Chapter 13: Chapter 12 This is Unscientific!
Translator: 549690339
"These are the game points I'm gifting to all of you; you can think of them as chips," said the host. "While Paradise won't restrict your actions, each game will still have a reward task assigned. Based on your performance, corresponding points will be awarded. You can now open the exchange interface and select the items you need—just focus on the numbers and silently think 'Open,' and the interface will automatically appear."
Open.
Zhang Zhiyuan silently commanded in his mind. Then he saw the numbers expand and turn into a semi-transparent chart.
So... is this really just a game?
He quickly skimmed the exchangeable items on the list—compared to those mature games on the market, the things available in Paradise were eclectic and disorganized, as if hastily thrown together. They were divided into two main categories. The first was [Combat Support], with the Resurrection Scroll (limited) at the top, valued at 1000; followed by the Healing Card, valued at 750; the rest were swords, armor, and similar equipment, ranging from 150 to 50 in value. The other, [Life Support], had everything from pressure cookers, portable liquefied gas, lighters, Fish Harpoons... to even thermite packs.
"This isn't any different from before, is it?" grumbled Anthony, "The enemies we encountered last time all had guns. Can't we get something more powerful?"
The host didn't respond as if the question was outside the preset options.
"Maybe there is, but we don't have enough points to see them," Zhou Zhi whispered. "Game designers typically take into account a progression in difficulty. They won't place powerful weapons in the initial phase or perhaps they want us to focus on strategy..."
"Fine, I'll take the full set of armor and a crossbow, with a dagger for spare!" The Russian didn't bother to argue further.
The host nodded, raising his right hand. A few pieces of equipment materialized out of thin air and fell to the ground.
Zhang Zhiyuan marveled at this scene, while everyone else seemed to take it in stride.
After a round of exchanges, everyone was more or less geared up, except for Zhang Zhiyuan, who hadn't used any points.
"I guess... there's no need to use them right now?"
"Of course. You can make a request to me at any time," the host nodded.
"Then I'll skip the exchange for now." Zhang Zhiyuan let out a sigh of relief, not because he had a plan all along, but because he rarely played games and had no idea what to exchange for.
If only I'd known, I should have invited Cui Zhen'en to join the Paradise game.
"So, has everyone finished exchanging?"
"Hold on!" Zhang Zhiyuan raised another question, "Mr. Host, could you take off your mask so we can see your face? I have no ulterior motive, it's just that the mask is kinda creepy. Even a virtual face would be better than this thing."
The others nodded in agreement.
The host smiled, reached up, and took off his mask.
However, beneath the mask was still another Sichuan opera mask, only with changed colors and patterns.
Zhang Zhiyuan was dumbfounded.
"Now that everyone is prepared, please follow me." The host, without further ado, as if that mask was his real face, turned and pushed open a side door, entering another room.
This wooden cabin was much brighter, with several oil lamps, and a square table in the center of the room, piled with a hefty stack of manuscript papers.
"What's this?" the American inquired curiously.
Zhang Zhiyuan stepped forward and grabbed a sheet of paper first, only to find it filled with text that he couldn't recognize a single word.
"Case files," the host said nonchalantly. "This time, you will become hunters of sin, solving a massive crime. All the details about the case and all the clues are recorded on these pages. From the moment you entered this room, the Paradise game has officially begun."
Everyone looked at each other, puzzled.
"Has it... started already?"
"Are there no more hints?"
"Who knows what this says?" Joe James waved the manuscript in his hand, "I can't even read it, let alone hunt!"
"Wait, I think I saw something like this just now..." Zhou Zhi suddenly said, "Where was it again... Right, in this section, take a look as well, in the exchange interface under living assistance."
Prompted by him, Zhang Zhiyuan also flipped to that item and, to his amazement, he found something called a "Translation Tofu," priced at 200 points.
"Kid, you are somewhat useful." Anthony chuckled, "According to its description, eating it should grant the ability to translate."
"That doesn't make sense, shouldn't the ability to communicate be default?" Joe James furrowed his brow, "Who would play a game with such a cumbersome language thrown in!"
"I can't afford it now, I only have about 100 points left." Jason Tyler, who had recently joined the game, expressed his regret.
"If the game is designed this way, we have to follow suit," Qianyuan Mingzi suddenly spoke, "200 may seem like a lot, but there's no need for everyone to exchange for one. Don't forget, this mission is to be completed by us together."
"Then... I'll do it," Zhou Zhi volunteered, "I still have 500 points left."
"One might not be enough, I'll get one too," Zhang Zhiyuan quickly followed. He had noticed a detail that it seemed no one was aware the game's theme would be related to solving cases. Neither Joe James nor Jason Tyler, whom he had brought along, seemed familiar with these matters. But he was different; as soon as Paradise had sent out the invitation, the letter made it clear about the participation criteria. Since they could specifically send an email to the police department's inbox, it indicated that the new round of the game might require detective skills.
This suggested two things: first, that everyone received different invitations, with the one marked "Outstanding investigative detection skills" only received by the police department.
This meant that the character background the department had crafted for him hadn't been a waste, and he wouldn't be specifically targeted by the suspects.
Second, it more or less confirmed that Paradise was a neutral organization, not biased towards Joe James.
"Are you sure, buddy?" the American looked at him, "After buying this, you can only choose between weapons, equipment, and Healing Cards."
"You see the environment we're in," Zhang Zhiyuan purposely avoided talking about solving cases, "Soon we'll have to move into urban action. If only one person can communicate and the rest of us are just fumbling around, it will surely raise suspicion. And with so many archives, if he's the only one reading, who knows how long that will take. I believe Miss Asahara is right; since we're a team, we should specialize and cooperate. If you handle the combat, I can provide logistics."
"Suit yourself," Joe James didn't ramble on.
Soon Zhang Zhiyuan ate the exchanged Translation Tofu and looked at the archives again. The characters on the manuscript seemed to twist and change, eventually rearranging into Chinese that he could fully understand!
"How is it?" the others asked.
"It's... effective," Zhang Zhiyuan murmured, his surprise being far greater inside. He knew it definitely wasn't simple translation, because with a blink he could see the manuscript itself hadn't changed at all. Those characters weren't just an image floating before his eyes, but a subconscious conversion after he fully understood the text! In other words, he had instantly comprehended the language!
Even for a simulated reality game... this couldn't be possible, right?
Zhang Zhiyuan couldn't help but steal a glance at the host.
What kind of organization was Paradise, to have such astonishing technology? If this learning technology were used in education or industry, it would likely start a new developmental revolution, but they were just using it to make money from the rich, which he found somewhat incomprehensible.
Zhang Zhiyuan faintly realized that perhaps Paradise itself was more important than the case—it wasn't something a police department or an international police organization could handle. He had to remember everything he saw and, once the game was over, report it!
For now, his primary task was to play his role well.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone