The three knives Zhang Ping had just examined were each more expensive than the last.
The Nine-Ring Ghost Axe Knife was priced at a staggering 500,000 Pearl coins!
The Ghost Scythe cost 600,000.
And the final piece, ‘Cold Lady’, was priced at an astounding 2 million.
Pearl City had an extreme wealth gap, and Zhang Ping wasn’t sure about awakeners’ incomes.
But from his investigations over the past few days, he learned that ordinary farmers in Pearl City earned about 3,000 Pearl coins annually. This meant that to buy ‘Cold Lady’, one would have to go without food or drink for over 666 years.
Incredibly expensive!
Zhang Ping sighed inwardly. Although he knew supernatural equipment wouldn’t be cheap, he hadn’t expected it to be this costly.
“Grandfather, do you have any cheaper weapons here?” Zhang Ping asked softly, approaching the old man after noticing that even the least expensive weapons cost tens of thousands of Pearl coins.
The old man took a long drag from his pipe. After about a minute and a half, he finally looked at Zhang Ping and slowly said, “What did you say?”
“Grandfather, I was asking if you have any cheaper weapons here?” Zhang Ping patiently repeated.
The old man gazed at Zhang Ping, his reaction delayed as if he were half a beat behind. After a while, he answered irrelevantly, “My son is waiting for me to eat dinner.”
“…”
Zhang Ping was left speechless.
No wonder previous customers had all left empty-handed.
Just then, a middle-aged, burly man hurriedly entered the store from outside.
He appeared to be over thirty, wearing tattered camouflage clothing. His inverted triangle physique boasted arms thicker than Zhang Ping’s thighs. On his back, he carried a large, rough, dark sword – clearly an experienced adventurer.
“Sorry, this shop isn’t selling anything at the moment,” he said, placing his weapon in a corner before approaching Zhang Ping.
The old man, upon seeing the middle-aged man, grumbled unhappily, “Stinky Strong, where have you been gallivanting with Big Mountain? Where is he?”
“Uncle Liu, why did you open the shop again? I told you to wait at home. I’ll find Big Mountain soon,” the man nicknamed ‘Stinky Strong’ replied with a bitter smile.
Uncle Liu tapped Stinky Strong’s head with his long-stemmed pipe, admonishing, “Always fooling around. Hurry up and tell Big Mountain to come home for dinner.”
“Alright, Uncle Liu. I’ll tell Big Mountain to come home for dinner right away. Let’s close the shop and go upstairs now,” Stinky Strong agreed repeatedly.
Uncle Liu hit Stinky Strong’s head again with the pipe, complaining, “I’m staying right here. What if old customers come and can’t find me?”
“Okay, okay, we’ll stay right here. We’re not going anywhere,” Stinky Strong replied with a wry smile.
He was a veteran among adventurers, leading a four-person team. Over the past decade, he had saved up a considerable sum. He could go for months without missions and still maintain his lifestyle.
However, his teammates were all living paycheck to paycheck. Once they stopped taking missions, they’d lose their income source, affecting their daily lives.
But Uncle Liu was like a father to him!
Ever since his good friend Big Mountain had gone missing, Uncle Liu’s mental state had been deteriorating daily, often seeming dazed and confused. Stinky Strong couldn’t bear to leave Uncle Liu alone here.
At that moment, he noticed Zhang Ping preparing to leave. His eyes suddenly lit up as an idea struck him.
Students and working adults had distinctly different auras.
Anyone who could enter the three major organizations wouldn’t come here to buy weapons, and those set on becoming farmers wouldn’t need to either. So, was this student planning to become an adventurer?
“Young brother, wait a moment,” he called out to Zhang Ping after a moment’s thought.
Zhang Ping turned back to see Stinky Strong approaching and asked, “Is there something you need?”
“Let’s have a chat,” Stinky Strong said with an ingratiating smile.
Zhang Ping hesitated briefly but, seeing no ill intent in Stinky Strong, nodded in agreement.
The two walked outside the store. Stinky Strong instinctively took out a cigarette and offered one to Zhang Ping, who waved his hand, indicating he didn’t smoke.
“Young brother, you’re about to graduate, right?” Stinky Strong realized his mistake, tucked the cigarette behind his ear, and asked.
Zhang Ping nodded, “Soon, yes.”
“What do you think about blacksmithing?” Stinky Strong asked carefully.
Zhang Ping, thinking of the slightly senile old man, immediately understood Stinky Strong’s intention. He played along, replying, “It’s better than being a farmer.”
“Right, right, better than being a farmer,” Stinky Strong nodded eagerly.
It wasn’t that they looked down on farmers.
But the farmers in Pearl City were completely different from those in Zhang Ping’s previous life.
Although Zhang Ping often joked about farming when chatting with Su Jingyao, farmers here didn’t just farm. During the off-season, they had numerous additional tasks.
For instance, Pearl City had no sewers, nor could it afford to have them.
Consequently, specialized farmers had to handle people’s daily waste, garbage, and other sanitation-related tasks.
There was also road repair, city wall maintenance, livestock breeding, and other work that required farmers to assist the awakeners.
In Zhang Ping’s view, Pearl City’s farmers were more like those in real-time strategy games, doing everything except fighting.
“Brother, you mean…” Zhang Ping glanced at the Iron Soul shop, then looked at Stinky Strong with an inquiring gaze.
Seeing that Zhang Ping had grasped his meaning, Stinky Strong spoke frankly, “I won’t hide it from you. That’s my uncle, closer than a father. His son, my brother Big Mountain, went missing recently. Now Uncle Liu is a bit confused, so I want to find someone to look after him and help mind the store.
Of course, when I have time, I’ll come by and teach you some blacksmithing skills. I can’t promise much, but at least I can ensure you’ll complete your apprenticeship. What do you think? Will you consider it?”
“Does it include room and board?” Zhang Ping asked thoughtfully.
Stinky Strong replied, “Not only room and board, but also a monthly salary of 100 Pearl coins!”
“Let me think it over and give you an answer tomorrow, is that okay?” Zhang Ping was tempted but also had his reservations.
Could that missing Big Mountain have been eaten by the Celestial Foxes?
At school, because ‘Luo Shiyu’ only preyed on girls, and the other Celestial Fox disguised as a teacher was rarely encountered, the boys were actually safer inside the school than outside.
The main reason he was tempted was because of ‘Luo Shiyu’s’ room inspection that morning.
It made him feel very insecure about the dormitory.
“Alright, think it over carefully. By the way, you came to the store probably wanting to get a handy weapon, right? Consider this as a gesture of friendship. The atmosphere in the city has been a bit off lately, so be careful,” Stinky Strong said, pressing a dagger into Zhang Ping’s hand before turning to leave.
After bidding farewell to Stinky Strong, Zhang Ping left Iron Soul.
As he walked, he pondered whether to accept the offer, his gaze unconsciously falling on the dagger.
The dagger’s blade was sheathed in a fish skin scabbard. He couldn’t help but draw it out and found that this dagger was made of the same material as ‘Cold Lady’. The blade was snow-white and translucent, faintly emitting a cold aura.
What a formidable weapon!
