Chapter 176 - 128: Trading Souls, Massive Purchasing

Chapter 176: Chapter 128: Trading Souls, Massive Purchasing

’Having a flying unit is so convenient. Saves me taxi fare and parking fees.’

Shen Xing smiled, then pushed his wheelchair to the main entrance.

With a BEEP, the automatic doors opened, and he rolled in smoothly.

The moment he was inside, a cacophony of shouts and discussions washed over him.

The Pioneer Association was as bustling with activity as ever today.

In fact, with the recent explosion in the number of Pioneers, the place seemed even livelier.

The sofas and chairs in the main hall were all taken, and long lines had formed at the service windows.

Players were gathered in small groups, making the hall as noisy and chaotic as a marketplace.

There were even people squatting by the entrance, grabbing any player who walked in to ask if they wanted to team up for bounty quests.

Shen Xing was naturally invited as well, but he politely declined.

Then, he weaved left and right through the crowd of players, crossed the hall, and entered the elevator bay.

He encountered no trouble along the way, and no one recognized him.

Although Shen Xing had taken first place globally, most people only knew his name; very few had actually seen him in person.

Even fewer would have connected this young man in a wheelchair with the much-talked-about Shen Xing.

Thus, he was able to take the elevator to the third-floor trading area without a hitch.

The trading area was just as loud and lively today.

As far as the eye could see, there were at least several hundred stalls, a many-fold increase from before.

Crowds of players were gathered in front of every stall.

From the looks on their faces, you could tell the stall owners were old hands, their expressions confident and composed.

The players standing before the stalls, on the other hand, had the distinct cluelessness and innocence of newcomers, looking at everything with a mix of novelty and bewilderment.

Just like Shen Xing himself had been.

"Come take a look, fresh from a drop! A Tier One [Phantom Clone Scroll]! A real life-saver in a pinch! Yours for just 500,000!"

"A common Two-Star Long Spear Species Nest, going-out-of-business sale! Only 700,000! You can’t go wrong at this price, you won’t get cheated!"

"Want to get ahead of other players? Want to become a great Grand Lord ruling over your own domain? Then come to me! I have an exclusive newbie guide right here, only 300,000! Get it while it’s hot!"

"..."

The veteran players stood before their stalls, hawking their wares energetically while observing the newbies’ reactions.

The new players were completely taken in, their faces hesitant as they debated whether to buy.

Shen Xing could tell these guys were swindling the fresh newbies.

The prices for many items were two to three times higher than normal. They were preying on the inexperience of these newcomers, scamming whoever they could.

Of course, there were also plenty of kind-hearted people nearby, advising the newcomers to check other stalls or just buy online.

Shen Xing watched for a moment before looking away and heading straight for a manned service window.

After all, he needed to buy a large and varied assortment of items this time. Trying to gather them all from so many stalls would not only be a waste of time, but there was no guarantee he’d even find everything.

Buying online might be slightly more expensive, but it had the advantage of convenience.

When Shen Xing arrived, a few other players were already being served, so he waited patiently in line.

About ten minutes or so later, it was finally his turn.

The person handling business at the window was the same young woman with her hair tied up in a bun from last time.

Shen Xing rolled his wheelchair forward, then pressed his finger on the scanner to verify his identity.

When the young woman saw the information displayed on the screen, her expression changed slightly.

But she quickly recovered, put on a professional smile, and said politely, "Sir, your membership level is quite high. I don’t have the proper clearance to assist you."

"Please wait a moment. Someone will be with you shortly to provide specialized service."

Shen Xing was slightly taken aback but quickly understood. He silently moved to the side.

A moment later, a young man in a gray suit with neatly combed hair strode over.

He greeted Shen Xing, then pushed his wheelchair into a private reception room nearby.

The newbie players who saw this were in disbelief.

"Huh, who’s that guy? He gets a personal attendant, and they’re so polite to him."

