Chapter 3: Transactions

Lin Qi let out a loud belch, and Enzo silently stepped forward, placing the rolled cloth heavily on the square table. The cripple quickly unwrapped the cloth, revealing six daggers coated in anti-rust oil. The grips were just the right size to fit in a hand, and the blades measured four feet in length, adorned with evenly spaced cloud and water patterns, clearly indicating excellent steel quality. The tips of the blades gleamed with a dazzling bluish-green hue, emanating a sharp and chilling aura that made it difficult to look directly at them.

The promising little devil, his father truly has an extraordinary child, the cripple thought to himself

"This damned little brat, how did he find this treasure?" The cripple trembled with rage, but as his gaze swept over Lin Qi, he noticed Enzo standing not far from Lin Qi like a sharp sword. The cripple couldn't help but grin and shook his head helplessly

With a dismissive gesture, he tossed the gold and silver coins onto the only small square table in the room. The crippled man raised his head and laughed: "Uncle Cripple has many lovely little roosters and larks here. As long as dear little friends can present me with something I find interesting, the price is not an issue"

Lin Qiman casually crossed his legs and said with a smile: "Does it matter where they come from? In any case, they won't stay in your hands!"

The cripple furrowed his brow, pondered for a moment, and suddenly chuckled while shaking his head

Feigning generosity, the cripple pulled out a greasy pouch from his bosom and tossed a handful of gold coins onto the square table.

The gold coin currently used by the Seventh Empire features the likeness of King Louis XIII on the obverse, while the reverse depicts a proud and spirited rooster. Everyone associated with the road instinctively refers to the gold coin as 'O-O Call.' As for the Empire's newly minted silver coin, its reverse showcases a soaring lark, which has earned it the nickname 'Chirp Call.'

Lin Qi raised an eyebrow, and both hands simultaneously withdrew into his sleeves. Enzo silently placed his hand on his waist, where there was a hidden pocket containing a long sword identical to the dagger on the table. Enzo assessed the distance between himself and the cripple; with just one thrust, he was ninety percent confident he could pierce the cripple's throat

In the pitch-black corridor, only a beam of light shone from the stone wall. The crippled man leaned against the stone wall, his eyes pressed against the sliver of light as he peered outside—on the other side of the stone wall was a small room furnished comfortably, illuminated by the glow of a dozen white candles, making the modest space brightly lit. A circle of large chairs covered in animal skins surrounded the room, where Lin Qi sat on one of the large chairs, wearing a peculiar smile that made one want to punch him in the face, as he gulped down wine.

The candlelight in the room flickered slightly, as an object moved within the space, causing the wind to disturb the flame.

Before this piercing sword, the armor that only a mid-level general could wear is utterly powerless, which illustrates the extent of the piercing power of this sword

The cripple's pupils shrank to the size of a pinhead. He recognized the bronze wine bottle in Lin Qi's hand; it was one of the few bottles of rum left from a century ago in the cripple's shop. A century-old fine wine, its value can no longer be measured by money, existing more as a legend of the cripple's shop.

As the candlelight flickered, the crippled man retracted the dagger and examined it carefully in front of him. The blade bore only a few scratches finer than a hair, and was essentially undamaged. He couldn't help but exclaim in admiration; the armor displayed in the corner of the room was a set he had spent a considerable sum to acquire from the imperial regular army's supply depot, a standard armor that could only be worn by mid-level commanders.

He reached out and pressed against the stone wall, which silently slid open on one side, allowing the crippled man to walk out with a radiant smile.

Following a hidden passage behind the wine cabinet, the cripple moved cautiously, making not a sound, as he navigated around a large pile of rum and liquor barrels, crawling over two large boxes filled with smuggled tobacco and sugar. At the end of the passage stood a stone wall

Casually grasping a dagger, the crippled hand trembled, and the candlelight in the room dimmed simultaneously. A sound akin to a venomous snake striking filled the air, as several indistinguishable glimmers of cold light sliced through the atmosphere, piercing into a suit of armor standing in the corner of the room.

Lin Qi's eyes suddenly turned golden yellow, and he cheered as he rushed forward

"Hey, hey, what good things has my cutest little friend brought me?" The cripple rubbed his hands vigorously, deliberately avoiding looking at Lin Qi, who was sitting there drinking. His greedy eyes were fixated on the bundle under Enzo's arm. He was well aware of Lin Qi's personality; without sufficient benefits, he wouldn't step into the cripple's shop. This was a young man, still in his youth, yet more astute than any old-timer on the street.

The hairs on the back of the lame man's neck suddenly stood on end, resembling a frog being stared at by a venomous snake, and goosebumps erupted all over his body

The cripple fixed a piercing gaze on the bronze wine bottle rolling on the ground, slowly retrieving a gold coin and a silver coin from his belt.

Upon seeing the limping man enter, Lin Qi vigorously shook the wine bottle, pouring the last remnants into his mouth. Exhaling a contented breath of alcohol, Lin Qi casually tossed the bottle to the ground, producing a sound that pained the limping man. Satisfied, he let out a hearty belch and cheerfully clapped his hands, exclaiming: "Dear limping uncle, every time I see you, it feels as if I am witnessing a multitude of golden 'oohs' and silver 'chattering' sounds. You will offer me a satisfactory price, won't you?"

This set of armor is primarily made from thick cowhide, with palm-sized steel plates embedded in key areas. Under the force of the lame sword, the cowhide is torn apart as if it were paper, and the steel plates, which are as thick as a finger at the chest and armpits, emit sharp moans as they are pierced by the sword tip

The cripple let out a cold snort, placing the刺剑 on the table with a heavy heart, squinting his eyes as he gazed silently at the six刺剑.

After pondering for a moment, the crippled man coldly shook his head and said: "Will there be such exquisite weapons in the military academy's storeroom? Damn it, a sword that can pierce through a one-palm-thick homogeneous steel plate is indeed a treasure, and many people are willing to pay a high price for it. But I want to hear one honest word: where did you get it from?"

Seeing the result of the lame man's sword test, Lin Qi burst into hearty laughter, equally excited as he rubbed his hands together, envisioning countless gold and silver coins swirling before him. He smiled at Enzo and said, "I told you so, I told you so, this batch of goods is sure to satisfy Uncle Lame, isn't that right, Uncle Lame? We managed to get this out of the military academy's storeroom with great difficulty!"

"Oh, oh, what a lovely little treasure!" The eyes of the cripple sparkled as he nimbly leaped onto the table, his fingers delicately gliding over the six daggers, akin to a passionate wanderer caressing the body of an unparalleled beauty. His fingertips trembled slightly as they meticulously traced every cloud and water pattern on the blade, the steel dense and resilient, indeed a top-quality sword.

Enzo's hand firmly gripped the hilt of the sword, his stern and piercing gaze fixed intently on the throat of the cripple.