Chapter 32: First Transaction

Outside the abandoned hotel near the Beifeng Mine, five ox-drawn covered wagons stopped by the muddy road overgrown with weeds.

Several fierce-looking men got off the wagons, moved the cargo box by box into the stable in the hotel's backyard, and then dragged several money bags out from the straw pile.

Beside the covered wagons, Jack was waiting anxiously, and seeing his men walk over, he immediately asked.

"How much did the other side pay?"

"Just finished counting... a total of 50,000 Austrian silver." The man said, sweating profusely.

I don't know if that necromancer had any strange quirks, but he gave all coins, and they were the loose kind.

The silver coins issued by the Austrian Empire had dozens of versions, and the size and silver content of each version were different.

And copper coins were even more so; due to the large amount of civilian use, the Austrian Empire had long ago transferred the minting rights of Austrian copper to the local level. It wasn't just the Austrian Empire minting them, the Kingdom of Laine was minting them, and even Grand Duke Campbell was minting them.

When counting the money, he actually found a 6th edition silver coin minted in the early First Epoch in the bag! This thing was almost an antique, right?!

Jack didn't care whether the money the other side gave was paper or coins; anyway, he wouldn't deposit it in the bank or exchange it for gold bars in the end.

Hearing this expected number, he finally breathed a sigh of relief, and the heart that had been hanging was finally put down.

On one hand, he was glad that the noble necromancer really wanted to do business with himself, rather than simply blackmailing himself.

On the other hand, he was also glad that he suppressed the greed that flashed by, and didn't cut corners on the quality of the equipment for that lord.

50,000 Austrian silver was exactly 5% higher than the market price.

It was obvious that this necromancer lord had an understanding of the prices in Lei Ming City! After deducting the costs of purchasing and transportation, he could make a profit of about 25%, which was worthy of the risks he took.

If no other accidents occurred, he could do this business for a long time!

Just as Jack was thinking this, he suddenly saw a man carrying a greatsword standing under a crooked tree in the distance.

Although the man was wearing a cloak, the brim of the hood almost covered his entire face, but he could still tell it was Bond.

At least half of him was.

After meeting his gaze, Bond turned around and walked toward the mine.

Knowing that this was the necromancer lord summoning himself, Jack gave a bitter smile.

Although he was ten thousand times unwilling in his heart, he still explained the matters here to his men and followed him with a hard scalp.

At the entrance of the mine, Bond stopped.

Before the necromancer lord could speak, Jack bowed respectfully, as if he were a truly devout believer.

"Mr. Luo Yan, what are your orders?"

As before, that mysterious necromancer still didn't reveal his true face, but chose to borrow the zombie's mouth.

"Is that money enough?"

"Enough, enough," Jack nodded repeatedly, continuing, "When do you need the next batch of goods?"

"Three days later," Bond said in a hoarse voice, suddenly changing the subject, "Speaking of which, are you a Bronze-tier warrior?"

Jack was stunned, not knowing why the necromancer suddenly asked this, but still nodded.

"Yes... why?"

Bond continued to ask.

"Do you know martial arts?"

Jack nodded nervously.

"Yes, I know a few... but I only know the most basic ones."

Ever since becoming the boss of the Viper Gang, he hadn't been fighting outside for a long time, and the two tricks he knew were learned when he was an adventurer.

In the underground street, the effect of extraordinary power was limited.

After all, people with real skills were either the lord's guests, or they went to the Shengxisi Knights, and they wouldn't mix with these low-level guys at all.

Jack didn't know why this lord suddenly asked him this.

And just as he was puzzled, he heard a sentence that made his heart jump.

"Slash me once."

The moment he heard this sentence, Jack only felt his legs go soft, and the expression on his face was even uglier than crying.

"Respected necromancer sir... did I offend you somewhere?"

Bond stared at him and frowned.

"Offend? You're overthinking it, I just want to see your fighting style... Draw your sword, don't dawdle."

Seeing that the zombie in front had already drawn its greatsword, Jack, while bitterly praying to the Demon God in his heart, suppressed the fear in his heart and drew the one-handed sword hanging at his waist.

Bond held the greatsword in front of his chest and repeated the Demon King's order in a hoarse voice.

"Very good, slash over with your strongest blow... move fast, if you don't do it again, I'll move first."

"I'll move! I'll move!"

Jack hurriedly set up an offensive stance, took a deep breath, concentrated his spirit, operated all his extraordinary power, gathered it at the tip of the sword, and racked his brains to recall the combat technique he had almost forgotten.

On the other side, in the shadows of the mine.

Luo Yan, holding a recording crystal ball in his right hand, was recording while observing the flow of Jack's "extraordinary power" with his "True Sight Eye."

In this world, warriors are mainly divided into two categories.

One is the "Temple Sect," and the other is the "Dragon God Sect."

The former mainly relies on the power bestowed by Shengxisi, fighting under the illumination of Holy Light, including Holy Knights, Temple Warriors, and Judges, etc.

As for the latter, they use combat techniques said to be inherited from the Mythic Epoch—that is, the First Epoch, which is to imitate the Dragon race and control the power called "Qi" to fight!

As for things like Magic Swordsmen, Magic Archers, and Magic Gunners, those belong to the mainstream.

Before understanding the other side of the world, Luo Yan had always regarded "Qi" as a special energy existing in the human body.

However, after listening to You You's explanation, he had a new understanding of this power he hadn't mastered.

Whether it's "Qi," elemental power, or other extraordinary power... essentially, they are all the same thing! It has no concrete shape, and even under normal circumstances cannot be observed, yet it does indeed exist on this planet, and even in this universe! Not only exists.

