Chapter 394: A Ghost

Chapter 394: Chapter 394: A Ghost

"Why is it so expensive? Have the prices for parts gone up that much?"

Jing Chuan was stunned by the owner’s price. It was even more expensive than the shop next door.

"It can’t be helped. Business is tough these days," the owner explained to Jing Chuan.

"Alright, we’ll go ask at the other shops."

Jing Chuan had no choice but to lead Shen Hu away.

They started going down the street, asking from one shop to the next, only to find that each price was higher than the last.

The sky gradually began to darken.

Shen Hu checked the time, growing anxious.

"Jing Chuan, why does it keep getting more expensive the more places we ask?"

"There’s a bigger shop over there. Let’s go ask!"

Jing Chuan then led Shen Hu over.

Soon, they entered the shop, where a shrewd-looking owner greeted them with a grin.

"What can I get for you two?"

"Sir, how much is your SC-22 model transmission shaft?"

"4,000 Star Coins."

"Can’t you go any cheaper?" Jing Chuan asked the owner.

"Ah, I’m really not making any money on it," Owner Zhao Kong replied with a helpless look.

Jing Chuan sighed and started to leave with Shen Hu.

Just then, another customer walked in and said to Owner Zhao Kong,

"Sir, I’ll take an SC-33 model transmission shaft."

"Alright."

"How much?"

"1,500 Star Coins."

.....

When Jing Chuan heard that the higher-end model, the 33, was only 1,500 Star Coins, he froze. The pent-up anger inside him erupted.

His face a mask of fury, he stormed back, grabbed Zhao Kong by the collar, and snarled,

"You son of a bitch! You sell me the lower-end model for 4,000 Star Coins, but you sell someone else the higher-end one for only 1,500? Are you trying to fleece me?"

"Let go of me! I’ll sell it for however much I want!"

"If you don’t give me an explanation today, you’re going to regret it!"

"Why should I have to explain myself to a poor bastard like you?!"

...

The sound of their argument instantly drew a crowd of onlookers, who stood at the shop’s entrance, peering inside.

The other employees in the shop quickly notified the patrol guards.

At this point, a thoroughly infuriated Zhao Kong warned Jing Chuan,

"I’m warning you, I’ve already called the guards! They’ll be here any second, and then you’ll be sorry!"

"Screw you!"

Jing Chuan smashed a fist directly into Zhao Kong’s face.

"OW!"

Zhao Kong cried out in pain.

Just as Jing Chuan was about to teach the guy another lesson,

Shen Hu hurriedly pulled him back, saying,

"We have to go! The guards are coming!"

Jing Chuan immediately followed Shen Hu and ran out of the store.

At that moment, several patrol guards ran over. Spotting Jing Chuan and Shen Hu, they immediately shouted,

"Stop!"

Jing Chuan and Shen Hu broke into a run.

The two of them sprinted into a narrow adjacent alley, making a series of left and right turns until they shook off the patrol guards.

Afterward, the two of them leaned against a wall, panting, and slumped to the ground.

"Jing Chuan, what do we do now? We didn’t get the part, we hit someone, and we alerted the guards."

Shen Hu asked, his face full of worry. They would probably be disciplined when they returned.

"Sigh..."

As Jing Chuan calmed down, he began to feel a little regretful.

Thinking of all the frustrations he had endured over the years, his eyes couldn’t help but well up.

"What are you sighing about?"

Just then, a teasing voice suddenly came from their left.

"Who’s there?"

Jing Chuan and Shen Hu were startled and whipped their heads around to look.

They saw Long Ming slowly emerge from the shadows, a smile on his face as he looked at them.

"A ghost!"

Jing Chuan and Shen Hu jumped in fright. They scrambled to their feet and were about to bolt.

Long Ming was speechless when he saw this and quickly shouted,

"Stop! It’s me, Long Ming! Don’t you recognize me?"

Jing Chuan immediately stopped in his tracks. He turned his head with difficulty, stammering,

"A-are you a man or a ghost?"

"What do you think? Of course I’m human."

Long Ming spread his hands and replied with a smile.

Hearing Long Ming’s words, it finally dawned on Jing Chuan. He excitedly rushed forward and hugged Long Ming, shouting with reddened eyes,

"Brother, you’re not dead!"

"Don’t get so excited."

Long Ming replied with a laugh.

"How can I not be excited? You’re actually alive! What the hell happened?"

Jing Chuan and Shen Hu were ecstatic.

"It’s a long story. Let’s find a place to talk."

Long Ming didn’t know how to explain it all at once.

"Okay, let’s go."

The two of them pulled Long Ming out of the alley.

「A short while later.」

The three of them went to a small barbecue joint, where Long Ming ordered some meat skewers and beer.

Jing Chuan and Shen Hu began to wolf down the food as if they hadn’t eaten in days.

"Slow down, no one’s going to steal it from you."

Long Ming couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight.

As Jing Chuan ate a skewer, he asked,

"Long Ming, didn’t you die taking that monster down with you? How are you still alive?"

"I’m not sure myself."

"Then why didn’t you come find us?"

"I only just arrived in the City of Stars a short while ago."

Long Ming explained to Jing Chuan.

