nagpurpolice Chapter 497 Transaction Completed
Chapter 497 Transaction Completed
Chapter 497 Transaction Completed
Xia Nan really wanted this "Proof of Indulgence" bracelet.
No adventurer could resist equipment that could increase training speed, especially Xia Nan, who had an attribute panel that could quantify the progress of combat skills with numerical progress bars and see every bit of proficiency accumulated. The temptation was simply outrageous.
Given this premise, the current situation is actually quite clear.
The evidence of diligence is not something that is ownerless.
It is a collection of "Aurie Silverheart", a well-known collector in Suoyu Bay.
There are only two ways to transfer ownership of a bracelet from the other party to yourself.
Robbery, theft, and buying and exchanging.
Regarding the former, although Xia Nan never considered himself a particularly noble person, nor did he claim to be a good person in the traditional sense, his actions after transmigrating were often based on his own interests.
However, the normal values that he gradually formed under the subtle influence of the good education he received in the modern society of his previous life made him stand out from the crowd of low-level adventurers in this world, even though he considered himself selfish enough.
Without sufficient moral knowledge and a sound and comprehensive understanding, few people can maintain their true nature even when they possess extraordinary power far exceeding that of ordinary people.
To some extent, Xia Nan's almost identical way of interacting with ordinary residents passing through the village and professional adventurers in the Blade of Vengeance fleet is enough to demonstrate the difference between him and most of the lower-level adventurers in this world.
Unless Aurelius explicitly expresses hostility towards him and takes actions that are offensive or aggressive, Xia Nan does not intend to go that far; he instinctively resists such behavior.
Of course, if the other party really loses their mind... he wouldn't mind keeping the bracelet as a trophy.
Therefore, for now, the only way for Xia Nan to obtain the [Proof of Indulgence] from Aurie is through purchase.
But this involves another point.
Has the other party already realized the value of this equipment?
As we learned from Aurelius's introduction of the origin of the [Proof of Indulgence], he originally bought this equipment for less than a thousand gold.
In reality, if you look at the bracelet's attributes on the panel, selling it for 10,000 gold would already be considered a bargain.
In this situation, if Aurie already knew the value of the equipment, the amount of gold coins Xia Nan would need to pay to buy it from her would be an unimaginable figure.
What I have right now is definitely not enough.
Even if he were highly efficient at earning gold coins, it would still take him a long time and a lot of money to barely scrape together enough.
Of course, considering the importance of the [Proof of Non-Slackening], all of this is worthwhile.
Xia Nan had considered using his equipment as collateral.
However, the few pieces of equipment he currently possesses that can fetch a good price are all essential items that he frequently uses in battle. Losing even one of them would significantly weaken his actual combat power.
This is something he cannot accept.
Therefore, unless there are necessary special circumstances, using equipment as collateral for credit will not be considered.
But what if Aurelius had not realized the value of the "Proof of Indulgence"?
If even today, the other party still considers this bracelet an item that is too expensive even at 1000 gold, and only collected because of its excellent craftsmanship.
Does this mean that I have a chance to snag a bargain?
Before proceeding, it must be stated that...
This is Xia Nan and Auriye's second meeting. They have only known each other for a day and are not even friends, let alone teammates who have gone through life and death together and fought side by side.
For Xia Nan, taking advantage of the other party's loopholes might put some moral pressure on him, but it wasn't that serious.
Furthermore, considering the exaggerated nature of the [Proof of Indulgence] itself...
Xia Nan pondered the matter, but did not make a decision immediately.
Instead, he slowly raised his head, shifting his gaze from the bracelet beneath the glass to the half-elf Oriel, who was looking at him from the front.
"This bracelet doesn't seem to be complete?"
Carefully choosing his words, he asked tentatively.
This can be observed even without using the attribute panel; careful observation will reveal the answer.
After all, the outer curved surface of the "Proof of Indulgence" bracelet has a total of nine neatly arranged ring holes.
If there's nothing inside, you can guess it's a decoration intentionally left out during the making process.
But one of them was wearing a teardrop-shaped badge called "Shadow Dust".
This makes one subconsciously think that perhaps the other eight holes should also have some embellishments.
