Chapter 71 – Back to the Fish Market
One hour after the uproar, Thorn and Crystal gathered at Thorn's hanger, getting the right weapons and gears to help Misha.
As for the girl, she was practicing using a new exoskeleton by running and jumping around.
A soldier with a platform trolley, carrying a sealed package, interrupted Misha.
"Ma'am, this is the red gels that Miss Misha has requested."
"Is this from the commander?"
"Yes, ma'am! He also said that you have to prepare the weapons and the fish yourself. He won't babysit you, but he has already briefed the armory manager about your sortie."
"Give him my middle finger's regard. Tell him to go kill himself."
"Y-Y-Yes ma'am!"
The soldier's face covered in sweat as he ran away in a panic, leaving the frowning Misha behind.
"Am I that scary?" Misha turned to Crystal.
"It's your race that scares him."
"Eh? I thought dragonewt is just a rare race. Are they that powerful?"
"They're as powerful as the demi-hydras. Chacha, show her."
Thorn's face distorted, "I don't want to. I'll get hungry when I do that."
"Misha will buy you a few fishes, right?"
Thorn's eyes and Kai's eyes glittered when they heard that they could eat fishes.
Looking at them in confusion, Misha tilted her head, "How does it have anything to do with Thorn?"
Crystal grinned, "Didn't you know? He's a demi-hydra, a matured one at that."
"EHHHH!?"
Thorn shrugged. In the next second, he disappeared from Misha's sight, and a hand patted on Misha's head.
Thorn had already stood behind her back!
"Peek-a-boo!"
Misha jumped away in shock. His speed was too fast!
"H-How!?"
Crystal laughed, "That's Thorn's specialty. He's the fastest guy in our base."
"I thought all demi-hydras are violent and unsociable! He looks just like the unevolved people!"
Thorn grinned, "Those nutritious herbs are the reason, Misha. One puff and your mind will forget about all the bloodlust. It also calms your partner. You should try-ACK!"
Crystal's fist landed on Thorn's head before he could finish his sentence.
"This idiot is an exception among all demi-hydras. Well, this asshole fed Kai with catnips and weeds instead of human's blood or gels during their early days. After that, these two bonkers pretty much forget about their true nature."
"…"
"Hey! Eggcats love catnips! Heck, I'm penniless at that time. Kai and I ate whatever I find!"
"Including weeds?"
"Those were nutritious marijuana herbs! It calms the mind and-ACK!"
Another fist landed on top of Thorn's head.
Misha wiped away her tears. She felt terrible for Kai.
*Mew* (My condolence.)
*Ong* (Condolence to myself.)
"Back to the topic. As you can see, demi-hydras excel in speed while dragonewts are walking tanks. You're a fire dragonewt which is a more powerful subspecies than the common one, so it's natural for ordinary demi-humans and the common mutants to fear you."
Misha nodded as she understood the difference between the three races.
*Ong Nom-Nom?* (Demonstration ended. Where's my fish?)
Thorn also drooled, "Can I get some salmon?"
"…"
"..."
.
.
Misha, Thorn, and Crystal visited the market to buy fishes. As Misha wanted to boost her status as highest as possible before the raid, she took Crystal along as a guide.
Soon, they arrived at the stall where the middle-aged lady gave Misha and Tama fishes for free.
"Ho-Ho, welcome back, young lady. I see that you've changed. Are you growing up? How about buying fishes from my stall? I'm sure you'll grow stronger than the last time."
Misha turned to Crystal, "Can you recommend fishes that can boost my status attributes?"
"Tunas give the highest value, especially the bluefin tuna. Machinegun lobsters, man-eating salmons, lightsaber king-crabs, and blood-sucking eels can increase your status as well. As for the rest of the fishes, they won't give you much effect."
The corner of Misha's mouth twitched.
'Who the banana named those sea creatures? Lightsaber king-crab? Are those crabs Jedis or something!?'
Misha turned to the lady's stall. Aside from the small ones, she did not see any of the recommended types of fishes on her stall. They were just normal looking fishes she could find in any regular wet market.
"I don't think this stall has one of those tunas."
