Goblin Dependency

Chapter 998: Chapter 496: Deal (Part 2)

"It’s just a pity that by the time I received the news, he had already died on his adventure, and the trail was cut off."

Hearing this, Xia Nan nodded thoughtfully, his mind wandering while he casually asked, in a seemingly offhand manner:

"Have you ever worn this bracelet? How does it feel?"

The half-elf, not sensing anything unusual, regarded it as normal conversation and replied:

"This bracelet speeds up stamina recovery, but you know, while I do have a bit of a collector’s hobby, my primary job was just being an appraiser, so even when I went out to sea, I would hire guards for protection and rarely participated in combat."

"For me, the collectible value of this bracelet is much higher than its practical value, so I had to let it stay under the glass, feeling somewhat aggrieved."

With that, Aurie smoothly turned the topic around, suddenly fixing his silver-gray eyes on Xia Nan.

"You seem quite interested in it?"

Xia Nan’s face remained impassive, but his heart tightened suddenly.

Realizing it was a critical moment, his mind spun rapidly, considering what to say next.

Should I conceal my intentions a bit more? Would it be too abrupt to reveal my motives?

Has the other party appraised the real attributes of this necklace? Were those earlier words just a test?

How can I articulate my request reasonably without offending the other party?

Can he sell this necklace to me, and how should I price it?

In that instant, the chaotic thoughts interwoven in Xia Nan’s mind were almost overwhelming.

Three seconds.

In the real world, just the time for a deep breath.

For Xia Nan, it was enough for countless thoughts to flash in his mind.

He clearly understood that often, the more concerns there are, the more mistakes one is prone to make.

It’s an innate talent for perception.

For him, in certain situations, following his instincts and acting on the first thought that pops into his mind might be the most correct choice.

After a brief pause, his expression unchanged, he merely let out a normal breath.

Then he looked up and met the half-elf’s gaze.

Clearing his mind of distractions, he honestly expressed his thoughts:

"Yes."

"I am indeed very interested in this necklace."

"Why?" Aurie asked curiously as he scanned Xia Nan’s equipment, "Is it because of its stamina recovery acceleration effect? You probably don’t lack that."

To this, Xia Nan didn’t completely conceal it, while also leaving some room to avoid exposing his attribute panel Golden Finger.

"The stamina recovery acceleration... that might be part of it."

"But mainly, my instincts tell me that I shouldn’t miss this necklace."

"From my perception, I suspect it may have other special effects."

Hearing what Xia Nan said, Aurie’s smile couldn’t help but become more genuine, but there was a curious glint in his eyes.

"Haha, thank you for your appreciation."

"It seems like both our tastes aren’t bad."

"But it’s a bit of a pity that, at least for now, I have no intention of selling this bracelet."

Aurie’s great-grandfather was a high-level elf, and the entire family had amassed countless wealth over the years in Suo Yu Bay, even owning a large auction house, so they certainly never ran short of money, nor would they sell the collectibles they like for heaps of gold coins that they could never finish spending.

Unless he himself grows tired of it, no one can buy anything from him.

"However..."

The half-elf shifted the conversation, intentionally dragging out the last word as if to keep him in suspense.

But he didn’t get to the point and instead strangely turned to another topic.

"The craftsmanship of this armor you’re wearing is quite good, must have cost a lot, right?"

"Indeed, it was not cheap." Xia Nan didn’t rush, but followed the topic patiently, "I had it customized at Pearl Spinning and waited many days."

"Haha, Celeane’s craftsmanship is top-notch in all of Suo Yu Bay; I often have clothes custom-made at his shop, although the prices aren’t very easy on the eyes." freewёbnoνel.com

Obviously familiar with that somewhat obsessive tailor shop owner, Aurie replied with a smile.

"However, your arm shield and leg guards, although also excellent, don’t seem like coastal craftsmanship."

"Pan Yun Province, River Valley Town, I commissioned a blacksmith shop there named ’Rock Hammer’ for forging them, also cost a lot."

"’Rock Hammer’... I remember the owner of that blacksmith shop should be called Barn, right?"

"Oh? You know him?"

"No, no, no, I just heard his name from other adventurers from River Valley Town, knowing that he’s quite a skilled craftsman."

Suo Yu Bay and River Valley Town both have bustling adventurer activities and association branches, making adventurer traffic frequent. Despite the distance, news isn’t blocked up between them, and the well-known figures on the respective sides can be learned about if one cares to inquire.

Now, if I went to the Three-legged Sea Dog to ask the adventurers there, I might find someone who has heard of the nickname "Gray Sword," although they wouldn’t know that "Haiya" and "Gray Sword" are the same person.

Aurie has touched too many enchanted pieces of equipment in his life and seen countless adventurers, both strong and weak.

Judging an adventurer’s strength from their equipment is quite a simple task for him.

He can even now discern the less noticeable details through a person’s character and way of handling matters.

Take Xia Nan, for example, the man with black hair standing in front of him.

The two long swords on his back, and the armor, leg armor, and arm shield on him, are the completely visible aspects.

What truly measures strength and hidden cards are undetectable to ordinary people unless it’s someone experienced like the half-elf.

Having spent just half a day together, Aurie grasped that the particularly young, black-haired man before him, is a professional inclined towards practicality.

He doesn’t favor too many accessories, and his clothing is chosen for their durability and convenience for outdoor adventures.

With that premise in mind, he didn’t believe that someone with such a character would spend much effort dressing up like a noble from the White Cliff District when going out.

Yet surprisingly, from what he could see, Xia Nan was wearing two rings and a necklace simultaneously.

This is an anomaly that only makes sense when one understands his character.

If one of them could be explained as having a certain commemorative meaning, having so many accessories simultaneously on someone with such a personality could only mean one thing.

——There are enchanted accessories involved.

When an adventurer can wear such a number of enchanted pieces of equipment concurrently, it already proves his strength to some extent.

Not to mention having the Vengeance Blade Fleet as a backing, and recently circulating the "Haiya" nickname in Suo Yu Bay...

"Earlier at the association, you mentioned the Ebbtide Gang. How much do you know about this group?"

Aurie rapidly switched topics, discussing the source of Xia Nan’s equipment one moment, then suddenly inquiring about the Ebbtide Gang matters the next.

Still thinking about the Proof of Diligence in the cabinet, Xia Nan, though unaware of the reason behind the inquiry, still provided the information he had gathered over this period.

"I heard they are a small to medium-sized group in the Saltwater District, actively expanding because of the power vacuum in nearby areas recently."

"Why, did they offend you?"

Just as Xia Nan finished speaking, he noticed a pause in Aurie’s expression, sparking a thought.

Could it be...

"I have a shipment." The half-elf collector paused before opening up slowly, "There are many collectibles in it that I commissioned others to gather across the Southern Islands."

"It was supposed to arrive at Suo Yu Bay half a month ago, but encountered pirates on the way..."

"I’ve since found out that these pirates have a close relationship with the Ebbtide Gang, with their base on a small island near Suo Yu Bay."

No wonder Aurie’s demeanor changed oddly when Lorin and I discussed the Ebbtide Gang in the meeting room. It turned out he had long been entangled with them.

"What do you plan to do about it?"

Or rather, how do you want me to help?

Glancing at the Proof of Diligence bracelet inside the glass case, Xia Nan thought to himself.

"Help me bring back the goods that they seized and give them—those foolish pirates and the Ebbtide Gang rats—a profound lesson."

Pa-dah—

Aurie’s hand gently tapped the top of the cabinet holding the glass-encased bracelet, making a crisp sound.

"Then we can discuss the specific price for this necklace."

"Deal."