Chapter 78: Entering
[Ash Container]: This container holds ashes to prevent them from being corrupted by supernatural animal energy. Price: Any item.
A black, weathered urn with a smear of white powder around the rim—whose ashes had been inside?
Marcus was speechless. What was this for? It could only hold ashes and only prevent them from being corrupted by animal-related supernatural energy.
They were already ashes; was this really necessary?
[Spirit-Calming Compass]: This compass calms the soul and spirit, altering the surrounding energy, transforming negative to positive, impervious to evil spirits, unmoved by the supernatural, and preventing spiritual corruption. Price: Concealment and movement-related items.
This was indeed a good item, but it only accepted movement-related items in trade. He wondered which powerful individual had offered it.
Marcus continued scrolling down and saw a category: Customization.
Clicking on it revealed rows of customization services, from body armor and helmets to vehicles.
Marcus took a liking to two items.
[Void Silver Lining]: Requires your own share of Void Silver to have a custom-made, close-fitting underlayer garment made, effectively concealing your supernatural aura. Customization fee: 100 survival points.
The image shows ordinary clothing, only the inner layer is coated with a dark substance.
The second item Marcus was interested in was a vehicle; no man dislikes a cool ride.
[Shadowmetal Chariot]: Forged from special metal using a ritual to imbue it with supernatural energy, it contains half a pound of Void Silver to conceal some supernatural presence. Powered by blood containing energy, it can reach speeds of up to 560 miles per hour. When stationary, it can be folded down to the size of a palm.
The image shows a vehicle resembling a sleek war machine, propelled by two metal guardian constructs—strange mechanical beasts with predatory features.
Even so, it's not cheap, requiring one pound of Void Silver plus 3000 survival points.
Marcus felt this item was quite suitable for the Flesh Vine, but after thinking about it, he held back.
He already had an off-road motorcycle in his Life Box, and it was fast enough, but he didn't have enough survival points to afford that right now.
"Never mind!"
Marcus followed the order instructions on the trading board, contacted the seller processing Void Silver, and chose to customize the lining.
The other side replied instantly, and Marcus went to the agreed-upon plaza.
"Doctor?"
A short man, wearing a rat mask, approached on mechanical stilts.
He was described as short because his actual height was only about four feet, his skin was sallow, and he was lean.
He wore two four-foot-long bone stilts, each with three small copper bells that jingled softly as he walked. He moved across the plaza as if it were flat ground, the stilts appearing as if they were living extensions.
Marcus nodded. "Yes, that's me."
"Come on, let's talk inside."
The craftsman summoned an entrance and invited Marcus into his room.
As soon as Marcus entered, he felt a wave of heat hit him, instantly raising the temperature by twenty degrees.
The room was laid out like a forge, with the smelting furnace and melting pool in operation.
"I'd like to ask if this material can be plated with Void Silver,"
Marcus asked, pulling out the disguise skin from Detective Moretti.
The craftsman picked up the skin Marcus had given him, examined it closely, laid it flat on the table, and stroked it, exclaiming,
"Of course! Absolutely perfect!"
"Such excellent craftsmanship! So even and elastic, masterful work, it's practically art."
The craftsman then shook his head, "It's a pity the body type doesn't fit, otherwise I'd like to buy a set from you."
"This will take about half a pound of Void Silver. Do you have enough?" the craftsman asked reluctantly, letting go.
Marcus flipped his hand and pulled out a fist-sized piece of Void Silver, handing it to the craftsman.
"This is a pound, but we don't need that much."
"I also need to make another set of close-fitting underlayers."
Upon hearing this, the craftsman took the Void Silver, put it into the furnace and heated it for several dozen seconds, then took out the crucible and sprinkled some black powder into it.
The molten Void Silver, initially a strange, silver-red hue, quickly darkened and seemed more viscous. The craftsman placed it in a solution to cool, but it didn't solidify; instead, it became like a gel.
He laid out the turned skin and evenly coated it with the Void Silver. In less than three minutes, it was finished.
Marcus then took out a prepared set of undergarments, which the craftsman replicated.
"There's still some left. Do you want to keep it, or make another one?"
Marcus looked at the remaining quarter of the Void Silver solution, thought for a moment, and reached for a canvas bag about 20 inches long:
"Make another bag!"
The craftsman took the bag and quickly coated it as well.
"Wait a minute, then you can take it. It's a 200 survival point deal; the bag processing is free."
The craftsman looked at the Void Silver items before him, somewhat envious.
Marcus put away the three items, bid farewell to the craftsman, and returned to the Shadow Sanctuary's intelligence room to review other information; he needed more supplementary data.
For two whole days, Marcus reviewed the information and browsed the traded goods.
During these two days, he bought another item: Regeneration Serum.
[Regeneration Serum]: After injury or mutilation, it can be applied to reconnect and fuse severed limbs, quickly restoring them. Price: 300 Survival Points + 50 grams of Void Silver.
It didn't seem expensive, but it was actually extremely expensive because there were only two drops inside, like two drops of water—enough to reattach at most a finger.
Besides this, he also spent a total of 20 Survival Points on several items for communication within the story world.
Having learned enough, Marcus, now wearing the Void Silver-coated skin of Detective Moretti (from the Tomie world), stood in the Shadow Hall, preparing to enter the story world.
Participants' disguises were frequently changed, and entry and exit were verified by the Keeper; no one could impersonate them. As long as he wore the badge proving his identity, no one would notice his changed appearance.
Marcus looked at the world of The Grudge 2 before him, feeling conflicted. He had learned some things from the information gathered over the past two days.
But considering he only had 7668 survival points left, he sighed.
"Entering the story world ahead of schedule."
[Identity information locked, Crossroads number: NA914]
[Anchored world this time: The Grudge 2]
[Teleportation countdown: 5 seconds.]
[4 seconds!]
[3 seconds!]
Space twisted, and Marcus had passed through a barrier, appearing high in the sky, below him a brightly lit night city.
Marcus sensed the information transmitted by the seal.
Location: The Grudge 2
[Survival Mission: Survive for 30 days (Complete the mission, reward 500 survival points.)]
[Story Mission 1: Eliminate the Curse Master (Complete the mission, reward 3000 survival points.)]
[Story Mission 2: Defy Fate (Complete the mission, reward 3000 survival points.)]
[Number of Entrants: 7]
[This story world has been detected. The Core Fragment has been acquired. Changed from 'Free Mode' to 'Competition Mode'.]
[Descent Countdown: 10 minutes (Enter Now)]
Just as I expected!
Marcus revealed an expression that suggested he had been mentally prepared.
(End of Chapter)
[Power Stone Goal: 500 = +1 Chapter]
[Review Goal: 10 = +1 Chapter]
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