The merchant lady's face fell as she didn't expect Misha to be looking for premium goods. However, as a veteran saleswoman, she hid her trump card for this moment.
"I have something special that no other store in this market has. Would you like to try it?"
Crystal turned to the merchant lady, "We need something that can increase status attributes instantly. Do you have it?"
"I have one. Please give me a moment," the lady turned around and bellowed, "Abdul, bring me the Kraken!"
The face Misha twitched again as she did not expect a meme here.
'I think my face will contract with the Parkinson disease if I play this game for too long.'
Five minutes later, Misha's face distorted in horror as she watched several strong men carried the 100-meter long giant octopus to their location.
"How the heck do they have this in our base!?"
Even Crystal was gazing at the Kraken in awe.
"Crystal, are you guys rearing sea fishes or something? How can they get so many fishes in this market?"
"We have a tunnel road to the sea, but I've never seen an octopus this big."
The shop lady was beaming with pride, "My husband killed this monster three months ago. He already ate the core though, but we're selling this for 50 red gels!"
Crystal frowned as she shook her head, "Too expensive for a non-fresh octopus. Ten red gels!"
"This lady has good eyes, but your offering isn't fair. We have to take the danger of this monster into the account of the pricing, 45 red gels."
"We have no idea how many attributes we can get after we ate that thing, and you don't know either. Twelve red gels."
"My husband ate the core, and he can confirm that this Kraken will give you 200 free attributes, 40 red gels!"
"A bluefin tuna can increase 250 points of free attributes, and it is commonly selling at only one red gel. I don't see why we should pay more for something we can alternately get for a much lower price. 13 red gels."
"Those 250 points are the maximum free attributes you can get no matter how many tunas you eat! My Kraken doesn't include in that limit! 40 Red gels!"
"Unfortunately, we lack the fund for something too luxurious. Besides, not many people are willing to use many red gels at once to buy status attributes when they can increase them naturally. Fifteen red gels, no higher price."
"T-This is not certain. Many soldiers are buying tunas to increase their stats …"
"Soldiers commonly buy yellowfin tunas, and yellowfin tuna cost them only 50 yellow gels for 200 free attributes. The price difference is clear that not many of them are willing to spend red gels. I'll repeat it, 15 red gels. Take it or leave it. You can also take your chances and wait for this octopus to rot."
"ARGH!! You're good, lady. Fifteen red gels, deal!"
Misha watched the haggling between Crystal and the merchant lady in awe. She could turn the expensive 50 red gels into 15 with her bargaining skills alone!
Crystal turned to Misha and grinned, "Watch and learn, Misha. Girls like us need this to survive this world. Good housewives must be able to dump all overpriced goods to our standard pricing so that we can have extra cash for our other uses."
"…"
Misha wanted to say something, but she could not clear this misunderstanding about her true gender. She could only cry to herself.
'I want to play as a male character.'
*Mew* (Me too. The other form of yours is hotter!)
*Mew!* (I LOVE IT HOT!)
*Mew Mew!* (HIS ASSET IS BIG AND HOT!)
Everyone stared at Misha and Tama with a weird expression.
'Tama ...'
Misha cried a river within her mind.
.
After Misha paid for the giant octopus, she tested it by cutting a small piece of its arms into a piece of sashimi.
Upon putting the raw octopus in her mouth, Misha received the notification from the game system.
<
<
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'A named monster? Adam the Kraken?'
*Mew!* (Delish! Misha, give me more!)
"Okay, okay. First, I have to buy more fishes for Thorn and Kai. And I also need to buy bluefin tuna and yellowfin …"
Misha was sorting her priorities and thought. However, as she gazed at the direction where Crystal went, she became speechless.
"This bluefin is already a month old! 30 Yellow gels!"
"This yellowfin didn't have the innards. 10 Yellow gels!"
"This seabass has a swollen eye. 10 Green gels!"
Crystal went on her bargaining spree while her face was beaming with a smile.
'She's having fun, isn't she?'
.
Meanwhile,
*Guuu*
Someone's stomach was roaring.
"Can I get my fish, please?"
*Nom-Nom Ong* (I'm hungry. Please hurry.)