My Romance Game Updated – Chapter 54
by Little PandaKeep It
After Qi Sheng left, Chen Gu started sighing and groaning again, unable to let go of the loss. Seeing his miserable expression, Ren Chenxi said with a laugh, “Alright, stop whining. I have another generator.”
Though it pained her a little, Ren Chenxi knew her own demand for electricity would be significant in the future, especially during winter. Hearing Chen Gu and the others describe the living conditions in the Tin Shacks, she knew that a southern winter was not to be underestimated. For the sake of the coming cold season, and to add some entertainment to their boring apocalyptic lives, Ren Chenxi steeled herself and decided to spend another 50,000 crystal stones on a Crystal Core Generator.
The moment her words fell, Chen Gu cried out in pleasant surprise. “There’s—there’s another one? Is it a Crystal Core Generator? The same one Qi Sheng just bought, the one that can charge 10,000 mAh with just a single 1st-order crystal core?”
“Yes, yes, yes, it’s a Crystal Core Generator…” Ren Chenxi repeated helplessly, looking at his ecstatic face.
“Then, then, then… how many crystal cores will you sell it to us for, Xi-jie? Is it 60,000 1st-order cores again, or…”
“Forget it, no need.” Ren Chenxi gave a rare, magnanimous wave of her hand. “This generator can be shared between our two buildings from now on. Do you know how to wire it?”
“Ahh! Thank you so much, Xi-jie!” Chen Gu was so excited he nearly lunged forward to give Ren Chenxi a bear hug, but he was frozen in place by an icy glare from Mu Ning, who was standing beside her. He awkwardly retracted his raised arms, gave a silly “hehe” laugh, and continued, “Don’t worry, Xi-jie, all of us guys know how to do the wiring~ We’ll help you connect a mobile power supply for the Girls’ Building in a bit~”
Ren Chenxi first converted all the miscellaneous low-order crystal cores from the two black bags into 150,000 crystal stones, then spent 50,000 to buy a generator. Soon, a brand-new Crystal Core Generator, identical to the last one, appeared at her feet.
The moment Chen Gu saw it, he crouched down and hugged it fiercely, as if greeting a long-lost relative. Mu Ning, however, glanced at the generator, then looked at Ren Chenxi. “Since it’s for both buildings to share, we should pay for half the crystal cores. Chen Gu, take out another 30…”
“No need!” Ren Chenxi interrupted Mu Ning, holding up the black plastic bag. “You paid the deposit for the last generator, right? Here, this bag has 500 3rd-order crystal cores. It’s the exact amount.”
“…”
Mu Ning frowned at the black plastic bag, her expression unhappy. She opened her mouth to explain something, but Ren Chenxi shoved another bag into her hands.
“Oh, and this candy pouch. It’s the one you used for the deposit. You can have it back, too.”
Clutching the exquisite, beautifully handmade velvet pouch, Mu Ning looked at Ren Chenxi searchingly. “You must know this was Ren Muhui’s pouch, right? Why don’t you want it back?”
At Mu Ning’s question, Ren Chenxi’s face darkened. “What would I want it back for? So I can be grossed out1 by this pouch every day? To be reminded every day of all the stupid things Ren Muhui did in the past?”
“…You think what Ren Muhui did for me back then… were stupid things?”
What else could they be! That stupid version of myself, with nothing but Mu Ning in my head, was so stupid and base it was laughable to the extreme! Ren Chenxi took a deep breath, but when she met the unmistakable pain in Mu Ning’s eyes, she deflated, letting out all the air she’d been holding in. “Forget it,” she said, her voice weary. “What’s past is past…”
It’s all in the past, don’t think about it anymore! I’ll just get along peacefully with Mu Ning with this new identity!
Taking another quiet breath, Ren Chenxi looked at Mu Ning calmly and continued, “It’s rare that you’ve kept something ‘he’ gave you. You should keep it.”
