Chapter 29: A Chance Encounter with a Master

Qián Yè stopped in front of a rather unremarkable small shop and looked up at the sign: “Ā Yī Firearms.”

Back when he was with Red Scorpion, Qián Yè remembered that there was a chain of weapon shops in the Empire called “Ā Yī Firearms,” known for their high-quality force guns. However, this “Ā Yī Firearms” before him, from the shop sign to the interior, clearly had no relation to the Empire’s arms chain. Perhaps the shop owner had heard the name somewhere and copied it onto his sign.

Qián Yè walked in.

The shop was not large, and both walls were covered with various types of guns, all gleaming and looking quite formidable.

But Qián Yè, being an expert, recognized with just a glance that most of the guns on the wall were homemade and, although they used force, could only provide minimal auxiliary effects and might not even be able to form force bullets. In comparison, Dawnlight outclassed them by far.

However, Qián Yè was not disappointed. This was the level one would expect from a small shop in Dark Blood City. For better weapons, he would need to go to an officially licensed armory or visit an auction house.

But the licensed armories here had expeditionary forces backgrounds, and Qián Yè did not want to show his face easily. As for the auction houses, without sufficient strength, even if he won something good, he might not make it back alive in this chaotic city.

There were two real force guns on the counter, but they still fell short of Dawnlight. They didn’t even qualify as first-tier guns.

Behind the counter sat a thin, balding old man, wearing reading glasses, meticulously cleaning gun parts, completely indifferent to everything else.

Qián Yè approached the counter and tapped on it.

Without looking up, the old man said, “Everything is on display; help yourself!”

“Lay out some real quality stuff. Don’t try to pass off these junk items on me,” Qián Yè said lazily.

The old man finally glanced up at Qián Yè, and for a moment, his turbid eyes seemed to sparkle. Qián Yè was taken aback, but upon closer inspection, the old man’s eyes were as clouded as ever, making it seem like an illusion.

The old man finally spoke, his tone calm, “What type are you looking for? Sniper, pistol, assault rifle, or something else?”

Qián Yè felt a small thrill. He had heard that Dark Blood City was a place where dragons and tigers lay hidden, and the best black market goods could be found in the most unassuming shops. He hadn’t expected such a rich selection in the very first shop he entered.

“Too lucky, isn’t it?” Qián Yè couldn’t help but ask, testing the waters, “How high-grade?”

If he could get a complete set of first-tier weapons, that would be great, he thought.

Unexpectedly, the old man gave him a withering look, saying with a hint of disdain, “Of course, second-tier. If you want better, you’ll have to wait a bit.”

Second-tier! This was more than a small thrill for Qián Yè.

With his third-tier warrior strength, second- to third-tier guns were suitable, while the fourth-tier Scorpion Needle would be a bit too much for him. If it weren’t for his particularly refined and robust force, he wouldn’t be able to handle it.

“Alright! Let’s see the goods! I’ll take an assault rifle and a short-barreled shotgun or a pistol. Power is more important; fire rate and range aren’t as crucial,” Qián Yè laid out his requirements.

The old man didn’t move, just pushed his glasses up and gave Qián Yè a once-over, then said, “Simple, direct, brutal—military style. Not bad, kid!”

Qián Yè felt a chill. Though his appearance had changed, some things ingrained in his bones never would. Anyone who had seen him in action, whether at a distance or close combat, would not find it strange. But if the old man could make such a judgment based on weapon choice alone, it meant he had a master-level understanding of force and force guns, rivaling even the Red Scorpion’s own armorers.

Qián Yè’s respect grew.

The old man smiled knowingly and said, “Close the shop door, will you?”

Qián Yè complied, his anticipation rising.

The old man slowly got up, walked into the back, and returned with a faded canvas bag, placing it on the counter. Judging by its size, it was probably an assault rifle.

Qián Yè opened the canvas bag and pulled out the assault rifle, immediately recognizing it as the “Assaulter” series.

This model was standard issue for the frontline officers of the Empire’s expeditionary forces, a second-tier force gun. Being a standard issue, it had the general characteristics of military force guns: stable, powerful, easy to repair, and durable. Compared to other options, Qián Yè preferred military-standard guns.

This Assaulter looked well-maintained, about 60% new, which satisfied Qián Yè. Though it wasn’t a huge surprise, it was a good choice. In Dark Blood City, many people used expeditionary force weapons, and it was common for military supply officers to sell off half-new guns under the guise of scrap.

“I’ll take this! What about a pistol or a shotgun?” Qián Yè asked.

