The Mysterious Merchant
"The Mysterious Merchant" (Neutral Alignment)
Level: ???
Attributes: ???
Skills: ???
Description: A merchant that can randomly appear in the wilderness or in towns. He is the most enigmatic smuggler on the continent. He sells items at a low price, items that cannot be found in regular shops. There's a chance he might have rare items, skill books, and skill scrolls in his inventory.
From obtaining an A-grade skill on the Jiangcheng Bridge to encountering the mysterious merchant at the bus station, everything was part of Zhang Mu's plan, laying down the groundwork for gaining an early advantage.
The Mysterious Merchant is a vital connection. He moves like a shadow, appearing anywhere, and never staying in one place for more than six hours. The odds of bumping into him are even slimmer than winning the lottery. However, the very first time he was spotted was at the bus station.
Dragging a chubby man with wobbly legs, Zhang Mu approached the merchant. The merchant sat atop a four-meter-tall, black metallic truck, worn and battered from usage.
"Brave warriors from another realm, it's your lucky day to have found me," the merchant's voice was raspy yet deep. Jumping off the truck, he continued, "Welcome to the Mysterious Store. Our goods are of high quality yet reasonably priced. I guarantee you'll be satisfied."
Zhang Mu nodded, "Let me see what you have."
The merchant kicked the side of his truck and yelled, "Hey, inside! We have customers!" The back of the truck opened, revealing a long shelf rolled out with over twenty different items, each unique.
"F-grade Monster Manual" (Dawn Camp): This manual contains details and data of regular and elite monsters from level 1-10 in the Dawn Camp. Price: 10 gold coins. Only 1 left in stock.
"Regional Map" (Dawn Camp): The map records the terrain, distribution of various level monsters, and the location of wilderness instances. Price: 100 gold coins. Only 1 left in stock.1(6 hours), Grade E item. The most basic post suitable for forum postings. Visible only to players within this regional map. The post will be automatically deleted after 6 hours. Available for purchase on this map for 50 gold coins. Only 2 left in stock.
2Class Restrictions: Berserker, Shield Warrior, Knight. Priced at 300 gold coins on this map.
3Class Restrictions: Rogue, Assassin, Slayer, Ranger. Priced at 300 gold coins on this map.
4Class Restrictions: Assassin, Rogue, Slayer. Available for 200 gold coins on this map.
5Class Restrictions: Assassin, Ranger. Available for 200 gold coins on this map.
...
Among the twenty or so items available, there are intelligence reports, equipment, enhancement scrolls, and skill books. However, most of their prices are above a few hundred gold coins, which is too expensive for players at this stage.
After looking through the items, Zhang Mu said, "I'd like to make a deal with you."
The mysterious merchant inquired, "Did anything catch your eye?"
Shaking his head, Zhang Mu replied, "You must know that at this point, we can't afford any of these."
With a smile, the mysterious merchant responded, "Oh? So, what kind of deal are you proposing?"
Zhang Mu stated, "Lend me 50 gold coins. I'll pay you back double in no more than two hours."
The merchant, intrigued, remarked, "I've traveled the continent for many years, and this is the first time someone's asked to borrow gold from me."
Zhang Mu replied, "You're a merchant, driven by profit. This deal is beneficial."
The mysterious merchant looked Zhang Mu up and down, saying, "You're an interesting individual. Although it's against my principles, I'm willing to make an exception for you. However, the terms will change: I'll lend you 50 gold coins, and you'll repay 200 gold coins in two hours."
6"I accept!"
———
Mission: [Debt Repayment].
Type: Random task.
Difficulty: F-rank.
Description: Pay back 200 gold coins to the Mysterious Merchant within 120 minutes.
Reward upon Success: +20 favor with the Mysterious Merchant.
Penalty upon Failure: Permanent negative favor with the Mysterious Merchant and permanent loss of one skill.
———
Zhang Mu earned 50 gold coins. After selling the dog-man's knife, he got another 15 gold coins, bringing his total to 69 gold coins.
He spent 10 gold coins on an [F-rank Monster Manual].
He spent 50 gold coins on a [Forum Post (valid for six hours)].
Zhang Mu focused intently. In his consciousness, a mini-version of himself appeared with his attributes and status displayed beside him. Surrounding his character info were several options: [Backpack], [Missions], [Guild], [Team], and [Forum]. Upon entering the forum, it was blank and devoid of any posts.
The forum post he bought from the mysterious shop was meant for creating a thread in the forum.
After contemplating for a moment, Zhang Mu penned the following message:
"No matter if you were a high-ranking official with riches rivaling nations or an influential figure with unparalleled power; whether you shone brightly as a star under the spotlight, from the moment this game began, all those identities became irrelevant! So, cast away your past glories or disgraces, set aside your previous pride or insecurities! At this moment, everyone stands on the same starting line. Only the truly strong will have the right to survive, while the weak face a destiny of elimination and servitude. Life or death, strength or weakness, the choice is yours... Believe that this may be the apocalypse, but it isn't humanity's end.""First and foremost, I have some unsettling news to share. We're no longer on the Earth we once knew. It may sound absurd, but it's true. Beyond the borders of Jiangcheng City, there's now a vast forest. Indeed, we've been transported to a different realm. We're isolated. There won't be any rescue missions, no military, no government... In this world's map, Jiangcheng City is rated as one of the lowest-level areas, with monsters ranging from level 1 to 3. In truth, if we can overcome our fears and use our intelligence, these low-level creatures can be defeated!"
