Chapter 278 - 43: Got a Shop

The factory district was even more spectacular than Duan Fei had imagined.

After getting Yu Bo’s permission, Duan Fei released a drone. Observing the scene below through its camera, he saw that the area was filled with massive factory complexes.

Thick smokestacks continuously spewed exhaust into the sky, perpetually polluting the air. This also caused the carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere to constantly rise, increasing the air temperature.

The place was completely uninhabitable. Furthermore, the intel fed back from the drone showed Duan Fei that there was no human activity.

Yu Bo handed gas masks to Duan Fei and Jinghong, his muffled voice ringing out from under his own mask. "This is the factory. Its area is equivalent to three and a half Earths. In terms of depth, it’s located beneath the city level, but the two can only connect in specific ways. The only way to leave the factory is by elevator. But as you’ve seen, only we administrators know how to use them. Pressing random buttons will only take you to some terrifying places. So don’t trust anyone who claims to be an administrator but isn’t."

After explaining the basics, Yu Bo continued forward, telling Duan Fei and Jinghong, "The factory can produce any commodity. The instance you experienced before was an affiliated world of the factory. The items you promoted in there will become the factory’s flagship products. You’ll be able to see the factory owner shortly."

Leading Duan Fei and Jinghong through narrow alleyways, Duan Fei saw that the ceiling was covered in condenser pipes. Countless conduits carried unidentifiable liquids.

A massive nuclear power plant was in constant operation, and the electricity it generated powered the entire factory.

Although he couldn’t see anyone, Duan Fei had the strange feeling that there were other people around him.

He could almost feel eyes on his back, and faint murmurs of discussion kept reaching his ears, making him feel as if someone was watching and constantly judging him.

But when he turned his head, he saw nothing at all.

Jinghong’s Reaction was even more pronounced. The feeling of being watched, sometimes there and sometimes not, made her uneasy, and her hand, holding Duan Fei’s, grew clammy.

Duan Fei decided to test it.

He looked at some cargo nearby and noticed signs that it had been moved, but he still couldn’t see anyone.

Memorizing the cargo’s position, he turned away, then whipped back around. He found that the cargo had indeed moved, but there was still not a soul in sight.

Sensing the strangeness around them, Duan Fei immediately asked, "Yu Bo, what’s going on?"

"The factory isn’t empty. It’s just that its workers exist on a plane we can’t see. Don’t worry too much. We’re about to meet the factory owner."

Just as Yu Bo said, after walking for another ten minutes, they finally saw a small wooden cabin.

Unlike the surrounding steel-and-concrete structures, the small cabin looked completely out of place. It gave one the feeling that some important event was waiting to be triggered inside.

Standing at the entrance, Yu Bo knocked lightly three times. After hearing the lock turn from inside, he stepped aside, gesturing for Duan Fei and Jinghong to enter on their own.

The moment they stepped through the door, the feeling of being watched from outside vanished completely.

The small wooden door gave Duan Fei and Jinghong an immense sense of security. It also made Duan Fei feel that the development team for *Abyss* had a twisted sense of humor to have created such a place.

The cabin wasn’t large, but it had a very lived-in feel.

A kettle of water sat on a coal-burning stove. Caked with limescale, the kettle had come to a boil and was emitting a piercing whistle.

A rough hand reached out, lifted the boiling kettle, and poured water into a chipped teacup before handing it to Duan Fei and Jinghong.

When he got a clear look at the person’s face, Duan Fei was a little stunned.

The person wasn’t scary; in fact, they were even a bit cute.

The problem was, this person was a cartoon character.

The factory was a place that felt very realistic, but the factory owner standing before them was a 2D "paper person."

This clashing art style was incredibly jarring, and it made Duan Fei truly feel that *Abyss* was, after all, just a game.

The "2D" factory owner looked like a middle-aged man, around forty. His cartoonish and humorous design made him look like an oversized, three-head-tall chibi doll.

Moreover, he didn’t seem to be able to speak. After repeatedly checking Duan Fei’s and Jinghong’s IDs, he took out a stack of pictures and placed them in front of Duan Fei.

The pictures showed all the food items Duan Fei had acquired in the instance, but the most conspicuous among them was the Black Mashed Potatoes.

After having Duan Fei confirm the factory’s food products, the factory owner took the picture of the Black Mashed Potatoes, sealed it in an envelope, and dropped it into the mailbox by the door.

Once he was done, the factory owner nodded at Duan Fei and Jinghong, indicating that they could leave.

Leaving the cabin, Duan Fei and Jinghong wordlessly followed Yu Bo away from the area and into the elevator.

After the elevator started moving, the two of them said in unison, "That was so weird!"

"Exactly! Why is every other place so realistic, but the factory owner is a cartoon?"

"Is that the legendary ’2D’ world they talk about?"

"What was the dev team thinking? Why make such a weird character? I was so shocked I don’t even know how to roast it."

"Right? He seemed okay, I guess, but why couldn’t he talk!"

Yu Bo listened quietly to their complaints, a smile on his face.

’The factory owner’s existence is meant to reinforce the impression that "this is a game," preventing players from digging too deep for the truth behind it all.’

’Although some players will eventually learn the truth, delaying even one of them is a small victory.’

’Those who perceive the truth are drawn to "the·end," which stops them from continuing to build up their strength.’

’Only the players who remain completely ignorant can go further and accumulate more power.’

With the factory connection established, their next stop was the shop Jinghong had secured.

The shop was located on a pedestrian street in the city area. Players could either stroll along the street on foot or simply state the name and address of a specific shop to be automatically transported in front of it.

Compared to the outside, the shop’s interior was vast and could be expanded at will, another aspect that defied reality.

Right now, the shop was still quite bare. There was no merchandise on the shelves, making it look a bit empty.

After leading the two of them to the front of the shop, Yu Bo took a crayon from his pocket, drew a door on the wall, and pushed it open to reveal the factory’s warehouse.

The factory was already in motion. The unseen workers were continuously delivering goods, only stopping when the space was full.

Confirming the passageway was working, Yu Bo drew another door on the opposite wall. Behind this door was the permanent instance from the Salted Fish Inn: Love City.

Once the connections were made, Yu Bo said with a smile, "Alright, congratulations again on opening your shop. Now, come up with a catchy name. By the way, ’A Catchy Name’ is already taken."

"Tch," Duan Fei said, displeased.

Jinghong, however, squinted at Duan Fei, glad that someone else was as brainless as him.

But then came the real problem.

What should they name it?