Chapter 271: Information from the Western Research Institute

The moment Ye Bai stepped into the pawnshop, everyone in the shop looked at him in unison.

The expressions on these people were extremely strange, just like marionettes on strings.

"Dead pawn, or live pawn?"

"Dead pawn, or live pawn?"

"Dead pawn, or live pawn?"

These words rippled through Ye Bai's mind, seemingly possessing magic, a demonic sound flooding his brain.

At this moment, the Seven-Orifice Exquisite Heart was triggered, and Ye Bai's mind became cool and clear.

Ye Bai revealed an extremely displeased expression; he had been played.

"Shopkeeper, a visitor is a guest; are you trying to force a sale?"

"A misunderstanding, a misunderstanding." A shopkeeper who looked as round as a Maitreya Buddha rushed out from the inner hall.

"I am Huang Deyi, also called Huang Pangzi, the manager of the Heaven-Grade Pawnshop. May I ask how I can help you?"

He waved his hand at the puppets in the shop, and the puppets instantly vanished into thin air; the method was somewhat similar to paper-person puppets.

It seems this fellow should be a puppeteer.

However, this scene seemed familiar, just like when a real estate development opens and hires shills for three hundred yuan a day.

"Haha, business in the shop is rather slow, so I set up some puppets to attract customers' attention."

"To create an illusion of prosperity."

"But it is quite normal for our pawnshop to not open for three years, and then live off the proceeds for three years."

Huang Deyi wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"This is just a little hobby of mine, Xiao Ai."

"Haha, I wonder, honored guest, what can I help you with?"

"We have live pawns and dead pawns here."

"Of course, as for the price, there will definitely be a tiny bit of a difference."

"After all, we also need to make money!"

"We can pawn luck, appearance, lifespan, and so on here; whatever you want, I can find it for you."

Huang Deyi raised his fleshy hands and rubbed them together. This sounded a bit suspicious; could it be that there is a Demon God behind this fellow? Only a Demon God would have such ability.

"Oh, since you say so, do you also sell the items that have been dead pawned?"

Ye Bai asked this deliberately; he needed that piece of information.

"Sell, why wouldn't I sell?"

"According to the rules of this pawnshop, items that are dead pawned belong to us."

"What do you need, sir?"

"If you didn't bring money, it doesn't matter; you can also use heavenly treasures for the exchange."

"I can take any part of your body to pawn, such as luck or talent."

"Of course, the handling fee is also a tiny bit higher."

"I, Huang Deyi, am based on integrity."

Huang Deyi suddenly opened his fan, on which the four large characters "High Wind and Bright Integrity" were written.

The corners of Ye Bai's mouth twitched; how is this fellow so much like a madam of an ancient brothel?

"Take me to see first."

"If your items are good, money is not a problem."

Huang Deyi gave a cold smile.

"Our Heaven-Grade Pawnshop does not accept everything; worldly money has the lowest value."

"If you want to use money to exchange for a dead-pawned item, you would likely have to go bankrupt."

Huang Deyi snapped his fan shut, a gesture implying he was seeing a guest out.

"Then what if I add this?"

A drop of Heavenly Dew suddenly appeared in Ye Bai's hand.

Huang Deyi smelled an exceptionally rich aura; just by smelling this scent, every cell in his body was cheering and leaping for joy.

This is a major find.

Huang Deyi was exceptionally excited.

"I wonder if you are interested in this thing."

Ye Bai waved it in front of Huang Deyi.

Huang Deyi's gaze fell on Ye Bai's palm, his pair of mung-bean eyes staring fixedly at the drop of Heavenly Dew, which was radiating a magnificent glow.

His throat moved, and his excited voice burst out from his mouth.

"This cannot be wrong, it is Heavenly Dew."

"One drop of Heavenly Dew can exchange for one dead-pawned item from the Heaven-Grade Pawnshop."

Huang Deyi gritted his teeth and stated the price; Heavenly Dew was vital to him, as it was something he had dreamed of for countless days and nights.

"Not enough!"

Ye Bai shook his head.

"In my eyes, this offer of yours is too low."

"You have to think, in ancient times, Heavenly Dew was a life-extending item that had to be sacrificed to the heavens to receive the mercy of heaven and earth before it would be bestowed."

"Huang Pangzi, do you think this offer of yours can move me?"

Ye Bai said without the slightest bit of politeness.

Huang Deyi hates being threatened the most.

But what this person is offering is Heavenly Dew, which is very helpful to him.

Even a single drop is a priceless treasure of immense value to him.

"Speak, name your price. As long as it is something I can do, I can agree to it."

Huang Deyi has been searching for Heavenly Dew for who knows how long, so long that he had already lost heart; he needs Heavenly Dew to save his beloved.

Yet today, he unexpectedly discovered traces of Heavenly Dew; how could this not make Huang Deyi excited?

"How about this, I will tell you what I want, and you judge for yourself how much it is worth."

"I will give you three chances. If none of the three reach my expected figure, then we shall part ways, and there will be nothing left to discuss."

Ye Bai said with incomparable dominance.

"Very well."

When one is under the eaves, one must bow one's head.

Now that he is the one asking Ye Bai for something, he must maintain a humble attitude.

Huang Deyi nodded, and his attitude was no longer as arrogant as before.

"I need to know exactly what happened at the Western Research Institute and what kind of targeting this involves."

"I want the dead-pledge data from the Western Research Institute kept here."

"I also want to go to the dead-pledge item area to see if there are any good things."

"I only have these three conditions for now."

"If you agree to these, we will continue our discussion." Huang Deyi immediately understood what Ye Bai meant.

