Chapter 19: An Equitable Exchange

Chapter 19: An Equitable Exchange

Imagine being hit in the face by several bullets at the same time. Even the toughest person couldn't bear that kind of pain.

Hua Mi thought as he saw the beastkin person fall.

But he didn't let his guard down.

There were still two more people.

One man and one woman, following behind the fallen beastkin.

The man, like Hua Mi, wore a robe, but his was green and not as stylish as Hua Mi's black one.

The woman had a slender figure and held a curved blade, looking like an assassin or some close combat specialist.

When they saw the beastkin person scream and fall, almost being killed in an instant, the two of them immediately stopped in their tracks, their expressions turning serious. They didn't dare underestimate this person in the black robe.

Hua Mi controlled his swarm of bees to block the path between him and the two newcomers. If they made any sudden moves, he would make them taste excruciating pain.

The man and woman exchanged glances and halted simultaneously.

Looking at their fallen comrade, whose abdomen was slightly rising and falling, indicating he was still alive but had fainted, they knew him well. He had a rather sturdy constitution, especially in some beastkin states, and wouldn't easily get hurt.

The fact that he was brought down with a single blow indicated the assailant's unfathomable strength. They must have held back.

If their adversary had shown mercy, they couldn't afford to be impolite.

"It's a misunderstanding. We didn't mean to cause trouble," the man said, placing his right hand over his chest and bowing gracefully.

Hua Mi, of course, couldn't easily believe his words. When they had charged with the beastkin, they hadn't seen such politeness. It was only because he had caught them off guard.

Hua Mi contemplated for a moment and then controlled the swarm to change shape into another line of text: "The alchemical crucible is with me, and I can give it to you."

The two of them, after reading the subtitles, appeared both surprised and delighted. They didn't expect him to be so accommodating. However, before they could say "thank you," the subtitles changed again: "The unchanging principle of alchemy is equivalent exchange. What can you offer?"

The two of them exchanged glances and realized that the black-robed person wanted to do business.

This was actually a good approach—civilized trading, each party getting what they needed.

"Please allow us to discuss," they said.

Turning away, they whispered to each other for a few minutes before turning back.

Carter took off a silver ring from his left hand. "This is a Focus Ring, crafted by the finest elven artisans in the Jade City. It slightly increases the wearer's focus when casting spells."

It could be useful for Hua Mi since controlling the bee swarm required focus, and when his concentration wavered, he would lose control.

But it seemed too little.

Hua Mi remained expressionless, implying that if they wanted the semi-automatic alchemical crucible, they had to sweeten the deal.

"Furthermore, we can offer you something else," Carter paused, looking towards their fallen comrade, "but that something is with my companion. Could you...?" He gestured towards the bee swarm.

Hua Mi controlled the swarm to retreat a little, allowing Carter to approach his fallen comrade. He bent down and retrieved a four-sided object resembling a Rubik's Cube.

Before Carter could rise, the beastkin person suddenly woke up, grabbing his wrist. His left face was swollen like a pig's head, with his eyes reduced to slits and saliva dripping from the corners of his mouth. He panted heavily, exhaling scorching hot gas. It was hard to tell whether it was out of anger or pain.

"The matter has been resolved, and we are here to negotiate," Carter said calmly.

"The Magic Box is our treasure; you can't have it!" the beastkin person protested through gritted teeth.

"Just as you said, this belongs to our team, not you personally. We're just temporarily entrusting it to you. Now Hilya and I have decided to trade it. Two to one, the resolution has passed."