A good number of people were also interested in the Cobalt Steel Alloy Exoskeleton’s attribute of +1 to all stats, with some even sighing and remarking that if that particular attribute could be moved to the pocket watch, that watch would fetch an astronomical price. Others inquired about the scroll Fang Senyan intended to sell, but the offered price was far below his expected valuation. Clearly, the buyer was hoping for a steal, and naturally, Fang Senyan refused to conclude the deal.

As the excitement gradually subsided, a familiar calm settled around Fang Senyan. It was then that a short man, swaying slightly, approached him, carrying half a bottle of vodka, and seemed to ask casually:

“HI, mate, looks like you just came back from a successful adventure??”

The short man spoke in heavily accented German, with a somewhat mumbled quality, but the Nightmare Imprint provided translation, allowing Fang Senyan to understand him perfectly. He nodded:

“Yeah.”

The short man glanced at the goods laid out before Fang Senyan, nodding drunkenly:

“Cobalt Steel Alloy Exoskeleton, Gold Casing Pocket Watch, Dog Tag of a Fallen Soldier, yes, and this Light Firearm Proficiency Scroll. You must have just returned from that hellhole world, Terminator. It’s not easy to haul back this much loot. Did you run into a good team?”

Fang Senyan smiled faintly and replied:

“Just a bit lucky.”

The short man tossed his bottle carelessly:

“I saw those first few guys looked genuinely interested in buying your stuff, and their offers weren't low, but you didn't close any deals. Are you suddenly short on cash and desperate to liquidate? Or are you hoping to trade for something you really fancy?”

A thought struck Fang Senyan:

“What do you mean?”

The short man chuckled darkly:

“I’ll take everything you have. How about three thousand Universal Points?”

Fang Senyan smiled and shook his head. The short man’s expression hardened, but he persisted in persuading him:

“Hey, friend, that’s a very fair price. How much are you looking to sell for exactly? Or... what are you hoping to trade for?”

Fang Senyan knew he absolutely couldn't reveal his true hand at this moment. He smiled and engaged in casual banter, mentioning nearly every item and piece of equipment the short man had brought out, before casually inquiring:

“How much for that ring of yours with +3 Stamina?”

Because Fang Senyan had asked about almost all his equipment in this manner, the short man couldn't quite pin down his specific target. He could only frown:

“Stamina is a crucial attribute every Contractor needs, so its price isn't low by any means. Plus, rings are inherently rare commodities, which only adds to their value retention—Hey, listen, friend, three thousand five hundred Universal Points for everything you have—that’s already a great deal.”

After some probing, Fang Senyan realized this short man was quite shrewd, and the chances of him getting an advantageous trade were slim. He could only test the waters further:

“What do you think of this Light Firearm Proficiency Scroll I have here?”

The short man squinted his eyes:

“You only plan to sell this one? Although this scroll is Light Blue, its utility is too limited, and it demands excessively high attribute requirements. Furthermore, it’s only a Proficiency scroll, not a Specialization scroll (omitted a thousand characters)...”

Fang Senyan had no patience for this kind of lengthy discourse designed purely for bargaining. He shook his head and cut him off flatly:

“Just tell me straight: How about trading this scroll for your ring plus one thousand Universal Points?”

The short man repeatedly shook his head, but a sly glint appeared in his eyes. He said thoughtfully:

“A direct trade like that won't fly. Maybe if you threw in that Gold Casing Pocket Watch as well. But even then, you’d need to add another five thousand points.”

“The Gold Casing Pocket Watch! That damned Gold Casing Pocket Watch again!” A chill ran down Fang Senyan’s spine. He knew this item probably held some hidden value he wasn't aware of. He immediately stated firmly:

“Not for sale.”

Just then, movement flickered in the distance, and several more figures emerged from the private spaces, arriving onto the plaza. Two of them approached together, moving quickly, glancing over the various stalls in a cursory manner—a clear indication that they were looking for items with highly specific functions. People who shopped this way usually weren't overly concerned with haggling, often willing to incur minor losses during a transaction.

These two hurried past, but paused abruptly at Fang Senyan’s stall. The more petite and graceful of the pair scanned the items, suddenly exclaimed in surprise, and instantly snatched up the Light Firearm Proficiency Scroll Fang Senyan was selling. But she immediately sighed:

“What a shame, another Proficiency scroll.”

