Chapter 54: Preparations

Chapter 54: Preparations

The morning streets were lined with newspaper stands.

"This is going to be chaos."

"Are we heading for war?"

"Who knows what’s coming next?"

Crowds gathered around the stands, their faces heavy with worry, minds burdened with unease.

Early that morning, shocking news had spread like wildfire, stirring unrest across all of Dongning City.

"Give me a paper!" Chen Shouyi handed over a coin.

"Here!"

After taking it, Chen Shouyi only needed a glance before his heart sank.

"We urge the public not to panic. Despite all difficulties, we must stand united to maintain social stability. Trust the government, trust our people’s army, and trust our scientists. These hardships are only temporary..."

"Professor Cao, an academician of the National Academy of Sciences, renowned expert in radio technology, and dean of the School of Information Science at Capital University, stated in an interview that the impact of the Otherworld Force Field Invasion is minimal. By readjusting standards and increasing the emission levels of electromagnetic waves, wireless networks can be restored."

"Civil Aviation Suspension Notice: Effective immediately, all flight routes will be temporarily suspended for passenger safety until aircraft technical modifications are completed."

"With roads reopening, the city’s major markets have regained their bustle. Our reporters interviewed numerous citizens, who unanimously stated that life remains stable with ample supplies. Apart from power outages, there have been no other disruptions."

...

The worst-case scenario had finally arrived.

The Otherworld Force Field Invasion wasn’t limited to Dongning City or even a single region—it had affected the entire nation, possibly even the globe.

Earlier, he had been excited about the 0.1-point increase in both his Agility and Perception attributes. But now, that excitement had vanished. With a heavy heart, he crumpled the newspaper and tossed it into a trash bin before hurrying away from the stand.

...

Cold Light Weapon Shop.

After navigating through winding alleys, Chen Shouyi finally found a professional weapons store still in business.

The arrows he had ordered online still hadn’t arrived, and he had no idea when they would. But he couldn’t afford to wait any longer.

"Welcome! Right this way," a young woman in a short skirt and bare legs greeted him sweetly.

The shop’s interior was elegantly decorated in a classical style, exuding an upscale atmosphere.

Behind the counter, a middle-aged man with a scruffy beard—likely the owner—was gently polishing a gleaming longsword with a silk cloth.

"What are you looking for?" Noticing Chen Shouyi’s entrance, the man raised his head and sheathed the sword slowly, his tone indifferent.

Chen Shouyi glanced at the dozen or so cold, sharp blades on display before shifting his gaze back. "Do you have arrows here?"

"Of course we do. Do you have your credentials?" The middle-aged man raised an eyebrow.

Chen Shouyi wasn’t surprised. Whether online or in-store, purchasing weapons required identification. He had already brought his ID card with him and promptly pulled it from his wallet.

"I think you misunderstood. I meant the Martial Artist Apprentice Qualification Certificate. An ID card won’t cut it anymore. Haven’t you seen the notice outside? Regulations have tightened recently," the man said, pushing the ID back.

Chen Shouyi frowned. He hadn’t expected things to become so strict—likely a result of the worsening public security situation.

"I can pay extra."

The middle-aged man chuckled. "I don’t need money, and I don’t want trouble."

"I'll pay triple!"

"Go home. You're still too young for this kind of thing. I won’t sell it to you," the middle-aged man said firmly, sticking to his principles.

He wasn’t the type to be swayed by small profits. Earning a bit of extra money wasn’t worth the risk if things went wrong.

"Really not selling?" Chen Shouyi confirmed.

"No. No matter how much you offer, it won’t change my mind," the middle-aged man insisted stubbornly. "Just go home."

At that moment, Chen Shouyi glanced at the sword the man had placed on the counter and asked, "Are you a Martial Artist Apprentice? Is this your sword?"

"What are you getting at?" The man wasn’t surprised.

He had run this shop for five or six years, and anyone who asked around would know his background. Most people wouldn’t dare cause trouble here.

"Mind if I take a look?"

Chen Shouyi smiled. Before the words had fully left his mouth, his hand moved like a phantom. In the next instant, the sword that had been on the counter was suddenly in his grip, as if it had always been there.

He drew it slightly, flicking the thick blade with his finger. A resonant hum echoed through the air.

"Truly a fine sword. Must’ve been expensive?"

The middle-aged man froze, staring in shock at the sword in Chen Shouyi’s hand, then at the now-empty counter. His earlier composure shattered.

"I-It’s... not that expensive!" he stammered.

"Public safety hasn’t been great lately. I keep hearing about deaths everywhere. And since you don’t have power here, the surveillance cameras must be useless, right?" Chen Shouyi spoke casually as he leisurely scanned the shop, as if he might act at any moment.

"Y-Yeah, that’s right!"

The pressure on the man grew unbearable, cold sweat beading on his forehead. Suddenly, as if remembering something, he blurted out, "Oh, right! You wanted to buy arrows, didn’t you?"

Chen Shouyi shook his head.

"But you refused to sell them to me."

"You... You must’ve misheard me!"

……

A few minutes later, after Chen Shouyi left, the middle-aged man collapsed into his chair, his back drenched in sweat.

"Brother-in-law, was that guy really that scary? He didn’t seem like much," the woman in the short skirt said, surprised to see her usually tough brother-in-law looking like a sheep that had just escaped a tiger’s jaws.

"What do you know? With reflexes like that, I couldn’t even react. He’s at least a full-fledged Martial Artist. And people like that... they kill without blinking. I bet he’s got several lives on his hands already."

"Should we call the police?"

"Do you have a death wish?" The man was furious at his sister-in-law’s foolishness. Even if there was evidence, did she really think someone like that could be easily caught?

……

Having secured a large bundle of arrows at an absurdly low price, Chen Shouyi hurried down the street.

Before long, he entered a military surplus store.

The owner, clearly a military enthusiast, was more than happy to offer advice.

Following his recommendations, Chen Shouyi bought a full set of jungle gear—including a Jungle Camouflage Suit, helmet, and goggles—and learned the basics of Camouflage Paint Application.

……

"Handsome guy, you're back! It seems you haven't been staying here these past few days!" The pretty receptionist's eyes lit up when she saw Chen Shouyi.

This young man was clearly wealthy, booking the hotel for half a month at a time and often coming and going unpredictably. Like this time—he hadn't shown up for three straight days but still kept the room, obviously not someone short on money.

Too bad he was a bit too young.

"I went home for a bit. Has the package not arrived yet?" Chen Shouyi asked.

"Not yet. I heard the highway has reopened, so it should be here in a day or two."

"Hope so."

After exchanging a few words, Chen Shouyi returned to his room.

Since he had informed the front desk in advance that no cleaning was needed during his absence, the floor had gathered a fair amount of dust after three days.

He didn’t call for housekeeping, simply tidying up himself—after all, he wouldn’t be staying here much longer.

He noticed the food he bought a few days ago was still there, saving him the trouble of shopping again for tonight’s trip to the Otherworld.

Before leaving home this morning, he had already told his parents he wouldn’t be back all night, using the excuse of staying at a classmate’s place for a couple of days.

But it wasn’t time to go to the Otherworld yet. The Otherworld’s day-night cycle lasted forty hours, and it was still in the middle of its long night.

Only at 6 PM Earth time would it be morning there.

So, for now, he needed to rest at the hotel for a while.

He opened his briefcase and let Shell Woman out.