NOVEL WEB Chapter 758: Worried
The old woman leaned closer, as though sharing a rumor meant for him alone.
"You won't find them in any shop here, boy…"
She said this proudly as she had been staying here for a very long time.
"No merchant wants to bother with these. Too much work to peel, they say. And the shells scare some folk—makes them think the meat is poisonous. But my son… he knows where to catch them and how to raise them without magic feed."
That last detail caught Shane's attention.
Most exotic seafood in the Bazaar required enchanted water environments and specialized feed. They could be expensive, rare, and a pain to transport.
If her son had found a workaround, it was worth more than just a few skewers.
The woman smiled when she saw his interest. "Come. He's not far."
With still about three hours before the Grand Auction Event, Shane decided to follow her.
After informing one of her workers who was grilling another set of oversized shrimp, the old woman led him away from the main flow of the Bazaar, past the rows of food and performers, into a narrower street where the noise of the crowd thinned.
Soon, he found small storage sheds and portable tents lined the walls here, places where vendors kept excess stock or prepared food in bulk before bringing it out front.
'So there's a place like this…' Shane mused. He was already thinking that he had found a "quest" that none of the other Survivors had discovered yet.
Finally, they stopped before a tiny home made of what seemed like a container house.
The man standing behind it was broad-shouldered, with tanned skin, and seemed to be preparing food.
As Shane looked around, he spotted some plastic boxes filled with those oversized prawns. There were also several water tanks around with the same content.
They were definitely the ones being sold at the woman's store.
"Son, this one's interested," the woman said proudly. "He's got an appetite and an eye for quality."
The man's gaze turned to the visitor…
He immediately appraised Shane the same way a smith might inspect a weapon before a trade.
"Good morning, customer. I'm Zach… I didn't think that my mom would bring someone here. You must be interested in getting a steady supply." The man said.
Shane immediately nodded after hearing this.
"Yes… If that's possible."
Well, they would be out of here after 24 hours, so a steady supply seemed impossible. However, he wanted to listen to the man. Just in case he had a solution to this issue.
Most just walk past, thinking they're too much work," he said…
"But if you know what you're doing… they're gold."
Shane crouched beside the tank, watching as one of the prawns flicked its tail and darted to the other side.
"I'm guessing you don't put these in open market stalls because they'd draw attention."
"That, and I don't trust the Auction rats," the man said with a faint grin.
"They'd bid up the price until no one could actually afford a plate. I trade quietly."
Shane was shocked at what he just heard. He didn't expect that a person from this Grand Auction Nexus would say something like this.
Still, since it benefited him, Shane smiled and liked his reasoning.
"I mostly trade with hunters who bring me swamp herbs, fishers with access to clear streams, cooks who can turn ugly shells into something worth eating."
Shane then confirmed that this realm indeed had an active community, even if the Survivors weren't transported in this place. It was interesting information, knowing that these people weren't just created by the system but true people from another realm, trying to live as well.
Now, Shane couldn't help but feel curious about one thing…
"If we're not sent here… Who are your customers?" Shane randomly asked.
However, the man just smiled and didn't answer.
From here, Shane learned that Zach was not allowed to talk about that…
Still, Shane already had an answer in his mind.
"The Survivors from another Apocalypse I guess."
Zach couldn't deny or agree to his words and immediately shifted to their real topic.
Shane glanced at the stacks of insulated crates behind the man.
There had to be hundreds of prawns in there. Just a single crate could feed several dozen people if prepared right.
"How much?"
The man raised an eyebrow. "Depends. You looking to buy a feast, or are you thinking long-term?"
Shane didn't hesitate. "Both."
The man chuckled, clearly pleased.
"Alright then. I'll cut you a deal—twenty thousand Points for the lot. Every prawn I've got here, plus the ones in my warehouse… It'll be sent straight to your inventory. No bidding, no middlemen. You'll have no problem feeding 10,000 people with this supply. Furthermore, I'll be giving you a method on how to start a farm, plus the equipment and feeds that you'll need."
It was a lot of points, but for a supply this size, and the ability to distribute it among his people and even multiply them, it was nothing short of a windfall.
Shane also liked the idea of doing the farming instead…
He didn't have to think too much as he pulled out his BidLink, keyed in the transfer, and felt the device hum as the transaction processed.
A chime confirmed the payment, and the man wasted no time.
One by one, the crates shimmered as the contents were transferred directly into Shane's inventory.
Rows upon rows of massive prawns, neatly stacked in preservation packs that would keep them fresh for weeks even if they were taken outside the inventory.
By the time the last crate vanished, the storage tank was empty, and the man was grinning broadly.
"You ever need more, you find me," he said. "Don't go through the market. Word gets out, the scavengers will ruin this for both of us."
The old woman patted Shane's arm. "See? Told you they were worth it. My boy's been catching or growing these since before the rifts even opened."
"Rifts?" Shane repeated…
At this time, the old woman and her son froze…
They seemed to have realized their mistake. Just like that, Zach immediately looked at her mother and checked her device, similar to BidLink Communicator.
They looked so worried!