"Sorry, our store is no longer in business."
Some time later in the Harlem area, in the middle of the ancient street known as Angel Street, Duan Qing, who came with Legend of Flame and others, looked at the dilapidated shop with house number 388 on the steps in front of him for a while, and then looked at it.
The clerk inside walked in slowly with strange eyes: "If you are the store manager's regular customer, Mr. Hart will take some time to come back. If you are a new customer..."
"We are new customers."
Looking around at the extremely scattered shelves in the store, Duan Qing interrupted the other party: "We want... um, your store is no longer in business?"
"Three of them look like adventurers, right?"
His eyes moved slightly, and the clerk bent down again: "As the three adventurers saw, the current situation in Zalaha City is a bit... special, so the store manager is ready to give up this place for safety reasons.
This is a time-honored store that has been around for hundreds of years.”
"Are you going to move?" Lieyan Legend, who was standing behind Duan Qing, asked with disbelief: "But we asked about it before we came here. Your store... should be the last store here, right?
"
"To be precise, it's the last store in the Harlem area."
He raised his gaze again and paused for a moment on the burly warrior behind Duan Qing. The clerk smiled and shook his head: "In other parts of the city, there are many shops that serve the imperial people, no matter what
Whether it’s their situation or their treatment, their living environment is much better than ours..."
"Is this the reason why you don't want to do it?" So Duan Qing responded to the other party's words in a low voice: "Even if there is no competitor?"
"There are many hawkers running out to sell. You should have seen them all when you came here, sir."
Pointing to the figures still selling goods at the corner of Angel Street under the steps they had just entered, the clerk replied with an apologetic look: "The chaos of the war not only created these competitors for us, but also made us
The business order has become chaotic, and more importantly..."
"There are no customers here."
After gesturing towards the various commodities and sundries scattered on the ground, the clerk said with a low smile: "Except for the necessary ingredients and clothing...everything else here is no longer visited by anyone."
"...Looks so pitiful."
The staff in his hand tightened slightly, and Xiao Yu'er, who had been huddled aside and said little, also sighed: "Is this the consequence of war?"
"The consequences of war are more than these, young magician." The clerk's eyes stayed on Xiao Yu'er for a while, and then he lowered his head again: "I'm sorry for the inconvenience.
However... all the magic supplies in the shop were sold out a long time ago."
"These things really don't seem to be of any use."
Picking up a wooden frame scattered at his feet, Legend of Flames muttered: "Wooden frame, wooden basin, and glass bottle... Don't you have any weapons to sell here? Even arrows or shields.
some type of……"
"That kind of thing is banned in Zaraha City." As if he mentioned what should be taken for granted, the smile on the clerk's face became even brighter: "The reason... you should understand."
"The security in the city is so chaotic, and many things cannot be traded... Is this what you want to say?"
Having already reached the counter inside the store, Duan Qing stopped beside the tables scattered with various types of papers: "In this case, the business here is indeed not easy..."
"Thank you for your understanding, adventurer." The clerk walked slowly to Duan Qing's side: "So... I'm sorry, our store is no longer doing business."
"Do you need any help?" He calmly withdrew his hand from the clerk's sight, and a bright smile broke out on Duan Qing's face: "We are adventurers, we are responsible for solving the problem.
We are notorious for trouble, so if you have difficulties with your business or relocation..."
"Well... I, a little clerk, can't decide." The clerk squinted his eyes and shook his head: "I'm sorry."
"...I wonder if you know someone named Maggie."
As if sensing the opponent's reluctance, Duan Qing revealed his trump card: "We have some personal relationships with her, so..."
"Sorry, I don't know the person you are talking about." The clerk replied without hesitation: "The store is just an ordinary shop in Zalaha City. We don't know any strange outsiders..."
"Outsiders?" The questioning voice of Lieyan Legend immediately sounded from behind him: "It seems that you know the situation nearby very well. You can confirm whether the other party is a local as soon as you hear the name..."
"..."
"A magician who wishes to remain anonymous introduced us here."
Seeing the other party's suddenly silent face, Duan Qing's casual eyes scanned the pages on the table: "After he talks here, some of our questions will be answered..."
"Sorry, I don't know any magicians." The clerk shook his head again and said, "This is Hart's store at No. 388 Angel Street. You may have gone to the wrong door."
"...Okay, let's take a look at this price list."
His eyes were fixed on the clerk who was still smiling for a long time, and Duan Qing, who winked at Legend of Flames, then picked up one of the lists on the table: "A set of Ceylon tea sets cost 20 gold coins. They look good."
Not bad, a handmade wooden barrel costs 5 gold coins each, and the price is not bad... Oh, there is also fine wine from the Thebilis province, 50 gold coins a pot, where did you get it from, Empire
Did someone give it to you?"
"This is... the remaining list of products in our store from before. It has now expired." The clerk's smile finally began to become unnatural: "For example, the fine wine you just mentioned has been sold for a long time.
The supply has been stopped before..."
"This page looks very new, it doesn't look like it was made a long time ago." Duan Qing, holding the page in one hand, flipped it back and forth twice: "I remember that Zaraha City was occupied by the Empire... at least
It must have been six months ago, right?”
"And the price is very 'reasonable'." Pointing to other places on the page, Lieyan Legend, licking his lips, also laughed: "I have tasted this kind of wine, and there is also this kind called Ulan.
This thing is actually priced at 40 gold coins... Wow, you guys are really dark-hearted, I remember this thing only sold for 20 gold coins at Kosca."
