[WARNING! You don't have enough space in your Inventory!]
Xin felt puzzled and decided to check his [Inventory]. He was taken aback to see that it was already full, even though he had only been playing the game for about an hour and a half.
He noticed that he could save up to x99 items in his storage, but there was a catch — he couldn't stack multiple copies of the same item together.
Curiosity struck Xin as he wondered if this was the maximum limit for his Inventory. Seeking an answer, he searched through his in-game Library and quickly found information about the [Inventory].
After reading a brief description, he realized that his initial assumption was correct. The limit of x99 items was indeed the capacity of his Inventory, and he would need to manage his items wisely to make room for new ones.
However, once he was out of Newbie Island and entered towns, he had the option to store his items in banks.
These Banks offered a convenient solution to his inventory space problem. With a bank account, he could store an unlimited number of items without any restrictions, unlike his limited Inventory.
An icon representing the Bank would appear on his screen too, allowing him to access it at any time.
One of the advantages of using the Bank was the added safety it provided. Unlike his Inventory, the Bank's security system prevented the skill [STEAL] from being used to steal his items.
However, utilizing the Bank's perks came at a cost. He would have to pay a monthly fee to maintain his bank account. The option which allowed him to store unlimited items required a hefty fee of 100,000 gil per month.
The cheaper version cost 10,000 gil per month and provided storage for up to x999 items. In real money, this translated to a monthly payment of ten dollars.
Still not cheap. Xin mused to himself as he thought of the items to throw and keep. He badly needed to go to Seagull's Nest and sell all his items to free up his Inventory.
"You okay?" Triton asked when Xin paused.
Xin closed his [Menu] and nodded at Triton. "Yeah."
"Then let's go. Seagull's Nest is just around the corner."
When they finally reached their destination, Xin's breath caught in his throat. The sight before him was like something out of a TV show.
The town was a charming sight, stretching along pebbled beaches and grassy fields. There were prominent rocks scattered throughout the streets, serving as natural backdrops for the buildings. In the water, fishing communities extended with long piers and houses on stilts.
But what caught Xin's attention the most was a massive floating rock tethered by enormous chains. It seemed as if the rock was being held in place, almost like an anchor. One side of the rock was rugged, while the other had a flat plateau where several houses stood.
From a distance, Xin could see signs hanging, indicating the presence of a bustling market.
The streets were filled with people, mostly humans, and half-elves with bluish skin. They made up the majority of the population. Other humanoid creatures, like merfolk, were less common but still present.
Every now and then, sahuagin and kobold merchants could be seen selling their crafted goods. Horses and oxen were around, but the most commonly used animals for carrying heavy loads were axe beaks with brown feathers.
Xin was amazed at all the creatures he was seeing, and he had a hard time taking his eyes off the scene.
Among the townsfolk, there were also players who had been on the island for a few days. Some of them had reached LV.20, while Xin's level shot to fifteen, thanks to the vultures that he didn't defeat.
"Because of maintenance in progress, people in the Floating Market are not allowed to leave for a few days," explained Triton. "This also applied to those in town who wanted to visit the market. The only way to access the market is through wooden elevator cranes, which are operated by trained axe beaks. These axe beaks will pull ropes and chains to lift the platforms and transport people to the market.
"The townspeople held a belief that if the chains keeping the floating rock in place were removed, the rock would drift away. To prevent this, the local druid attempted to create moss that would serve as a lubricant for the chains. However, as the mayor had anticipated, this method proved ineffective. The maintenance work on the chains and lifts was postponed until the necessary oil and grease could be obtained.
"Unfortunately, the town is facing a shortage of oil due to extensive whaling, which has disrupted the natural replenishment of whale populations. To make matters worse, the Reef Raiders have recently stolen barrels of oil from a merchant who is on their way to deliver it to Seagull's Nest as part of their annual shipment."
As usual, Triton was quick to explain things even without Xin asking. He was grateful, though, since he got a picture of what was going on inside the town.
"Well . . . this is the end of the line for me," Triton said, grinning from ear to ear at Xin. "Just talk to the mayor about finding those dead bodies and claim your reward in Ilyath's shop. Though you have to wait for the oil to arrive to get to the floating market."
"Thank you," Xin said sincerely. Triton was a big help – a very big help.
"Bwahahaha! Don't worry about it! We're buddies, after all!" Triton slapped Xin's back, causing the latter to hurl forward. "If you need anything from me, just retrace your steps. I'll just be on the coast."
"Bye, Lord Schrodinger! See you again!" Triton waved his hand and went back to the shore.
Xin rubbed his injured back and checked the time; his two hours were almost up, so he decided to sell his loot first to see if he could really earn a decent amount of money.
Exploring the town would have to wait for now.