Artifact Report

Chapter 289 Jin Xueli - 106.6 Million

Kim Seol-ri had never paid attention to public phone booths.

Are there still such things in Blackmore City?

She had no idea when she last saw a public phone booth—maybe on TV.

It certainly wasn't before she was ten years old; back then, she lived on a farm in a remote part of the South. If you drove out of her house, all you could see were endless fields of tall corn, and you could drive for more than ten kilometers without seeing a single neighbor, let alone a phone booth.

When she later went to Blackmore City, everyone already had a mobile phone.

If something can't be found even in the human world, how could it possibly be in a nest?
As Jin Xueli walked on the sidewalk, she was not satisfied with keeping her eyes and ears open; she wished she could turn her head 360 degrees in a circle.

Neon signs, streetlights, lights in high-rise window windows, traffic lights...

The interplay of light and shadow, whether bright or hazy, under the night sky, creates an impressionistic painting that mocks and satirizes Blackmore City.

Squinting, the outline of the buildings and streets in front of me still seems to be Blackmore City; but like a cartoon portrait on the roadside with exaggerated features—it doesn't dare to let people look closely into the details.

In each window on the third floor across the street, segments of calves floated flat.

In the next building, on the same floor, in the window, were sections of knees and thighs.

Countless windows lined the roadside, piecemeal, forming a long, horizontal figure of unknown length.

She had never heard of such a thing before; but just as she was about to pass the window displaying human heads, Kim Seol-ri suddenly stopped, turned around, and disappeared into a small alley, taking a detour.

How can a hunter not have a survival instinct?

The MOS Burger of the human world becomes Mole's Burger here—"The Spy Burger Shop." Its signature dish is the "Big Mouth Resident Burger," which, once eaten, will create a spy around you.

Who would eat this monstrosity?

As Jin Xueli passed by, she secretly glanced at the hamburger picture on the poster from the corner of her eye.

A layer of sesame bread, a layer of lettuce, a layer of cheese, a layer of tomato, a dark, gaping mouth, and another layer of bread.

She quickened her pace, pretending not to see.

To navigate this distorted, deceptive world, we must be wary of appearances while searching for the phone booth...

Jin Xueli regretted it a little; she should have brought a few more cans of coffee today.

Exposing oneself to the path of the lair is itself a continuous and enormous drain on one's spirit.

The only consolation is that finding a public phone booth is still more likely than finding some unknown liquid...

Do you want money?

From inside a trash can as tall as a person, a small voice came: "The money in this world is worthless in its den, less than garbage. I wouldn't mind giving it to you for free, I have plenty here."

Despite desperately telling herself not to fall for it, Kim Seol-ri couldn't resist and quickly glanced at the trash can.

"You really, really, really value money. You really, really, really like money."

The voice wasn't coming from the trash can; a hand emerged from behind it, resting on the edge. "The moment you came near, I could sense you were my customer... Ah, how adorably foolish that humans can be enslaved and bewitched by the tools they create."

Although she likes money, she was still unhappy to be told that in person.

Besides, how could the residents have money? Let alone give her money?
Just as Jin Xueli was about to leave, the voice said again, "Do you know where this money came from?"

……how come?

"It's leaking in from Blackmore City. It's not just water that leaks in, money too. Want to know how it leaks in?"

It's definitely a scam.

She already owns 3% of the shares; selling them would net her nine million. Who cares how the money leaked out? She's not short of cash.

"...How did it leak?" Kim Seol-ri heard herself ask.

Oh no, I actually asked! I knew I shouldn't have said it.

But... what if it's true? It doesn't hurt to hear what they have to say.

The hand pressed down on the trash can, slowly exerting force to push it to the side, gradually revealing an arm, shoulder... ear, and a line of a human face.

The "person" was squatting behind the trash can, looking at Jin Xueli with only half of its eye showing.

In one eye, a bright green S-shaped money symbol shone—she looked just like a money-grubbing character from an animated film, but Kim Seol-ri couldn't bring herself to smile.

"Increased money supply...lost Bitcoins...offshore accounts...evaporating financial products...political slush funds...historically lost assets...money, money, money, money, money, money, money, as plentiful as sand in the desert. This dumping ground only holds a tiny fraction of it...do you want it?"

As it spoke, it raised its hand and opened the trash can lid.

Under the dim streetlights, the box was filled with large bundles of light green cash, piled up together, one bundle squeezed against another, each bundle a thick stack.

The trash can was surprisingly clean, probably because it had never actually contained any trash. As soon as the lid was opened, Jin Xueli smelled—the distinctive odor of banknotes.

She had never seen so much cash in her entire life.

"A bundle of ten thousand dollars in cash is about 1.5 inches thick, or 3.81 centimeters. A million dollars can fit in a standard-sized schoolbag. You think you're worth... well, nine million? Haha, only nine schoolbags? How pathetic."

Jin Xueli was startled. "You...how did you know...about the nine million?"

"I... am extremely sensitive to money. Anything related to money, I can tell clearly just by smelling or looking at it."

Does this resident need a goddaughter?
"Take a look at the size of this trash can." The silhouette of a face behind the trash can curved upwards, a corner of its mouth curling up. Its smile formed a dark, triangular hole between its upper and lower lips, a gleam of gold teeth flashing.

This is a trash can that is as tall as a person, with a side length of more than a meter, big enough to fit at least two adults.

