"How did you know..." the male Player stammered, stunned.
"Isn't that simple?" Asagiri said casually, looking at their bewildered faces.
"It's only been a little over three hours since the dungeon began. Within such a short time, you were able to leave the starting point, find the route to Mochizuki Hospital, and arrive here. This shows that you are a very excellent type of Player."
"And calculated by the time in the real world, today is a Wednesday workday. If you have only experienced one newcomer dungeon, and according to system regulations, are the kind of Player who needs to enter a dungeon again within a month, you should have chosen a weekend rest day when you don't have to work to enter the dungeon."
The male Player frowned. "Just based on this?"
"Of course, it's not just this." Asagiri shook his head, his tone calm.
"If you are the kind of profession that doesn't have a job in the real world, or has relatively free working hours, you might also enter the dungeon today. But as I just said, being able to arrive here at this time shows that you are excellent Players, and you must have decided from the moment you entered the dungeon that you didn't want to just muddle through for ten hours, but rather to take the initiative, complete the second clear objective, and didn't waste time due to hesitation and delay."
"Since it's confirmed that you are this type of Player with ambition who will take the initiative, then this cannot be your second dungeon after clearing the newcomer dungeon. In terms of time, it has been a total of sixteen days from the start of the game until today. Even if you actively signed up on the day the game started, due to the three-day queue and the one-week cooldown period limit, it's impossible to enter the fourth dungeon at this time. Therefore, you can only be Players who have cleared two dungeons, including the newcomer dungeon."
Hearing Asagiri's words, the two male Players exchanged glances, and then the more level-headed Player turned back and nodded without reservation.
"That's right, this is indeed our third dungeon, and I also agree with what you said, exchanging items or equipment for the antibody reagent in your hand is indeed a win-win transaction."
If it were a simple-minded person, like that Player who was stupid enough to enter the dungeon wearing an inconvenient suit, they would think, since he said he had already roughly swept through the interior of the hospital, doesn't that mean the dangerous factors inside the hospital have been mostly cleared by him? Why do they still need to exchange items or equipment? Just go in and look, and if they don't find the antibody reagent, wouldn't it be better to come back and make a deal with him?
But these two Players wouldn't think that way. Is there still danger inside the hospital? It's impossible to be certain now, but what is certain is... this mysterious Player in front of them, wearing black clothes and a gray mask, must possess powerful strength, and might even be able to kill both of them instantly. After all, if he didn't have absolute confidence in his own strength, why would he do something like blocking the hospital entrance and actively looking for other Players to make a deal?
Thinking of taking a small advantage? If they anger this mysterious Player later and he just kills them, then it will truly be too late to regret.
However... The two of them exchanged glances, and an idea arose in their hearts. They said they would take out valuable equipment and items, but the other party doesn't know what equipment or items they have. Although they definitely can't fool the other party with junk, there's no need to take out the best stuff, right?
Just as they were thinking this, Asagiri seemed to see through their inner thoughts and added calmly. "Oh, right, if the equipment and items you take out are valuable enough to satisfy me, I can share the truth about the dungeon that I know with you. Although it's not something you explored and deduced yourselves, even just hearing it from me will definitely increase the clear rating you receive, by at least two minor levels, and maybe even one major level."
Hearing this, the two male Players couldn't help but be moved. In their previous clear settlement, there was indeed a prompt message indicating that they had learned a certain rule of the dungeon, thus gaining bonus points for their clear rating. And this mysterious Player in front of them said... he could share the truth about the dungeon that he knows with them? This was truly too tempting.
"But..." Just then, Asagiri added with a smile.
"Although sharing such important information with you won't cause me any loss, I'm not the kind of good person who likes to help others for free, and my patience is also limited. Therefore, you only have one chance. If you can't take out an item or equipment that satisfies me, let alone the information, you won't even get the antibody reagent."
The two middle-aged male Players were silent for a while, and then the more level-headed male Player slowly extended his right hand. In his palm, a sharp dagger with a deep, dark purple hilt and blade appeared, looking like it emanated an ominous aura, his face showing unconcealable pain and reluctance.
"This is the best equipment I have."
