Chapter 368 - 343: Japan Fascinated by the Divine Artifact

"If I had to use one word to describe Da Fei’s mood right now, it would be ’winning the lottery’! Although Da Fei had never won one, he imagined it felt just like this. Da Fei was currently idling in the competition server, uploading videos on forums for advertising and basking in admiration, and handling greetings from the few friends, big shots, goddesses, and little brothers in his regional server. In short, nothing beats being famous and adored by everyone. I wonder if anyone’s interested in the Divine Artifact? Or maybe I should talk directly with Ma Yinglong? The problem is how to start the conversation. I hate getting too friendly, since once that happens, I always end up at a disadvantage. It’s a matter of pride! In any case, this big deal must be handled carefully!

By the way, I promised to add Fleeting Blossom as a friend after the competition. Being a man of my word, I’ll lower my standards and reach out to her. Of course, for the sake of a woman’s reputation, this should be done low-key. Maybe I’ll invite her to a small tavern in the countryside, hehe.

...

While Da Fei was busy, the folks over in the Japan zone weren’t idle either.

The competition wasn’t over yet, but the complete defeat at the Ancient City Ruins made the Japan zone’s chances of achieving a good result very slim. Just then, in a heavy mood, Igarashi received a mysterious phone call.

"Mr. Igarashi, how are things going?"

Igarashi’s spirit was suddenly jolted: "Mr. Ogaki! Things aren’t going smoothly for me!"

"It’s evident that our athletes lost to an amateur player named Da Fei. If not handled well, this could severely impact their future competitive state."

"Hey! Thank you, Mr. Ogaki, for your guidance. I will certainly pay attention."

"By the way, how is our zone’s hell unification strategy progressing?"

Igarashi replied quickly: "We’ve made a breakthrough with the World Tree. Given some time, we’re sure to achieve results."

"Mr. Igarashi, I have a suggestion. With the current player’s strength, it’s impossible to quickly eliminate the Elf Clan’s NPC forces. At the minimum, you need a Divine Artifact, especially one that has a multipliers effect."

Igarashi raised an eyebrow: "A Divine Artifact? You mean?"

"Destiny Coin! The Destiny Coin of that Chinese player Da Fei! According to the committee’s supervision and observation, the attribute of this coin has been discovered. It’s a key to advancing to a God-level profession, the Knight of Misfortune. After using it, the coin provides nearly a day of Absolute Luck effect. A lot can be accomplished in a day’s time, as you have witnessed. After the effect expires, it will grant a month of Absolute Misfortune. Mr. Igarashi, have you watched that Da Fei’s video? Even with the Absolute Misfortune effect, he was able to turn the tide in adversity and defeat the strong while being weak. That’s the power of the Divine Artifact! A month of in-game time can achieve much more. In short, the value of this Destiny Coin is these 31 days of Absolute Luck."

Igarashi was shocked: "Are you suggesting we buy that coin at a high price?"

"I’m merely making a suggestion. Besides, it seems that the Chinese player has hinted at the willingness to sell on the forums. How you handle it is up to you. That’s all I have to say, goodbye!"

Igarashi quickly held the phone, bowing: "Hey! Thank you, sir, for your guidance. I will consider it carefully!"

After hanging up the phone, Igarashi’s emotions were like cascading waves, overwhelmingly turbulent: "Mr. Tsukamoto, under normal circumstances, how do we trade with players from other zones?"

Tsukamoto responded without hesitation: "Normally, players reach level 50, enter the City of Gods in the New World, and conduct transactions. Or we could register a trading alt in the China Region now, get hold of the Divine Artifact first, and then wait until level 50 to..."

Tsukamoto shook his head: "That takes too long. If we wait until we enter the New World to trade, then part of our hell unification strategy loses its timeliness. We must eliminate the Bright Alliance forces in our zone as much as possible before entering the New World to establish a massive military-industrial base for our Japan zone’s national war. What we need is a chance like the one last time to enter the China Region during the national war!"

Tsukamoto frowned: "That might trigger an Epic Quest, which requires convening a strategy conference for joint research!"

Igarashi approved: "Realizing the limitations of personal ability is your strength, very good. Immediately organize a strategy conference, and all members, including the logistics team, must participate! We need collective wisdom! Of course, we will secure that Divine Artifact now, and start arranging for someone to create an alt to handle it!"

"Hey!"

...

In Rapids Town, the largest inland river city of Lionheart Empire in the China Region, Da Fei entered a private room on the second floor of a tavern under the watchful eyes and exclamations of players. This room was, of course, pre-arranged by Fleeting Blossom.

Actually, for Da Fei now, making player friends wasn’t all that important. But female player friends were different; they were a symbol of success for men in games, especially someone like Fleeting Blossom, a woman who had achieved something in the game, which satisfies a man’s vanity! I’m just an ordinary guy!

In the private room were, of course, Fleeting Blossom and another Harem Beauty, both in flamboyant dresses, further fulfilling the man’s fantasy of having two women! Yeah, with effort, dreams eventually become reality! Once I get rich in real life, there’s nothing I can’t do! Wahahaha!

The two laughed foolishly like blooming flowers: "Brother Fei! So nice to finally meet you, welcome!"

Da Fei laughed heartily and started reminiscing to build rapport: "You’re too polite, beauties. After all, we all started from the same newbie hall!"

