Chapter 139

"Can't I just not sell it? It's our family's only asset and lifeline."

Ding Huan asked hesitantly, his voice soft, sounding fearful.

Tou Jie clearly heard Ding Huan's words and let out a cold snort.

She said nothing, yet the killing intent made everyone feel it.

Ding Huan frowned and spoke with an unyielding tone:

"This spaceship is our family's hope… how much are you offering?"

Mid-sentence, he sensed his tone was wrong—or felt Tou Jie's cold, lethal intent—and changed his words.

"Ten thousand purple gold coins."

Tou Jie's voice was icy.

Even the spaceship spot manager beside her was surprised—not because the price was low, but because it was high.

When had Tou Jie ever paid such a high price in business before?

Normally, offering five hundred purple gold coins was already extraordinary.

Ding Huan didn't know how much ten thousand purple gold coins truly was, but he could tell this was likely Tou Jie's maximum offer.

He hesitated for a full dozen seconds before gritting his teeth:

"I'll sell it, but I need everything I just said written into the contract."

"Good. You can write whatever you want."

Tou Jie grinned, revealing a mouthful of large brown teeth.

Ding Huan bowed to the manager:

"Excuse me, Officer, what are the steps for conducting a transaction here?"

The manager looked as if he'd swallowed a fly—he really didn't want to answer Ding Huan.

But as an official, he had to answer, and answer correctly.

"Both parties go to the Interstellar Plaza's Four-Way Interstellar Station trading center, sign the contract, exchange money and goods, and pay the commission."

After saying this, the manager quickly left.

Too many people like Ding Huan, newcomers being robbed here, were common—losing property was even a good outcome; the real fear was losing your life.

"If you insist, then let's go to the trading center."

Ding Huan looked at Tou Jie.

Tou Jie glanced at Ding Huan and chuckled:

"Let's go."

"Xinyue, bring down my pot, let's go," Ding Huan called to Qi Qi Xinyue.

Without Ding Huan's instruction, Qi Qi Xinyue had already picked up Ding Huan's pot, slung his bag, and carried Lao Liu down.

"Bringing a pot too? Heh." Tou Jie chuckled again.

Ding Huan slung his bag over his shoulder, carried the pot, ignored Tou Jie's remark, and followed her toward the trading hall.

The trading hall was located in the Four-Way Interstellar Station.

It was a circular building; Ding Huan had seen the words "Four-Way Interstellar Station" on its exterior the moment he arrived.

Entering the Four-Way Interstellar Station, Ding Huan saw the trading hall.

The trading hall occupied one large corner of the station.

Though only one corner, the trading hall was still impressive, with all kinds of trading counters.

The spaceship trading counter was the largest.

Tou Jie was clearly a regular here; as soon as she arrived, the officials all came forward to greet her.

"Tou Jie, find another good item?"

The trader was a young man with a half-foot-long horn growing from his forehead—no one knew his race.

"Heh, just a broken one."

Tou Jie loved saying "heh"—Ding Huan had been with her less than half an hour and already heard it several times.

The trader smiled knowingly—he understood what Tou Jie meant.

Every time Tou Jie came to trade, she mostly bought spaceships, and nearly all of them were broken.

In truth, they had no choice but to sell to her.

"How much was the deal?" the trader asked casually.

"Ten thousand purple gold coins."

Ding Huan answered.

The trader looked up in surprise, staring at Tou Jie—ten thousand purple gold coins? Had he heard right?

Tou Jie glanced at Ding Huan and said calmly:

"Yes, exactly ten thousand purple gold coins."

"Sign the transaction agreement, and there's a hundred purple gold coins handling fee."

The trader pulled out a contract and handed it to Ding Huan.

But Ding Huan didn't take it—he had already scanned the contract with his spiritual sense, and it didn't meet his requirements.

He looked at the trader, his tone calm:

"Hello, please note on the contract that the spaceship is broken, and both parties are fully aware of this condition before proceeding with the transaction."

The trader looked at Tou Jie in confusion.

Tou Jie grinned again:

"Do exactly as he says, and add: whoever backs out must pay a hundredfold compensation."

"Fine." The trader quickly wrote down these two items.

Ding Huan only wanted to complete the deal and enter this star continent; every time that woman chuckled, he felt nauseated.

Fortunately, the trader acted swiftly; both parties signed and pressed their fingerprints, and the trading hall stamped the seal—this transaction was complete.

The woman tossed a leather sack to Ding Huan:

"This is ten thousand purple gold coins. Count them. If correct, take me to transfer the authorization."

