Single Player Only Chapter 56-57

Chapter 56: Trading

 

 

Before Yue Qiang left, he took the tiger's broken tail with him. This broken tail didn't look like much from afar, but when he gripped it in his hands, it was thick and heavy. He put it into his backpack before saying to Yin behind him, "Considering how powerful these two tigers are, I suddenly recall that there are two used S/L Modules on the table. Can it be that these two tigers have used them?"

 

 

"That's very possible. If these two tigers have used the S/L Modules before, then it indirectly proves one thing: it is possible for them to acquire Progress Points, and the amount they got should not be too low." Yin said, "This will explain why these two tigers have powers that exceeded a normal tiger's limits. Moreover, there's also another question regarding your strength, that is your stats. I sense that you have a rare stat, and at quite a high value as well. However, it seems that you can't use it for combat?"

 

 

The moment Yue Qiang heard Yin's description, he immediately knew what she was talking about.

 

 

When he first entered the game, as it turned out he had a rare stat – Charisma.

 

 

At the start of the game, he had 8 freely distributed stat points, and he had casually dropped it all under Charisma. He didn't think much of it at first, but now words could not describe how regretful he felt of his actions. That was 8 freely distributed stat points. If he dropped them all under a combat related stat, fighting mobs would've been infinitely easier.

 

 

As for Charisma points, he had no idea what they could be used for at all&h.e.l.lip;

 

 

As he shook his head slightly and wore a bitter smile at the same time, a thought came across his mind. The game system should not give out a meaningless stat, and one that was crowned a 'Rare Stat' no less. Maybe I haven't discovered the real use behind Charisma yet?

 

 

While thinking, he typed a line of inquiry and asked tentatively, "Um&h.e.l.lip; what do you think of me as a person?"

 

 

Yin looked a little surprised. After c.o.c.king her head slightly and giving it a thought, she said, "Your appearance and image are very average, and there is an unspeakable sense of vulgarity and abjection to you. However&h.e.l.lip; you feel trustworthy. This feeling is a bit contradictory."

I feel trustworthy? Is that the meaning behind Charisma? Still doesn’t seem likes it’s useful though.

 

 

While speaking, the duo walked for a very long time before they finally exited the tiger's domain. Then, they continued to traverse for a very far distance and ran into a few scattered hunters, before finally figuring out the general direction of the trading market.

 

 

According to those hunters, this trading market had a very guileless name called: Green Cow Village Market.

 

 

No matter how you looked at it, the name gave off a low cla.s.s and peasant feeling. But there were no other places where a great amount of people were gathered in this vast area.

 

 

After walking again for a very long time, they finally arrived at their destination.

 

 

This was a valley. There were several vertical streets inside it, and from the layout, it appeared to be the kind of old town made for tourism purposes. There were a lot of people inside the market, and it was plenty noisy. From time to time, all kinds of people would go in and out of the entrance. A large green stone was erected at the valley entrance, and five large words were written on it: 'Green Cow Village Trading Market'. There was also a small line beneath it stating, 'Honor Bound, Fair Trade'.

 

 

There was an old man with a white beard at the side. On one hand he held two baoding b.a.l.l.s, and on the other he fanned a very strange-looking bamboo fan. He sat on a rocking chair and basked himself in the sun, looking very comfortable.

 

 

Yue Qiang found the sight interesting. He was just about to reach the entrance and enter the market, but he was stopped by the old man.

 

 

"Admission fee is 100 knife coins." the old man holding the folding fan said.

 

 

100 knife coins for just an admission fee? Isn't that daylight robbery? Yue Qiang had only earned a bit more than 100 knife coins after playing the game for such a long time, and now more than half of it was gone in an instant. In the end, he steeled his heart and pa.s.sed out the coins.

 

 

The old man beamed at the duo, and his gaze hovered on Yin a little longer than Yue Qiang. He watched her from head to toe, and from toe to head multiple times. After glancing at Yue Qiang again, he said, "Never mind. I'll just accept 68 knife coins from you. Go in."

 

 

"This is nice. He saw your beauty and gave us a 30% discount right away." Yue Qiang said.

 

 

"I think it's because of that Charisma stat of yours." Yin said, "68* over 100 is equal to five eighths. Your charisma is at 16 points. If this old man isn't affected by your Charisma, 10 over 16 is also five eighths&h.e.l.lip; don't you think it's too much of a coincidence?"

 

 

*I have no idea how the author counted this but according to the text it should be 62.5.

