Chapter 17 - Magical Crystals Trade
“What are you doing?” Lin Li wiped the cold sweat off. He was about to enter the hut when two burly men came up and blocked him with raised arms.
The burly men were shirtless, their expressions ferocious and ugly. At a glance, they seemed to have come from knocking around places, fighting and killing. Lin Li touched his nose and replied timidly, “I came to sell items…”
“Sell? Scram to the side! Take a look in the damn mirror, is Jarrosus Exchange a place for you to enter at your own wish?” With these words, Lin Li was pushed out of the door.
Lin Li stumbled a few steps back. “Can’t we talk nicely without any pushing?”
“Scram immediately!”
Seeing that Lin Li wanted to continue his ramble, the two men became enraged and held their fists up.
Kevin was gasping for breath at a side when he looked up and witnessed the conflict between both sides. Just as he was about to open his mouth to stop them, it was already too late. The burly men attacked and the young mage sighed regretfully.
“Ah!”
Then came a succession of cries, which seemed to have startled the noisy black market into silence at once.
“Damn. You really thought anyone wearing a long robe would be a cultured person?” Lin Li was beaming. The crowd of onlookers couldn’t understand how this seemingly harmless young mage could be so vicious in his strikes. The two burly men had yet to deliver their attacks when they were each sent a dozen meters away by an Arcane Missile, and were groaning in pain on the ground at the moment.
“Can I go in and sell my items now?” Lin Li approached with a grin and bent down to ask that the two men who were still groaning in pain.
The two poor men were nothing but rogue gatekeepers. They mostly bullied derelict adventurers as they watched the gates, and had never met a real mage before. Those two Arcane Missiles were a low-level spell, but as they landed solidly on their chests, even the strongest in body could be half killed. At this time, they looked at Lin Li as if they had seen a ghost, and hurriedly nodded in trepidation. “Yes, yes…”
Lin Li smiled with satisfaction. He took a few steps forward and asked doubtfully, “I won’t get chased out?”
“No, no, no…”
Kevin watched from the side, dumbfounded. After some time, he let out a sigh in resignation. This young mage’s character was rather similar to Uncle Gerian’s, both ruthlessly vindictive. It was no wonder Uncle Gerian thought so highly of him…
Lin Li walked into the exchange in high spirits amidst the groans of the two unlucky morons.
Kevin caught up from behind, a bitter smile across his face. “The Exchange goes by a membership system. I had yet to pull out my membership card when you already knocked them out. You’re quick to take action…”
“Why? They have backing?” Lin Li asked casually with a grin.
“Of course. How can a place like Jarrosus Exchange not have the protection of some sort of force?” Kevin’s head throbbed at the mention of this. “The one that protects this place is Old Odin, the largest underground force in Jarrosus. The important thing is, Old Odin has always maintained a good relationship with the Guild of Magic, and has been friends with President Gerian since young. You’ve beaten them up without a word; it’ll be hard for President Gerian to explain it to Old Odin…”
“I’ve beaten them up anyway. We’ll talk about it again when they come calling on the doorstep.”
It was empty inside the Jarrosus Exchange; not a ghost could be seen except for an old man who was dozing off at the counter. Lin Li went in and knocked on the counter dozens of times before the old man opened his eyes with a sleepy face. He yawned as he grumbled in a quiet voice, “Young people nowadays are really mean, waking up an old man taking an occasional nap. Ai, I’m already this old, wonder how many more good naps I can take…”
Lin Li touched his nose sullenly. This old fellow could talk more crap than Gerian…
“Hurry up and state your business, don’t hold up an old man’s rest.” There was no energy in the old man’s voice; it sounded as if he was on his deathbed.
“I heard from my friend that the Jarrosus Exchange buys in all kinds of magic materials. I have a few magical crystals at hand, and was thinking of bringing them here to see if I could exchange for some money to tide me through,” Lin Li said. The other party was an old man after all, and was not as strong as the two unlucky morons at the door. Even if he was unhappy with him, he’d have to suppress his anger.
That was why he cut to the chase and pulled out the scroll pouch Ina had given him from his pockets.
What followed were the clattering sounds of dozens of magical crystals rolling out onto the counter.
Kevin’s scalp numbed as he saw the shiny magical crystals. He didn’t even have to look closely to sense that they were at least level-five with the element waves emanating from the magical crystals. Magical beasts were not cows that one raised at home and could milk as and when one wanted. It would probably take more than ten days to collect these magical crystals of level-five and above even if a mercenary team was deployed.
Kevin couldn’t comprehend just how so many high-quality magical crystals came to fall into the hands of Lin Li.
The one with the biggest reaction was the old man behind the counter.
The old fellow was just looking sleepy a moment ago, but his eyes shone when the large number of magical crystals rolled out from the scroll pouch. He shot up from his seat with a swish and threw himself onto the counter, his actions fast and agile—he did not look like an old man at all.
“Manticore… Bloodsucking Lizard… Thunder Beast, damn! There’s also a Wyvern!” The old man lay on the counter and counted with his eyes lit, occasionally whispering or shouting. His facial expressions could not be more perverted.
“These… these are all yours?” The two guys had waited there for half an hour before the old man finally looked up from the pile of magical crystals.The way he looked at Lin Li was one of a big gray wolf looking at a small white bunny.
“Basically…”
Lin Li nodded reluctantly. He was about to ask the old man if he would take them when the old man pounded the desk. “8000 gold coins for all, will you sell?”
“8000 gold coins?” Lin Li was bewildered. Being a transmigrator, he had no idea about money in the world of Anril. He had to turn his head around and ask Kevin for help.
“10,000!” Kevin spat out a figure resolutely.
“Hold on… I need to have a discussion.”
10,000 gold coins was a huge amount, after all; the old man couldn’t make the decision by himself. He hurried out from behind the counter after informing them. The two guys waited there for long before they saw the old man return with glee on his face. This time, there was no hesitation from him as he kept those dozens of magical crystals away. “Deal!”