Chapter 416: The Hospitable Coast
Through the conversation between the two, Xu Huo learned that the Saiel Coast was rich in mineral resources, especially in some areas that were normally sealed off and only accessible to players.
The Bolen Clan controlled the coast. To ensure they could purchase enough ore, they transported a large number of players to the coast every year.
Therefore, they began guaranteeing players a smooth arrival at the Saiel Coast from the train itself, implementing identity verification for boarding players—this verification seemed to be tied to their traits. If the Bolen Clan members on the train decided not to provide hospitality services to a certain player, then even if that player changed their appearance after getting off, they couldn't escape the "Service Denied" label.
Once "Service Denied," a player couldn't board the Bolen Clan's ships to reach the instance locations, unless the player had their own ship and knew the route.
Perhaps there were such players, but they were a minority.
Moreover, players arriving at the Saiel Coast could register their intended instances at any store under the Bolen Clan's name. The Bolen Clan could transport people collectively, and during the waiting period, players could enjoy accommodation and food at extremely low prices.
Of course, this came with conditions—players had to sell at least one-third of the precious ores they brought out of the instances to the Bolen Clan.
In reality, many players who came a second time did so to earn money from selling ore. The Bolen Clan's prices were tempting, and most players would sell the vast majority of their ore to them, as it was less difficult and risky than making money in other instances.
"If you ask me, the Bolen Clan is stupid. They could just hire people to mine themselves," Chu Yuan said confidently. "They have ships and people—what's there to fear about not having enough workers?"
"How do you know they haven't?" the Tongue Ring Girl said. "Once you're on the island, plenty of people will want to buy the tickets in your hand. With such a good opportunity, why leave it to others?"
"No matter how powerful the Bolen Clan is, they can't hold all the tickets in their hands," said the Purple-Haired Woman sitting next to the Tongue Ring Girl. "Besides, most players sell their ore to them anyway. They just need to transport people—how easy is that for them?"
"Didn't they say the Saiel Sea was polluted? Could those ores be radioactive?" Xu Huo asked.
"There are some protective gear sold on the island that can neutralize some radioactive contamination," the Tongue Ring Girl said, rubbing her chin. "Besides, we're evolved players—what's there to fear? We can just drink some potions when we get back."
The others chimed in with laughter and agreement. A few newly acquainted players exchanged destinations and, finding they were the same, decided to travel together.
"Finding and mining ore is a technical job," the Burly Player said with a smile. "I've seen plenty of idiots walk right past rare ores without knowing what they were. What a waste of their eyeballs."
"That's nothing. I've seen people fight to the death over a pile of rocks, only to bring back stuff worth nothing."
"Just memorize which ores are valuable beforehand," Chu Yuan said.
"Look, here's an idiot," the Tongue Ring Girl said, pointing at him with a grin, and the others laughed along.
"Did I say something wrong?" Chu Yuan's face turned red.
"Ores don't just sit there, cut and cleaned, waiting for people to pick them up," Xu Huo said from the side. Rock wrapped in rock—who knew what was inside?
"What he said isn't entirely wrong," the Burly Player said, walking over to Chu Yuan and patting his shoulder. "With some luck, you might find ones with pictures online. Pick up a few and trade them for some drink money."
Chu Yuan pushed his hand away. "With so many people looking for ore, the mountains must be hollowed out by now."
"Not necessarily. I've heard a rumor that the ocean currents near the Saiel Coast actually span multiple spaces, so strange things often wash up on the islands. There's even an island made entirely of ore, but it's not an instance location and drifts with the currents. Finding it depends on luck," a well-dressed player said mysteriously. "If you stumble upon it, you'll be rich."
"Is the sea flowing with water or gold?" someone asked, their face flushed with excitement.
"That's why the Saiel Coast is called the Gold Coast," the Purple-Haired Woman said. "Even if players here don't strike it rich, they can still earn a decent sum."
Thus, first-time passengers on this train were swept up by the "education" from veteran players, eagerly asking what they needed to prepare before entering the instances.
Players who had been to the Saiel Coast were generous enough to share some basic knowledge in advance, including where to buy protective gear, essential survival tools for the sea, food, and drinking water infused with special potions. If conditions allowed, it was advisable to prepare a small boat in advance, as the Bolen Clan's ships wouldn't stay outside the instance grounds permanently—they usually only came when the instance was about to end.
Over two days of travel, before even reaching the Saiel Coast, Xu Huo had already learned everything, from which bar on the coast had the prettiest girls to which store sold the best value-for-money stimulant potions.
The station was built over the sea. For the convenience of players, a coastal road had been constructed from the station to the coast.
Though called a road, it was more like a street town. Both sides were lined with bars and shops, with bars being the majority. Above them hung advertising screens, looping short ads welcoming players to the Saiel Coast.
Xu Huo stopped beneath an advertising screen.
"This woman has a great figure. No wonder the Bolen Clan started as a business family," Chu Yuan said, watching the woman flashing across the ad with relish.
"If you like strong liquor and beautiful women, if you enjoy gambling away fortunes, then welcome to the Saiel Coast!"
"The most beautiful Gold Coast—anyone can strike gold here!"
"When you come to the Saiel Coast, you are not a guest, not a stranger, but our friend and partner. You can find what you need here, and we will provide everything you need!"
"Excited? If so, hurry up and register somewhere! To welcome new guests, first-time players will receive three days of free room and board. Any store will provide a free island guide. You don't need to worry about anything else—just fill your pockets with White Notes from the ore!"
...
Along the road leading to the Saiel Coast, there were as many as twenty such advertising screens.
Most of the players who got off with Xu Huo had already found a store to register their names and destinations before even finishing the walk.
"Where are you going?" Chu Yuan, unable to contain himself any longer, urged Xu Huo for an answer.
"Deep Blue Laboratory." After getting off, Xu Huo hadn't received any instance prompts, so Deep Blue Laboratory was likely just a location name.
"What a coincidence, me too," Chu Yuan said, then squeezed ahead to tell the store owner his destination.