"I can't read it here. If I start reading, I'll get addicted."
Xingqiu opened Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio but immediately snapped it shut.
Just one glance told him this was a masterpiece. A book he would love.
He didn't dare read further in the shop. If he did, he would lose track of time completely.
Better to savor it slowly at home.
With that thought, Xingqiu turned his attention to the remaining five jars.
The first five had already yielded incredible rewards. The next five were bound to be just as good.
Crash.
He smashed the sixth jar decisively.
Nothing happened.
"Uh."
Xingqiu blinked at the empty space.
An empty jar?
His luck seemed to be turning.
"Looks like your luck ran out. You got a dud," Chongyun chuckled.
Watching Xingqiu pull three amazing items in a row had made him a little envious. Seeing an empty jar balanced things out nicely.
Crash. Crash. Crash.
Ignoring the tease, Xingqiu smashed three jars in quick succession.
Three cans of Coca-Cola rolled out.
"Uh."
"Cola!"
Xingqiu's face lit up.
Having just tasted it, he knew how delicious this beverage was. It was already his favorite.
Getting three cans at once was a great haul.
Crash.
He smashed the final jar.
A palm-sized house appeared.
"Hm?"
Xingqiu stared at it.
What is this? A toy house?
He picked it up. It didn't grow or change. It looked like an exquisite miniature handicraft.
[Portable Secret Room Escape Horror House] — A portable escape room attraction. Simply throw it on the ground, and it will expand into a massive building containing a horror-themed escape room scenario. Invite people inside to test their courage or use it to make money. The owner has "God Vision" (spectator mode) and can customize the scares using built-in props. Check the manual for details.
Felix raised an eyebrow at the toy house in Xingqiu's hand.
A ready-made escape room? Interesting. Good for business or entertainment.
"Shopkeeper, what is this house for?"
Xingqiu couldn't figure it out and looked at Felix curiously.
Chongyun leaned in as well.
"It's a portable horror-themed escape room."
Felix explained with a smile. "Throw it in a suitable open space, and it expands into a large building. Inside, there are scary scenarios. Participants are locked in rooms and must find clues, solve puzzles, and use props to unlock doors and escape. The goal is to complete the 'Great Escape' through reasoning and observation. You can also customize the layout and scares."
"That sounds fascinating!"
Xingqiu's eyes sparkled.
So interesting!
A tiny toy that becomes a huge building with built-in games?
He understood perfectly. He loved the idea.
According to the Shopkeeper, this could be a paid attraction.
In this era, plenty of adventurers sought excitement.
"Uh."
Chongyun looked confused. He didn't quite get it.
All he knew was that Xingqiu's toy could turn into a big house.
"Thank you, Shopkeeper."
Xingqiu pocketed the house and thanked Felix excitedly.
These items were incredible.
He had been so absorbed in books lately that he missed out on this shop. If he had known sooner, he would have been a regular.
The books alone were invaluable. The Flying Immortal skill was a qualitative leap in his power.
"It's all your luck."
Felix smiled calmly and glanced outside.
It was getting late. Time to close up.
"Then, Shopkeeper, we'll be going."
Xingqiu bowed respectfully. "I will come again tomorrow."
Without Felix, he wouldn't have found such treasures. He couldn't wait to go home, read his book, and test his new toy.
He stuffed his loot into his deep pockets.
"Mhm."
Felix nodded, watching them leave, though he wondered why Xingqiu specifically mentioned tomorrow.
"Young Master Xingqiu! Can you tell us what you pulled?"
As they stepped out, the crowd gathered at the door lit up.
They had been waiting. Seeing Xingqiu's happy expression, they knew it was a good haul.
But his hands were empty.
Nothing?
"Strange. He looks so happy, but his hands are empty."
"Maybe he put it away? But his pockets aren't that big."
"Could be an Experience Orb! Remember? Those disappear on use."
"Oh, right! Makes sense."
...
The crowd gossiped as they surrounded him.
Facing their questions, Xingqiu smiled. "The harvest was quite good. I obtained a sword technique, merged with an orb, and got a very interesting prop house. I'll test it tonight. Tomorrow, I'll set it up near the Feiyun Commerce Guild. Please spread the word! Everyone is welcome to visit my prop house tomorrow. I guarantee you won't be disappointed."
He planned to research the "Horror House" tonight and open it to the public tomorrow.
Fun things should be shared.
And it was a great way to test the "business" aspect.
"Huh?"
The crowd was stunned.
A prop house?
They knew the shop sold props. But Xingqiu calling it "interesting" piqued their curiosity.
Xingqiu was a wealthy merchant's son; his standards for "interesting" were high.
"A house? I didn't see him carrying one."
"I didn't either. But Young Master Xingqiu wouldn't lie to us."
"Oho! Interesting. I thought with Captain Beidou gone, there'd be nothing to see. I'll definitely check it out tomorrow."
...
While they chattered, Xingqiu and Chongyun left.
Crack-boom!
Suddenly, thunder roared overhead. A blue bolt of lightning split the night sky.
Seconds later, rain began to patter down, quickly turning into a downpour.
"It's raining!"
"Run! Time to go home and sleep!"
"Ah, rain. How annoying."
...
The sudden storm dispersed the crowd.
Inside the shop, Felix saw the rain and stepped out.
"Shopkeeper."
Wenqi and Doyle, standing guard, greeted him respectfully.
"Mhm. I'm closing up. You can go home. Be careful on the way back."
Felix smiled. "You don't really need to stay this late, you know."
"It's fine, Shopkeeper. We brought umbrellas when we came on shift."
They pointed to the black umbrellas beside them.
Prepared for sun or rain.
"See you, Shopkeeper."
They bid farewell and left into the rainy night.
Felix locked the door and used the Gourmet Tablecloth to conjure two delicious hot meals.
"So convenient."
He smiled at the steaming food.
After eating and drinking his fill, he went upstairs to sleep.
Just as he was drawing the curtains, he glimpsed something outside.
Through the gap in the window, amidst the pouring rain...
A small figure sprinted along the wall at incredible speed.
In the blink of an eye, it vanished.
"Eh?"
Felix raised an eyebrow.
What was that?
It moved like a blur.
But the curtains were already drawn, and he wasn't curious enough to open them again. He went to bed.
While Felix slept...
Liyue Sky. The Jade Chamber.
Keqing walked in from the rain-soaked terrace.
Inside, Ningguang was speaking with Ganyu. She turned her gaze to the soaking wet Yuheng.
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