"Oh?" Aurelius raised an eyebrow, and the polite noble smile that had been on his face took on a more genuine meaning. "You noticed it too?"
"I actually asked that down-on-his-luck adventurer about this back then."
"The other party replied that the bracelet was a family heirloom and it was already like this when it was acquired."
As she spoke, as if she had thought of something, the half-elf suddenly chuckled twice.
"Heh, he's probably lying."
"I had someone investigate later, and it turns out that the adventurer came from a humble background. He didn't have any once-glorious but gradually declining family. His parents and elders were all farmers in a small village."
"He must have taken this bracelet from some monster cave."
"Unfortunately, by the time I received the news, he had already died on his adventure, and the trail went cold."
Upon hearing this, Xia Nan nodded thoughtfully, his thoughts wandering, and then, as if asking casually, replied:
Have you ever worn this bracelet? What did you think of it?
The half-elf seemed oblivious to anything amiss, treating it as a normal conversation and replying:
"This bracelet's effect is to speed up stamina recovery, but as you know, although I have some collecting hobbies, my previous job was just an appraiser. Even when I went to sea, I would hire guards to protect me and rarely participated in combat."
"For me, the collectible value of this bracelet is much higher than its practical value, so I can only leave it under the glass."
As she spoke, Aurie changed the subject, her silver-gray eyes suddenly fixed on Xia Nan.
"You seem quite interested in it?"
Xia Nan remained outwardly calm, but a chill ran through him.
Realizing the crucial moment had arrived, his mind raced as he considered what to say next.
Should we further conceal our intentions? Would it be too abrupt to reveal our true purpose so abruptly?
Did the other party actually determine the true nature of the necklace? Were those words just a test?
How can I express my needs reasonably without offending the other party?
Can he sell me this necklace? And how much should I offer?
In an instant, the chaotic thoughts that swirled in Xia Nan's mind almost made his head explode.
three seconds.
In reality, it only takes the time it takes to take a deep breath.
For Xia Nan, however, it was enough to make countless thoughts flash through his mind.
He knew perfectly well that the more things one worried about, the more likely one was to make a mistake.
It is a perceptual talent.
Personally speaking, in some situations, following one's instincts and acting on the first thought that pops into one's mind might actually be the most correct choice. He paused, his expression unchanged, and simply exhaled normally.
Then his gaze shifted upwards, meeting that of the half-elf.
Clearing my mind of all distractions, I spoke my thoughts with utmost honesty:
"Yes."
“I am indeed very interested in this bracelet.”
"Why?" Aurelius asked with amusement as his gaze swept over the surface of Xia Nan's equipment. "Is it because of its stamina recovery acceleration effect? You shouldn't lack that."
Xia Nan did not completely hide this, but also left some room for maneuver so as not to expose his cheat ability in the attribute panel.
"The accelerated recovery of physical strength... that might be one of the reasons."
"But most importantly, my instincts told me that I shouldn't miss this bracelet."
"Based on my perception, I suspect it may have other special effects."
Hearing Xia Nan say this, Aurie's smile became even more genuine, but the light in her eyes inexplicably took on an interesting quality.
"Hehe, thank you for your appreciation."
"It seems we both have pretty good taste."
"It's just a bit of a pity, at least for now, I have no intention of selling this bracelet."
Aurelius's great-grandfather was a high elf. His family had worked hard in Barracuda Bay for many years and accumulated a great deal of wealth. They even owned a large auction house. Of course, they were not short of money, and naturally, they would not sell their favorite collections to exchange for the gold coins that he could not spend in the long run.
No one can buy anything from him unless he himself gets bored.
"but……"
The half-elf abruptly changed the subject, deliberately drawing out the last syllable as if keeping the other person in suspense.
However, instead of getting to the point, they inexplicably veered off to other topics.
"The craftsmanship of your armor is quite impressive; it must have cost a lot of money, right?"
“It’s definitely not cheap.” Xia Nan wasn’t in a hurry, but followed the topic patiently, “It was custom-made at [Pearl Spinning], and I waited for many days.”
"Hehe, Seliane's craftsmanship is among the best in the entire Suckerfish Bay. I often order clothes from his shop, but the prices aren't very attractive."
