Chapter 77: Lost Songs of the Deep (4)
The salesman, now confused by the presence of two black cards, hesitated momentarily.
He initially thought the boy was with Ye Nianchu, the “golden master” sister.
"Swipe this one," Qin Mubai said indifferently, handing his card over.
The salesman complied and quickly returned the other card to Ye Nianchu.
Ye Nianchu observed the interaction with mild amusement.
She hadn’t fully experienced the benefits of having a "golden master" by her side.
Is this it? A showdown over a yacht?
The two then proceeded to a mall. With Qin Mubai's assistance, Ye Nianchu was able to handle the shopping efficiently. They gathered everything they needed within the limited time they had.
After finishing their tasks, the day drew to a close.
The following day, to maximize efficiency, they split up to complete their preparations. By the afternoon, they had managed to organize all necessary items.
They were preparing for a special game, and while the likelihood of running out of food was slim, they decided to stock up for twenty days. In case of emergencies, such as the ship sinking, having ample supplies would be beneficial.
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The sea breeze stirred the white curtains as the setting sun bathed the blue sea in a golden hue. The waves shimmered in the twilight.
An ethereal melody, like distant waves crashing against rocks or a haunting, wordless tune, drifted into Ye Nianchu's ears.
She set down the conch she had been examining and frowned.
Earlier, she had spotted a beautiful conch ornament for sale by the seaside, advertised with the phrase: "You can hear the sea sing."
Intrigued by the sign, she had purchased it on impulse.
Despite the enchanting sound it produced, Ye Nianchu felt an inexplicable discomfort.
The unsettling feeling seemed to originate deep within her heart, rather than from the external environment.
What secrets might the ocean be hiding?
After dinner, Ye Nianchu and Qin Mubai ventured out as ordinary tourists and visited the seaside night market.
They came across the conch vendor from earlier.
The night market was bustling with vendors selling various conchs and shells, but this particular stall didn’t stand out.
The slogan "You can hear the sea sing" likely appealed only to game players.
“480 dollars for a conch? Isn’t that a rip-off?” a girl with long hair remarked, putting down the conch she was holding. She addressed the two young men next to her, “Let’s not fall for this.”
The vendor, displeased, retorted, “Just because you won’t buy it doesn’t mean you can criticize. My conchs are sizable and priced accordingly. Clear pricing is not a rip-off.”
“What if there’s a hint for the game here?” one of the boys suggested, eyeing the sign next to the stall.
The girl hesitated, then asked the vendor, “Can you lower the price a bit?”
“At least 450 dollars. If you’re not buying, then forget it,” the vendor replied.
The girl, curious, reached out and briefly held the conch to her ear before the vendor could react.
“Hey, what are you doing? Don’t touch if you’re not buying,” the vendor said, snatching the conch back, visibly annoyed.
“If you’re not selling it, who cares?” The girl shrugged and walked away with her companions.
The girl commented, “How was it? Did you hear anything?”
“It was just an ordinary conch. Glad I didn’t waste money on it,” she replied with satisfaction.
Ye Nianchu, standing nearby with a glass of juice, observed the scene with detached interest.
Tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m., they would board the cruise.
Today was their last opportunity for any final preparations.