Chapter 551: Chapter 551: Testing the Waters

Round six of the game, Zheng Chunhua meets Qin Cheng again.

"How’s the situation on the patient’s side?" Zheng Chunhua asked.

Qin Cheng answered truthfully: "There’s one Infected, but fortunately, the other patients are quite cautious, so he hasn’t infected more people.

"I sold him three tablets from the previous bottle of M-class painkillers, taking one per round is enough to cure.

"So currently, the patients in Zone D should be safe.

"How about your side?"

Zheng Chunhua said: "I got three more bottles of M-class drugs, two unopened and one opened.

"I can roughly determine the price for M-class drugs is around 1400, while the other three types are indeed much cheaper.

"And... Chen Guangming doesn’t plan to sell me any M-class drugs."

Zheng Chunhua briefly recounted the situation when he met Chen Guangming and Bai Zilan in the previous rounds.

"Overall, it’s okay. If Bai Zilan brings a few more bottles of M-class drugs next round, even if they’re more expensive, I’ll buy them all.

"That way, as long as there’s no mass spread of the infection in Zone D, it should be enough.

"After all, each bottle contains five pills, and three are enough to cure one Infected."

However, Qin Cheng frowned slightly, falling into thought.

"Something’s off.

"Something doesn’t feel right.

"Uncle Zheng, where’s the sample bottle Bai Zilan gave you? Let me see it."

Zheng Chunhua, puzzled, handed the opened bottle of M-class drugs to Qin Cheng.

Qin Cheng poured out the white pills, carefully examining them in the palm of his hand.

Then, he took out another pill, inspecting it closely.

"C18NO4, these are all O-class drugs.

"Bai Zilan is testing you.

"I’m afraid she isn’t a well-intentioned player."

Qin Cheng, somewhat helpless, put the white pills back into the bottle.

Zheng Chunhua was stunned: "How could this be?"

He hastily took the bottle and examined the pills in his hand, and sure enough, the molecular formulas on them were all C18NO4, meaning they weren’t M-class drugs but O-class drugs.

There’s only one explanation: Bai Zilan swapped them on purpose.

Zheng Chunhua hurriedly said: "But I bought this bottle at a very low price without taking a careful look at the pills.

"There shouldn’t have been any loopholes, right?"

Qin Cheng shook his head: "No, your willingness to buy this bottle actually indicates something.

"If you didn’t know any method of identifying the pills, then when she gave you this opened bottle of drugs, your most reasonable reaction would be to refuse directly.

"If you accepted it, there are only two explanations:

"First, you can’t distinguish these pills, but you’re someone who easily trusts other players;

"Second, you have a way of identifying these pills.

"Clearly, the latter seems more likely. Bai Zilan probably already assumes you possess the ability to identify these pills and have confirmed you know the prototype of these drugs, meaning you know their effects and side effects."

Zheng Chunhua was taken aback; when he accepted this bottle from Bai Zilan, he hadn’t thought so deeply.

He only thought that as long as he didn’t deliberately examine the pills under the light to see the component letters, he wouldn’t reveal any information. But now it seems this thought was too simple.

"If she isn’t a well-intentioned player, wouldn’t she also refuse to sell me M-class drugs?

"What should I do? Pretend not to know anything, or..."

Zheng Chunhua became more confused.

Qin Cheng pondered for a moment: "I can’t think of a good solution for now.

"You can only pretend not to know and try to deceive her into selling you more drugs, but she may not fall for it.

"If we assume the worst-case scenario, we can only withstand it.

"Meaning use the M-class drugs we’ve acquired to save all the patients as much as possible.

"In the end, we’ll have to see who gives in first, us or Sales. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"After all, Chen Guangming said he has completely opened Zone C, and Bai Zilan said Auditors in Zone A are buying M-class drugs in bulk, but they may not be truthful."

...

Round seven of the game, Zheng Chunhua meets Bai Zilan again.

"Hello, Uncle!"

Bai Zilan sat opposite, still as optimistic and energetic as last time, seeming full of friendliness.

Yet, clearly, if she were truly like she presented herself, it would be impossible for her to swap drugs intentionally as a test.

But after Qin Cheng’s reminder, Zheng Chunhua didn’t confront her directly, instead pretending to know nothing and asked: "Did you bring the M-class drugs?"

Bai Zilan nodded but didn’t take out any bottles from her bosom.

"I did.

"However... Uncle, I can only sell it to you at 2000 medical points per bottle."

Zheng Chunhua’s face fell instantly as he looked at Bai Zilan: "You never intended to sell it to me, did you?

"You better understand, as an Auditor, I can meet with two Sales. If you don’t sell, others will.

"Don’t think you can control me.

Bai Zilan smiled, but compared to her previous sweet and kind smile, this one was more meaningful.

"No, Uncle, you probably can’t buy any drugs from the other Sales.

"Since it has come to this, should we both be transparent about the game?

Zheng Chunhua leaned back a bit: "Go ahead."

Indeed, deep down he knew, with the image Bai Zilan showed, it was almost impossible for her to exist in the New World, because such players would’ve been conned out of the game early.

Even if new players joined in the second phase, they wouldn’t usually end up as ’Sales’ in this game.

Yet despite this, Zheng Chunhua still held a vague hope deep down that if Bai Zilan was indeed a new, somewhat simple and kind player, perhaps the game could easily reach the best outcome.

But now, that hope has indeed been shattered.

After Qin Cheng’s reminder, Zheng Chunhua didn’t immediately expose Bai Zilan’s disguise, rather he intended to take advantage of it, trying to get more M-class drugs from her.

But clearly, Bai Zilan was aware of this too.

"Uncle, I’ll be straightforward, you probably already realized the method of distinguishing these drugs and know that M-class drugs are the best.

"While O-class and F-class drugs can also relieve pain and cure the ’Infected’, they have significant side effects.

"But for Sales, there’s little profit in selling M-class drugs.

"Saying I’m willing to sell it for 2000 is actually fake, since it exceeds the suggested retail range for this drug.

"Upon leaving the game, violating transactions will lead to a percentage reduction in earnings, making it still a loss.

"Actually, I don’t plan to sell any more M-class drugs.

"I know what you want to say: You can still meet another Sales, who will sell you M-class drugs, so whether I sell or not seems meaningless. Selling means small profits, not selling means not even recovering the initial medical points, right?

"But I’ve roughly guessed: The other Sales probably won’t sell you any M-class drugs either."

Zheng Chunhua tried to keep his expression unchanged, but the shock within him was hard to completely hide.