Chapter 25: Goods for Trade

Zhou You watched this scene straight out of a B-grade horror film without the slightest change in expression.

Half of it was because he had more or less grown accustomed to bizarre sights like this.

The other half was because his newly acquired talent had activated:

Basic Acting.

As a result, he maintained a calm expression and even smiled as he replied.

“Sorry, it’s my first time here. Could you explain your trading system in more detail?”

“Of course.”

The old woman answered cheerfully.

Had it not been for what he had just witnessed, she would have seemed like nothing more than a kindly shopkeeper.

“What I mainly sell here are... rather unusual items. The categories are quite varied. For example, a shawl woven from the hair of multiple people who died unjustly. The curse attached to it can quietly eliminate your enemies without anyone noticing. Or perhaps a thangka made from the skin of a young girl. Carrying it can bring great fortune. Every item has a different value, and the required payment differs as well. Just as I said earlier, you may pay with money, objects, your internal organs, or... your life.”

Zhou You laughed.

“Boss, if you’ve already given up your life, what’s the point of owning those items?”

The old woman immediately made an absurdly comical expression and wagged a finger.

“Not necessarily. There are always things more important than life.”

“Take that head I brought out earlier.”

“His wife was caught up in a robbery years ago and got stabbed to death.”

“The murderer only spent a few years in prison because he was a minor.”

“Protected by privacy laws, my customer couldn’t even find out where the killer went after being released.”

“So in his despair, he came to me.”

“He said he’d give up everything if only the murderer could die a truly miserable death.”

“Now tell me, after hearing something like that, how could this old woman possibly refuse?”

At this point, the shopkeeper paused before continuing.

“Many people come to me when they’ve reached the end of the road.”

“The lovesick. The furious. The desperate. The hateful.”

“In short, we provide every service imaginable.”

“As long as you’re willing to pay the price.”

Hearing this, Zhou You suddenly thought of something.

“So, can people pay to bring the dead back to life?”

The old woman reacted as though she had heard the question countless times before.

She waved a hand that resembled a chicken claw.

“Customer, most people who come here ask exactly that.”

“But unfortunately, resurrection requires assistance from beings of a higher order.”

“We don’t possess that capability.”

“So we can’t make that transaction with you.”

Zhou You wanted to ask what exactly these so-called higher-order beings were.

However, the old woman seemed to anticipate the question.

She immediately shot him a look that appeared kind on the surface but was actually brutally cold.

Don’t ask.

If you ask, I’ll kill you.

“...Fine.”

Zhou You shrugged and abandoned the idea.

“Then do you have a catalog? I’d like to see what I can buy.”

This time the shopkeeper said nothing.

She simply tossed a book toward him.

Zhou You lightly pinched the cover.

The texture felt neither rough like cowhide nor thick like sheepskin.

“...This isn’t human skin, is it?”

He glanced at the shopkeeper.

Seeing no particular reaction, he carefully opened the book.

The next moment, a system notification suddenly appeared.

“You have triggered a supernatural event: The Strange Granny’s Shop.”

“Registering shop inventory...”

“Opening system shop...”

“You may now purchase items from this shop through the system.”

“Please note that certain items may require favorability or special materials before they can be purchased.”

“Please note: the entity Ghost Granny cannot perceive save-state resets caused by loading a save.”

The next instant, a list unfolded before Zhou You’s eyes.

“Woven Shawl”

“Quality: Green.”

“Effect: Increases the wearer’s natural recovery speed and prevents certain minor illnesses.”

“Curse: Anyone who wears this item will be plagued by terrifying nightmares. As wearing time increases, their body will gradually weaken until death.”

[Occasionally, you can hear faint whispers coming from the shawl.]

Soulstones required: 150

“Human-Skin Thangka”

“Quality: Blue.”

“Effect: Greatly increases the holder’s luck.”

“Curse: Every time the holder benefits from the increased luck, a portion of their body will inevitably rot away. This decay cannot be removed through returning and can only be cured through special methods within a scenario.”

Soulstones required: 800

[Written with a blood curse by a high-ranking esoteric monk. Every owner met a tragic death, without exception.]

“Bloodstained Dagger”

“Quality: Green.”

“Effect: This item can inflict minor damage on supernatural creatures. The player may also use the dagger to injure themselves, gaining increased running speed. The duration and strength of the boost are proportional to the severity of the injury.”

“Curse: The blade must be coated with blood once every half month, otherwise it will lose all supernatural properties.”

[He used it to kill five people. His mother, his father, the wife who deeply loved him, the son he deeply loved, and finally himself.]

Soulstones required: 200

“Yungu Ointment”

“Consumable.”

“Quality: White.”

“Effect: Accelerates the healing of injuries, but is ineffective against severed limbs or severe wounds.”

[It works extremely well, but don’t look too closely into the ingredients.]

Soulstones required per purchase: 30

Most of the remaining items were marked in red and could not be viewed.

They were probably the ones the system had mentioned, requiring favorability or special conditions.

However, when Zhou You reached the final page, his expression suddenly sharpened.

Three items were listed there.

“False Eye Indistinguishable from the Real Thing”

“Consumable.”

“Effect: When used outside of combat, this item can temporarily block the Eyeball Ghost’s perception of you.”

Purchase requirement: One-third of your liver.

(This item cannot be used by evil entities. If you have already purchased another item with the same effect, this purchase requirement is doubled.)

“Human Skin Stripped from Someone’s Face”

“Consumable.”

“Effect: When used outside of combat, this item can temporarily block the Faceless Ghost’s perception of you.”

Purchase requirement: A section of your intestine.

(This item cannot be used by evil entities. If you have already purchased another item with the same effect, this purchase requirement is doubled.)

“Incense Bearing a Cursed Seal”

“Consumable.”

“Effect: When used outside of combat, this item can temporarily block the Devout Ghost’s perception of you.”

Purchase requirement: One of your kidneys.

(This item cannot be used by evil entities. If you have already purchased another item with the same effect, this purchase requirement is doubled.)

I have to ask, are you sure you’re not related to that fellow from Building Four?