Chapter 7

    Seeing a Shop

    Pun thought to himself that he should probably start holding onto his watch whenever he had something curious to say because it seemed really useful. He wandered down the crowded streets, lined with vendors calling out.

    "Cheap clothes, only 999 each! You won't find a better deal!!~~"

    "Expensive clothes, a whopping 1,000 each! They might be pricey, but the quality is top-notch!!~~" The competitive shouted between the vendors escalated.

    Pun meandered, observing the various shops until he came across one peculiarly named "Generic Shop." Who in the world would name their shop that? Intrigued, he approached an available clerk at the counter, navigating through the crowded space. Suddenly, he was yanked away by someone.

    "Back off!~~ You newbies can't afford anything pricey like me. Move it, hey!!~ Shopkeeper, bring my usual, hurry up! I'm in a rush!!!~

    The Black Heck Guild Leader himself is here. If you make me wait and miss his welcoming,

    you're gonna pay." A player with flaming red hair and a complete set of golden armor flaunted his superiority while the staff hurried to fulfill his demands.

    Pun was not pleased with this player's behavior. A member of the Black Head Guild with such a vividly red head? He noticed many players choosing to leave the shop to avoid conflict. Some were pulled away by friends, others by girlfriends. It seemed many were impatient. Pun seized the opportunity as the shop cleared out, making his way to an available NPC and handing over the email from his father with the list of recommended purchases.

    "Do you have these items in stock?"

    "Yes, sir. These are basic necessities. Allow me a moment to prepare your order."

    Pun wondered why it took time to gather items that should already be available.

    "Maybe I should buy everything in stock. For items where a single slot can hold 100 pieces, fill it up, please."

    "Y-Yes, sir... I'll get them ready for you."

    The clerk was stunned by the request, and the remaining patrons turned their heads in surprise, wondering how a beginner could afford so much.

    "Hey, kid, if you've got money to spend like that, why don't you buy some better clothes? It would be a lot better for you!!~~"

    The loudmouth stayed true to his nature. Pun didn't want to escalate the situation. Getting angry could cloud his judgment, especially when he needed to stay calm... because acting irrationally could mean being locked in a room without books for three days and three nights, a fate worse than eating a bucket of chilies.

    "..."

    Pun chose not to respond, and it seemed Mr. Redhead didn't care much for his answer. After paying, Mr. Redhead quickly left on his bike, presumably in a hurry. Pun thought that many people in here might silently curse for his downfall.

    "You guys, why are you stopping me, huh? Those damn Black Head Guild show-offs, if they encounter the Red Wood Guild like mine, we can have a fair fight."

    "Chill, Thitian, we've got an event coming. If we start trouble, we'll be banned from entering the starting city, you know how much everyone wants the event rewards. We've nearly brought the whole guild here."

    "Please calm down Thitian. Wouldn't it be better to wait for the event to end and then fight in the main city? The starting city has too many restrictions. Just calm down for now."

    There was another group of people in this shop. Three of them were males while the rest were females. The one named Thi seemed a little bit hot blooded. Though being stopped by the other male friends, he did not even seem to calm down, but the female named Gina managed to pacify him. She was one of the two females, probably twins, with black and blue hair. The blur hair girl was Gina. Pun assumed their levels were quite high and wondered if high-level players were here for the event's rewards. But Pun's focus returned to his own business as the clerk brought the ordered items.

    "Here you are, sir. Everything's packed. But do you have 300 slots available? Your total comes to 2 and a half orbs."

    Pun handed his crystal card to the clerk, who was stunned for a moment before regaining composure. The group Pun had noticed earlier turned their heads towards him after hearing how much he was purchasing, whispering among themselves.

    "Where does a newbie get that much wealth? Did they find something special?"

    "Maybe there are some friends here. They must have brought a lot of money to spend recklessly like that."

    "Let it go, man. How much money could they possibly have?"

    "Mr. Thi, Mr. Tak, Mr. Wat, please don't speak so loudly. They might hear us over there. It's not nice."

    Too late, madam. He heard everything loud and clear and took mental note of the Black Head Guild and the Red Wood Guild. Initially, Pun planned to continue his exploration, but overhearing their conversation dampened his mood. Why? It was his money, after all. What had he done wrong? Frustrated, he called for a car to pick him up. Shortly after, a luxurious car with the emblem of the game's most expensive hotel arrived to pick him up, drawing everyone's gaze. They all wondered who would get into such a car, reserved for guests of the hotel's most exclusive rooms. Their surprise grew when they saw the newbie player, especially the one who had just made a bulk purchase, being greeted by a staff member opening the car door for him.

    "Hey!!~ Is that the guy? Staying at the same hotel as our guild leader, or could he be someone important?"

    Wat was deeply concerned. A personal car like this usually meant a stay on the 100th floor, accessible not just by wealth but by significance to the hotel.

    "Mr. Thi, Mr. Wat, Mr. Tak, I think he definitely heard what we said. What should we do?"

    Gina expressed her worry. Why hadn't she stopped them from badmouthing that player? Because she knew if she did, it might upset the guys, leading to a scene. Yet, now that player turned out to be very important, she felt incredibly guilty and wished she could cry. Why couldn't the men in their group just keep their mouths shut?

    "It'll be alright, Gina," Thi couldn't keep silent, knowing he was hot-headed. It was the first time he'd insulted someone uninvolved, blaming the Black Head Guild for making him so irritable that he lashed out at others.

    "We're all staying at the same hotel, so we'll see him for sure. We can apologize then, and I'll have to as well since I didn't stop you guys either."

    Gino, feeling equally at fault, was stressed by everyone's focus on the event rewards, especially the legendary Belt of Sovereignty and a prize of 500 orbs. These could help their guild bid for a legendary weapon box or use the belt and money for selling in the auction, given the belt's unparalleled value. However, it was incomparable with the legendary weapon box.

    Pun noticed the hotel was busier than usual. Upon his arrival, a staff member promptly greeted him.

    "Good evening, sir. Have you had anything to eat yet? We can prepare something for you."

    "Hello. You must be on the noon to 6 PM shift, right? I haven't eaten anything yet. Please prepare the food for my room."

    Pun initially wanted to dine on the lower floor, but the curious stares made him uncomfortable. Feeling out of place, he thought to himself as he followed the staff to his room...