Samsara Paradise: Dream Weaver of Connections.

"Alright, now that we're all on the same side, we still need to follow some basic procedures." Captain Sarah's tone was much more amiable, and the tense atmosphere from before seemed to have dissipated, but the subtle scrutiny deep in her eyes had not completely faded.

"Share your public contact platform ID so we can add you to the team channel and some local messaging groups."

"A public communication platform?" Upon hearing this, Lin Yi's face showed a perfectly timed look of confusion. "What is that?"

His reaction wasn't entirely feigned; the Paradise of Reincarnation hadn't provided him with any information in this regard. The mission focused solely on the objective, and he had to figure out and adapt to the specifics of this world on his own.

At this moment, he took advantage of this information gap to further solidify his public image.

Seeing his expression, Bai Su suddenly realized and slapped her forehead: "Right, I almost forgot! You landed in Heru City and were targeted by 'Night of the Decapitation'. It's a miracle you escaped alive. How could you possibly have that thing in your hands?"

Her words completely dispelled the last trace of doubt in Sarah, Bei Si, and Lan Niba's eyes.

A contractor who doesn't even know what a public communication platform is is basically a "newcomer" who has just entered this world, and is the kind of person with the worst start.

This, in turn, corroborates Lin Yi's previous explanation of "being randomly and punitively placed in the amusement park," making it logically consistent.

“Looks like you’re really unlucky.” Sarah shook her head, seemingly expressing sympathy for Lin Yi’s “unfortunate” experience, but a glint of calculation flashed in the depths of her eyes—a powerful, helpless healer who lacked understanding of the current world was undoubtedly the type of person the team could control the most.

This was like a windfall for her team.

With a flick of her wrist, she took out a transparent crystal about the size of a fingernail from her storage space and handed it to Lin Yi: "Here, take this. Consider it a gift for the team. Just focus your mind on sensing it."

Lin Yi raised an eyebrow and took the crystal from Sarah's hand as instructed.

The crystal feels warm to the touch and carries a strange energy fluctuation.

As he probed it with a wisp of his mental energy, a cold, emotionless electronic voice rang out directly in his mind:

[Contractor ID detected as not logged in. Do you wish to log in to the current public contact platform?]

[Note: This public communication platform is built and maintained by the 'Phantom Troupe'. If you have any questions about the functions or usage, please explore on your own or refer to the platform's built-in guide. This platform does not provide manual assistance.]

[WARNING: This public communication platform prohibits 'violators' from logging in. Violators will be held responsible for any consequences.]

"The Phantom Troupe?" Lin Yi's heart stirred slightly, and a perfectly timed look of doubt appeared on his face. "Do the members of the Troupe... have that much power?"

He muttered to himself, not loudly, but loud enough for Sarah and the others around him to hear.

Muddy chuckled and eagerly explained, "Brother, you don't know this, do you? Those guys in the troupe, aside from other skills, are masters at this kind of 'service industry' and intelligence business. They have connections behind several large neutral communication platforms in the void, and it's said they have some shady relationships with many high-ranking members of the Paradise. They're really ruthless."

Sarah added, "In this world, especially for those of us... well, those outside the Paradise system, this platform is essential for obtaining information, trading supplies, finding temporary teammates, or posting requests for help. The one built by the Phantom Troupe is currently the one with the widest coverage and the most users. Although their commission is a bit steep, and they reportedly charge hefty fees for information transmission and transactions, it has the advantage of stable connections, relatively high confidentiality, and can basically guarantee transaction security."

Lin Yi nodded, but in his heart he thought of the mysterious and unpredictable leader of the brigade.

If it was that person's doing, then everything seems perfectly reasonable.

No wonder the tour leader is never short of money. Just maintaining these communication platforms all over the world generates an astronomical "commission" every day.

Without much hesitation, he confirmed "login" in his mind.

He then followed the prompts and entered his code name—he chose the simple and unpretentious title "Doctor," which suited his current persona.

[Login successful for user 'Doctor'.]

This platform offers features such as regional channels, squad channels, private chat, a trading market, and intelligence bounties.

Please note that using certain features incurs corresponding fees, as follows: Speaking in the regional channel costs 50 Paradise Coins per time; creating and maintaining a team channel is charged on a periodic basis; placing and executing orders in the trading market incurs a 5% commission; posting intelligence bounties requires a minimum deposit of 1000 Paradise Coins…

A series of notifications flashed by, and Lin Yi's eyes twitched slightly as he looked at the fee list that included almost all known amusement park currencies.

This tour group is making money hand over fist; it's a highly profitable industry.

As soon as he logged into the platform, a semi-transparent blue screen popped up in front of him, displaying rapidly scrolling information:

Art teacher (**Paradise): "What's going on? Lately, it seems like there are more of those 'hunters,' and we have to be careful when we're out and about."

Warhammer (**Paradise): "It's all Sphinx's fault for this mess! Damn it, they brought it on themselves, trying to provoke a tiger, why should we all have to take the blame! Now everything's so tense!"