"So that’s how it is."

Jing Chuan nodded.

"By the way, how have you all been while I was gone?"

Long Ming asked.

Hearing this, Jing Chuan and Shen Hu stopped with the skewers halfway to their mouths, their expressions darkening.

"Why aren’t you saying anything?"

Long Ming could clearly sense their moods had soured.

"Sigh... I’ll be honest with you. While you were gone, things have been terrible for us. Back when we entered the lizardman civilization’s world, we got our asses kicked. It was a massacre; a lot of people died! Things didn’t get much better after we joined the Star Alliance. We’re discriminated against here and run into obstacles everywhere. In battle, we’re assigned to the most dangerous zones, but we get the crappiest loot. We get the worst food, the worst equipment, and the hardest work. On top of all that, a bunch of guys are harassing Luoxue every single day. Life has been absolutely miserable."

Jing Chuan grabbed his beer and took a huge gulp, feeling utterly suffocated with frustration.

"How could that be? In her letters to Xiaoqi, Luoxue said you guys were doing great," Long Ming asked, his brows tightly furrowed.

"What choice did we have? Morale was already low. If we sent back bad news, everyone would have just broken down," Jing Chuan explained, his spirits low.

Long Ming was silent for a moment before looking up at Jing Chuan and asking,

"Why did you get into a fight just now?"

"Huh? You saw that?"

"Yeah."

"We came out to buy parts for the Harvesters, but those crooked merchants were deliberately targeting us, doubling the prices!"

Jing Chuan grew more and more furious as he spoke.

"Why? They’d turn down business?" Long Ming asked, not quite understanding.

"It’s probably because Luoxue rejected an offer of a hundred free Harvesters from some guy, and we ended up pissing off that boss named Marconi. The guy saw that we couldn’t afford new Harvesters, so he’s deliberately taunting us with a twenty-percent discount!" Shen Hu explained in a low voice.

"Is a twenty-percent discount a good deal?" Long Ming asked, his eyes lighting up.

"Of course it’s a good deal. You can’t even get them at cost for twenty percent off. The problem is, even with the discount, it’s still 400,000 Star Coins each. How could we afford that?" Jing Chuan said, waving his hand dismissively.

"Let’s go. Take me there!" Long Ming said to the two of them.

"But... we don’t have any money. We don’t even have enough for the parts right now."

"You don’t, but I do."

"You do?"

"That’s right. Huddle up, I’ll tell you what to do."

"Okay."

The two of them immediately leaned in closer.

Long Ming whispered instructions in their ears.

...

「A moment later.」

Jing Chuan led the other two back to Marconi’s shop.

When Marconi saw Jing Chuan’s group return, he sneered,

"What are you doing back here?"

"We’re here to buy something, of course."

"I already told you the price. Take it or leave it!"

"Your price is a total rip-off! We might as well just buy new ones!"

"Stop pretending to be a big shot. If you’ve got the guts, then buy them! I’ll give them to you for twenty percent off!"

"Twenty percent off? 400,000 Star Coins for one Harvester?" Long Ming looked at Marconi to confirm.

"That’s right."

"No limit on the quantity?"

"No limit! The question is, can you afford it?" Marconi said scornfully.

"Alright then. We’ll take twenty."

Long Ming said without hesitation.

Marconi was taken aback for a second, then he sneered.

"You can say you want twenty, but you still have to pay for them!"

"No problem. 8,000,000!"

Long Ming raised his wristband and was about to initiate the transfer.

"Stop! I’m not selling to you!"

Seeing Long Ming’s wristband enter the transfer interface, Marconi started to panic.

"That’s not up to you anymore. I recorded everything you just said. If you dare to refuse the sale, we’ll file a complaint with the Military Department. Your shop will be shut down!" Jing Chuan threatened Marconi.

Hearing Jing Chuan’s words, Marconi’s expression turned ugly.

"You’re screwing with me!"

"You’re the one who started messing with us. Now, either you deliver the goods, or we report you!" Long Ming replied in a cold voice.

"Brother, let’s talk this over. I’m just a businessman. How about this? I’ll admit defeat. I’ll sell you the parts at cost, how’s that?"

"It’s not that simple. We want ten Harvesters, 400,000 each, and you’ll throw in the parts for free. Also, tell that colleague of yours who got beaten up not to cause any more trouble. Then we’ll call it even."

"This..."

"If you’re not happy with that, then don’t blame us for what happens next."

"Fine! My bad luck!"

Marconi agreed through gritted teeth.

"Let’s settle the bill."

"That’ll be 4,000,000 total."

"Transferred."

Long Ming completed the transfer without fuss.

Seeing Marconi’s defeated expression, Jing Chuan and Shen Hu couldn’t help but laugh.

Long Ming then said to Marconi,

"You know where to deliver the goods, right?"

"I do," Marconi said with a sigh.

"Good. And one more thing, if there’s anything wrong with the goods you deliver, be careful, or I’ll make you pay until you’re bankrupt."

Long Ming didn’t forget to add a final warning as he was leaving.

"Don’t worry, sir. Don’t worry."

Marconi forced a smile and replied obsequiously.

"Let’s go."

Long Ming then led Jing Chuan and Shen Hu away.