C4 The Swindler of the Trade Street

Night had fallen, bringing with it a growing chill.

While Lin Yi was still fast asleep in his pitch-dark room...

Not far from Lin Yi's house, in a luxurious chamber, two peculiar individuals were seated.

Shrouded in black cloaks, their faces were concealed behind silver masks.

"What's the situation?" the taller cloaked figure inquired.

His companion didn't respond immediately, falling silent for a while before finally saying, "They've begun to act."

"How can that be? Isn't there still a year left?"

"The one in Chokburgh has taken notice. He's unwilling to wait any longer."

With a loud thud, the cloaked figure slammed his fist onto the chair. "Curses!"

"We're only two months away from the Familiar joint examination. They're planning to use it to lure out all the big players."

"That's unacceptable! Do you realize how many lives will be lost? These are humanity's future leaders! This is reckless."

"There's no recklessness here!" the cloaked figure retorted, standing up in a fit of rage.

"I refuse to carry this out!"

"It's not up to you."

"Hmph!" The taller figure remained silent, his silence a form of protest.

"Ah!" The cloaked man sat back down with a sigh. "I don't like it either. My daughter will be there too, but we are soldiers."

The air turned heavy with tension.

"Old man, you're as cold-hearted as ever!" the tall figure exclaimed, breaking the oppressive silence.

"Ah, say what you will..."

...

The following day, Lin Yi rose with the dawn.

Despite it being a holiday, he needed to head to the trading center early. His Familiar Egg was close to hatching, and he had to purchase some nourishing supplements. With its high potential, it deserved more and better food, didn't it?

"Hey, why didn't you drop me off where I needed to go?" Lin Yi was baffled by the unfamiliar surroundings.

'I'm so good-looking. Could he possibly be thinking...?'

"Are you an idiot? This is the station near the trading center! You can't just drive up to the trading center itself, got it?"

The driver gave an exasperated eye roll and sped off with a press of the gas pedal.

"Hey, the fare wasn't cheap, and you didn't even take me to my destination. What kind of service is this?" Lin Yi grumbled in annoyance, but the departing driver was out of earshot.

Fortunately, the trading center was not far away. After a brief walk, he arrived.

The trading center comprised three sections: the trade street, the auction house, and the shop.

Lin Yi strolled down the trade street within the trading center, his gaze captured by all sorts of curious items he had never seen before in his previous life.

"Hey! The handsome, dashing, and distinguished young man ahead!" A somewhat shrill voice called out to Lin Yi.

Hearing these descriptions, Lin Yi couldn't help but exclaim inwardly.

"What's up?" Lin Yi paused and inquired.

He was approached by a gaunt middle-aged man in somewhat shabby black clothing, his past profession a mystery. The man's stall was slightly larger than most, displaying a variety of peculiar items that appeared to be clothing.

Noticing he had Lin Yi's attention, the middle-aged man launched into his pitch, "Take a look at this hoodie. It's a fresh design, crafted entirely from the skin of a Japalura, which will greatly enhance your affinity for wood elements. It's perfect for a student's needs and matches your cool demeanor." He gave the green hoodie in his hand a little shake.

Lin Yi eyed the hoodie's color and quickly surveyed the assortment of goods on the stall.

He was at a loss for words. Even if this color indicated a divine weapon, he wouldn't dare to accept it. Moreover, how could he verify the claim that it increased wood element sensitivity? And even if it did, what use would it have for him?

Pretending to ponder, Lin Yi responded, "Brother, I'm genuinely interested in what you're selling. But as you can see, I'm just a student."

The middle-aged man nodded in understanding.

"Today, I came with a specific purpose and didn't bring much money, so I can't afford your items right now. Next time you pitch to me, I'll be sure to buy," Lin Yi fibbed.

The middle-aged man nodded once more, "A specific goal? Are you here because of that item?"

What item? What news? Lin Yi, who had been bluffing, suddenly grew curious.

Keeping his composure, Lin Yi asked, "What do you know about that item? What's the situation with it now?"

The middle-aged man pondered for a moment. "Word has it that the Grey Wolf Hunt Squad fought tooth and nail to snatch it," he said. Then, leaning in close to Lin Yi's ear, he whispered, "But I have a feeling they stole it."

"Oh? Why's that?"

"They're just not strong enough..."

"Now, it's caught the attention of many. Kid, if you're really set on this, I'd advise you to back off. It's a hot potato."

"But I don't want to give up!" Lin Yi, who hadn't grasped the main point after listening for so long, could only offer a confused response.

The middle-aged man glanced around at the others and asked, "Brother, how much did you bring?"

"Money? I have... around 200,000," Lin Yi answered after a moment's thought.

In truth, Lin Yi only had 20,000, which was the result of saving up his allowance for several years, and that was only because his family was well-off.

"200,000? That's... not much... No, wait, it's quite a sum, but still not enough," the middle-aged man said, his face falling. "Damn! Kid, you're loaded. Make sure you look after my business in the future."

"Definitely, definitely."

...

At least 500,000? The auction house? At twelve o'clock?

Lin Yi walked away from Trade Street, still mulling over what the item could be. It appeared to be a Familiar. Given its hefty price tag, it must be either incredibly powerful or have a significant pedigree.

Unable to figure it out, Lin Yi decided to sneak out later that night to have a look.

Noticing there was still time to spare, he turned and entered a shop on the other side.

Trade Street had its advantages over a shopping street, offering a wider variety of goods at more affordable prices. The downside was the mix of dubious characters and items; you never knew if what you were buying was clean or of good quality.

The savvy ones knew it was mostly a place to scam newcomers.

For a safer bet, one would be better off purchasing legitimate goods from a shopping street.

But Lin Yi was different; he was a man with an ace up his sleeve.

His eyes roamed over the vendors with a keenness that made them wonder if he was on the lookout for something, or perhaps ill.

Lin Yi had hoped to snag a major deal like the others, thinking his cheat would give him an edge. But he was sorely mistaken; trade street was riddled with nothing but knockoffs and items with abysmal cost-performance ratios.

Item Name: Handcrafted Green Hood.

Material: Forest Japalura Skin

Function: Slight wood element sensitivity, with a vibrant green effect. Maybe it'll turn heads in your direction?

Damn these green effects! Damn the attention-grabbing gimmick!

Donning this hood might just mean never being able to hold your head up high again.