Don't provoke mentally ill people in the infinite flow genre!

[System Notification: Player [Yi Zanglan] has completed the first game. Based on their overall performance, experience points and gold coins have been credited to their personal account.]

[Player [Yi Zanglan] received over 20000 likes, over 10000 favorites, and over 3000 followers during their first live stream, and earned 42230 in-game currency. All of this will be converted into experience points and gold coins and credited to their personal account.]

[Player [Yi Zanglan] Talent Panel Unlocked]

Mental Strength: S+

Insight: S+

Attack power: S-

Agility: A+

Damage tolerance: A+

Luck rating: B

After comprehensive evaluation, it meets the criteria for activating a five-star personal skill.

Congratulations on obtaining the exclusive title [Prisoner of the Abyss]. The quest receiver is now bound to your personal item. Please read the skill description carefully (skills come at a cost; use with caution).

[Player [Yi Zanglan] is currently in Silver III rank, with 48230 gold coins and 4 puzzle pieces. They have moved into the City of Misfortune Beginning Zone.]

Please remember: In the City of Doom, money reigns supreme, and strength is paramount. However, players are forbidden from killing each other. All grudges must be settled within the game. Violating the rules will result in banishment.

……

Yi Zanglan woke up in a room that resembled a staff dormitory. The room was about 20 to 30 square meters, with a combined living room and bedroom, and a small bathroom and kitchenette.

The room was simply decorated, and although there was furniture and appliances, they were obviously the cheapest kind, giving off a shabby atmosphere.

It seems that the living conditions there are not much different from those in the mental hospital.

The original silver mechanical watch has disappeared, replaced by a pair of silver bracelets, one on each wrist, which cannot be removed by oneself.

...What's the difference between this and wearing handcuffs without chains?

Yi Zanglan was speechless. She tried touching the bracelets and found that touching either one would open the system prompt panel.

The bracelet replaced the watch and became her mission receiver.

Of course, after she finished reading all the messages on the interface, she realized that this was actually her personal item.

Prisoner of the Abyss.

She didn't really like the title, but there was nothing she could do about it; it wasn't like shopping where you could buy whatever you wanted.

The only thing that interested her was the skill description; she laughed after reading it.

"This is somewhat interesting."

She got up and walked around the room, and saw a computer on the small desk in front of the bed, the screen lit up.

Her personal account is logged in on the screen, and her account information can also be viewed here.

She can use this computer to search for information, watch other players' live streams, post and read posts on forums, or add friends for private chats.

A new unread message suddenly popped up on the desktop. Yi Zanglan clicked on it and saw that someone was sending her a friend request.

[Curse Master] Yan Zhao, Rank I (Diamond).

The rest of the information is not visible; you need to become friends with the person to see it.

Yi Zanglan remembered Yan Zhao; the live stream's recharge records showed that someone had recharged 30000 gold coins for her.

Keep in mind that she only received 6000 gold coins after completing the game and being the MVP.

But there's no such thing as a free lunch. It's not necessarily a good thing for a diamond-level expert to add a newbie like her as a friend.

She thought about it and decided not to agree for the time being, choosing to ignore it.

……

She drew back the curtains and stood by the window, looking down.

It appears to be an old-style residential building. I'm on the fifth or sixth floor, and I can vaguely see the streets and buildings outside. They look outdated and dilapidated.

As the system just mentioned, she is staying in the Beginning District of the City of Misfortune.

The Beginning Zone, as the name suggests, is where new players live. If they want to improve their living conditions and move to a better district, they will probably have to complete more games and accumulate more gold coins.

Well, at least there are no annoying doctors and nurses here, no strict schedules, and no need to take medication on time and then try to vomit it up.

At least in this inexplicable and mysterious world, she is free.

Freedom is priceless.

Yi Zanglan checked her gold coin balance again, then turned and walked out the door with light steps.

Her immediate priority was to familiarize herself with the surrounding infrastructure and then buy some groceries.

And change out of this disgusting hospital gown.

* * * * * *

At this very moment, a young woman is sitting in front of her computer, staring at the friend request interface for nearly two hours.

Yan Zhao rested his chin on one hand, while the other hand twirled the necklace around his neck, his pale and delicate face expressionless.

Yi Zanglan did not agree to add her as a friend. She could have guessed this outcome, since a person with real skills would not be easily bought off by 30000 gold coins.

It seems I'll have to bleed a little more; at least I need to meet them first.

She sighed, got up, grabbed her coat, and hurried out the door.

……

Yi Zanglan wandered around the city alone for a long time, during which she ate three freshly baked breads, ate two roasted chicken legs, slurped up a bowl of noodles, and drank a bowl of porridge.

I'm hungry, I'm really hungry.

There's not much good food in Qishi District, maybe a little better than the food in a mental hospital. It's like an economically impoverished village, giving you the feeling of just getting by.

Not only that, the style of the clothes was also very old-fashioned. She went to several stores and picked and chose before she could barely wear two outfits.

The residents coming and going here are all players. Everyone is completely integrated into this life and doesn't pay special attention to others.

Yi Zanglan returned to the old-style residential area carrying bags of groceries. But when she got to the fifth floor, she found a strange girl standing at her door.

The girl wore a loose black coat, which made her skin appear extremely pale. Her features were delicate and pretty, reminiscent of a vampire who rarely saw the sun.

"Yan Zhao." The two looked at each other, and she easily called out the other person's name.

To be honest, Yan Zhao was quite surprised as well.

She gazed at the classical beauty in front of her, dressed in a modern Chinese-style suit and with her hair styled in a gentle updo. It was hard for her to reconcile this with the madman in the bureau, who wore a hospital gown, had disheveled hair, and wielded a knife.

Then she was even more surprised to hear Yi Zanglan call her name.

Do you know me?

"Just a guess," Yi Zanglan chuckled. "Besides that curse master who spent 30,000 on my recharge, who would deliberately come to a place like this?"

Yan Zhao didn't laugh. She answered seriously, "I spent another 20,000 in the system lobby just to find your address."

"Can I find someone's address by paying money?"

"If your rank is higher than the other person's, you can check. There is no absolute privacy in the City of Misfortune. As long as you have money, you can do anything."

Yi Zanglan shook her head, slightly regretful: "If you don't care about money, just write it clearly in the notes next time. You might as well just give me this 20,000."

"Seeing you makes the 20,000 yuan worthwhile," Yan Zhao said. "Won't you invite me in? I have important business to discuss with you."

"What important matter is it?"

"The important thing that will get you out of this lousy place."