Shi Feng fell speechless upon hearing Hei Zi’s excited report.
Even if Hei Zi hadn’t mentioned it, he would have known upon entering the Divine Realm. There was absolutely no need to run over and tell him.
«Don’t tell me you came all this way just for this?» Shi Feng asked.
«Of course not,» Hei Zi chuckled. «Sis Shui Se said that constantly using an advanced virtual headset will limit your strength’s expression and growth. After all, it only has 90% realism, but the Virtual Reality Pod offers 97%. So, she’s been handling the purchase of a few pods recently. The thing is, they’re incredibly scarce right now. Even with Sis Shui Se’s connections, we barely managed to get our hands on five. So I brought one over for you first. The technicians have already installed it in your apartment—it’s ready to use today.»
«A Virtual Reality Pod? Where did you get that kind of money?» Shi Feng was stunned.
Although he’d left a considerable sum in the studio’s account, it was nowhere near enough to afford five Virtual Reality Pods. A single one cost three million Credit Points. Moreover, these pods were perpetually in short supply due to their extremely difficult manufacturing process and the rarity of their required materials. Their production was far from sufficient, released in limited daily quantities, and were almost always bought up by major conglomerates the moment they left the factory.
Many would surely wonder why?
Why was something so expensive, offering only a 7% increase in realism, so wildly popular?
Before, Shi Feng didn’t understand either. Was a mere 7% gap that significant for a player’s strength? Was it really worth spending such a fortune?
However, once Shi Feng actually used a Virtual Reality Pod, that foolish notion vanished entirely.
That 7% difference was a world apart. Someone had conducted a specific test once: the same expert performing a power assessment. Using an advanced virtual headset, they could exert 71% of their strength, but with a Virtual Reality Pod, they reached 75%. Furthermore, the Virtual Reality Pod not only allowed players to better express their strength but also accelerated the growth of their combat techniques. It provided excellent auxiliary effects for developing the brain’s potential and restoring and enhancing physical fitness.
If Shi Feng had possessed a Virtual Reality Pod back then, he wouldn’t have stalled at the peak of Tier 3. In his past life, to make a name for himself, he’d poured everything into the Divine Realm, completely neglecting the importance of physical fitness. His body’s condition deteriorated year by year. By the time he realized the problem, it was already too late…
«The money was all provided by Sis Shui Se,» Hei Zi explained. «She said that our Zero Wing studio is, after all, the number one studio in Jinhai City, and in White River City, we’re a renowned guild. If others found out that the esteemed Guild Leader of Zero Wing was still using an advanced virtual headset, it would be embarrassing. It would probably make people laugh at us. So, the Virtual Reality Pod must be purchased, and you must use it. This is a matter of prestige for our Zero Wing Guild.» Hei Zi’s reasoning was so logical that Shi Feng found himself completely unable to refute it.
«Alright. I’ll accept the Virtual Reality Pod, but all the money must be repaid to Shui Se. The guide I compiled for White River City still has over two million Credit Points in accumulated passive income. Transfer that to Shui Se first. I’ll figure out the rest.» Shi Feng truly needed a Virtual Reality Pod urgently, but lacked the channels to acquire one. Since Shui Se Qiang Wei had already purchased it for him, he would accept the favor, but the matter of repayment was non-negotiable.
However, he really didn’t have much money left. Although he had earned a lot previously and even received a fifty million Credit Point compensation from Twilight Echo, most of it had been spent on acquiring the studio’s property. After purchasing the necessary Divine Realm equipment and such, very little remained. He did have a fair amount of gold coins, though. Converting those to Credit Points would be more than sufficient.
But he wouldn’t do that. His epic-level quest, the «Gospel Plan,» was running out of time. After several major expenditures, the gold he had on hand was falling further and further short of the required thirty thousand. There was no way he could use gold coins to exchange for more Credit Points now. He’d have to find another way.
