Samsara Paradise: Dream Weaver of Connections.

Not long ago, that old guy Bliss was all smiles and said, "You've hit the jackpot."

Even with Lin Yi's calm and collected nature, he couldn't help but curse the old fox in his heart at this moment.

This isn't just making a profit; it's outright robbery.

That old man is incredibly ruthless. He probably already knew the true value of cigarettes here, but he still wanted to get rid of him with a pittance.

Lin Yi subconsciously glanced at his storage space, where cartons of mass-produced cigarettes were neatly stacked like soldiers awaiting inspection. At a rough glance, there were definitely more than a hundred cartons... or more than a thousand packs.

These items would be worth about the same as a pale gold piece of equipment in the Paradise of Reincarnation, but their value here is multiplied.

If everything is calculated based on the "survivors'" buyback price of 2400 points per pack... Lin Yi felt his heart skip a beat.

That would be a huge contribution value of over two million!
What a terrifying number! Looking at the Research Association's exchange list just now, the legendary class inheritance item, [Kiss of the Night], only costs 100,000 contribution points. The three epic random boxes combined cost less than 100,000, and all the complete Soul Crystals in my inventory only amount to 450,000 contribution points…

This means that, theoretically, if he wanted, Lin Yi could use these cigarettes, which are practically worthless in the park, to instantly empty out most of the high-end supplies that the research institute openly displayed! This is a terrifying purchasing power capable of disrupting the balance of the local market.

Of course, this was just a crazy theoretical figure, and Lin Yi immediately suppressed this unrealistic idea.

Huge profits are often accompanied by equal levels of risk; "scarcity makes things valuable" is a universally applicable principle.

The reason why the cigarettes in Lin Yi's hand could sell for such an outrageous price here is precisely because they are "highly effective", "of unknown origin", and "rare in quantity".

These three conditions are indispensable, which together constitute its outrageous premium.

If Lin Yi were really foolish enough to throw away hundreds of packs of cigarettes at once, the market price would probably plummet.

While it won't go from being a hard currency to being a common tobacco leaf, its price will certainly be halved, or even lower.

More importantly, it is questionable whether the research institute, or Bliss personally, can absorb such a massive amount of contribution payments all at once.

The contribution is not unlimited; it must be supported by the credibility and resource reserves of the academic society.

Although Bliss implied that "the more contributions the better," Lin Yi believed that there must be a limit to how much he could contribute.

Once a certain threshold is exceeded, what will likely result is not a transaction, but rather unpredictable trouble and covetousness.

Every husband is not guilty, and he is guilty of his crime.

The key to maximizing profits and ensuring one's own security lies in maintaining a steady, controlled supply and preserving scarcity.

With this in mind, Lin Yi made a decision.

This transaction cannot involve too many or too few items.

You need to demonstrate a certain value and potential to gain the other party's attention, but you must not arouse excessive greed or suspicion.

He remained expressionless, as if he had merely glanced at the prices, and then turned to nod slightly to Gulu, who was still pretending to inquire about prices at the other counter.

Gulu received the signal, understood immediately, and after casually asking the counter staff a few questions about the prices of regular supplies and ammunition, he naturally returned.

The two exchanged a glance, tacitly agreed not to say anything more, and turned to leave the survivors' hall.

“Let’s go and have a ‘chat’ with Mr. Bliss.”

Back in the quiet hall of the research institute, the three old men were still playing chess, as if time had stood still.

Lin Yi and Gulu walked straight to the counter of the "Resource Allocation Department".

Bliss seemed to have expected them to return, his face plastered with that shrewd and calculating smile, as if nothing had happened before.

"Oh? The two kids are back so soon? How about it? Don't you think it's more affordable here? A 20% discount isn't something you can get everywhere." He adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses and said with a smile.

Lin Yi walked to the counter and got straight to the point without any preamble: "Mr. Bliss, how about 2000 contribution points per pack?"

