Chapter 16 Thousand Faces

"Second update!"

A thumb-sized garnet flows with a slightly shiny silver**. It is like a naughty child, playing hide-and-seek in the room where the dwarfs are thinking about it. Every flow reflects a soft but inconvenible glimmer through the smooth surface of garnet.

"It's so beautiful." Lu Yuewu marveled in a low voice.

"But it's also expensive."

Leo pointed the garnet at the sun. The Auster magic crystal inside the gemstone is like a silver pearl. But no matter how strong the light is, it is indifferent and always emits the same flash of stars in the night sky.

"What the hell! If you think it's expensive, give it back to me!" Ballold, the dwarf, shouted angrily, pointing to Leo with a strong point, "If it weren't for you, I would have thrown out the guy who dared to ask me for the Austrian magic crystal! You don't understand what it means to dwarves!"

"How can I not know?" Li Ou held the garnet in the palm of his hand and felt the cool temperature maintained by the gems. As long as a little is added to the forging, steel can be as bright as new for centuries. It is immortal to you.

"You are exactly the same as your father! A big basket of nonsense!" The dwarf Balode said angrily, "Since you know, pay and leave happily. I'm very angry when I see you now!"

"Okay, okay." Li Ou couldn't help shaking his head and smiling bitterly, "I'll pay for it."

It's really a generation, and he still has to call Ballold "uncle".

"A total of 20 Oren! Then pick up your things and go!" Balode waved his arm and urged him as if to drive away flies. "It's not easy for old Leo to leave, and there's another small one." He whispered, "Sooner or later, my inventory will be emptied by you--"

Swords and armor collided on the street outside the store. Or the crisp or dull sound is mixed rhythmlessly, as if someone is throwing iron. Several porters in sleeveless shirts on the street gathered around a four-wheeled truck and threw weapons and armor wrapped in moisture-proof oil cloth at the car.

At first glance, Li Ou felt that they were scavengers selling scrap copper and iron, but those weapons and armors that showed a corner from the oil cloth told him the truth. They are as bright as new, and the reflected sunlight is as cold as ice.

Trafficking weapons?

But who has the courage to turn a blind eye to the weapons* regulations promulgated by the city owner and blatantly pile up a whole set of swords and armor all over trucks?

In doubt, Li Ou saw several city guards coming. He was thinking that a good show was about to be staged, and the dwarf next to him seemed to see through his thoughts and spit out a word in disgust: "Bry."

The heavily armed city guard stepped forward, and the porters immediately shrank aside in fear. At this time, a man in well-fitting satin clothes, a black dome hat and a shrewd businessman came out of the next shop. He was followed by a guard with a hand on the hilt of the sword.

He pointed to the shop he had just walked out of and said something at the same time. The two porters hurried in and carried out several weapons wrapped in tarp and threw them on the car. And he went straight to the city guard.

He was obviously familiar with several city guards, talked and laughed with them, and handed over a bulging cloth bag in broad daylight. The city guards seemed to be blind, passing through the porters without squint and went far away.

After finishing the city guard, the merchant-like guy led the guards door-to-door towards them. Every time he passes by a store, the porter behind him will more or less remove weapons or armor from each store. Soon, the goods piled up like mountains. The horse was out of breath, and the truck creaked and overwhelmed.

"Is he going to die? Balode?" Li Ou asked doubtfully, "What we see now is enough to hang him three times."

"Life? Only the bright Oren gold coins are their lives.

"You seem to be familiar with him?"

"At this time of every month, I can't wait to close the door!"

"So, who is he?"

"Weapon merchants and smugglers." The dwarf said angrily, "Today is fucking unlucky!" He watched the guy come towards him and curse in a low voice.

"Listen to you, he seems to have used some shady means."

"That's not the first time. The price they gave was fair..." The dwarf's voice gradually lowered, and then suddenly raised it. "But I just don't want to sell it to them! Dwarves' things are only sold to friends!"