Mengmi (**Paradise): "Yo, Warhammer, looks like you're not convinced? If you're not convinced, go find Lord Sphinx and argue with him face to face. What are you babbling about here? Talk is cheap. How about we find a place to practice first? Let me show you the power of Lord Sphinx!"

Warhammer (**Paradise): "What the hell are you pretending for? Mengmi, don't think you're so great just because you've latched onto Sphinx! Bring it on, who's afraid of who? You really think I'm afraid of you? Don't forget, this time you've taken goods from the Paradise of Reincarnation! With that hellhole's vengeful nature, it won't listen to reason! Just wait for those crazy hunters to come knocking on your door! Let's see if Sphinx can protect any of you!"

Black Serpent (**Paradise): "Let's all keep quiet. What's the point of arguing? Warhammer is right. Who doesn't know the way Reincarnation Paradise operates? ... They suffered such a huge loss this time, losing what are supposedly very important resources. Their subsequent retaliation will be absolutely fierce and they will definitely not let it go."

Art teacher (**Paradise): "Sigh, that's why those of us who didn't get involved are so unlucky... I just hope it doesn't spread too far. It's safer to stay in the city or in crowded places these days."

The messages in the chat channel scrolled quickly. Although the Paradise suffixes of the speakers were mostly blurred, it was clear that contractors from different Paradises were mixed in here.

The core of their discussion all pointed to one fact—everyone knew that the violators led by Sphinx had looted the resources of the Paradise of Reincarnation, and they unanimously believed that the Paradise of Reincarnation's subsequent retaliation was inevitable. This was not speculation, but a consensus formed based on the understanding that the Paradise of Reincarnation was always vengeful.

Sarah also saw the discussion on the channel. She walked over to Lin Yi and said with a hint of warning, "Doctor, you've seen it too. Things are very tense right now. You've just arrived, so please don't go near Heru City for the foreseeable future."

She paused, then lowered her voice: "The 'White Night' you encountered was clearly an advance agent sent by the Paradise of Reincarnation to investigate this matter. Right now, Heru City is a powder keg that could explode at any moment. According to some secret information I've gathered, there are quite a few old monsters hiding in Heru City. They usually keep a low profile, but once they're alerted... the scene will definitely be ugly. Unless absolutely necessary, no one wants to go there now."

Lin Yi followed behind Sarah, familiarizing himself with the platform's operation while feigning curiosity and asking, "What exactly is this 'Sphinx' they keep talking about? It sounds really powerful?"

Upon hearing Lin Yi's question, Sarah's face revealed a complex expression, a mixture of apprehension and barely perceptible awe.

She gestured for Lin Yi to follow, explaining as they walked, "Sphinx... he's an extraordinary guy, and an extremely dangerous one. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him a mad idealist or a schemer."

"He suddenly appeared in this world a few months ago. At first, no one took him seriously. After all, as you know, it's too normal for the outlaws to come and go. The number of outlaws who die in different worlds every year is countless. We are ruthless to contractors, ruthless to native forces, and... equally ruthless to our own people. So before Sphinx appeared, the outlaws in this world were basically a disorganized mess, fighting each other and crushing one another."

“But Sphinx is different.” Sarah’s tone became serious. “After he arrived, in almost a month, he won over nearly half of the outlaws in the Land of Miracles with his… well, highly inflammatory rhetoric and unpredictable methods. Then, he led this group to directly challenge the largest outlaw groups that were entrenched here at the time.”

"At the time, everyone thought he was crazy, that he was throwing his eggs against a rock. But to everyone's astonishment, when the conflict was at its most intense and Sphinx's side seemed about to be defeated, he somehow managed to summon the 'White Goat'!" "White Goat?" Lin Yi asked, feigning confusion.

Sarah lowered her voice even further, filled with deep apprehension: "The White Goat descended directly onto the battlefield and almost crushed all of Sphinx's enemies. That battle was a bloodbath, and it solidified Sphinx's supreme authority here."

"Since then, Sphinx has become the nominal 'common ruler' of all violators. In addition, with the ancient god standing behind him, even many of the major native powers in this world are wary of him and even secretly collude with him. It can be said that as long as the three immortal wizards at the Wizarding Guild headquarters do not intervene, Sphinx is the de facto 'local emperor' of this world."

“The large-scale operation that looted the Paradise of Reincarnation a while ago was planned and organized by Sphinx. He joined forces with the White Goat and other ancient gods to catch the Paradise of Reincarnation off guard. At the time, they also tried to recruit me and my team, but…” Sarah shook her head, “I have a lot of dealings with the people of the Paradise of Reincarnation, and I know how difficult they are to deal with and how vengeful they are. I’d rather not do something that directly stirs up a hornet’s nest. So we didn’t participate.”

After learning the whole story from Sarah, Lin Yi's eyes revealed a look of understanding.

He raised his level of vigilance to the highest level regarding this opponent named Sphinx.

Judging from Sarah's description, this guy is not only highly skilled and good at winning people's hearts, but more importantly, he is meticulous, far-sighted, and extremely good at leveraging power, even able to get in touch with the ancient gods.

This is a typical schemer, a top-notch old silver coin.

The best way to deal with such an enemy is to prevent him from having any opportunity to devise plans or carry out schemes.

