The aura of the Viscount Spider Devil spread out, causing most beasts to scatter. However, it served more than just that purpose.
In the hands of an expert skilled in stealth and assassination, a special scent could also be used for deception and disguise. For example, when used in conjunction with an illusion spell, it could mimic the presence of a powerful Spider Devil, confusing the senses of strong dark races, and allowing for a quiet infiltration into certain sensitive areas.
William glanced at Qian Ye but chose not to speak further.
He surveyed the room filled with disheveled werewolves and barked, “Get up, all of you! Clean this place immediately; you have one hour!”
The werewolves scrambled to their feet, ignoring their injuries, and started working without a hint of resistance.
It was only then that Qian Ye saw William’s domineering side, which felt quite odd to him. The imposing Dark Earl before him seemed to contrast sharply with the gluttonous werewolf who enjoyed roasted meat.
William then led Qian Ye to continue their journey, passing through two doors and entering a bare small hall devoid of any furniture, save for a downward passage. At the end of a winding staircase lay a heavily guarded door, leading them into a labyrinth-like underground space.
This was a natural subterranean cave, housing several shops. Each shop had no sign, and there were few customers. However, Qian Ye noticed that nearly everyone, whether human or dark race, was above the seventh level.
The underground cave was eerily silent, with people whispering, and occasionally, a few carried crates hurriedly away. Qian Ye observed that there were other entrances and exits besides the one he came through.
William lowered his voice, telling Qian Ye, “There are some genuine treasures here. It will be easier to sell what you have, with fewer complications. I need to handle some matters with the White Claw Tribe. Feel free to look around, and when you’re done, exit through this door. Inform the guards, and they’ll let you pass, following the passage back.”
Qian Ye’s heart stirred slightly as he asked, “Do you need any help?”
The matter on the surface wasn’t going to end so easily. The supposed vampire weapon and vampire scent were poor excuses. Weapons captured from vampires would naturally carry the clan’s aura unless specifically removed.
With Qian Ye’s bloodline now constantly in its latent state, he didn’t think that the young, unremarkable werewolf would notice anything. This entire affair was likely an attempt by the White Claw Tribe to undermine William’s standing for unknown reasons.
William chuckled, a cold glint flashing in his eyes, “No need. If I can’t handle a mere elder of the White Claw Tribe, I might as well follow you!”
Qian Ye nodded, understanding that William didn’t want to expose too much of his internal conflicts. After William left, Qian Ye perused the shops, choosing a direction at random.
This natural trading hall served both as a marketplace and storage, with six shops, each with a modest front. There was one shop each for the vampires, werewolves, spider devils, and demonic descendants, and two for humans.
Upon seeing the layout, Qian Ye realized it was not coincidental but based on the power distribution of the Tulip Market. The two human shops existed because humans were the other party in the trade, nothing more.
The shopkeepers seemed indifferent, and the shelves held little of interest. The demonic descendant’s shop was particularly empty, with only two dusty ammo boxes in the corner, suggesting it hadn’t been touched in ages.
Qian Ye visited each shop, making small talk, and ended up at the demonic descendant’s shop. To his surprise, one human shop belonged to Zhao’s agent, while the other was backed by the rebel forces.
On the Western Continent, the Zhao family and the rebels had been warring for decades, but in the secret trading hall of the Gray City, their agents peacefully coexisted, gathering rare resources for their masters.
Each shop had its specialty. Generally, dark race goods fetched better prices from humans, and empire-specific goods had to be sold to one of the four major dark races.
Qian Ye returned to the Zhao family’s shop, asking, “Do you buy vampire equipment?”
A young, attractive woman behind the counter glanced at him coldly, “Anything below fourth-level force guns or third-level melee weapons, don’t bother showing.”
Qian Ye placed the Thorn Lasso on the counter.
Her eyes widened as she carefully examined the lasso, her gaze heating up as if it could melt steel.
