The 3A Special Operations Team's appearance was undoubtedly top-notch. Even Wang Weihu, with his slightly goofy grin, was a ruggedly handsome guy. His facial features were impeccable.

  Not to mention the uniquely charming Bai Shu and Chen Xiaofei—one exuding the vibe of a refined scoundrel, the other a sunny and cheerful big boy. And Qin Luo? He was the undisputed face of the team. His features were so perfect that even 3D modeling software wouldn't dare replicate them—deep-set eyes, a high, straight nose.

  In short, a bona fide heartthrob.

  From behind Qin Luo, a little zombie poked her head out. Her snow-white face, delicate features, and picturesque eyebrows made her undeniably beautiful. Today, she was dressed in a sky-blue Lolita dress, looking both exquisite and aristocratic.

  The few newcomers were completely dumbfounded.

  Chen Xiaofei chuckled, "This shop can't be this unreliable, right? Surely it's not just about looks."

  Bai Shu calmly added, "Rumor has it they also assess your capabilities. It's actually for your own good. Imagine if you went in, broke something, and couldn't afford to pay for it—wouldn't that ruin your life?"

  Having to work tirelessly every day to earn points and pay off the debt? How miserable would that be?

  Recently, this shop had gone viral on the forums, attracting plenty of curious newbies.

  It was only natural for the owner to impose some restrictions.

  Otherwise, if a crowd of people barged in and started touching and breaking things, who would take responsibility?

  Though Bai Shu's words were harsh, they were undeniably true.

  The newbies, realizing they couldn't possibly afford to shell out hundreds of thousands of points for anything, nodded obediently. They quickly decided not to join the hype and retreated, taking the advice to heart.

  In the blink of an eye, they all scattered.

  Wang Weihu shook his head, "There will always be these clueless rookies, no matter the time."

  Chen Xiaofei laughed along, "Even the parrot in this shop is snobbish; there's no way the owner isn’t picky."

  Although the setup seemed a bit unethical and absurd, at the end of the day, this was a private shop. Buying and selling was a two-way street—it had to be consensual.

  It was understandable.

  By now, Qin Luo had already pushed open the glass door, triggering a crisp chime from the wind bell. Suddenly, a party popper went off at the entrance, showering them with colorful confetti.

  A mechanical parrot with a raspy voice squawked loudly, "Welcome! Welcome!"

  It hopped around energetically as it spoke.

  Meanwhile, a clown puppet twirled and leapt down from the counter. Shedding its usual haughty demeanor, it hopped over and performed a gentlemanly bow. "Oh, my dear customers, welcome back!"

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  Qin Luo and the others froze in place, even the little zombie was stunned. The four men and one zombie fell into a moment of silence.

  ???

  What was going on?

  Why was the reception so enthusiastic this time?

  "Showing such unwarranted hospitality—either you're up to no good or you have an ulterior motive. Spill it! What does your boss mean by this?" Qin Luo immediately questioned.

  The clown puppet exaggeratedly waved its hands, "Oh, no, no, no. Our boss, to express gratitude for the free advertisement provided by the 3A Special Operations Team, specifically instructed us to prepare this thank-you ceremony. We hope you'll like it~"

  It gestured wildly as it spoke, its joints clattering noisily like a hyperactive child.

  Its eager movements contrasted hilariously with its flat, monotonous electronic voice.

  Chen Xiaofei couldn't help but tease, "It really feels like it's being forced to work by its boss. Poor thing, like a miserable wage slave."

  Wang Weihu glanced around and noticed that the shop had stocked quite a few new items. They seemed quite interesting.

  Meanwhile, Bai Shu boldly speculated, "How much has your boss earned off our reputation? Tens of millions of points, perhaps? A single dress sells for hundreds of thousands. Making tens of millions should’ve been a breeze. While most visitors are just here for the spectacle, there must be plenty of capable customers too. Judging by your reaction, your boss must've made quite a fortune."

  Pushing up his glasses, Bai Shu smiled faintly, "And all we get is this welcome ceremony? No tangible benefits?"

  Caught off guard by the sharp observation, the clown puppet froze mid-motion.

  The mechanical parrot screeched, "OMG, OMG!" while using its mechanical wings to cover its face.

  Its exaggerated antics were downright comical.

  Chen Xiaofei burst out laughing, "Wow, this parrot's got some Western flair."

  Within the 3A Special Operations Team, Wang Weihu usually acted as the diplomat, handling external communications and negotiations. Bai Shu managed the finances, Chen Xiaofei scouted ahead, and Qin Luo focused on combat and made the big decisions.

  This division of roles had always worked well.

  While Bai Shu continued his conversation with the clown puppet, the others began exploring the shop.

  Qin Luo and Chen Xiaofei were immediately drawn to the colorful array of dresses. This time, the shop had even added a wall of accessories, featuring various hair ornaments and jewelry.

  "Wow, they've got traditional-style dresses this time? This ink-painting design is stunning," Qin Luo remarked, picking up a black-and-white modified traditional dress. It was knee-length, with a round collar, diagonal lapels, and frog buttons. It looked exquisite.

  Chen Xiaofei noticed a wall of weapons nearby, his eyes lighting up at the sight of a beautiful long blade.

  "Hey, hey! Qin, that dress would go perfectly with this blade! This blade is so cool!"

  The two of them started comparing and matching, and the combination did look striking.

  "Yeah, not bad, not bad. This works. But what about the hair? This dress needs matching hair accessories, right? What should it pair with? Hairpins? Hair sticks? Hairbands? Are all three for styling hair? Why are there so many options? It's overwhelming."

  Feeling dizzy from the choices, Qin Luo grabbed the little zombie, who was aimlessly wandering around. "Come on, come on, pick something for yourself."

  Xu Duoduo stared at the wall full of hair accessories, her eyes glazing over. Her brain seemed to short-circuit.

  Qin Luo looked down and sighed, "We're doomed. She's unreliable. How are we supposed to choose?"

  Chen Xiaofei pointed to a large red flower. "This one's great! It's so eye-catching. If she wears it on her head, we’ll always know where she is."

  No need to worry about losing sight of her.

  When Bai Shu finished his business and saw the red flower Chen Xiaofei had chosen, he nearly blacked out. "What kind of taste is that?!"

  Qin Luo agreed. The red flower was tacky.

  Wang Weihu, who had initially been inspecting weapons, couldn't resist joining the fun.

  The four of them prioritized buying gear for the little zombie. She was the team's treasure, their golden goose. The entire team's wealth was essentially tied to her.

  Ensuring her safety was their top priority.

  Besides, their own gear was easy to choose—being men, they didn’t need anything fancy.

  Girls were different.

  Girls needed to be nurtured with care.

  In truth, the four of them were just indulging in a dress-up game and stubbornly refusing to admit it.

  Xu Duoduo was cooperative, trying on whatever they handed her. She liked pretty dresses anyway, and this time she had earned a million points, enough to buy some for herself.

  Every time she came out of the fitting room, the four of them would shower her with compliments. With her perfect proportions, every dress looked amazing on her!

  Qin Luo and the others were beaming with satisfaction.

  "Beautiful, beautiful. Let's get all three of these. Honestly, I thought your boss only dealt in Western-style stuff. Didn't expect them to have traditional designs too."

  Qin Luo decisively paid for the dresses. The clown puppet, having just been squeezed for an 8.5% discount by Bai Shu, was sulking but remained polite to such a big spender.

  After finishing their shopping, it was time to discuss serious matters. "We need to speak with your boss. What's the best way to contact them?"