating about. In the position facing the door was a pitch-black screen.

Seeming to sense the visitors’ presence, the screen flickered and lit up. Lucy, with the ‘No.2’ badge on her chest, appeared on the screen:

“Hello, distinguished toy merchant. Congratulations on arriving at an unoccupied factory. You can build your own toy factory here, or you can auction this place to other toy merchants! If other toy merchants stop in front of your factory, they must purchase toys from your factory to leave; otherwise, they will receive very severe punishment!”

In the “Integrity First” live room chat:

“Oooh!”

“Damn, Blond’s luck is really something. He actually walked to a square with an empty factory on the second throw, amazing!”

“Right, after all the game is now in the mid-to-late stage. There really aren’t many empty squares left. Being able to reach an empty factory square this early shows Blond really does have some luck.”

Wen Jianyan interjected: “What punishment?”

On the screen, Lucy’s smile seemed to deepen. She shook her golden-haired head and said in a very innocent tone:

“Of course, they’ll be killed by the factory’s employees.”

Wen Jianyan didn’t seem frightened by the sinister meaning in her words. He thought for a while, then raised his eyes and continued asking in a calm voice: “If they don’t get killed, how should they leave next?”

This question contained a huge amount of information.

It showed that Wen Jianyan had made two guesses based on the information Lucy had just given:

First, attacks by factory employees wouldn’t necessarily be fatal. Second, although not necessarily fatal, escaping wouldn’t be without cost.

Lucy pouted in disappointment, saying very reluctantly:

“…Roll two identical numbers.”

—Both points hit.

In the “Integrity First” live room chat:

“Damn, your brain really works well, kid.”

“I can’t stand it, I thought they’d have to step in at least one trap to figure out the patterns, but he guessed it right away…”

“Please! Don’t be ridiculous. When have we ever lost at logic games!”

After listening to Lucy’s explanation, Wen Jianyan quietly nodded:

“Okay, please continue.”

He was clearly an outsider who knew nothing about the rules, yet somehow inexplicably controlled the rhythm of the conversation.

Lucy stared at Wen Jianyan, her eyes carrying several parts malice and danger.

But in the blink of an eye, her face had already recovered its initial innocent smile:

“…You can build a puppet factory, teddy bear toy factory, or doll factory here. Different toy factories have different construction costs. The puppet manufacturing factory’s construction cost is fifty million, the teddy bear toy factory’s construction cost is one hundred million, and the doll factory’s construction cost is two hundred million.”

“Different toy factories have different construction costs and different selling prices.”

“And every time your factory sells a puppet, or every time you add a factory of the same type, the next price can double!”

This also explained why the puppets in that previous puppet factory were so expensive, actually reaching ten million each.

In the “Integrity First” live room chat:

[Hiss, we’re done for. It feels like inflation has already started.]

[But how should I put it, this rule hasn’t completely blocked newcomers’ way out. After all, there are three types of toy factory prices, and you can’t demolish and rebuild. If the anchor goes straight for the highest tier, there should still be a fighting chance.]

[Exactly, don’t forget the anchor still has quite a bit of funds on hand. There’s still hope.]

[Go for it! Doll factory!]

At the same time, Lucy’s rule explanation was also nearing its end.

She smiled on the screen and asked:

“How do you decide to handle this vacant lot?”

Wen Jianyan lowered his eyes, seemingly deep in thought.

The others didn’t rush him either, just quietly waiting for Wen Jianyan to make a decision.

After a long time, he finally raised his eyes, looked at Lucy on the screen, and slowly said:

“Auction it off.”

In the “Integrity First” live room chat:

[…]

[Huh?]

[What?? Wen Jianyan, are you crazy???]

Not only did the audience in the live stream room not understand, even his team members were secretly shocked.

Although they weren’t proficient in these games, they still knew a thing or two about the overly well-known rules of Monopoly. They had already entered too late… other “toy merchants” had already built quite a few toy factories, and the toys sold in them would increase in price as they were purchased more times. This time was their opportunity to catch up and narrow the gap, yet Wen Jianyan decided to auction off this hard-won factory…?

“Are you sure?”

Lucy, on the screen, tilted her head and confirmed.

Wen Jianyan raised his head and smiled briefly: “Sure.”

“Okay, please wait,” Lucy on the screen smiled, her tone light and lively. “I’ll arrange a new real estate auction for you right away!”

In a corner of the town, several anchors either stood or sat.

“Damn it, that Tarot Master bastard is really disgusting, practically trying to wipe us out completely!” One of them gritted his teeth and said viciously. “How many teams have been wiped out now?”

An anchor sat without regard for image on the steps, frowning as he bit on an unlit cigarette, the butt covered in teeth marks. On his chest hung a bright red badge with a clearly visible number.

