Chapter 423: Two Invitation Methods
Belle and Wise smoothly smoothed over the awkwardness, steering the conversation with practiced ease. Slowly, the strange, frozen tension that had gripped the banquet hall began to thaw, replaced once more by the lively hum of chatter.
The native residents of New Eridu undoubtedly still harbored a mountain of questions. Yet, seeing Wise, Belle, and their remaining otherworldly guests casually resuming their meals with perfectly composed expressions, the locals swallowed their curiosity. They simply chalked the bizarre interruption up to the eccentric communication methods of these "visitors from another world"—a quirk far beyond their current understanding. The tantalizing aroma of fine food, the rich taste of aged wine, and the warmth of pleasant conversation quickly regained the upper hand, suppressing any lingering doubts.
Meanwhile, a distinct "gray flash" was currently tearing through the sleek, futuristic corridors of the base. Stelle sprinted at breakneck speed, her coat billowing behind her like a cape. She didn't even slow down as she approached her destination, practically crashing through the automatic sensor doors of the Gear Coin Shop the microsecond they slid open.
The shop's interior was relatively compact, yet impeccably bright and carefully organized. Sleek shelves boasting a polished metallic luster lined the walls, displaying categorized holographic projections of items available for Gear Coin exchange. The dazzling array of goods ranged from basic ammunition crates and emergency medkits to highly specialized, single-use tactical items and flashy cosmetic skins.
Two round-headed, remarkably nimble Bangboos were busy performing their daily maintenance, waddling between the aisles to dust the displays. Stelle tore into the room like a localized hurricane, her boots skidding wildly against the polished floor. She narrowly avoided punting one of the diligent little helpers across the room.
The Bangboo executed a flawless, evasive side-step, its digital eyes flashing into happy little crescents. "Ehn-na-na! (Welcome!)"
Stelle finally screeched to a halt, her chest heaving as she caught her breath. However, her golden eyes were already locked onto the massive primary display terminal anchored in the center of the shop.
"Bangboo, Bangboo! Quick!" she urged, waving her hands frantically. "Bring up the latest exchange registry! I need to see the two new items that just dropped! The 'Invitations'!"
The second Bangboo, evidently the designated receptionist, waddled over at top speed. A miniature control panel smoothly popped out from the side of its cylindrical chassis. Its stubby little arms flew across the keys in a flurry of rapid taps.
"Ehn-na! (Understood!)"
The central monitor flickered. The standard catalog of mundane supplies was instantly minimized, replaced by an expansive, highly ornate interface framed by a flowing, faint golden luminescence.
Right in the dead center of the screen, two high-definition 3D holograms slowly rotated, accompanied by their respective item descriptions.
The hologram on the left depicted an elegantly crafted card forged from brushed silver metal and interwoven luminous fibers. A minimalist emblem—a gear smoothly merging into a handshake—was engraved directly into its center. The text beneath it read:
[Standard Invitation] (Permanent)
[Price: 3,000,000 Gear Coins]
[Function: The holder may invite a non-Group member friend to establish a long-term "Bangboo Collaboration" link. The System will generate a dedicated "Bangboo Vessel" for the invited friend, equipped with basic mobility and interactive capabilities. The invitee's consciousness may reside within this Bangboo Vessel indefinitely, allowing them to freely participate in the "Hollow Evacuation Operation," fight alongside the inviter's team, and explore Hollows. Bangboo form abilities are subject to standardized balancing, focusing on support, exploration, and cooperative utility. If damaged, the vessel can be repaired at the shop using Gear Coins. Provided the Bangboo Vessel is not entirely obliterated, the invitee can maintain this form long-term.]