Bliss's smile froze instantly. He clearly hadn't expected Lin Yi to be so direct, without even a hint of beating around the bush.

The "survivors" get a buyback price of 2400 points per pack, but that's the "buyback price." Theoretically, they could sell it to internal members for a higher price.

As a middleman, Bliss can buy the items for 2000 contribution points and then resell them to "survivors" at cost, making a net profit of 400 points per pack. If he has other, more secretive sales channels, the profit margin would probably be even more astonishing.

Bliss's eyes flickered a few times, as he tried to feign ignorance in a final struggle: "Ahem, young man, what did you say? 2000 a pack? What kind of cigarettes are worth that much? Did you misread the unit or..."

“The survivors will buy them back for 120 contribution points each.” Lin Yi interrupted him, his tone still flat, but his gaze seemed to see right through Bliss’s little scheme. “Mr. Bliss, my math is pretty good. A pack of twenty is 2400 contribution points. I’m giving you 2000 per pack, which is already fair. Alternatively, we can choose to trade directly with the ‘survivors.’ Although the process might be a bit more complicated, requiring registration, I think they would welcome this kind of hard currency and might even offer some conveniences.”

Lin Yi's words blocked all avenues of retreat, even pointing out the possibility that the "survivors" might offer convenience, implying that he did not have no other options.

Bliss's expression changed, showing a hint of annoyance at being exposed: "Ahem... So you've already gone over there to check... Young people these days are really thorough in their work, I admire you, I admire you."

He knew he couldn't hide it any longer. The other party had obviously figured out the bottom price of the market. Insisting on 300 yuan a pack would only be humiliating and might even completely offend this potential supplier.

Bliss quickly weighed the pros and cons: at 2000 per pack, he still had a considerable profit margin, and there was no worry about selling such a sought-after product.

More importantly, if he could get goods from Lin Yi in the long run, it would be a very considerable source of income, and Bliss himself was also very eager for it.

"Hehe..." Bliss chuckled dryly, his wrinkles deepening, but this time his smile seemed more genuine. "Alright, alright, you're quite the young man. 2000 it is, this old man will take a loss, consider it making a friend. In the future, if you have any good stuff, be sure to consider me first!"

As he spoke, he deftly pressed a few buttons on the control panel under the counter.

[Note: The War Contribution Shop's recycling list has been updated.]

The buyback price for cigarettes of unknown origin has been changed to 2000 contribution points per pack.

Lin Yi nodded; the price was within his expectations.

He didn't expect to sell it at the full price of 2400; leaving the other party a certain profit margin was necessary for the transaction to continue.

Pushing too hard might lead to a complete breakdown in relations or drive the other party to take desperate measures.

This price is acceptable to both parties.

"Okay." Lin Yi replied succinctly.

"Then...where's the goods?" Bliss rubbed his hands together, his small eyes sparkling with anticipation.

Lin Yi hesitated for a moment, then took out five packs of cigarettes wrapped in transparent film from his storage space and neatly arranged them on the counter.

This number was one he had carefully considered: fifty packages, totaling one hundred thousand contribution points.

This is not a small amount, but it is only a small part compared to the theoretical total of 2.4 million.

This quantity is not so large as to immediately cause price fluctuations or lead the other party to excessively suspect "how much inventory he actually has." It demonstrates his "sincerity" and "strength" while maintaining sufficient mystery and restraint.

When Bliss saw five whole cartons of cigarettes suddenly appear on the counter, his eyes widened instantly, and his breathing became heavier.

He picked up a package and carefully examined it, confirming that it was exactly the same as the one he had received before. He could hardly contain his joy.

"Good! Good! Good!" He said "good" three times in a row, his voice trembling slightly. "Fifty packs! 100,000 contribution points! I'll transfer them to you right away!"

As if afraid that Lin Yi would change his mind, he immediately started tapping rapidly on the control panel.

Lin Yi immediately heard a notification from the Paradise of Reincarnation:
You have earned 100000 Research Society contribution points.