‘11’.

Clearly, this was the eleventh-ranked “toy merchant” on the screen, Lion Heart King.

Someone held up four fingers.

The atmosphere around them became increasingly oppressive.

Since they entered, they’d been relentlessly hunted by the “Tarot Master.” Although they currently still had ten factories on hand, their liquid capital had become extremely scarce. They had been stuck on this square for a long time, completely afraid to continue forward.

On the ground beside them, several toys were haphazardly placed—mostly puppets and teddy bears, with only one doll. They were all piled far away in the corner furthest from people, as if completely unwilling to let them get close.

As if sensing something, one of them raised his head, his gaze falling on the huge screen suspended in midair, slightly stunned.

“Hey, look, a newcomer has arrived.”

On the screen, a new team’s name had appeared at some point.

“…All-Seeing Eye?”

“Finally a newcomer has joined,” one anchor breathed a long sigh of relief. “Thank god!”

The newcomer’s entry was like sweet rain during a long drought for them.

Although this meant increased competition, it also meant new funds entering and a new target being born. From any angle, they could catch their breath a bit.

“Quick, where’s that card we drew before? Time to use it.”

One of them urged.

“That item card that can make people stop in front of our factory!”

“Don’t use it yet,” Lion Heart King bit his cigarette, saying gloomily. “The other teams will probably use theirs, especially Butcher’s side. They’ve grabbed too many item cards. Let’s not compete with them. Wait a while before using it; otherwise, if the effect gets canceled, that’ll be trouble.”

“Hope this newcomer can at least make that damn Tarot Master change targets,” the person who had just cursed the Tarot Master said. “Stop fucking chasing us!”

“But it’s also quite strange. ‘Today’ the Tarot Master’s side doesn’t seem to have moved much. Were they tied down by Butcher’s side?”

While several people were discussing in low voices, Lucy’s smiling face appeared on the screen above them:

“Hello everyone, hello everyone. A new factory auction is about to begin. The organizer this time is—’All-Seeing Eye’! Starting bid is fifty million. Welcome all toy merchants to participate enthusiastically!!”

Wait, All-Seeing Eye? That newcomer?

Several people looked at each other, seeing the same surprise in each other’s eyes.

Just entering, not building a toy factory, but putting it up for auction instead?

You’ve got to be kidding.

“No way… is this newcomer too unambitious?” One anchor raised his eyebrows, saying very indignantly. “Just entering and already selling land. Probably just wants to make some life-saving money and leave?”

If that were really the case, then there’d be no way for them to continue providing funds or diverting other strong enemies’ attention.

“Either that’s it…”

Lion Heart King raised his head, his gaze falling on the last place on the screen.

Behind the sixteenth-ranked “All-Seeing Eye’s” name was only a glaring “0”—which meant this was the first piece of land this team had gotten after entering, and they decided to sell it.

“Or they’re too ambitious.”

Saying this, Lion Heart King stood up, finally throwing that tortured cigarette butt on the ground and grinding it with his shoe sole.

“Regardless, let’s participate.”

In the center of the orderly town was a small, shabby square. A screen hung in the square, and in front of the screen were haphazardly arranged chairs. As an auction venue, it could be said to be very shabby, just like a children’s playhouse.

The various “toy merchants” entered one by one.

This was an occasion that only toy merchants wearing badges could attend. All other people had to stay outside the square.

At this moment, on the platform in the center of the venue sat a handsome-faced youth with Blond, sitting stiffly on a chair with his back ramrod straight, both hands clenched in fists on his knees, looking proper and upright. On his chest was the badge numbered 【16】.

Clearly, this was the new player who had just entered.

Seeing this guy, Lion Heart King’s face couldn’t hide his disappointment.

This “All-Seeing Eye” was too inconsistent with his name—it was practically false advertising!

Unless this kid was some kind of master actor, otherwise his teammate’s guess was probably going to come true—this was probably just someone who got dog-shit lucky entering the negative fifth floor, planning to make a quick profit and run.

And looking at this guy’s performance, whether he could even leave alive was questionable!!

Soon, all the “toy merchants” participating in this auction had arrived.

Lion Heart King looked around.

The first-ranked “Tarot Master” hadn’t appeared, but the “Butcher” wasn’t absent.

The screen lit up, showing the little girl’s smiling face.

“The toy factory auction begins now!” Unlike Carl Bell who was truly in charge of auctions in this instance, Lucy’s auction was quite capricious, full of the carelessness peculiar to children. “Everyone can bid freely, as long as All-Seeing Eye thinks it’s OK!”

The auction floor price was ten million. Every “toy merchant” who wanted to own this land began bidding up.

