A Ray of Hope
Following a soft rustling of garments, an array of objects scattered across the rooftop under the serene night sky. A gentle breeze wafted through the atmosphere, carrying with it the faint aroma of the city below.
Lucy, her brows furrowed in concentration, maintained her stern expression as she scrutinized John's belongings. With deliberate movements, she leaned down to examine each item strewn before her, beginning with the White Linen Shirt. Her fingers gently explored the fabric's texture, tracing the fine threads that composed its surface.
"Is this everything?" Lucy inquired, her voice carrying a serious tone as she broke the silence that hung in the air.
"Yes," John confirmed, his eyes closely following Lucy's every movement.
Lucy continued her examination, probing further. "Are you familiar with the purposes of these items?" she inquired, her gaze transitioning from the shirt to John's countenance.
"I'm familiar with some of their effects, but it's hard to be certain," John replied, his tone measured.
"Well, through trial and experimentation, we've discovered a few things," John continued, his voice maintaining a calm demeanor. "The white linen shirt seems to provide protection against some zombie attacks."
"Then there's the Defense Belt," he gestured toward the belt on the rooftop, "which boosts agility by 10 points; this simple metal ring," he held it up for Lucy to see, "provides a +1 bonus to all stats and the Lion Pin."
John's gaze shifted to the small lion-headed pin, his expression turning contemplative. "I have no idea about the Lion Pin's purpose; I acquired it when I changed my class."
Turning her attention to the simple metal ring, Lucy smoothly placed it on her finger, her expression pensive as she sensed its cool weight against her skin. She couldn't help but observe the subtle alteration in her stats, a modest yet valuable improvement that felt akin to leveling up two stat points, with all four of her attributes increasing by one.
Finally, she picked up the Lion Pin, studying the engraved lion head with a furrowed brow. The emblem piqued her curiosity, and she turned it over in her fingers, examining it from every angle. Lucy couldn't help but wonder about its significance, especially since she and Lucas had received their own emblems when they changed classes, although theirs were more intricate than this small pin.
"What's your class?" Lucy questioned, her gaze rising from the pin to meet John's eyes, her curiosity unabated.
"Hunter," John responded with a wry smile, a trace of amusement flickering in his eyes, despite the gravity of their situation. "It's not as glamorous as it might seem. Look at me now. My hands are bound, my companion is absent, and even my fellow survivor is holding me back."
"Quit with the jokes," Lucy sighed, her stern expression clearly not in the mood for humor.
With a sigh, she redirected her attention to the Defense Belt, lifting it delicately and appraising its craftsmanship. The added agility it offered could prove advantageous, especially when dealing with the undead. She could already picture herself moving nimbly through hordes of zombies, dodging their grasping hands with ease.
But then a sudden voice interrupted her thoughts.
---
"You have received a bid of 30,000!"
"Do you confirm?"
---
Lucy hesitated for a moment. Thirty thousand coins were already a substantial amount, nearly triple the usual price and twenty thousand coins above the average for items of this rank. She had no idea if there were options for refunds or bid cancelations in this auction system. Her heart raced as she contemplated the choice before her.
'Is it really that valuable?' Lucy wondered, her mind racing. Without further delay, she decided to seize the opportunity. Lucy's hand moved swiftly to accept the bid, committing her to the transaction.
---
[The bid has been accepted!]
[Proceeding transfer procedure!]
[Coins have been transferred!]
[Auction completed!]
---
Quickly checking her system window, Lucy noted that her coin collection had indeed almost doubled. Whoever had bought her earrings must have been incredibly desperate or in urgent need of one. The magnitude of the transaction left her momentarily stunned, but she knew that in this unpredictable world, every coin counted.
"Opening system!" Lucy muttered, her voice a mixture of surprise and determination.
---
Name: Lucy Lyons
Age: 16 years old
Race: Human Tier 1
Gender: Female
Class: Goddess of Snow and Ice
Subclass: Insect Nurturer
Subclass: None
Subclass: None
Level: 25 (400/50000)
Stats:
Agi: 20
Str: 42
Int: 22
Vit: 32
Unallocated Stat Points: 0
Skills:
[Hail: Summon a Hail fire off at a target!]
[Insect Calls: Summon and un-summon any insect under control. (1 use/day) Grade 1!]
[Insect Evolution: Allowed the nurture and abnormal growth of insectoids. (1 use/month) Grade 1!]
[Tiny Immortal: Immune to attacks for 5 seconds. (1 use/day) Grade 1!]
