I almost howled in boredom.
"Hey, did you find anything on Corsairs online? What was their deal with Genghis? I followed you here on purpose, so we could talk about this away from the base."
Doc threw up his hands guiltily.
"No, Stan. There's no mention of the deal at all."
"How can it be? There's got to be something! What did you learn anyway? Maybe they found something valuable recently? Something at a cost comparable to the Eye of Dahamesh?"
"Nothing!" With uncharacteristic irritability snapped the necromancer. "Even if they found something, they are not going to post everywhere about it. It's a guild secret that shouldn't be up for discussion in the public domain."
"Okay. Anything about Uobo? The location itself? There's certainly a lot of information about that."
"Yes, plenty enough. But it's mostly about the local animals, quests, and dungeons. For example, there's lots of interesting stuff about Dzhubokko. It's the tree of death. Oh, if only we could get to it! It's a treasure trove for a necromancer! From Dzhubokko wood, I could make a staff with bonuses to the skills of Lord of the Dead. The bark and leaves are valued in alchemy. And fruit—all the more. They look like severed hands and hang only on the upper branches. They are difficult to get because the tree is poisonous. But each fruit costs several gold coins."
"Here you go again with your necromancy quirks! We should be worried about how to outdo Genghis!"
I wanted to add that if we didn't succeed, all this necromancy crap would be useless, unless he could learn how to bring back to life his patients at the morgue. Terekhov and his team would be done for. And he wouldn't get any more experimental drugs for his wife.
But at the last moment, I restrained myself. Why make the old man upset?
"Stan, what do you want from me? If there was any clue, I'd tell you."
"Well, I've been looking forward to seeing you. You're our only hope, Doc! Did you find out something that Terekhov forbade to tell me?"
"Oh, come on! We have to go back to the camp soon, and I haven't gotten all I wanted yet. If everything goes according to plan, I could raise a familiar today, at last."
Doc plunged into the exploration of alchemical ingredients again, making some calculations at the same time—apparently, he was trying to figure out if he had enough money for everything he wanted.
I left him alone and looked around the camp. I noticed a tiny two-wheeled cart, which was harnessed with a gray shabby donkey that had droopy ears and an expression of universal sorrow in his huge wet eyes. The wagon had a semi-circular linen cover, and the rear part of it was an improvised counter, supported by wooden crutches rested in the ground. Next to it, on the ground, sat an ash gray Xilay with a long narrow snout, that made him look more like a wolf than a cat. He was smoking a pipe.
The carriage lonely perched on the edge of the camp, hiding in the shadows of the far tent.
"Venerable," I said to the alchemist. "Your clanmate over there seems to have fallen out of favor? He doesn't even have a place in the camp."
"He's not staying long, and no one knows when he will be coming back the next time," he said. "It's Chang Fa. Itinerant trader."
Hm! I had heard about wandering Xy traders, but I've never seen one. It is difficult to track them down unless one knows their encampments. Their routes are unpredictable. So meeting one of them was considered to be lucky because they often had some very rare products.
Damn, as luck would have, the only cash I've got in the inventory is less than three gold coins! Everything else is in the Golden Harbor Bank. I doubt this Xy takes checks.
I left Doc so he could dig in "the aromatic treasures" and went to see what the traveling merchant had to offer.
"May the harmony of Qi be with you, Venerable Chang Fa," I said softly and bowed slightly.
It was important to show respect when dealing with the Xy. This is one rule I learned a long time ago. These furry guys were calm and judicious like philosophers who know Zen only at first glance. But deep down, they were insecure, touchy, and vindictive like overweight teenage girls. Plus, it hurt when they fought.
The merchant took a deep drag, released a cloud of tart white smoke, and only then lazily lifted one eyelid.
"Hmm... An Adept of the Path?" He drawled out, brightening up slightly. "What a surprise! An outlander from across the sea, who masters the wisdom of Qi principles is a rare phenomenon in the vastness of Artar."
"Alas. I'm not discouraged. The fewer competitors I come across on my Path, the more chances I have."
