Chapter 63: Can Virtual Items Be Sold?

"So this thing is called a Runewords?!"

"To think such a thing actually exists?!"

A Runewords was a form of "incantation," which required a white piece of equipment to possess a specific number of sockets. Then, a few runes—matching the exact count of the sockets—had to be socketed in a precise order. The Runewords would then bestow an abundance of attributes upon the gear. Even the most fundamental Runewords equipment boasted attributes comparable to a Unique item of exceptional quality.

Fang Qi guided his character before Deckard Cain. Here, after completing Act I, Deckard Cain would impart some basic knowledge regarding Runewords to the players.

There was no official website available here to announce the Runewords, so the game had long entrusted this task to the shrewd old man, Deckard Cain.

"How does this feel even more miraculous than the arrangement of various arrays on a spiritual artifact?!" As a professional artifact refiner, Li Haoran possessed a far deeper understanding of this matter.

"By simply socketing different runes in order, one can obtain such powerful attributes?!" An Cheng immediately thought of a question. "Must it be a white item? Is a white item with attributes acceptable? Will the original attributes be preserved?"

He remembered that along the way earlier, he had looted a gray staff with two sockets. Gray meant it was a plain, socketed item, but certain plain equipment could carry attributes that increased skill levels despite being plain.

He remembered that his staff actually added two levels to Fire Bolt and two levels to Frozen Armor!

If they could be preserved, wouldn't that mean gaining four skill levels completely for free compared to ordinary Runewords equipment?!

"Yes." The greatest variable of a Runewords lay in the selection of the base material, which was also the most popular topic regarding Runewords!

"Who has Rune Number Eight?!" Upon receiving Fang Qi's affirmative answer, An Cheng's eyes turned green with envy!

There was a unique, fundamental Runewords for staves, and it happened to require a two-socket, two-handed staff!

If he used a plain staff that already added a whopping four skill levels as his base material, wouldn't the resulting Runewords be quite a bit better than the owner's?!

However, while Rune Number Eight might not be considered precious in the later stages, it was not that easy to acquire in Act I. The drop rate was probably even lower than that of Unique equipment!

Even Fang Qi had none left over after completing his own Runewords.

After a long while, not a single person answered.

Just at this moment, another burst of exclamations erupted from where Song Qingfeng and his group were seated!

"It dropped! It dropped!"

"We cleared it!"

"One Unique and three Rares!"

"A rune?! It's actually a golden rune!"

"So many top-tier pieces of equipment?!" The expressions of An Cheng and the others shifted. "Could they be fighting Andariel as well?!"

Hearing someone shout about a golden rune, An Cheng's heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly rushed over.

Song Qingfeng and his group had only just finished defeating Andariel when they suddenly noticed a large circle of people surrounding them from behind—at least a dozen or twenty!

"What's the situation?!"

"You guys actually killed Andariel too?!" An Cheng was incredibly surprised. Originally, their progress had been quite a bit slower than his own. Immediately after, An Cheng caught sight of the golden words flashing across the screen: Rune: Ral.

"Are you trading this rune?!" An Cheng's breathing instantly grew rapid; it was actually Rune Number Eight!

"Selling is fine too!"

He extended his palm: "I offer... 5 crystals!"

The moment his words left his mouth, a burst of gasps immediately echoed behind him!

Everyone watched, slightly dazed!

Yet while they were stunned, the crowd also harbored some anticipation to see this piece of equipment created.

They were also very curious about what kind of effect a Runewords made with this sort of top-tier, skill-boosting staff would produce!

Song Qingfeng and his group looked at An Cheng with expressions full of incomprehension, saying somewhat bewilderedly, "You want to buy things in a game too?"

They had seen people buying spiritual artifacts and materials in reality, but who had ever seen someone spend money for a virtual item?!

Moreover, it was merely a rune used for socketing, not even a piece of equipment!

Spending money to play games was easy enough to understand. After all, leveling up in the games of this internet cafe was beneficial to the enhancement of one's strength, and the spells and combat techniques within were also worth studying.