"How many school bags do you think this trash can can hold?"

Jin Xueli stood there blankly, unable to think or move her feet.

Is what's happening now... really true?
Is it a trap? Is the money fake?

Even if it might be a trap, she couldn't tear herself away from that dumpster at that moment.

It turns out that the numbers on your phone and cash are such different things... one is just numbers; the other can make you stop breathing and your heart race.

Even if a sharp knife appeared on the ground, even if it meant standing in a pool of blood with your legs pressed against the blade, you wouldn't want to walk away from it. "This trash can is 1.6 meters high, 1.2 meters long, and 1.1 meters wide," the face behind the trash can murmured almost a whisper. "Ten million dollars, just enough to lay flat on a standard construction pallet. A standard construction pallet is 121.9 cm x 101.6 cm. Guess... how much cash is in this trash can?"

Jin Xueli stood rooted to the spot, the only thing she could move was her average calculation ability, which she had always had back in school.

"A schoolbag...a tray..."

The numbers in her head were too long; if she wasn't careful, she would forget how many digits she had counted, making her dizzy. Without realizing it, she took out her phone and started typing the numbers in one go.

"Forty million? No, that's not right..."

“104, 255, 109,” the resident said. “This trash can actually holds more, after all, calculations can’t always perfectly reflect reality.”

Nine, a nine-digit number?

"One hundred and six million six hundred and twenty thousand."

...It must be counterfeit money. It must be a trap.

One hundred million, what does that mean?
If she spends three thousand dollars a day, one hundred million is enough for her to live on—enough for her to live on—

She looked at the results on her phone calculator and blinked a few times.

Ninety-one years.

She had never heard of inhabitants in a lair handing out large sums of cash outright—this must be a trap—

"You can reach in and grab any bundle to verify."

The money symbol behind the trash can gleamed a ghostly green. "Consider what you found as a token of my appreciation."

Don't go over there, don't fall for it...

When Jin Xueli came to her senses, she was already standing in front of the trash can, with a high pile of cash right under her nose.

The smell of money was so strong and intense that it made one's head spin.

The top layer... is indeed filled with money, but who knows what's hidden underneath? You might end up losing your arm if you reach down.

No, touching any one of the bundles of money might lead to unexpected and fatal danger; you absolutely mustn't touch it...

Jin Xueli gently reached out, her hand trembling, and picked up the bundle of money closest to her.

There was no pain, no danger, only the weight of money.

Just a bundle, yet that thick sense of satisfaction... makes you want to dig your nails deep and never pull them out.

Even though Chai Si has given her 3% of the shares, it is still just a thin document and has not yet turned into money.

She had never seen, smelled, or touched such an astonishing amount of cash.

It's ridiculous. Something that has no meaning once you die makes you feel that even dying in a sea of ​​money would be worthwhile.

"How conservative, only taking the top-tier items?"

The voice from behind said almost sweetly, "Take another bundle from deeper inside. I promise, it's all real money. Take another bundle, and I'll give it to you."

Here it comes, this is its killing move.

Absolutely not... You must not...

Jin Xueli's breathing was rapid and shallow, buzzing and trembling in her chest; whether it was fear or inexplicable excitement, she didn't know—as her entire arm was deeply submerged in the pile of cash, she realized that tears were vaguely rising in her eyes.

Twenty thousand dollars, two bundles. Every single bill is real money, and the serial numbers are not consecutive.

Just these man-made, paper-based, printed things...

If it had existed during her childhood, her whole life would have been different.

She will not be cursed. She will not be looked at out of the corner of her eye or implied that her family is hiring a maid.

No one will ask her what her relationship is with a particular man.

She no longer needs to put on a cheerful, enthusiastic, bright, and pleasing persona for anyone—unless she chooses to.

Kim Seol-ri rarely agrees.

Her outward appearance has always remained the same because she's used to it.

This is the shell that can maximize her resources; it suits her perfectly, she can use it with ease, and it feels like a natural fit.

Anyone who sees it will think that Kim Seol-ri is such a straightforward and warm person. Even her undisguised and abundant desires, which might be annoying in others, seem cute in her.

The resident behind the trash can let out a dramatic sigh.

"Hey, to us residents, it's completely useless waste and garbage. I don't mind if you take it all, but..."

Jin Xueli held the money, took two steps back, stared at a human face behind the trash can, and forced herself to calm down.

"But what?" she said. "What are your conditions?"

The residents laughed.

"First, you need to have at least nine million in cash of your own. Borrowing money or taking out loans doesn't count; I don't think you can get those anyway. Money always flows to the rich, right? If you're so poor, even money will want to stay away from you."

...In other words, Scott's company must successfully secure investment, sell its shares, and obtain its first pot of gold before it can hope to obtain a larger sum of money.

Although she didn't know why the residents insisted she had money, she knew exactly what to do.

The original solution, she had to find it no matter what—her chest was burning.

"And what about two?" Jin Xueli asked. "If there's one, then there's two, right?"

"Come back here when you've satisfied your needs."

The resident whispered, “We have a target, a nasty new hunter. Despite her lack of experience, she’s impossible to kill, she keeps escaping, and this time she was thwarted again. When you come back here, I’ll give you her information… You can kill her in Blackmore City and you can take this 106.6 million.”

(End of this chapter)