Chapter 42 - The Quick Cash

Gia had forced Broken to eat the porridge she made, and for some reason, he felt that the porridge had a texture that was too runny and an overly bland taste. He quickly finished the porridge because he was feeling nauseous and wanted to log out of the game to vomit.

But then, Gia, assuming that Broken liked her porridge, gave him another serving with a pleased smile.

"I am so glad you liked my porridge… this was my husband's favorite. You must be very hungry to eat so much," she said happily.

As Broken finally stumbled out of her house, he felt a wave of nausea wash over him. He desperately wished he could escape the game and get himself some ice cream or a sweet drink to settle his stomach.

Broken ran to the side of the road in the evening light. He bent over, clutching his stomach as if he was about to vomit.

A few players who were passing by noticed him, and a novice party approached him. The priest from the group stepped forward and said, "Hey, what's wrong with you? Do you need the services of a Priest? I can cure your nausea for just 5 silver."

Broken looked up and realized it was the same priest he had encountered when he was resurrected a few days ago.

"You!" the priest exclaimed in surprise. "You are the player killer!" He turned to his party-mates and said, "It's him, the player killer who put me in trouble a few days ago."

But before the priest could do anything, Broken had already vanished. He ran quickly to the edge of the road and leaped onto Polly, speeding away from the scene.

Broken then attempted to pull over into a secluded, shady spot on the outskirts of town, just a few steps away from the seashore. He settled himself onto the large, smooth rocks by the shore, allowing the tips of his feet to dip into the cool water. The gentle lapping of the waves against the rocks was soothing, offering a moment of peace after the hectic day.

He sat facing the moon, which shone quite brightly that night due to the absence of artificial light in the city. The view of the night sky was truly spectacular, a stunningly amazing sight that seemed almost surreal. The stars twinkled like diamonds scattered across a velvet backdrop.

"The night is so beautiful!" he murmured to himself, his voice barely above a whisper.

He felt a sense of tranquility wash over him as the wind blew gently, caressing his body. The cool breeze was refreshing, bringing with it the salty scent of the sea.

"It's so much more practical to take a vacation in this world than spending money to go to a real place," he thought. "Is that true?" He wondered if the experiences here could ever truly compare to real-life memories.

But then, it all comes down to the memories they keep in their minds, doesn't it?

"Even if it's just a fantasy," Broken said with a soft chuckle, "it won't make much of a difference as long as it's a beautiful memory."

The lines between reality and virtual reality blurred as he savored the moment.

He opened the map and checked the location suggested by Gia, where he could mine the Moonstones. The place was located on a mountain close to Deadbay City, which would take about five hours to get there on foot or three hours by carriage.

"The place is not too far," he thought.

However, he could reach the place more quickly if he rode Polly. Riding his loyal companion would save him valuable time and effort.

But then, it only reached the foot of the mountain. After that, he had to embark on a journey through the forest that led to the top of the mountain, a path likely full of high-level monsters. The thought of facing these challenges alone was daunting.

He took a deep breath and tried to think of how he could get to that place. "I need help from some other players," he muttered under his breath.

Desperately searching for a solution, he realized that he had no friends who could help him with the task. What about Booba? But Booba was usually busy and probably far from his location. He knew he couldn't put the quest off any longer; he had to complete the quest quickly and move on to the next stages of his plan.

"Alright," he sighed, "I'll consider this tomorrow. Time to log out."

***

Leon emerged from the capsule device feeling revitalized. However, after two days of minimal physical activity, his body ached. Consequently, he decided to take a break, doing some stretches in front of his house before going for a forty-minute jog. The rhythmic motion of jogging helped loosen his stiff muscles, and the fresh air invigorated him. When he eventually returned home, he felt much better, his body more relaxed and his mind clearer.

As he stepped inside, he heard Lily humming in the kitchen. Her cheerful melody brought a smile to his face.

"Lily!" he called out, making his way toward the kitchen.

"Yes, Leon?"

"Have you finished cooking?"

"No, I just started. Are you hungry?" Lily came out of the kitchen wearing an apron and a spatula in hand.

"Let's order pizza. Is that okay with you?"

"Pizza? Why?"

"I'll explain later," Leon said, waving off her question. "I'm going to take a shower first."

A few minutes later, the two of them sat down at the dining table, enjoying the steaming pizza that had just been delivered, along with several cans of soda, which seemed to be Leon's special order. The smell of the freshly baked pizza filled the room, making their mouths water.

"So…" Lily said with a cheerful smile. "What big news do you want to share? What's with the sudden food order? Is this related to the goddess, the princess, or the crazy mage?" Her eyes sparkled with curiosity.

Leon was still chomping on a mouthful of food. "I know it sounds crazy," he said between chews, "but I made more money in one day of playing the game than I could make in a week of working."

"Money?" Lily asked, her expression puzzled. "Do you mean in-game money? Or real money?"

"In-game currency," he explained, taking another slice of pizza and washing it down with a sip of soda, "but I can convert it into real money."

"Hmm… so, did you get a job? Or did you hit the jackpot? Or did you get compensation from the broadcasting company for showing your naked videos on television recently?" she continued with a slight smile on her face, clearly enjoying teasing him.

"It seems they are still showing the naked video of me on television?" he said, clicking his tongue in disbelief.

Lily only replied with a light chuckle, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "No, they are not. But let's get back to your news. How did you make so much money in the game?"

Leon leaned back in his chair, feeling a sense of accomplishment. "I completed a series of quests and found some rare items that I was able to sell for a high price. The game has a marketplace where you can trade items for in-game currency, which can then be converted to real money."

"That's amazing!" Lily exclaimed, genuinely impressed. "It sounds like you're really good at this game. Maybe this could be a new career path for you?"

"Maybe," Leon said with a smile. "But for now, I'm just happy to have found a way to make some extra money. And to celebrate with pizza and soda." He raised his can in a toast, and Lily clinked her can against his, both of them laughing as they enjoyed their meal together.