During their conversation, Sarah had already led Lin Yi to their temporary residence in the Land of Miracles—a settlement consisting of numerous simple stone houses and tents located on the outskirts of Eisenla City.

This place was clearly a spontaneously formed foothold by the violators.

As soon as Lin Yi stepped inside, he felt countless gazes, some bright and some dark, directed at him.

Looking around, there were thousands of people moving about!

They dressed in different clothes and came from different races. Some were alone, while others were in groups of three or five. But without exception, they all emanated energy fluctuations of varying strengths and generally carried a fierce, vigilant, and even crazy temperament honed by long-term struggles on the edge of life and death.

Lin Yi roughly sensed that there were almost no beings here with strength below the fifth rank.

Those who have survived in this extremely dangerous world and gathered here are indeed not to be trifled with; they are all desperate criminals who have tasted blood.

Although the settlement looked chaotic, it seemed to have a spontaneous order within it.

Lin Yi noticed that there was even a small trading market here.

Some violators spread a cloth on the ground or set up a simple stall with all sorts of strange materials, equipment, and potions on it.

What surprised Lin Yi the most was that, despite the mixed backgrounds and diverse characters here, the transaction process was unexpectedly "peaceful".

He observed carefully for a while. Although the bargaining was intense and occasionally erupted into confrontations, he did not find any instances of forced buying or selling or outright robbery.

Seemingly sensing Lin Yi's confusion, Bai Su explained in a low voice, "Making a scene here is the biggest taboo. Anyone who dares to break the rules of the trade will become the target of everyone's attacks. After all, everyone comes here to trade and acquire resources, and no one wants to see a lawless market where life-or-death conflicts could erupt at any moment. This unspoken rule was established with the lives of many reckless individuals."

Lin Yi nodded to show his understanding.

He strolled around the market, his gaze mainly lingering on potions and items used to enhance attributes.

This sight secretly alarmed him.

The potions or items sold at these stalls that can permanently boost attributes are ridiculously expensive!

Even some of the weaker drugs, or those with obvious side effects, were priced far higher than the similar items he had seen in the Paradise of Reincarnation. Roughly estimated, the premium was at least ten times higher.

He pointed to a bottle labeled "Slightly increases strength, reduces agility by 5 points for three hours after use" and asked Sarah beside him, "Isn't this thing... ridiculously expensive?"

Sarah's face fell as she heard this: "You've been in the park for too long, you don't understand the difficulties we 'illegal immigrants' face."

She explained, "In the park, you can earn attribute points by completing tasks or safely enhance your strength using the park's attribute enhancement chambers. But we rule-breakers... have long since lost the park's 'favor'."

"We have very limited ways to become stronger. Apart from a very few natural treasures that we obtain by chance and that have no side effects, in most cases we can only rely on these flawed potions or certain dangerous secret techniques to forcibly improve our attributes. The process is not only painful, but the failure rate and risk are also extremely high."

Bei Si added in a low voice, "Moreover, these kinds of resources that can directly improve basic strength are the most sought-after hard currency anywhere. This is especially true for those of us who have lost a stable way to strengthen ourselves. The production is extremely low, but the demand is unimaginably high, so the price is naturally driven up to the sky. Even that bottle of potion you just saw would cause a small-scale scramble and bidding war when resources are scarce."

Muddy patted his round belly and chuckled, "That's why we homeless kids have such a hard life. Doctor, you're so capable, you're popular wherever you go."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yi finally understood.

No wonder these attribute-enhancing potions are so expensive; the root cause is that violators have lost the safe and reliable way to strengthen themselves provided by the park.

Their path to becoming stronger is more difficult and dangerous; every improvement in their attributes may come with enormous risks and costs.

This huge supply-demand imbalance has directly led to abnormally high prices for these resources.

He glanced discreetly at the stalls with their astonishingly high prices, but a secret thought began to stir within him; he seemed to have discovered a lucrative "business opportunity."

At the same time, he gained a deeper understanding of why these violators were so interested in the blueprint drawn by Sphinx.

The allure of a leader who can provide a stable source of power is deadly to these dissidents who are struggling on their path to power.

Sphinx undoubtedly grasped the core weakness of this group of outlaws.

Lin Yi followed Sarah and the others toward the stone house their team was renting. On the surface, he remained calm, but in his heart, he was already rapidly planning how to contact Su Xiao and make a killing.

Others might not know, but Lin Yi was well aware that Su Xiao had a false identity as the Holy Flame Pharmacist as a cover.

If we can work together with Su Xiao from the inside out, with myself handling the contact and sales on this side and Su Xiao providing the goods, we can definitely make a killing off these rulebreakers who are desperate to improve their strength by taking advantage of this huge price difference!
This sudden "business opportunity" made Lin Yi feel that this hunting mission might bring unexpected extra rewards in addition to the mission rewards themselves.

Of course, the premise is that all plans must be based on the successful completion of the mission and must be done secretly enough so that Sphinx cannot detect them.

Risk and opportunity coexist; this has always been the core principle of the Paradise of Reincarnation. (End of Chapter)