As long as you have the courage, fierce ghosts go on maternity leave.

"Participant Alexander, your hunger level is approaching critical status. Continued hunger will impact your combat abilities. Please proceed immediately to the street next to the Cycle of Rebirth and wait for Bus 45 to Dining Hall Number Nine!"

"Under the system’s identity cover, you will not be attacked by the native entities of this instance. There’s no need to worry!"

What on earth?

Edward and Alexander exchanged glances, beginning to understand why Kassadin hadn’t mentioned this.

It was clearly a common mechanism in instances like these. Given the limited time, Kassadin couldn’t possibly cover them all.

Normally, the system’s protective measures would shield them from any peril.The area seemed relatively safe, so the three of them waited by the road.

Before long, a bus appeared in the distance, emblazoned with the number 45.

It pulled up in front of the trio, its door opening to reveal a portly middle-aged man behind the wheel.

Alexander peered inside the bus. About a dozen people were on bus, some clearly other participants.

The remaining nine appeared normal, but the vacant look deep in their eyes told Alexander they were either natives or participants using special artifacts.

"What are you staring at? Either pay the fare and board, or scram!" The driver glanced coldly at Alexander, his tone brimming with impatient arrogance.

Emperor-level aura! Truly fitting for a mist instance!

Those nine natives on the bus were no pushovers either, all boasting Imperial-level abilities.

Their energy signatures were subtler—if you didn’t pay attention, they were indistinguishable from ordinary humans.

Note, humans, not normal ghosts—this was the quickest way to tell natives from participants.

Feeling the palpable energy, a surprised Alexander stepped onto the bus.

When he saw the inscription on the coin box, he was taken aback once more.

"Boarding fee: 100,000 Ghost Energy!"

To ride a mere bus would cost 100,000!

The exchange rate between Ghost Energy and the instance’s currency was 1 to 1000.

A billion to ride a bus, can you believe it? The inflation in this instance was astronomical!

Was this hunger mechanism designed just to sell outrageously priced bus tickets?

This mist instance is even more of a rip-off than I thought! Alexander grumbled inwardly as he boarded the bus.

The trio made their way to the very back of the bus and settled into their seats. Almost immediately, Alexander couldn’t help but mutter under his breath:

"This instance wants money everywhere! It’s becoming more and more like those unscrupulous online games! Do you think earning Ghost Energy is easy for me?"

"You’re absolutely right! Earning Ghost Energy is not easy at all!" Edward, who was long accustomed to Alexander’s miserly ways, eagerly nodded in agreement.

"Hey, we meet again!"

To Alexander’s surprise, he encountered a familiar face. A glamorous woman seated in the front row excitedly turned around, flashing a pleasing smile at Edward.

This woman was the same young widow ghost they had previously met on the boat, the one who had first approached Edward to ingratiate herself.

Upon hearing her words, Edward’s brows arched in sudden apprehension.

They were in mist instance; any slip-up could trigger an aggressive response from the locals.

"No need to worry. The system provides cover on the way to the dining hall; these natives won’t go berserk," the widow ghost hastily reassured them.

"I was aware," Edward nodded lightly, adjusting a skull-shaped pin on his chest. "I’ve just broken a cycle and am a bit worn out."

"It’s only been half a day!" The widow ghost’s eyes sparkled, and she looked at Edward with unbridled admiration. "Someone as powerful as you managed to break a cycle on your first entry into the instance. You must have received quite a reward?"

"Just a minor cycle with some ordinary artifact rewards. Nothing that I find interesting or worth mentioning!" Edward waved his hand dismissively, acting wholly unimpressed.

The more Edward downplayed it, the more the young widow seemed to admire him. She even moved to sit next to him, lavishing him with flattery.

Though she appeared to be praising Edward, it was clear she was fishing for information. Alexander, however, was not concerned.

Edward was favored by Louis; if he were so easily deceived, he wouldn’t have earned his reputation as the most powerful Ghost Prince.

Alexander knew Edward would never divulge anything useful to her. But after listening for a few minutes, he decisively pulled Selena to sit closer to the front.

Edward is incredibly boastful!

In Edward’s grandiose tales, the old woman morphed into a Ghost Queen with three sons at the level of Ghost Kings and a myriad of Ghost Prince-level relatives.

