806 Lifes a Stage, and Were All Actors! (2/2)
”Fellow Daoist Haiyang, I really didn't expect to see you here today. Your departure had been unexpected. Besides, I never thought you might appear in such a place. But there's really no need to insult me by saying that you've forgotten my last name, is there?”
”Acknowledge me as an old friend or don't acknowledge me as one, the choice is up to you. I'm not the sort of person who's desperate for a 20% discount!” Displeasure flashed across Wang Baole's face. He turned away, showing his intention to leave. However, he didn't do so in a hurry. He had to give the other man a chance to speak. After all, 20% was still an extremely attractive discount.
He had allowed for some ambiguity in his words. He had mentioned that Xie Haiyang's departure had been unexpected. That could be interpreted in many ways. If Xie Haiyang had left in an ordinary fashion, Wang Baole could mean that he had been surprised at the departure. If the former had left in a bizarre or mysterious fashion, then surprise was even more warranted.
The way he phrased his words left Xie Haiyang in a bind. Xie Haiyang got to his feet hurriedly and tried to stop Wang Baole.
”Brother Liu, please, don't go. Liu Baole, your temper hasn't changed at all. I was just joking with you. About my departure, you must remember what I told you when we first met. Where there's business to be done, that's where I'll go.”
The tight look on Wang Baole's face softened. He turned and gave Xie Haiyang a look. He couldn't believe the alien. Xie Haiyang was still trying to test him. He had even given him a different name—Liu Baole. It made him sound rich, though. Only those born with dashing good looks deserved such a name. Nevertheless, the name didn't fit his style at all.
Wang Baole had no intention of revealing his true identity, though. After some thought, he decided to neither deny nor acknowledge the name. Instead, he lifted his hand and pulled out a jade slip, then handed the jade slip over to Xie Haiyang.
”Fellow Daoist Haiyang, let's leave that aside for a moment. Could you help me with the purchase of some materials? Here's the list.”
Xie Haiyang blinked when he heard that. He took the jade slip from Wang Baole and glanced through the list. A smile appeared on his face.
”No problem at all. But my old friend, we must separate business and friendship. Even with the discount that I've given you, the total cost of these materials is going to be sky-high. Can you really afford to pay?”
Wang Baole remained calm on the outside as he sighed secretly on the inside. He knew that he wouldn't be able to afford the materials. An overwhelming sense of poverty crushed him then, making him feel just a bit smaller. His skills at keeping up appearances were top-notch, though. Even if he couldn't afford the materials on the list, he would still be able to get a 20% discount on what he had selected earlier. In addition, he might be able to erase whatever suspicions Xie Haiyang still harbored about his identity. A serious look settled on his face then.
”Brother Haiyang, do you trust me? If you do, I, Liu Baole, will write you a promissory note right now. Just treat this as extending credit to me. Just this once!”
Xie Haiyang's facial muscles twitched. He looked closely at Wang Baole again. The doubt he had was preventing him from making a judgment call. Wang Baole's acting skills had been put to good use. If he had denied his identity right from the start, Xie Haiyang would have caught him lying straight away. But the more he admitted to their friendship, the more uncertain Xie Haiyang became.
Xie Haiyang pondered for some time. Then, his eyes flashed. He looked around before whispering, ”Brother Baole, I have a business proposition. Would you be interested in it? There's an element of danger involved in the deal, but it's minimal. Should you succeed, the rewards awaiting you will be great. They'll be enough to get you all the materials you want and leave you with sizable wealth after that!”
”A business proposition?” Alarm bells started ringing in Wang Baole's head, and a look of hesitation appeared on his face.
”That's right. Don't worry, my friend. I'm talking about a mission that's been issued by a mysterious and powerful cultivator. He's extremely powerful and has a grudge against the Never-Ending Clan. However, because of some unknown reasons, he's unable to strike at them directly. He hasn't been able to let go of his grudge despite the years that have passed. So, from time to time, he issues missions in various cities, gathering cultivators and getting them to wear specially-made masks, then teleporting them to a random planet where they are to hunt down Never-Ending Clan cultivators!
”He has issued more than thirty missions so far. He takes charge of the teleportation to and from the planets, as well as the cleanup. The cultivators that he gathers are responsible for killing the Never-Ending Clan cultivators. The cultivators get nothing if they are killed. But, if they survive, they'll be rewarded with Red Crystals. The number of Red Crystals they are awarded is determined by the number of Never-Ending Clan members they manage to hunt down and kill!
”Red Crystals are the hard currency used in the Never-Ending Dao Domain. Three hundred Red Crystals should be enough to get you everything on your list!”