Chapter 33: The Worker

Pushing open the door, a tide of clamorous voices surged toward him, and before Lin Yi's eyes unfolded the magnificent spectacle of the Reincarnation Paradise.

His gaze swept through the bustling crowds and landed on the various architectural structures.

Some buildings were forged from metal, shimmering with a cold light; others were constructed from brick and stone, exuding an ancient and solemn aura; some even appeared to be formed by living organisms, with liquid occasionally seeping from their surfaces, looking mysterious and eerie.

The presence of these buildings formed a network of crisscrossing streets throughout the Reincarnation Paradise.

On both sides of the streets, people in all sorts of strange costumes came and went—some clad in full suits of armor, others carrying staves—giving Lin Yi the sensation of having suddenly stepped into a cosplay convention.

Lin Yi even saw someone sitting directly by the roadside, a carpet spread out before them filled with various items, as they hawked their wares with enthusiasm.

Looking up, Lin Yi saw that the sky above the Reincarnation Paradise was covered by a layer of milky-white membrane, resembling an inverted large bowl that encased the entire paradise within.

The ground beneath his feet was a pale yellow gelatinous substance; while not particularly soft, it was very smooth, providing a peculiar tactile sensation.

The area of the Reincarnation Paradise seemed boundless; even as Lin Yi looked into the far distance, he could not see the end.

Withdrawing his gaze, Lin Yi began to carefully scan the stalls along the sides of the road.

The stalls displayed a vast array of items, ranging from weapons to armor, potions to ores, and even some strange and peculiar skill books.

The prices of these items varied wildly; some could be purchased for just a few Paradise Coins, while others required thousands or even tens of thousands of Paradise Coins to acquire.

However, the higher the price, the larger the crowd of onlookers surrounding the item. It seemed that even in the Reincarnation Paradise, people's tendency to watch the spectacle remained unchanged.

Here, there was nothing you couldn't imagine, and everything was for sale.

Lin Yi's gaze was inadvertently drawn to a particular stall, which, surprisingly, was filled entirely with Viagra.

The crowd around the stall was continuous, with people occasionally stopping to ask the price in low voices before completing a transaction. He hadn't expected that something like Viagra would have such a strong market in the Reincarnation Paradise.

"Life Recovery Potion, 1000 Paradise Coins. 20% off for three bottles or more."

"Seeking protection from a big shot, price is negotiable."

In addition to the busy trading, the market was also filled with various messages seeking party members.

Some shouted loudly to find like-minded companions, while others stood silently to the side, holding signs with party recruitment information.

Lin Yi remembered how the game's global chat screen used to be filled with requests for parties, trades, and idle chatter; now, those scenes were being reenacted in reality.

Wandering through the market, Lin Yi would occasionally squat down to haggle with the vendors.

Although he didn't end up buying much, this familiar market atmosphere gave him an unprecedented sense of stability.

Just as Lin Yi was becoming somewhat lost in his wandering, several young women suddenly entered his field of vision, pulling him back from his reverie to reality.

"Is there something you need?" Lin Yi's tone carried a hint of vigilance, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Sensing the aura of danger emanating from Lin Yi, the young women couldn't help but feel a bit nervous.

One of the girls mustered her courage, stepped forward, and explained, "Don't misunderstand. We are just Staff Members. We wanted to ask if you need guide services."

Hearing this, Lin Yi's eyebrows twitched slightly.

He sized up the girls before him and noticed they were all wearing uniform attire with work badges pinned to their chests; they did indeed look like professional guides.

"Staff Members?" The term sounded unfamiliar to Lin Yi, but combined with the girls' explanation and attire, he could roughly guess its meaning.

Once he determined that these girls were not looking for trouble, Lin Yi's expression gradually returned to normal.

However, he remained vigilant in his heart. He was completely unfamiliar with the Reincarnation Paradise; if he were to be accidentally swindled, he would truly become a laughingstock.

"Alright, relax, Contractor. It is absolutely safe in the Reincarnation Paradise. You don't need to be so tense."

One of the girls spoke to Lin Yi with a smile, attempting to ease his strained nerves.

Even though Lin Yi tried his best to make his expression look natural, the girls still felt a sensation like thorns against their backs.

They could clearly sense the dangerous aura and wariness emanating from him, which made them feel somewhat uneasy.

However, the girls did not dwell on this.

They knew that low-level Contractors who had just returned from a derivative world often suffered from a form of persecutory delusion, feeling as though everyone around them wanted to harm them.

This mindset was not uncommon here, so they did not pay much attention to Lin Yi's abnormal behavior.

Led by the girls, Lin Yi arrived at a bustling beverage shop.

The interior was decorated simply and warmly, with various cute stickers and hand-drawn patterns on the walls, creating a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere.

The shop owner was a young woman who greeted every customer with a beaming smile.

When she saw the girls leading Lin Yi inside, a flash of pleasant surprise crossed her eyes, clearly indicating she was well-acquainted with them.

The woman handed Lin Yi an exquisite menu listing various uniquely flavored drinks.

"A lemonade, please. Thank you." Lin Yi scanned the menu and made a quick choice.

While waiting for his drink, Lin Yi turned his attention to the girls beside him.

One of the girls spoke up, "Let's get this straight: our services are not free. We help you understand the Reincarnation Paradise, and you pay us in Paradise Coins. The price is very fair—just 20 Paradise Coins."

After hearing the girl's words, Lin Yi gained a clearer understanding of the purchasing power of Paradise Coins.

Clearly, in the Reincarnation Paradise, the value of Paradise Coins was extremely high.

Aside from supplies related to Contractors, the prices of other daily necessities were very cheap.

For example, the lemonade he had just ordered only cost 0.4 Paradise Coins.

And the most expensive drink on the menu did not exceed 1 Paradise Coin.

This also reflected the preciousness and scarcity of Paradise Coins from another angle.

Lin Yi nodded slightly to show his understanding, feeling neither dissatisfied nor repulsed by the need to pay a fee.

There was no such thing as a free lunch in this world; if one wanted to receive help and service from others, one had to pay the corresponding price.

Furthermore, this price was not too high for him and was well within his means.

"Fine, but the information must be accurate. Otherwise, don't blame me for causing trouble later."

"Don't worry. We Staff Members aren't like you Contractors, full of schemes and ulterior motives." The girl chuckled softly, gently stirring the coffee in her hand as if using the gesture to relax the atmosphere. "The information we provide is absolutely accurate."

After learning how to trade Paradise Coins, Lin Yi transferred 20 Paradise Coins to the girls.

He hoped their information would be worth the cost.

"Then let me explain to you first what a Staff Member is." One of the girls began to explain in detail.

It turned out that there were two main groups in the Reincarnation Paradise: Staff Members and Contractors.

Staff Members, as the name implied, were service personnel working within the Reincarnation Paradise, responsible for maintaining its normal operation.

Contractors, on the other hand, were the fighters who slaughtered in derivative worlds to earn World Sources for the Reincarnation Paradise.

The girl continued her explanation, "The so-called Staff Members are actually Contractors who failed their job transitions. However, being a Staff Member has its advantages. For instance, the frequency of entering derivative worlds is much lower than that of Contractors—they only need to enter a derivative world about once every two months."

This could be considered a form of compensation for Staff Members; although they might not be able to compare to Contractors in terms of strength, they could at least enjoy a relatively stable life.