Chapter 24: Secondhand Goods (Thanks to Chao Chunqiu for the votes, thank you)

She opened the technology category icon and, as expected, found an astonishing array of items. So many of them sparked a strong desire in Wang Keyue to buy. Here was the ultra-long-distance wireless visual communicator—wasn’t that just a cell phone? It cost 2,000 gold coins and could only be used for calls; in the 9538 dimension, it would be the cheapest model for the elderly. Then there was the multifunctional spatial folding bag—this was real spatial black technology! Unfortunately, with 2,000 gold coins, the bag she could buy was no bigger than a small wallet. Though it could hold as much as a hiking backpack, it was too expensive and not worth it.

Oh! She really wanted to buy this: the first generation safety flyer—a flying car! Two thousand gold coins for a flying car was entirely acceptable; with it, she could easily fly to Changbai County. However, when Wang Keyue read the description, she was stunned: First Generation Safety Flyer, Children’s Toy Version. So it was just a toy—she had almost fallen for the trick!

Having browsed through the technology section, Wang Keyue felt a wave of disappointment. Two thousand gold coins truly had limited purchasing power. If nothing else, she considered simply buying a stun gun or a taser.

She closed the icon and returned to the mall’s main page. Suddenly, she noticed a line of text under the final icon: Secondhand Goods Exchange. Wang Keyue found this amusing—she could even hunt for secondhand bargains here! Without hesitation, she clicked to enter.

Inside, there were only four items, all clearly displayed. One item immediately drew Wang Keyue’s attention. It was about the size of an ancient divination mirror, appearing somewhat mysterious and otherworldly. Upon reading the description, she learned it was called “A Piece of Heaven and Earth Defensive Array.” It claimed to be able to hide a space of up to 500 square meters, employing the array to conceal it and add a layer of illusion. If intruders attempted to force their way in, the array would cause them to become lost in hallucinations.

Good heavens! This was a remarkable item! Such a fantastical object could hardly be explained by science; it was the kind of treasure one might only find in a novel. Yet, even as a secondhand item, it was being sold for just 2,000 gold coins—almost suspiciously cheap.

Wang Keyue read the details more carefully. It turned out this defensive array was not only secondhand but also nearly depleted of its internal energy reserves. The note specified that it could only be used for five “hou.”

“Host, five hou is approximately twenty-five days,” 9538 explained.

“Twenty-five days of use. So, when the energy runs out, is the array discarded or can it be recharged?” Wang Keyue thought of how this was like the disposable and rechargeable flashlights she had once bought.

“Host, the array can be recharged with spirit stones, but those are very expensive!” 9538 replied.

“In that case, I’ll buy it!” Wang Keyue decided. She was already uneasy about the people staying behind in Wang Family Village and had been considering a stun gun or taser. Now, with this array, she had an extra layer of security.

Resolutely, Wang Keyue used the installment coupon—zero interest—and chose the maximum of twenty installments, meaning she would only have to pay 100 gold coins per month.

She heard a digital chime: “Ding! Thank you for your purchase!” Checking again, she saw that a new item had appeared in 9538’s system inventory, while her gold coin balance had returned to zero.

Reviewing the system mall once more, she saw that only the food and daily necessities sections remained active; all other icons had reverted to gray.

Wang Keyue took out the basic defense array and examined it carefully. Slots around the array held what were called spirit stones. According to the instructions, the compass should be placed at the center of the protected space, with four chess pieces representing east, south, west, and north, each placed at their respective positions. There were also several jade tokens, which acted as keys to the array.

Thus, a simple array was constructed. Wang Keyue was deeply curious about this defensive array, feeling as though she had stumbled upon an extraordinary new world.

She decided to postpone her departure by a day in order to set up the defensive array properly.

Early the next morning, she began measuring the small village by pacing it out. The village was oval-shaped, about the size of a football field—just within the protective range of the array.