Free Web NovelChapter 30: Chapter 30: Preparations Before Leaving the Tower
The bottom level, Scavenger Port.
Even in the early morning, as long as there’s a livestream in the middle of the port, the bottom-level miners who handed in their minerals yesterday and have some extra food, have already gathered in large numbers outside the huge TV wall.
Bai Wu was also waiting early, thinking about how to monetize such a huge flow of traffic.
After all, the benefits of livestreaming are not just limited to the host selling products; tips, and even the threshold for watching the broadcast, are also major sources of income.
When Liu Chengzi arrived, it was already ten in the morning.
Most of the time, Sea Queen tends to sleep a little longer than ordinary people.
Seeing Bai Wu, she nodded, thinking that this person always appears and disappears unpredictably, and the timing is quite accurate. She had just managed to get the things he asked for done and was worrying about how to contact him when he showed up.
"Morning," Bai Wu greeted politely.
"What morning, you’re supposed to say I love you," Liu Chengzi blurted out habitually.
Bai Wu ignored her:
"Are the equipment and procedures all taken care of?"
Liu Chengzi smiled proudly and said:
"Who am I? Could I possibly not handle this little matter? If he couldn’t handle it, he wouldn’t even be fit to be a bootlicker, and I got the equipment sorted out by noon the next day. And I didn’t expose you."
Bai Wu acknowledged Liu Chengzi’s connections at the bottom level. Liu Chengzi took out the handcuffs:
"These were originally prepared for the bottom-level livestream. There are only three pairs in total, and the other two are with other livestreaming companies. But my boyfriend didn’t say he’d give them to me directly. We have to see how the show goes; if it does well, he’ll let us use them long-term."
Bai Wu wasn’t worried about the show’s effect. Real and fake livestreams could clearly be distinguished.
He looked at the handcuffs:
[They are similar to what you’ve seen before, only the footage won’t be transmitted to the third level but to the TV walls at the Scavenger Port at the bottom level. Boys outside need to learn to protect themselves, please remember to wear a mask and don’t let anyone recognize you.]
The handcuffs were fine, and even the livestreaming route had been set up. Bai Wu looked at Liu Chengzi:
"What about the timing?"
"As soon as you’re ready, we can arrange it. Most of the selling livestreams scheduled recently are fake because it’s too dangerous outside the tower, and fewer and fewer people are willing to go. Actually, you were right before; all these spectators know the score. Livestreams where not a single Evil Fallen is seen are basically all fake."
Liu Chengzi remembered the real livestream from outside the tower she had seen before and said seriously:
"There have been six outside-the-tower livestreams this year, but in five of them, the streamers were torn apart by the Evil Fallen. You can imagine the scene inside and outside the tower at that time. The bottom-level spectators were scared but also found it quite thrilling. So the real big spenders at the port are looking forward to your debut."
Death show? This style of movie did indeed have its moment of popularity, but movies are, after all, fake.
The outside-the-tower livestreams, for these people, are like the underground fights of the former world – a real sensory thrill.
"So, based on past experience, my survival rate is about sixteen percent?"
"Yeah, you’d better think it over. Although I have a hunch that you’re very powerful, outside the tower, no one dares to say they’re absolutely safe."
Considering there’s no decent way to make money in the bottom level right now, Bai Wu decided to give it a try first.
After all, with the Evil Fallen Insulating Physique, if worst comes to worst, returning to the original point isn’t a bad option.
Liu Chengzi also took out a set of clothes.
"Try this on to see if it fits. It’s what you wear for the livestream outside the tower."
[A superhero-style bodysuit from seven hundred years ago, I advise you to decline because it’s honestly too ugly~ Although it’s indeed a Spirit Possession item and can withstand a certain degree of attack.]
A bodysuit...
In his former life, Bai Wu thought the attire of Superman, with the big S on the chest, and Batman with the bat resembling a huge M... When the two heroes got together, it was an eyesore. fɾēewebnσveℓ.com
"Do you have a cloak? Preferably a wide one."
"The shop across the street has some, but mostly they are not Spirit Possession items."
Bai Wu didn’t delay; he went straight across the street and bought a slightly loose black cloak that could cover his entire body.
After dressing up, putting on the Spirit Possession bodysuit and the mask, he had quite the aura of a cult assassin.
Liu Chengzi thought this was where men fell short compared to women. For men to make a name in the livestreaming business, they needed to have a special talent, while for most women, it was enough to just be busty.
After all this was done, Liu Chengzi said,
"The issue of outfit is solved, now there’s only one last step left. You’re from the Investigation Corps, and it’s not allowed to leave the tower privately, but you can go to the free mercenary system and register a mercenary identity."
Free mercenaries are essentially the same as bounty hunters.
This identity does indeed make it easier to leave the tower.
Bai Wu and Liu Chengzi were very efficient, heading straight to Fallen Street to start registering mercenary information.
Fallen Street, located at the center of the lowest level, is the most bustling area of the entire bottom layer.
True to its name, this place has everything: gambling houses, bathhouses, pleasure districts, various lending spots, pawnshops, you name it.
But relatively speaking, what should be the most chaotic place is actually the safest, because it is the stronghold of the "Dark Forces" of the lower levels.
The owners of the shops here all have connections with the nobility of the upper three layers.
Free mercenaries, then, are a system proposed by these nobles who cannot use the Investigation Corps privately. Once the law was passed, those with some abilities in the lower level can take on various tasks here.
The one who was responsible for receiving Bai Wu was a portly middle-aged man.
After explaining the rules of the free mercenaries to Bai Wu, he began to help him with the registration procedures.
Since the Investigation Corps operates with groups of six, free mercenaries, out of humanitarianism, also need to register in groups of six. This has led to dissatisfaction among many lone wolves.
But for every policy from above, there is a countermeasure below.
As long as one is willing to spend a certain amount of Tower Currency, even a lone individual can register as a mercenary. The remaining five squad members will be provided with fake identities by the nobles of the upper layers.
Bai Wu naturally had no teammates and didn’t need any, so he had to borrow five hundred Tower Currency from Liu Chengzi.
"As per convention, little brother, you need to make up... oh no, I mean, you have to give the names of your teammates, code names will do," said the middle-aged man.
As a mercenary in the world of adventurers, if one’s name isn’t very appealing, like Li Gou Dan or Zhang Cui Hua, they could consider choosing a ringing nickname instead.
Bai Wu indeed could not use his real name, so he said,
"Constantine."
If Evil Fallen were viewed as some kind of demon that humans have become corrupted into, then Constantine the demon hunter would indeed fit well.
"And the second teammate?"
"Free Loader."
"Are you sure you want to be called that? What about the third one?"
"Next Time For Sure."
"..."
"The fourth is called ’Gave Last Time’."
"This..."
The person responsible for registering felt that this was a bit too casual.
But it wasn’t too difficult to handle; there had been even stranger ones before.
After all, the authorities upstairs wouldn’t check.
"The fifth is called Liu Chengzi."
"That one is actually normal."
"The sixth is called ’Next Time Not So Sure’."
At first, Liu Chengzi found it amusing, thinking this young man was really interesting. Although these teammates didn’t exist, the names were a bit too tongue-in-cheek.
But upon hearing his own name, Liu Chengzi was stunned.
What was this about, placing him among these names suggestive of freeloaders? What did Bai Wu mean by this?
Was he implying he was going to freeload off him?
(To be continued)