“Do you have the money?” the old man retorted.

Taken aback, Qián Yè asked, “How much for this Assaulter?”

“One hundred imperial gold coins,” the old man stated emotionlessly.

Truthfully, Qián Yè was shocked by the price.

In the military, a brand new second-tier force gun was only priced at around 100 gold coins. The Assaulter was a rather ordinary second-tier gun, typically costing around 90 gold coins. A 60% new one should only be worth about 50 gold coins. Yet, the old man quoted the price of a new gun.

Seeing Qián Yè’s expression, the old man remained unperturbed, saying, “Kid, you must not have come to Dark Copper Street often. Here, getting such goods is not at regular prices. You can check other shops, no problem.”

Qián Yè thought about it and realized the old man was right. He had encountered some underground black gun deals during missions, and the prices were indeed different from those supplied to the military.

But at this price, Qián Yè’s original plan was unfeasible. Gritting his teeth, he asked, “Do you buy guns here?”

After a while, the transaction was completed.

Qián Yè sold the Wasp, a first-tier rifle, and Dawnlight, along with 10 gold coins, finally exchanging for this Assaulter. As a bonus, the old man gave him three blank force bullets.

Satisfied with the semi-hard inner lining of the canvas backpack, Qián Yè packed the Assaulter, which concealed the gun’s shape well, a thoughtful touch for adventurers.

Reopening the shop door, Qián Yè saw a young man, slightly younger, dressed as a hunter, examining the shop sign.

He was quite young, about Qián Yè’s age, and already a first-tier warrior.

As Qián Yè stepped out, the young man crossed the threshold.

A few steps away, Qián Yè heard the old man’s voice faintly, “Simple, brutal, direct—military style! Not bad, kid!”

For some reason, Qián Yè felt a slight sinking feeling in his heart.

He quickly returned to the inn, opened the canvas bag, and took out the Assaulter, carefully disassembling and inspecting it. When he saw the inside, Qián Yè nearly cursed.

Many small internal parts were heavily worn, and the visible parts had been specially polished to make it look newer.

The gun was not 60% new, but only 40% new, and several parts needed replacement.

The only comfort was that the force array-related components were in decent condition, about 50% new, and some core parts showed signs of re-tuning, improving overall performance. Qián Yè tested it and found the force conversion rate was around 33%, which was acceptable.

Still, this gun was not worth 100 gold coins, and even at black market prices, it should only fetch around 60 gold coins.

The old man was not a gunsmith but a master of acting. From the start, he created the impression of a mysterious expert, and his “military style” comment completely fooled Qián Yè.

Qián Yè, having a military background, believed the old man’s words. If not for his keen hearing, he would not have realized the old man used the same “military style” phrase with the young man.

Young hunters, adventurers, and mercenaries, especially novices, liked to hear that they had a “military style.” Qián Yè, however, had fallen for it.

Dark Blood City was indeed a place of hidden masters, but it also had many more con artists.

Reflecting on it, Qián Yè almost laughed at himself for briefly suspecting a connection between this shop and the mainland’s Ā Yī Firearms. Now, he could only smile bitterly.

Returning to confront the old man was not an option. Even though the shop was small, any con artist who could survive on Dark Copper Street was not simple. Qián Yè, an outsider, stood no chance against the local snakes and could only lament his misfortune.

Shaking his head in resignation, Qián Yè looked at the scattered parts.

The refurbishing technique was actually quite sophisticated. Even if Qián Yè had checked the gun on the spot, the internals would have appeared quite new. Only by thoroughly disassembling each part would he have noticed the issues.

This technique was, honestly, at a master level. If the old man applied the same effort to creating new guns, he would surely earn a lot. So, Qián Yè felt both angry and amused, thinking he wasn’t entirely cheated unfairly.

It was hard to make a living, and the old man had put in a lot of effort.

Qián Yè slowly reassembled the Assaulter and went out to buy some tools and materials from a nearby parts shop.

Back in his room, he repainted the Assaulter and made it look old. After an hour, the once presentable gun became a rusty old relic, something that should have been thrown out long ago.

Qián Yè then worked on the faulty parts, repairing them over two hours. He replaced the two irreparable parts with new ones after another trip to the store.

By the time he finished, it was past dinner. But the Assaulter was now restored to about 50% new, usable for some time.

Pleased with his work, Qián Yè began studying the blank force bullets.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. A maid’s voice called out, “Handsome, do you need service?”

Qián Yè immediately opened the door and said, “Yes!”