Unallocated Skill Points: 24
Coins: 77000
Achievements Completed: 4 △
Items: 4 ᐁ
Basic Katana [Uncommon]
Frost Earring [Rare]
Aqua Orb [Epic]
Snow Robe [Legendary]
Summon: 1 △
---
Glancing at her system window, Lucy couldn't help but smile; her total coins had finally reached 77k. She finally had enough to acquire the best solution to aid Lucas. With the assistance of the mythical system window, a bullet was nothing more than a minor inconvenience.
Although the total number of items had decreased to four after the Frozen Earring was sold, Lucy saw no reason to dwell on what was already lost. Letting go of the belt in her hand, she slowly rose to her feet.
Belle, by her side, appeared just as bewildered as when they had entered the auction building. For now, the girl in front of her wore a bright smile, though her face had displayed worry while they were inside the building.
Of course, Lucy still felt nervous; anything could still go wrong.
"Belle, open the door again. I need to make another purchase," Lucy said, her voice resolute. As she spoke, her hand deftly put on the iron ring, feeling its weight on her finger, and adjusted the belt around her waist. She slipped the linen shirt over her original one, the two fabrics merging seamlessly, and tucked the lion pin into her pocket.
Entering the building once more, despite her altered attire, Lucy paid little heed to it as she gestured for Belle to close the door behind them. She felt a pang of guilt for treating Belle like a servant at this moment, but Belle had been a part of the group that invaded their home, and trust was not easily rebuilt.
"I'll be honest, Belle, I still don't fully trust you," Lucy admitted, her voice tinged with caution.
"It's okay, I understand," Belle replied, her own voice carrying a mixture of regret and understanding.
Lucy heaved a sigh, her breath visible in the dimly lit interior of the building, and pressed the button inside the dark room once more.
---
[Detecting Player Coins!]
[Auction Market Initiated!]
---
Once more, the auction market window welcomed her.
---
[Auction]
[Item: Piercing Percussion Elixir]
[Rank: Epic]
[Type: Potions]
[Highest Bid: 60,000 Coins]
---
It didn't take long for Lucy to spot an epic-grade potion. It was worth noting that the average price for an epic potion was 100,000 coins, yet this one had the highest bid at only 60,000.
Lucy's eyes narrowed in determination as she considered the potential utility of this potion. From its name and high-grade designation, it wasn't difficult to surmise that this elixir was meant to heal a piercing wound, whether from a strike or a fast-moving bullet. Without hesitation, Lucy immediately placed a bid on it, her fingers dancing across the interface.
---
"You have entered a bid of 65,000!"
"Please confirm!"
---
"Yes," she inwardly exclaimed, silently hoping that no one else would bid against her. It was understandable that the seller had set the minimum price at 50,000, a significant 50% discount from the average price. After all, in the current state of affairs, not many people possessed such a substantial number of coins.
Acquiring 100,000 coins typically meant eliminating 20,000 level one zombies, as there was no efficient coin trading system among individuals. But as Lucy's bid was placed, the robotic voice chimed in once more, its tone growing more urgent.
---
"A higher bid has been placed!"
"Please place a higher bid than 65,000!"
---
Lucy couldn't help but feel a twinge of frustration. She reluctantly increased her bid once more, determined to secure the elixir.
---
"You have entered a bid of 70,000!"
"Please confirm!"
---
She glanced at her remaining coins; this was nearly all she had. She hesitantly pressed "yes," her heart pounding in her chest.
But the bidding war wasn't over.
---
"A higher bid has been placed!"
"Please place a higher bid than 71,000!"
---
It seemed like the person bidding against her had exhausted most of their coins, as they only increased the bid by 1,000. Still concerned about potential competitors, Lucy added another thousand to her bid.
---
"You have entered a bid of 72,000!"
"Please confirm!"
---
"Yes," she affirmed, her full attention engrossed in the bidding process.
However, this time, silence prevailed, broken only by the faint hum of the holographic interface. They stood there, motionless, Belle fidgeting with her backpack's strings and Lucy's forehead glistening with perspiration as she kept her unwavering focus on the screen.
Finally, after minutes of tense silence, a notification sound broke the stillness, causing Lucy to almost leap with joy in front of Belle.
---
[The bid has been accepted!]
[Proceeding transfer procedure!]
[Coins have been transferred!]
[Auction completed!]
---
Suddenly, right before her, a small glass vial materialized, crowned with a wooden lid, bathed in a gentle, otherworldly radiance. Lucy's eyes widened, a mixture of relief and exhilaration coursing through her.
"Belle, open the door," Lucy beckoned, a triumphant grin finally spreading across her face. The elixir, her cherished treasure, was now within her grasp, holding the power to mend Lucas's bullet wound and ensure his safety from the clutches of death.