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Staring at the sign marked "5 Gold Coins" in bold, Lonely as Snow frowned again.

"Are you sure you can afford this?"

"We don’t even have half a gold coin right now."

Luck King crossed his arms dramatically and chuckled, "You think the devs didn’t anticipate that we’d be broke? They’ve already planned a perfect system for us."

"Heh, everything is within my calculations."

Lonely as Snow turned his head to see that next to the shop was the "Kingdom Bank."

At the entrance, a sign listed several packages, and a snake-person receptionist smiled warmly, gently promoting them to the crowd.

"Brave warriors, do you dream of receiving His Majesty Cassius’s blessings but lack sufficient gold coins?"

"The Kingdom Bank will help you realize your dreams."

"For ambitious newcomers, we proudly offer the [Newcomer Dream Fund]. No conditions required. Borrow 5 gold coins to purchase treasures, repayable in 12 monthly installments with a mere 5% monthly interest rate!"

Luck King strode confidently into the bank, ready to speak, but Lonely as Snow grabbed him.

He turned back, puzzled.

"What’s wrong?"

"Are you crazy? Borrowing money to open loot boxes at the start? Do you really want to become a debt slave?" Lonely as Snow whispered.

Luck King laughed. "You wouldn’t get it. In games like this, the sooner you get good gear, the better your resource advantage. By the time gold coins devalue, you’ll have already made a fortune. Combat power is the best way to earn money!"

"And besides, if I can’t pay it back, I can just suicide and respawn at another nation. The Ember Kingdom’s reach won’t extend that far."

Lonely as Snow thought carefully and couldn’t find any flaws in his logic.

Luck King waved his hand grandly and declared to the snake-person receptionist, "I’ll take ten Dream Funds!"

The snake-person receptionist’s expression grew noticeably friendlier, though she politely reminded him, "Dear customer, the Dream Fund is limited to four packages per person."

"Fine, I’ll take four!"

"Understood. I’ll record it immediately."

Soon, Luck King’s name was inscribed onto a large magical scroll, and twenty gleaming gold coins appeared in his hands.

As he exited, the snake-person receptionist gave a delighted bow. What she was thinking remained a mystery.

"We look forward to serving you again!"

Brimming with satisfaction, Luck King grinned at Lonely as Snow, who was waiting outside. "Are you sure you don’t want to try?"

Lonely as Snow hesitated before finally gritting his teeth and saying, "Alright, I’ll take one."

Luck King clapped him on the shoulder. "Why are you so risk-averse? Go big or go home!"

"If you end up buying too few and don’t pull anything good, wouldn’t that be a waste? The uncertainty is just too high!"

Lonely as Snow shook his head.

"At least this way, I can still repay it."

"Suit yourself."

Soon, both walked out of the bank with their gold coins. Luck King was brimming with confidence, while Lonely as Snow looked uneasy, as if he’d committed a crime.

A long queue had already formed outside the shop, and they could only wait patiently.

Suddenly, a deep voice called out.

"You’re both newbies, aren’t you?"

They turned simultaneously to see a robed figure who looked youthful, about twenty-something, but had the weariness of someone much older—like an overworked programmer.

Oddly, they couldn’t see his username or level.

"Are you... a beta veteran?"

"Or maybe a high-level mage?"

The mysterious figure nodded slightly and smiled as he spoke:

"Heh, newbies hoping to gamble on loot boxes... One day, you’ll regret it. Take my advice: the waters here are deep. You can’t handle them."

The man was none other than Charlotte, the renowned leader of the mage guild [Magic Coins] and a level-five mage player.

He’d returned to this nightmarish place not to gamble but to observe life’s tragedies, resolving the inner demons that had haunted him for months—what people called watching the drama or reveling in others’ misfortunes.

Luck King scoffed. "So what if you’re a beta player? My buddy’s a beta player too."

"I bet you’re just trying to mislead newbies so we don’t get good loot."

"Let’s move."

"If we wait too long, someone’s going to cut in line."

Lonely as Snow whispered the reminder.

But he seemed to be pondering something as well.

Charlotte watched their retreating backs, his lips curling into a cryptic smile.

"Kekeke... Pitiful newbies. Little do you know, the despair has only just begun. Welcome to the African Luck Hell I’ve endured."

In the queue, Lonely as Snow glanced around and whispered:

"Was that guy a lunatic?"

"Who knows? Maybe he went crazy from bad pulls. I heard the mage guild leader nearly fainted last time when he didn’t get any good loot. But it has nothing to do with us."

Luck King stood on tiptoes to peer into the shop, commenting as such.

The queue ahead was a microcosm of human emotions.

Those who got good pulls were ecstatic, while those who didn’t slumped away in disappointment. Most walked away with junk.

Lonely as Snow muttered:

"Damn, are these odds reliable? They seem pretty low."

Luck King feigned calmness. "Relax. Those unlucky ones are probably veterans. We’re still in the newbie protection period."

But the slight tremor in his hands holding the gold coins and the sweat on his brow betrayed his nerves.

"This doesn’t seem as straightforward as they said..."

"No, I must stay calm. I’ll pull something good. I’ve taken out loans for four boxes!"

Luck King clenched his teeth, convincing himself as he held his resolve.

That was his confidence as the self-proclaimed Luck King!

After watching a few others leave either elated or dejected.

Finally, it was his turn.

Taking a deep breath, Luck King spoke in a low, firm voice: "There was once a player called ’Flying Witch’ who achieved the miracle of pulling two legendaries in a single box."

He pointed skyward with one hand, striking a dramatic pose.

"And today—I will break that record. Watch as I achieve the miraculous Grand Slam!"

The surrounding players turned their eyes toward him.

"This guy’s nickname is badass!"

"No way... Is this the real Luck King?"

"If he really pulls a Grand Slam, I’m recording this and posting it on the forums."

"I don’t know what he’s talking about, but he sure looks confident."

"Where does a newbie get this much money? Did he take out a loan?"

Some players even smelled a business opportunity.

"Place your bets! Place your bets! All bets are final. Will he pull something good or not..."

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A big thank you to [Christoffer Pedersen] for joining my Patreon! Your support means a lot to me.