The merchant saw the dwarf Balode from afar and took off his hat and bowed to salute.

"Mr. Barrod, have you thought it over?"

He looks about 30 years old and has a slender posture. There is a short stubble on the upper lip and chin, and the face is full of eager smile, which makes people feel good at a glance.

The dwarf refused in a stiff tone:

"Sinshaq, I'd rather melt them into iron than sell them to you!"

A shrewd businessman will never be discouraged by this.

Sinsak smiled carelessly. He persuaded in a demagogic and restrained voice: "Mr. Ballold, you haven't traveled for many years, so naturally you don't know how valuable a set of all-steel eagle armor made by dwarf craftsmen is now. As long as you leave the star ocean and reach the narrow sea, it can almost change to the same weight of gold.

"What does that have to do with me?" Balode interrupted him in a muffled voice and hummed heavily, "I'm not your worker!" Every item of mine has its own place.

However, one word woke up the dreamer. Li Ou suddenly realized that this was the reason. Dwarves are just because of their self-esteem or face. This is a matter of face, not a lack of price.

Everyone understands.

Barrod also consciously lost his words and sat aside with a black face and drank himself.

But Sinsak maintained his previous appearance as if he didn't understand, and Leo couldn't help but be fascinated by his acting skills. They are all made for your friends, right? He asked knowingly.

Barrod was silent.

Sinshaq is one step closer. He looked at Li Ou and even Lu Yuewu, and his poisonous eyes swept over the freshly baked steel sword in their hands. They are your friends, okay?" Sinsak smiled at Leo and said, "If they order eagle armor from you, you will definitely build it for them. How about I buy more from them then?

"This is impossible! Since I knew it, I wouldn't sell it to him!"

"But what if I didn't say it just now? You don't know, do you?" The corners of Xinshak's mouth rose slightly and looked like a bamboo in his chest. "You have a wide range of friends, and I can look for others. Can you still tell by then? In this case, why do you have to do so much?"

Leou couldn't help cheering for his eloquence.

Barrod was silent. Sinsak was not in a hurry. He patiently watched the dwarves pour the bucket of rye into his mouth until the last drop of wheat-colored **.

The barrel fell on the table and made a "dong" sound.

"Sinshaq, I remember you!" The dwarf let go of his voice and shouted, "Remember to send me a big barrel of wine tomorrow!" Damn, call your dog's leg over! I'm fed up with them blocking my door!" When two porters entered the store, the dwarves began to roar again: "The second set! Don't you have fucking eyes? The second set! Count the second set from the right! Whoever dares to touch anything else with your dirty hands, I will chop his hand!"

The two porters struggled with the dwarves' anger for a long time before reluctantly removing the armor from the shelf. At this time, their whole body was wet with sweat, and their arms were so numb that they were almost unable to lift them.

Sinsak couldn't help frowning. He waved his guard to help, but Leo stood up. He took a step forward and stood in front of Hinshaq.

"This gentleman?" He asked puzzledly.

"Mr. Sinsak, you are a businessman, aren't you?" Li Ou smiled gently, "Then why don't you follow the merchant's method and use the means of robbers? Their behavior is disgusting."

"What's the matter?"

"If it's a transaction, there must be an agreement. The value of a set of eagle armor should fluctuate with the market; if one party breaches the contract, how much should be compensated... These must be bound by clear terms to make people convinced.

"You know," the smile on Xinshaq's face restrained, "our industry is precarious, and I can't guarantee that I will stand here tomorrow."

"Isn't it more appropriate to sign a contract? Otherwise, how can our interests be guaranteed? Business is a matter of both sides, and it is a transaction to take what each needs.

"That's right, but..."

While paying attention to Hinsak's expression, Leo secretly winked at the girl beside her and asked her to be careful. There is no need to be too careful about smugglers.

"But if something happens--" Leo interrupted him, "You can hide at sea or underground. But Balode and I are neither seagulls nor mice. How can we find out where you are? At that time, it was a waste of effort. I'm afraid I had to put on something else.