Mu Ning’s fingers tightened around the soft velvet. Her lips moved, and finally, three words escaped in a faint, breathy whisper: “I’m sorry.” Of all the many exquisite little gifts Ren Muhui had once given her, the only one she had kept was indeed this beautiful, hand-stitched velvet pouch. She hadn’t even tasted the chocolates that had once been inside.
Do I regret it? Deeply!
She carefully tucked the velvet pouch into a hidden pocket in her clothes and forced a bitter smile at Ren Chenxi. “You’re right. I’ll treasure this pouch.”
Ren Chenxi looked down, avoiding Mu Ning’s eyes, which seemed to be brimming with tears. So this cold-hearted ice beauty can make an expression like she’s about to cry? But… why show it to me…
Clutching the black plastic bag tighter, Ren Chenxi pursed her lips and held it out to Mu Ning again. “Your deposit.”
Mu Ning sniffled, then reached into the plastic bag and began counting out crystal cores one by one. But she only took 200 3rd-order cores. “You keep the rest.” Before Ren Chenxi could refuse, Mu Ning added quickly, “Take them. I know you need crystal cores. Besides, you almost sold me this generator just now. Me only paying for half is already a huge bargain. After all, a generator this good will save us many, many more crystal cores in the future, won’t it?”
Chen Gu, who had been squatting on the ground, had been hugging the generator tightly as the atmosphere between Ren Chenxi and Mu Ning grew tense. He’d been racking his brain for a way to defuse the situation, terrified they would start fighting again and the generator would be taken back. Thankfully, it seemed Xi-jie didn’t want to argue with the Boss. Seeing the tension ease slightly, Chen Gu quickly seized the opportunity to chime in. “Yes, yes, Xi-jie, just take the crystal cores! The Boss is right. This generator is so precious—you saw how anxious Qi Sheng was. It’s obviously a rare find. Since we’re sharing it between two buildings, we’re already getting a massive deal by only paying for half!”
“…” Seeing Chen Gu’s embarrassed expression, as if he’d taken advantage of her, Ren Chenxi started to feel a little embarrassed herself. She had overcharged by 10,000 1st-order crystal cores in the first place. If they were truly splitting it evenly, she should be giving Mu Ning back another 50 3rd-order cores.
As Ren Chenxi hesitated, wondering how to bring up returning the 50 cores, Mu Ning spoke again. “Actually, 30,000 1st-order crystal cores really isn’t much. We can use this generator to sell electricity in the base. If we set our price a little lower than that 3rd-order lightning-system esper, we’ll make these cores back in no time.”
Mu Ning’s words were a wake-up call for Ren Chenxi. That’s right! Why should I keep such an advanced Crystal Core Generator just for myself? I can totally copy that lightning-system esper and sell electricity in the base! It would earn her some crystal cores, break the other esper’s monopoly, and indirectly benefit the other survivors who needed power. What was not to like?
In truth, before Mu Ning suggested selling electricity, the huge profit from selling two machines had nearly gone to Ren Chenxi’s head, making her lose her sense of reason. She had briefly considered searching the Apocalypse Mall for more high-tech, crystal-powered products to sell to Qi Sheng at a high price. But the thought lasted only a moment. She quickly suppressed her greed and desire, calming down as she looked at the 5th-order levels of the two people beside her.
Her explanation for the origin of the two machines she’d sold Qi Sheng was already vague. If she produced even more different machines, it would only arouse further suspicion. Even if she didn’t sell new types of machines, just selling more of the same generators and engines to other survivors in the base would still make Qi Sheng and others suspicious. Why did she have so many of such a precious machine?
Ren Chenxi knew very well that she lacked sufficient strength. Possessing a rare treasure in an apocalypse where order had collapsed would easily make her a target. And to snatch her treasures, those people would resort to all kinds of inhuman and sinister methods.