It wasn’t a mere scam anymore; it was a grand robbery. As for Edward himself? With his brilliant ghost skills, he could easily defeat ten opponents single-handedly.

His exaggerations reached such absurd levels that it became unbearable to listen further. One could practically draft an entire mystery novel from his claims.

According to him, his extraordinary wisdom and impeccable deductive skills were the keys to solving the situation. He helped the poor old woman discipline her wayward sons, transforming their lives for the better, and in the process, cracked the cycle wide open, earning himself two Ghost King Crystals.

The astonishing thing was that Edward’s tales were so convincingly spun that not only did he leave the young widow ghost baffled, but he also had the ears of everyone else on the bus pricked up in keen interest.

The natives on the bus seemed to be living in a completely different world, blissfully chatting away among themselves, wholly unaware of the performance unfolding.

"What do you think Edward did...you know, before he died? Could he have been a novelist?" Selena commented, her expression one of bewilderment, clearly amazed by Edward’s storytelling prowess.

"Edward?" Alexander sneered dismissively. "With his propensity for exaggeration, he’s more likely to have been an investment advisor or a scam artist."

"Good point," Selena nodded, agreeing with Alexander’s assessment.

"Arriving at Dining Hall Nine, passengers wishing to disembark, please proceed to the rear exit in an orderly fashion!"

Edward’s grandiose narratives continued until the bus finally came to a halt. The other participants listened in awe, still captivated by his words, even as they started to leave the bus.

"So, how’d I do? My social skills aren’t too shabby, huh?" Once they were free of the other passengers, Edward whispered smugly in Alexander’s ear.

"Incredible! Just incredible!" What else could Alexander say? He gave Edward a thumbs-up.

Indeed, Edward’s elaborate fabrications had had some effect. At least now, everyone’s goodwill towards Alexander had jumped from zero to ten, so in a way, he had reaped some benefits from it.

Perhaps this method of gaining favor through self-aggrandizement was something worth emulating.

The Ninth Dining Hall wasn’t as massive as one might have imagined, but more akin to a school cafeteria, capable of accommodating a few hundred to a thousand people. At this moment, it was nearly full.

As Alexander and his companions walked in, all eyes immediately turned to them.

"Look! There are two chosen one insects here, and they’ve even lost their disguises!" someone shouted, drawing even more attention their way.

"Wow! There’s also a beauty! A living beauty!" A lecherous-looking Ghost King eyed Selena with unabashed interest.

"Human flesh! I bought some from a merchant from the outer city more than a decade ago. I’ve almost forgotten what it tastes like!" another Ghost King, resembling a giant ball of fat, licked his lips in anticipation.

"Unbelievable that someone would bring living humans to participate in the Mist Instance. You must be from the Dark Hell, thinking you can satiate yourselves with food from the outside world here? How laughable!" An Imperial-level participant shook his head, dismissing Alexander and Selena as mere snacks brought along by Edward.

Alexander and Edward ignored these comments; they had already gathered all the information they needed from the widow ghost earlier.

The dining hall was a no-fight zone for participants, although outside it was fair game—if one dared risk triggering the violent tendencies of the local specters.

Unperturbed, the trio headed straight for the serving counter. Behind it stood a middle-aged man with a prominent belly. Upon seeing Edward, he seemed indifferent, but his face darkened when he laid eyes on Alexander.

Tapping his large spoon against a serving tray, he spoke in an impatient tone, "So, a soldier-level pauper has come. What’ll it be?"

"What do you have here?" Alexander asked, suppressing his rising irritation.

Clearly bound by some regulations, the irritable chef still spoke, "I have standard, Ghost King, Imperial, Emperor, and VIP meals. Given how you look, you can probably only afford the standard meal—100,000 units of ghost energy for a serving!"

As he spoke, he tapped his spoon against the aluminum tray in front of him, revealing a dark, unidentified gooey substance that didn’t look remotely edible.

"What else is there?" Alexander asked coldly, his fingers glowing with ghost energy as they lightly traced his hand. A sequence of numbers appeared on his skin.

"What is your status..." The middle-aged chef began, but upon seeing the numbers on Alexander’s hand, his pupils shrank abruptly and his face suddenly broke into a smile, "Certainly, you shouldn’t eat this garbage. Allow me to introduce our other offerings."

Rich!

