Chapter 109: The Digital Cruise (Twenty-Two)

Chapter 109: The Digital Cruise (Twenty-Two)

After Ning Suisui and her group left, only thirty people from Ronghua remained in the restaurant.

To say that the newly joined eight were already qualified members of the Ronghua guild would be a stretch, but at least just now, they willingly stood at the forefront.

Although Liu Fu and his group mainly targeted Ning Suisui, with so many from Ronghua surrounding them, those standing at the back were prepared for their attacks, engaging in combat with these eight individuals.

Despite one side thinking "they're just trying to steal the limelight, no need to fight to death," and the other believing "the main target isn't here, just make a gesture of fighting," the battle scene alternated back and forth, resembling turn-based combat.

At this point, their expected landslide victory still had everyone feeling a surge of excitement.

— This was their first battle since joining Ronghua, won effortlessly, and even forced Liu Fu and his group to bring out so many items!

Although their contributions were limited, with so many items at stake, perhaps they might receive a share?

Even though these items could have been directly stashed into their inventory, they were now laid out before Zhang Daoan's table.

The dazzling glow of the rare items sprawled across the table was so captivating that even Nie Shuangshuang, who had seen grand spectacles multiple times, couldn't help but utter an inappropriate admiration: "Robbery truly is a quick path to wealth and prosperity!"

Wei Yuan wasn't as optimistic and cheerful as Nie Shuangshuang, instead, he first surveyed the eight newcomers with a touch of concern.

Although their contribution in the recent fight was minimal, it was, after all, their presence that resulted in Liu Fu and his group choosing to target Ning Suisui instead of charging towards Ronghua.

The subsequent battles were indeed not particularly intense or nerve-wracking, but they were still battles. The eight individuals sustained various degrees of injuries, some even purposely refrained from using the system potions, theatrically binding their wounds with tattered bandages. Despite their efforts to maintain a stoic facade, their eyes couldn't help but dart towards the table frequently.

If they were not to be given a taste of the rewards, their willingness to take the lead in future endeavors remains uncertain. However, giving them incentives seemed a better strategy. Wei Yuan, who had been the guild leader for quite some time, noted that the members of Ronghua were generally accustomed to giving without expecting returns.

During interactions with leaders from other guilds, many complained about members who were only keen on reaping benefits, showing reluctance in mentoring newcomers. Yet, when potential profits were at stake, these members would jostle and compete to take the lead.

Allocating these items as rewards after such a low-risk battle sets a concerning precedent for future rewards.

In Wei Yuan's opinion, it would have been wiser for Jing Daoan to simply collect the items directly into the system backpack earlier on. He couldn't fathom why Jing chose not only to refrain but to spread them out on an entire table.

Now, the eight players were fixated on the table, their expressions reflecting an intense yearning.

Jing Daoan remained silent, briefly surveying the items on the table before lifting his eyelids to address Wei Yuan, "Guild leader."

"Hmm?"

Jing Daoan asked him, "Has Ronghua not established any procedure for the distribution of acquired items in the past?"

"Well..." Wei Yuan hesitated, "We do have a system... generally, the items are distributed to the player who contributed the most."

As he finished speaking, realization dawned on him, "Right!"

He turned to Jie Fangcheng, "Then, all these items should belong to Brother Jie."

The eight individuals exchanged glances, their expressions somewhat downcast.

Some were already feeling a growing apprehension within.

The reason they joined Ronghua was the potential benefits it promised. But if the rewards were always granted to the player with the highest contribution, who could possibly outdo Jie Fangcheng in any of the future dungeons?

Upon hearing Wei Yuan, Jie Fangcheng casually strolled over to sift through the items, quickly expressing disdain, "There's nothing that boosts speed here, just a bunch of junk."

Junk!!

Wei Yuan looked at him speechlessly.

Nie Shuangshuang was drooling over a modest-looking ring.

The ring wasn't particularly special, nor was it a rare item. Valued at around thirty million on the market, it was used by Liu Fu and his team to make up the numbers.

The only property of the ring was "changes skin tone upon use", potentially useful in certain dungeons. However, its price mainly stemmed from its cosmetic applications, allowing players to lighten or darken their skin tone, akin to changing hair color or designing outfits, serving mainly as a leisure accessory.

Nie Shuangshuang picked up the ring, "Can I take this piece of junk then?"

Initially uninterested in the items, Jie Fangcheng found his interest piqued by her request, and took the ring for a closer look.

