MMORPG: The Elementalist

“A project backed by fifty million Chinese Yuan! The ‘Instant Veteran Champion Development Program!’ The Number One Clan will rise to the top of ‘Honor and Glory’!” This was posted in the forum by a player named “Polaris Slayer”. In less than an hour, over tens of millions of views resulted in a million more rumours floating around the internet.

In this trending forum post, Polaris Slayer did not even hide his wealth and openly welcomed the Currency Exchange System…

If this Currency Exchange System was launched throughout the game, “Honor and Glory” would then start to establish a real connection with the banks in real life. And when that happens, Polaris Slayer intended to hurl fifty million Chinese Yuan into the game right away! He would then use ten thousand Chinese Yuan to hire others to help him grind experience points, buy legendary equipment and also Ultimate Boss Eggs. The rest of the cash would be used to purchase high grade potions from the Underworld.

Qin Ruo had a headache after reading this…

Even if this was a little wasteful, this Polaris Slayer dude was a really smart cookie.

Hiring someone to help him grind his levels to Tier 5 with ten thousand Chinese Yuan; then, getting Tier 5 legendary gear and the Ultimate Boss’ Eggs… he even intended to buy up all those high grade potions. This “Instant Veteran Champion Development Program” could actually work.

However, Polaris Slayer was too naïve and ignorant in what he intended to achieve through the program. These rich pretty boys wanted to be the Top One Super Clan by just tossing their sweet money at people? What a joke!

Did they have any idea how difficult it was to acquire all those legendary gear? Even the famous Casanova’s Trading Hall was not able to provide a constant supply of full-set Tier 5 legendary gear. Just one piece of Legendary Tier equipment would cost at least tens of thousands of Gold Coins and when the Currency Exchange System kicked in, such legendary equipment would become even more expensive!

Besides… the Ultimate Boss’ Eggs.

These Eggs were still, at this point in time, considered priceless treasures. No one ever put these up for sale.

Casanova did try to buy the Eggs of Ultimate Bosses. He offered billions and billions of gold coins and yet no one showed up with the eggs. It was understandable too—the types of players who could defeat Ultimate Bosses and acquire their Eggs would not be short on in-game cash anyway.

The only thing that frowned Qin Ruo was Polaris Slayer’s pledge to be ‘The First City Owner of the Underworld”.

According to the Honor and Glory’s developers, the newly introduced “City Building System” would be only open to the Underworld. If they were competent enough, any clan could build their own city in the Underworld. However, the Underworld was a shared mega-area for both the Angel and Demon Factions.

In the future, constant wars and scuffles in the Underworld would be unavoidable.

Polaris Slayer’s words had reminded Qin Ruo about this bloody future in the Underworld. Putting down his tea cup, Qin Ruo stood up from his chair and walked to his bed and logged into the game…

He must change the way their League had been selling their high and legendary tier equipment.

***

As expected, right after the news regarding the Currency Exchange System spread, an uproar kicked up amongst the players—in the shops, plazas, trading halls. Everyone was overwhelmed by excitement.

There had been a huge fluctuation in the prices of various equipment due to the Currency Exchange System. Nonetheless, there had been intense pressure amongst the traders—no one knew if there would be a huge inflation of the gold coin after all.

Yet, most equipment’s prices had been steadily rising by the minute…

Qin Ruo contacted Ace of Spades and told her to stop selling all the high tier equipment in their clan’s trading hall.

However, items were still listed on the trade boards. They could still trade with people, just not using gold coins as currency—they’d only accept barter trades.

As they were busy readjusting all kinds of trade deals and methods due to the incoming Currency Exchange System, Qin Ruo received a private message from Casanova…

“Hey, Qin Ruo! My brother!”

“Well well well… what a rare guest we have today. You’ve got something to sell?” Qin Ruo replied.

Hearing this, Casanova replied with a bitter smile, “Oh, don’t say that. If word gets out, I’ll be hunted down by your underlings from the Fallen Angels…”

After pausing momentarily, Casanova continued, “However… I do have a business opportunity I want to discuss with you.”

‘Heh, I knew it. If you’re not here for business, what are you here for then?’

Qin Ruo was lost in thought for a while.

“Well? Spill it out.”

“Okay.” Casanova replied with a serious tone. “After the Grand Tournament, the game developer will launch the Currency Exchange System. I’m going to organize an auction right after its launch.”

“Auction?”

“Yes.”

Casanova replied calmly.

“To be honest, our trading hall has been restocking a lot equipment in our storage lately. Our staff had been buying high-tier equipment whenever they see a good deal. So, we have quite a huge stockpile now—we are going to put them all up for sale in the auction.”

Qin Ruo finally pulled up a serious face and started to treat Casanova’s visit seriously. This was that Casanova—the one who had been trading tens of thousands of gear in his trading hall after all.