Lion Heart King looked down at his balance, ground his back teeth, and bit the bullet:

“Sixty million.”

Then, before his voice even landed, a cold, elegant female voice came from behind—from a woman with half her face covered by a rose-colored birthmark: “Eighty million.”

A fierce-eyed man chuckled lightly: “One hundred million.”

Lion Heart King’s heart sank. He knew he was out of the running.

Although he had already guessed the result, after confirming this, his heart still couldn’t help but sink.

The “Tarot Master” wasn’t participating, so based on everyone present’s financial power, the only one who could probably buy this toy factory was Butcher.

On stage, the nervously sitting “All-Seeing Eye” suddenly raised his head, his gaze falling on him.

Perhaps due to overuse, his eyeballs were slightly reddish. Though his gaze wasn’t sharp and seemed even overly gentle among this group, for some reason, when the other’s gaze fell on him, Lion Heart King’s heart thumped, inexplicably feeling a sense of unease like being spied on.

Before he could figure out where this unease came from, the auction had already ended.

As he expected, Butcher bought the land in the end.

On the screen, Lucy contentedly tapped the toy hammer on the table once, mimicking in a pretentious manner: “Sold!”

Butcher stood up, smiling as he saluted the losers, revealing snow-white sharp teeth.

The auction ended. The toy merchants all turned and walked toward the exit of the square. Lion Heart King did the same, but just a few steps out, he felt himself being followed by that handsome-looking, nervous-appearing young man.

Lion Heart King turned around, his eyes narrowing, the muscles on his arms bulging:

“What do you want, kid?”

As he guessed, “All-Seeing Eye” shuddered and froze in place, looking nervous, his eyes wandering, not daring to meet his gaze.

Spineless thing.

Lion Heart King snorted coldly, turned, and walked toward the exit of the square.

Sure enough this time, the other didn’t dare follow again.

Soon, he left the square.

And his own team members were standing there waiting for him.

“It’s fine. In the end, Butcher still bought that land,” Lion Heart King said very irritably. “That new team is a fucking rookie coward. He probably can’t even leave this level alive, a waste without even any use value—”

The instant he raised his head to see his teammates, the remaining words were suddenly stuck back in his throat.

—Nervous expressions, stiff postures, terrified gazes.

Lion Heart King’s throat let out a roar. Although his movements were already fast enough, before he could turn around, he felt both his feet sink deeply into the ground. The originally solid, hard earth was like a soft swamp, firmly grasping his body and neutralizing his force.

The next second, a steel-like palm clamped onto Lion Heart King’s shoulder.

A tall, silent, brown-skinned man lowered his head and said in a muffled voice: “Don’t struggle.”

The other’s face had few expressions, his tone peaceful and even carrying a bit of apology, like some kind of gentle large animal, but the force under his palm couldn’t be ignored: “I don’t want to crush your shoulder.”

Lion Heart King’s expression twisted, veins throbbing at his temples. He couldn’t believe his teammates could be so stupid as to be controlled to this extent.

“Hi.”

A smiling voice came from not far away.

Lion Heart King sharply raised his head.

From behind his teammates walked out a youth.

Handsome features, smiling warmly—a person that once seen, could never be forgotten.

—Pinocchio!!

Lion Heart King gasped, his pupils dilating almost instantly.

Of course, he remembered this legendary anchor who had climbed the fastest in history to the top ten, achieving platinum in every instance.

Not only had he, along with another top ten anchor, sniped a cruise management member with unimaginable terrifying efficiency at the very start of the instance, but more importantly, when the other became an auction item, he had been sitting in the audience and personally witnessed how the other pushed everyone to madness with just a few words. Even now, thinking back on it made his spine go cold.

If it were just that, it would be one thing. After all, the auction had ended and that legendary anchor’s career should have ended there too. But no one could have expected that just one day later, the other would reappear completely unscathed in everyone’s view, as if nothing had happened.

…Simply incomparably terrifying.

Just then, that yellow-haired youth who had been avoiding his gaze and acting timid appeared. He still didn’t quite dare meet Lion Heart King’s eyes and quickly walked toward Pinocchio not far away: “Captain.”

Pinocchio smiled: “Well done.”

Lion Heart King: “…”

Seeing this scene, he simply regretted it to his core.

Who would know this guy was actually one of Pinocchio’s people!!!

The youth walked closer with a smile, tilting his head. Those light-colored eyes that had captivated hearts on the auction stage were now close at hand. His tone was playful:

“What did you just say about the new team?”

“Coward, rookie, waste without use value.” The man behind him gripping his shoulder honestly repeated.

Lion Heart King’s vision went black: “…”

Finished.

This is all fucking finished.

---

Author’s Note:

The suspended heart finally died.jpg

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