[Current contribution value: 102000 points.]

Gulu, standing to the side, stared wide-eyed at Lin Yi's contribution points, which instantly surged to six figures. His mouth was slightly agape, and his face was full of envy.

Comparing people to each other makes people angry!
Why doesn't she have any of these seemingly insignificant "specialties" that can fetch astronomical prices in this world?
She had also brought some commonly used psychotropic drugs and alchemical concoctions, but after checking the market, she found that similar items were sold by the Research Society and the Survivors, and while the prices weren't low, they certainly weren't this outrageously expensive. This huge discrepancy made her feel extremely unbalanced. Bliss happily swept fifty packs of cigarettes quickly under the counter, her smile becoming much more genuine, and she looked at Lin Yi as if he were a walking gold mine.

"If you find anything like this again, be sure to consider this old man first! The price is absolutely fair!"

He emphasized again, even lowering his voice to reveal a hint, "Contribution points are just a number to me! As long as the food is good, I'll take as much as I can! And..."

He smiled mysteriously and pointed to the display shelves behind him: "What are these things that are on the surface? The real treasures are hidden behind them. Once you have enough contribution points and your access level is high enough, you may be able to see or even exchange for those real treasures that you can't find anywhere else."

Lin Yi's heart skipped a beat, realizing that the old man was implying that the research society had a hidden supply depot or a special exchange list.

But that’s another story.

Lin Yi pointed directly to the exchange list: "I want to exchange for three [Epic Equipment Random Boxes]."

[Prompt: Do you wish to spend 96000 contribution points to exchange for 3 [Epic Equipment Random Boxes]?]

【whether】

Lin Yi chose "yes," and the huge amount of contribution points he had just received instantly shrank to a pitiful 6000 points.

At the same time, three metal treasure chests appeared out of nowhere in Lin Yi's storage space.

Gulu's eyes were practically glowing with envy as she watched from the side. After all her hard work, she only had half of her equipment that had just reached the epic level.

This luck and opportunity made her incredibly jealous, yet she was helpless and could only grit her teeth in secret.

The transaction was complete. Lin Yi didn't linger. He nodded to Bliss and left the Research Society with a envious and jealous Gulu.

I returned to my hotel room and closed the door.

Gulu's attitude changed almost instantly, a complete 180-degree turn.

Gulu, who had previously ignored Lin Yi and occasionally even snapped at him, has now become unusually attentive.

She rushed to brew Lin Yi a pot of local specialty hot tea, then went around behind him, stretched out her small hands, and began to massage his shoulders with just the right amount of pressure. Her technique was a little clumsy, but her attitude was extremely proper.

"Ahem... Godfather? You must be tired just now, right? Exploring the Nightmare Realm must be exhausting, right? Let me give you a massage..." Her voice was sickeningly sweet, with an obvious hint of flattery.

Lin Yi sat upright in the chair, expressionless, picked up his teacup and took a sip, neither rejecting nor showing any enjoyment of the not-so-comfortable massage on his shoulders.

He knew perfectly well what this little girl was up to by suddenly becoming so attentive.

They were simply after his huge amount of contribution points, hoping to get a share, or at least borrow some contribution points to redeem the [Kiss of the Night].

But Lin Yi wasn't buying it. He was a bodyguard and enforcer hired by Gulu to help him complete his professional missions. He had to uphold the contract, but he wasn't there to be a spendthrift.

It makes no sense for someone to give away their scarce resources to their employer for free. There are no such compassionate rules in the cycle of reincarnation; equivalent exchange is the ironclad rule.

He sat there calmly, eyes closed, seemingly oblivious to Gulu's hints and attempts to please him.

After kneading for a while, seeing that Lin Yi didn't react at all, neither asking what she wanted to do nor giving any indication, Gu Lu suddenly became a little anxious, and her hands slowed down.