"Hasn't your sensei told you that only your own Path is important?"
"Of course, he has. However, if there were more monks, it would be harder for me to stand out."
Chang Fa squinted.
"Oh yes! Xy brought news. You are one of the first Masters of Water among your clanmates. This is commendable. What can the humble Chang Fa do for the victor over the black generals?"
"I'd like to see your merchandise. I know that travelling traders like you often have something very rare and valuable. Maybe you have some equipment or weapons that I'd be interested in?"
"Hmm..." Mused, the merchant drawled again. "Alas, Chang Fa does not trade weapons and armor in the usual sense of these words. However, he has unusual equipment, which is very useful on the journey to Artar."
"Well, I'd like to take a look. But I do not have much time, so you can move on to your most wicked goods."
Chang Fa smiled, exposing his fangs for a moment.
"Well, I'll try to impress you, Master of Water. For example, what do you think about this?"
He opened his palms and revealed a flat glass bottle in an expensive silver case with silver stopper in the form of a dragon skull. A glowing red liquid sloshed about in it.
"Boiling blood potion," said the Xilay as though I should have known what that was.
I squinted, looking at the bottle until the system gave me a more detailed description. Let's see…
Bottle of boiling blood. Class of the subject is epic. The effects of the potion: instant neutralization of poisons of rare classes and below; anesthesia for 60 seconds; bleeding stop; instant healing effect equal to the effect of the basic regeneration of the player for 15 minutes; acceleration of regeneration 5 times faster for 10 minutes; increase in Strength by 20% for 30 seconds.
Not bad. It's a healing potion, an antidote, and a buff to Strength in one bottle.
"How much does that cost?"
"Two hundred gold coins, young monk."
"What?!"
That's considering that I had relatively high reputation with the Xy, which meant that the price was fairly decent. I read the description again and saw the fine print.
"Good for three applications. The application effects are not summarized but are updated. The potion is continuously restored in the bottle by absorbing the life force of its owner and killed enemies. The base recovery rate is one charge per hour. While the charges are getting restored, the owner's Vitality is reduced by 5%. Each kill of an enemy whose Vitality equal to or higher than the owner's, reduces charge recovery time by 10 minutes."
Basically, it was bottomless! Also, its therapeutic effect was scalable since it was tied to the player's regeneration index. The buff was also based on the percentage—even though it was only for 30 seconds. Having this on my belt, I could forget about buying regular treatment potions. Just because of this, this potion would eventually pay off. Not to mention how convenient that was.
Yeah, I suppose this thing is worth the money.
"Incredible thing! I'm impressed," I praised the merchant's goods not to disappoint him. "But I'm afraid I can't afford it."
The Xilay shook his head in frustration.
"Well, I'm sorry. I saw that the young monk has Janji Hae's bead, which is much more expensive than this bottle, and I thought…"
"No, I don't blame you. Show me other things you found during your travels. Do you have anything that will make it easier for me to
travel through the jungle? I'm thinking of getting something like iron claws, so I can climb trees better…"
"Oh, I've got something better!" Chang Fa perked up and started to dig in the chests that were in the back of his wagon. "This is a magical shéng biāo made by ancient masters. Unfortunately, the secrets of handling this tool have long been lost, and only a few Xilay know how to do that. But shéng biāo can be useful not only as a weapon."
He finally pulled a shiny thing out of the chest and handed it to me.
It was a short dagger without guard, with a faceted blade, shaped like a narrow petal. It was sharp, shiny, clearly forged from a single piece of metal. Something like a scarlet tassel made of horsehair stuck out from the end of the handle, with a flexible thin rope partially made with silver metallic threads. It wasn't long—about three feet. At the end, it had a wide leather loop for wrapping it around the wrist.
The description was quite long but didn't provide a good explanation.
