Chapter 72: Next Plot
He touched the mark to check his survival points, gaining 3500 points. After deducting the 7523 points from this time, he only had 8666 points left. They really didn't last long.
Marcus mentally communicated with the Crossroads seal and silently recited:
"Identify 'Unlimited Venus Flytrap'."
[Identification consumed 490 points. Confirm?]
This price was still within Marcus's acceptable range. This item would accompany him for a long time in the future, so he needed a detailed understanding to avoid falling into a trap.
"Confirm!"
[Survival points deducted successfully]
[Unlimited Venus Flytrap: Due to some kind of curse, this mutated plant, formed by the fusion of plant consciousness and an alien body, possesses the characteristic of unlimited reproduction and division. It has a certain fatal attraction to other ordinary Venus flytraps.]
Marcus felt relieved after seeing the identification result given by the Crossroads.
It seemed that the attraction of Tomie's body to humans, due to the Venus flytrap and the curse of the enchanted candle, had become an attraction to ordinary Venus flytraps. This way, he wouldn't be afraid of falling into Tomie's trap one day.
The thought of being obsessed with a plant is truly disturbing.
He communicated with the seal again to identify the 'Soul-Bearing Venus Flytrap'.
[Identification consumed 70 points. Confirm?]
"Confirm!"
[Survival points successfully deducted]
[Soul-Bearing Venus Flytrap: A soul with a trace of possession ability, imprisoned within the empty body of a mindless Venus flytrap, formed by fusion due to some curse, used in certain rituals.]
This description of the soul plant disappointed Marcus; he had no rituals that required it.
Seeing his survival points decrease again—less than 10,000—made him feel a sense of urgency.
Next, and most importantly, he needed to check what the next story world would be and prepare accordingly.
Marcus communicated with the seal mentally, and a message appeared.
[Next story world: "The Grudge 2," countdown 29 days, 23:46 (refreshable)]
Marcus had seen the movie's plot; unexpectedly, this time there was no need to refresh, a familiar movie world appeared directly—that was for the best.
However, this movie is quite complex, featuring vengeful spirits and a curse that spreads through contact. Even ordinary people who died years ago and transformed into malevolent ghosts possessed frightening supernatural abilities.
But since a movie with a familiar plot had appeared, Marcus didn't plan to refresh further. He couldn't guarantee that a more suitable movie would appear after several refreshes, and he might get stuck in an unfamiliar world without any survival points, which would be disastrous.
He prioritized movies with familiar plots, at least giving him some control.
Having determined the next world's plot, Marcus took out a sign and, using pre-printed text, posted the following:
"Selling one Soul Plant, Venus flytrap type, price negotiable, available online at 1:00 PM."
With a thought, he appeared in the Crossroads Plaza, went to the trading area, and placed his trading sign inside.
He glanced at the other signs, which displayed bizarre items: Native American ritual items, cursed dolls, possessed artifacts.
After browsing around, Marcus had a sudden thought and returned to the real world, reappearing in his bedroom.
He checked the time: 12:17 AM.
He removed his disguise, examined the skin tone of his hands, sensed something was wrong, and went to the mirror.
Marcus found his skin had become paler, his features slightly adjusted, and his rugged, masculine face gained an almost ethereal quality, as if he had applied elaborate makeup.
However, anyone who saw this face could immediately tell that this man wasn't wearing any makeup at all; it was natural good looks, a completely bare, handsome face.
Marcus felt somewhat annoyed. The change in his face made it difficult to go out in public. A change in height was something that could be solved with shoe lifts, but now, unless he used makeup, which Marcus really disliked, he couldn't go out without it.
He put on his disguise, returned to the Crossroads to buy some foundation, and then came back to his bedroom.
He applied a tan-toned foundation, making his skin appear darker, and Marcus felt it wasn't so dramatic anymore. At most, his appearance looked slightly more refined than before, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what had changed.
Indeed, pale skin shows everything, and darker skin can hide many features.
He opened the curtains to check, and only relaxed when he was sure no one was watching. Lying on the bed, he reflected on the gains and losses of the story world while considering his current situation.
Marcus felt that entering the Crossroads from his apartment in this residential complex was inappropriate. He had already considered finding a remote and secluded place as a secret base for entering the Crossroads.
Especially since he planned to gather information about the real world, going back and forth to his apartment in the complex every time was likely to cause problems and wasn't discreet enough.
Regarding his own abilities, he wasn't sure if he'd encounter anyone with reconnaissance skills. All he could do was stay as cautious as possible within his capabilities.
He'd let his mother stay at his apartment in the neighborhood for now, and he'd go back home for a few days to relax.
Having decided on his plans, Marcus started searching online, focusing primarily on less populated areas like the outskirts and even rural regions.
After an hour of searching, he found a cabin for sale in Pinewood, at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains, over 60 miles from his apartment complex.
Located at the very edge of the small town, the cabin could be renovated. It was a project a local young man had impulsively started to develop tourism, but the area hadn't attracted visitors.
The cabin, including the property, covered over 4,000 square feet and was priced at less than $200,000. For Marcus, the remoteness and renovation requirements were perfectly met.
It was late at night, so Marcus didn't call, waiting until the next morning.
He got up, looked at the beautiful scenery of dawn outside his window, and then dialed the number he'd found the night before.
"Hello, is this Blue Ridge Realty?"
A spirited young man's voice came from the other end of the phone.
"Hello, I saw you had a cabin for sale in Pinewood. Is the property still available?"
"Ah, yes, yes, yes! Would you like to take a look? The cabin is nestled against the mountain with a great view, perfect for a private retreat."
The young man on the other end seemed eager. Marcus asked for photos and a video to show the actual condition.
The young man seemed to lose some confidence and offered to lower the price by $7,000, sending a video of the surrounding environment and inviting Marcus to see the property.
It was clear that the area was sparsely populated, and the cabin's rustic style suited Marcus's needs perfectly. He agreed and planned to go see it after breakfast.
Opening the bedroom door, he saw his mother, Helen, preparing breakfast.
"Marcus, you're up. Breakfast will be ready soon."
"Okay, I'm not in a hurry."
"By the way, Mom, after breakfast, I have to go out and take care of some business. I'll be busy for a few days."
Marcus said to his mother as he sat down on the couch, scrolling through news on his phone to learn about current events.
"Alright, I know. Go ahead and do your work. You should focus on your career."
His mother replied with a smile, her voice filled with pride. Of course, she supported her son's efforts in building his career.
(End of Chapter)
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