It can also perceive and respond to the mental energy emitted by "conscious individuals" and manifest it as "things" that can be observed.

At first, people just used it to start a fire, pray for a drop of dew, or pick an apple from a tree.

Later, people craved more, so people gradually tried to gather everyone's "mental power" to create gods, and then used the hands of gods to constrain and concentrate the use of extraordinary power. Compared to everyone imagining different shapes of raindrops, it's better to gather everyone's power to have a hearty rain.

And after gathering everyone's power, people gradually began to discover that the things this great power could achieve were not just a rain or destroying a city.

As long as they were willing, they could let the sun come to the ground in the name of God, let the moon never rise, let good people continue to be reincarnated into good families in the next life, turn people into the appearance of beasts, or obtain immortality—

Even, rewrite the laws left unfinished by the Creator! "Ah ah ah ah!"

Finally completing the accumulation, Jack took a step forward, and the sword in his hand slashed out fiercely.

An invisible blade was released along the edge of the sword, slashing toward Bond with the momentum of cutting everything.

Just as Luo Yan expected.

That was neither a shockwave generated by an explosion nor some kind of compressed and released gas! It was extraordinary power purely in the form of "Qi"!

Or rather, a power system named "Dragon God Sect" created by the Dragon God!

Even with the buff applied by Luo Yan, Bond almost exhausted all his strength to take this blow, and a trace as thick as an index finger was left on the steel greatsword!

Luo Yan was secretly surprised, not expecting this man who looked cowardly to have such strength?

And what Luo Yan didn't know was that at this moment, Jack was even more surprised, and even shocked.

Although he wasn't some peerless expert, he had been promoted to Bronze-tier for many years.

In his impression, no player of the same level could take this "Slash" move! Most people would either jump back to pull away the distance, watching him slash the floor, or wouldn't give him the chance to use this move at all, or would stab a few times to force him to give up accumulating energy.

Could it be...

This zombie summoned by the necromancer also has Steel-tier strength?! Then how terrifying must this necromancer's strength be?!

Jack felt his head buzzing.

He was a rough man, had no culture, only mixed in the underground street of Lei Ming City, and his understanding of necromancy only stopped at the level of bragging with his card friends.

"Not bad... so-so."

Stabbing the greatsword in his hand into the ground, Luo Yan, controlling Bond, gave a calm and indifferent evaluation with an expressionless face, then continued.

"What's the name of this move?"

"We usually call it Slash," Jack, who was panting, glanced at the greatsword nervously and said, "Sorry... can I compensate you with one?"

Such a large steel greatsword wasn't cheap.

A quarter of the profit was gone just like that; Jack felt a sharp pang of pain in his heart and could only console himself by treating it as an investment in human relations.

In comparison.

Being given small shoes by the necromancer was even more terrifying.

Luo Yan didn't refuse either, operated Bond to nod silently, and then continued.

"How is this move used? Are there any mantras or tricks?"

Most of the Temple Sect's combat techniques require shouting the skill name, just like chanting a spell.

However, it is said that the Dragon God Sect's skills don't need to chant, just use the Qi-driving method taught by the Dragon God to the tribe.

Jack scratched the back of his head, thought for a while, and said.

"There's no mantra... anyway, the friend who taught me this move told me that as long as you accumulate Qi on the blade and then slash out with all your strength, that's it."

Luo Yan took out a mirror the size of a palm from his pocket, looked at You You, and seeing the latter manifest a thumb, he put away the mirror and crystal ball in his hand.

You You's answer told him that these clues were enough.

At the same time, Bond, standing with his sword, nodded at Jack and said.

"Very good, you step back."

Seeing that the necromancer finally let him go, Jack breathed a sigh of relief, as if he had unloaded a thousand-pound burden from his shoulders.

Looking at Bond standing motionless at the entrance of the cave, he asked out of curiosity.

"Respected Mr. Luo Yan, may I ask... what do you intend to do with these? Ah, please don't misunderstand, I don't mean to pry into your privacy, I just want to say that if you are interested in the fighting style of adventurers, I can help you bring some relevant books and video crystals next time you come."

Luo Yan: "Experiment."

Upon hearing this word, Jack immediately closed his mouth, too nervous to say another word.

Experiment.

He didn't want to know what the necromancer's experiment was.

However, this lord showed great interest in his information.

"Those materials, remember to bring a copy, and give it to me with the next batch of goods."

Pausing, Luo Yan controlled Bond to continue.

"Also, that greatsword."

"Understood! I will definitely keep it in mind!"

Jack bowed slightly, with a flattering smile on his face, and retreated respectfully.

"It is my honor to be able to share your worries!"

On the other side, Ye Zhiqiu, who had just received the "playmate reward" from the Demon King, was standing in front of the counter of the only NPC shop in the Demon King's territory, picking and choosing.

Currently, only he and Hu Wan could afford to consume in this shop.

Long Xing Wan Li watched from the side, envious.

A pity.

There were too few people on the server now, otherwise he would have directly acquired underworld coins at 1:1.

Under heavy rewards, there must be brave men; he didn't believe anyone could resist the temptation not to sell to him.

Just as Ye Zhiqiu was struggling with whether the next weapon should be a steel spear or wait for the development team to remember to put the magic wand in the shop, a line of ink-green pop-ups suddenly appeared in front of him.

【a. 0.3 Update: Skill System!】

Obviously, he wasn't the only one who received this pop-up.

That moment—

The entire Demon King territory was boiling! (End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 33 =====