The next morning, sunlight bathed the earth, heralding the start of a beautiful new day.
The first thing Alexander did upon waking was to check his bag, and indeed, there was a dazzling crystal inside.
He held the crystal up high, allowing the sunlight to filter through its translucent texture, making it shine like a pearl.
Seemingly harboring a million rays of light, the crystal radiated a captivating brilliance. From every angle, it displayed different hues, like a dancer within a gemstone, performing an elegant dance.
Its dream-like quality was nothing short of a masterpiece of nature.
Alexander was astounded; this material was fantastic, a thousand times better than any crystal he had seen in Hurricane City.
In this world, there existed a place known as the "Dimensional Store," where any city lord or manager could exchange resources.
Although the crystal was of excellent quality, the level of Hope City was too low for Alexander to make use of such a high-grade resource at the moment.
Thus, selling it for other basic resources seemed like the best option.
With a ripple in space, Alexander's consciousness entered the Dimensional Store for the first time.
The exterior of the Dimensional Store was extraordinary, resplendent and grand. A building of over fifty floors stood like a sacred sword on this bustling land.
Inside, each floor was ingeniously designed as a huge circular auction hall, allowing visitors to easily view all the items on display.
The Dimensional Store was famous for its vast scale and plethora of rare items. It had everything one could imagine.
The lower floors displayed more common treasures and resources, popular among lower-level players. Here, players could exchange for the most basic materials needed in the game world.
As one ascended the floors, the value and rarity of the items increased. Each level was like a new world, showcasing varying degrees of luxury and beauty.
Dressed casually, Alexander quietly entered the tenth floor of the Dimensional Store. His arrival went unnoticed; instead, many sneered at his naivety.
"Hey, hey, this is the tenth floor, not a place for little guys like you."
"His presence really lowers our standards. Should we leave?"
"Am I seeing things? Is his level only 10?"
Alexander observed his surroundings silently. He walked past these people and approached the area where the auctioneer was located.
"Hello, I'm George. Young man, what can I do for you?"
Auctioneer smiled politely at Alexander but inwardly scoffed, planning to chat briefly before advising him to leave.
"Hello, I'm Alexander." As he spoke, Alexander took out the crystal from his bag. "Could you appraise this? I want to sell it."
"Oh, alright, let me see your crystal." George was surprised; he hadn't expected Alexander to bring such a rare resource.
However, as an auctioneer on the tenth floor of the Dimensional Store, George was no stranger to these scarce resources. He placed the crystal on a specialized device, intending to appraise its grade with the instrument.
Meanwhile, those who had previously mocked Alexander gathered around.
They didn't interact with him, instead expressing surprise at his luck. For a level 10 novice to possess such a rare material was indeed very fortunate.
"Do you think his crystal is real?"
"I'm not sure, but it might just be a fake that looks similar."
"I agree. George, being an experienced auctioneer, should be able to tell the difference at a glance. Theoretically, there's no need to appraise such a crystal; it's a completely unnecessary step."
"Wait, there's going to be a good show. The rules of the Dimensional Store are very strict. If someone dares to break the rules and sell fakes here, they will be severely punished."
The crowd buzzed with conversation, oblivious to Alexander standing nearby. Unbothered by their unfriendly remarks, Alexander continued to watch George's every move.
Before long, George had positioned the crystal correctly and pressed the appraisal button.
"Whoosh!"
A kaleidoscope of light filled the hall, dazzling like the morning sun. The crystal in George's hand emitted a brilliant glow, drawing all eyes to it and astonishing the onlookers.
Those who had initially ridiculed Alexander were now dumbfounded, discussing the mysterious crystal.
Although they had previously underestimated Alexander, they now had to admit that the crystal was not only genuine but much more valuable than they had imagined.
George too was stunned by the sight before him, his eyes filled with shock and awe.
He exclaimed, "This crystal contains such pure energy. Its grade is probably unimaginable!"
Hearing George's words, Alexander inwardly smiled, always aware of the crystal's value. However, he didn't boast, merely observing everything calmly in the hall, waiting for the final result.
Those who had laughed at Alexander could no longer find humor. They all wanted to greet him, but Alexander paid them no attention.
"Respected guest, it's crowded and chaotic here. Please follow me to the VIP exclusive area, where it's quieter and more comfortable," George said respectfully to Alexander.
Alexander nodded and followed George, with all eyes on him.
"My goodness, who is this level 10 guy, and why is he being invited to the VIP exclusive area?" someone exclaimed.
"This is the VIP exclusive area of the tenth floor of the Dimensional Store. I come from Thunderstorm City, our city is already at level 45, and even our city lord doesn't have the privilege to enter here."
"Hmph, what's there to envy? No matter how valuable that crystal is, he only has one," someone said jealously.
Alexander followed George into the VIP exclusive area.
The environment here was even more elegant, the entire space illuminated by exquisite decorations, luxurious yet tasteful. The sofas were adorned with fruits and tea, and George invited Alexander to partake.
Alexander picked up a few grapes, finding them quite tasty.
"Mr. Alexander, how do you plan to deal with this crystal?" George asked respectfully, standing beside him.
"I'd like to exchange it for wealth points. Can you calculate its worth for me?" Alexander responded.
"Please wait a moment while I make an estimation."
George took out a device resembling a calculator and, after a series of calculations, said, "With my current authority, I can offer you up to 1000 points. Is that acceptable?" His tone carried a hint of uncertainty.
"How much? 1000 points!" Alexander was stunned.
He knew the crystal was valuable, but he hadn't expected it to be worth so much.
Moreover, judging by George's tone, he seemed unsure, suggesting the price might even be higher.
Seeing Alexander's reaction, George felt he might have quoted too low. However, as the tenth floor's auctioneer, 1000 points was the maximum he could offer.
Determined to close the deal, George decided to say, "Respected guest, as a gesture of my sincerity, I can offer you a gold membership card as a gift. With this card, you'll enjoy a 20% discount on purchases in the first ten floors of the Dimensional Store."
After a moment's thought, Alexander said, "Alright, let's proceed as you suggested."
The transaction was quickly completed, and upon leaving the VIP area, Alexander headed straight for the ground floor of the Dimensional Store.
Here, basic resources such as stone, wood, grain, and animal feed were sold.
The prices of these commodities were fixed, with one unit of resource costing one wealth point (unit: ton).
To build the City of Hope, Alexander needed a substantial amount of basic resources. He spent 500 wealth points to exchange for 250 units of stone and wood.
As a miner with ten years of experience, Alexander knew the importance of these resources, which could establish a complete infrastructure for the City of Hope.
With these basic resources, the City of Hope was set to undergo significant changes.
Next, Alexander visited the second floor, where standard weapons and armor were sold.
Although these items weren't of the highest craftsmanship, they were affordable—a set of weapons and armor for one point.
Alexander purchased 450 sets of weapons and armor outright, strengthening his subordinates' capabilities. This would make them more efficient in carrying out tasks and handling emergencies.
With the remaining 50 points, Alexander chose a set of exquisite equipment. While costly, its quality and performance far exceeded ordinary gear.
Alexander believed that with this gear, his combat and operational abilities would be greatly enhanced.
Since he held a gold card, he enjoyed a 20% discount at checkout, saving him 200 points.
Alexander used these leftover points to buy some seasonings and food. Now, he no longer had to worry about his subordinates suffering from a lack of food, as these supplies were sufficient to feed 100 people for a month.
Before leaving, Alexander also used the remaining points to buy some life potions and mana potions.