Fleeting Blossom mocked slightly: "Brother Fei is so naughty, many people say that to try to get close to me!"

What the hell! I took the initiative to get close to you and you’re playing coy! I’ll demote you to the cold palace and stop playing with you at once!

Da Fei chuckled: "Wasn’t there a player before you with a great Lord trait, who ended up being sent to mine by the NPCs? The NPCs immediately asked what you could do, and you said build a farm! Everyone thought you were going to be unlucky!"

Fleeting Blossom widened her eyes, clapping excitedly: "Oh wow! Brother Fei really did come from the same newbie hall as me! It’s fate, fate! It seems our group churns out talent, like Brother Fei just mentioned, the Evil Little White Wolf, who is doing well now in the Death Mountain Range. If Brother Fei needs anything big done over there, let me know first. I know him well!"

Hold up, are you showing off how many people you know and how wide your connections are? If it’s a man, that’s impressive, but you’re a woman, okay! Do you know that can make men uncomfortable? Is she perhaps a career-oriented strong woman? Well, in that case, it’s even better—meeting briefly and parting isn’t complicated. Perfect for a one-night stand, wahahaha!

Da Fei laughed: "I’m just running maritime transport. I don’t have plans to expand inland just yet."

Fleeting Blossom chuckled: "What if Brother Fei’s ship could travel deeper inland via river?"

Da Fei exclaimed: "Deeper inland? Big ships can only reach Rapids Town at most, right?"

Fleeting Blossom smiled: "Actually, I have a big venture to discuss cooperation with Brother Fei. I am forming a Canal Company, to dig a canal across the Lionheart Empire’s interior. Of course, many things are still in the planning stage, and there’s nothing to cooperate on yet, but I thought it’d be good to let Brother Fei know in advance."

Da Fei’s brow twitched: "A company? Like that Skyshattering Thunder’s smithy?"

Fleeting Blossom laughed: "His place can barely count as a workshop, but fundamentally, yes. In short, creating a waterway needs Canal Company funds, and company funds, chamber of commerce funds, and city funds operate on the same principle. That is, they must be obtained through in-game transactions. Even if a player studio churns out a bunch of gold coins, it’s useless. As president of the top chamber of commerce, you should understand this, right?"

Da Fei immediately understood: "So our chamber of commerce primarily conducts transactions with your company to increase your company funds?"

Fleeting Blossom said with a smile: "Exactly! I plan to rent a company office in the port of Saint Paul, to trade with Brother Fei’s chamber of commerce. Clearly, Brother Fei’s chamber of commerce is still in the starting phase and hasn’t expanded its business to Saint Paul, and my company also doesn’t yet have products to sell. So, everything I’m saying is a bit premature. Brother Fei, don’t laugh at me."

Da Fei quickly shook his head: "No, no, I wouldn’t. How does your Canal Company make profits?"

Fleeting Blossom smiled: "Of course, by charging tolls once a section of the canal is open, just like toll roads in the world, right? But in the game, we could also take a small portion of a ship’s cargo as toll, and these would become future company products."

Damn! It’s like collecting tolls on the freeway, a God-level financial path for making a fortune!

Da Fei understood: "So, your initial funds are tight?"

Fleeting Blossom shook her head with a smile: "Hold up! Saying more would sound like I’m asking to borrow money from you! In short, if our company gets on track, will we cooperate in the future?"

Uh, let’s hold that thought. I’m not the sucker handing over money to every girl I meet. Hmm, no wonder it’s just handshakes for life.

Da Fei shook his head, laughing: "Sure! You know the situation with my chamber of commerce. If it develops well, we’ll cooperate for sure!"

Fleeting Blossom beamed: "Great! Cheers to our future cooperation!"

"Cheers!"

Hm, this is just a game for now. If we meet in real life someday, I’ll toast with you guys, and then you’ll know, wahahaha!

While the three were enjoying their banter, Da Fei’s competition character on the game server received a system prompt! Is it here?

Da Fei hurriedly switched to look, and indeed!

—System Prompt: Your Divine Artifact Equipment, the Sea Soul Staff, has completed absorbing and merging the souls of 100 deceased Banshees, gaining +2 Low-level Sea Demon Demon Souls, and the Sea Soul Staff gains a special skill: Banshee Demon Soul Fusion.

—Banshee Demon Soul Fusion: The Banshee of the Hell Race is a purely spiritual being. The Sea Soul Staff can absorb and transform the spirit of a dead Banshee into a Demon Soul Sea Demon. Some of the lowest-level Banshees lack independent consciousness and cannot transform into independent Sea Demon Demon Souls. The Sea Soul Staff can gain a new Sea Demon Demon Soul by fusing a large number of low-level Banshee souls.

Da Fei suddenly realized! Banshees truly aren’t digested into ordinary Mana values! Fifty dead ordinary Banshees equal one dead Elite Cannon Emperor! I haven’t waited in vain for over half a day!

Now, no more attachments in the competition server, I’m advancing!

(Readership note: Smoky knows some things, readers are too lazy to do. But I have an impolite request, I’d just like to bother you guys, please click on "full of positive energy" in the reader impression, please help bring this review up, thank you guys!)(To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations, monthly tickets, and your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please read on m.qidian.com.)