Perry carefully handed the paper to Hinnal, worried that he might notice anything amiss. Hinnal took the paper, read the description, and then carefully examined the piece of Razza Quadbeast meat, pressing it to assess its quality. Perry held his breath, silently praying that the quality would satisfy Hinnal. After a moment, Hinnal finally nodded, seemingly pleased. Seeing this, Perry felt a weight lift from his shoulders and breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
However, he wasn't planning to sell it so easily. This was Razza Quadbeast meat——rare and precious. Perry calculated how he might get a good price for it. He knew the minimum he'd take was 1,000 gold coins, but Hinnal didn't seem to be short on money. With his noble aura and generous manner, perhaps he'd be willing to pay even more.
After a brief pause, Perry put on a confident smile and said, "This is quality Razza Quadbeast meat. Since I've run into someone who knows its value, my asking price is 2,100 gold coins."
Hinnal didn't hesitate, nodding lightly and responding in a calm tone, "That's fine, 2,100 gold coins."
Perry was delighted and immediately reached out to take the gold coins. But just as he extended his hand, he noticed Hinnal frowning slightly, giving him a questioning look, and then casually asking, "This is your first time in this market, isn't it?"
Perry blinked, somewhat puzzled, and scratched the back of his head. "Uh, what do you mean?"
With a sigh, Hinnal explained, "Transactions here aren't settled on the spot. Once the deal is complete, the coins will be transferred to you when you leave the market."
Perry's eyes widened in surprise. "Really? I thought I'd get the gold right away."
Seeing his clueless expression, Hinnal couldn't help but let out a faint smile. He patiently added, "Yes, and there's a 5% transaction fee for each sale here, as per market rules. Didn't you see the large sign by the entrance?"
Perry laughed awkwardly and muttered, "Guess I missed that detail…"
Hinnal shook his head, sighing, but said nothing more. He checked the paper once more before saying, "Since we've settled the terms, we need to find a witness to finalize the process, as required."
With that, Hinnal turned and gestured. Soon, a market attendant noticed him and quickly approached. She was a young woman with a sweet face, a neat bob, and dressed in the market's uniform, giving her a professional and efficient look.
The attendant, named Rose, greeted Hinnal warmly, her voice soft and a hint of admiration in her tone. "Hello, I'm Rose. Is there something I can help you with, sir?"
Her gaze lingered on Hinnal's refined features, an unmistakable look of appreciation in her eyes, as though he were a nobleman exuding an irresistible charm. Rose focused entirely on Hinnal, seemingly unaware of Perry's presence, as if he were invisible and only Hinnal was real.
Standing nearby, Perry frowned slightly, feeling as though he'd become a mere shadow. He cleared his throat a few times, hoping to draw Rose's attention, but her gaze remained fixed on Hinnal, unblinking, as if she hadn't even heard Perry.
Sighing inwardly, Perry couldn't help but feel a bit like an unnoticed extra in this scene.
With a warm smile, Rose nodded and politely asked, "Are you here to witness a transaction?" Her gaze finally shifted slightly away from Hinnal's face to the paper in his hand. After quickly understanding their request from the contents, she smiled.
Hinnal nodded and pressed the paper, transforming the meat back into paper with an air of effortless grace. He handed it to Rose, who examined it closely and then looked around, as if seeking another party to the transaction. Finally, she asked with a polite smile, "May I ask who you're trading with?"
Hinnal turned calmly, gesturing toward Perry.
Following his gesture, Rose finally seemed to notice Perry. She gave him a quick, assessing look, markedly colder than her gaze toward Hinnal. Her expression shifted slightly, and her tone became more perfunctory and professionally polite. "Oh, so this gentleman… is the seller."
Perry felt a twinge of embarrassment, acutely aware of the stark difference in Rose's attitude toward him versus Hinnal. He couldn't help but feel a bit helpless and self-deprecating, wondering what made him so insignificant in comparison to Hinnal. Was it his looks? Despite the mild frustration bubbling within, he maintained his composure, forcing a wry smile and replying, "Yes, I'm the seller."
