For the transaction that had just occurred, Fang Senyan had gained an advantage, though not a substantial one. While trading a light blue scroll plus a near-useless nameplate for a dark blue scroll, universal points, and food sounded quite favorable on the surface, the reality was somewhat different from a practical standpoint:

For contractors newly entering the world, utilizing ranged weapons was clearly more advantageous than engaging in melee combat. Those specializing in close-quarters combat inherently faced greater risks, as evidenced by the fate of the unlucky soul designated Contract Holder No. 1844. Consequently, among the surviving contractors who had endured the initial nightmare worlds, ranged attackers must form the majority! The size of this consumer base naturally dictated the value of the scrolls themselves—this was the fundamental reason why, during the era when the legendary creature known as 'Brother Chun' swept across the land, a summoning Divine Beast skill book of the same level thirty-five could sell for two to three thousand RMB, while a 'Blizzard Roar' sold for only a hundred or so.

After completing the trade, Fang Senyan packed up shop and walked directly to a man a hundred meters away to purchase a basic melee combat scroll, spending 2,400 universal points. This still saved him several hundred universal points compared to learning it directly through the Nightmare Imprint within the space. Upon entering the Nightmare World, he innately possessed basic footwork and basic stamina. Therefore, after learning this basic melee skill, he met the prerequisites for advancing his knowledge, and smoothly consumed his sole Potential Point to learn the contents of that dark blue scroll.

Although this exchange was not the outcome Fang Senyan had initially desired, acquiring both a basic melee skill and a top-tier advancement skill in Grappling Combat was quite satisfactory, achieving a balance between offense and defense. However, Fang Senyan still hadn't grasped why that gold-cased pocket watch was so sought after. Nevertheless, he didn't much care; the item was in his possession, and he could afford to study it slowly. After spending a Potential Point to learn the ability, Fang Senyan received a series of prompts:

All ability enhancements operate in three-level increments. For instance, upgrading a basic ability from Level 1 to Level 3 only requires 1 Potential Point and a certain amount of universal points. Advancing from Level 3 to Level 6 requires 2 Potential Points and more universal points for each level gained. Above Level 6, enhancing an ability by one level demands 3 Potential Points and substantial universal points. And this is just for basic ability advancement; one could imagine the consumption of Potential Points and universal points for high-tier ability upgrades would be far more terrifying.

For example, raising a single basic ability from Level 1 to Level 10 requires points calculated as: 1+1+1 (for the first three levels) + 2+2+2 (for the next three) + 3+3+3 (for the next three) + 4 (for level 10, assuming a continued progression model, the text's arithmetic is slightly inconsistent but implies a steep cost: $1+3\times 2+3\times 3+4=22$ points, based on the structure suggested by the original text’s summation $13+23+33+4=22$ points—a highly unusual notation, suggesting escalating costs per tier). If it were a higher-tier combat ability, the Potential Points required would be even greater! Each completed mission, depending on its difficulty and rating, grants 1 to 5 Potential Points.

Attached attributes for the Hamburger: "Hamburger" (Condition: Excellent) "Origin: Dicos Branch N31, Shanghai, China" "Rarity: White." "Category: Common Food" "Usage Requirement: Best used while not in combat (moving, being attacked, or attacking others while eating will interrupt the recovery effect)." "Usage Effect: Restores 60 Health Points over twenty seconds." "Description: Eat it."

After sorting out these matters, Fang Senyan returned to his private room. Thanks to the Nightmare Imprint's navigation, he didn't get lost. Upon returning, he felt overwhelmingly exhausted and collapsed onto the room's floor, falling into a deep sleep. The floor wasn't hard; it seemed constructed of organic material, and the indoor temperature appeared to self-regulate to a comfortable level, meaning issues like coldness didn't arise while sleeping.

When he awoke, Fang Senyan was refreshed. He spent universal points to purchase food directly from the Nightmare Space to satisfy his hunger. Using the Nightmare Imprint, he located the space's dedicated training grounds and realized the level of advancement there was at least several centuries ahead of the real world. Full-spectrum training involved directly simulating an enemy as a holographic projection to fight against; aside from dealing no actual damage, the opponent was indistinguishable from a genuine master fighter! The two new skills Fang Senyan had acquired—Basic Melee/Grappling Combat Specialization—were rapidly familiarized and integrated during this training, and time swiftly passed in the process of this exertion.

In between training sessions, Fang Senyan occasionally browsed the market. He spotted a basic ranged combat scroll priced at 1,500 universal points. His dream of wielding a Desert Eagle to wreak havoc had not entirely died, and he couldn't resist trying to trade for the equipment. However, just as the transaction was about to complete and he made physical contact with the item, the Nightmare Imprint delivered an unfeeling notification:

Warning: Host's genetic code appears anomalous; compatibility with this Basic Ability Scroll is only 0.316%. Warning: Probability of this scroll being ineffective upon use is 99.718%.