 

 

"Your math is quite learned&h.e.l.lip;"

 

 

The duo chatted randomly as they entered the market. Originally, Yue Qiang had planned to roam around gather information with a carefree att.i.tude, but his attention was quickly attracted by a certain person. This because because the person was just too eye-catching in this market.

 

 

It was a man selling black bracelets at a stall beside the street. What's eye-catching was that his bracelets weren't arrayed on the stall for purchase, but worn on both his arms instead.

 

 

Yue Qiang immediately recalled a news he had seen before. There was a man who attempted to smuggle Swiss watches and wore all fifty or so watches on his arms when pa.s.sing through the customs. He wore long sleeves to hide the goods, but he was ultimately discovered by the police. The picture in the news when the fellow was found out showed that he wore more than twenty watches on each of his arms. It was very comedic, and left him a very deep impression.

 

 

This bracelet selling man before him was more or less the same!

 

 

There were at least seventy to eighty bracelets packed densely together on both of his arms. Moreover, they were all black in color. From afar, he would look as if he had worn black armor on both his arms. There was also a white cloth erected beside the fellow, written with a trembling scrawl of words: Deng Fang's products, quality guaranteed.

 

 

There was no doubt that this bracelet selling fellow was Deng Fang.

 

 

Yue Qiang thought that this fellow was extremely interesting. While holding in his laughter, he walked forwards and asked, "Hey there, brother. I wonder if you can tell me how much is your bracelet, and what effects does it have?"

 

 

When he was close, he discovered that this Deng Fang's looks was incredibly simple and honest, having what would one call an honest fool's look. Seeing Yue Qiang's approach and inquiry, and noticing that he was followed by a girl of amazing beauty, his face immediately blushed bright red as he stuttered, "My bracelets can take you into the ground and above the skies; overturn a river and upset a sea. All nine-nine eighty one of my bracelets are completely unique and of infinite variation. You want to know what effects they have? Then please observe these five big words then." (minus ten thousand ellipses of pauses and stammers)

 

 

After finally stammering these words with great difficulty, he stretched his arm and pointed it at the trembling scrawl of words on the white cloth beside him, 'Deng Fang's products, quality guaranteed'.

 

 

The second he stretched his arm, the bracelets on his arms immediately b.u.mped into one another and causing all sorts of ringing noises. It was incredibly similar to the sound of a waste collecting aunt sweeping clinking gla.s.s bottles.

 

 

Yue Qiang could hardly hold his cheer as he listened to the advertis.e.m.e.nt script, and even the calm-looking Yin wore a faint smile on her face.

 

 

He walked forwards and said, "Can you tell me exactly how much this bracelet costs?"

 

 

"My brother Deng Yuan told me that I should ask for 500 knife coins, even though it costs only 100." Deng Fang said righteously, "Many customers would try to cut down the price after all."

 

 

This Deng Fang was so cute Yue Qiang wasn't sure what he should say anymore. After laughing on the inside for a while, he asked again, "Why do you need to wear all&h.e.l.lip; nine-nine eighty one bracelets on your arms? Isn't it&h.e.l.lip; heavy?"

 

 

"My brother Deng Yuan told me that if the bracelets are displayed on the stall, then they would all be duped away in a minute." Deng Fang said honestly.

 

 

This Deng Fang was a weirdo, and his brother was even more interesting. Yue Qiang said again, "Then I suppose that your selling lines and that five words on the white cloth are written by your brother, Deng Fang?"

 

 

"That is true. My brother Deng Fang is extremely smart&h.e.l.lip;"

 

 

Before he could finish, Yue Qiang took a bracelet off his arm and asked, "Can you help me appraise this bracelet?"

 

 

This was the spoils he got when he took down the Zhao Scout. It was black in color and had a pa.s.sable pa.s.sive skill as well.

 

 

The honest fool Deng Fang accepted it and examined the bracelet for a while. Then, he spoke up suddenly, "This bracelet&h.e.l.lip; t-t-this bracelet is made by my deceased teacher, and is a lot more precious than all the bracelets I have on my arms. Where have you gotten this, young sir?"

 

 

Yue Qiang did not answer him.

 

 

This Deng Fang might look very foolish, but the bracelets he wore on his arms actually did not look like fakes. From where he stood, he could see that they were very well made, and some were even glowing with a faint light.

 

 

This fellow might be a little challenged in the head, but he did seem to know his trade.

 

 

After considering for a moment, he suddenly took out yet another bracelet.