"Oh? Interesting."

Without further ado, Jie Fangcheng slipped the ring onto his finger. Under the watchful eyes of the others, his entire complexion changed to a vibrant green, merging seamlessly with his clothes and green crown.

Nie Shuangshuang, who was closest to him, now exclaimed in shock, "Holy shit!"

Initially, Jie Fangcheng's garish red and green attire was already an assault on the eyes; no one anticipated it could become even more blinding.

Jie Fangcheng seemed pleased: "How harmonious this is!"

Even Wei Yuan, a rugged man, couldn't help himself at this moment: "Come on, Jie bro, this is really unnecessary!"

Jie Fangcheng, who was indeed fairly handsome, with bright red lips and pearly teeth, was already hard to look at wearing this green outfit. Now transforming into a little green man, the heads of those present were swiveling left and right, with only Zhong Dao'an keeping a straight face towards him.

Zhong Dao'an remained calm and composed, his demeanor still gentle and cultured, as if he had gone blind. However, his words had changed.

"This skin tone doesn't suit you."

Jie Fangcheng had only intended to tease Nie Shuangshuang initially. Hearing these words, he laughed heartily, taking off the ring and tossing it to her.

Nie Shuangshuang had been really coveting this ring. However, after Jie Fangcheng donned it first, turning his skin green, her anticipation greatly diminished.

Holding the ring between two fingers, she hesitated a great deal before eventually putting the ring back.

"You don't want it?" Jie Fangcheng asked, surprised.

Nie Shuangshuang gave him a resentful glance and sighed.

However, Nie Shuangshuang's initiative in asking for the item set an example for the others present.

One person, who had already set their sights on an item, couldn't hold back anymore and approached the table, sneakily grabbing an item before cautiously asking, "Brother Jie, may I take this piece of junk?"

The speaker was also one of the group of eight, his hand wrapped in a bandage.

Jie Fangcheng was generous with friends, but he had only met this young man a few times, who was now putting on a pitiful show, refusing to take the potion and making himself look miserable.

Moreover, seeing that Jie Fangcheng remained silent, the guy began to justify himself fervently.

"My core skill is 'Force to Split Rocks'. Look at this, this item 'Infinite Strength' not only matches the name of my skill but also is very suitable for me! I will be a member of Ronghua in the future; giving this to me is like adding a stimulant to Ronghua, a new force!"

Jie Fangcheng cast a bland glance at him: "You're in this state and still considering yourself a new force?"

The speaker paused for a moment, touching his head awkwardly: "I'll be fine soon, really soon."

At this point, Zhong Dao'an suddenly spoke: "However, it seems these items are indeed not what Manager Jie needs."

Jie Fangcheng nodded.

"Could they possibly be lent to Ronghua's members, then?"

"Lend?" Jie Fangcheng was stunned.

"Yes." Zhong Dao'an seemed to have planned ahead, even considering the interest, "In order to become a 'new force' in future instances, renting suitable items is a wise choice. Manager Jie is currently a member of Ronghua too, why not give us a discount, a hundred thousand per day for rare items, how about it?"

One hundred thousand.

These points are indeed very low; in this dungeon, it takes three days to clear, equivalent to only three hundred thousand for a level five dungeon.

Considering the high risk involved in a level five dungeon, being able to rent rare items at a hundred thousand a day would have been unthinkable in the past, almost like a dream.

But in this dungeon, with Xie Fangcheng present and the risk not that high, and considering the speaker initially wanted to permanently acquire a rare item, now having to “rent” it with money... who would be willing to do that?

Xie Fangcheng, however, agreed readily: "Sure."

The Eight Elites exchanged puzzled glances.

Wei Yuan was only stunned for a moment before being the first to approach the table, carefully selecting an item from it. He soon picked an unimpressive-looking double-edged knife.

"Can I rent this one? I'll pay the points later?"

"Sure," Xie Fangcheng nodded.

According to Xie Fangcheng, Wei Yuan could have taken it without paying, but it seems Zong Daoan had other ideas in mind.

Not to mention anything else, Xie Fangcheng truly knew how to support others.

Now with Wei Yuan taking the lead, the rest of the Ronghua members quickly gathered around, seriously choosing items, including Nie Shuangshuang.

Someone couldn't help but ask, "Is this really necessary?"

Zong Daoan gave the speaker a glance, "Everyone needs to be responsible for their own lives in the dungeon; no one will protect you unconditionally. This should be common sense, right?"