"No idea. Probably some hidden big shot. I heard only Gold Members who have spent over ten billion total at the Association get personal service!"

"Ten billion!?! Holy crap, I’ve only ever seen numbers that big when they talk about a billionaire’s fortune."

"That’s terrifying. He looks pretty ordinary, apart from being handsome. Who would’ve thought he’s a hidden ten-billion-dollar tycoon!"

"This circle really runs deep. I’d better be careful!"

"To think a big shot like that was waiting in line with us. He’s so low-key."

"..."

...

Meanwhile, in the VIP reception room of the third-floor trading area.

The room had a pleasant atmosphere, with several large leather sofas arranged to the side and a natural wood coffee table in the center.

Large windows let in plenty of light and offered a clear view of the street scene outside.

Shen Xing sat beside the coffee table.

The young man in the suit first poured him a glass of warm water and placed it in front of him.

Then, he smiled and greeted him, "Mr. Shen Xing, hello. My name is Ding Han, and I’m the manager of the trading department at the Jiang City Pioneer Association."

"I’m sorry, what was that name?"

"Er... Ding Han," the young man said, confused. "Is there a problem?"

"It’s nothing, just asking." Shen Xing shook his head. ’Poor guy.’

Ding Han’s smile returned, and he continued, "Mr. Shen Xing, you are one of our esteemed Platinum Members."

"From now on, when you come to the Pioneer Association’s trading area, you don’t need to wait in line at the front desk. You can just contact me directly."

"If I’m not available, another manager or deputy manager will assist you."

As he spoke, he handed over a business card.

Shen Xing took it, glanced at it, and stored it in his inventory.

The smile on Ding Han’s face deepened. He said politely, "Before we get down to business, I’d first like to congratulate you, Mr. Shen Xing, for taking first place on the recent leaderboard."

"You’ve brought great honor to Jiang City this time. We are all proud of you."

Shen Xing wasn’t surprised that he knew about this and gave a polite nod.

Then, Ding Han’s expression turned serious. "So, Mr. Shen Xing, what business brings you to the trading area today?"

Shen Xing replied, "I’d like to sell some items and purchase some materials."

"Can you see how much this thing is worth?"

As he spoke, he opened his right hand, revealing a Soul that radiated a brilliant light.

Seeing this item, Ding Han’s eyelid twitched. He asked subconsciously, "Mr. Shen Xing, this is a Leader-level Soul. It’s an incredibly important resource, even for the strongest experts."

"Are you sure you want to sell it?"

"Yes." Shen Xing nodded.

Ding Han pondered for a moment before saying, "We have a special buyback program for precious Souls, especially those of Boss Level and above, and our prices are very fair."

"This Soul of yours is Tier Three Leader Level. Based on recent market prices, we can offer you 93,000 contribution points. Is that acceptable?"

Shen Xing quickly did the math in his head.

93,000 contribution points was equivalent to ninety-three million Celestial Star Coins!

This price was already a bit beyond his expectations.

He had, of course, checked the recent market transaction prices before coming.

A Tier Three Leader-level Soul like this was priced between 85,000 and 94,000 contribution points.

He had expected the official buyback price to be a little lower, but it turned out to be quite high.

’Of course, this might also be because of my status, so he’s offering me the highest possible rate.’

"No problem," Shen Xing said with a nod. "Also, I’d like to purchase a batch of materials. Can you help me gather them?"

"Of course." Ding Han took out a tablet from under the coffee table. "Please tell me which materials you need, and in what quantities."

"I’ll estimate the price for you based on recent transaction values."

Shen Xing thought for a moment and said, "I need 500 pieces of Dark Steel, 500 Evil Energy Stones, and 500 Hellfire Seeds."

"Also, check the price for a [High Level Blacksmith Handbook]. I only need one of those."

"In addition to that, I also need Black Moon Knight Recruitment Scrolls. Get me 100 of them."