563 Chapter 563 - Everyone Eyeing with Contemp (1/2)
Southern Lone Blade carefully made his way to the Tower of White Sand. In the distance, he could see five players gathered underneath the structure; one of them was his comrade Glue, and the other four were a Priest, Archer, Knight, and Thief respectively.
Pacing forward in a hurry, Glue introduced the players one by one. ”Fleeting Smile, Broken Water Arrow, Silver Moon, and No Smile.”
Broken Water Arrow and Fleeting Smile were the two names that Southern Lone Blade he saw in those letters he had received before, and the other two were names he had heard of even earlier than that. This was especially true for Silver Moon, for he was a business associate that he had never met in person before. Southern Lone Blade surreptitiously glanced at Silver Moon, causing the latter to feel somewhat flustered as he immediately sent out a message to Southern Lone Blade. ”Don't mention a word about the matter with Vast Lushness!”
Southern Lone Blade did not even bother to read the message. They were professional larcenists; they would never deign to reveal the details about any of their transactions even if Silver Moon did not do the same. However, the scumbag's despicable mindset led him to think that such a thought had crossed the others' mind, which only served to worsen Southern Lone Blade's impression of the man.
”So, you're Southern Lone Blade. I've long since admired you.” Ye Xiaowu greeted, giving Southern Lone Blade quite the shock. Out of the four, No Smile and Silver Moon could be considered as the famed individuals, while he had just witnessed Broken Water Arrow's skill himself, yet the first to come and greet him was this unremarkable Priest. This act itself made it apparent that this Priest was the true leader out of the lot, and that was something he had not expected.
”If you've received those letters we sent, I do believe that you already know why we're here,” Ye Xiaowu said.
Southern Lone Blade nodded.
”So, what are your thoughts about it?” Ye Xiaowu asked.
”20,000 gold coins,” Southern Lone Blade replied.
”Excuse me?” Ye Xiaowu was stunned.
”It isn't easy to go up against Thousand Miles Drunk,” Southern Lone Blade explained.
”You mean to say that you'd require payment to go up against Thousand Miles Drunk?” Ye Xiaowu asked.
Southern Lone Blade nodded. Silver Moon wanted to say something from the sidelines, opening his mouth for a bit but ultimately held back from uttering a word.
”Then, what's the idea behind the 20,000 gold coins price tag?” Ye Xiaowu asked.
Southern Lone Blade was well-versed in this line of work, so he knew what Ye Xiaowu meant to find out when he asked about the 'idea', so he immediately explained, ”20,000 for a level. Under level 40 is subject for future discussion. Everything he drops will go to you.”
”That's still a rather exorbitant quote,” Ye Xiaowu remarked.
”I'm sure you've all exchanged blows with Thousand Miles Drunk before, so you are of course all the clearer just how ludicrous that man is,” Southern Lone Blade said.
”That's right, and that's precisely why I'm looking to trouble him.” Ye Xiaowu nodded.
”I'm afraid that before you can even cause trouble to him, he will become trouble for you first.” Southern Lone Blade said this evocatively. That was precisely how his team had ended up provoking that beast of a man.
”He's already trouble, which needs to be taken care of,” Ye Xiaowu said.
”As long as the price is right, we aren't afraid of trouble.” Southern Lone Blade chuckled.
”You'll get your money, but the condition will be that you must completely listen to my orders,” Ye Xiaowu said.
”Fine, but we wish to know every single detail and aspect of your plan. We have no intention of becoming your cannon fodder,” Southern Lone Blade said.
”That's no problem.” Ye Xiaowu nodded.
”Then, this is a done deal!” Southern Lone Blade extended his hand out.
”Don't be in such a hurry. This sum you're asking is a little too much. I don't have that much at the moment, so I'll need to go raise the funds.” Ye Xiaowu's hand had yet to move.
”I'll be waiting.” Southern Lone Blade retracted his hand.
”In that case, until then?” Ye Xiaowu asked.
”Until then.” Southern Lone Blade nodded. He shot a quick glance at Glue, and the two made to leave first.
”We've finally settled that end,” Ye Xiaowu said to Broken Water Arrow.
”Yes.” Broken Water Arrow nodded.
Silver Moon and No Smile were looking at each other. 20,000 gold coins a level! The two firmly believed that they had just borne witness to the highest transaction in Parallel World ever since its inception.
”That guy really dared to say it!” No Smile mumbled to Silver Moon in a low voice.
Silver Moon nodded. He had dealt with Southern Lone Blade before, so there was no need for him to ask about his 'idea' like what Ye Xiaowu had done. He knew what 20,000 gold coins meant a single level. Silver Moon had already figured out that Southern Lone Blade did not want to make such a deal when the latter opened with such a large sum; that was done so as to make it easy for the other party to back down accordingly. Just considering the fact that getting Vast Lushness to drop her Utopian Magic Staff cost 3000 gold coins when the price of the staff itself should be at about 2000 gold coins, that meant the levels that Vast Lushness would have lost in the process were only priced at 1000 gold coins, and it would be for a number of levels that was not even explicitly stated.
