The black three-tailed fox said discontentedly, "Taotao, are you really going to compete with me? You knew I had a guest on the second floor, yet you deliberately brought your customer up here. You really don’t care if your customer overspends, do you?"
This accusation from the black three-tailed fox made Qi Xu realize something—even NPCs had fierce competition among themselves...
No wonder Taotao had that expression earlier. She was a good kid, worried about making Qi Xu spend too much, and didn’t dare speak up even when she needed help.
Taotao snorted, not in anger but more like a coquettish protest. "If you can bring people here, so can I!"
The black three-tailed fox was clever, adding fuel to the fire, "We could’ve just waited our turns without interfering with each other. But you chose this exact moment to come up—clearly fishing for a sucker, aren’t you?"
Taotao flushed red, about to retort, but Qi Xu gently took hold of her paw with a smile.
"Don’t argue with it. Do you think I don’t know you? Nothing anyone says could ever come between us."
[Monster Shop Owner, the white-pink two-tailed fox Taotao’s favorability toward you has increased by 5 points! Current favorability: 90!]
"Qiqi... sob sob."
Qi Xu patted Taotao’s shoulder reassuringly. "Let’s just get started."
With a big spender like Qi Xu present, the black three-tailed fox wasn’t worried about losing!
Meanwhile, the third shopkeeper of the Monster Shop, the orange-yellow two-tailed fox, watched enviously, practically drooling. So jealous! Too jealous!
This was bad—it was completely losing its competitive edge. These two were clearly about to go all out in a bidding war. And at such a critical moment, its own big customer insisted on sleeping in after coming out of a dungeon! No matter how much it called, she wouldn’t come! Otherwise, it would’ve definitely joined in on this excitement...
Taotao led Qi Xu to a single-seater sofa on the other side, serving an array of delicacies, snacks, and drinks, all exquisitely plated and arranged until the side table was completely covered.
The black three-tailed fox’s lips twitched awkwardly, suddenly feeling the urge to fetch something for its own customer.
Xie Shaoning raised a hand to stop it. "No need for such frivolities. I don’t require them."
"Understood, honored guest!"
The orange-yellow two-tailed fox now took on the role of auctioneer, even donning a black robe for the occasion and holding a tiny wooden gavel.
"Esteemed customers, our first item up for auction is—the Multi-Functional Combat Suit! Boasting temperature regulation and self-cleaning properties, it also comes equipped with an optical camouflage system! Its surface sensors capture environmental colors and textures, enabling full 360° holographic disguise in just one second!
With its sleek, badass design, this is a must-have for any top-tier player! Starting bid: 100 Survival Coins, with minimum increments of 10 Survival Coins. Let the bidding begin!"
Xie Shaoning elegantly raised his hand. "500."
Qi Xu followed without hesitation, her tone breezy. "1,000."
Aside from the two bidders, the three fox shopkeepers were stunned. Sure, the combat suit was decent—that’s why it was the first item—but... it wasn’t worth 1,000 Survival Coins!
Qi Xu knew this too, but today, the actual purchases were secondary. Her main goal was to help Taotao secure her sales quota. Earlier, during their chat, Qi Xu had already pieced together the whole situation.
If Taotao got transferred out of the Monster Shop, half of her previous efforts would go to waste.
Xie Shaoning arched a brow at Qi Xu. Though his expression remained neutral, she could faintly sense a killing intent radiating from him.
Qi Xu didn’t shy away, meeting his gaze with a faint, composed smile.
"It’s yours."
"Thank you."
The amateur auctioneer stood frozen for a long moment, wiping the drool from its mouth before announcing in an envious, tearful voice, "Congratulations! You’ve won the Multi-Functional Combat Suit for 1,000 Survival Coins! Please scan here to pay!"
After an 80% discount stacked with another 80%, Qi Xu only paid 640 coins, then tossed in an extra 10 as a tip.
The tip wouldn’t go to Taotao directly, but it never hurt to build goodwill. After paying, Qi Xu even flashed Taotao a smile, as if to say:
"I don’t just hand out tips to anyone, you know. This is all for you—don’t get jealous."
The orange-yellow two-tailed fox clutched its chest in excitement. So this was what it felt like to serve a high roller... Sob sob! She even left a tip!
[The orange-yellow two-tailed fox’s favorability toward you has increased by 10 points! Current favorability: 5!]
Qi Xu clicked her tongue. Wait, had it been negative before?
Xie Shaoning shook his head with a chuckle, lightly brushing his fingertip against the tip of his nose—his meaning couldn’t be clearer.
"Was that necessary?"
Qi Xu answered inwardly: Absolutely, 100% necessary. But she obviously couldn’t say that out loud.
Now fueled by the tip, the orange-yellow two-tailed fox auctioneer regained its enthusiasm!
"Next up, our second auction item—the Multi-Functional Combat Boots! Folks, you won’t believe this! These boots are the ultimate cheat code for taming any terrain!
Defense! Defense! Defense! The uppers are made of 'Nano Diamond Shield'—so tough even Iron Man would beg for a pair! Whether it’s monster claws, cactus spikes, or your ex’s sarcastic remarks, nothing’s piercing through! Plus, they’re waterproof, fireproof, and stain-resistant! And with a full-power jump, you even get a brief glide effect!
Don’t just dream about them—bid now! Starting price: 100 Survival Coins, minimum increments of 10!"
"500."
"1,000."
Xie Shaoning scoffed. "You’re doing this on purpose?"
"Just have money to spare."
Playing rich? Please. Qi Xu had mastered that act long ago.
Though she’d never interacted with Xie Shaoning before, for some reason, she instinctively disliked him. Maybe their vibes just clashed?
Taotao tugged worriedly at Qi Xu’s sleeve. "That’s enough, really. Don’t overspend."
"Don’t worry. The shop manager position is staying with you."
Qi Xu didn’t bother lowering her voice, and the black three-tailed fox huffed in frustration upon hearing it.
"Fine. Let’s see just how deep your pockets go." Xie Shaoning didn’t raise the bid further. Neither of them was stupid—the price had already far exceeded the item’s actual value.
If he kept bidding and she backed out, he’d be the one taking the loss.
Survival Coins were currently the most practical resource for exchanging items. With the end-of-month rankings approaching, Xie Shaoning had no intention of wasting coins on petty rivalry.
The orange-yellow two-tailed fox tapped its gavel. "Honored guest, you are truly unmatched! Congratulations on winning the second auction item! Please scan here for payment!"
Again, the final price was 640 coins, but this time, Qi Xu skipped the tip.
The orange-yellow two-tailed fox wasn’t disappointed. After all, she was Taotao’s customer—those extra 10 coins earlier were already a windfall!
"Esteemed guests, our third item is something truly extraordinary! You’re going to love this one!"
..........
