Across from him, Benshan’s features were a roadmap of worry.
“I… I actually demanded money from a powerhouse selling Rank Three Fight Cores… and it was only 10 silver coins—Good heavens, have I gone mad for money? And… what if this powerhouse harbors a grudge because of this and kills me…”
The hearts of the truly powerful are the hardest to fathom; if one displeases them, being killed is a real possibility! Thinking of this, his complexion cycled between red and white with sudden fear.
He knew the woman Nasha. Having worked as a guide here for so many years, if he didn't even recognize this formidable woman, he might as well be dead!
This woman’s arsenal of methods and her sharp-tongued demeanor were certainly no less famous than her striking beauty!
Yet, for such a seasoned traveler of the world to stand before that black-robed figure, utterly silent and scarcely daring to breathe—if someone told him right now that the black-robed man wasn't a master, he felt he’d slap them across the face!
Restlessness, panic, and fear—a host of negative emotions plagued him, causing a splitting headache.
“What are you doing?” Boss Mofei asked, watching Benshan rise.
“I… I’m fine, I’m just going out for a stroll!” he mumbled, turning toward the exit.
Seeing him leave, Boss Mofei also stood up and followed behind.
The hall wasn't crowded now; people moved about sparsely here and there.
“What’s wrong with you? You look completely unsettled!” Boss Mofei noticed his aberration and asked.
“Alas…” Benshan sighed and recounted the entire encounter with Chen Feng.
When Boss Mofei heard that Benshan had actually demanded 10 silver coins as payment, he stared at him as if he were an alien, giving him a thumbs-up: “My dear, you truly are a talent… Has your head been smashed by a brick?”
“…” Benshan replied, “If only it had been smashed by a brick, then I wouldn't be this worried!”
Before he could finish speaking, a loud crash echoed from directly above his head, and debris mixed with broken bricks rained down upon him…
…………
Everyone in the room burst into laughter at Benshan’s ‘miserable state’!
“What are you laughing at…” Benshan was about to curse again when he suddenly spotted Chen Feng. He quickly jogged over to him: “Sir… I was blind just now! I shouldn't have asked you for money; I am a despicable wretch, only seeing profit in my eyes…”
Not just the surrounding crowd, but even Chen Feng was momentarily stunned by this outburst. Had the stones made this fellow insane? What on earth was he talking about?
However, seeing him with blood streaming down his head while bowing and scraping only prompted another round of uproarious laughter from the onlookers.
Seeing Chen Feng remain silent made him even more nervous. He hurried on, “I was clearly blind to the mountain just now and offended Your Excellency. If you won't forgive me, I don’t know what I’ll do!”
Chen Feng, finding the man’s persistence and incoherent babbling tedious, shook his head, pulled out 10 silver coins, and extended them: “This is your payment!”
He had heard tales that many powerful figures preferred inverted speech; if he offered you money and you accepted it, they would then kill you without hesitation… Benshan thought of these things, and naturally, his face turned even paler. His legs gave way, and he collapsed onto his knees: “Sir, I have elders above and children below, and I am still young—I don't want to die yet…”
“…” Chen Feng was momentarily speechless. What nonsense was this? It seemed the man must have fundamentally misunderstood something. He said, “Take it. I don't care about 10 silver coins!”
Benshan, who had been intending to look pathetic with tears streaming down his face, suddenly seemed to recall something upon hearing Chen Feng’s words, and he shouted out in sudden enlightenment: “That’s right! You are a powerhouse who deals in over a dozen Rank Three Fight Cores at a single stroke; why would you care about such a paltry sum…”
This exclamation was so loud that everyone in the hall heard it clearly!
“Dealing in over a dozen Rank Three Fight Cores at a single stroke…” Everyone present was utterly staggered by that statement!
Seeing that he had drawn everyone’s attention again, Chen Feng gave a wry smile and turned, intending to head downstairs.
He had only come to sell the Fight Cores he possessed. Now that they were sold and his transaction chip was in the kettle, there was nothing else to do but return quickly. He hadn't told John or Yas when he left, fearing they might be worried waiting for him!
Just as he was about to descend the stairs, a figure clad in white suddenly rushed in front of him—it was Judy.
Chen Feng had a decent impression of Judy. Regardless of her conduct or her stunning appearance, she was an impeccably beautiful woman whom he generally admired. Moreover, she had been the one to warn him when that spear flew toward him earlier.
“Thank you for the warning just now!” Chen Feng said.
Judy replied, “Not at all…” Then she lifted her head, gazing at Chen Feng with expectant eyes: “Sir, I just overheard him say that you traded over a dozen Rank Three Fight Cores at one time…”
Chen Feng finally understood the reason. Although he didn't know why Judy had such a demand for Fight Cores, judging by the fact that her subordinate Jerry had fought Jimmy for them regardless of the cost, this need must be extremely urgent.
If it weren't urgent, her subordinates wouldn't have been galloping wildly through the streets!
However, all the Fight Cores he had obtained from Dragon-Map Mountain were sold; all he had left were Magic Cores, which he figured the other party wouldn't need. He said, “I’m sorry, I actually had 15 Rank Three Fight Cores in total, but I sold all of them!”
“15 Rank Three Fight Cores…”
This statement caused an uproar among the surrounding people!
“Is he bragging? 15 Fight Cores, and all Rank Three? I wouldn't believe it if you beat me to death!” a warrior declared loudly.
“What’s so special about 15 Rank Three Fight Cores? I have 20 Rank Five Fight Cores! Where are they? Oh, sorry, I sold them all just now!” shouted another warrior sarcastically.
Clearly, no one believed this news. If a mercenary group or a known faction had made such a claim, they might have found it somewhat plausible. But for one individual to claim they sold 15 Rank Three Fight Cores—that was too ridiculous!
These people searched for various Fight Cores daily and knew exactly who came here to sell Rank Three and higher Cores. The largest transaction here was three months ago when the Sixteenth Mercenary Group sold four Rank Three and seven Rank Two Magic Cores!
The Sixteenth Mercenary Group, one of the three major mercenary groups in the Loki Empire, hadn't managed to trade 15 Rank Three Fight Cores in one go. And this black-robed man claimed to have sold 15 of them all at once…
Was he not afraid of blowing his own story to death with such a lie…
Judy’s face fell upon hearing Chen Feng’s words, a shadow of disappointment crossing it: “Oh, then I apologize for disturbing you!”
A look of dejection resurfaced on her face; it seemed she truly needed those Fight Cores.
Chen Feng became somewhat curious. What could be so important that it made this girl so intent? He asked, “Do you really need Rank Three Fight Cores?”
Judy nodded.
Chen Feng suggested, “I sold them to the Trade Center just now; they should be on display tomorrow. You can buy them from the market then!”
Goods acquired by the center required registration and cataloging, so they couldn't be placed on the counters until the next day at the earliest.
“Tomorrow… is too late, and Rank Three Fight Cores aren't very useful to me anyway!” she finished, turning to walk away.
Chen Feng shook his head. He had plenty of Rank Three Fight Cores and Magic Cores, but none of Rank Four. Just as he was about to turn and leave, something suddenly struck his mind, and he called out, “Wait, I don't have a Rank Four Fight Core, but I do have one Rank Five. Do you want it?”