However, her hand remained fixed on the scroll. The taller figure beside her spoke. His voice was deep with a slight resonance, conveying an inherent authority:

“Specialization scrolls don't appear easily. The next world cycle will be exceptionally dangerous, and I can't guarantee I can protect you fully. Before entering, you must maximize your strength! If we absolutely cannot procure a Light Firearm Specialization scroll, then a Proficiency scroll will have to suffice for now.”

Clearly trusting the man implicitly, the woman nodded quietly and then turned to Fang Senyan to inquire about the price. Fang Senyan was no bleeding heart, and knowing his position, he responded very directly:

“Ten thousand!”

At this utterance, the short man nearby, who was taking a gulp of vodka, immediately sputtered, spraying both liquid and saliva across the ground. He looked at Fang Senyan with an expression of profound pity. The couple didn't say another word, merely shrugged, and turned to move toward other stalls.

But Fang Senyan remained utterly composed. Perhaps this item wasn't exceptionally rare in the greater space, but he had discovered one crucial fact during his prior market research—there was currently not a single other Light Firearm Proficiency Scroll for sale here. As the sole proprietor, he was certainly entitled to demand an exorbitant price!

Before long, the couple reversed course and returned. The man looked at Fang Senyan, who stood with his arms crossed, clearly adopting a tough negotiating stance. He frowned slightly, then stepped forward and said steadily:

“Are you genuinely willing to sell this scroll? I am interested in purchasing it, but if you are making an extortionate demand, I can’t help it. Someone else over there is selling a Light Firearm Mastery scroll; although its effect is inferior to yours, it can still serve as a makeshift option.”

Fang Senyan, of course, intended to play along. His initial price of ten thousand Universal Points was merely a tactic to gauge their psychological limit and prevent them from offering a ridiculously low figure. The man scrutinized Fang Senyan up and down:

“Since you are selling this scroll instead of learning it yourself, you must be aiming for a melee-style build. I wonder if you have learned this advanced ability yet?”

Saying this, the man pulled out a deep-blue scroll:

Grappling Combat Specialization Scroll. Rarity: Deep Blue Usage Effect: Grants you mastery of the basic ability upgrade: Grappling Combat Specialization LV1. Usage Requirement: Strength 8+, Stamina 10+. Description: Basic ability scrolls are generally categorized as Mastery, Proficiency, and Specialization. Specialization scrolls are the rarest but yield the best results upon use. Attached Description: Grappling Combat Specialization LV1 allows you to skillfully master close-quarters fighting techniques. Increases your melee attack damage by 7%, Evasion by 7%, Block by 7%, and Parry by 7%. (If it were Grappling Combat Mastery, the increase would only reach 5%.) Attached Description: You must have learned Basic Melee, Basic Footwork, and Basic Endurance before you can learn this ability. Attached Description: The level of the advanced ability, Grappling Combat Specialization, cannot exceed the level of Basic Melee, Basic Footwork, and Basic Endurance. (This means you must raise the levels of these three basic abilities before you can advance the level of this advanced ability.) Attached Description: Learning this scroll costs 1 Potential Point.

Fang Senyan’s original goal was to trade for high-defense items or equipment, and his secondary choice was high-Stamina gear. He never expected this man to produce a scroll! And a Deep Blue Specialization scroll at that! A thought flashed through his mind, but then he noticed the attached description requiring mastery of Basic Melee, Basic Footwork, and Basic Endurance—he immediately felt a surge of disappointment, dismissing the scroll as water under the bridge. For a newcomer like him, anything that couldn’t be quickly converted into immediate combat power, no matter how good, was merely illusory! Furthermore, Fang Senyan immediately recalled seeing several Grappling Combat scrolls on the market; while there were no Specialization ones, there were several Proficiency ones. Although not cheap, a stagnant market for them was certain.

With this thought, Fang Senyan immediately uttered two firm words:

“No trade.”

The tall man probably anticipated Fang Senyan’s reply, slightly narrowing his eyes:

“I’ll add one thousand Universal Points!”

The two haggled back and forth for a time, finally settling on the tall man giving the scroll + 2500 Universal Points + a hamburger that could rapidly restore 60 HP, in exchange for Fang Senyan’s scroll + the un-appraised dog tag.

Fang Senyan had already done his homework on this dog tag: it was relatively common loot. Upon appraisal, it would provide information on a fallen soldier, and you would then take this item to find his family to receive a reward—since each soldier’s family circumstances differed, the remuneration would vary. You might get a large reward if you were lucky, but if you were unlucky, you might even be thrown out. However, typically, they provided one or two hundred US dollars that could be exchanged for points, amounting to barely over 100 points in total.

(To be continued, please visit: for the latest chapters.)

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