Chapter 36: Line Up and Take Turns, One by One

“Hey there! Are you still struggling to fully unleash your strength in the secret realm because of hunger? Are you still hesitant to drink water from the secret realm, worried it might be contaminated? Lin’s Family Convenience Store is here to solve all your problems! For just a small amount of money, your troubles will disappear.”

“Don’t miss out as you pass by!”
“First come, first served!”

Not only the students taking the test, but even the audience watching the livestream were stunned by Lin Xiao’s move.

“Damn, is this even allowed?”
“For some reason, I really want to set up a stall in the secret realm too. Feels like a fast track to fortune!”
“With this guy being so high-profile, isn’t he afraid someone will just rob him?”
“I don’t care about the robbery, I just want to know how much he’ll charge.”
“Just here for the gossip…”

Of course, Lin Xiao had considered the possibility of being robbed—after all, it was permitted to target other participants in this trial. He had already prepared a countermeasure. Pulling out the emergency flare he’d received upon entering, he addressed the crowd.

“Don’t even think about snatching these goods. Believe me, I can destroy all the food instantly if anyone tries. After that, I’ll just forfeit the test. I’m not here for a good ranking anyway, just to make some money. So don’t let your selfishness keep everyone else hungry.”

Lin Xiao’s words made quite a few schemers abandon their thoughts of robbery—for now. As he’d said, even if someone managed to snatch the food before Lin Xiao could destroy it, they’d become the target of everyone else. It just wasn’t worth it. The safest way was to buy from Lin Xiao directly.

Almost everyone had been hungry all day. Seeing that food made them swallow hard.

While many were still hesitating, Shen Yao was the first to step forward. As she approached, Lin Xiao grew more alert. He’d heard of Shen Yao’s strength—she was among the top students this year. It was also his first time seeing her in person—strikingly beautiful, with short, neat hair that accentuated her sharp features. Her eyes were keen as a hawk’s, her demeanor crisp and commanding, radiating a unique charm.

When she was about ten meters away, Lin Xiao raised his hand.
“Stop! Let’s make the deal from there.”

Shen Yao said nothing more, simply glanced at the items on his stall and spoke in a clear, melodious voice that made one want to linger in its sound.
“I want three loaves of bread, a box of chocolates, and three bottles of water. How much?”

Lin Xiao had no time to appreciate any of this; this was a big sale!
“Bread’s original price is three coins—now three hundred each. Chocolate’s usually fifty, but for you, five thousand. Water, two coins, but two hundred now. That’s a total of six thousand five hundred, but since you’re my first customer, I’ll give you a discount—just six thousand.”

Shen Yao frowned. Lin Xiao was truly ruthless with his prices.
“Why don’t you just rob me?”

“Miss Shen, you’re being unfair. Robbery is illegal—I’d never do such a thing. Besides, robbery doesn’t make money this fast. If you don’t want to buy, I won’t force you. But if you make it into the top ten, the rewards are generous. Spending a little for the chance at that prize—it’s a fair calculation, isn’t it?”

Though she didn’t want to be taken advantage of, Shen Yao had to admit Lin Xiao’s logic was sound. If she could make it into the top ten, this money was nothing. She was confident in her abilities—but only if she could last the three days. Without food or water, even she wasn’t sure she could.

“Fine, I’ll take it. How do I pay?”

Lin Xiao nudged Zhou Zhi, who was standing blankly nearby.
“Cash or scan-to-pay—either works. Old Zhou, what are you waiting for? Grab my phone and go collect the payment!”

Zhou Zhi snapped out of his daze.
“You’re amazing, Lin! A hundredfold profit—only you could pull this off.”

He obediently took Lin Xiao’s phone and processed Shen Yao’s payment. Once he confirmed the money was received, Lin Xiao had Zhou Zhi hand over the food and water.

Zhou Zhi gazed at Shen Yao, captivated by her presence. Unfortunately, she didn’t even spare him a glance after receiving her goods—she simply turned away, tore open a loaf of bread, and started eating.

With the first deal done, the others grew restless. Lin Xiao’s stock clearly wouldn’t be enough for everyone—if they didn’t hurry, there might be nothing left. The price was steep, but as Lin Xiao had said, if they made it into the top ten, the cost was insignificant.

“I want to buy! Five loaves of bread and five bottles of water!”
“I want two bags of biscuits, three packs of chips, and five bottles of water!”

...

The livestream audience was in disbelief—how was this even possible?
“Prices hiked a hundredfold and they’re still buying?”
“I’m jealous—my monthly salary is only three thousand, and he just made two months’ worth in one go.”
“Is it too late for me to stock up and join in?”

...

“And this is just the beginning. By the look of that sack, he’s got plenty more—probably enough to make hundreds of thousands.”
“Ugh, I’m drooling with envy.”

...

Seeing the crowd about to descend into chaos, Lin Xiao pulled out a megaphone from his sack.
“Quiet down! Line up—one by one! If you can’t line up properly, I don’t care how much money you have—I won’t sell to you!”

His words had the desired effect; the crowd quickly settled down. Still, people were baffled—why did he bring a megaphone instead of more food?

Those at the front of the line wore looks of delight—they’d secured their rations for the next few days. Those at the back, however, were disgruntled, afraid supplies would run out before it was their turn.

Lin Xiao paid them no mind, and for now, no one dared cause trouble—if they did, the others might turn on them.

In the middle of the line, Lin Xiao spotted Ji Boxiao and Liu Ruyan. A sly grin appeared on his face—Ji Boxiao was known to be wealthy. He fully intended to fleece him for all he was worth.

...

Meanwhile, outside the secret realm, the organizer of this trial, Lord Zhou Weicheng of Xuncheng, watched the broadcast with a speechless expression.

“Damn! Where did this little brat come from? The whole reason we extended the trial to three days was to train these kids’ survival skills, but this one’s ruined everything.”

“My lord, there’s no need to worry too much. That kid doesn’t have much stock—there are too many people, it won’t be enough for all.”

“Well, true. If it weren’t for the sake of those two seniors, I’d have eliminated him already.”

By “seniors,” he meant Sun Zhiyuan and Murong Yu, who had been keeping an eye on Lin Xiao’s situation all along.

They, too, were at a loss for words over Lin Xiao’s actions. They knew, after all, that his stash extended far beyond that single sack. It might not be enough for everyone, but it was certainly enough to change the course of events.