Rose quickly adjusted her expression, resuming her calm and professional demeanor. She flipped the paper in her hand, carefully confirming the details, then smiled slightly. "So, this transaction is initiated by the seller." She led them to a quiet corner to formally document the transaction. Once seated, she asked gently yet impartially, "May I ask what price you're setting for this item?"
Perry cleared his throat and confidently replied, "The amount is 2100 gold coins." He glanced at Hinnal, confirming there were no objections from him.
Rose nodded and turned her gaze to Hinnal. "Buyer, do you accept this price?"
Without hesitation, Hinnal gave a slight nod, replying calmly, "I accept."
Rose then took a slender pen from her pocket and gracefully wrote the transaction amount on the paper before handing the pen to Hinnal with a smile. "Please sign here, Mr. Buyer, to confirm. And as for you, Mr. Seller, please leave a thumbprint beside your signature to affirm your agreement to the terms."
Hinnal took the pen and signed his name promptly in the designated spot.
When it was Perry's turn, he looked at Rose, expecting her to produce ink for the thumbprint. Noticing his hesitation, Rose asked softly, "Is something wrong? Would you like me to explain it again?"
Perry was a bit puzzled. "Don't we need ink for the thumbprint?"
Rose chuckled, continuing to write as she explained, "No ink required. This pen has a special enchantment—just press your thumb here, and the mark will appear naturally."
Skeptical, Perry pressed his thumb beside his signature. To his surprise, a clear thumbprint appeared on the paper, even emitting a faint golden glow. Astonished, he lifted his hand, noticing that nothing had transferred onto his skin.
Seeing both signatures and the thumbprint complete, Rose nodded in satisfaction, her face softening into a warm smile. "The transaction is confirmed. Mr. Buyer, please take this paper to the adjacent tent outside to complete payment and receive your item. As for you, Mr. Seller, you may collect your payment at the front desk when you're ready to leave. We'll recognize your total amount by your thumbprint. Thank you both for your cooperation."
She handed the paper back to Hinnal, her eyes lingering on him for a second, a hint of admiration flickering in her gaze before she resumed her professional smile. Turning to Perry, she nodded politely and said warmly, "Wishing you both a pleasant transaction. Feel free to seek me out if you need any further assistance."
After that, Rose gave a small bow and, as she turned to leave, glanced back at Hinnal, her gaze carrying a hint of unspoken interest. Perry watched her disappear into the bustling crowd, shaking his head and inwardly chuckling at how obvious her admiration for Hinnal was.
With the transaction completed, Hinnal, without another word, turned and walked away, his cold figure fading into the crowd. Just before leaving, he added a final remark: "Don't follow me."
Perry froze for a moment, feeling a hint of annoyance, and rolled his eyes as he muttered to himself, "Who has the time to follow you anyway?"
The system reminded him that he had forty minutes left, snapping Perry back to reality. He thinking he might as well try to sell a bit more while he still had time and maybe even find the materials he was after. With that in mind, Perry headed to the other side of the market, looking for a suitable stall.
However, before he could reach his next destination, a commotion ahead caught his attention. Perry stopped in his tracks and looked toward the noise, where he saw a large crowd forming a tight circle, blocking the way completely. He raised an eyebrow in curiosity, wondering what might be happening up front, and decided to take a closer look.
It took some effort for Perry to squeeze his way to the front row of the crowd, where he could finally see the source of the disturbance.
In the center of the gathering stood a flamboyantly dressed man radiating an aggressive aura. He had deep purple hair, arched eyebrows, and wore heavy smoky eye makeup, giving him an air of mischievous charm. His hair was slicked back, his face painted with bold makeup, and his mouth curved in a disdainful smirk. His flashy attire made him stand out strikingly in the crowd, like an outlandish misfit.