In this cruel apocalypse where the weak were meat for the strong, reselling high-tech products from the system might bring in huge profits temporarily, and she could use the earned crystal cores to draw more high-rank cards. But more than anything, it would absolutely attract dangers she couldn’t handle. Yes, she might have more high-rank cards to deal with one person, a few people, or even a group. But what if she attracted the attention of even stronger people from other bases? What if she encountered an army that had both espers and weapons? Furthermore, what made her so confident that, with her luck, she could definitely draw even higher-ranked cards? And even if she could protect herself, could she protect her friends and Tantan?
So, it was better to keep a low profile. There were other ways to get crystal cores besides reselling eye-catching high-tech products from the Apocalypse Mall. Perhaps she could find some small trinkets that were common before the apocalypse but were now in high demand. Or perhaps… she could continue hunting zombies and mutated beasts. For instance, that 7th-order Octopus lurking at the bottom of the South Sea?
Even after a night’s sleep, Ren Chenxi’s mind was still fixated on that octopus monster, worth a million crystal stones. And besides the million-stone octopus, the seaside was full of mutated seafood worth 100,000 crystal stones… no, monsters!
Seeing the person before her with her spirit wandering beyond the heavens, Mu Ning, who had been waiting for a reply for a long time, helplessly tugged on the black plastic bag still in Ren Chenxi’s hand. “The rest of the crystal cores… you’ll take them back?”
The cool, clear voice instantly pulled Ren Chenxi’s attention back from her unrealistic fantasies. She glanced again at the 5th-order rank next to Mu Ning’s health bar, sighed softly, and took back the black plastic bag.
The female lead in the game is only a 5th-order esper! You, the male lead’s sister, think you can surpass the female lead and challenge high-order monsters?
Composing herself once more, Ren Chenxi put the entire plastic bag into her inventory right in front of Mu Ning. Then she looked at her and said bluntly, “Fine, I’ll take the rest of these crystal cores. From now on, we’ll split the profits from selling electricity with this generator fifty-fifty. But… you have to be the one to sell it!”
Ren Chenxi was no fool. She was a newcomer who hadn’t even found her footing in the base yet. What right did she have to challenge the veteran who practically held a monopoly on the “electricity business”? So, of course, the task had to fall to Mu Ning, a 5th-order esper who had made significant contributions to the base’s security.
Mu Ning understood that Ren Chenxi wanted her to pull the other esper’s hatred.2 She nodded readily. “Fine. I’ll have Chen Gu put up an ad in my name around the base, so people who need electricity can come to us. But as for setting the price…”
As Mu Ning was speaking, Zhang Tongqi’s unhappy shout suddenly came from the doorway. “Boss! Someone’s here for you!”
Hearing that impatient tone, Mu Ning instantly guessed who her visitor was.
The author has something to say:
About the pricing…… ahem, Xixi is new to business, after all, so she’s still a bit shrinking hands and feet3 with her prices. If Wooden-head hadn’t helped her set the price, you see she would have only made 10,000 crystal cores from being so pick and search4~ In her eyes, the mall’s original price is already sky-high……
And about the 50% Off Grand Member issue, I can tell some darlings aren’t reading carefully. If this 50% membership came from topping up an account, then what about the future one-fold5 membership~~~~ If it could really be solved by just topping up, Wooden Goddess would have a bone to pick with you!
Footnotes
- Original: géying. A colloquial term for a feeling of disgust, revulsion, or deep unease.
- Original: lā chóuhèn, literally ‘to pull hatred’. This is a term from gaming that means to draw ‘aggro’ — to make oneself the target of an enemy’s attack or, in a social context, to deliberately attract others’ hostility.
- Original: suōshǒu suōjiǎo, literally ‘shrinking hands and feet’, an idiom for being timid or overly cautious.
- Original: kōukōusōusōu, a vivid colloquialism for being extremely stingy or penny-pinching.
- Original: yī zhé, literally ‘one-fold’. Chinese discount terminology can be counter-intuitive. ‘Yī zhé’ means you pay 10% of the original price, which is a 90% discount. Similarly, ‘wǔ zhé’ (five-fold) is a 50% discount.
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