Ye Bai has more than just this one drop of Heavenly Dew in his possession; if Huang Deyi agrees to Ye Bai's request, the transaction can continue.

If he does not agree to Ye Bai's request, then he can go back to where he came from.

"Very well, I agree to your requests." Huang Deyi nodded in agreement.

There was no need for three chances at all; he agreed to Ye Bai's demands directly.

Although this intelligence and the treasures of the Western Research Institute are of high value, Heavenly Dew is what Huang Deyi dreams of.

As long as his beloved can be brought back to life, Huang Deyi feels it is worth it no matter what price he has to pay, even if it means emptying out the entire foundation of the Heaven-Grade Pawnshop.

This actually made Ye Bai hold Huang Deyi in higher regard.

"Please follow me; this is not the place for a conversation."

Huang Deyi clapped his hands, and immediately many humanoid puppets walked out.

The Heaven-Grade Pawnshop, like Anbao Hall, is a large Secret Realm inside.

It is very complex inside, just like a maze.

However, for Ye Bai, who possesses a memory maze, this is nothing.

Huang Deyi stopped in a tea room.

"Honored guest, please wait a moment; I will have someone bring the items over."

Wisps of green smoke rose from the teacup; this is top-quality pre-Qingming tea.

Ye Bai took a light sip; it was slightly astringent at first, but soon turned sweet, leaving a lingering aftertaste.

"Good tea."

Ye Bai praised it endlessly.

At this moment, a puppet dressed in a maid's uniform appeared.

On the tray in her hands sat a USB flash drive and a spatial backpack.

"Come, the intelligence regarding the Western Research Institute is all here."

"And in the spatial backpack are the top-secret documents that went missing from the Western Research Institute."

"These documents are of no great use to me, so I did not take them to heart."

"Therefore, I acquired them at a very cheap price."

At this time, another puppet appeared, but it was holding a tablet computer.

Ye Bai inserted the USB flash drive into the tablet; the content that appeared was simply shocking.

The problems at the Western Research Institute have already become this severe.

Ye Bai, who had originally intended to take a trip to the Western Research Institute, no longer had any such thoughts.

The content on this USB drive alone is enough to invite most of the people at the Western Research Institute to "drink tea."

He then flipped through these top-secret documents, and a cold light radiated from Ye Bai's eyes.

An outsider might not understand these documents, but how could Ye Bai not? The data inside is all fabricated.

Ye Bai flipped through several volumes, and they were all the same; the roots of the Western Research Institute have already rotted through, and this time, it is necessary to scrape the bone to remove the poison.

"I wonder, honored guest, are you satisfied with this content?"

"I can guarantee that none of the data on this USB drive is faked."

Ye Bai nodded: "Good, then let us discuss how many dead-pledge items one drop of Heavenly Dew can be exchanged for."

Huang Pangzi revealed a troubled expression: "Honored guest, that is hard to say."

"The value of each dead-pledge item is different."

"I can only tell you what the prices are when you visit the warehouse."

Huang Pangzi wiped the cold sweat from his forehead; at this moment, a Jade Bottle was placed on the table.

"I have ten drops of Heavenly Dew here; I wonder what decision you will make, Excellency."

Ten drops of Heavenly Dew?

This is wonderful; his wife can be saved.

A single drop of Heavenly Dew could only prevent his wife's condition from worsening, while ten drops should be able to help his wife wake up as soon as possible.

"Very well, let us go now."

"Honored guest, please follow me closely."

"I am merely the manager of the Heaven-Grade Pawnshop, not the boss."

"Therefore, even when I enter the pawn area, I must be very careful to avoid being devoured by the Soul-Devouring Demons of the pawn area."

Soul-Devouring Demons.

That confirms it fully: behind this pawnshop is a Demon God.

Furthermore, only a Demon God of at least intermediate or even Qiangshen Shenli level has the ability to control Soul-Devouring Demons to work for them.

Soul-Devouring Demons are notoriously savage and overbearing masters.

Huang Pangzi took out an exquisitely crafted Token and swung it fiercely at the air.

A gray ripple appeared immediately.

"Honored guest, follow me."

"This is the Token to enter the Dead Pawn District; you must hold onto it tightly."

"Soul-Devouring Demons are famous for recognizing the Token, not the person."

"Otherwise, your Soul will be completely devoured by the Soul-Devouring Demons, leaving not even a scrap behind."

Ye Bai smiled: "Then wouldn't you lead me to the Soul-Devouring Demons?"

Huang Pangzi shook his head: "I am only the manager of the Heaven-Grade Pawnshop, not the true boss."

"I cannot break the rules set by the boss."

"If I lead you to the Soul-Devouring Demons, I would be violating the shop's rules."

"Once the rules are violated, even though I am the manager, I would die a miserable death."

"My Soul would be placed under the fires of Hell to be scorched."

"Unable to live, unable to die."

"Do you understand what I mean?"

"That is why I said I cannot make the decisions; the only one who can is the true boss of the Heaven-Grade Pawnshop."

Huang Pangzi pointed upward as he spoke.

"Fine, let's go then."

"Huang Pangzi, I do have one point of curiosity."

"According to what you said, the items in the Dead Pawn District are also managed by your boss."

"So, will my Heavenly Dew be traded to you, or to your boss?"

Ye Bai asked curiously.

"I will use my savings from many years to settle this account."

Huang Pangzi's meaning was already very clear.

He would use other valuable items to fill the gap.

Seeking votes, seeking collections, seeking follow-up reads (End of this chapter)