Evidently, Fang Senyan immediately donned the first trench coat type of defensive armor; even a single point increase in Charisma was quite beneficial to him. However, the second piece of equipment—the reward for surviving this world—made him frown. At first glance, the data for this perfectly repaired Cobalt Steel Alloy Exoskeleton showed a comprehensive decline: first, the maximum attack power had dropped from 33 points to 19; second, one interface for auxiliary devices was destroyed; and finally, even the intrinsic weapon enchantment specific to this equipment type had been removed.

But Fang Senyan immediately noticed an extra, newly added attribute: All of your base attributes +1. He instantly felt that all previous reductions were worth it. In fact, among the bonus attributes on all light-blue grade equipment, this specific one held the highest intrinsic value. This addition was effectively equivalent to gaining seven extra base attribute points! Although these points couldn't be freely allocated, the immense value they brought was extremely precious to Fang Senyan, who was just beginning his journey in this world. It seemed a fair trade for the massive risk Fang Senyan took by drawing the pursuit of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Another noteworthy point was that although the maximum attack power of this equipment plummeted by 14 points, its minimum attack power increased from 3 points to 18 points. This adjustment effectively weakened the equipment's burst capability, ensuring a more stable damage output when attacking enemies, suggesting its value should rise rather than fall.

For those who favor adventure, sudden bursts of power are undoubtedly what they cherish most. But for Fang Senyan, who excels at meticulous planning, stability is the primary concern. As for uncontrollable variables, the fewer the better—regardless of whether such variations are beneficial or detrimental, they possess the potential to disrupt combat layouts and rhythm, a cardinal sin for any strategist.

In fact, even in the real world, a company boasting a stable cash flow is viewed far more favorably than one whose income fluctuates wildly—even if their annual profits are roughly comparable. It must also be noted: in the real world, stable income is one of the key reasons civil servants are favored during marriage proposal searches. This illustrates how deeply the concept of "stability" is embedded in the minds of marriageable, unmarried women and their parents.

Since the requirement to wear the Cobalt Steel Alloy Exoskeleton had been raised to 9 Strength, Fang Senyan had to allocate his remaining unassigned free attribute point to Strength. After equipping all his gear (including the Gold-Cased Pocket Watch), his personal attributes were as follows (the 50% world bonus had now disappeared):

Strength Ten points (9+1) / Agility Seven points (6+1) / Stamina Fourteen points (12+1+1) / Perception Twelve points (11+1) / Charisma Eight points (6+1+1) / Intelligence Six points (5+1) / Spirit Five points (4+1)

Note: The values preceding the parentheses are base attributes; the values following are equipment bonuses.

Fang Senyan pondered for a moment, then attempted to connect with the Space via the Nightmare Mark, hoping to purchase some useful items or abilities. However, the system response indicated insufficient Merit Points and insufficient authority. The only purchasable items were two basic abilities: Basic Eloquence and Basic Meditation. Neither of these foundational skills was what Fang Senyan urgently needed, and they were prohibitively expensive—merely learning them cost three thousand Universal Points, and further upgrading required Potential Points. Pitifully, Fang Senyan currently possessed only 420 Universal Points; even if he wished to spend, he lacked the means.

Sighing, Fang Senyan stood up, only to be surprised that there was no visible exit door; the entire room seemed seamlessly integrated. However, just as the thought, "How should I get out?" crossed his mind, the Nightmare Mark on his chest automatically emitted a beam of light, illuminating the opposite wall, where a doorway immediately materialized. After Fang Senyan stepped out of his private chamber, he looked back to see the gateway had completely dissolved back into the wall, leaving no trace, and was slowly drifting—a measure, no doubt, to allow others entering from their rooms to identify their assigned location by its unique marker.

Turning around and looking up, Fang Senyan took a deep breath. Before him stretched a colossal space! This expanse gave a sensation of infinite coverage, emitting a faint red glow. To be precise, the surrounding walls resembled the arched shell of some enormous egg, with his room encased within.

Fang Senyan crouched down and pressed a finger against the floor; it was not hard, but rather slightly yielding, possessing the warmth and elasticity of an organic entity. Before him lay an exceptionally wide plaza, occupied by at least a thousand people—some squatting, some standing, some sitting, others communicating through gestures, the air thick with noise, resembling a bustling marketplace.