The participants here were mostly above Ghost King level, and each had a basic ghost energy level reaching hundreds of millions. However, that was their own personal energy; it was not the same as stored value.

No Ghost King would be willing to spend their own energy in a place like this. Under normal circumstances, many Ghost Kings even faced energy shortages.

Being able to store over a hundred million units marked one as exceptional. Only the seasoned Ghost Kings, who frequently entered the Mist Instances, would have significant reserves of ghost energy.

But such Ghost Kings or Imperials were few and far between. They might only enter a Mist Instance every few years.

Moreover, there were multiple canteens in Cangshan city, so the affluent ones were really few in number. Offending such a wealthy individual would affect one’s own business, as they could easily take their business elsewhere.

The chef’s attitude changed rapidly. With a fawning smile, he began to introduce, "Here we have the Ghost King level meal, valued at 800,000 units of ghost energy.

The standard meals not only taste bad but will only keep you full for half a day. The Ghost King level meal, on the other hand, can keep you sated for a full day—one meal serving the function of three."

Ghost King level meals were noticeably better, but as Alexander looked at the food on the tray, something seemed off.

Wasn’t that just mashed potatoes? With a side of white sugar as a condiment? Absolutely mundane food, devoid of any fluctuations in ghost energy.

The peculiarities of this instance were baffling. Was it designed to plunder their ghost energy?

"What about the Imperial-level meals?" Alexander inquired.

"You do have excellent taste!" The middle-aged chef’s eyes sparkled as he turned around. In no time, he returned with a tray in hand.

Ah, worthy of being called Imperial-level! Not only was there specialized tableware, but the dish itself was... pasta! Why did it suddenly feel so luxurious?

"This is an Imperial-level meal. It can keep you full for five days, and the best part is, it’s not expensive at all—just six million units of ghost energy," the chef enthusiastically explained.

"What else is there?" A sliver of curiosity rose in Alexander. "What about the Emperor and VIP levels? You don’t have to fetch them, just tell me," Alexander quickly added.

Pasta was extravagant enough; he couldn’t afford anything higher, but his curiosity remained.

The chef, though a bit disappointed, perked up, considering Alexander’s apparent wealth. "Emperor-level meals are something else—they’re dumplings! These can sustain you for eight days and cost thirty million units of ghost energy. As for the VIP level..."

Here the chef leaned in, adopting a conspiratorial tone, "That’s steak. Do you understand? Steak!"

What could Alexander say but nod in bewildered agreement? "I’ve heard of it. Can’t afford it!"

"It’s normal that you can’t afford it," the chef continued warmly. "After all, it’s a VIP meal—it’s about status, you see. It’s not just steak; there’s also a small glass of milk!

It can sustain you for the entire duration of the instance and even slightly improve the effectiveness of your ghost skills. All for the low, low price of five hundred million units of ghost energy!"

"Five... five hundred million?" Alexander was stunned once more. His financial limitations had indeed stifled his imagination!

Taking a bus ride costs a hundred thousand units of ghost energy, and a meal sets you back a staggering five billion!

By comparison, Alexander felt like Mother Teresa for having worked strenuously for six hours in the misty instance to barely acquire a hundred soldier-level ghost food, equating to a mere ten million units of ghost energy.

"Time to accelerate the scavenging," Alexander thought urgently. "If I don’t exploit some bug to score a few VIP meals this time, it would be like I came for nothing!"

Wanting to be efficient, Alexander decisively said, "Give me three servings of the Imperial-level meals!"

Three Imperial-level meals would cost nearly twenty million units of ghost energy! The middle-aged chef’s eyes lit up with excitement.

There were many in the room who had reserves of twenty million ghost energy, but those willing to splurge on Imperial-level meals were few and far between.

After Alexander transferred eighteen million units of ghost energy, the chef gleefully prepared his meal, even tossing in three extra loaves of bread that, according to him, could extend one’s hunger level by two hours.

"Alexander, you’re really splurging! That’s eighteen million units of ghost energy!" Edward said in disbelief as they sat down at a table.

It was hardly Alexander’s style to be so extravagant.

Biting savagely into a piece of bread, Alexander retorted, "Enough talk, eat quickly. Once we’re done, we need to find more cycles—preferably the kind that involve ghost princes or even ghost kings. We have to earn back double the amount of ghost energy we’ve spent here!"