 

 

This bracelet was green, and there were many simple and unadorned rust spots on it. It looked incredibly dirty. It was the Ring of Earth. Somewhat solemnly, Yue Qiang pa.s.sed over the Ring of Earth and said, "My brother, can I trouble you once more to appraise this bracelet?"

 

 

The moment Deng Fang saw the Ring of Earth, his expression immediately turned serious; far more serious than when he saw Yue Qiang's black bracelet for the first time. He examined the Ring of Earth closely and repeatedly for a very, very long time before he finally returned it to Yue Qiang.

 

 

"I am lacking." Deng Fang said honestly, "I doubt even my brother Deng Yuan can see for what it is. If there is one person in this market who can identify this bracelet's origin, then he can only be my grandfather."

 

 

"Your grandfather?"

 

 

"Didn't you see him when you come in? He sits on a rocking chair, and holds a bamboo fan in his hand always." Deng Fang said.

 

 

Chapter 57: Earning Money To Buy You Clothes

 

 

Yue Qiang led Yin away from Deng Fang's bracelet store, avoided the crowd and found a slightly secluded place to talk.

 

 

"Let's seek out that old man at the market entrance." Yin said, "When we pa.s.sed by earlier I already felt that he wasn't normal. Coincidentally, this bracelet seller Deng Fang agrees with this, so we should be able to acquire some information."

 

 

"I don't think we're in a hurry." Yue Qiang said, "We can walk around the market for a little longer. Right now I'm actually slightly interested in Deng Fang's brother, Deng Yuan."

 

 

He wanted to gather a bit more information and make some preparations before meeting the old man at the market entrance once more. The reason for that was the trading market's name.

 

 

Green Cow Village.

 

 

This wasn't the first time Yue Qiang heard the name 'Green Cow Village'. In fact, he had heard about it several times back at Yue Village. No doubt that the place behind this very backwater name was something that's beyond his imagination.

 

 

The treasure his village had protected for tens of years, and sought after by a powerful Boss like General Zhao Yan himself, was in fact nothing more than just a nose ring once used by a cow in Green Cow Village. Originally, he thought that he would not be able to come in touch with such an extraordinary existence at his current level, but he did not think that his destination would have a name that's called 'Green Cow Village Trading Market'.

 

 

"I think we can walk around the market for a little longer and gather more information. That brother of Deng Fang, Deng Yuan seems to be a know-it-all type of character, so I think we can talk to this Deng Yuan first." Yue Qiang said, "Plus, we need to buy you a new set of clothes. Not only this military uniform is way oversized, it's completely torn up, not to mention that it's empty on the inside&h.e.l.lip;"

 

 

"If you are not afraid to spend money." the girl said.

 

 

Yue Qiang continued to lead Yin around the old town, and they quickly discovered their target, Deng Yuan.

 

 

Their target was simply too eye-catching. He was impossible to miss even if they tried.

 

 

As compared to Deng Fang's desolate stall, Deng Yuan's was obviously a lot more crowded. His business skills were obviously superior, with a large group of people surrounding his stall and a white cloth beside it as well stating, 'The Venomous Yuchang Blade That Surpa.s.ses Zhuan Zhu'*.

 

 

*Zhuan Zhu is an a.s.sa.s.sin in the Spring and Autumn period. He killed King Liao with a dagger hidden in a fish, and the blade was hence named 'Yuchang (Fish Belly)'.

 

 

Although his writing was as ugly as ever, in terms of loftiness, it was far better than 'quality guaranteed'.

 

 

The Yuchang Blade was a legendary weapon that was rumored to be able to cut through gold, jade and steel like they were mud. In the hands of the a.s.sa.s.sin Zhuan Zhu, it took the life of a King of State and became very famous.

 

 

Yue Qiang's curiosity was piqued as well, as he pushed his way through the crowd with Yin and looked.

 

 

There was a fellow inside the stall who looked like Deng Fang, but was incredibly shifty-looking. What he held in his hand was&h.e.l.lip; a fish bone.

 

 

Yue Qiang stared blankly.

 

 

If he remembered correctly, the Yuchang Blade was named the way it was because it was hidden inside a fish's belly, and not because it was made out of a fish bone. Plus, a fish bone was limp, brittle and uncomfortable to wield. Could it really be used as a weapon?

 

 

Yue Qiang was even more curious now and paid close attention. While holding the head area of the fish bone, Deng Yuan circled around his small stall once and said,

 

 

"Look well, my dear customers! My Venomous Yuchang Blade is a masterpiece that exceeds the Yuchang Blade wielded by the a.s.sa.s.sin of the previous dynasty, Zhuan Zhu!"

