chapter 103 frost eye thinking

Raven, currently disguised as Frost Eye, sat in a quiet corner of Virtual Interference, monitoring the market fluctuations from the comfort of his hidden position.

His recent poison resistance potion monopoly had caused a major uproar. He had expected anger. He had expected frustration.

What he hadn't expected was Cute Mist dropping a 100,000-credit offer with his name attached to it.

At first, he noticed the shift in atmosphere.

A low hum of conversation among players turned into excited whispers.

"Did you hear about Cute Mist's offer?"

"She actually put up 100,000 credits just to talk to this guy."

"That's got to be a joke, right? No way someone pays that much for a meeting."

"It's real. I checked. It's an official trade contract in the system."

Raven's eyes narrowed.

This wasn't normal.

He pulled up the Virtual Interference global trade network, and there it was—

A public system-wide announcement.

> [Global Trade Announcement]

Cute Mist [Vice Leader of Rainbow Solutions] has offered Frost Eye 100,000 credits for a meeting.

Raven stared at the screen.

His first instinct?

Trouble.

This wasn't just an invitation.

This was a trap.

He didn't know why she wanted to meet him, but the way she did it—so openly, so publicly—meant it wasn't a simple recruitment offer.

She was forcing him into a corner.

If he ignored it?

He'd look weak. The entire trading community would see him as someone who backs down under pressure.

If he accepted?

He was walking into enemy territory.

Either way, Cute Mist had flipped the script.

Damn it.

He needed more information.

---

The Forums – A Growing Storm

Without hesitation, Raven switched tabs and opened the Virtual Interference player forums.

His instincts had been right.

The player base was on fire.

---

[Thread: Cute Mist Offers 100k to Frost Eye – What's Going On?]

This post had thousands of views and hundreds of comments, and the numbers were climbing fast.

Player1: Wait, who the hell is Frost Eye?

Player2: Some market manipulator who just made a killing selling overpriced poison resistance potions.

Player3: 100,000 credits?! Just for a conversation? That's insane!

Player4: Cute Mist doesn't waste money. If she's offering that much, it's not just for a chat. She wants something from him.

Player5: Or she wants to set an example. Frost Eye made enemies by price-gouging the market.

Player6: Damn, this guy just went from unknown to infamous overnight.

Raven exhaled through his nose.

The worst part?

This was exactly what Cute Mist wanted.

By making the offer public, she ensured that he couldn't back out quietly.

Ignoring her meant losing credibility.

And the more people discussed it, the harder it would be to move in the shadows.

---

Another Thread Caught His Attention

[Thread: Should Frost Eye Accept?]

This thread had exploded even faster than the last one.

Player7: Dude, if he declines, he looks weak. No one will take him seriously in the market again.

Player8: But if he accepts, he's taking a huge risk. Rainbow Solutions is one of the top trading guilds. They could be planning something.

Player9: Nah, Skylight Lounge is a safe zone. If she wanted him dead, she wouldn't invite him there.

Player10: If it were me? I'd negotiate for more than 100k. If she's offering that much upfront, she probably needs him more than he needs her.

Raven rubbed his chin.

This wasn't just a recruitment attempt.

Cute Mist was forcing the market to pay attention to him.

Even if he tried to disappear now, he'd already gained a reputation.

He was now known as a market manipulator.

He had guild leaders watching his next move.

He had opportunists wondering if they could profit from him.

And Cute Mist had put herself in the perfect position.

If I ignore her, I lose my credibility. If I accept, I'm playing by her rules.

It was a trap.

But one thing Raven knew from experience—

Every trap has a flaw.

A small smirk tugged at his lips.

You want to play mind games, Mist? Fine. Let's play.

Raven watched the Virtual Interference trading system as his last 10,000-credit poison resistance potion was bought in an instant. The moment it disappeared from his inventory, he knew the demand had yet to peak.

Time to push it further.

Without hesitation, he adjusted the price of the next batch.

