Chapter 26 The Blue Beauty
The two wandered through the streets. Perhaps due to the mixed population, this place was indeed much livelier than the Elven territory. On the main road through the commercial district, crowds of people and street vendors formed a massive flow of humanity.
The goods were also dazzling. Lan Chi spotted a firearm similar to his shotgun at a goblin's stall. Its appearance was quite worn, resembling a water gun. Attached under the barrel was a bottle engraved with runes. The magazine loaded from the top of the gun. The goblin vendor placed a flower at the muzzle and demonstratively pulled the trigger. A puff of steam emerged, propelling the flower into the air.
Lan Chi tugged at Nightshade and asked, "What kind of technology is this?"
Nightshade glanced at it and replied with disdain, "Goblin steam technology. The propulsive force isn't much different from that gun you made."
Lan Chi coughed dryly to hide his embarrassment. His creation really couldn't handle several natives—couldn't even kill ordinary Thornskin Half-breeds.
"Here we are. This is the place." Nightshade stopped in front of a three-story building.
The shop before them was much larger than the neighboring stores. It had a double door, above which hung a wooden sign engraved with a runic circle featuring an eye, surrounded by a simplified hexagonal star pattern.
Lan Chi recognized this as the exclusive rune of the Alchemist Association. According to Nightshade's introduction, shops displaying such a mark were typically affiliated with the Alchemist Association's partner trading companies.
"Golden Hammer Trading Company." He read the name on the door plaque—one of the fruits of his recent studies.
"Let's go. Let's see what they have inside." Nightshade pushed open the door, and the two entered.
The interior space of the shop was quite expansive. Sturdy wooden display cabinets lined the walls in neat rows. The lighting embedded in the cabinet tops illuminated the merchandise within very clearly.
Directly opposite the entrance was the mineral counter. Various ore samples were displayed in glass cabinets, their price tags bearing numbers that were astonishingly high.
To the left was the alchemical potion counter. Dozens of transparent glass bottles contained strange liquids and pastes, each affixed with various labels.
To the right was the raw materials counter. Dried magical beast limbs, tanned tough leather, bundles of peculiar roots and stems, insect carapaces, and more—all dazzling to the eye.
The center of the shop was an open discussion area, furnished with several comfortable soft sofas and coffee tables. At the moment, there were few customers inside—only a handful of figures in robes quietly inquiring at the counters.
A shop assistant in a simple uniform noticed the two entering. A professionally trained smile immediately appeared on her face as she quickly approached.
"Good afternoon, gentlemen. My name is Emily, a sales guide at this shop. How may I assist you?" The uniformed beauty Emily greeted with a smile.
"I'd like to buy some magic energy ores," Nightshade said.
"Certainly. Please come this way." Emily smiled and gestured toward the nearby mineral counter. "Our samples are mostly displayed here."
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Lan Chi wasn't very interested in ore transactions. He aimlessly paced around, trying to identify the labels on those strange items in the counters, attempting to match his recently crammed knowledge with reality.
Suddenly, he stopped. His gaze passed over the front counter, landing on an independent glass display stand in the back.
Inside stood a puppet.
She had delicate features and wore an ornate Baroque-style long dress. Her sky-blue hair cascaded down like a waterfall. Her complexion was pale, her lips tinted with pink lipstick. Her eyes were closed, like a sleeping beauty.
The puppet was displayed upright in a wooden case, her hands folded resting on her lap, maintaining an elegant and dignified posture.
Lan Chi subconsciously took a few steps forward, wanting to admire the beauty up close.
"That's the Blue Beauty, named for her sky-blue hair." An enthusiastic voice sounded beside him. Lan Chi turned to look. A cat-eared waitress had quietly approached at some point. Her ear twitched lightly, and her face wore a professional sweet smile. "This was originally the collection of a noble young master from the Radiant Empire—a Tier 1 combat puppet, peak quality. But since this is the trial zone, that young master urgently needed funds, so he reluctantly sent it to our trading company."
Lan Chi was slightly surprised and asked, "This is a puppet?"
"Yes, sir. You clearly have discerning taste. This puppet is currently our shop's prized possession. For the right price, our trading company would be delighted to have it follow a new owner with such good taste as yourself." The cat-eared waitress smiled politely, her big eyes sparkling.
Lan Chi coughed lightly and said nothing. His wallet was empty—he was in no position to acquire this puppet now.
"This is a puppet?" Nightshade's voice came from behind. He had finished discussing ore matters with the sales guide Emily and walked over, casting an appraising gaze upon the "Blue Beauty."
"Yes, sir. A Tier 1 peak-quality puppet." The cat-eared waitress immediately redirected her enthusiasm toward this seemingly more capable customer, her tail gently swaying.
"How much?" Nightshade asked.
"Not much—eighty thousand Phosphorus Crystals or equivalent value in goods." The cat-eared waitress gestured with a figure eight.
Expensive! Lan Chi was secretly shocked. When he bought Nightshade, a Tier 3, it only cost one hundred thousand. Now, just over half a month later, the price for a Tier 1 had directly doubled.
Nightshade nodded. "Acceptable. Include the items I just ordered as well." He paused, then continued, "Do you provide spatial storage items here? We have too many things; we can't carry them all."
"We provide complimentary dimensional bags. If you'd like other types of storage space, our trading company also sells spatial wrist guards and spatial rings. Spatial wrist guards are twenty thousand Phosphorus Crystals, containing ten square meters. Spatial rings are fifty thousand Phosphorus Crystals, containing twenty square meters." The cat-eared waitress's smile deepened as she quickly quoted prices.
"Two spatial wrist guards."
"Very well, sir. How would you like to pay? Phosphorus Crystals or equivalent value in goods?" The cat-eared waitress noticed the backpack on Nightshade, which bore no runes and was clearly not a spatial item. She asked uncertainly.
Nightshade opened the backpack and took out two scrolls, handing them over. "Use these to pay. Two Tier 2 large-scale defense array scrolls. After setting them up with energy crystals, the arrays can last for one month."
The cat-eared waitress's eyes lit up. "Please wait a moment. I'll fetch someone to appraise them immediately." With that, she hurried into the back office to find an appraiser.
"When did you make those scrolls?" Lan Chi asked curiously.
"I bought some materials at the Elf market earlier and made two. Today, they can be exchanged for some supplies." Nightshade replied casually.
"How much can those two sell for?" Lan Chi asked quietly.
"Outside, one scroll could sell for twenty thousand energy gold coins. It's hard to say here, but it should be more than enough to cover what we're buying." Nightshade answered.
Just then, the cat-eared waitress brought over a gnome, interrupting their conversation. "This is our trading company's president, who is also an appraisal master."
The gnome smiled in greeting. "Hello to both of you. I'm Goldenhammer. May I appraise these defense array scrolls?"
Nightshade gestured for him to proceed. Goldenhammer eagerly unrolled the scrolls and began his appraisal.
A few minutes later, he looked up. "These are indeed Tier 2 large-scale defense array scrolls. Our acquisition price is sixty thousand Phosphorus Crystals each."
"Acceptable." Nightshade nodded in agreement. "Settle the payment for the items I just bought and convert the remainder into Phosphorus Crystals."
"Very well, sir. Please wait a moment." Goldenhammer replied happily. These two array scrolls were exactly what the main city needed for its construction. He could approach the city lord and leverage this opportunity to secure even greater benefits.
