Chapter 63: A Gamble?

This question didn’t linger long in the receptionist’s mind.

Very soon, Wen Nan displayed his player account, the balance glaringly obvious: 688,194 gold coins.

There really was a player who, after traversing just one trial map, managed to collect more than 680,000 gold coins? How was that even possible?

“How do I buy? Are there any procedures?” Wen Nan, under the receptionist’s probing gaze, asked.

He wasn’t certain whether, in this game, buying land or a house as an individual involved a set of complicated steps, just as it did in real life.

If there really was such a process...

He focused on the floating line of system prompts before his eyes—

[Time remaining until the next dungeon opens: 04:23:56—]

Wen Nan had just over four hours left to linger in this hall; if the transaction couldn’t be completed before the dungeon, his plan to found a guild might have to be postponed.

Fortunately, upon seeing Wen Nan’s account balance, the receptionist’s attitude shifted dramatically, becoming warmly enthusiastic: “No procedures, sir! You just need to verify your identity and confirm payment, and your personal, exclusive private domain will be delivered within five minutes! Ready to move in right away!”

Five-minute delivery? Ready to move in? How considerate.

With the receptionist’s guidance, Wen Nan completed identity verification and paid at lightning speed. For the first time in his life, he became a homeowner—without a mortgage!

Stepping out the small door of the public center, Wen Nan walked toward the system-designated handover location, full of anticipation.

He’d barely taken a step when a heavy crash sounded behind him, followed by the shattering of objects, and then—

“Damn it! Who was blind enough to topple my shelves? My miniature sample houses! Half a month’s work, all wasted!”

Hearing the anguished cries from inside, Wen Nan narrowed his eyes and glanced suspiciously at Yu Shujun, who followed closely at his side.

Yu Shujun shrugged with a blank expression. “He was careless. It has nothing to do with me, master.”

Like hell it doesn’t.

You wanted to act just now, didn’t you? Held back until we were out the door, just worried that destroying the shelves ahead of time would affect the handover, right?

Wen Nan grumbled inwardly but didn’t pursue the matter. Following the system’s navigation, he quickly arrived at the plot he’d purchased—his very own domain.

The sight stunned him.

This place... was smaller than the restroom in his old hospital!

Small as it was, its layout and interior decor matched exactly what he’d seen at the public center earlier.

It was indeed a two-story duplex apartment, but the combined height of both floors was barely over three meters. The first floor was two meters tall—just barely usable. The second floor was only one and a half meters—suitable for hobbits or goblins, perhaps.

The first floor served as the business hall, with a total area of about eight square meters. Yet, just like the sample, it was divided into two rooms, and there was even a “thoughtful” central island for tea and drinks!

Wen Nan squeezed himself onto the three-seat sofa in the “grand” reception hall, gazing at the miniature landscape before him, feeling conflicted.

Had he entered the land of Lilliputians?

Was this public center sponsored by some discount conglomerate?

He suddenly realized why the receptionist had been so eager to complete the handover...

Wen Nan recognized that prolonged exposure to the psychiatric hospital had left him unaccustomed to the treacheries of society; he’d been too careless.

Yu Shujun, observing Wen Nan’s expression, spoke coldly from the side: “If you can’t accept this, you can return it, master.”

Wen Nan was taken aback. “It can be returned?”

“In theory, no,” Yu Shujun replied calmly. “But I can help you try, master.”

Wen Nan knew Yu Shujun’s methods well enough; he waved his hand. “Uh, no need.”

Returning it was out of the question—never, not in this lifetime.

He hadn’t bought this private domain for the house itself. What he wanted was the guild establishment rights and the teleportation point function.

As long as these two perks were included, the size of the house didn’t matter. He’d be entering a dungeon soon, anyway; it wasn’t as if he’d be staying here long.

His plan was sound. Wen Nan settled into the sofa and opened the system shop—

As expected, within his private domain, his skills, shop, and inventory were all reactivated.

He opened the shop, ready to buy a new outfit, when the system notification sounded in his mind.

9527: [Congratulations, contestant! You have successfully founded your exclusive guild. You may now modify the guild name and other information in the system community.]

9527: [For the first ten days after the guild’s founding, there will be a trial operation period. During this time, your guild is considered temporary. The guild master must complete the following tasks in stages to upgrade the guild to official status. Please take note.]

Wen Nan was a bit bewildered.

So, spending money to buy this private domain didn’t equate to successfully founding a guild? He had to complete tasks?

9527: [During the trial operation, the guild master’s tasks are divided into three stages—

1) Within 24 hours of founding, the guild master must recruit at least one member and sign a membership contract of three years or longer;

2) Within 5 days, the guild master must expand the guild to 10 members (contracts of three years or longer). If achieved, you will be gifted a new domain (an exact replica of your current private domain), to be established at the game hall you arrive at after completing your next dungeon;

3) Within 10 days, the guild master must expand the guild to 20 members (contracts of three years or longer). If achieved, you will be gifted another new domain (an exact replica of your current private domain), to be established at the game hall you arrive at after completing the dungeon after next;

If any stage is not completed, the private domain will be reclaimed (gold coins are non-refundable), and your guild founding rights will be permanently revoked.

If the trial operation is completed successfully, the guild is officially founded, and all basic guild privileges, including teleportation points, will be activated.]

This was essentially a gamble: Wen Nan completed the tasks and received two extra private domains for teleportation; if he failed, even his current domain would be taken away, and he’d lose eligibility forever.

The terms seemed fair enough.

But the problem was... he had only three hours before the dungeon.

Which meant he needed to recruit a founding member with a three-year contract within these three hours?