Chapter 8 - Chapter 8

[Breathing Starts. Begin to adjust the user's meridian channel according to the breathing technique's record]

The breathing started unusually. Through Stein's help, it took Zhang Qin Feng less than five minutes to adjust his breathing. Although it hardly generates a visible effect straightaway, the breathing technique still managed to clear his clouded mind after cultivated for close to fifteen minutes.

'What is this comfortable feeling? Is this what you call being one with the Golden Qi around you?' Zhang Qin Feng felt like he had just entered a brand new world. Without a scientific explanation behind this, the fifteen minutes' worth of cultivation could actually make his mind clearer and sense of sight getting sharper.

[Please don't embarrass yourself, my user. You're yet to reach the level of having the Purple Dragon Qi in your body. From the scientific point of view, that's just an after-effect of meditating your state of mind. The good feeling that you're feeling now is because there's a hint of improvement in your health]

'&%$£&!&?'

Zhang Qin Feng almost spouted a few cursing words out when Stein ruined his spirit with a few sentences.

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[It's time to exchange the currency in your hand]

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Stein's reminded him to hurry before the opportunity left. Very often, fluctuation like this would only last for 30 minutes at most before it was readjusted. And by the time it was modified, the rates are usually worst than before.

"Welcome to our Qingzhou Exchange Outlet! How may I help you for today?" a female cashier greeted Zhang Qin Feng this time. The male cashier that attended him earlier was nowhere to be seen.

"Hello. Can I exchange the Han Country's Yuan?" Qin Lan said.

"Of course! How much you have, please?" the female cashier asked.

Zhang Qin Feng took the envelope out from his pocket. After opening the seal right in front of the female cashier, he placed the total of 1,725 Yuan Dollars inside the safety drawer.

By moving a few mechanisms that restrict a party from accessing the money in a transaction, the female cashier took the banknotes from her side and calculated the amount. After confirming that's 1,725 Yuan Dollars exactly, she selected the option on her computer's screen.

"Based on the current exchange rate, the rates would be 195:100. Would you like to proceed?" the cashier asked.

"Yes. Please exchange everything back to the local dollar banknotes, please." Zhang Qin Feng nodded.

"Please wait for a moment." the female cashier tapped a few numbers into the computer and followed with printing a receipt to be signed by Zhang Qin Feng.

After conversion, the final total ended up at 884.61 dollars. It was a net profit of nearly 130 dollars after deducting the processing fee for all transactions below a thousand dollars.

Zhang Qin Feng left the Qingzhou Mall after finishing what he was supposed to do. Having nearly 900 dollars in his hand somewhat cheered him up as he was considered broke a few days back.

'Stein. Is there anything else we can do in the meantime?' Zhang Qin Feng asked.

[Since there's a few hours before your only friend comes back, I would suggest that the user put some effort into adapting to your surrounding. To experience what you're roughly going through after Dimensional Travel, kindly visit the arcade on your way back home]

'Wait... Arcade? Are you serious?' Zhang Qin Feng asked. Going to the arcade wasn't something new to him. But in his opinion, the arcade was a place that burns his money faster than him trying to finish a beer in a shot.

[Yes, arcade. We can use the opportunity to recharge while I enhance your experience]

'Then... Let's try...' Zhang Qin Feng hesitates. But in the end, he made his way into the arcade as he was told.

[Good. There was a charging station over there. Pay a dollar and plug your mobile phone there. Let's stand there for three minutes]

'What are you trying to do?' Zhang Qin Feng was unable to understand the reason behind Stein's instruction. After paying the fee of a dollar, he collected the key for one of the twenty-five charging drawers.

The moment Zhang Qin Feng connected the charging cable to his mobile phone, something immediately happened. As the power delivery outlets were all connected via a few charging hubs, it ended up as a loophole for Stein to take advantage of.

One minute after the charging cable is connected, the sound of mobile devices inside the drawers are shutting down can be heard. It wasn't one or two, but almost all of them except for his own.

[Let's leave your device in here and go to one of those horror game shooting machines. We have enough charges to enhance your gaming experience]

Stein said after it pulled enough power from the charging station.

Moving from one zombie shooter machine to another, Zhang Qin Feng followed Stein's instructions carefully and chose one with a pistol as the game's primary weapon.

[Remember, this is only an enhanced virtual reality. The purpose behind this is to prepare yourself before we try using the dimensional travel over to where I came from]

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[Are you ready?]

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Stein asked.

-

'Bring it on.' Zhang Qin Feng nodded. Both of his hand is holding on to the pistol tightly.

Soon, a different soundtrack that does not come from the game played right in his ears. His surrounding with people now changed into an abandoned building infested with zombies all around him.

All the hair follicles along his arm stand the moment an eerie feeling surrounded Zhang Qin Feng. Being thrown into a world like this is indeed nerve-breaking as his heartbeat palpitates faster than before.

[Continue with the game. This is just a simulation for you to get used to!]

Stein's reminder came like the sound of the savior. Although his hand is still shaking from all of these, he still managed to score a thousand plus points before dying in the game.

[Simulation over. Dimensional System is in Power Saving Mode]

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[Please return to the charging station for an emergency recharge]

-

Stein's notice came like an alarm to Zhang Qin Feng's mind as he was still sweating from all the experience. Although it was just a short ten minutes simulation, it roughly gave him an idea of what to expect from the Dimensional Travel.

"Psh... Did you look at how he game? He's like a sick b**tard that went into hallucination, don't you think so?" one of the players using another console beside him said to his friend.

"Yeah... Look at those sweat on his back and his forehead. Did he had too much cocaine before coming here to game?" the other guy replied.

"Cocaine your head. Look at his appearance... He's too poor to afford drugs. I guess he's either drunk too much or sneakily bottoms-up a bottle of cough syrup." the two continued.

Close to ten minutes or so, Zhang Qin Feng left the arcade after he calmed himself. Stein also managed to recharge itself slightly.

But the thing was different that night to the arcade's owner. Checking on his smart meter, he noticed a 15% increase in daily usage.

'Did the setting malfunctioned around the dinner period? How can the electrical usage increased by so much?" he asked.