Chapter 277: Who Is Your Friend

Cheng Shuili's hand paused on the third treasure chest, she turned her head toward the monster merchant in the shadows, a half‑smile curling at the corner of her mouth: "Friend? You were just thinking about scamming me a hundred thousand Game Coins."

The monster merchant's knuckles tapped lightly on the counter, producing a clack‑clack sound: "Business is business, friendship is friendship~"

He grinned, showing an exaggerated smile, "For example now, as a friend, I can tell you a piece of information for free."

He deliberately elongated his tone, a cunning glint flashing in his hollow eye sockets.

Cheng Shuili withdrew her hand from the chest, crossed her arms: "Tell me then."

"In the third box," the monster merchant raised a thin, bony finger, "it's empty."

Empty?

No wonder Cheng Shuili questioned; she truly had never heard of a treasure chest being empty.

Su Rui, hearing that, immediately frowned and whispered, "He's lying."

The monster merchant spread his hands exaggeratedly: "I'm being suspected, but..."

His voice suddenly lowered, carrying a strange delight, "If you insist on opening it, it might release something more troublesome than that little kitten earlier."

So, there's a monster inside as well?

Cheng Shuili stared into his eyes for a few seconds, then laughed suddenly: "Then we must open it even more."

Her hand, without hesitation, lifted the lid.

Inside it wasn't empty, nor were there any monsters; instead, three familiar vials of potion lay quietly.

Cheng Shuili didn't rush to examine what emerged, but turned her head toward that monster whose abacus had come up empty.

He smiled awkwardly, as if trying to retreat behind the counter.

Yet Cheng Shuili suddenly realized a problem.

This is a Jia You Zhan, not a Jiao Yi Zhan or a Shou Ren Xiao Zhen where there are many rules.

This monster merchant is indeed an NPC, but isn't he also a monster?

How so?

Wearing an NPC's skin and learning a couple of human phrases, does that mean you can't act?

Cheng Shuili almost without hesitation gave her first Insight of the day to this odd monster merchant.

【Insight Success】

【Shadow Speaker】

【Description: A mimetic creature formed from Abyssal Ring shadows, adept at imitating various merchant forms and constructing temporary trading scenes; initially it merely mimics, but after discovering the clever uses of Game Coins, it begins to observe and sell information! Yet, being a monster, it cares little about credibility or the accuracy of the information, caring only about how many Game Coins it can obtain!】

【Weakness: A skeletal frame; if your strength is sufficient to cleave its skeleton... it would probably be terrified of you.】

Cheng Shuili was genuinely pleased now.

She bent down, picked up the potion from the box, her fingers gently rubbing it.

Like the one obtained last time, it grants one point each to Strength, Stamina, and Speed, and after drinking adds three attribute points.

Cheng Shuili hesitated not at all, unscrewed it and drank it down.

She gave a half‑smile, looked at the monster merchant behind the counter, and first opened her own panel to glance.

【Player: Cheng Shuili】

ID: AAAJCCJ8888

Username: Wu Ya Zuo Fei Ji

Vehicle: Shopping Cart (looks like an off‑road vehicle) (Current Power 1000%) (Solar panels active)

Health: 80 (Title bonus active, a very healthy value, recommended to increase exercise!)

Strength: 61 (Congratulations, your attribute finally exceeds 60!)

Stamina: 58 (Uh? Why is this still not enough?)

Agility: 61 (Long live 61!)

Overall Combat Power: 71 (A top‑tier warrior!)

Game Coins:

Special Items: Store Employee Badge x1, Universal Key x1, Abyssal Ring x1, Tycoon's Daily Goods x1, Great Prophet of Prediction's Blessing x1, Undying Totem x1, Guardian Totem x1, Joker's Trick Cloak x1, Schrödinger's Canned Food x1, Orstin's Fang x1, Feather Pen and Parchment x1, Fire Wax Seal x1, Crown of Friendship x1, Rat King's Gift (single) x1, Screaming Chicken's Atonement Gold x1, Eternal Life Bottle (both ends) x1. (Cards omitted)

Blueprints: Primary Condensed Water Device Blueprint, Advanced Condensed Water Device Blueprint, Simple Hunting Trap Blueprint, Premium Automatic Hunting Device Blueprint, Energy‑saving Air‑Conditioner Blueprint, Fully Automatic Smart Washing Machine Blueprint, Simple Sunroom Blueprint (with Flowerpot Blueprint), Fuel Evolution Device Blueprint, Primary Vehicle Rain‑proof Cloth Blueprint, Emergency Oxygen Circulation Device Blueprint, Ground Anchor Fixing Device Blueprint, Acid‑Erosion‑Resistant Polymer Rain‑proof Cloth Blueprint.

Territories: Underground Storage Room (14 days remaining), Abandoned Manor (permanently owned)

Servants: Su Rui (servant), Zhou Zhuxing (human, territory servant), Yu Bing (human, territory servant), Lao Li (Shou Ren Xiao Zhen, territory servant), Dan Zong (monster, territory servant), Fire Lizard (unnamed) (monster, territory servant)...

Common Supplies: (omitted).】

Except for Stamina, everything has reached 60.

Cheng Shuili felt a bit helpless, but couldn't say the golden rice bowl hadn't contributed; during this period it delivered three points of Stamina.

Yet Agility has three points from self‑generated Instances, and Strength remains consistently ahead.

Therefore Stamina, unsurprisingly, is at the bottom again.

Cheng Shuili shook her head slightly, and again noticed the Special Items entry "Screaming Chicken's Atonement Gold".

Yes, that golden egg hasn't been eaten yet.

Cheng Shuili once again sent the item to Qi Wan Yi; this time no mishap occurred, and Qi Wan Yi replied with an OK.

Cheng Shuili was pleased, but when her gaze fell on the monster merchant behind the counter, it instantly turned cold; she gently pressed the tip of her night‑hunt blade against the counter, the metal scraping the wood producing a harsh screech.

She leaned forward slightly, a faint smile tugging at her lips.

"Shadow Speaker, right?" her voice was so soft it bordered on dangerous, "A mimetic creature formed from Abyssal Ring shadows?"

The monster merchant's skeleton suddenly froze, his knuckles emitting an unnatural clack.

A flash of panic crossed his hollow eye sockets, but he quickly forced out an exaggerated grin: "Oh dear, you caught me~"

Cheng Shuili thrust her blade tip forward, piercing the counter board, coming within a hair's breadth of the monster merchant's rib cage.

"I have a question I'm curious about," she said slowly and deliberately, "If I dismantle your skeleton, will you... die like other monsters?"

The monster merchant's laugh turned dry and raspy: "Don't be so violent, friend..."

"Who said we're friends?" Cheng Shuili drew her knife sharply, and the counter instantly split open a crack.

She turned her head and gave Su Rui a look; the latter immediately understood, silently moving behind the counter.

"Now," Cheng Shuili tapped the counter with the back of her knife, "tell me everything you know about the Abyssal Stone. Otherwise..." she deliberately drew out her tone, "the two of us will have to straighten out your skeleton."

Su Rui appeared timely from the shadows, her pale fingers lightly placed on the monster merchant's scapula.

The threatening intention goes without saying.