"I obviously know the tailor shop owner who has some obsessive-compulsive disorder," Oriel replied with a smile.
"However, your arm shield and leg guards, while equally good, don't seem to be made with seaside craftsmanship."
“In Panyun Province, in Hegu Town, I commissioned a blacksmith to forge it at a shop called ‘Rock Hammer,’ which cost me a lot of money.”
"'Rockhammer'... I remember the owner of that blacksmith shop was named Barn, right?"
"Oh? You know him?"
"No, no, no, I only heard his name from other adventurers from River Valley Town. I know he is a very skilled craftsman."
Both Barracuda Bay and River Valley Town are major adventure towns with guild branches, and adventurers frequently travel between them. Even though they are far apart, they are not completely cut off from each other. Anyone who is willing to inquire can learn a thing or two about the famous figures in their respective areas.
Go ask the three-legged sea lions among the adventurers; perhaps some of them have heard of the nickname "Gray Sword," but don't know that "Hague" and "Gray Sword" are the same person.
Throughout his life, Aurelius had handled countless enchanted equipment and encountered numerous adventurers, both powerful and weak.
Judging an adventurer's strength by their equipment is a very simple matter for them.
He can now even discern subtle details that are harder to detect by observing a person's personality and way of doing things.
Take Xia Nan in front of us as an example.
The two longswords he carried on his back, along with his armor, leg armor, and arm shield, were all on the outside.
The true strength and trump cards are only revealed by experienced individuals like half-elves; otherwise, ordinary people would have no way of knowing them.
After spending only half a day together, Aurelius had a general idea that the exceptionally young, dark-haired man in front of him was a pragmatist professional.
They don't like excessive decorations, and their clothing is all durable and designed for easy outdoor adventures.
Based on this premise, he did not think that someone with the other person's personality would spend as much effort on dressing up as the nobles of Baiya District.
But ironically, as far as he could see, Xia Nan was wearing two rings and a necklace at the same time.
This is an unusual behavior that can only be discerned by understanding their personality.
While one of them could be explained by some specific commemoration, the fact that so many accessories appear on an adventurer of such character at the same time suggests only one possibility.
—There are enchanted accessories here.
When an adventurer can wear such a large number of enchanted items at the same time, it has, to some extent, proven his strength.
Not to mention the Oath of Vengeance fleet as backing, and the "Hague" title that has been circulating in Barracuda Bay recently...
"I heard you mention the Tide Receding Gang at the association before. How much do you know about this gang?"
Oriel changed the subject very quickly. One second they were discussing the source of Xia Nan's equipment, and the next second he suddenly asked about the Tidefall Gang.
Still thinking about the "Proof of Indulgence" on the counter, Xia Nan, though unsure of the reason for the question, gave his answer based on the information he had gathered over the past few days.
"I heard it's a small to medium-sized gang in the saltwater area. They've been quite active lately because of the lack of power in the surrounding area and are expanding."
"What, did they offend you?"
As soon as Xia Nan finished speaking, he saw Auriye pause for a moment, and his heart skipped a beat.
Could it be that……
“I have a shipment.” The half-elf collector paused for a moment before slowly speaking, “It contains many items that I commissioned others to collect in the southern islands.”
"It was supposed to be delivered to Sucker Bay half a month ago, but we encountered a group of pirates on the way..."
“I’ve figured it out these past few days. This group of pirates has a deep connection with the Tidefall Gang, and their hideout is on a small island near Fish Bay.”
No wonder Aurelius's demeanor suddenly became unnatural when Lorraine talked about the Tidefall Gang in the conference room; it turns out they had been entangled for some time.
"What are you planning to do?"
Or rather, how do you want me to help you?
Xia Nan glanced at the [Proof of Indulgence] bracelet inside the glass case next to him and thought to himself.
"Help me bring back the cargo they stole to Barracuda Bay and teach them—including those reckless pirates and rats of the Tidecaller Gang—a lesson they won't forget."
pat-
Aurelius gently placed his palm on the glass cover at the top of the bracelet case, producing a crisp sound.
"Then, let's talk about the specific price of this necklace."
"make a deal."
(End of this chapter)