Silver stinger. Class of the object: epic. Requirements for the class of the player: None. Material: silver, titanium, moon jute fibers. Minimum length of the rope is 3 feet, Maximum length is 20 feet. If the rope is cut, the stinger returns to the equipment slot and cannot be used for 10 minutes, after which it is completely restored. In equipped condition, it gives the owner the ability "Eject the silver stinger", "Pull the silver stinger" and "Release of the silver stinger". "Ejection" is when the stinger moves along the vector given by the open palm, until the rope is fully extended or the target is reached. At the time of the skill application, the punching force of the stinger is increased. "Pulling" is when the rope fully retracts, pulling the object in which the stinger is inserted, or if it is too heavy, it pulls the owner to this object. "Release" can be activated when the stinger is stuck to retract the rope.
"You said it was a weapon, Venerable Chang Fa. But from what I can see, it's more like a grappling hook."
"Exactly," nodded Xilay, taking the stinger out of my hand. "Watch this."
He threw the rope strap over his wrist and looked around. Having found a suitable thick branch on a tree that grew nearby, he yanked his hand in its direction. The scarlet tassle of the dart flashed in the air, dragging the rope and piercing into the branch. In a moment, the Xilay flew up the rope as if pulled by a powerful winch.
"Yes, it's a handy thing," I nodded approvingly. "What did you say it's called?"
"Shéng biāo, which means "rope dart" in Xy," said Chang Fa, coming down from the tree. "In capable hands, it can work wonders. Especially against unarmored opponents."
He revealed the blade and made a few complex shapes with it in the air by increasing and reducing the length of the rope. I instinctively recoiled because, frankly speaking, the sharp knife, flashing in front of my face, was unnerving.
I was admiring the Xilay’s movements. They looked more like a dance or calisthenics rather than fighting techniques, but that didn't make it less impressive.
I could cut through the flesh and inflict lashing blows, with this stinger. I could entangle the enemy's legs. Finally, I could pierce them with "Release" and then pull. But learning how to use it in real combat will take God knows how much time. I am still a complete noob with the staff.
But this universal "hook" that helped climb trees and walls was simply indispensable. Generally, non-standard equipment was good to have. In some cases, it could be an ace up my sleeve. Or a Joker.
"How much?" I asked.
"One hundred and twenty-five gold coins. But in honor of the Master of Water, I would be willing to sell it for a hundred and twenty."
Damn it! A hundred and twenty gold coins for some rope with a hook on the end? Well, I gotta admit, the rope is unique. It supplements new skills. It's epic. It's expensive simply because it is rare.
But there was no point of negotiating with myself—I didn’t even have that kind of money in the bank at the moment. I couldn’t postpone this purchase either because it was not guaranteed that I come across this merchant again, and if I did, there was no guarantee that he’d still have the weapon.
As if taunting me, Chang Fa looked at the solar disk rising above the horizon and began to pack. He took off the counter his few goods, folded props, and put a leather bucket of water in front of his donkey.
"Wait, Venerable! Are you leaving so soon? Please stay here a little longer!"
"Sorry, young monk. I've spent three days here, and I was going to hit the road at dawn. So I'm already too late."
"Where are you heading now? Where do you plan your next stop?"
"Wherever my Path takes me," smiled the Xilay. "Our plans and thoughts are insignificant for Qi."
Damn it! I wanted to take a Shadowbird to Golden Harbor and return with the money. Fortunately, the tower was close, and I saw one of the winged phantoms landing just now. I could pull out all available cash from my personal account and borrow the remaining amount from a lender. I heard that they charge crazy interest, but I'd find a way to pay back. But that didn’t matter. Even if I had the full amount at the bank, I just didn’t have time to get it.
"So what did the young monk decide? Did he like my merchandise?"
"You bet! Unfortunately, I do not have enough money."
"Too bad. Well, maybe fate will cross our paths again someday. In the meantime, goodbye, and may the harmony of Qi be with you."
Honest to God, those who came up with these traveling merchants are trolls! After all, they know that players don’t carry large sums with them, so as not to lose them after death to their enemies!
