NOVEL WEB chapter 146
Chapter 71, Refund!
After leaving the hotel, Mu En quickly resolved his lunch and once again followed the route etched in his memory to the riverside at the boundary between the upper and lower towns.
The token in his hand, imprinted with a mouse design, was slightly warm, indicating that the underground black market had indeed opened. After changing into a black robe and mask that concealed his form and presence, Mu En jumped into the pipe by the river without any hesitation.
Inside the abandoned sewage pipe, the nauseating stench was far stronger than last time, as if countless corpses had rotted here.
Yet at the end of the pipe, Mu En did not see that towering figure that seemed on the verge of decay from last time.
Instead, another hoarse voice emerged from the shadows.
“Where is it?”
“Right here.”
Mu En showed the token in his hand to the scrawny, short figure in the corner, still unable to suppress his curiosity as he asked:
“What happened to the guard from before?”
“He’s dead.”
The scrawny, short figure replied, his tone neither happy nor sad, as if recounting the death of a rat by the roadside.
“The item is correct, go in.”
Mu En did not press further, after all, for those living in the shadows of Beirlande, dying suddenly in the street like a wild dog was nothing unusual.
He quickly passed through the corridor and entered the black market.
However, the moment he stepped in, Mu En suddenly felt a gaze from an unknown source sweep across him.
He instantly felt a chill run down his back, for even just a fleeting glance made him instinctively sense the terror of its owner.
Even if it wasn’t a Crowned One, it was probably not far off.
Fortunately, the owner of that gaze seemed uninterested in probing Mu En’s identity; after briefly sensing Mu En’s realm, they quickly looked away.
“There wasn’t this gaze last time.”
“So, it means a powerful figure came to take charge only after the black market reopened?”
“It seems the previous cleansing action had quite an impact on the black market.”
Mu En sighed slightly, then no longer cared.
The damage to the black market, from his standpoint, was a good thing, both emotionally and rationally, after all, this land had spawned countless darkness.
The phrase “you can buy anything” was light and airy, yet it concealed how much blood and tears were buried beneath.
But Mu En was not so naive as to think he could completely eradicate this darkness simply because of his status.
Because he knew he couldn’t do it.
In fact, no one could.
As long as Beirlande remained the most prosperous city on the continent, the shadows that grew stronger in the sunlight could never be eliminated.
Unless he gritted his teeth and took the lives of those wicked noble lords, bringing a great socialist glow to this world.
Ah, but he was a noble lord himself, so that was out of the question.
“I just hope to find the Dragon’s Blood soon.”
Mu En sighed; this place instinctively made him feel uneasy, and he wanted to leave as soon as possible.
…
However, after entering the black market, Mu En did not immediately seek out the Dragon’s Blood.
Instead, he went to a small shop.
A huge ram’s horn skull hung from the shop’s sign, making it extremely eye-catching.
“Scoundrel!”
Looking at this shop, Mu En couldn’t help but grit his teeth.
He hadn’t forgotten the immense suffering he endured just because he bought a drug from this very place!
It could be said that in that incident, the drug—no, it should be called the aphrodisiac that came with the drug—was the root cause of the disaster spiraling completely out of control!
So today, he had to demand an explanation!
Accompanied by the crisp sound of wind chimes, Mu En pushed open the door to the shop.
“Oh, my, a customer so early today?”
The shopkeeper, still wrapped in a large black robe, spoke in a hoarse voice, making it hard to tell if she was male or female. Yet, with her casual movements, the robe would outline a breathtaking curve.
She seemed to have just opened the shop, busy arranging the goods on the shelves. Upon seeing Mu En enter, her hood revealed a glint in her eyes, like a hungry wolf spotting a little lamb.
“What can I help you with, dear customer? This little shop has everything you could want.”
“Strange…”
Mu En scrutinized the shopkeeper, a hint of confusion crossing his face.
This time was different from the last; looking at this mysterious shopkeeper, Mu En suddenly felt a sense of familiarity.
Was it an illusion?
Or perhaps…
No, he couldn’t let this baseless illusion deceive him, nor could he assume a woman with a good figure looked familiar just because of that.
He was here to demand an explanation!
“I’m not here to buy anything.”
Mu En spoke in a deep voice, his tone altered by special processing, making it sound low and hoarse.
“Oh? So the guest is here to…”
Sensing the unfriendly aura emanating from Mu En, the shopkeeper became noticeably wary.
“Two months ago, I bought a bottle of from you.”
“Two months ago…”
The shopkeeper fell into deep thought, then suddenly realized.
“Oh, you’re that big… big client from back then!”
“You were just about to say ‘big fool,’ weren’t you?”
Veins bulged on Mu En’s forehead:
“I won’t quibble with you over the price for now, but I have one question: is the aphrodisiac you sold me legitimate?”
“Isn’t it legitimate?”
The shopkeeper asked, puzzled. “Isn’t the aphrodisiac effective? Can’t it even knock out an elephant?”
“Knocking out an elephant isn’t the issue.”
After all, even Celicia couldn’t withstand it for more than two seconds.
“But the problem is, that free gift you gave me—was it legitimate?”
“Free gift…”
The shopkeeper pondered for a moment, then as if struck by a thought, exclaimed in shock, “Could it be that you really used that medicine on an elephant? Along with the free gift?”
As he spoke, the shopkeeper looked at Mu En with a hint of pity.
No wonder he was so angry.
I heard that an elephant’s… well, it’s over a meter long.
Wouldn’t that go straight to the stomach?
Tsk tsk, it’s a miracle this person is still alive.
“Not at all!”
Mu En slammed the table in fury.
“I didn’t use the medicine on an elephant; your aphrodisiac is indeed quite effective. I just want to ask, why did you give me the aphrodisiac as a gift and advise me to use it together for better results?”
“Well… isn’t bundling sales a common tactic for merchants? It received great reviews before.”
“For those old lechers with ulterior motives, it might have received great reviews, but I’m not one of them!”
Mu En declared with righteous indignation: “I am a gentleman.”
“…A gentleman wouldn’t come to buy that kind of medicine, and I think with just a bit of basic potion knowledge, one should be able to discern the effects of that medicine.”
As he spoke, the shopkeeper shot Mu En a disbelieving glance:
“Guest, you wouldn’t be lacking in basic potion knowledge, would you?”
“Is… is that really important?” Mu En’s old face flushed beneath the mask.
“Of course! Whether you’re a mage or a warrior, isn’t basic potionology a required subject? Otherwise, when you’re out and about, would you dare to drink potions at random? What if the effects are bizarre and even turn you into a girl?”
“Ahem… In any case, it’s a fact that your actions have caused me great harm, so…”
Mu En cleared his throat twice and declared in a booming voice:
“Refund me!”