She smiled charmingly, “I need to get someone to appraise this. Can you wait a moment?”
“Yes,” Qian Ye nodded.
She eagerly invited him to sit, presenting a tray of fragrant tea and delectable snacks before hurrying to the back.
Soon, a short, stout old man emerged, examining the gun solemnly before pulling out tools and beginning a detailed appraisal.
Qian Ye sat quietly, not touching the treats.
After ten minutes, the old man sighed, wiping sweat from his brow, “A fine piece from the Baine Clan, the Thorn Lasso, a gun with a story, not easily found.”
Without looking up, Qian Ye said, “A gun is a gun, a story is a story. As for the rest…” He chuckled, “I thought everything here had no history.”
The old man’s eyes narrowed, nodding, “You’re right. A gun with a story commands a higher price. So, what do you want in exchange?”
“Mithril, energy-grade black crystal, and anti-magic mithril bullets.”
Soon, Qian Ye had a few grams of mithril, an energy-grade black crystal, and three anti-magic mithril bullets.
He then entered the Spider Devil’s shop, dumping a pile of Ghostly Vine Assassin’s gear on the table.
The Spider Devils were interested, though Qian Ye couldn’t understand why they, with their massive size and strength, would want such light equipment. Nonetheless, they offered a good price for what he had.
When Qian Ye left, he carried a small bag of crystal threads, one of the strongest known materials, ideal for top-tier inner armor. Surprisingly, such strategic materials were readily available here.
Finally, Qian Ye entered the demonic descendant’s shop, tapping the counter.
The demonic descendant, engrossed in carving crystal, said without looking up, “What do you want?”
Seeing the empty shelves, Qian Ye asked, “What do you have?”
“Everything.”
“Do you have black titanium annihilation bullets?”
Hearing this, the demonic descendant looked up, “You want that? I have one. Twenty blood crystals, no haggling.”
The price startled Qian Ye. Black titanium annihilation bullets were rare, and twenty blood crystals could buy a second-hand fifth-level gun.
Black titanium was a scarce strategic material, and the empire had no natural sources. Military reserves were a top-secret. The only way civilians could acquire it was through illegal channels from the dark races.
Qian Ye counted out twenty blood crystals and placed them on the counter.
The demonic descendant lazily stood, sniffing a crystal, “Monroe Clan, decent quality.” He swept the crystals off the table, revealing a hidden mechanism.
Qian Ye’s heart skipped a beat. If William recently acquired these, it meant the Monroe Clan was also in the Forgotten Mountains, searching for something. Was it the True Vision Eye mentioned in the dream?
The demonic descendant activated a switch, and a beautifully crafted black bullet box rose from the counter.
Inspecting the seemingly ordinary counter, Qian Ye realized it was a complex mechanical structure with hidden compartments, explaining the empty shelves.
Qian Ye took the box, glancing inside before closing it. Black titanium was deadly, even to vampires like himself, causing a slight pain to his skin.
Satisfied with his acquisitions, Qian Ye knew two black titanium bullets would give him a significant edge against human warlords. With the appearance of the Ghostly Vine Assassins, the final leg of his journey to the Zhao family would be far from peaceful.
His only regret was the lack of a powerful weapon against dark warlords. The handmade ‘bullet’ from the Dog Paw Town master was potent but used on Zalan. The mithril and black crystal he acquired were for another potential ‘bullet’ from the master.
Returning via the same passage, Qian Ye reached the werewolf stronghold.
In just an hour, the mess had been cleaned, even the wall holes repaired. The werewolf staff and guards resumed their professional demeanor, showing no hostility towards Qian Ye.
As Qian Ye stepped out of the small hall, a werewolf approached, saying William was waiting for him.
Entering a room on the second floor, he found William studying a map, deep in thought.
Glancing at the unfamiliar terrain, Qian Ye couldn’t identify the location or even the continent. The symbols and annotations were mostly foreign to him.
William’s furrowed brows indicated a challenging problem.
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