Ding Huan scanned it with his spiritual sense; inside were ninety-eight purple gold coins, each half the size of an ID card, each marked with the character "100."

The tax fee should have deducted only one coin; now two were deducted—clearly waiting for Ding Huan to object.

Ding Huan took the sack and fastened it to his waist, raising not a single objection:

"No need. I trust you won't ruin your reputation over such a small sum."

Those nearby heard Ding Huan's words and nearly burst out laughing.

The woman have reputation? Is that even an insult to the word "reputation"?

Even the woman herself glanced at Ding Huan with contempt; had she known he wouldn't check the coin count, she might have slipped in some stones.

Once the spaceship authorization was transferred, even if Ding Huan discovered the stones, what then?

Reputation? Hah. What's that? Can you eat it?

She had been waiting for him to object, so she could accuse him of fraud and fine him another sum.

Who knew this guy treated the spaceship deal like a matter of life and death—once the transaction was done, he didn't even verify the coins he received.

I misjudged him.

Had he not earlier acted as if the spaceship was his family's last hope and seemed utterly unwilling to sell, she wouldn't have paid so many coins.

The spaceship authorization transfer was also swift; the Blue Star only had a damaged propulsion system, not a damaged transfer system.

After Ding Huan and the others left, the woman's subordinates finally dared to ask:

"Boss, why did you give this kid such a good deal? Ten thousand purple gold coins? That could buy over a dozen spaceships. Look at this ship—its exterior is badly damaged."

The woman glanced at her subordinate:

"You idiots don't understand. Sure, the exterior's wrecked—but do you know what brand this is?"

"Could it have a famous origin?" one subordinate asked in surprise.

The woman gave her signature chuckle:

"Do you know what kind of spaceship can cross cosmic vortices? This one.

It's a product from the Nine Yuan Star Continent—capable of crossing cosmic vortices into another dimension."

"Ah..." The few behind her were stunned.

They had seen spaceships capable of crossing cosmic vortices.

At one auction, such a ship sold for sixty billion purple gold coins.

Ten thousand versus sixty billion? It's less than a drop in the ocean.

"But it's broken," the subordinate still didn't understand.

The woman grinned triumphantly:

"You really think this ship is broken? If I'm not mistaken, it's just out of power."

"That kid's an idiot—he doesn't even know it's out of power," a subordinate with black tattoos began to flatter.

The woman snorted:

"You're the idiot. Do you think he really didn't know? He just didn't want to sell this warship to us, so he deliberately devalued it.

Just think for a second—if the warship were truly broken, how could it have flown here safely? If it made it here, even if damaged, the damage must be minor."

"Boss, you're brilliant."

A group of bullies who only preyed on outsiders had no brains to grasp such complex matters.

There was another thing the woman didn't say: the energy source this spaceship used was certainly extraordinary.

Ding Huan definitely didn't have any left—if he had, he wouldn't have let the warship sit powerless in the Four-Way Interstellar Plaza.

But he must have obtained such energy before. Once Ding Huan and the others settled in the Four-Way Star Continent, when she went to demand ten thousand purple gold coins, she'd also interrogate him about the origin of that energy.

Correct. The ten thousand purple gold coins? The woman never intended to give them to Ding Huan from the start.

She wanted the warship—and the purple gold coins too.

She paid ten thousand so readily for two reasons: first, she knew Ding Huan didn't want to sell, so she didn't want to cause a scene at the interstellar plaza—better to secure the ship outright.

Second, she'd reclaim those purple gold coins.

…

"Ding Xiaotu, I feel this woman is dangerous. Will she come after us again?"

As Qi Qi Xinyue walked with Ding Huan toward the Four-Way Interstellar Station, she said, worried:

She had a gut feeling the woman would return—no reason, just instinct.

Ding Huan smiled:

"I expect she'll come after me too—but she only gets one chance."

"Didn't you sign a contract? If she causes trouble, won't the contract protect us here?"

Qi Qi Xinyue looked puzzled.

Ding Huan shook his head:

"The contract isn't meant to reason with her. It's just a backup—or maybe useless entirely.

If we plan to use the contract to reason with her, I'd rather have no contract at all."

Ding Huan was certain: even if he presented the contract to the authorities, it wouldn't help.

Just look at how the trader treated the woman—official authority here is likely bleak, or her backers are extraordinary.

Otherwise, with only this much ability, how would I dare rule the Starlight Plaza and force sales and purchases?

To make use of this contract, Ding Huan must have a backer too—and one no weaker than mine.

What worries Ding Huan now is that he does not know how the cultivation system of the Four-Direction Starland works, or what level of strength its elites can reach.

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