Chapter 394: The Avengers' Great Adventure! (Part 2) (Patreon)

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In the afternoon, Griffindor and Hufflepuff attended Potion class together. When Professor Schiller walked into the classroom, Peter was not surprised at all. After all, according to Professor Charles, this was Dr. Schiller's dream, so it was normal for him to be there in person.

Peter greeted Schiller with ease and then eagerly went to his seat, ready to work with the pile of potion ingredients.

He rubbed his hands together but didn't immediately touch anything. Instead, he silently recited the experimental regulations in his mind. He searched every nook and cranny of the table but couldn't find any protective clothing or gloves.

After Schiller finished the opening speech and taught the theoretical knowledge, Peter raised his hand and asked, "Professor, are we starting like this? Shouldn't we go over the safety regulations for the experiment?"

Then he turned around inside his desk and said, "Aren't we going to the preparation room? Where do we change into protective clothing?"

Schiller shook his head and said, "Peter, this is magic..."

"But magic also requires safety precautions! If the configuration is improper and it causes an explosion, where are the evacuation routes?" Peter replied.

Schiller sighed and said, "In a sense, you are right, but I'm here, and I will ensure your safety."

"Really?" Peter blinked and said, "Is magic really that amazing?"

Before Schiller could reply, Peter began his smooth operation.

The content of the first lesson was very simple, just sorting herbs, chopping, and handling a Flobberworm, learning to control the cauldron's temperature and stirring.

However, it was clear that Peter, who had spent a long time in the chemistry and biology laboratories, was not satisfied with just that. First, he started dissecting the Flobberworm.

Whenever Peter conducted experiments, he had a special aura that made people hesitate to approach him, especially when he followed the standard dissection process for the Flobberworm.

After understanding the physiological structure of the Flobberworm, while sorting and chopping herbs, he began manipulating the brass balance used for weighing and questioned its accuracy.

When pouring the potion into the cauldron, he raised a bunch of questions, such as the corrosion resistance of the cauldron, the precision of the liquid extraction tools, and the sealing of the storage containers.

And what puzzled Peter the most was the final step of waving the wand over the potion.

Peter looked at the wand in his hand and said, "Can I understand it as a kind of prayer ritual? I wave this little stick, and then certain chemical reactions occur?"

Schiller, standing next to his desk, said, "Peter, don't you have any fantastic fantasies about magic? Haven't you thought about skipping some tedious steps during the experiment to achieve immediate success?"

Peter shook his head and said, "In any chemical or biological experiment, each step has its purpose. If the scientists who discovered the formulas and theorems skipped certain steps because they found them troublesome, we wouldn't have the scientific community we have today."

"I don't know why, but I've always been interested in these steps that others find complex and troublesome." Peter smiled and said, "I don't find them dull at all. On the contrary, these things that resemble magical rituals make me feel a bit unreliable."

"But it also gives me some new ideas. If the magical world actually has courses similar to chemical experiments, wouldn't magic be a special catalyst? Could it have special reactions with certain materials? Thus, enabling the development of new potions?"

Peter immersed himself in his own world and said, "Could magical energy be the kind of ethereal energy people have always fantasized about, capable of reacting with any molecule?"

"If that's the case, applying it to the development of medical potions could potentially cure many diseases that current human medicine cannot..."

Just as Peter's inspiration burst forth, suddenly, a pop-up window appeared in his field of vision: "Playtime for minors has ended for today. Thank you for the experience."

Instantly, a white light enveloped Peter's vision. When he opened his eyes again, he was already back in the corridor of the Mind Palace.

Also suddenly ejected were Strange, who was in the middle of designing the structure of a magic school inside the Mind Palace, Stark, who was studying and practicing spells, and Steve, who was happily playing during the flying lesson.

When they were ejected, they were a bit confused. Stark rubbed his forehead and asked, "What's going on? Did the system malfunction? Why did I see a pop-up window and then get kicked out?"

Steve recalled and said, "It seemed to say... the playtime has ended?"

Strange rolled his eyes and said, "You didn't see the most important sentence: 'Experience the official version, go to the Mind Palace Hall to recharge and purchase.'"

With that, he shouted, "Schiller! Come out! I know you're about to start selling. You damn liar and schemer!"

"As he wishes," Schiller's figure appeared in the middle of the corridor. He opened his arms and said, "How does it feel?"

Stark stared at Schiller's smiling face, wide-eyed, and said, "Wait a minute, you locked us in here and made us find the key from your Mind Palace to get out..."

"And now you're telling me that the room used to find the key has a trial period, and we have to spend our own money to purchase playtime to find the key to get out???!!!"

Stark, Strange, and Steve all stared at Schiller. No matter how you listened, this logic was absurd. But Schiller confidently said, "So, who found their way here?"

Stark slapped his forehead and said, "Damn it! It's a trap! He wants to lure us in, and then sell us something!"

"Don't say it like that. Come, take a look at the pop-up window in front of you. It's a fully immersive 3D virtual traversal experience game. It doesn't consume daytime hours and takes place only in dreams. It has high realism and combines education and entertainment. It's the best choice to stimulate inspiration..."

