Chapter 39

As the flowers bloomed in two places, each branch told its own story. Zhao Mai left the thieves' hideout but did not return directly. After understanding the principle that "even if you don't seek trouble, trouble may come to you," he went straight to the market near the guild. There were several stores that specialized in serving adventurers, and next to them were blacksmith shops selling some light and small weapons.

What he wanted most was a crossbow, which was powerful and easy to use. He had always envied the ranger Karl, who carried a crossbow all day. Since he had no time to practice using a bow or a sling, a crossbow became the best choice.

After browsing several blacksmith shops and looking at the goods in the stores, Zhao Mai found it strange that there were no crossbows available locally. This was completely illogical, and there must be a problem. As the easiest ranged weapon to learn, both adventurers and farmers would have a high demand for it. Could the demand not create a market?

"Hey, crossbows..." Almost all the shop owners responded with the same attitude: "We don't have any in stock. If you really want one, I can place an order for you. However, only a few crossbows are released each year, and they are not cheap. Are you sure you can afford it?"

"Isn't a light crossbow 35 gold coins and a heavy one 50 gold coins?"

This price was estimated based on the prices of other weapons. Although there might be some errors, the prices in Nibo Town were relatively stable. A longsword could be bought for 15 gold coins, and a longbow for 75 gold coins. Considering the production costs and other factors, the price of a crossbow should be as he said.

"Unfortunately, you came at the wrong time." The shop owner was unmoved. "If you want a crossbow, you have to place an order. That's the rule now. If you want one in stock, 200 gold coins is a reasonable amount. Or you can go to the guild and buy one from other adventurers. That's another option."

After the salt was stolen, Zhao Mai had less than forty gold coins left, which would normally be enough to buy a light crossbow for self-defense. The situation in the store seemed to be a price hike due to a monopoly on the supply. Zhao Mai, being alone, could not fight against the alliance of shop owners. As for buying from other adventurers, he would likely have to pay extra, or no one would be foolish enough to sell at this time.

Should he buy a sling to use temporarily? Or practice throwing knives? Zhao Mai shook his head, temporarily discarding these thoughts. He decided to continue browsing, hoping for some unexpected gains.

Besides the stores on both sides of the street, there were also street vendors. They laid out their best items on mats, which they had collected or hunted. Some sold various foods they had made. Due to the lack of seasonings, the food looked tempting but smelled and tasted mediocre. Seeing a vendor selling skewers, he wondered what kind of meat was on the skewers while reminiscing about the lamb skewers on Earth, sprinkled with chili, salt, and cumin.

Suddenly, the Fate Coin reacted, becoming slightly warm and vibrating on Zhao Mai's chest. He took a few steps back, and the vibration disappeared. When he moved forward, it became more intense. So this is how it works! With a mix of excitement, Zhao Mai walked in the direction of the strongest vibration.

He saw a dwarf, about 1.4 meters tall but wider and thicker than a two-meter-tall human. His thick brown hair and equally thick brown beard made him look like a lion. The dwarf, dressed simply, wore a half-round iron helmet on his head—or rather, entangled in his hair—and a craftsman's uniform, carrying a double-barreled shotgun.

Wait... Zhao Mai rubbed his eyes. I didn't see wrong, did I? Two black, straight, cylindrical barrels, a black wooden grip, and two independent flintlocks—this is definitely a dwarf's firearm. Has technology developed to this point? Zhao Mai stroked his chin and decided to strike up a conversation. One reason was for the Fate Coin, and the other was for the firearm.

Dwarf Sock carried his creation, hoping to find acceptance among humans. His dwarf clan was too traditional and had a poor ability to accept new things, so his ideas were not supported. He heard that Nibo Town was the most open and inclusive place in northern Golarion, so he traveled here to try his luck.

The people here were willing to let him demonstrate his weapon, and even gathered several merchants to observe. However, at the crucial moment, his firearm wouldn't fire. Without gaining recognition, he faced a lot of ridicule. Dwarf Sock suspected he had done something wrong and was being spurned by the dwarf god. Perhaps he should focus on hammers and battleaxes instead of inventing firearms.

He planned to spend the remaining gold coins in his pocket on provisions for the journey back. If there was any left, he could buy some strong liquor as a gift for his parents and siblings. Despite the failure with the firearm, the prosperity of Nibo Town left a good impression on him.

"Hey, dwarf, I'm very interested in the weapon you have. Can we talk?" Zhao Mai weighed his coin purse and said to Sock, "I live at the Hearth Hotel not far from here. The stew there is excellent, and the ale is very sweet. I sincerely invite you. Do you have time now?"

"Sure." Sock seemed to have no guard and readily agreed to Zhao Mai's request.

Anyone who had been sniffed by the reserve grain and did not show hostility could be trusted. It was said that people emitted different odors in different emotional states, and animals with sensitive noses could distinguish anger, joy, sorrow, and hostility. Although Zhao Mai didn't know how accurate this method was or if there were any false positives, he had no other good way and decided to trust his loyal companion.

As they walked and talked, they introduced themselves to each other. Zhao Mai, of course, used the same story: his Common language was not good, and he hoped the dwarf would be understanding. Dwarf Sock, with his full beard, was treated as an adult by the humans he dealt with, but he was actually just newly grown up.

Zhao Mai's friendliness quickly turned into a harmonious atmosphere. Before they even started discussing the matter, the dwarf had already taken a liking to this friendly human. They arrived at the Hearth Hotel and did not see the fat owner, only the chef, who was serving as a waiter before mealtime.

Zhao Mai bought a small barrel of ale, about fifteen liters, and moved it to the table. The clear foam filled the oak mug, greatly invigorating the dwarf. "Let's drink to our elders, family, and those who care about us first. We can talk about other things later."

Sock was extremely thirsty and wanted to stick his whole face into the cup to drink. The aroma lingered in his mouth, and the refreshing feeling spread from his throat to his stomach and then to his limbs. He put down the cup and saw that Zhao Mai's cup was also empty, admiring his good drinking capacity.

Zhao Mai, however, didn't notice the dwarf's raised middle finger. He was looking at the door of the tavern. Green, with somewhat tattered clothes, walked in, one arm hanging abnormally, and the other holding a leather bag, which was the one containing the salt.