If what Casanova had claimed was true, they must have a huge inventory of equipment in their storage as they speak. And they had been getting these equipment for cheap from various sources too.

However… why would Casanova let him in on these insider’s information?

Pausing for a short moment, Qin Ruo continued, “So, your point being…”

“I’ve heard you’ve got a few Divinities on you. And a few Legendary and Dark Gold tier equipment too. Other than that, I’ve also heard that you possess potions from the Graves of the Gods and the Underworld… I wish to form a partnership with you. If you allow us to auction off these items, I guarantee that I’d fetch a good price for you.”

“Hmm…”

Qin Ruo pondered a little and then continued, “Casanova, I can part with some Legendary and Dark Gold equipment. However, the Divinities… I suppose you know this too. We’ve got more and more league members advancing to Tier 5 lately. So, I’m hoping to hold onto these for the most loyal ones. I don’t have much to spare…”

“Yes, so I’ve heard. Yet, in exchange… I am willing to part with a Dark Gold-tier ring to trade with just one Divinity that you have on you right now. Of course, I’d like to have your permission to auction the other divinities and the potions too.” Casanova knew he couldn’t get his hands on Qin Ruo’s treasures without a price.

A Dark Gold-tier ring for a Divinity… this was a crazily great deal!

To him, getting a Divinity Crystal was not difficult at all. If he could find a Lich, it was as good as dead, and a Divinity would be falling on his lap as soon as it dropped dead.

However, it was quite difficult to acquire a Dark Gold tier ring. Although the majority of the players valued the Divinities more, Qin Ruo knew that once they advanced to Tier 6 they would automatically acquire a Divinity naturally—a Divinity that was grown out of their bodies. This kind of Divinity would not be affected by any Tier 5 AoE Magic Attacks. Thus, he did not consider the Divinity Crystals as valuable as how other wingless players saw it anymore.

“So, what’s the attribute of the ring?” Qin Ruo asked.

Casanova replied with a mysterious beam, “This ring… I think you’re familiar with it. I’ll give you a clue. It comes from the Buried City.”

“Ring of Vengeance?!”

Qin Ruo burst out in surprise. If it was a Dark Gold ring from the Buried City, it must be a Ring of Vengeance! If not, what else could it be?

“No, wait. All the Dark Knight Commanders have retreated to the Underworld. How did you get your hands on a Ring of Vengeance?”

“Heh, I’ve got my methods. I can’t tell you the details though. Nonetheless, it is the Ring of Vengeance indeed. So, are you interested?”

Of course he was interested! He’d be a retard if he wasn’t.

In fact, he would even agree to trade two Divinities for just one ordinary Dark Gold-tier ring. Yet, this was the Ring of Vengeance that he had been yearning for a long time. It was expected of Casanova; as he somehow knew Qin Ruo would agree with this “business opportunity”—he had come well prepared.

“Okay, deal! Divinity and equipment! Just take them! I’ll give you the Underworld potions too! However, I can only spare three potions from the Graveyard of the Gods.” Qin Ruo replied.

“Just three…”

After pondering for a moment, Casanova clenched his teeth and agreed. “Alright. Three potions from the Graveyard of the Gods. However, as for the Divinities to be auctioned… I’d like you to help me gather at least ten Divinities for the auction.”

Hearing this, Qin Ruo smiled. ‘Ten Divinities? That’s a piece of cake.’

A while ago, he had destroyed more than a dozen Underworld Warp Portals; so, there were over twenty Divinities sitting in his storage as they spoke.

“Well… oh, alright.”

After hearing Qin Ruo’s pretend begrudging agreement, Casanova finally let out a sigh of relief. Even though he owned one of the biggest trading halls in the game and had various kinds of merchandise in their stores, Casanova Trading Hall was still mainly managed by traders—without the fighting prowess of the Champions, they were unable to acquire Divinities and put them up for sale.

And yet, the Divinities were the trending merchandise in “Honor and Glory” at the moment and there was always someone willing to spend fat cash to buy these up.

If he had Qin Ruo’s word, the auction’s success was now guaranteed.

“I’ll send over the ring to you right away. As for the Divinities and other merchandise, I’ll be collecting them from you after the Grand Tournament.”

“No problem.”

“Great! I’d like to make a toast to our wonderful partnership, and also wishing you the best of luck to your quest in becoming the Champion of the Grand Tournament!”

Qin Ruo smiled and replied, “Oh, I wouldn’t put much hope. I might be able to snatch a spot in the Top Ten though.”

“Oh, Brother Qin. You’re too modest! I’ve watched the online video today. I saw everything. You’re quite the fighter! That was some intense battle and yet you’ve tanked through it! Who else dare stand before you, Savior? As for Savior… hasn’t he fallen in your hands before in Moonrise City back then?”

Hearing this, Qin Ruo was a little stumped. This Casanova might be a great businessman… but he still fell short in other skills… Ahem…