«Hahaha, Brother Feng, it looks like Sis Shui Se really knows you,» Hei Zi laughed. «She predicted you’d say this. So she also said that since she hadn’t done anything previously but received a 5% stake in Zero Wing Guild, that should count as her investment. If you truly want to repay her, just make Zero Wing a guild that surpasses Twilight Echo. That would be the greatest reward for her.» Hearing Shi Feng’s response match Shui Se Qiang Wei’s prediction perfectly, Hei Zi couldn’t help but smile. «The Virtual Reality Pod is already installed in your apartment. I’ve told you everything, so I’m heading back. You, the hands-off manager, probably don’t realize how incredibly busy the guild is right now.»
After speaking, Hei Zi trotted away from the apartment complex.
«Surpass Twilight Echo?» Shi Feng murmured, looking in the direction Hei Zi had gone.
His goal was far more than just surpassing Twilight Echo. However, there were still many unresolved matters in White River City, especially the fact that the Underworld had been unusually passive during the city’s conflict. That was completely unlike their usual style.
After a brief moment of contemplation, Shi Feng turned and entered the apartment building, heading back to his rented apartment.
Inside his rented flat, Shi Feng indeed found a white Virtual Reality Pod—five meters long, eight meters wide, and five meters high—lying quietly in the bedroom. From now on, when playing in the Divine Realm, the advanced virtual headset would no longer be needed.
The Virtual Reality Pod contained nutrient solution and life sign health monitoring devices. Even during extremely long gaming sessions, one need not worry about hunger or physical discomfort; in fact, one could obtain ample rest and recovery.
Moreover, with 97% realism, a player’s five senses would reach an entirely new height. The adaptability to the Divine Realm body was almost comparable to one’s real-world body.
With the Virtual Reality Pod, Shi Feng could finally bring his true strength to bear.
Looking at the Virtual Reality Pod, then at the surrounding furnishings of the room, the entire apartment felt rather empty, lacking much of anything. It didn’t match the expensive pod at all. In fact, a single Virtual Reality Pod could likely purchase this entire apartment.
«It’s almost time.» Shi Feng checked the time. It was already 8 PM—the time to enter the Divine Realm. He walked to the freezer in the kitchen and took out the S-grade nutrient potion from the metal briefcase.
He placed two bottles into the freezer and opened the third, drinking it down in a single gulp.
Compared to other nutrient potions, the S-grade was unique. Setting aside the taste, although it was stored below zero, drinking it felt like swallowing a fire. From his mouth down to his intestines, it felt as if they were burning. There was no comfort at all, only a stinging pain. This sensation quickly spread throughout his entire body, even making his skin flush slightly. He felt a surge of heat flowing within him, cleansing all toxic substances from his body, restoring cellular vitality and life potential.
This sudden physical enhancement had leapt his strength from 256kg to 302kg—a tremendous leap.
All things prized balance, and the human body was no exception; there were gains and losses.
Such a sudden increase undoubtedly placed tremendous stress and potential damage on the body. Originally, Shi Feng had planned to purchase A-grade nutrient potions for gradual recovery. Now, all of that was unnecessary.
A single bottle of S-grade nutrient potion would allow for a complete recovery.
«It’s been so long since I had this, I’d almost forgotten the burning sensation of the S-grade nutrient potion.» Shi Feng smiled faintly. Although his whole body stung, he had never felt better. As for the remaining two bottles, he planned to save them for his parents, so their physical condition could also be improved, helping them recover from the fatigue of constant hard work.
Subsequently, Shi Feng lay down inside the Virtual Reality Pod and connected to the Divine Realm.
The treasures dropped by the Mechanical Slaughterer were waiting to be appraised one by one. After all, these were drops from an aberrant. Besides the two-hour ownership period, they could not be unsealed, identified, or used for twelve hours within the Divine Realm. Now, logging in, the dropped treasures should be nearly unsealed.
Aberrant drops—just thinking about it made Shi Feng excited. In his previous life, the drop from a single ordinary mutated monster had made countless major guilds salivate. Now, this was from a mutated High Lord. Shi Feng couldn’t even begin to judge to what extent its value might reach. (To be continued…)