Chapter 25: A Costly Deal

Ding. A survivor with an ID starting with ‘b’ has sent you a private message request. Accept?

At the entrance of the Inner City, Yenir, holding Ye Xiaoan’s hand with his left, was about to enter when he paused in surprise at the notification—and then he gladly accepted.

An ID that starts with ‘b’? That must signify a Second-Stage Awakened.

In the system chat, Grade A corresponds to Third-Stage, Grade b to Second-Stage, and so on.

If all goes as expected, the other party must have seen the Wind-Rending Claw I posted in the trade channel.

Barely minutes after I listed it, someone reached out. It appears this piece of equipment is truly in demand. Mind you, his minimum price is set so high that even less capable Awakened wouldn’t dare ask.

“Hello, I’d like to buy the Wind-Rending Claw. How much are you selling it for?”

In a courteous tone, from the other end, a middle-aged man in full armor anxiously awaited Yenir’s reply.

That blue equipment caught his attention the moment it hit the trade channel.

A blue weapon? And it even comes with a skill? Such top-tier gear rarely appears in the channel.

Still, the listed price was simply too steep for him.

“It’s a fixed price. No haggling allowed.”

Without wasting a word, Yenir replied briefly and, still holding Ye Xiaoan’s hand, headed toward the housing sales area within the Inner City.

“Fixed price…”

On the other end, the Second-Stage Awakened smiling wryly at Yenir’s blunt response found himself hesitating.

That fixed price, when converted into supplies, could outfit an elite 500-man squad. For indulgence, it could even secure a truckload of campus beauties without a second thought.

He’d assumed the price was inflated enough to allow some negotiation. He hadn’t expected Yenir to stand so firm.

Then again, this piece of equipment practically sells itself.

Hesitantly, he glanced at the two white curved knives at his waist, unwilling to let go of such superior gear:

“My friend, the fixed price is indeed a bit high. How about this: I’ll substitute part of the credit points with other resources. Would that work?”

“Equipment, skills, food—whatever you suggest, I’m open to any exchange.”

His tone was sincere. As the leader of a settlement of over a hundred thousand, he commanded many and was undoubtedly a strong force. Yet, even with all his resources, he could muster less than 40,000 points—and that had to cover the daily expenses and equipment costs of his settlement.

Reading the message, Yenir raised an eyebrow and replied offhand:

“Other supplies as substitutes are fine, but the credit points must not drop below 30,000.”

“Also, when it comes to weapon skills, I only want those for swords—everything else is out. White ones are acceptable. If you have any Spiritual Energy Fruit, I can offer a discount.”

With that, Yenir opened his rapidly flashing private chat panel.

Just as with the Second-Stage Awakened, in less than thirty seconds over thirty other Awakened individuals began inquiring about the price.

Within the settlement, the first Second-Stage Awakened who had inquired now flashed a look of delight at the request.

Could they agree to substitutions? That would be just perfect.

Yet, faced with Yenir’s demands, he suddenly found himself in a bind.

Specific types of supplies? That meant he’d have to spend time searching for them.

Almost every Awakened rushes to arm themselves as soon as they acquire equipment skills; hardly anyone keeps stock.

He resolved to gather some of his subordinate Awakened to help out.

With that thought, the middle-aged man quickly replied:

“No problem! Just give me a bit of time, and please be sure to hold onto that equipment!”

After receiving Yenir’s terse ‘Mm-hmm’, he let out a sigh of relief, his eyes gleaming.

Selling blue equipment at will while accepting exchanges for white-grade supplies—could this be a high-level Third-Stage expert trading resources for his offspring?

A hint of envy flashed in his eyes.

Shaking his head, he merely tagged Yenir’s anonymous ID as Third-Stage and didn’t dwell on it.

“All Awakened, assemble! Every sword-wielder, report to me!”

….

Tianfeng Properties.

Inside the sole sales office of the Tianfeng Security Zone, in a spotless, bright lobby, several Awakened clad in various combat uniforms were casually chatting.

Next to a property model, a middle-aged Awakened in his thirties, dressed in a crisp new uniform with meticulously styled hair, sat upright on a sofa, chatting with a salesgirl.

“Miss Wang, I’m very interested in the apartment you recommended. The price means nothing to me, but just hearing you describe it leaves me unimpressed.”

“How about… you accompany me tonight to check it out? We could even grab a bite along the way.”

With a smile, the Second-Stage Awakened spoke, his gaze casually drifting over the girl’s shapely legs—as if he could peer from under the hem of her short skirt to admire her allure. Looking at her delicate, pure face, a spark of desire flared within him.

Though seducing a woman would be effortless for someone of his caliber, he found these carefully selected, freshly eighteen-year-old girls particularly enticing.

He gracefully sipped his tea as he spoke, his eyes exuding confidence.

He was convinced that, with his status, winning over a girl from a humble background would be a breeze.

Opposite him, Wang Zhen carefully maintained her smile, though a trace of distress flickered in her eyes.

“Mr. Zhang, I can accompany you to view the property during work hours, but our regulations strictly prohibit accepting invitations from guests.”

Wang Zhen sighed inwardly. Although the man boasted of his high status and wealth, he had been using property viewings as an excuse to invite her out every day for the past week.

This scam to dupe young girls was, without a doubt, all too practiced.

As residences built on Spiritual Energy Nodes that enhance strength, every unit in the safety zone came with a hefty price tag—far beyond what most Awakened could afford.

Yet, even though she knew he’d never actually buy, she dared not offend him in the slightest.

Hearing Wang Zhen’s refusal, the middle-aged man’s face darkened with displeasure, his gaze turning icy:

“Miss Wang, I told you I had my eye on this apartment. Naturally, I’ll buy it.”

“What, do you think I lack the capability?”

With a cold snort, the middle-aged man shifted his seating, revealing the Second-Stage emblem on his chest:

“As far as I know, selling one unit nets at least 100 points in commission. Tsk tsk, 100 points… out there, many survivors struggle to save even that much.”

“As long as I’m satisfied, I wouldn’t mind buying a unit from you.”

Using both coercion and inducement, the middle-aged man leaned close to the girl and chuckled:

“You know, given my status, one complaint from me could have dire consequences—you know exactly what I mean.”

At his words, the girl’s face turned instantly ashen, her instincts urging her to shrink away.

The man was right—if she were complained about, she’d almost certainly be fired without question. For Tianfeng Properties, a common girl was as insignificant as an ant.

She pressed her lips tightly, her body trembling slightly as she froze in place.

Working here, she earned 10 credit points a month plus meals, with a generous salary that could support a family of three. With thoughts of her injured father and her mother still laboring away in a factory, she couldn’t afford to lose this job.

Gazing at the girl, as fragile as a little bird, a flash of satisfaction lit up the middle-aged man’s eyes.

Yes, exactly. The thrill of such bullying was simply intoxicating.

However, just as he intended to move in closer, a sudden knocking at the door interrupted him.

Before the attendant at the door could hurry over to open it,

Yenir appeared, pulling a visibly panicked Ye Xiaoan inside.

“I need someone urgently—buy real estate, we’re in a hurry.”

His voice was soft, yet it instantly left everyone in the lobby stunned.