In front of him sat an elderly man behind a stall, his expression both resigned and patient. The old man was dressed neatly and elegantly, with a red bow tie on his chest, exuding a refined, almost aristocratic charm reminiscent of gentlemen from an earlier era. A sign beside his stall read, "Rare Ingredient Attribute Identification Expert."
The purple-haired man sneered coldly, casting a contemptuous glance at the elderly man, and mocked him mercilessly, "Hah! As expected, when you get old, even your skills go to waste! You can't even identify a simple ingredient's attributes, yet you dare set up a stall here?"
A flash of embarrassment crossed the elderly man's face, but he still responded calmly, "Please mind your words, sir. The ingredient you brought has a mixed scent and seems to contain toxic elements. In such cases, it's difficult to accurately identify its attributes in a short time."
Instead of understanding, the purple-haired man merely snorted with disdain, his face full of contempt. "Excuses! I've heard about you, old man. Aren't you supposed to be the so-called 'world's tenth-best nose'? What a worthless title. I expected something impressive, but you can't even handle a trivial task. What a disappointment!"
The old man's expression darkened slightly. Although he was angered, he tried to remain calm, sighing softly and attempting to explain gently, "Sir, each rare ingredient has its own unique scent and properties that require careful analysis. Especially those with toxic elements, they need patience to be properly tested—"
Before he could finish, the purple-haired man impatiently interrupted, raising his chin with a scornful glare. "Patience? I think it's just that you're incompetent! Wasting my time like this, calling yourself an expert is just ridiculous!"
With that, he suddenly reached out, as if to flip over the elderly man's table, and slammed his fist down onto it, sneering, "Calling yourself an expert in rare ingredients? Fraud! Old fool, how dare you show off here!"
The man's action elicited gasps from the onlookers, many of whom began murmuring with expressions of disapproval and disgust. Seeing the situation spiraling out of control, a market staff member hurried over to intervene, but the purple-haired man sidestepped him with ease, then roughly shoved the staff member to the ground. The man laughed scornfully, mocking, "So weak, trying to help? How pathetic! Hahaha!"
The crowd was outraged by his arrogant attitude, yet no one dared to step forward in the face of his domineering presence. Witnessing this, Perry frowned, a fire of anger igniting within him. He clenched his fists, preparing to step in and stop the purple-haired man, but was halted by the system's voice.
[Host, calm down. His level is 53, much higher than yours, and we don't know his background. A direct confrontation would be very risky for you.]
Perry's steps faltered slightly as he suppressed the impulse rising in his chest. Frowning, he responded, "But if this continues, the old man will get hurt…"
The system continued to advise him: [Whether driven by loyalty or a sense of justice, I understand your impulse, but you don't have the strength to defeat him right now. Please observe the situation further and wait for a more appropriate opportunity.]
Hearing the system's calm analysis, Perry took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain calm. He knew the system's words were reasonable; acting rashly would only put him in a disadvantageous position. His rational mind told him now was not the time to act impulsively. He didn't charge forward but instead observed the situation closely, his mind working quickly to find a way to stop the commotion. His hand was already on his magic book.
At that moment, the purple-haired man's attention shifted back to the elderly man, his eyes gleaming with dangerous intent. He grabbed the old man by the collar, yanked him up from his chair, and growled menacingly, "I don't have time for your nonsense! You'd better identify the attributes of this worthless ingredient today, or I'll make sure you regret it!"
Fear flickered across the old man's face, but he remained calm, speaking softly, "I will do my best… I just need a little more time…"
The purple-haired man, frustrated, gritted his teeth, clearly about to take action when suddenly, a deep, powerful voice rang out from behind the crowd, cutting through all the noise like a gust of wind: "Stop! No troublemaking on my place!"
At the sound of the voice, the crowd turned to look. Perry, too, turned his head in curiosity, only to find the familiar figure of Lionel. Lionel's appearance made the onlookers show signs of respect and awe. With steady steps, he slowly approached, his sharp gaze like a sword, scanning the purple-haired man. His tone carried an undeniable authority.