Chapter 45: Boy with the Bamboo Flute
"Congratulations for winning this time limited dungeon." Jin saw the girls was experiencing a bout of acknowledgements from the crowd.
"Time limited?" Both the customers and Venus Four immediately looked at Jin with eyes widened.
"Yes, time limited. Considering how things go, the goblin dungeon will subsequently have its first Hard mode difficulty. When the Hard Mode difficulty goes online, the Normal+ difficulty will be removed."
"I doubt I will be doing Normal+ mode, although killing all the goblins gave out decent number of medals, I do not think I can cope with Grade 2 goblins." A customer shuddered in fear of doing Normal+ mode.
Separately, Yue Wen immediately went to check her Rewards tab in the Pandamonium app and suddenly screamed out with joy. "Boss! When does this time limited Normal+ mode ends?"
"Like I said, when Hard Mode goes online. I am unable to give you a proper date." Jin replied.
"Then you will be seeing us everyday at least for one goblin dungeon run!" Yue Wen quickly prodded the rest of her gang to check their rewards tab after forcing them to install the Pandamonium app. Upon reviewing the tab, all of them looked at each other with jubilation and nodded their heads furiously at the idea of coming back everyday.
"What is going on?" the customer who did not wish to proceed with Normal+ mode asked Yue Wen.
"This time limited dungeon actually gives a coupon discount of 10 bronze panda medals. That is almost equivalent to getting 10 more bronze panda medals! What is more exciting than clothes?"
"Getting a discount!" Venus Four smiled so radiantly that the customers were infected by them.
"Boss Jin! Can we stack the coupon discounts on a single item?" Shi Hui asked anxiously. She was not giving up the dream of getting that branded black silk dress. Jin nodded his head and the girls screamed crazily again.
The customers in the store suddenly got pumped up and started asking one another whether they wished to join up to fight against the goblins in either Normal or Normal+ mode.
They figured if they managed to get more panda medals, they would be able to procure some items from the underground stores and they would be able to eventually defeat the goblin dungeon instance.
"This place is really not a bad deal after all." Jing Ru spoke as she observed the crowd interaction.
"Your reasons? " Jia Ying asked, secretly hoping Jing Ru would have the same conclusion as her.
"For 245 Yuan, I can participate one of the best fights in my life , food that smell and taste terrific, a wide range of practical clothes and weapons for grabs if you do well in the fights. Which dungeon supplier in Shenzhen no wait, I should generalise a little. Which entertainment outlet you know of is able to provide such a wonderful…all round package?" Jing Ru was analysing each and every benefit of 245 Yuan.
"But the Boss seems lazy." Jia Ying giggled as she drank the bamboo juice she just bought from Boss Jin.
"Then this lazy boss is the smartest boss I ever known." Jing Ru took her contact lens off and wore her spectacles for comfort.
Venus Four stayed in the store for a while more as they tried out the variety of food which Boss Jin currently offer. The clique also gave some advice to the customers since they became a minor celebrity in the store for completing Normal+ Mode.
Jin did not forget to place their names up on the scoreboard and the Venus Four was also awarded an additional 25 bronze Panda Medals for their first dungeon clear in Normal+ Mode. Yue Wen showed her group the ranking board and their named were at the top of the dungeon clear for Normal Mode. The girls managed to takeover Bu Dong's group first clear.
"I believe Bu Dong will go nuts if he heard you took the first clear for Normal+ Mode." Jia Ying laughed a little too loudly but most did not care as they were viewing the dungeon instances at various stations.
"Yes, he definitely would try his best to get the Hard Mode first clear in order to have his name on the top." Shi Hui smiled as she drank her black ivory coffee.
———-
"Hey Di Ku, do you want to go to Tiangong shopping street for dinner?" Ni Pian Zi asked Mei Di Ku as they just completed their extra curricular activities in Tiangong Senior High.
"Sure, Lele diner cafe?" Di Ku asked Pian Zi but it seems he had a different opinion.
"I heard the shopping street has a new store, we can try their food!" Pian Zi said excitedly when he placed his Er Hu, a chinese two stringed fiddle used in the chinese orchestras.
"Isnt that new store a dungeon supplier? What do you mean by you wish to eat there?" Di Ku questioned him while he kept his bamboo flute.
"Oh, you did not know? That dungeon supplier apparently provides food services if you purchase his dungeon. I personally went there to take a look but did not have enough cash with me at that point of time." Pian Zi remembered the aroma of the tonkatsu curry rice, it was simply unforgettable.
"Besides, you have yet to treat me after you won that top prize in that competition." Pian Zi was referring to an annual provincial musical competition which Di Ku participated. Only the top musicians regardless of categories were invited to join it.
Di Ku happened to be the youngest and brightest of all the participants and he clinched the top prize without much effort. Some said he could be next upcoming winning musician for the national competition.
"What is this about treating? Looks like I want in too." An elderly bespectacled man with small moustache came towards them while holding a thin file.
"Teacher Pu Ting! Ah, we were just casually talking about how Di Ku should treat us a meal at the new dungeon supplier store beside Tiangong shopping centre" Pian Zi included his chinese orchestra teacher, Pu Ting into the conversation.
"Oh! I think I did hear rumours of such a store. It was charging exorbitant prices for its dungeon but cultivators seem to keep going back to that store. As if there is a sort of hidden magic which pulls them in." Pu Ting remembered one of the teachers in talking about it in the staff room.
"Well, all I want is to try the curry rice." Pian Zi shamelessly replied.
"Sir, do you wish to come with us? I will be honoured with your presence." Di Ku tone changed dramatically. Teacher Pu Ting was the reason why he managed to clinch the top prize. He was not any famous instructor in the field of chinese orchestra but Pu Ting was able to find the flaws of Di Ku music and kept on improving his skill.
Di Ku had the opportunity to work with various well-known instructors due to his family's influence but they could not come close to how meticulous and well thought Pu Ting's teachings were. Those shameless well-known instructors wanted was money and favour from his family.
"Well, this is a good time to test my cultivation as well as seeing Di Ku's style in battle. It had been a long time since I practiced it." Pu Ting laughed heartily.
"Then Sir, you will be in for a surprise. Because I heard the store has a monster that plays the Zither." Pian Zi decided to sweeten the deal for the both of them so there would be a higher chance for both of them to tag along.
"For real?" Di Ku and Pu Ting had their eyes opened. They never encountered nor heard of such monster. Pian Zi was right and decided to hook them in closer.
"Yeap, I saw it with my own eyes and believe me, even the dungeon was named after her. The Zither Mistress. Currently, no one managed to pass the dungeon yet."
"Now, this is interesting, I wonder if I will be able to have a proper music battle with Zither Mistress." Di Ku finally had something to look forward to. After the competition, he thought he could find stronger opponents and have a proper musical conversation with people who shared the same interest as him.
Instead, all he received were boot licking from them, hence the only thing to look forward was Pu Ting's lessons at school. Of course, he did not expect much from a monster. It would just be interesting to see one just in action.
"Let's not waste time and let's go, this time I will treat for sure. Teacher Pu Ting, you are not allowed to say no after all the help you had given me." Di Ku said with a large grin.
"Well, then let me drive you guys there. You two wait for me at the entrance of the school." Pu Ting was delighted to see his disciple genuinely smile after the provincial musical competition.