The head of every individual in the plaza was shrouded in a swirling mist, hazy enough to obscure their features entirely, presumably a protective measure implemented by the Nightmare Space. Around the central plaza were several circular light-gates emitting strong luminescence, occasionally rippling with spots of light; their purpose remained unknown. Nevertheless, people could occasionally be seen entering and exiting, suggesting they were not restricted zones.

For Fang Senyan, he already had a vague suspicion about the function of this place, so he headed toward the nearest cluster of people. As expected, those sitting or squatting were selling items. In front of them floated complete 3D projections of the goods for sale, along with detailed parameters—almost entirely equipment and items brought out from the Nightmare Worlds. However, the asking prices were somewhat inflated.

For instance, a semi-damaged handgun could fetch up to 500 Universal Points, not even including ammunition. There were also foodstuffs and medicines capable of rapidly restoring health during or after combat, alongside scrolls for basic abilities. Of course, the prices for these were only marginally lower than the official rates.

Upon arriving at this trading hub, Fang Senyan rapidly inventoried his possessions: clearly, the Cobalt Steel Alloy Exoskeleton was deemed non-negotiable. The Gold-Cased Pocket Watch, an accessory granting a very useful point of Stamina, was also off the table. Given his current lack of Agility, he would likely rely primarily on melee combat for the foreseeable future, making the Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Trench Coat's attribute of "reducing enemy hit rate by 1%" quite precious. The unrefined Black Blood Orchid essence, if used at the right moment, was equivalent to gaining an extra life and could naturally not be discarded.

Thus, after calculating everything, the only items available for trade were that scroll—Proficiency in Light Firearms—the dog tag (unidentified) dropped by the slain Delta Force operative, of course, and his 420 Universal Points, in addition to the intelligence Fang Senyan had collected on the Terminator T-750 and the FBI agents.

Fang Senyan was in no rush to conclude a deal; instead, he moved slowly through the busy market, constantly gathering various pieces of information. Having frequently smuggled goods while working as a crewman, he was quite adept at these clandestine transactions. Unfortunately, the Space’s protective measures prevented him from reading facial expressions to gauge the sellers' psychology; otherwise, he could have squeezed extra profit out of anyone desperate to liquidate assets.

Halfway through browsing the market, Fang Senyan frowned slightly. He noticed that almost everyone in the vicinity was selling intelligence. Data like the Terminator T-750 and the elite FBI agent he possessed were unusually cheap, listed for only 50 Universal Points each, and the buyers seemed to have little appetite for them. This was likely because many people visited the Terminator World, and these two types appeared frequently. However, there were also instances of sky-high priced intelligence; for example, nearby, a piece of data concerning a Predator Elder—and only "partial" data at that—was fetching a staggering 5,000 Universal Points.

After touring the entire market, Fang Senyan had a solid grasp of the trading floor. Without a doubt, for someone possessing the Toughness innate talent, maximizing its potential required prioritizing high-defense equipment and items, followed closely by gear that boosted Stamina. In this world, the one who could endure until the end was usually the one who ended up laughing loudest.

Consequently, after paying the Space 100 Universal Points via the Nightmare Mark, Fang Senyan found an empty spot and began setting up his own sales stall. The Nightmare Space was not like the Nightmare Worlds; it had natural protective mechanisms and numerous rules—no attacking others, and automatic protection functions for transactions. Therefore, Fang Senyan could confidently display his wares; holographic projections automatically advertised and described the items in the air above. Interested parties could pick up and inspect the physical objects without issue. If anyone attempted to leave the market with an item that didn't belong to them, it would automatically return to the display.

Although he had already mentally categorized his non-negotiable items and those worth selling, Fang Senyan placed all his equipment on his stall, intending to attract traffic and draw more people over. A new stall always held a certain allure for those wandering the market, and soon, several Contractors arrived to browse.

It had to be admitted that the items Fang Senyan had acquired were quite practical. In just ten minutes, five or six people had shown interest in purchasing something. However, to Fang Senyan’s surprise, the item that garnered the most attention was the Gold-Cased Pocket Watch!

(To be continued, please visit for the latest chapter: .)