Looting a dropped item off a player hinged entirely on luck; it was considered as lucky for an item to drop at the first kill as that meant that the cost of Vast Lushness's one level was 1000 gold coins. If unlucky, she would have to be killed ten times before an item dropped, which meant that the 10 deaths Vast Lushness experienced was only bought for 1000 gold coins. In contrast, dropping a level of Gu Fei was worth 20,000 gold coins. How was that not a sky-high price?
Southern Lone Blade's lion-sized maw was already unrestrained enough when he quoted that insane amount, yet it was the Priest who was all the more unrestrained for boldly chomping down on the offer. Silver Moon was momentarily confused by this, unsure if Ye Xiaowu was actually a noob or an expert. Did he have a semblance of common sense even? He even looked to be happy having completed such a foolish transaction. 20,000 gold coins… Doesn't that mean that Southern Lone Blade will be taking a 10,000-gold coin deposit? Is he perhaps thinking of disappearing the moment he gets a hold of that 10,000 gold coins?
Thinking about it, Silver Moon sent a message over to Southern Lone Blade, hoping to test the waters. ”You've struck gold now, you rascal.”
”Just who is that guy? He's so rich.” Southern Lone Blade was probing Silver Moon as well.
Silver Moon of course sidestepped his question and continued, ”So, you ended up trapping yourself, eh? You never even considered that the man might accept your condition, huh?”
”If he isn't gonna agree, how else am I gonna earn money?” Southern Lone Blade countered.
”So, you're actually serious?” Silver Moon asked.
”Did you think otherwise?” Southern Lone Blade retorted.
”Uh, then, if you do indeed end up looting Thousand Miles Drunk's equipment, how much is that gonna go?” Silver Moon asked.
”Sorry, but I'm not accepting any request to loot his equipment,” Southern Lone Blade rejected.
If a single level would cost 20,000 gold coins, even if Southern Lone Blade were to accept requests to loot Thousand Miles Drunk of his equipment, there was no way Silver Moon would be able to afford the exorbitant sum for the assignment. Silver Moon only wished to shift the topic in this direction, so he hurriedly said, ”Then, if, by chance, Thousand Miles Drunk's sword does drop, I'll pay 10,000 gold coins for you to pick it up.”
Silver Moon calculated that if, at the time that they confronted Thousand Miles Drunk, and he and Fleeting Smile were to lend a hand in the fight, neither would be at the frontlines; Broken Water Arrow was a ranged character, so he would not be in melee range, either. Meanwhile, No Smile would surely attempt to act like a fish in troubled waters and would seize any sort of advantage he could find to keep himself out of harm's way. Then, there was that Cool Apple person; still, that twerp was apparently only interested in duels, so there was no guarantee that he might appear. As such, Southern Lone Blade's team was likely to be the only players near Thousand Miles Drunk when they were doing the act, so if any equipment was to be dropped, it was evidently going to land in their hands. Even though Southern Lone Blade mentioned moments ago that he was not claiming ownership of any equipment dropped, who knew what he might be thinking when that really happened? Silver Moon decided to make the first move, any equipment they came across in the course of their larceny would often be sold to the highest bidder; rarely would they ever keep it for their personal use.
Who would have guessed Southern Lone Blade's answer, though? ”Equipment? We're not picking up his equipment.”
F*ck*ng hell. Still with the games, Silver Moon cursed inwardly before he said, ”Then, help me pick it up. There's 10,000 gold coins in it for completing the task.” Silver Moon was paying an exorbitant sum for this. After hearing that Gu Fei's sword was considered as one of the three strongest weapons in Parallel World at the moment, and that it even had a Dark Knight's skill within it, Silver Moon felt it would be well worth every coin to get it into his hands. At most, he'd sell his King's Blade away to get the funds for it. The value of the King's Blade was mainly in parties, anyhow. Considering how Silver Moon's namesake was in the pits of notoriety, he knew very well how impossible it was for him to mix around with any sort of mercenary group, guild, or organization. Holding onto the King's Blade could possibly end up painting a big target on his back, so if he could swap it out with Gu Fei's exceptionally powerful sword, he could then be an independent paragon of strength. That would also be a very satisfying matter in itself.
Silver Moon was still dreaming about this fantasy when he saw Southern Lone Blade's reply, ”I meant it when I told you I'm not picking up his equipment. Stop with your nonsense.”
”What, is it too cheap? Will 15,000 gold coins do?” Silver Moon was determined to seal the deal.
But in the end, he got no further reply this time. When he tried to fire another message of his, he got the system prompt: [The player is not accepting messages from anyone not in his friends list.]