But what could these virtual items do?! To actually use crystals to buy them?!

If they absolutely had to force a purpose upon it, it would probably only be to allow a player to level up faster and more comfortably.

Looting top-tier equipment was certainly cause for joy, but once it became tied to reality, it became somewhat incomprehensible to them.

It made them feel as though they were spending money to buy a fake product. Even if one were to squander money like water, this wasn't the way to do it, right?!

An Cheng also froze slightly at this moment. Had he been a bit impulsive?

After all, they had only just come into contact with the game, and they completely lacked the concept of using money to buy a virtual item!

However, after giving it some thought, a price like 5 crystals was merely a small sum to him. With a wide wave of his hand, he said, "Are you selling or not? I just want to test the effect."

He truly wanted to try the new Runewords, combined with this staff that added a full four skill levels, to see what kind of top-tier item would be forged!

Regardless, he did not lack this bit of money; sometimes it wasn't even enough for the cost of a single meal.

Song Qingfeng, however, grew curious: "You're spending this much money just for a stone to socket? Or does this thing have some other use?"

An Cheng directly explained the matter of the Runewords. Now that everyone knew, there was no need to hide it.

"There's actually such a thing?!" After hearing this, Song Qingfeng and his group also found it rather incredible. By arranging different runes through different permutations, they could actually combine into equipment with powerful attributes?!

The few of them exchanged glances: "What do you guys think?"

Lin Shao said, "If he wants it, just give it to him. We don't have a Sorceress here, so we won't be using Rune Number Eight anytime soon."

Xu Luo said, "It's a perfect chance to see what attributes that Runewords thing has. Is it really that awesome?!"

The Necromancer went without saying; the equipment was not the right fit, so even if it were given to Wang Tai, Wang Tai wouldn't use it.

"Alright then," Song Qingfeng said. "Join our room."

He hadn't expected to earn crystals while playing games. Although 5 crystals weren't much to Song Qingfeng and his group, it truly felt like a bit of an unexpected pleasant surprise.

An Cheng quickly joined Song Qingfeng's game. Song Qingfeng retrieved the rune and gave it to An Cheng, and soon enough, he also received An Cheng's 5 crystals.

"It's Number Three first, then Number Eight, right?" An Cheng confirmed once more before finally retrieving his two-socket plain staff.

"Number 3... Number 8..." An Cheng muttered to himself as he socketed the runes one by one.

The gaze of everyone around was entirely focused on the staff in An Cheng's hand, wanting to see if some miraculous transformation would truly occur once these two runes were socketed!

And just as An Cheng socketed the two runes, everyone discovered that a miraculous thing had indeed occurred!

When An Cheng looked at the attributes of the staff in his hand again, it had already become:

Leaf

+3 to Fire Skills

+15% Enhanced Damage

Adds 5-30 Fire Damage

+3 to Fire Mastery

+3 to Enchant

+3 to Fire Ball

+3 to Inferno

+3 to Warmth

...

"It actually changed!?" At this very moment, they felt as though the gates to a whole new era had swung wide open!

Row after row of attributes, topped with the level-four skill inherently bound to the staff itself, nearly dazzled everyone looking on!

A chorus of gasps instantly erupted from the surrounding crowd!

"Incredible!"

"This gear is way too overpowered!"

"Playing a mage with this staff must be an absolute blast!"

"Hurry up and go test its power!"

Everyone around cast glances filled with a volatile mix of envy, jealousy, and sheer awe!

"Haha, let me open your eyes to real power!" Equipped with the ultimate staff, An Cheng burst into a fit of wild laughter!

Song Qingfeng stood somewhat dumbfounded, exchanging bewildered looks with Lin Shao and the others before slapping his thigh and crying out, "How the hell do I feel like I got ripped off on that sale!"

Only moments ago, Song Qingfeng and his companions had found the idea of spending five spirit crystals on a virtual item utterly absurd, yet seeing the pure envy on the faces of everyone around them, they were now utterly consumed by regret!

.