Chapter 0: Harmonious Brothel
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Yihong Courtyard in Sky Sword City.
Lin Nan looked up at the still towering and eye-catching archway and couldn’t help but feel a wave of nostalgia wash over him.
The last time he came here was purely unintentional, but he never expected a series of ensuing events in the Small Thousand World would be so related to this place.
Even now, he felt a lingering sense of unreality.
However, it seemed that Yihong Courtyard was not under any scrutiny at the moment. The Heavenly Sword Sect probably didn’t anticipate that a spy organization of the Monster Race would set up shop right in their own city!
“Hey, bro, it’s time to pay the entrance fee,” Fatty chimed in cheerfully.
Lin Nan slowly pulled his gaze away.
At the entrance of Yihong Courtyard stood two burly guards, their left hands resting on their waists and their right hands grasping the kn*fe handles, looking ready to chop anyone who dared to barge in without an invitation.
Although it was still before noon, a handful of players were already clustered at the door.
“Hello everyone, I’m Xiao Ai.”
“Behind me is the notorious gold sinkhole of Sky Sword City, Yihong Courtyard.
Sure, the name is a bit cheesy, but its decor and standards are the envy of the entire street!
The girls are all stunning beauties, not your average run-of-the-mill courtesans you find elsewhere.”
“Of course, with such beauty comes the price—you can bet that Yihong Courtyard doesn’t do budget-friendly.”
“Yep, you heard that right. Just to step foot in Yihong Courtyard, the entrance fee is 1,000 Spirit Coins.
And that doesn’t even include the girls’ fees.
Some players might not have even earned 1,000 Spirit Coins by this point in the game!”
“This means anyone who can afford to enjoy the delights of Yihong Courtyard is far from ordinary.”
“Because of this, Yihong Courtyard has become a hotspot for certain wealthy folks from the real world to gather in the game.”
“Cultivation requires opportunities and comprehension; even a rich player can’t carve their path with Spirit Coins alone.
However, if they just want to enjoy a different lifestyle in-game and receive envious glances from others, all they need is Spirit Coins. The rich are always generous in that regard.”
Xiao Ai was a lifestyle player.
She was one of the early birds who realized she wasn’t cut out for cultivation and began making money off the game.
The hardcore nature of the cultivation system in The Way of Inquiry left many players lacking in understanding, feeling utterly stumped.
Fortunately, other play styles in the game were equally engaging, so this segment of players devoted most of their focus to honing their lifestyle skills.
In fact, they often found earning Spirit Coins easier than those who slaved away grinding levels and meditating.
Some players even attempted to climb the tech tree to reboot the industrial revolution in the game world.
However, given the game had not been live for long, they were still groping around in the dark, struggling to figure things out.
In short, this world was incredibly real; aside from the adult content restrictions, you could basically do anything.
Xiao Ai was busy creating a series of videos called “Traveling Through The Way of Inquiry World,” which were quite popular on real-world sites. Many beginner players got hooked on The Way of Inquiry after watching her recommendations.
In this episode, she was mainly introducing an ancient profession that has existed since the dawn of human civilization.
“This time, we’re lucky to have player Li Xiaocong with us.”
“As a VIP gold card holder of Yihong Courtyard, he has spent over 100,000 Spirit Coins, equivalent to almost 400,000 RMB.”
A tall, handsome young man waved at the camera with a gracious smile.
“Hello, wealthy dude!”
“Hey everyone. Please don’t call me a wealthy dude; just call me Xiao Cong.”
“Alright, Xiao Cong, I’d like to ask you a question.
As we all know, The Way of Inquiry is a family-friendly game, so inappropriate visuals will never show up.
This means that even if players step into a brothel, there won’t be any behavior surpassing friendly relations as seen in the real world.
So why do so many wealthy players still flock to Yihong Courtyard?”
Li Xiaocong chuckled, “The girls at Yihong Courtyard are proficient in everything: music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.
If they were to step into the real world, each one would definitely be a stunning talent.
Every minute spent there is pure enjoyment.
Even without physical contact, our spirits are exhilarated.
Interacting with them feels like taking mesmerizing classes in Chinese literature.
To be honest, I’ve memorized tons of poems to converse with them and even took time to learn Chinese painting—more dedication than when I studied for college exams!
But the effort paid off because now they’ve opened their hearts to me, allowing me to get a little closer.”
“Uh, can I ask what it means to get closer?” Xiao Ai asked curiously.
Li Xiaocong puffed out his chest proudly,
“To my knowledge, I’m the VIP with the highest favorability rating among the girls at Yihong Courtyard.
I can stay about two meters away from them.
I get to smell their lovely fragrance, admire their unmatched beauty, and even enjoy the occasional brush of contact.
Oh my goodness, that’s literally the happiest thing in the world!”
“What about players with lower favorability?”
“At least they’re three meters away.
Once, some guy tried to force a handshake, and the next second, he was smacked into oblivion by the guards.
Haha, clueless fools don’t know the joy of gradually winning the girls’ affection.”
Xiao Ai instantly pulled out a starry-eyed look,
“Xiao Cong, you really are a hardcore player!
In ancient times, you’d surely be a heartthrob even the Eight Beauties of Qinhuai would swoon over!”
One must admit, Xiao Ai sure knew how to compliment.
Li Xiaocong was grinning from ear to ear, glowing like a spring flower facing the ocean.
“Well then, let’s randomly interview some bystanders to see what they think about Yihong Courtyard!”
Spotting Fatty standing at the entrance, she quickly made her way over.
The man was hefty and looked a bit sleazy, but his clothing was plain and poorly tailored—a classic broke player vibe.
Next to Fatty stood a guy with an unremarkable face, but he was glaring coldly, clearly not someone easy to deal with.
Xiao Ai approached Fatty and thrust the microphone in his direction.
“Hi! I’m Xiao Ai, the creator of the series ‘Traveling Through The Way of Inquiry World.’ May I ask you a question related to Yihong Courtyard?”
Being a seasoned player, Fatty knew all about the series’ reputation. He eagerly nodded, “Sure, sure!”
“What do you think about the existence of brothels in the game, which might sound a tad out of place?”
Hearing that, Fatty frowned. “Out of place? Nah, I think it’s too in place!
Entering a brothel, they won’t even let me do a live stream,
Let alone cuddle with a girl. And they dare call that out of place?”
Li Xiaocong, who was planning to step into Yihong Courtyard for a heartfelt chat, shook his head.
Ahh, this world truly has all kinds of people.
Yihong Courtyard’s cheapest girl costs 2,000 Spirit Coins.
Clearly, someone who can’t even get through the door would say such nonsense about cuddling.
If they let you touch a single finger, I’d change my surname to yours.
Forget it, there’s really no point in engaging with such a person.
After all, they’re not from the same world.
However, Fatty’s next line made Li Xiaocong’s breath quicken, and his face flushed red.
Xiao Ai asked, “So, based on what you said, have you consumed at Yihong Courtyard?”
Fatty raised his head, “Of course! The great Fatty here went in and immediately ordered the top girl, Lady Siyan. Wow, that appearance, that figure, that little waist…
When I held her in my arms, it was like breathing sweet fragrance, so smooth and soft that there wasn’t an ounce of excess fat.”
“Fatty, stop rambling.”
Lin Nan shot him a glare.
Fatty quickly added, “Got it, bro.”
Then he turned back to Xiao Ai, saying, “Sorry, sorry! I have a date with Lady Siyan today!”
But suddenly, Li Xiaocong stepped in front of them.
“Fatty, what the heck were you just saying?!”
