Chapter 1500: 1498: Spoils of War and Shop

Chapter 1500: Chapter 1498: Spoils of War and Shop

“””

Ten minutes passed.

With a loud crash.

A killer, whose entire body was pierced by steel rods and boasted terrifying strength and Defense Power, collapsed lifelessly to the ground.

Even with the protection of a mask, their entire head was still crushed underfoot. Faint remnants resembling goat’s hoof prints could be seen… To die like this at Sally’s feet might be considered a relatively fitting end.

Of course, the two of them also paid a considerable price.

Han Dong hurriedly supported the weakened Sally, quickly heading toward the absolute safety of the “Ladybug Store.”

If another killer arrived at the factory during this critical moment, things would become exceedingly troublesome.

The two defeated killers would undergo [Slaughter Settlement] via the System, eliminating the need for scavenging loot… Their corpses and all their tools would vanish automatically upon Death.

Ring!

The sound of the doorbell echoed.

Han Dong, supporting Sally, staggered and stumbled into the shop.

The interior was styled like a humble general store, with a shopkeeper wearing a Ladybug Mask standing behind the counter.

Ladybugs could be seen crawling everywhere—on the floor, counter, or walls.

“Welcome to the Ladybug Store. As it’s your first time here as rookie killers, you’ve been granted one hour of free rest time. Feel free to explore any available information about the store.”

With that said.

The bead-curtained partition opened.

As Han Dong and Sally entered the partitioned area, two cups of tea were promptly served.

“This lady has sustained severe injuries. Before familiarizing yourselves with the store information, I suggest spending some Ladybug Points to purchase a ‘Recovery Potion (Small),’ which can effectively stabilize her condition.”

“One bottle, please.”

Following the System’s prompt confirming the deduction of points.

A bottle resembling a red potion seen in games was placed on the table.

Sally was not only pierced through the thigh by arrows and had her arm shattered, but subsequent battles left her ribs and kidneys damaged as well.

With her level drastically lowered, her inherent Black Goat self-healing abilities were completely sealed. While being supported, Sally coughed up blood continuously, at times near fainting.

Gulp, gulp—the potion went down.

Her internal injuries began recovering rapidly, and Sally’s overall condition stabilized.

To repair her fractures, however, the potion alone would be insufficient… Nevertheless, for now, this was enough. Sally’s complexion regained its color, and her dim eyes restored their shine.

They would need to search for ways to repair her bones later.

“So this is your [Growth] Fate Space, Nicholas? The dangers lurking here are no less than the ‘Forbidden Land’ in our world.

And this is just the beginning…”

“This is considered one of the highest difficulty levels. It’s my first time encountering such an irregular situation, where our levels are immediately pressed down to that of ordinary humans right from the start.”

“I’m glad I met up with you…”

Sally leaned on Han Dong’s shoulder, savoring this brief moment of calm.

Right then, an important settlement notification arrived:

『Slaughter Settlement Completed』

『[Nicholas], for killing [Owl’s Wing, Bajins] outside of the conditions for Justifiable Defense, Slaughter Value +10 (currently 10/10).

As a rookie killer, your Slaughter Level will temporarily remain at [0]. Any further accumulation of Slaughter Value will instantly advance you to the next level.

Ladybug Points earned: 10 (30% of the victim’s carried total)

Dropped Item: “Tranquil Bow (Green)”』

『[Sally], for killing [Iron Mask, Liber] under the conditions of Justifiable Defense, no Slaughter Value accumulated.

Ladybug Points earned: 13 (30% of the victim’s carried total)

Dropped Item: “Bertessley Factory’s Special Supply Mask (Green)”』

“Killing a target under Justifiable Defense only earns 30% points and one random dropped item? It seems the System intentionally restricts individuals’ acquisition of Ladybug Points.

Still, even partial points are already quite substantial for us at the start of this game.

Let’s check whether these two pieces of equipment are usable.”

The longbow allows arrows to inflict a paralyzing effect, gradually reducing a target’s sensitivity by up to 30% over time.

However, it requires arrows supplied by either the store or a manufacturing facility.

“Sally, can you use this kind of bow?

Most of our abilities have been sealed, and our levels lowered… This kind of external equipment could significantly mitigate the difficulty of combat and reduce our injuries.”

“I should be able to. I’ve used something similar before.”

“Let’s test it out once your arms recover. If it works, we can cooperate tactically from a distance.”

Han Dong continued to inspect the other dropped item—a half-face iron mask designed to cover the nose and mouth.

“Bertessley Factory’s Special Supply Mask (Green)”

“Whoa! This is a gem!”

Han Dong was stunned by the mask’s description. It could definitely qualify as essential gear for rookie killers.

From Han Dong’s basic observation, as killer players in the [Ladybug Day] game, concealing one’s face seemed crucial; just like the killers who attacked the two earlier, all of them wore masks.

This piece of equipment not only served as a mask.

It also increased head Defense Value and featured a ‘Breath Adjustment’ function… Particularly this special effect, which could enhance one’s breath quality depending on their condition and partially filter inhalation of toxic gases.

Click!

Without hesitation, Han Dong put the mask on.

And indeed, wearing this half-face mask made him look the part of a killer.

Now came the topic of the “Ladybug Store.”

As Han Dong browsed the menu, he found that anything could be purchased here—not only conventional items, equipment, materials, and consumables but also “privileges.”

For instance, spending points to obtain basic details of upcoming games in advance. Players could also be teleported directly to stores closest to game buildings for convenience.

Or purchasing additional rest time in the store.

Or acquiring a costly “Safety Order,” which, once activated, granted individuals one hour of [Safety Time], during which neither NPCs nor other killers could harm them.

Or acquiring a reasonably priced “Escape Order,” which allowed players to forcibly exit the current game if trapped in desperate situations—though forfeiting all points and confiscating any items gained during the game.

However.

Han Dong still couldn’t locate the privilege to track specific killer players.

“Shopkeeper, may I spend points to locate a killer—someone whose name I already know?”

“Dear customer, to ensure all players enjoy the optimal game experience, whether out of goodwill or malice, our store is prohibited from offering any services that locate other killers.”

“Fair enough…”

Han Dong sighed, sensing that this Fate event intentionally required participants to operate in a ‘Single-Player Mode.’

At this moment, Sally spoke beside him: “Relax, aside from Kite… our other two teammates absolutely won’t get into trouble.

Don’t be fooled by Green’s erratic and illogical behavior.

When things touch his madness threshold—or threaten his Abyss essence—he becomes exceptionally reliable and terrifying! That’s precisely the root reason why Pope lost during the [Element Game] in the past.”

“Alright… Hearing that puts me somewhat at ease.

If that’s the case, let’s act as a duo for the time being.”

Han Dong flipped through the store menu to the “Restriction Removal” section beyond the ‘Privileges’ tab.

As expected, Han Dong could spend points in the store to lift some of his restrictions. For reasons unknown… Han Dong faintly felt the sound of a dog bark from within him.

It seemed to be saying:

“Nicholas, hurry and lift this Count’s seal! With this Count here, a game of this caliber is nothing but child’s play!”

“””