The hologram on the right commanded far more presence. It manifested as a heavy, luxurious scroll bound in thick, midnight-blue leather. Fine copper buckles and faintly glowing runes lined its edges, while a miniature, ethereal gear rotated endlessly at the end of its binding strap. The text beneath it read:
[Cordial Invitation] (Permanent)
[Exchange Requirement: Heart of the Feral Ghost x10 OR Heart of the Skeletal Remains x30]
[Function: The holder may invite a non-Group member friend to establish a long-term collaboration link. The System will generate a "Collaborative Vessel" for them, identical in function to the physical avatars used by Chat Group members. This vessel boasts complete functional simulation and a vastly superior capacity for channeling abilities, granting the invitee a fully immersive experience in combat, exploration, and social interactions during the "Hollow Evacuation Operation." If damaged, the body can be repaired via Gear Coins. Provided the Collaborative Vessel is not entirely obliterated, the invitee can maintain this form long-term.]
Stelle stared at the glowing text. Her golden eyes widened into perfect, comical saucers as she processed the sheer absurdity of the requirements.
"Three million..." she muttered subconsciously, her jaw going slack. "Ten Feral Ghost Hearts... this price..."
Gear Coins were one thing. Through sheer, stubborn grinding and repeatedly diving into the Hollow Evacuation Operations, scraping together three million was entirely doable. It just required time and elbow grease.
But the Heart of the Feral Ghost and the Heart of the Skeletal Remains? That was an entirely different, infinitely more agonizing story.
Within the operation's internal exchange network, those two materials were classified as top-tier, ultra-rare boss drops. A single Feral Ghost Heart was valued at a staggering twenty million Gear Coins, while a Skeletal Remains Heart sat at a hefty ten million.
Factoring in the Chat Group's frankly extortionate exchange rate of 1 Group Point to 300,000 Gear Coins, a single Feral Ghost Heart theoretically equated to roughly 67 Group Points. A Skeletal Remains Heart hovered around 33 points.
Yet, that was merely the theoretical "price." Their true, agonizing value stemmed from their abysmal drop rates. These materials didn't just pop out of ordinary Ethereals wandering the Hollows. Harvesting them required hunting down monstrously powerful elite variants, clearing sadistically difficult objectives, and praying to whatever RNG gods were listening for a shred of luck.
Stelle vividly recalled their last major operation hunting down the Bringer. If it hadn't been for a miraculous stroke of luck amid the absolute chaos of the battlefield, they never would have managed to rip a single [Heart of the Feral Ghost] from the mutated, fused carcass of that Spine King Worm-Bringer composite.
That sheer intensity of combat—and the absurd luck required to survive it—wasn't exactly something they could replicate on a Tuesday afternoon.
"The acquisition difficulty... is seriously no joke," Stelle whispered to herself. The blazing fire of her initial excitement hissed and sputtered, momentarily dampened by the icy bucket of reality.
But then, her mind drifted back to the prohibitively expensive price tags hanging in the main Chat Group Mall. Purchasing a fully functional, permanent Collaborative Vessel outright cost a staggering two thousand Group Points.
In stark contrast, trading ten Feral Ghost Hearts or thirty Skeletal Remains Hearts for a [Cordial Invitation]—which granted a friend a permanent, high-tier vessel—was practically a fire-sale bargain. By the System's usual stingy metrics, this was an unmatched "welfare benefit," a heavily subsidized incentive pricing designed to encourage team expansion.
"This price... it's a brutal grind, but..." Stelle's furrowed brow slowly smoothed out. The golden light reignited in her eyes, burning brighter than before. It was the distinct, feral gleam of a seasoned RPG player who had just unearthed a legendary treasure map—even if the treasure itself was buried deep inside a dragon's lair. "It's actually a massive steal!"
Just as she made this deep realization, the shop's automatic sensor doors hissed open once more. March 7th stumbled through the threshold, panting heavily. She slapped one hand against the doorframe to support her weight, her usually pristine pink hair in a state of chaotic disarray, her chest heaving with every ragged breath.
"You... you absolute menace!" March wheezed, glaring daggers at Stelle's back.
"Why... why were you running so fast?!" she complained, finally managing to stand upright. "Are you rushing to get reincarnated, or rushing to save the universe?! Even if you walked at a normal human pace, this shop wasn't going to sprout legs and sprint away! Or did you genuinely think that if you ran fast enough, the Bangboos would give you a speedrunner's discount?!"
She continued to grumble as she steadied her breathing, her face caught in a highly expressive tug-of-war between deep annoyance and helpless amusement.
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