Chapter 49

Chapter 49

Meanwhile, the stall owner wore a bitter expression.

"One gold coin per slot! Selling beef and hunting monsters barely earns me one silver coin a day at best. A single gold coin is a full hundred silver coins!" he grumbled as he served Qin Han his beef soup.

Qin Han waved his hand.

"The three of you, sit down. This meal is on me."

"Boss, bring us another three kilograms of roasted beef and three bowls of beef soup."

During the meal, the atmosphere was heavy.

Qin Han remained silent, and the trio didn’t dare speak either.

They sat there like three quails, heads bowed, until the meal was finished.

Qin Han then led the three toward the residential area.

The village had designated resting spots for players, where sleeping could quickly restore energy and stamina— though it came at a cost.

The accommodations were divided into three tiers.

The first tier: the Small Wooden Hut.

Resting here for an hour was equivalent to sleeping outdoors for two.

However, the huts were cramped, side by side, with shared toilets and no washing facilities.

Extremely rudimentary.

The only advantage was the cheap price— just ten copper coins for a full day’s rent.

The second tier: the Small Courtyard.

These had private toilets and washing areas.

An hour’s rest here equaled three hours outside.

The price was a hundred copper coins per day.

The third tier: the Exclusive Villa.

The entire village had only three villas.

Their recovery rate was ten times faster than the outside world, but they were also the most expensive—costing ten silver coins per day.

On the way, Li Ran took out three gold coins, along with some silver and copper coins, and even the Space Backpacks.

"This is the leftover. Those wild bull horns weren’t worth much—some people sell them for just a few copper coins."

Qin Han didn’t take them.

Instead, he looked at the three and said, "You three managed to complete the task, which means you’ve passed my test."

"I can take you in."

At these words, the trio finally exhaled in relief, their tense hearts finally easing.

Following such a powerhouse, their future progress would surely surpass that of other players.

Most importantly, they might even live longer.

"However,"

Qin Han’s tone turned icy, "working under me requires two absolute principles:"

"Loyalty and Diligence."

"Betrayal? Death."

"Half-hearted efforts? Death."

"Think carefully."

Hearing this, their expressions stiffened.

Qin Han’s words deepened their understanding of the Game of Eternal Life— this was a place where lives could be lost at any moment.

Following a leader wasn’t like a job in the real world, where one could quit or leave freely.

Betrayal meant death.

Once they pledged allegiance, they would bear Qin Han’s mark—irrevocably.

A flicker of hesitation crossed their faces, their eyes exchanging silent messages.

Finally, Li Ran gritted his teeth and spoke first:

"I’m willing to follow you. I’ll never betray you."

Seeing Li Ran’s resolve, Liu Kuang and Li Hao also made up their minds.

No more hesitation.

At the same time, he said, "I am also willing to follow you and never betray you!"

Upon hearing this, Qin Han's expression finally softened considerably.

"Since you’ve chosen to follow me, as long as you serve with diligence, I, as your leader, naturally won’t treat you poorly."

With that, Qin Han took out 300 Gold Coins and three Tokens, handing them to Li Ran.

"One Token for each of you. Crush them to use them, and split the money as well."

"It’s best to buy more Gravity-Free Space Equipment—it’ll make things easier when working for me in the future."

"Also, aside from Wild Bull Horns, there are collection tasks like Wolf Teeth, Eagle Feathers, and Snake Skin. I’ll provide you with a detailed list later. While grinding monsters, you can gather these for me."

"I’ve already added you as friends. You can contact me via private messages in the future."

"One more thing—my name must never be revealed to anyone."

After speaking, Qin Han turned and walked toward the villa area.

Left behind were the three of them, staring at each other in stunned silence.