Limitless Fortune: I Collect SSS-Rank Skills as Payment-Chapter 175: Either You Fish or Get Fished

'Wait..system…my status panel!'

Thinking about his system, Lucien suddenly remembered the status panel he saw before.

If he remembered correctly, although all his stats were reduced, there was something different about it, too, that he didn't really care about as he was too shocked.

"Okay, that's it for him. Can't you understand what 'Rules are rules' meant? Do you think this is some play that you can come and leave as you want?"

While Lucien was trying to think of a solution for his problems, the frog finally scoffed at the empty place with cold eyes.

He then finally dissipated his aura lightly with a wave of his hand, returning the pond to its calmness.

Only then did he look in Lucien's direction, this time with no smile as his mood was already ruined,

"Boy, you seemed to be new here. But that doesn't matter. Rules and rules. Now, tell me what you want to do, and don't waste my time, otherwise…"

The frog warned, showing no enthusiasm whatsoever, like before. He just wanted to collect the due toll and return to his sleep for an hour.

That's all.

"Umm… Sir, can you first tell me where I am and what those Bronze coins you mentioned are? As you can see, I'm new to this world and have no idea what you're asking for."

Lucien, of course, felt the cold, murderous gaze of the frog on him, but what could he do?

He didn't have any coins, just like that middle-aged man. But he couldn't die in the maw of a fish, could he?

So, he acted completely oblivious while scratching his hair awkwardly as if he really didn't know what the frog was asking.

"Are you also trying to waste my time?"

Unfortunately for him, due to the middle-aged man, the frog's mood was ruined completely. So, he didn't care about his situation and once again began to release his aura as if trying to kill him too.

"Wait, wait…Sir Frog, I mean…Sir, you don't understand."

Lucien saw the pond stirring again, just like before, and hurriedly shouted to stop him in dread.

"I am not wasting your time. In fact, I am just confused about the bronze coins and rules you talked about. If you tell me what they are, of course, I will pay."

Lucien said with genuine, innocent eyes. And he truly wasn't lying; he really had no idea what those Bronze coins were supposed to mean.

Seeing that the frog still didn't seem convinced, Lucien quickly waved his hand, took out a pouch, and threw it on the ground.

"Trin, tang... tireng..."

As the pouch split open, the coins scattered across the dirt, clinking against one another.

The sound was crisp, echoing faintly through the quiet pondside. Among them were coins made of bronze, iron, and even gold.

Heck, mixed within were a few precious elemental mana crystals, beast cores, etc., their faint glow reflecting off the pile like scattered stars.

"See? I, of course, have a fair bit of wealth. It is just…I am not sure what bronze coins you are talking about."

Lucien said with a smile, his confusion was evident.

"Look at this…"

He then picked one of the bronze coins from the pile, showing the frog, who was silently looking at his antics.

"This is also a bronze coin, isn't it? But I doubt you are asking for this. Even we mortals don't care about these low coins, to be honest."

Lucien showed disgust as he directly threw the coin into the pond as if worthless.

Then, finally, he looked at the frog in the boat and asked with a genuine curiosity,

"Since you know I am new to this world, you can also guess that I have no idea what you are asking about. After all, in my eyes, these bronze coins seemed worthless."

What Lucien needed right now was information. He wanted as much information about the place he was in as possible.

And who could give him that more clearly than the ones standing in front? Looking at him, he seemed to be the one who was controlling this realm.

If he could know a little more about the situation he was in, he could always get out of this place somehow. Otherwise, he didn't have a chance.

"Tch... how can you ask for information so shamelessly and expect it to be free?"

Unfortunately, Lucien thought too much. The frog in front was clearly more merchant than he was, and didn't provide the information he wanted.

However, Lucien was relieved that the frog was calm and wasn't immediately trying to attack him like before. At least, not yet.

"Okay, since you are new to the World of Origin, I won't make things too difficult for you."

The frog said, and then waved his hand and took the pile of goods scattered by Lucien into his ring in a jiffy.

During the entire process, his eyes didn't even flinch.

Only when he saw Lucien looking at his behavior did he lightly explain.

"What? These are just enough prices for that information. Rejoice that I am even explaining anything to you."

The frog rolled his eyes at Lucien.

'Damn, there was a Beast Core of a Lord Realm beast. Aren't you too greedy?'

Lucien was completely speechless by the shameless looting that happened right in front of his eyes. More importantly, he didn't hear any prompt from his Debt Collection system like usual.

'Does that mean this price was just right?'

He doubted his eyes as to how any information could be so expensive.

"Hmm…where do I start?"

After taking Lucien's things off the ground, the frog finally relaxed and puffed up the cigar before beginning his explanation,

"This place is called Mirage Pond, one of the Five Star Scenes in the lower interface of the World of Origin."

The frog said,

"As for what the Scene and lower interface meant, you search yourself once you are out of this realm. Well, if you manage to go out, that is."

He suddenly grinned at Lucien, finding his situation interesting.

"Anyway, so I am the Guardian of this Scene working within the rules of World of Origin who looks after this place."

He introduced himself and then finally came to the point,

"Every few intervals, the Mirage Pond randomly searches the lower interface and drags lucky people here. Its purpose is to help them get strong and even change their future."

The frog said with his eyes shining,

"See this pond?"

He said, pointing at the serene lake below him.

"This pond is filled with treasures. Not the kind you just threw out, but real treasures."

"You can find anything you desire here, wealth, beauty, even power. If luck favors you, you might even directly raise your realm to match mine."

"Don't think it is just talk. I have seen someone do that with my own eyes."

The frog's tone gleamed with awe as he gazed at the still water. Even he seemed lost in its strange allure.

"There's nothing you can't obtain here, nothing beyond the reach of imagination. But…" he suddenly paused, a faint smile curling at the edge of his lips,

"If you want to gain what you want, you need luck."

"Luck?"

Lucien tilted his head in confusion as he heard the new term 'Luck'.

'What does luck have to do with this place?'

"Hehe…boy, I know what you are thinking. But I am not lying as luck is everything in this place."

The frog suddenly smiled after seeing Lucien's confused face.

"In fact, the very reason why you are here in the first place was due to your luck. Otherwise, do you think anyone can come to this place that everyone dreamed of?"

The frog rolled his eyes while puffing on his cigar that just wouldn't shorten no matter how much he smoked.

"However, although you can gain anything in this place as long as you have the luck, just like any other scene, this place also has its rules."

The frog continued,

"And the rule is simple, 'Either you catch a fish, or you get fished.' There's no in-between."

He smiled,

"Well, the only exception to this rule is the Origin coins."

The frog said while suddenly summoning a bronze coin in his hands, flicking it up for Lucien to see.

"And this Bronze coin you see everyone paying me… it isn't exactly the same as your mortal coins, you see."

He said, and suddenly clenched one of the coins so tightly that it gleamed with an unnatural light, startling Lucien.