 

 

Deng Yuan clasped his fists together and saluted the people wherever he went, looking wickedly pleased with himself, "This fish is extraordinary. It hails from the place of profound ice ten thousand depths beneath the western sea. It is cold and poisonous, and I, the untalented one commissioned a master to use seven-seven forty nine days to finally catch it, and then spend eight-eight six four days to finally refine it into one Venomous Yuchang Blade. This blade is extremely rare, and it will sell for only two thousand knife coins today!"

 

 

Once Deng Yuan was finished introducing his fish bone, he continued to clasp his fists and saluted at all directions.

 

 

Yue Qiang was completely dumbfounded by his words, when Yin suddenly closed in behind him and spoke in a low voice, "It looks a little like the bone of a bighead carp. I saw it selling at the fish stall just now&h.e.l.lip;"

 

 

Both praises and doubts came from the surrounding crowd. A peddler that looked rather rich asked, "May I know exactly how is your blade venomous?"

 

 

The wicked pleased look on Deng Yuan's face grew even more profound as he caught a thin, old dog that was so starved that it was literally skin and bones, saying, "Please observe that this is a strong and healthy mastiff, my dear customers (he raised the thin, old dog into the air and showed it off everywhere). However, I only need to stick my Venomous Yuchang Blade in its mouth before this mastiff will suffocate and die in no time."

 

 

Deng Yuan let go of the old dog once he was done speaking. The old dog that was about to be starved to death sniffed the fishy smell on the bone, quivered, and immediately jumped forwards to bite off a fish bone. Before long, the old dog began to pant repeatedly. Then its limbs went stiff, and it pa.s.sed away.

 

 

The surrounding crowd clicked their tongues in wonder at the sight.

 

 

"It truly is extreme poisonous. This dog may not be all that strong and healthy, but it died in no time at all."

 

 

"It is true that it pa.s.sed away very swiftly."

 

 

"Did you guys not notice that the fish bone is missing a fork&h.e.l.lip;"

 

 

Yin, whose eyes were still closed and standing behind Yue Qiang closed in again and said in a low tone, "It probably choked on the fish bone, and choked to death&h.e.l.lip;"

 

 

The peddler he voiced his doubts earlier looked extremely surprised by the turn of events and said, "Truly, a rare treasure indeed. I will buy it." And then he bought the fish bone.

 

 

Is it Yin and I having a keen eye, or are these people too stupid?

 

 

Yue Qiang looked closer and found that the peddler had bought the fish at 2,400 knife coins.

 

 

A thought flashed across his mind, and Yue Qiang clicked Deng Yuan's avatar to check his stats.

 

 

The ability to check one's stats seemed to have been blocked off partially by the system as well. Now, he could only see Deng Yuan's stats, but not his skills. Very soon, Yue Qiang found the line he wished to see.

 

 

Charisma: 12 (A fellow with a silver tongue)

 

 

Yue Qiang made a simple fractional calculation in his head and nodded on the inside as if he realized something.

 

 

On the other side, the crowd quickly dissipated after Deng Yuan had sold his Venomous Yuchang Blade. He did not leave the market, and instead bought yet another big fish from the fish stall and waited quietly for a while. Then he switched to another street, put up his sign 'The Venomous Yuchang Blade That Surpa.s.ses Zhuan Zhu' and restarted his business once more.

 

 

Yue Qiang had been following behind him with Yin all this time. When he saw this, he came to a decision and said to Yin at his back, "Do you know how to write?"

 

 

"Yes. Are you planning to&h.e.l.lip;?" Yin asked curiously.

 

 

"Help me write down a few words then." Yue Qiang did not answer her question and instead ordered directly, "Write down the six words, 'Genesis of Bane, G.o.d of Spears'."

 

 

Yin pulled a cloth from her body, wrote the words and pa.s.sed it out to him.

 

 

Yue Qiang accepted the written cloth, found a bamboo stick and strung the cloth on it. Then he arrived beside Deng Yuan's stall, and plunged the stick right beside Deng Yuan's.

 

 

Yue Qiang's bamboo stick was just a little taller than Deng Yuan's, and his cloth was just a little longer than Deng Yuan's as well.

 

 

"What are you doing?" Yin grew even more curious. This position was too close to Deng Yuan's, and the other party's eyes were already looking at him strangely.

 

 

"Earning money to buy you some clothes." Yue Qiang took out his blackish iron rod and displayed it at the place that caught the most eyes, saying casually.