> [Mid-Level Poison Resistance Potion – Price: 20,000 Credits]

He hit confirm.

This was a ridiculous price hike. Doubling the cost of something that was already considered overpriced should have made people hesitate.

And yet…

It sold instantly.

---

The Market's Desperation – Chaos in the Auction House

The moment the transaction completed, the market exploded.

---

[Forum Thread: FROST EYE JUST DOUBLED HIS PRICES?!]

Player1: WTF?! Wasn't it 10k just an hour ago?!

Player2: It's now 20,000 credits per potion. This guy is a maniac.

Player3: No way people are actually buying at that price… right?

Player4: They are. I just saw three disappear from the auction list.

Player5: This dude is making more money than top-ranked players and hasn't even lifted a sword.

Player6: If he keeps this up, poison resistance potions are going to be a luxury item only for the rich.

---

Guild Logistics in Panic Mode

While solo players and small teams were furious, the ones who were truly suffering were the major guilds.

At this point, it wasn't just an economic issue—it was a survival problem.

Guilds had large-scale dungeon raids planned.

Without poison resistance, their teams couldn't progress through the Sprent Dungeon, and failure meant wasted time, lost experience, and lost loot.

The logistics officers of every major guild were scrambling.

Liam, Dark Solution's logistics officer, was fuming as he reported back to his guild leader.

Liam: "This Frost Eye guy is price-gouging like a madman. We need to find a way to source our own supply."

Dark Solution Leader: "How much has he made so far?"

Liam: "Easily over a few million credits in total sales."

Dark Solution Leader: "Tch. Find out who he is. If we can't beat him in the market, we'll deal with him another way."

Meanwhile…

Mack, Rainbow Solution's logistics officer, was already writing a detailed report for Cute Mist.

Mack: "Frost Eye just doubled his prices to 20,000 credits per potion."

Cute Mist: "...And they're still selling?"

Mack: "Every single one."

Cute Mist: "Interesting. He's not just a seller—he's controlling the entire market."

Mack: "Should we negotiate?"

Cute Mist: "No. I'll handle it personally."

She tapped her fingers against the table, eyes gleaming with interest.

This wasn't just a seller inflating prices.

This was a predator who knew exactly how to squeeze the market.

And she had just the perfect way to lure him out.

---

Cute Mist's Next Move – The 100,000 Credit Offer

Instead of hunting for Frost Eye in the usual way, Cute Mist took an unconventional approach.

She leveraged the game's trade system and placed a public contract offer:

> [Global Trade Announcement]

Player 'Cute Mist' (Vice Leader of Rainbow Solutions) has issued an official meeting request to Frost Eye.

Reward: 100,000 credits

Location: Skylight Lounge, Safe Zone

Terms: Frost Eye must accept in-person.

The moment the announcement went live, the entire player base erupted.

---

The Forums – A New Storm Brews

[Thread: 100,000 Credits for a Meeting?!]

Player1: Wait, what the hell? A hundred thousand credits?! Just to talk?!

Player2: That's like… three months' worth of a white-collar salary IRL.

Player3: Why does she want to meet him so badly?

Player4: Dude, she's either trying to recruit him… or kill him.

Player5: Smart move. If he accepts, he's walking into a trap. If he refuses, he looks weak.

---

Frost Eye's Reaction – A Dangerous Game

Raven, still sitting in his hidden corner of Virtual Interference, saw the global announcement flash across his screen.

At first, he didn't react.

Then, a slow smirk crept across his lips.

He pulled up the forums and saw players losing their minds over the offer.

He wasn't surprised—this was exactly the kind of move someone like Cute Mist would make.

She wasn't just offering money.

She was forcing him into a decision.

Ignore her? He'd lose credibility.

Accept? He'd be walking into a trap.

Either way, she was trying to control the board.

But Raven didn't play by other people's rules.

Instead of answering immediately, he leaned back and chuckled.

If you think I'm that easy to control, Mist… you're in for a surprise.