Volume 3, Chapter 9 – No, Money Is the Point

“Bang bang bang bang bang…”

A passionate spy thriller was playing on the television.

It had reached the climax. In a pitch-black alley, the forces of good and evil had taken out their “weapons” and were fiercely clashing with each other.

Embarrassing ah-ah sounds rang out from time to time.

After watching for quite a while, Anran realized that both sides were still going ah ah ah nonstop, with no sign whatsoever of a winner being decided, so she decisively changed the channel.

“The windows are tightly shut, with no signs of disturbance, and this is the fifth floor. The only door in or out was locked from inside the room, which means…”

On the television, a young man in a blue suit was speaking confidently to the crowd.

“This is a locked-room murder case!”

A fat police officer in a yellowish-brown outfit and a woman both opened their mouths wide at the same time. “How is that possible?!”

Everyone in the room was plunged into shock.

The next shot showed a middle-aged man collapsed over his desk.

Emmm…

Change channel.

“Don’t go!”

The wind was especially noisy. On a desolate road with not a soul in sight, an urban beauty stretched out her hand toward the figure ahead and shouted through tears.

“I can’t live without you! Without you, I won’t be able to go on!”

What the hell? This game even has melodramas like this?

Speechless, Anran was just about to switch channels.

Then the camera suddenly pulled back. Another urban beauty with a shoulder bag was walking forward into the wind, wiping at the tears in the corners of her eyes as she went.

A voice rang out. It was her inner monologue.

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“I’m sorry, Anna. I have to leave. A union between us will never end well. Rather than keep suffering like this, it’s better for us to part. Time and distance will make this love fade away.”

Emmm…

Anran immediately changed the channel.

It was a soap opera all right, but the soapy part was a little different.

The people of No. 1886 really did have rich and colorful forms of entertainment.

Anran could not help sighing in admiration. By the time she finished watching TV, she had already filled her stomach. Her post-meal break was over, and it was time to head back to the workshop to grind some EXP.

One mechanical switchblade gave 200 EXP. She wondered how much EXP other items could provide.

The more complex the mechanical equipment, the harder it was to make, but the more EXP it would give after completion.

“Aila, if you want to watch TV, go ahead,” Anran called out.

“Mhm.”

Aila nodded. While Anran had been watching TV, she had been sitting beside her the whole time, nodding from time to time. Who knew what she had actually learned from it.

Anran stood up and walked to the door, her right hand just resting on the handle.

A door not far to one side suddenly opened. Turning her head, she saw the vigorous old man Gray walk out.

Finally out.

They had talked for a whole hour.

Following behind Gray were Colin in his wheelchair and Eudora pushing him.

“If you’ve got nothing else, leave,” Colin said.

Gray said in surprise, “At this hour, you’re not even going to ask me to stay for dinner?”

The disgust in Colin’s eyes and brows was undisguised. “Is the research center in the habit of raising rude guests who openly ask their hosts to cook for them?”

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“Uh…” Gray’s smile stiffened. “You really don’t hold back.”

“Since we couldn’t come to an agreement, there’s no point pretending we have any friendship worth talking about.” Colin waved a hand.

Gray sighed. “I really didn’t expect you to get injured in this war.”

“Maybe it was fate. Not entirely good, not entirely bad. At least I get to enjoy retirement early, while you still have to keep selling your life to the Imperial government.” Colin was unexpectedly open-minded about it.

Behind him, Eudora smiled gently, warm and tender like a wife.

Gray gave a bitter smile. “Can’t be helped. The Empire may be flawed in countless ways, but No. 1886 can’t afford any more chaos. I’d like to retire and enjoy my old age too, but right now the research center can only stay afloat because I’m holding it up.”

For a moment, his back suddenly looked a little bent.

Anran had absolutely no feelings toward No. 1886, nor could she muster any sympathy for Gray and Colin.

Her current guiding principle was to make strengthening herself the priority in all things.

Anran pushed the door open and went out.

She walked straight into the workshop.

The sheath for the mechanical switchblade still wasn’t finished.

Anran picked up the sheath and continued polishing it. Once this sheath was finished, it would also reward her with several dozen EXP.

“Hello!”

Gray’s voice suddenly rang out behind her.

Anran turned around and looked at him warily.

This dirty old man definitely had to be guarded against.

Gray said, “Don’t be nervous. I just have something I want to discuss with you.”

“Go ahead,” Anran said without changing expression.

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“I heard from Colin. Although you’re not his disciple, you’ve still mastered most of his blueprints. So, this deal of mine…” Gray took a step forward. “It’s very simple. As long as you’re willing to sell those blueprints to me, I can get you into Twinmoon City’s research center.”

Join the research center?

No interest.

Anran looked utterly uninterested. “How much are you planning to pay for those blueprints?”

“How about 10,000 Bilu? What’s important isn’t the money. If you join the research center, I’ll personally teach you. You’ll also be able to use all of the research center’s automated equipment for free, and those machines are far better than what you have here. Once your level goes up, all the research materials in the center will also be open to you.” With a smile at the corner of his mouth, Gray offered what he considered a highly attractive set of terms.

But he completely failed to understand Anran’s way of thinking.

10,000 Bilu?

After hearing that figure, Anran curled her lip.

Who are you trying to brush off?

Going to Sea Blue Forest would cost several hundred thousand Bilu. What the hell was 10,000 Bilu supposed to do?

There was no way Anran would sell off those blueprints for 10,000 Bilu. The moment she sold them, the research center would definitely be able to mass-produce the items. At that point, how was she supposed to make money by selling things?

Looking at Gray with a disdainful expression, Anran asked, “So what exactly would I need to do after joining the research center?”

“With me covering for you, all you need to do is clock in and out on time every day. After all, I’m the director, hahaha!” Gray laughed loudly with his hands on his hips.

He laughed like a hundred-plus-pound child.

Clock in and out on time every day? Then how am I supposed to have “friendly” interactions with players?

Not only was the money too little, it would also restrict her personal freedom. Anran felt that unless her brain had filled with water, there was no way she would join this research center.

Still, the information Gray had revealed was not entirely without appeal to Anran.

Advanced equipment and more complete research materials, those were things Anran wanted.

Colin’s equipment was fine for making simple things, but it would be difficult to go any further with it.

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“So? Not a bad deal, right?” Gray said.

“It’s pretty awful,” Anran said.

“Uh…”

Gray’s expression froze. He wondered whether he had heard wrong. “Little girl, is there something you’re dissatisfied with?”

“I’m dissatisfied with everything,” Anran answered honestly.

“Uh…”

Gray stroked his white beard. “It’s fine, it’s fine. If you have ideas, you can bring them up.”

Anran asked, “Can you give me 500,000 Bilu?”

“…”

Cold sweat began to break out on Gray’s forehead. “No.”

If he rashly handed over that much money, even as the director, he would be impeached.

He immediately went on, “Little girl, money isn’t the point. Getting into the research center is something countless people dream of. Just think, with me covering for you, as long as…”

“No!” Anran cut him off. “Money is the point!”

Anran took a firm stance of no money, no deal.

Gray let out a sigh. Everyone in this house is a freak!

He turned to leave.

But Anran suddenly called out to stop him. “Actually, we can still work together.”

“Really?” Gray turned back at once.