"Is that so?" Asagiri walked forward, lightly placed his right hand on the dagger, and took out his phone with his left hand, starting to check the specific information of this equipment. His posture and actions, which were completely relaxed and not nervous at all, even when he got closer, instead convinced the two male Players that the combat power of this mysterious person was definitely far above theirs, and he wasn't afraid of the two of them taking the opportunity to launch a sneak attack.
[Ominous Dagger: Equipment (Quality: Blue, Excellent) A dagger made of an unknown material, more durable than ordinary daggers. Due to the ominous aura attached to it, when dealing damage to biological enemies, it will intensify the pain of the wound and cause mental interference to the enemy.]
After reading the dagger's description, Asagiri nodded. "A blue quality weapon type equipment, it's indeed quite good."
Hearing this, the expression of the middle-aged male Player couldn't help but become somewhat complicated. The best equipment he owned... could only receive a 'quite good' evaluation in the other party's eyes? What kind of background did this mysterious person have? He was clearly the same as himself, just a Player who had cleared two dungeons, right? It couldn't be that the other party achieved the highest level of clear rating in both of those dungeons, could it?
"What about yours?"
The other male Player sighed, then, with an expression of painful reluctance, took out a small bottle.
[Magic Hand Sanitizer: (Disposable Item, Purple Excellent Quality) A blood-replenishing item most frequently used by a certain fatherly war god, possessing a power so magical it defies logic. When the hand sanitizer is poured onto a wound, it will immediately eliminate the pain caused by the wound and make the wound heal at a speed visible to the naked eye. The only drawback is that this bottle of magic hand sanitizer seems to follow some strange causality; once opened, even if only a drop is poured out, it cannot be used again.]
"Oh, I didn't expect you to have this kind of item?" Asagiri praised. The male Player who took out the magic hand sanitizer felt as if his heart was bleeding, but he wasn't the kind of person who couldn't see the situation clearly.
This was the early stage of the game. For Players like them, what was most valuable? Skills, talents, professions. These three were the highest priority, equipment was second, and items were last, while disposable items had an even lower priority. Was the effect of the magic hand sanitizer powerful? Very powerful. If used in case of serious injury, this item might save a life. But correspondingly, it also had the limitation of being a disposable item. In combat, there was simply no time to use this thing, and even if there was a chance to use it, it would disappear after use. Players of their level didn't need insurance with harsh usage conditions that they didn't know when they could use, but rather rewards like skills, talents, professions, and equipment that could be repeatedly used and often provide value.
In other words, he was now taking out this bottle of purple disposable item, whose value was essentially zero before actual use, and he didn't know when he could use it, in exchange for the opportunity to obtain the more valuable rewards mentioned above after clearing this dungeon. This transaction was very worthwhile.
"OK, deal made." Asagiri took the dagger and the magic hand sanitizer, put them away first, handed the two vials of reagent to the two Players, and then said with a smile, "The truth of this dungeon is actually..."
After the two Players confirmed their clearance and their figures disappeared, Asuna, who had been staying hidden inside the hospital wall but had heard the entire conversation, walked out. She looked at Asagiri, half-seriously and half-jokingly, "I thought you would take their items and equipment, then directly kill them, or directly force them to hand over all their things."
Hearing this, Asagiri smiled and retorted, "Why would you think I would do something like that? What kind of image do you have of me in your mind?"
Asuna's lips curved upwards, her tone relaxed, and with a bit of playfulness, she teased, "With your personality, I think you might actually do that~ Don't you need to reflect on yourself?"
"If I were a lone wolf Player, perhaps I would do that." Asagiri suddenly changed the subject, looking at Asuna's face with a smile. "But now I'm your teammate. If I did something like that, you would be unhappy, right? If there is a serious divergence in our action styles, it will affect our tacit understanding, and in a more serious case, it may lead to our eventually parting ways. Compared to the so-called items and equipment, your position in my heart is much more important."
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Hey everyone!
Just a quick update: as I mentioned before, my internship has started, so I won't be able to post daily. I promise to still get you at least 4-5 chapters every week.
Thanks for your patience and understanding, and have a great day!