How Am I Still Alive?

[Based on the comprehensive evaluation and attitude of the Secret Realm Master, your secret realm feedback is as follows. Please make your choice within 1 minute, or it will be forcibly randomized by the Secret Realm Master.]

[A. Grant your body additional pollutants (after purification by the Lady of the Forest).]

[B. The Lady of the Forest's random blessing (first-tier or below).]

[C. Grant additional pollutants to one of your items.]

[D. Open up a Secret Realm store and purchase a specific target (comprehensive evaluation/insufficient authority, can't be selected)]

What to choose?

"Ah, I know the answer to this one; at this time, choose the one with the most comments... Cough cough, the standard response, when you don't know which of the four options to choose, go with C!"

However, Lu Ping'an casually made the choice since it was just a low-level Secret Realm feedback.

"I heard that enchanted items are quite valuable, so don't miss the opportunity if it comes up..."

The moment the choice was made, Lu Ping'an was instantly kicked out of the Secret Realm.

A pale-yellow light flickered in the luggage and finally fell on the Gardener's shovel that he was carrying with him, part of the Gardener's 3-Piece Set.

When the light faded, the black Gardener's shovel remained as unremarkable as before.

Since there was no opportunity to use it, the 12.90 price tag hadn't been removed.

But Lu Ping'an noticed that when the light moved in the package, the eyes of the people around him glanced over.

Most of them were envious, but it was hard to say for others.

He was silent for a moment, seemingly having made a profit.

"...Excuse me."

There was a large crowd at the entrance and exit, so he quickly disappeared into it and successfully found Lei Shuiyun at Zhao Ying's stall.

"Why are you red?"

The first thing the other party said upon seeing him made Lu Ping'an stunned.

He looked down at his wrist, where the red and purple warning light indicated that this "reward" was a bit too heavy for a 0-tier Newborn.

Lu Ping'an calmly removed the bracelet and threw it into the backpack. Then, he took out the "Gardener's shovel" he had just acquired.

"Do you want it? I just got it."

Yes, Lu Ping'an intended to sell it.

A normal professional would need a Rule System ability user to appraise a polluted item, requiring a certain amount of time and expense.

But Lu Ping'an was ready to give it up with just a glance.

[Newborn's Gardener's shovel (Black Iron Lower Level Cursed Object)]

[Function: Newborn (Black Iron Lower Level), slightly increases the survival rate of planted items.]

[Curse: Killing (Black Iron Lower Level), must use it to kill a weak life (insect or larger) every day, otherwise, the Newborn cannot be activated.]

Frankly, killing one life every day is not a big deal, just get a few more small animals and it should be fine.

But considering his Abnormal Ability, Lu Ping'an felt this "Newborn" might be more useful to other Gardeners.

It only took Lu Ping'an a moment to explain the general effect of the shovel, instantly attracting a bunch of Gardener series seniors and juniors... He didn't bother looking for more demand elsewhere.

"500."

"550! I'm basically working for free this year!"

"700, don't fight with me! I need to submit my graduation thesis next month!"

Their conservative bidding, however, made Lu Ping'an hesitate whether to sell or not.

"We're not offering money but Forest Coins, the universal credit-coins used by forces under the Lady of the Forest. If converted into money... adding two zeros is conservative."

What, this garbage shovel can sell for 70,000?!

At this point, Lu Ping'an understood why people said cursed items were quite valuable.

There is a limit to how much pollution an individual human can tolerate. To seek additional improvements, one must pursue "external pollutants."

"Senior brother, Brother Lu, you're so lucky! The chance of getting a cursed item in the Life System is definitely no more than one in a thousand! You have to share the profits with me, Meow!"

Meow looked envious, with eyes that seemed to turn into gold coins.

"Alright, alright, after I exchange the money... Why do you look so strange?"

Meow lowered its head, didn't want to speak, and felt a little emotional and tearful.

Why did a newcomer who didn't know a single basic thing seem so strong and even make so much more money than itself?

They all entered together, and it even said it would cover him beforehand, but its bracelet didn't change color, and although it prayed when it came out, nothing happened...

"...No one goes back to exchange God Coins for money. For professionals, they're much more useful than money. For example, your high-quality Newborn shovel will probably only be traded with Forest Coins once it falls into a Gardener's hands."

Lu Ping'an fell silent. He wasn't surprised at the value of the credit-coins affiliated with the Gods' Church, but...

"...Doesn't this mean that these Gods' Church, in a sense, have their own coinage rights? What about the national financial sovereignty?"

This big issue was obviously not the right time to study now.

Lu Ping'an pondered for a moment and made a decision.

"700 credit-coins? I can accept that, but exchange 200 of them for cash. Can you give me a purchase list of what I can get with credit-coins? I need to think about what to buy and then contact you later."

Upon receiving an affirmative answer, the transaction was completed quickly.

The senior from his fourth year was very honest and directly transferred the money through his bank card, hoping his graduation thesis would pass smoothly.

Moreover, he explicitly said that he got a bargain this time, and the price might have been over a thousand credit-coins at the trading fair.

"Is it really that valuable? It's just a Black Iron Lower Level cursed item, isn't it? It seems like the lowest level."

"Cursed items aren't simply judged by their level, functionality is the first priority, and the attached price is the second..."

After having a Rule System student verify the product, the senior brother happily chatted a bit more.

Turns out, this Black Iron Lower Level cursed item is so valuable mainly because it's the "Newborn" curse which is quite useful at low-level, but has a fairly low cost.

"Actually, the main reason is that obtaining a cursed item itself has a pretty low probability. Moreover, cursed items have to be attached to Gardener tools and correspond to useful curses like 'Newborn' with low negative costs...."

Killing once a day isn't considered a high cost? Lu Ping'an was curious about the costs of other cursed items.

But he also knew that not inquiring or prying into other people's secrets is an unwritten rule in the Secret Keeper profession.

"I see, so it's a small probability event?"

"Yes, it's the so-called 'beginner's luck' in the legend, where occasionally, some newbies get treasures that old stagers couldn't get for many years on their first entry into the Secret Realm."

The senior brother looked at Lu Ping'an's overnight wealth with envy on his face.

He gritted his teeth and took the shovel. It was considered a gain even after working a year for free, and he now owed this newcomer a favor.

However, Lu Ping'an was thinking that this might not be just beginner's luck..., but a bait the "shopkeeper" offered to entice "guests" after pleasing them, with the hope that they'll return next time.

"By the way, I have some other gains here."

Since the transaction was pleasant, Lu Ping'an directly poured out a bunch of "garbage", all gifts from the Four Wolves.

But this time, the result was somewhat disappointing.

"It may be worth more than ten thousand in total... I'm not good at appraisals, you can go to the shops over there, they specialize in buying these items, have a large stock and you don't have to worry about any trouble afterwards."

Miss Zhao in charge of the transaction politely smiled, implying, "we don't accept trash."

Lu Ping'an wasn't angry, he simply picked it up and prepared to leave... but before leaving, he gave a Blessing BUFF to the pleasant senior brother, Li.

"It's free, give it a try."

Don't waste the three quota per day.

As soon as he walked away, Lu Ping'an quickly transferred the money via his phone, and then received a phone call.

"It's me, did you get the twenty thousand? Rest assured, it's not a scam. I told you I'm doing well, don't worry, Dad's fine..."

Telling them he was doing well verbally wasn't as convincing as sending the money directly.

Lu Ping'an, laughing, speaking, and walking.