城市猎人：系统升级之王

Chapter 34: A Near Slip-Up

Level 10 unlocked the shop, but those below Level 20 could only shop on the first floor. Following this pattern, Level 20 granted access to the second floor, Level 30 to the third, and so on, meaning reaching the tenth floor required being Level 100. What a f*k !
"Are the items on higher floors of better quality and attributes?" Li Nianlong inquired.
"Yes," Dragonfly nodded, confirming the obvious. Otherwise, what was the point of such barriers?
Li Nianlong stared blankly at the weapons on the first floor, wondering if this was a setup to frustrate him.
Leaving the weapons shop, he toured the other six stores, discovering the same limitation: purchases were confined to the first floor, with no visible access to the second.
Compared to the weapons shop, the other stores fared slightly better, offering items Li Nianlong could actually use. In the armor shop, for instance, there was a Fine Steel Shield that increased defense by 200. It stood 1.5 meters tall and was 1 meter wide, capable of protecting everything below Li Nianlong's chest. Crouching a little would render him immune to machine gun fire for a day due to the shield's astonishing durability of 2000.
Among all the weapons Li Nianlong had acquired, the Mountain Splitter had the highest durability at 510, quite impressive, but it paled in comparison to the Fine Steel Shield. He considered purchasing it but changed his mind when he saw the price tag: a staggering 100,000 yuan. Where would he get that kind of money?
In the pharmacy, he found numerous practical pills such as Blood Replenishing Pills, Qi Restoring Pills, Energy Pills, Beauty Enhancing Pills, Slimming Pills, Antidote Pills, Wound Salves, Vigor Pills, Eternally Firm Pills, and Full Body Tonic Pills.
Each pill was a wonder drug in the real world, affordable with the most expensive Full Body Tonic Pill costing only 1,000 yuan, instantly rejuvenating one's vitality and stamina without side effects. The cheapest Wound Salve was just 50 yuan, healing severe external injuries ten times faster than a certain famous ointment.
What left Li Nianlong speechless was the Eternally Firm Pill, whose name implied its effect. Marketed as a virility booster for men to handle ten women in one night, it also came with no side effects.
However, he didn't buy any, knowing that medicine was useful only when needed, and he didn't currently require any.
At the jewelry store, Li Nianlong was mesmerized by the glittering gems, though disappointingly, the first floor only offered common Earthly gems. These were top-quality in the real world, but here, even the most expensive jade pendant made of pure white jade was priced at just 1,000 yuan, enhancing one's qi and blood and promoting mental tranquility when carried.
Such a bargain, Li Nianlong didn't hesitate to spend money, buying four identical pendants (they were all the same anyway), intending to keep one for himself and give one each to Nalan Ruyue and the Yue sisters.
Throughout his visit, the NPC, a glamorous woman in her thirties, buzzed around him like a fly, flaunting her jewels. "Look at my ring, 88 carats... Look at my bracelet, carved from top-grade Hetian jade... Look at my—"
Buzz, buzz, buzz... It was infuriating. Li Nianlong wished he could slap her.
Checking out, his irritation subsided when he saw 4,000 yuan deducted, sparking an idea for wealth.
Everything in the shop required money, convertible from real currency. Some items were much cheaper here, like the jade pendant at 1,000 yuan, a steal. If he bought many and sold them in the real world, exchanging the profits back into system currency, wouldn't he have an endless supply for equipment?
Elated, his blood boiled with excitement, but Dragonfly doused his hopes. "Items purchased here cannot be traded outside for any monetary gain or benefit, or the shop will permanently close to the host."
Damn it!
Angered, his money-making scheme crushed, Li Nianlong realized the system was too cunning, leaving no loopholes. Fortunately, while trading was prohibited, gifting was not, ensuring the pendants for Nalan Ruyue and the Yue sisters were safe.
Of all the shops, the props store fascinated Li Nianlong the most. Each item held an unusual twist, like a clown mask that turned the wearer into a circus clown for an hour, capable of juggling three oranges effortlessly.
There were gloves that rendered the wearer impervious to blades and bullets – bulletproof gloves?
Most absurd was a hairpin that enhanced a woman's charm by 50%. Was this a tool for seducing males? Ordinary women wearing it might be fine, but what if beauties like Nalan Ruyue or the Yue sisters wore it? Would it spark another Trojan War or a repeat of the Signal Fire incident?
Annoying stuff.
In the blueprint shop, Li Nianlong found intricate designs for gadgets and items. One was a propulsion system blueprint that, if installed in a car engine, could rival high-speed trains.
Another was a flight device similar to MJ's concert finale prop, capable of carrying up to 500 kg in the air, easy to operate, powered not by fuel but by natural energy like solar, wind, or thermal. However, its durability was limited to ten hours before the system reclaimed it, requiring repurchase for reuse.
Despite this, the flight device was impressive to Li Nianlong, allowing continuous flight for ten hours at a maximum speed of 500 km/h, enough for a round trip between Tianfu and Longcheng. And it was affordable at 20,000 yuan.
Li Nianlong hesitated, deciding against it due to his financial constraints. This reinforced his determination to earn more. Although unversed in business, he could reach the pinnacle of any industry through his life professions. Every trade had its master, not necessarily educated but certainly wealthy.
Take his current architectural training, at the advanced level he could design buildings up to six stories. As a designer, perfect proposals for developers guaranteed income. And with Master and Perfection levels ahead, if he alone could propose a feasible undersea tunnel project for China, wouldn't wealth follow?
The acupoint specialist profession, even at the basic level, made him a top masseur. Opening a massage parlor near wealthy clients would ensure a steady flow of income once they experienced his skills.
Considering this, making money didn't seem too challenging. His current hardship on the construction site was merely to level up his profession. Once he reached the Perfection level in architecture, money-making opportunities would abound.
With newfound clarity, Li Nianlong entered the tailor's shop last. The NPC was a stunning young woman, resembling a beauty from ancient scrolls, with curves that momentarily tempted Li Nianlong. Thankfully, Dragonfly tugged his hair at the critical moment, averting a disaster.
Dragonfly warned, "Host engaging in inappropriate behavior towards an NPC will result in electric shocks. Punishment levels range from 1 to 9. At your current level, shocks above Level 3 are fatal. Please behave accordingly."