"I can understand the idea of making a fortune during the war..."
The aura on their bodies began to gradually rise as the questioning progressed, and Duan Qing and Lieyan Legend gradually surrounded the clerk on both sides: "But... didn't you just say that you were going to close down? Why?
Are the prices of items sold still being raised?”
"Yes, yes, I have never seen people like you doing business." Legend of Flame also smiled and clenched his fists: "You are simply a business genius."
"Either your time-honored brand that has stood in Zaraha City for hundreds of years is just a fake, or there is something wrong with your heads." Duan Qing looked at each other with squinted eyes: "Or... you don't have any at all.
Planning to move?”
"Well... we..."
Boom——
A loud landing sound then appeared in front of the store, located on Angel Street in front of Hart's store. A pushed vendor then appeared in the field of vision of several people who turned their heads at the same time, with a large pile of scattered goods behind him.
The goods fell together. He took back the action he had made secretly. The clerk, whose attention seemed to be attracted, then walked out of Duan Qing's trap in a few steps, and then several passers-by also stopped and stared.
, he caught the sight of several imperial soldiers behind the vendor: "Despicable bugs! How dare you run away?"
"I, I didn't run away, how dare I...how dare I disobey the orders of several adults?"
"Didn't run away? Do you think some of us are blind?"
With another heavy slap in the face, the leader of several imperial soldiers reached out and grabbed the vendor who fell to the ground: "You knocked over the guard, and now you are trying to deny it! Are you?
…”
"Are you a spy?"
Suddenly interrupting his teammates, another Imperial soldier standing behind stepped over his companion's shoulders: "Todd just asked you a few questions, but you want to run away in a panic? What... do you have?
A secret that can’t be told, huh?”
"me……"
Pulling hard on the iron hand holding his neck, the vendor shouted with a sad face: "I'm wronged, sir! I don't have any evil intentions, I'm just an ordinary vendor, I..."
"Look what I found?" Another soldier who was checking the scattered goods suddenly stood up and said: "So many gold coins, and... wow, is this herbal medicine?"
"Since you came here on foot, you should know the rules of entering the city." His eyes returned from the herbs in the soldier's hand, and the soldier who was examining the vendors grinned: "Haha
Lomu City limits the entry and exit of similar goods, unless you have a pass issued by our empire, do you... have a pass?"
"me……"
"He has."
As these words rang out, the voice belonging to Duan Qing appeared next to the scene of the dispute together with his figure: "I can guarantee it."
"……Who are you?"
He let go and threw the vendor in mid-air to the ground. The imperial soldier who had slapped him before turned around and stared at Duan Qing's face: "An adventurer?"
"Ah...that's right." Duan Qing, who hesitated for a moment, finally calmed down his expression: "What, is there any problem?"
"I advise you not to cause trouble here." They put their hands on the hilts of their swords in unison, and several imperial soldiers turned their ferocious faces towards Duan Qing's direction: "When we just occupied this place
, there are many adventurers like you who like to join in the fun..."
"I know that we adventurers are often people who like to join in the fun in your eyes, but this time... I have no intention of causing trouble." Duan Qing bowed slightly as the Legend of Flame gradually approached behind him: "
We really know that guy, so..."
"Do you know this guy?" The leading imperial soldier exuded more murderous aura: "What is your relationship?"
"Not only do we know this guy, we know Captain Rodman."
After saying an unexpected name, Duan Qing turned around and smiled at the Legend of Flame behind him: "Right?"
"No, that's right." Legend of Lieyan, who was puffing up his chest and inflating his strength, was slightly stunned, and then said with a face of arrogance: "And that... By the way, Scott! And Mr. Scott, come on
We even had a drink together in Harlem’s Tavern last time!”
"...It turns out he's an adventurer hanging out with us."
After looking up and down Duan Qing for a while, the imperial soldier who was responsible for the interrogation nodded expressionlessly: "Since we are familiar with our two captains, then..."
"He is just an ordinary merchant, and he has learned a lesson now." Duan Qing put on a smile at the right time: "As for those things that you think are inappropriate, you can take them all away..."
"……All right."
Staring eyes moved back and forth between the two adventurers and the vendor. The imperial soldier reached out and motioned to his companions to collect all the herbs and gold coins scattered on the ground: "It shouldn't be possible to spare his life."
What kind of……"
"These adults are really kind." So Duan Qing clapped his hands and said, "I will mention this to Mr. Rodman after I go back."
"gone."
As if he wanted to remember the appearance of the two adventurers, the soldier once again looked at Duan Qing and the two for a while, and then walked away with the other team members who had finished cleaning up under the vague gazes around them.
Duan Qing, who watched them leave, then put away his poker face, lowered his head and waited for the passers-by to leave. Then, together with Lie Yan Legend beside him, he helped the embarrassed vendor behind him up:
"Are you OK?"
"I, I'm fine, thank you two adults." Seemingly still feeling sorry for the gold coins that were confiscated by the Imperials, the vendor with a cloth band on his head said pitifully: "Oh, what a pity.
Those herbs and gold coins, I spent a lot of hard work on..."
"They're just here to find you, store manager."
After standing beside a few people early, the clerk who had walked quietly to the vendor interrupted him in a low voice: "They know Maggie."
"..."
The sad expression on his face disappeared in an instant, and the vendor turned his head to look at Duan Qing and the two, and then buried his head in the action of collecting the scattered goods with a completely different gloomy expression from when he was bullied before.
"go in."
This chapter has been completed!