Chapter 21: We’re Rich
“Let’s go, handle proper business.” Anse shouted, turned around and returned to the Guild Hall. Enhancing his own strength was more important now.
“Flame Fist… won’t fail to hold, right?” Brat caught up to Anse in a few steps.
“Hard to say.” Anse’s face was as somber as water, “What level of professional do you think a gate and high wall can block?”
With the rise in levels, many professionals were no longer afraid of relying on human wave tactics; they could jump, fly, or turn invisible, terrifyingly strong.
The Guild Hall was more than half empty. Loving to watch the excitement was the nature of intelligent creatures, regardless of race.
“Where are we going?” Brat looked at Anse. “The third floor is the Trading Hall, all official shops or big merchants. The goods are good, just a bit expensive.
The backyard is the Trading Market. Pay money and you can set up a stall. Lots of people, but true or fake depends on your own eyesight.”
Anse considered for a few seconds: “Go to the third floor, mainly to handle that warhammer. Commoners might not recognize its value.”
“Good.”
They went up to the third floor via the hall stairs, passed through a copper door, and arrived at an enclosed Trading Hall bustling with people coming and going.
More than twenty neat little shops were distributed throughout the hall, connected by corridors.
Most shops had no doors, with several shelves and counters arranged together. Walking past from the side, you could see the goods and owner, somewhat similar to the mall layouts from his previous life.
“Valuable things are generally traded here. Shops with guild badges are official; the others are visiting merchants…” Brat explained.
“Mm.”
The three walked around once. Anse noticed that although there were many shops, at most two sold the same type of goods, clearly deliberately avoiding competition.
“Follow me.”
Brat led the two to a weapon shop with a sign reading: Soradin Quality Work Shop.
The shop owner was a dwarf with a full face of red beard, nearly 1.5 meters tall, probably a hill dwarf.
Don’t think that a shop run by a dwarf is necessarily good, because not all dwarves know forging.
Dwarves are hot-tempered, stubborn, and greedy, but not necessarily upright or honest! They have long lifespans, generally up to 400 years. Living long with humans, they inevitably become worldly and lie without changing expression.
Therefore, no matter what race the merchant is, you can’t blindly trust them.
Anse focused his gaze on the dwarf, and the dice quietly detected his information.
【Soradin, Dwarf, Level 4 Warrior（Warrior）】
‘Another Level 4. Looks like advancing to Level 5 is quite difficult.’
With a clang, Brat placed the bundle on the counter, opened it, revealing a pile of weapons and miscellaneous items.
Nearby adventurers heard the noise and gathered around. These things still had bloodstains, styles different from human weapons; their origin was self-evident.
The red-bearded dwarf walked over, prodded them twice with his thick fingers, not very interested.
“…All crudely made inferior goods, need reforging. I’ll give you… 85 gold coins.”
Brat wasn’t good at bargaining, but he knew it was a seller’s market now. With calamity descending, the most valuable things were grain, and weapons that could grab grain or self-defend.
Whether they could use them or not, having a weapon in hand at least deterred others and put the mind at ease.
“Don’t rush, take another look at this.” Brat said, taking out the Duergar Warlord’s black warhammer and placing it on the counter with a clang.
“Eh?” The dwarf’s eyes widened. He picked it up, swung it casually a couple times, a hint of delight on his face. “This craftsmanship, these materials—a Duergar magic weapon?”
Brat crossed his arms, tilted his head slightly up, deliberately looking at the dwarf through his nostrils: “Know what a Duergar Warlord is? It took two elite paladins and a genius sorcerer teaming up to barely defeat him.”
The dwarf was stunned, scanned around, and fixed his gaze on Anse behind Brat, tone surprised:
“You’re the adventurer who helped Land blockade the Duergar at Dragon Bridgehead?”
“You know us?”
Brat couldn’t keep up the act, lowered his head to look at the dwarf, only to find the dwarf ignoring him entirely, staring intently at Anse.
The surrounding adventurers looked puzzled; most didn’t know what happened at Dragon Bridge.
Stared at by the dwarf’s bell-sized eyes, even Anse couldn’t stand it and had to respond: “That’s us. Your news is quite well-informed.”
“All the high-ranking officials are watching underground creatures’ movements. How could we not know.” The dwarf laughed heartily, voice deep and thick. “You guys have guts, unlike those softies who just fucking run…”
The dwarf cursed profusely, undoubtedly firing a map cannon. The surrounding adventurers looked somewhat unnatural.
There was no way around it. No matter how prosperous Baldur’s Gate was, it was the private property of the Upper City nobles, having little to do with adventurers or commoners.
After a long while, the dwarf finally vented, looking at Anse with eyes full of appreciation.
Little did he know Anse had purely run late, fell into the giant pit with no choice; otherwise, he’d run faster than anyone.
“You’re very special. Those veteran spellcasters are still fumbling, yet you’ve adapted so well. Any secret?” The dwarf changed the topic, asking about the spell bombardment at the bridgehead.
“Uh…” Anse paused for a few seconds. “Me? …Mainly relying on talent.”
The dwarf’s expression froze. It wasn’t wrong; sorcerers rely on talent for what else.
“Fucking makes sense.” He nodded solemnly, no longer pressing, lowered his head to carefully inspect and feel the warhammer, sometimes concentrating to sense it.
The surrounding adventurers immediately quieted down, eyes flashing with curiosity, wanting to know what weapon the Duergar Warlord used.
Anse was very calm; he’d already checked the warhammer’s attributes via the character card.
After a long while, the dwarf slowly spoke: “Duergar warhammer, fine quality, requires attunement, comes with psychic attack.”
Sighs rose around them; even Brat couldn’t hide his disappointment.
Common and fine quality magic items were relatively common. Common magic items were worth over 100 gold coins, fine magic items generally 300-1000 gold coins. Ordinary professionals could reach them with effort.
Rare and above magic items many hadn’t even seen, prices varied, but at least started at several thousand gold coins—attainable in wishful thinking only.
“However,” the dwarf paused, “this warhammer’s material is very special, probably a unique Duergar alloy, excellent properties. The forger didn’t bring out its full potential…”
Anse’s eyelids twitched slightly, feigning calm: “Then how much can you offer?”
“For Land’s sake, I’ll give 1500 gold coins, plus that pile of junk, 1600 gold coins total.” The dwarf pondered, then added, “You can ask around; no one will offer more than me.”
Brat nodded slightly to Anse; he personally thought the price was very fair, even with a premium.
“Deal.” Anse smiled faintly; the price greatly exceeded his expectations.
“Wait.” The dwarf didn’t waste words, turned to the back of the shelves, rummaged a bit, returned and handed Anse a money bag.
Anse opened it: all platinum coins, mainly Rolan, sun, and unicorn designs, 160 in total, very heavy.
‘This color is really pretty.’ He squinted, counting the money; coins clinking like notes, mood quite delightful.
“Quantity is exact.” He counted twice, not a single one off.
He casually gave Brat and Finn a few platinum coins each. That pile of “junk” had their share; the rest was all his.
“If you want to buy stuff, go quick, or it might be gone later. Mention my name Soradin; they’ll give face.” The dwarf shouted loudly; half the Trading Hall heard it.
“Thanks.”
Thanks to Hyperion Master, Silver Spring, a certain passing dragon2, Glorious Poem, I am truly nameless, Chi Li Fu Nai Nai, s Xuanyuan Yixing s, and other book friends for the rewards.
Thanks to all reader lords for your support and suggestions!