Think, Mongoose, think! Can I borrow from Doc? Hey, that's an option. He's the Treasurer on the squad and the only one of us who actively uses the auction not only to buy, but also to sell things. He's always trying to find a better deal for different potions, raw materials, and semi-finished products. He's probably saved up a small capital for these activities.
"Doc, Doc!"
"What's the commotion about? I almost spilled the fish-killers scales because of your screaming!"
"Can I borrow a hundred and twenty coins?" I blurted out without any forewords. "I'll give it back to you as soon as I can. I can return part of it today. I just need to fly to Harbor."
"A hundred and twenty of what?"
"Gold, of course!"
"I think the heat's getting to you. Where am I to get so much money? Especially after I spent all my cash on ingredients just now.”
I almost growled from frustration.
What other options did I have? Sell anything of value? My entire set of Terrask armor cost just about a hundred and twenty coins. But NPC-traders do not purchase the gear from players at full price. The most they would give is half the original price. It was unlikely that the locals carried so much cash on them. The economy in Artar is quite real, and NPCs don't make money out of thin air. I could only suggest that Chang Fa take my armor as part of the payment. But this would not be enough. I could also add the chakram to that?
No way! The stinger is very neat, of course, but it's not worth trading my hard-acquired gear. What am I supposed to do now, run naked through the jungle like Mowgli?
"Stan, it's time to go," Doc called me, and his voice sounded alarmed.
Turning around, I realized why. Genghis was approaching us quickly, with his hand on the sword's handle. Just behind him walked Karim in his unchanging wooden mask, scarlet as fresh blood. They must have just arrived on a Shadowbird as they were walking from the tower.
"Why are you not at the camp?" Genghis inquired coldly.
"I had to buy something," replied Doc. "But we're done now. Let's go, Stan."
I didn't like his tone. Not that he was obviously fawning all over this hot couple, but for some reason, his response was too hasty. As if he was trying to justify himself or reported to the head honcho.
Doc pulled my sleeve, but I pulled back. I didn't take my eyes off Chang Fa, who was almost about to leave, and feverishly wondered what could be done.
Should I
just rob him? No, bad idea. This will for sure bring down my reputation with the Xy, which I've been working on for several weeks. And, judging by the Qi chart, this deceivingly puny Xilay will wipe the floors with me.
"Stan," Doc rushed me once again, glancing at Genghis.
I dismissed him irritably with my hand.
Damn it, Doc, why are you so afraid of this jerk? Unlike all of us, you haven't even seen him in the real world. And he didn't put a blade to your throat as he did with me.
Or was I wrong?
Usually, when you get a good idea, they say, a light bulb goes off. This means a kind of flash, enlightenment. But in my case, I felt like the clouds began to thicken in my head.
Why in the world would Genghis do such a favor for Doc? He dragged everyone else to his camp and cut us off from the outside world, disconnecting the NCI communication modules. Doc was the only one who was allowed to stay at home. Did he feel sorry for his sick wife? This thug? Hardly. Didn't realize that Doc could be our loophole? He could help us dig something up or go to the police, after all, if worse comes to worst... That was unlikely. This cold bastard was a master of calculation.
He could simply bribe Doc. Or intimidate. And even make him a snitch. Given Doc's situation, it'd be easy to corner him. So now I couldn’t even trust Doc? He was the only one from the entire team for me to talk to like a normal person!
"Is there a problem, Mongoose?"
I even twitched in surprise. I was so absorbed in my own thoughts that I didn't notice that Genghis was right behind me.
"Well... I came across a good thing from the traveling merchant. But he's already leaving, so I won't be able to get the money from Harbor in time."
"Is that a problem?" The leader chuckled. "I can lend you the money."
"Really?" I frowned incredulously. "With two hundred percent of interest, I suppose?"
"Without interest. It'd be help to a guild member," Karim chimed in. "We have a shared fund. At the end of each session, we drop our earnings there. The soldiers take some money for small expenses, food, potions, and Shadowbirds. The rest is redistributed."
"Not very fair, I think."
The Azure Dragon Page 11