Fang Senyan stood stunned for a long moment before canceling the transaction, tearfully heading back toward the training room—the dream instilled by Hong Kong triad gunfights and C-rated movies during his childhood had, like the ardent sexual fantasies of his youth, quietly shattered in the face of harsh reality... Behind him, a harsh curse rang out:

"B*stard, get lost if you don't have money!"

Yet, Fang Senyan suddenly recalled something: If there was a possibility of extremely low compatibility with basic abilities, then surely there must also be a possibility of extremely high compatibility? With this thought, he couldn't help but begin searching for other basic ability scrolls. Unfortunately, basic ability scrolls seemed exceedingly rare, and he discovered none. Moreover, the basic abilities officially sold in the space remained those same two, never refreshing.

A day later, just as Fang Senyan was fretting over his rapidly dwindling universal points—most of which had been spent using the space's training grounds—the Nightmare Imprint on his chest suddenly grew warm, displaying a distinct warning:

You have lingered in the Nightmare Space for too long. Remaining time until the 30-hour maximum limit: 0 hours 28 minutes 19 seconds. Please choose to enter a Nightmare World or return to the Real World. If you remain in the Nightmare Space beyond the maximum limit, universal points will be deducted based on the delay. When universal points reach zero, you will be forcibly returned to the Real World.

Fang Senyan had vaguely suspected the possibility of returning to the real world but had never found a way. Guided by the Imprint, he arrived at a small door on the west side of the space. Upon entering, it formed a sealed compartment, much like an elevator. A red light flashed continuously, and soon the Nightmare Imprint transmitted information:

"Equipment acquired in your current Nightmare World has been forcibly removed and stored in your Private Space. It will be returned to you upon re-entry to the Nightmare World." "In the Real World, whether actively or passively, you must not reveal any information about the Nightmare World to ordinary people." "Various special abilities gained from the Nightmare World should be avoided in the Real World as much as possible. Otherwise, great hidden dangers will arise." (Passive abilities are exempt.) "After leaving a Nightmare World, you cannot re-enter for seven days." "When the Nightmare Imprint heats up, you must return to a Nightmare World to accept a mission within twenty-four hours. The method of return is to focus your mind on the Nightmare Imprint while descending the stairs." "Time within the Nightmare Space is not synchronized with the Real World." "Your innate ability: Tenacity (Passive) is a hidden ability, not yet developed; you cannot benefit from its passive effects in the Real World."

Although this information did not detail the consequences of violating these rules, the implication of strict, cold authority was unmistakable. Having witnessed the magic of this space, Fang Senyan certainly had no desire to test the results of disobedience. Once the messages finished transmitting, the small door opened again, revealing before Fang Senyan a dark, long staircase leading upward. He took a deep breath and slowly ascended the steps. Soon, light appeared before his eyes, and after climbing one more flight, Fang Senyan gasped sharply!

Dim, swaying lamps, newly poured concrete steps, and messy guardrails that were not yet fully installed! This was precisely the location where Fang Senyan had been desperately hunted and driven to the brink of ruin before. The scattered blood on the ground was still evident, as were clear scraping marks!

Fang Senyan suddenly understood; this must be the so-called time desynchronization phenomenon. This was the theory proposed by Einstein back then: if a spaceship traveled at near light speed, time aboard the ship would pass more slowly. If the speed could reach light speed, time on the ship would desynchronize with time on Earth. In ancient Chinese terms, the concept of 'one day in heaven is one year on earth' theoretically existed.

Fang Senyan stood stock-still for a moment, looking down at the empty staircase, unconsciously raising his hand to examine it. The experiences of the past few days and nights now felt as unreal as a distant, shimmering dream when recalled. His entire body trembled slightly—a mix of the excitement of returning to the real world, yet tinged with a subtle sense of anxiety over what might be lost or gained.

Suddenly, chaotic voices and angry curses echoed from below! Immediately after, Fang Senyan saw a large crowd surge into the entrance of the construction site. These people were speckled with mud and water, looking quite disheveled, panting as if they wanted to spit out their tongues. They were carrying machetes, cleavers, steel pipes, and wooden clubs—precisely the thugs Hua Shanfei’s group had arrived with on foot. Coincidentally, Fang Senyan was standing directly under the light at the top of the stairs, acting like a beacon in the darkness. Those below already viewed him as a thorn in their side; sharp eyes instantly identified him, pointing and shouting with excited delight:

"The damned punk is right there!"

(To be continued, please visit: [Insert Link if Available])