Huo Duoduo climbed up a ladder and pulled a red square cloth from the top shelf.
It looked very much like the handkerchief flipped around during a yangko dance.
“【The Great Magician's Square Cloth】: covering an item with it can hide the item's trace, rendering it undetectable by other Divine Relics.”
“Of course, it can only be draped over items, not people. Seeing as you've already found me a worker, I'll give you a discount.”
“299 gold coins! I'm really not scabbing you! It can't be detected by other Divine Relics, and it's not the only piece—the Great Magician has four Divine Relics in total, and collecting them all brings extra benefits! I only have this one piece here! Buying or not? You won't lose out!”
Fang Yuan paid the gold coins very decisively, even rounding down the change.
200 gold coins.
Huo Duoduo was so furious her hat went crooked. Stomping her feet, she pointed right at Fang Yuan's nose and barked, “Fang Yuan! I've already given you plenty of face! I gave you a discount!”
Under Huo Duoduo's furious gaze, Fang Yuan took out another 100 gold coins and placed them on top, looking innocent. “I just pulled out the money slowly. Why are you scolding me?”
Like a Sichuan opera face-changer, Huo Duoduo instantly turned from a thunderstorm into bright sunshine with a rainbow.
“Oh my, you're so polite, giving me an extra gold coin!”
Though Huo Duoduo spoke politely, her nose was already curling around each gold coin to sniff them over.
“That extra gold coin is just to ask you where I can buy food. Is there a lively night market around?”
Fang Yuan had no intention of creating gold coins.
Of the three people present here, she was the only one who believed she had a 【Blessing】 that could create gold coins.
She didn't plan to fool Huo Duoduo into believing she possessed this 【Blessing】. The 【Blessing】 was too fake—tricking a group of Candidates participating in the 【God Selection】 for the first time was fine, but trying to trick these divine creations who had stayed here for a long time was far too risky.
After all, if such a 【Blessing】 truly existed, the currency circulation in the Crucible would have collapsed long ago.
Besides, given Huo Duoduo's money-grubbing nature, if she found out Fang Yuan could generate gold coins, she would definitely gouge her to death.
Huo Duoduo delightfully collected the gold coins and sat down in front of Fang Yuan in a great mood, beginning to answer her questions.
“The Central Fountain Square in Ryder Town has food stalls, setting up every evening from five to ten. There are also night market stalls in the open field in front of the Sunset Post Office, though on a smaller scale than the Fountain Square. The ones who spend money there are usually Dandelion Spirits.”
“I recommend going to the Fountain Square. There's plenty of delicious food there, specifically meant to rip off... sell to you Candidates.”
Fang Yuan leaned down and straightened Huo Duoduo's crooked hat. “Are there any of your kin there? Can I get a discount if I drop your name?”
Huo Duoduo: “...” “You can try if you want the prices doubled.”
Fang Yuan tutted. “So your reputation among your tribe is that bad?”
Huo Duoduo: “...” “So what? Only the ones who earn gold coins are good Nose-Pouch Merchant Spirits!”
Huo Duoduo rubbed her nose, stood up, and resumed her sweeping work. “Anyway, here's a word of advice: no matter which stall you go to, keep an eye on your belongings so they don't get stolen!”
“Thieves don't care whether what's on you is bound or not. Once stolen, it's stolen, and they won't give it back to you!”
Fang Yuan patted her fluffball. “I'll keep a good eye on it.”
No longer bothering the busy Huo Duoduo, she pushed open the door to leave, even calling out a greeting to Night-Bound Butterfly, who was slumped on the ground in exhaustion, slacking off.
Night-Bound Butterfly no longer had the energy to come over and tear into her.
She slumped limply on the ground, feeling that the only benefit of working here was free room and board.
But no pay!
No freedom!
Couldn't go anywhere!
She wanted to go out and play!!
Seeing her pitiful state, Fang Yuan softened her heart and said, “Don't worry. If things go smoothly tonight, I'll bring back a buddy to share your workload so you'll have company.”
Night-Bound Butterfly: “?” So she wasn't the only person Fang Yuan wanted to scam?
Night-Bound Butterfly for a moment didn't know whether to gloat or think Fang Yuan was utterly outrageous!
Fang Yuan waved her hand before Night-Bound Butterfly could speak, putting on an “I'm just so kind-hearted” expression. “No need to be so grateful to me. I know, I understand. You don't have to be too moved.”
Night-Bound Butterfly: “?????” She no longer had the energy to curse at Fang Yuan.
She was exhausted. Let it crumble, lie flat, slack off, forget it!
She lay flat on the ground, planning to just sleep.
Who knew Fang Yuan would suddenly raise her voice and yell into the general store, “Huo Duoduo! Your worker is slacking off!”
Night-Bound Butterfly flipped upright in a flash and wildly threw up her middle fingers at Fang Yuan. “Screw your sister, Fang Yuan! Just you wait! You better hope I don't catch you when I'm free! I'm going to make you wipe ten thousand windows!!!”
Fang Yuan covered her ears and scampered off briskly, completely ignoring Night-Bound Butterfly's roaring from behind.
Night-Bound Butterfly's voice was quickly muted, likely because Huo Duoduo had come out to lecture her.
Fang Yuan strolled leisurely along Jingle Street. The sun had completely set, and with a snap, the streetlamps on both sides of the road lit up with dim light simultaneously.
The closer she got to the Fountain Square, the more divine creations Fang Yuan encountered.
Most of those stepping out from the residential houses were divine creations carrying turtle shells on their backs.
【Divine Creation: Age-Rind Turtlekin】
【Physical Characteristics: Bipedal humanoid divine creations with no distinct external differences from humans. Height: 1.5–1.7 m. The most prominent feature is a natural turtle shell on their back, completely fused with the spine, acting as both a protective organ and a record of age.】
【The shell of Age-Rind Turtlekin consists of concentric raised ring patterns. Each complete closed ring represents one year of life; their age can be inferred by counting the closed rings.】
【The shell patterns can store memory fragments of that Age-Rind Turtlekin, which can be "read" by touching to experience specific years.】
【Age-Rind Turtlekin prefer quiet, value emotions deeply, can smell the scent of feelings, and are passionate about recording history.】
Fang Yuan had seen the introduction to this race at the Fountain Square; she could recite it by heart even without checking her panel or scrolls.
“Excuse me.”
A withered hand patted gently toward Fang Yuan's direction, missing completely.
Fang Yuan stood to her side, her downward gaze landing on a back so aged it could no longer straighten, and the shell covered in closed ring patterns.
She appeared unable to see anything.
“Excuse me, is anyone there?”
Her voice was very old, slow and drawn-out like a jammed tape recorder.
“No one again...”
She sighed and was about to draw her hand back when she suddenly felt a warm palm press beneath hers.
“Hello, Grandma. Do you need any help? I'm a modern-day Lei Feng. Just call me Hammer Star.”
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