She gritted her teeth, deciding to stop beating around the bush, and went to Lin Yi, forcing a pitiful expression on her face, widening her eyes to try and make herself look more innocent: "Um... Godfather... you seem to have a lot of contribution points left? Although you spent quite a bit just now, you must still have a lot of those cigarettes left, right?"

"Hmm." Lin Yi opened his eyes and responded faintly, waiting for her to continue. He knew that Gulu was about to burst.

Gulu rubbed his fingers together, seemingly hesitant to speak, but finally managed to ask, "Could you lend me some?"

After she finished speaking, she looked at Lin Yi with anticipation.

Lin Yi looked at her, remained silent for a few seconds, and then slowly said, "Cigarettes are limited."

“I know, I can pay! Paradise coins, or I can trade you with what I have. What do you want? Anything I have, we can discuss.”

Lin Yi had been waiting for her to say those words. He pretended to ponder, tapping his fingers lightly on the table as if he were thinking seriously.

“I have plenty of Paradise Coins,” he said slowly. “As for bartering, you’ll have to offer something of sufficient value that I need. We both know the value of cigarettes here; they can be exchanged for almost anything that’s not publicly available.”

Gulu nodded quickly: "I understand! I understand!" She began to quickly take stock of the items in her storage space, naming a few items, mostly high-grade materials, potions, or her spare equipment.

Lin Yi simply shook his head slightly. These things might be good, but they had limited appeal to him at the moment, and their value was also troublesome to estimate.

Seeing this, Gulu became even more anxious.

She was furious at Lin Yi's domineering attitude, but there was nothing she could do; the initiative was completely in his hands.

After struggling for a while, Gulu seemed to have made up his mind. He gritted his teeth and said, "Soul Crystals (Complete)! I'll trade you Soul Crystals (Complete)! 10 of them! For 5 packs of cigarettes! How about it?"

When Gulu said that price, his heart was bleeding.

Ten Soul Crystals (Complete) are practically priceless hard currency in Paradise.

Five packs of cigarettes can be bought for a few thousand amusement park coins at most in the park, which is simply blatant robbery.

But there was no way around it; she was determined to have [Kiss of the Night].

With it, Gulu's profession can unlock core skills, and the subsequent path will be much smoother.

In comparison, while the cost of 10 complete Soul Crystals is painful, it is not unacceptable.

If she were to slowly accumulate contribution points on her own, who knows how long it would take? There are too many variables in the meantime, and the items might be swapped out by someone else.

Lin Yi pretended to think for a moment, and finally nodded under Gulu's gaze.

"can."

Upon hearing this, Gulu first breathed a sigh of relief, but then a huge pang of heartache and a feeling of being "ripped off" welled up in his heart.

She glared fiercely at Lin Yi, practically spitting out the words through gritted teeth: "Deal! You swindler!"

Lin Yi shrugged indifferently and directly initiated a notarized transaction contract through the Samsara Paradise. The terms were clear and unambiguous: 10 Soul Crystals (complete) would be exchanged for 5 packs of cigarettes provided by Lin Yi.

Gulu gritted his teeth as he confirmed the contents of the contract, his expression as if he wanted to swallow it whole, before reluctantly confirming it.

Once the contract is established, it is protected by the park and cannot be revoked.

With a pained expression, Gulu took out 10 complete Soul Crystals from his storage space and handed them to Lin Yi.

After confirming that everything was in order, Lin Yi took out five packs of cigarettes and handed them to Gulu.

Transaction complete.

Gulu, clutching five packs of cigarettes, rushed out of the room and headed straight for the research society.

Although Gulu paid a huge price, she couldn't help but get excited at the thought of getting the coveted core item for her profession.

Watching Gulu's disappearing figure, Lin Yi weighed the ten newly acquired Soul Crystals (Complete) in his hand.

This trip was quite fruitful.

He gained huge profits and much-needed high-level resources by using something that cost him almost nothing, making a huge profit.

This nightmare world is starting to get interesting. (End of Chapter)