Chapter 45: Item Shop
The group ventured to a bustling area within the port town, where four rows of colonial buildings converged. The intersection was swarming with hundreds of players, all trying to make their way into the two crowded shops: one labeled [Item Shop] and the other [Skill Shop].
These shops were one of the four identical ones available in the port city. Even so, there were a total of over 4000 anxious survivors in this port town and the shop always was the one player that came first.
"Shopping, shopping!!" Vicky cheerfully shouted, her excitement infectious. With a radiant smile, the beautiful actress led the group toward the [Item Shop], and Luis eagerly followed suit. However, Alan held his step for a moment, whispering words to Daniel. The young man nodded in understanding before excusing himself from the group to attend to a different task.
Vicky took notice, but her excitement overrode any curiosity she might have had about his actions, and she decided to enter the shop without further thought.
The [Item Shop] had a charming colonial-style appearance with walls and floors made of old but sturdy wood. The interior was adorned with antique furniture, creating a nostalgic and inviting atmosphere. However, amidst the antique charm, modern panels stood out, accompanied by beautiful and handsome NPCs, all arranged to assist players with accessing the shop and making their purchases.
"Welcome, player! How may I assist you today?" greeted one of the NPCs as the group approached the shop's panels.
Eager to explore the shop's offerings, they proceeded to touch the panel, causing a plethora of information to appear before their eyes.
[Item Shop]
[Weapons] [Body] [Accessories] [Consumables] [Others]
An extensive list of items appeared before their eyes, complete with stats, prices, and visual representations.
[Name/Item Rating/Price]
[Weapons]
[Baseball Bat / 10 / 300]
[Machete / 15 / 600]
[Fragmentation grenade / 20 / 800]
[9mm M9 Beretta / 18 /1000]
####
[Body]
[Fancy Suites / 4 / 100]
[Leather Armor / 14 / 400]
[Padded Armor / 18 / 600]
[Spike Armor / 22 / 1000]
####
[Accessories]
[Bandana / 4 / 200]
[Boots / 6 / 300]
[Poncho / 8 /400]
[Football Helmet / 10 / 500]
####
[Consumables]
[Sandwich / 100]
[Beer / 100]
[Army ration / 200]
[Gauze bandage / 500]
####
[Others]
[Flashlight / 100]
[9 mm bullets (10) / 100]
[Gas Can / 100]
[Lighter /100]
The sheer variety of items tempted the players, but Alan was aware that most of the items available at this stage were common and would soon become obsolete. Nevertheless, he decided to play it safe and purchased two sets of [Padded Armor].
[Padded Armor] x 2: 1200 survival points
[Type: Armor]
[Rarity: Common]
[Attributes: Defense +8]
[Effects: None]
[Equipment Rating: 18]
[Able to Bring Outside the Game: Yes]
[Remarks: It might not look comfortable, but it could save your life]
The [Padded Armor] was the one with the highest defense rating among the [common] items, and the fact that it didn't impose any movement penalty made it an attractive choice for Alan. With his shopping list ready even before the game began, he confidently purchased two sets of [Padded Armor] - one for himself and one for Daniel, as part of their plan.
As Alan made his purchase, Vicky, Luis, and Milo observed him, Impressed by his decisiveness they decided to follow his lead and also bought the [Padded Armor] for themselves.
Milo's eyes landed on the [Steel Knuckle] in the [Weapons] section. The boxer seems to plan to depend on his melee skills in the next round. He eagerly made the purchase, his excitement evident as he slipped the knuckles onto his hands and tested his punches in the air.
Alan couldn't help but feel tempted by the array of swords available in the shop. However, he knew a way to acquire a better sword without spending any of his hard-earned survival points. He decided to hold back and trust his plan.
As the group thought Alan was done with his shopping, they were surprised when he enthusiastically ventured into the [Other] category and made some unusual purchases:
[Padded Armor] x 2: 1200 survival points
[Potato seed] x5: 500 survival points
[Fertilizer]x 2: 200 survival points
[Rake] x1: 100 survival points
[Total purchase: 2000 survival points]
[Survival points: 5760 > 3760]
Confused by his choice of items, they asked, "What the hell are you planning this time, Alan?" With a knowing smile, he simply replied that he had a hunch these items might be needed in the next round. Although they were intrigued by his foresight, the rest of the group hesitated to spend their limited survival points based on a mere hunch.
Considering the scarcity of survival points, Luis suggested selling some of their unused items to afford the purchases. However, Alan stepped in and warned against selling items to the shop, as it would only fetch them a quarter of their original buying price. He urged them not to sell unless absolutely necessary, especially when it came to food items.
"Do not sell your foods"
The group agreed and decided to proceed to the [Skill Shop].
Before they left the place, Daniel entered and approached Alan with a smile, a little surprised by how quickly he had completed his task. "That's fast," Alan commented.
"Haha, Mr. D, like I said, you can always count on me," Daniel replied with a grin.
When Alan handed one of the [Padded Armors] to Daniel, the high school student gave a surprised number of 1200 survival points.
As instructed by Alan, Daniel traded his [Winter Jacket] and Alan's [Jumpers] to another player just outside the shop. These items had become highly sought after due to the terrifying cold weather they had experienced earlier in the game. However, Alan know that there wouldn't be any cold threat in the near future. So, he decided to sell them as quickly as possible to take advantage of the demand.
Such an act might have seemed like exploiting other players, and his old self would have hesitated to engage in such behavior. But the new Alan had learned some harsh lessons in the game. Many of these players wouldn't make it to the end of the Apocalypse game, hence their survival points might be better used for him.