In regular online games, players enter as spiritual entities, and their outfits change automatically according to the system. However, in Dream Space, things are different. Whatever Arlo wears in the real world is what he appears in within Dream Space. The equipment he obtained from battles didn't suit modern fashion unless he planned to cosplay. But cosplay only works for specific events; walking around in it daily would make him look like a zoo monkey. Arlo wasn't that eager for attention.
"Luckily, the snakeskin armor fits snugly," Arlo murmured, patting the trousers. "Hmm… but it's fully sealed. What about bathroom breaks? Should I convert this into crotchless pants?"The idea amused him. If Caiyi saw Arlo wearing such pants, she might stop calling him a pervert and instead upgrade it to "lustful maniac."Thinking of Caiyi's scolding, Arlo shuddered and removed the snakeskin armor, placing it back into his inventory. He pulled out a fresh pair of underwear, put them on, and lay on the bed, reflecting on the skills he had learned."If items can be brought into the real world, what about skills?" Intrigued, Arlo tried summoning a wild bull. To his surprise, it worked.In a flash of white light, a massive wild bull appeared in his room. The limited space couldn't contain the entire creature; half its body spilled into the hallway.Startled but thrilled, Arlo quickly recalled the bull to the summoning space. Panting heavily, he covered his mouth to suppress laughter, though it escaped as muffled chuckles: "Mmm-haha...!"The exhilaration was short-lived as exhaustion set in. Having battled for hours in Dream Space, his emotional high drained him further. Without another thought, Arlo collapsed onto the bed and fell into a deep, satisfying sleep—the best he'd had in ages.The next day, Arlo woke up before dawn. His parents were still asleep. Moving quietly, he washed up, grabbed a large basket, hopped on his bike, and slipped out of the house.This was all part of his plan to keep a low profile. Arlo wasn't ready to explain to his parents how he was transporting lamb meat home. Eventually, when he earned enough money, he'd buy a car. Selling lamb wouldn't be as lucrative as snake meat, but it provided a legitimate source of income. The origins of the snake meat were tricky to explain, so he'd save that money for later. If pressed, he could always claim his earnings came from stock trading—many people were doing it these days.Arlo pedaled toward a snake-themed restaurant called Cuisine, located in the affluent northern district. The clientele here was exclusively wealthy, as only they could afford lavish snake banquets. For the average person, one meal could cost an entire month's salary—far beyond most budgets.The restaurant, three stories tall and spanning 500 square meters, boasted assets exceeding 50 million. Its owner was a stunning woman from Hunan, reportedly in her early thirties and still single. Her success as a solo entrepreneur was a source of envy and admiration.When Arlo arrived, the restaurant was already open. Unlike other upscale venues, Cuisine also served breakfast, offering items like snake meat buns and soups. While pricier than regular street food, the breakfast menu was still affordable for some, and the delicious flavors attracted a steady stream of customers.After some thought, Arlo discreetly pulled a piece of python meat and its gallbladder from his inventory, placing them in his basket. Taking a deep breath, he wheeled his bike to the restaurant's side door, which led to the kitchen. Cuisine prided itself on transparent and hygienic food preparation, ensuring customer trust.As Arlo entered with his basket, he immediately caught the attention of a hefty chef. The man walked over, eyeing the basket. "Young man, can I help you?"Arlo set the basket down and pointed at the contents. "I've got fresh snake meat. Would you be interested in buying it?"The chef squatted to inspect the meat closely. Years of experience told him this was premium-grade snake meat. Rising, he said, "This is excellent stuff. But we can't make the call on our own. Wait here. I'll get the boss to speak with you."Arlo nodded politely. "Thank you, sir.""Don't mention it. There's a chair—have a seat." With that, the chef headed upstairs.Arlo sat down and observed the kitchen through a transparent glass wall. Chefs inside were deftly making snake meat buns and preparing snake soup with various ingredients. The rich aroma made Arlo's stomach growl. He hadn't eaten yet, and the scent made him ravenous.Still, he knew it wasn't the time to eat. After five or six minutes, the chef returned, smiling. "Young man, thanks for waiting. The boss will be here shortly."Arlo stood up. "I appreciate it, sir.""No