Survival in an apartment, starting with a stroke of luck on a plane

Wang Junyue's words instantly froze the atmosphere.

Liu Dashan, Zhang Jun, and Liu Yueyue's gazes all focused on Wang Junyue, their expressions a mixture of tension and a barely perceptible greed. That stack of [Exorcism Talismans] and [Copper Coin Swords] were their only hope for survival in this cursed place!

"Two items, one hundred yuan each." Boss Wang's voice remained calm, as if he were stating the price of two bundles of cabbage.

"Okay!" Wang Junyue didn't hesitate and immediately took out two brand-new hundred-yuan bills from her pocket and slapped them on the counter, her movements so quick that she was afraid the other party would change their mind.

She then pointed to the bundles of ordinary incense mixed with special incense sticks on the shelf: "And these too, I'll take them all!"

Boss Wang nodded, quickly packed up the talismans, copper coin sword, and all the incense sticks, and handed them to Wang Junyue.

Seeing Wang Junyue pack her things into her backpack, Zhang Jun and Liu Yueyue's expressions clearly turned ugly.

Zhang Jun couldn't help but ask, "Wang, these... these things, is it...?"

He didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear.

Liu Yueyue timidly chimed in, "Yes, Sister Junyue, we..."

Wang Junyue raised an eyebrow; she had anticipated this situation.

She zipped up her backpack, turned around, glanced at everyone, and said calmly, "There are ten talismans in total. I can spare a few for everyone."

Zhang Jun and Liu Yueyue's eyes lit up.

"However," Wang Junyue changed the subject, "it's not free. You'll exchange it for valuable items or game currency you have. It's an equal exchange, very fair."

Liu Dashan nodded immediately without the slightest hesitation: "Reasonable! I agree. I have a few low-level recovery potions left over from the previous dungeon. How many do you think they're worth?"

He knew very well that in a place like this, free aid was a luxury, and it would be good enough if he could even buy a life-saving charm.

Zhang Jun and Liu Yueyue's faces stiffened. They looked at each other and saw the embarrassment in each other's eyes.

As newcomers who had only completed one round of the game, and by sheer luck at that, they had nothing of note besides a few supplies and rewards from the main quest. Before entering the game, they had already purchased some resources, so their in-game currency was pitifully scarce.

"I...I only have a few game coins..." Zhang Jun stammered.

"Me too..." Liu Yueyue said, her head down.

Wang Junyue thought for a moment, then softened her tone and said, "How about this, since we're both new players, each of you give me one game coin, and I can sell you one."

This was the biggest concession she could make, after all, the price of strange items was already high, not to mention that in their current situation, this talisman could very well save their lives, so one game coin was already a good deal.

Although Zhang Jun and Liu Yueyue felt that one was too few, they knew it was the limit and could only nod in resignation.

Lin Yu hadn't participated in their distribution discussion from beginning to end. He walked over to Boss Wang and asked in a low voice, "Boss, do you know anything about the fire more than twenty years ago, or about that Liu Xiangxiang? Or is there anything unusual about this walled city?"

As Mr. Wang tidied up the counter, he didn't even look up: "I've only been running this shop for a little over ten years. I might not know more about those old stories than you do."

He paused, as if thinking of something, and added, "However... there is indeed a small thing floating around in this fortress."

Lin Yu instantly understood what Boss Wang was talking about. A thought struck him, and he asked, "A little girl? Holding a tattered tiger doll?"

Boss Wang finally looked up at Lin Yu, a hint of surprise in his eyes, before regaining his composure: "Yeah, just an ordinary wandering soul, with no memories and no brains, just a dazed and confused person."

Occasionally, you can see her standing blankly outside the locked door on the fifth floor. Don't bother her, don't pity her, just stay away.

"Is she... related to Liu Xiangxiang?" Lin Yu pressed.

Mr. Wang shook his head: "Who knows? Maybe it was one of the kids who died in the fire."

He clearly didn't want to talk about it anymore.

Lin Yu nodded and didn't ask any further questions. He turned to Wang Junyue, handed her a game coin, and said, "Exchange it for some money."

Wang Junyue readily counted out some more money for him.

Lin Yu bought a small incense burner, several bundles of ordinary incense and candles, several stacks of paper money and gold ingots from Boss Wang.

When paying, he used one game coin to exchange for five special incense sticks from the pile of incense sticks that Wang Junyue had just bought.

Wang Junyue handed two exorcism talismans to Liu Dashan, and then gave two more to Zhang Jun and Liu Yueyue.

Finally, he took out another card and handed it to Lin Yu: "Lin Yu, this is for you. Thank you for your help before."

Lin Yu looked at the talisman, thought for a moment, and then took it, handing over a game coin at the same time: "Thanks. Consider it my payment."

He didn't want to owe anyone a favor, and Wang Junyue didn't refuse and accepted it.

The five people left the eerily quiet incense and candle shop and headed straight for the convenience store near the entrance on the first floor.

The light inside the walled city grew dimmer, with only a few dim, flickering lamps casting distorted shadows. The surroundings were so quiet that only their own footsteps could be heard, and the oppressive atmosphere grew heavier.

The convenience store was still lit up, and an old woman with gray hair, a face full of deep wrinkles, and wearing a dark blue cloth shirt was dozing off behind the counter.

There were some cheap cigarettes, alcohol, and candies on the counter.

"Grandma Chen?" Lin Yu called softly.

The old woman opened her sleepy eyes, saw several unfamiliar faces, and looked somewhat bewildered: "Young man, what do you want to buy?"

Lin Yu gave a gentle smile and placed a ten-yuan note on the counter: "Grandma, I'm sorry to bother you. We are reporters from the newspaper and would like to ask you about some old stories from the past of the walled city."

"It's about... that fire more than twenty years ago, and a woman named Liu Xiangxiang, do you know her?"

Upon hearing the words "fire" and "Liu Xiangxiang," Grandma Chen's cloudy old eyes suddenly widened, and her sleepiness vanished instantly.

Her face turned deathly pale in an instant, and her withered fingers gripped the edge of the counter tightly, her knuckles turning white from the force.

"Why...why are you asking this?" Her voice trembled violently.

"It's all in the past...it's all in the past...what a terrible thing...karma..."

Lin Yu placed a fifty-yuan note next to the ten-yuan note: "Grandma, our newspaper just wants to learn about these special stories. Don't worry, we will keep everything you say confidential and we will also pay you."

Grandma Chen's gaze lingered on the two brand-new banknotes for a long time, her fear and sorrow seemingly suppressed by an even stronger desire.

She licked her chapped lips, then nervously glanced around to make sure no one was watching before lowering her voice and speaking in a thick local accent, "Sigh... that incident... it was a tragedy. So many people died in the fire, it was so pitiful. Liu Xiangxiang... she was such a tragic person..."