"Hey, boy! Hey, I'm talking about you two!" The dwarf Barrod called two porters, "It's you two, put down my eagle armor and wait for us to finish. Sinsak, tell your guard to stay away from us. I'm freezing with the cold air in their eyes.

Sinsak waved angrily and scolded the guard and stared at Li Ou angrily, but he couldn't find anything to refute for a moment. He began to look at Leo differently and looked at Leo more carefully than before, without letting go of any details.

"Sishaq!" Barrod urged, "It's like a woman! Hurry up and decide! It still doesn't work!"

Xinshaq ignored the dwarves.

"I haven't asked your name yet." He asked Leo.

"Liu. Alchemist."

"Alchemist." He repeated, "No wonder people often say that an alchemist is equivalent to half a shrewd merchant and half a mage with insight into the world, plus half a scholar who reads thousands of books."

Of course, Leo has heard this joke.

In another way, an alchemist is a half-baked man who is not proficient.

Li Ou shrugged his shoulders, "What's this?" He said, "Who let the smugglers shoulder the responsibility of stabilizing prices. The lord of the city may be awarded medals to them.

"If so, I have to thank them for them." Sinsak's eyes stared straight at Leo's left hand. Even though Leo noticed something was wrong and quickly clenched his fist, he was still a step late. He continued, "But even if the medal is on my chest, I probably can't get enough Oster crystals - what a charming and cherish - otherwise I will definitely lower its price for the benefit of you and your colleagues."

"Okay, Mr. Leo," Sinsak showed the smile of the winner. I agree to your proposal. But I have a condition--" He raised his index finger.

Li Ou took a deep breath and tried his best to ease his stiff expression.

"You say it."

"If you have a new... 'item'. Please contact me and I will give you a good price.

"He is keeping an eye on you." When Sinsak left, Balrod reminded Leo.

Lu Yuewu nodded and agreed. His eyes were like a poisonous snake just now.

I think he is more like a chameleon. There is always a mask to disguise yourself. Li Ou said, with confusion on his face, "But why?" He asked, "Just an agreement, or Oster Magic Crystal, makes him have ulterior motives for me?" I have no grudge against him."

"Have you been at home for a long time and even forgotten what years it is now?" The dwarf couldn't wait to knock Li Ou's head with a hammer. He shouted with hatred, "Think about it, how many alchemists still know how to use the Austrian magic crystal now? They probably even forgot how to configure the magic crystal solution!"

When he said this, Leo couldn't help shivering. He felt his hair erect and soaked in cold sweat. Maybe it's not that serious. He thought silently that the other party must be just guessing. Shinsak will definitely not startle the snake until he sees the evidence. He comforted himself.

"Liou, I know what you're thinking." Barrod sighed and said seriously, "But if they are determined to get something, they will have no scruples and do anything. Anyway, you have to be careful."

"It's impossible to prevent thieves all day long."

"I think--" The dwarf knocked on the head with his hands in distress, "Nova Chamber of Commerce!"

"Another smuggling group?"

"Who is not dirty now? Even I have to take some private work to make a living.

What are you kidding? Leo won't believe it.

"Okay, Nova Chamber of Commerce. I've heard of her name."

"Nova's reputation is better than that of Sinsak's thousand-faced hand. They at least know the confidentiality agreement. And--" The dwarf sincerely admonished, "For your father's sake, don't let Oliver sell any potions for you. How can there be ordinary good things in the world? Besides, can you sell medicine jars for a lifetime?

But he has agreed to Oliver.

Liou felt embarrassed. He tried to ask Lu Yuewu for help, but was cleverly avoided by the girl.

"Don't ask others, make your own decision." Barrod taught a lesson. But he saw that Leo was always hesitant and finally lowered his eyes in disappointment. Forget it," he waved his hand, "I'm going to write a letter, and you can help me send it to Mr. Haile Hurt of the Nova Chamber of Commerce. He will take care of you."