"You might think of hiding in a place abundant with food? That's not an option. Soon, the system will issue mandatory missions. Those who fail will be eliminated by the system."
"Here's information on monsters below level 10. It includes their habits, vulnerabilities, attributes, skills, and more. This is crucial for our survival, so I urge everyone to take it seriously."
"A fee of one gold coin will be charged."
Zhang Mu uploaded the information from the monster manual, setting a fee of one gold coin per person. This manual details data on over a thousand types of monsters below level 10.
Jiangcheng City has a population of nearly four million. Sadly, more than half are predicted to perish within the first 24 hours of this disaster. Roughly one-tenth are expected to survive, and out of them, a fifth will obtain 'player' status within the initial 12 hours. That means around 80,000 individuals will become players in this span.
This information is invaluable, possessing the potential to alter history.
Reflecting on past failures, humanity's downfall was primarily due to the large number of early deaths. Furthermore, infighting and power struggles among different human factions in the middle phase led to unnecessary bloodshed. The remaining survivors couldn't unite, which ultimately led to their collective demise.Given the opportunity to start over, it was vital not to repeat past mistakes. With the information at hand, the potential for immense benefit was clear. However, this was not a solitary endeavor. Zhang Mu knew that ensuring the survival of as many people as possible would strengthen the overall power of humanity.
A document containing crucial details about all the monsters at this stage was released. This information was essential for people's early survival and would also establish Zhang Mu's credibility, making him a renowned figure on the entire regional map.
Zhang Mu chose "Wooden Man" as his forum username and posted a message.
"Notification: Your post has been successfully created and will be automatically deleted in six hours."
"Notification: You are the first poster on this map, earning 300 reputation points!"
"Notification: The first post is up, announced to the entire map!"
Upon hearing the system announcement, the chubby man expressed his surprise, "There's a forum feature? Wooden Man, that's you, isn't it, boss?"
As Zhang Mu waited patiently, monsters continued to roar angrily outside the metal door. However, as long as the mysterious merchant was within 100 meters, no monster could approach. Until the mysterious merchant left, they were completely safe. Due to the system announcement, players immediately became aware of the post. The view count swiftly reached over a thousand, nearly accounting for the total number of players in the city.
About 2 minutes later, the first paying user appeared, bringing in the first gold coin.
5 minutes later, there was a surge in paying users, quickly reaching 160.
10 minutes later, the number of paying users stabilized at around 180.
30 minutes later, the count exceeded 200.
Zhang Mu clenched his fist in satisfaction. The income rate was much faster than he had anticipated. He handed over 200 gold coins to the mysterious merchant.
"Mission accomplished!"
"Mysterious Merchant's affinity +20. Affinity increased to 20. Relationship status updated: Neutral → Friendly."Starting from now, every single gold coin earned will be part of Zhang Mu's personal wealth.
The number of paid transactions is on a steady rise, primarily because of the increasing number of players. As more gamers engage in battles and defeat monsters, they accumulate more gold, causing a steady uptick in the growth rate.
For 1 hour, they gain 150 gold coins.
2 hours, results in 400 gold coins.
3 hours, brings in 590 gold coins.
After 4 hours, the total reaches 950 gold coins.
And after a full 5 hours, a whopping 1,200 gold coins are added to their inventory.
Even a month or two later, 1,200 gold coins is considered a substantial wealth. Add to that the previous 200 paid transactions, and posts documenting monster data saw 1,400 players paying. It's typical for players not to act alone. In a group, if one person pays, it often benefits multiple members. The number of players who benefit from shared information is at least four to five times the number of those who pay!
Around twenty minutes later, the mysterious merchant departs.
"Regional Map Guide" is priced at 100 gold coins.
"F+ Skill Book: Assassination" goes for 300 gold coins.
"F Skill Book: Quick Slide" is available for 200 gold coins.
Prioritizing, one would first purchase the most crucial skill books and maps, spending a total of 500 gold coins.
"Lv1 Skill Enhancement Scroll" comes at a price of 400 gold coins.
Skill scrolls, which can upgrade abilities, are extremely vital. So, after acquiring these, one would have spent 900 gold coins. The mysterious shop offers many valuable items. However, with limited time and not enough gold, one can only choose the most beneficial items to buy. After purchasing skill books, scrolls, and maps, Zhang Mu bought a remaining "post" from the shop. This method can be used to quickly earn a considerable wealth when out of money.
Finally, with 203 gold coins left, Zhang Mu spent it on equipment.
"Fine Iron Short Sword" (Standard Black Iron Weapon), Attack +8, Sharpness +1, Durability 20/20. Priced at 80 gold coins.
"Fine Iron Two-Handed Axe" (Standard Black Iron Weapon), Attack +14, Attack Speed -10%, Durability 20/20. Available for 110 gold coins.
Even though both are classified as Black Iron tier, the standard Black Iron equipment is significantly superior to the inferior Black Iron. Zhang Mu equipped himself with the short sword, and gifted the two-handed axe to the plump companion.