problem." The chef chuckled, casually asking, "By the way, where did you get this snake meat? It's so fresh and high-quality—definitely not farm-raised.""Wild python. It's dangerous and challenging to capture," Arlo replied vaguely, unwilling to reveal too much."You're a snake catcher?" The chef sized him up. Despite Arlo's tall frame, his youth made it surprising that he'd undertake such a risky job, which was usually dominated by older men.Arlo smiled. "Sir, are you doubting the legality of my meat?""Of course not!" The chef laughed nervously, clearly caught off guard. Arlo didn't push the matter further, quietly waiting.Within a minute, a woman descended the stairs, her black heels clicking against the steps with rhythmic precision.She appeared to be in her mid-twenties, with delicate features lightly accented by makeup. Her wavy black hair added a touch of maturity to her allure. Though she stood only about 160 cm tall, her figure was perfectly proportioned, with a strikingly feminine charm accentuated by her dark attire.Arlo's eyes lit up at the sight of her. She wasn't a head-turning beauty, but her poise and sophistication gave her an undeniable appeal. Arlo mentally scored her a solid 90.This woman was the owner of Cuisine. Though in her thirties, she looked much younger, a testament to her self-care."Boss, you're here!" The chubby chef greeted the woman with a broad smile as she descended the stairs.The woman returned the smile and nodded slightly, her gaze falling on Arlo. She seemed intrigued, her eyes lighting up as she assessed him. "Chef Liu, you said this young man is the snake meat seller?"Seeing her eyes scanning Arlo, the chef's plump face twitched, and he chuckled nervously. "Yes, boss. This red-haired young man is the one. Young man, this is our boss."With the introduction, the woman extended her right hand with a friendly smile. "Hello."Arlo shook her hand. "Hello, my name is Arlo. May I ask your name, ma'am?""Arlo? Haha..." The woman laughed pleasantly. "You can call me Sister Bai. My name is Bai Jie.""Alright, Sister Bai," Arlo said, releasing her hand and pointing to the basket of snake meat. "This is the snake meat I brought. Please have a look."Bai Jie seemed reluctant to withdraw her hand, but she turned her attention to the basket. With just one glance, she gasped in surprise. She stepped closer, picked up a piece of snake meat, examined its color, and felt its texture. "This is python meat?"Arlo wasn't surprised that Bai Jie could recognize python meat at a glance. After all, she was in the business and should be familiar with various types of snake meat."Yes, this python was ten meters long and as thick as a barrel. Killing it wasn't easy for me."It certainly wasn't! Releasing venomous attacks in waves to take down the python had been exhausting."Ten meters!?" Bai Jie was taken aback, pointing to the meat in the basket. "All of this came from one python?"Arlo nodded. He then reached into the snake meat, his hand emerging moments later with a fist-sized, emerald-green snake gallbladder. "This is the python's gallbladder. Sister Bai, are you interested?""That's a snake gall?" Bai Jie stared at the massive, emerald-green gallbladder, unable to believe her eyes.As someone familiar with snakes, she knew a typical gallbladder was only the size of a chestnut. This one, however, was the size of a fist. Its size alone was astonishing, and its emerald-green color was considered the highest quality.Chef Liu was equally astonished, staring at the enormous gallbladder in disbelief. It seemed inconceivable that such a high-quality gallbladder could exist."Arlo, may I examine it more closely?" Bai Jie asked excitedly."Of course." Arlo handed the gallbladder to her.Bai Jie carefully held it, inspecting it from every angle. "Yes... it's unmistakably a snake gall. Incredible, truly incredible..."Arlo blinked and asked, "Sister Bai, do you want this gallbladder?""Huh?" Snapping out of her amazement, Bai Jie quickly replied, "Yes! Of course, I do!"Cradling the gallbladder like a treasure, Bai Jie's face lit up with joy. "Arlo, this gallbladder is at least thirty times the size of a normal one, and its quality is top-notch. I'll give you a flat price—100,000. Deal?""100,000!?" Arlo froze for a moment.Thinking Arlo was dissatisfied, Bai Jie frowned slightly. "Arlo, this is already a very generous offer. I doubt anyone else would give you a better price than this.""Oh?" Arlo snapped out of it and nodded. "Alright, 100,000 it is.""Great." Bai Jie's smile returned as she pointed to the basket of snake meat. "The quality of this meat is equally excellent. Since pythons are protected animals and hard to come by, I'll purchase it at 500 per pound. Does that work for you?"