Looking at the six-digit Shock Value number in the backstage, he didn’t hesitate at all and pressed heavily on the virtual panel with his fingertip.
[Confirm to exchange for [Body Refining Pill]? Consuming 50,000 points of Shock Value.]
"Yes."
After completing the exchange, the Shock Value was instantly cut in half.
A line of text appeared on the monitor: Exchanging, please wait.
As over ten minutes passed in waiting, Lex began to wonder why the exchange hadn’t completed when the storage compartnt under the console suddenly emitted a slight "click" sound.
Lex held his breath and opened the drawer.
Inside the drawer, there was a layer of silver moisture-proof paper.
This thing lying silently on the paper was so small that it would surely be overlooked if not looked at carefully.
It was a deep gray particle smaller than half of a fingernail, with obvious cracking marks on the edges as if it had been ground by force, or perhaps a fragnt flaked off from so complete object.
Lex was stunned, instinctively leaned closer, even suspecting if he was hallucinating.
He rembered the picture of the Body Refining Pill in the system mall — a round, plump pill with a matte surface, about the size of a little finger.
No matter how one looked at it, it should resemble a proper elixir.
But this thing in front of him was nowhere near enough to get stuck between teeth.
"What is this...?"
He murmured to himself, gently touching the particle with his fingertip; its texture hard and carrying a bit of a chilly feeling, completely different from what he imagined an elixir would be like.
Lex pinched the particle, examining it under the light for a long ti, and aside from confirming that it was indeed pathetically small, he couldn’t discern any special features.
However, upon nearing it for a sniff, a peculiar fragrance of grass and wood instantly filled his nasal passage, invigorating his spirit.
He observed the particle for a mont, hesitated briefly, then decisively tossed it into his mouth.
The particle lted as soon as it touched his tongue; there was no expected bitterness, but instead, it transford into a warm flow that slid down his throat into his stomach.
Subsequently, that warm flow suddenly spread; the dicine’s effect beca fierce, as if countless tiny warm streams burrowed into every inch of his being.
His neck and shoulders, which had been sore from long nights, felt as if they’d been gently massaged by warm hands and rapidly relieved of pent-up tension.
The thin calluses ford on his fingertips from long hours of typing and labor seed a bit softer too.
Moreover, there was a remarkable change in his sensory perception.
He could clearly hear a girl in the queuing crowd whispering:
"Hope it doesn’t randomly pick the shadow replica."
Also sll the aroma of fried food wafting in from outside the window, even see the smallest print on the holographic billboard across the street.
Those originally indistinct spots in his vision suddenly beca incredibly clear.
His blood was surging through his body like tides.
He subconsciously clenched his fist, producing a crisp "crack" sound from his knuckles.
Feeling more powerful than ever before.
Walking over to the heavy discarded server in the corner, he tried lifting it with one hand, and surprisingly found it much lighter, being able to hold it steadily in the palm which previously required two people to move.
Lex walked up to the full-length mirror, looked at himself.
His figure hadn’t changed noticeably, but the exhaustion in his eyes vanished, his skin radiating a healthy glow, even the paleness ford from staying indoors for too long disappeared.
This transformation was still ongoing.
The seemingly inconspicuous particle had significantly enhanced his physical fitness.
"This feeling... is amazing."
He raised his hand to touch his arm, clearly sensing the surge of energy in his muscular fibers.
In the past, he always felt that being "Transcendent" was an elusive story.
But now, the changes brought by the particle were incredibly real.
As ti passed, black sticky liquid began seeping from the surface of his skin, evidently the impurities in his body being flushed out by the elixir.
He decisively turned to the bathroom to start rinsing his body.
After changing into a fresh set of clothes, he returned only to feel invigorated.
The queue outside was still extending, the screams inside and the cheerful laughter from outside sounded like a lodious symphony.
Lex looked at the young people waiting outside for the experience, feeling that the 50,000 Shock Value points were well spent.
The Nightmare System not only brought wealth but also the power he had been dreaming of.
He turned back to the console, pulling up the scenario editor.
From today on, he decided to personally edit new Horror Scenes, striving for more Shock Value output.
The comfort and sense of strength brought by the Body Refining Pill was like a tonic, reinforcing his belief that he had chosen the right path.
Following days saw the popularity of the Nightmare Experience Hall skyrocketing like a snowball growing out of control.
Every morning, a long queue ford at the entrance of the hall.
Within the line were school-uniford students, working-class people, even middle-aged n ca to take on the challenge.
The appearance of leaderboards increased the fun in the Nightmare Experience Hall.
All wanted to try being: the bravest warrior.
The four temps Lex hired were so busy their feet didn’t touch the ground; one to guide guests and explain rules.
One specialized in cleaning.
The remaining two took care of monitoring and Courage Value statistics.
At the busiest tis, they didn’t even have ti for als.
To ensure the temps worked hard, Lex offered handso compensation.
On the LAN forums, discussion around "Nightmare Experience Hall" grew increasingly rich.
So even compiled a scare-level chart for each scene, using skulls to indicate danger levels.
So livestread recounts of their Hall experiences, trying to ride the wave of popularity.
Others spontaneously ford "challenge groups" within the forums, vowing to win the team competition.
Experience Takers from the past few days beca regular visitors to the Hall.
The process was undoubtedly filled with tornt.
Yet each ti they finished an experience, they felt a joy like after surviving a disaster.
This stark contrast made the players who ca to take on challenges feel thrilled.
anwhile, Lex invested more energy into the scene editor.
He no longer stuck to the system’s initial ten scenarios, starting to tweak the horror direction based on guest feedback.
In the 11th scenario he edited himself, he added several bizarre creatures with urban legend undertones.
The editing process required no hands-on drawing.
Just enter the editing scene and imagine the layout, the purple mist would begin creating the Horror Scene according to his vision.
But before perfecting the custom scenes, he planned not to open them to public for experiences at this point.
This might affect the experience view of the guests.
Watching the Nightmare System’s Shock Value increase steadily each day, Lex occasionally thought back on the inconspicuous particle exchanged from the mall.
Since ingesting the pill, he could now effortlessly lift servers which previously required two to move, and still maintain physical strength post high-intensity exhaustion.
These transformations strengthened his conviction that his future held limitless possibilities.
At dusk, after the last wave of guests departed, the hall finally quieted down.
Lex stood before the console, looking at the screen displaying his newly crafted scenario replica: mory Maze.
He stretched lazily, joints emitting a series of crisp sounds, a smile of anticipation curling the corners of his mouth.
Tomorrow, how much Shock Value revenue would be?
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