"The payment methods are scientifically reasonable, supporting both prepaid cards and monthly/seasonal subscriptions. Based on different levels of expenditure, generous rebates are provided. Additionally, there is a level 120 membership system, where becoming a member allows you to adjust the game's difficulty mode, unlock new maps and costumes..."

"We also support separate purchases for cosmetic bundles. Now, when you purchase the Magic Academy Enrollment Selection Set, you will also receive a map of Diagon Alley's Commercial Street, which can be accessed by four people for unlimited playtime."

With Schiller's explanation, densely packed microtransaction pages appeared in front of them. Peter covered his forehead and said, "Oh god, it reminds me of those damn junk emails I receive..."

"Of course," Schiller's tone changed as he continued, "Although you rudely intruded into my Mind Palace and threatened to 'treat' me, I am a generous person. If you don't want to spend money here, I can provide an alternative."

"As long as each of you purchases a Dream Coin, you can leave from here. You've chased me halfway through New York and barged into my Mind Palace, but I won't hold it against you."

"We'll choose that option," Steve said without hesitation, "How much is a Dream Coin?"

"$1 million, but other payment methods are supported, such as..." Schiller looked at Strange and said, "magic energy payments."

"Furthermore, gameplay is free for those under 20 and over 80 years old. However, minors are subject to daily playtime restrictions, limited to one hour. If they want unrestricted playtime, they must create an account under their parents' supervision, which also requires purchasing playtime..."

"I'll pay. Let's go! I won't let this scheming merchant succeed!" Stark turned around and walked away.

With a snap of Schiller's fingers, several coins fell onto the heads of the group. They turned around and prepared to leave.

At this moment, Schiller's demonic, whisper-like voice echoed in their ears again, "I forgot to mention that the purchase price for the beginner's pack is also one Dream Coin, including the Magic Academy, Brick World, and Game World beginner's kits..."

"The Magic Academy beginner's kit includes a set of brand new house badges and custom scarves, a brand new wand, and a Diagon Alley map for one person to explore..."

The figures of the group froze.

"Moreover, there are first-time recharge benefits. Now, if the first recharge amount reaches one Dream Coin, you can unlock the Free Pass, allowing unrestricted travel between playable worlds. If the first recharge reaches six Dream Coins, you can unlock the Advanced Pass, complete a series of pass tasks, and receive exclusive seasonal appearances and rewards..."

Peter turned to Stark and whispered, "Mr. Stark, since we have to spend $1 million anyway, if we buy the pack, we can freely enter and continue playing the game we just experienced, plus a bunch of other stuff..."

"Don't you see, Peter? This is a consumer trap!"

"I want to recharge," Strange decisively turned around and said, "Magic energy can be used for payment, right? I want to recharge six Dream Coins. Give me the Diagon Alley map. There's a wand shop there..."

Stark stared at him with wide eyes and said, "You traitor!"

"Peter is right. For the same price, you get a bunch of gifts. Only a fool would buy a single ticket. Let's check out!"

Stark sighed. Just as he turned his head, he saw Peter's hopeful gaze. Stark raised his hands and said, "Alright, alright, Peter, you silly kid, I'll pay for you, okay?"

Peter cheered and ran over to Schiller's side to settle the payment. Stark shook his head and planned to leave. But then he heard Schiller say, "Peter, do you remember the story I told you about the planet Cybertron last time?"

"I remember. When I was staying in the clinic, you told me a story about a planet full of robots. They came to Earth in search of some kind of spark, and they could transform into cars. It was quite interesting."

"Yes, that's a magnificent planet full of mechanical life. No one knows how they developed or what those sparks are. Of course, it doesn't compare to the Death Star and clone technology. It sounds like a high-tech gadget, doesn't it?"

Stark's ears perked up.

Then he heard Schiller say, "Of course, that's not all. War simulation games are also quite interesting, right? Have you heard of a legend? Nazis turning into zombies and a contaminated German headquarters..."

Steve's ears also perked up, and a few seconds later, the two of them exchanged a deep sigh.

Charles, who had been observing on the sidelines, smiled helplessly. At that moment, he heard Schiller say, "Of course, we also provide a free training range with various unique ecosystems and enemies for practice. It's not just suitable for ordinary humans but also an excellent choice for superhumans with special abilities who fear causing destruction in reality."

In the end, this grand adventure in the dream realm concluded with a not-so-surprising outcome of the group spending money on microtransactions.

The members of the Avengers gained new inspiration and experiences, while Schiller made a fortune. Humanity might take another step forward on an unknown path.

The next morning, Stark woke up from his bed, somewhat puzzled, and muttered to himself, "Wait, what did we go to find Schiller for again?... Oh! Hydra! What about that Hydra persona???"

At that moment, the Hydra persona was being chased by a figure in white clothes, running more than 1,300 laps in the Mind Palace...

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Next Chapter>>Chapter 395: What are the Benefits of Spending Money in the Game? (Part 1)