Chapter 6

"Like you just said, there aren't many people who can use this pair of arm shields well at this stage, because they require special techniques." At this point, the other party paused slightly, "Moreover, spending 18 gold coins on something that isn't necessary, who else would do that besides you test subjects who risked your lives back then?"

According to the official announcement, six of the initial testers had to receive permanent mental treatment. Although the reason was not specified, in the public eye, their image was fixed as lab rats.

"Looks like you deliberately put these things out to attract the attention of us successors, right!" By this point, if Barrett still didn't understand the other party's intention, he would be a real fool, "Speak up! What's your real purpose? You're not trying to get us to take something that can't be openly sold, are you!"

"Indeed, the successors who do well are all smart. Yes! There is something. What do you think? Are you interested?" The other party's expression was clearly that of an old fox, not revealing anything without a good reason! The meaning of his words was clearly about fencing, but not all successors have the channels to fence goods. So someone here specifically pointed this out.

"Interesting, why wouldn't it be? But that kind of thing doesn't seem like something you carry around all the time, and this place isn't suitable for talking, right!" At this point, Barrett gave the other party a look, "Let's set a suitable time and place!"

"Meet me at the Sheep and Spices Inn at noon tomorrow! I think the small room there is a suitable place for a transaction. You should be able to recognize me." After saying this, the guy seemed to have no desire to continue his stall and started to pack up his things.

"Then what should I call you?" Barrett asked, watching the person quickly pack up.

The other party replied without turning around, "You can call me Daz."

After that, Barrett didn't find any suitable items for himself among the stalls. It's not that there were no good items, but they were of no use to him.

However, he did hear a lot of rumors, such as the pair of ogre bosses in the Siutred Mountains being fierce and powerful, wiping out three or four teams that went to hunt them, causing numerous player deaths. Or the Bohem region preparing to organize an adventurer team to go to the Northern Fort to participate in the war with the nomadic tribes. The most attention-grabbing for him was the local news in Saphire City, where a wealthy client was recruiting people to protect them on their journey to the Dark Region. It was unclear whether it was for trade or some other purpose...

Barrett began to analyze the news he had heard, looking for anything he could get involved in: "The elite ogre boss is an absolutely insurmountable goal for players now. As long as I haven't been hit by a stupidity spell, I definitely won't provoke it. As for the official organized adventurer actions, I have even less interest. I don't plan to join those cannon fodder camps. The northern front is not easy to survive. With the current strength of players, it's not much safer than fighting ogres. The natives are just using players who can respawn as expendable resources!"

However, the news about a wealthy client did make Barrett's heart flutter a bit: 'Could it be a second-generation rich kid from a real-world corporation coming to the game for fun? But if they really go to the Dark Region, with the current strength players can access, it's impossible to ensure safety!'

Having achieved his goal, Barrett, before meeting the stall owner the next day, resumed his daily routine—although the rewards in a stable environment were not much, even a small reward is still a reward! By the time the sun set, Barrett was on his way home, carrying a two-foot-long black bread under his arm and a decent-looking piece of cheese in his hand.

Under the sky like blue velvet, it was nearing noon, and the time to meet as agreed was approaching. Barrett stretched lazily and walked toward the inn—after all, he had put other tasks aside for today's meeting: 'I hope the goods that guy brings won't be disappointing!'

The inn was located on the east side of the small city's commercial district. This inn, operated by a dwarf, was the only full-service establishment in the prime location of Saphire City's commercial district. The dwarf who ran the Sheep and Spices Inn was named Jinbao Fok, and as his name suggested, he was a real gem—despite his advanced age, he viewed humor as the highest form of art and was one of the two main attractions of the inn as an excellent performer.

The other was his halfling wife, Amaris Branchbottom, an outstanding chef who made the inn famous for serving the best home-cooked meals in Saphire City and its surrounding areas. So, it was more like a restaurant than a typical inn—although the gin there was also good, it was far inferior to the food.

Gently pushing open the solid wooden door of the inn, even before his foot stepped inside, a noisy cheer greeted his ears—apparently, the atmosphere inside was quite lively.

"Oh! Another newcomer has arrived. Let me extend my sincerest welcome to you, sir! At the Sheep and Spices, you will surely find everything you desire." There was no doubt that this was the voice of a dwarf. Standing on a bright carpet in the center of the inn, he was performing a handstand juggling act while greeting the newly arrived Barrett.

At this moment, the head chef, a lady, was seasoning the main dish behind the bar, stirring the large iron pot with her large spoon, bringing the ingredients from the bottom to the top. Brown beef, yellow potatoes, red carrots, and white onions. The aroma immediately filled the air, making even the newly arrived Barrett's mouth water.

Barrett looked around the small inn, and the people inside, after seeing the newcomer, returned to their previous conversations. Barrett finally locked onto a middle-aged human male sitting in a corner with his back to him. There was another young man at his table—this was the person who had discussed today's transaction with Barrett. For the sudden appearance of an unplanned person, Barrett had to be cautious.

Out of caution, Barrett didn't immediately step forward. However, the other party clearly noticed Barrett's arrival, and the person he had met yesterday even waved at him.

Sitting down between the two, Barrett immediately made a gesture: "Alright! Can you introduce me to this person?"

"He is my partner, Pachenje." The young-looking guy said, but the middle-aged man beside him probably matched his real age in the real world. Just like Barrett's game name, the two tried to avoid any direct connection between their game characters and real life.

"Since that's the case, let's change the location." Saying this, Barrett snapped his fingers, and soon a waitress with freckles came to the table: "Is there anything I can help you with, sir?"

Placing two silver coins on the table, Barrett asked, "Is there an available small black room upstairs?"

"Yes, sir! You can have about an hour. I will ring the bell when the time is up. Please follow me now." The young girl smiled and swept the silver coins onto her tray, and as she passed the bar, she didn't forget to inform the boss.

The so-called "small black room" referred to the inn's private meeting room, which most inns had—covered with double-layered burlap filled with cotton on the ceiling and walls, and a thick carpet on the floor, effectively blocking even the most sensitive ears. Since the door could only be locked from the inside and was tightly sealed, once guests entered the private room, they could talk about confidential matters without worrying about eavesdroppers.

After locking the door from the inside, Barrett pulled out a chair and sat down first, "It's time, gentlemen, please show your sincerity!"

The middle-aged man's cloak was suddenly opened, and a luxurious emblem shield was placed on the table. Then a finely crafted brooch was also placed there. Even in the dim indoor light, both items still emitted a dazzling glow.

"A beautifully decorated ceremonial shield (usually hung on the wall) and a likely registered noble brooch." Barrett's face turned grim, "Gentlemen, can I swear?"

"Please don't, we only found out later that we were severely deceived by those natives!" Daz, being the one responsible for the transaction, immediately tried to smooth things over.

It seemed that during the previous division of the loot, the two inexperienced players were tricked by the natives. This was not just a financial loss but a significant psychological blow to the players—humans always have a natural sense of superiority over the 'lives' generated by data in the game.

"If possible, I will forget everything related to these items after we leave this door today. As a fellow player, I give you a warning, you have really gotten into trouble." Barrett said, frowning.

The middle-aged man seemed to be the real decision-maker, "Then how much can you offer?"

"For the shield, I can offer about 50 gold coins. The brooch is too hot to handle." Barrett shook his head, "I don't want my current life to be affected."

"50 gold coins is too little." The two men's faces showed dissatisfaction.

Barrett also looked troubled, "If the item had a normal origin, it would be worth much more. But you know, even if I go through the channels, it's hard to say how much profit I would make."

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