Chapter 427 Shark Beast Materials and [Pearl Spun Yarn]

The accidental destruction of the Armored Lurker Feather Gill during a previous battle had made Xia Nan highly sensitive to harvesting monster materials.

This did not mean he held back in combat out of fear of accidentally damaging something valuable.

Xia Nan knew full well that gold coins only mattered if he survived.

Thus, during battles with monsters, his first priority was always ending his opponent's life as efficiently as possible; everything else came second.

He simply used his free time to read as much as he could about monster materials on the Aifala Continent, hoping to avoid missing out on massive payouts just because he lacked the relevant knowledge.

Regardless of his motives, learning was always a good thing.

By now, he had gained a general understanding of many monsters across the continent. At the very least, he would no longer stare blankly at a hard-won carcass, clueless about where to begin harvesting.

Before deciding to head to Barracuda Bay, Xia Nan had even crammed some information on aquatic monsters, giving him a decent grasp of the subject.

The unfamiliar Shark Beast from Cliff Rock Island had been immensely powerful; even on land, its Challenge Rating was likely no lower than Level 4. Under such circumstances, its body materials were bound to be extremely valuable.

However, the fact that he hadn't seen it in the Monster Compendium left him feeling somewhat uncertain.

To play it safe, Xia Nan deliberately dragged the Shark Beast's corpse back to Cliff Rock Village on a raft. He sought the advice of fishermen who had spent decades in the trade, combining their input with his own rudimentary knowledge of aquatic monsters before finally beginning the harvest.

Unfortunately, the voyage between Cliff Rock Island and Barracuda Bay took around five days. Given the climate of the Southern Archipelagos, without adequate preservation measures, the corpse would quickly rot. This made it impossible for Xia Nan to transport the entire Shark Beast back to Barracuda Bay to be processed by professionals.

He could only select the parts that appeared highly valuable, were easy to transport, and wouldn't spoil.

In the end, the Shark Beast materials Xia Nan brought back from Cliff Rock Island consisted of the following:

1. Shark skin;

The rough, blue-gray skin covering the Shark Beast's entire body possessed astonishing toughness and physical defensive properties, which Xia Nan had experienced firsthand during their battle.

The tough feedback from the skin against his [Honey Tangerine] dagger while skinning the beast had further confirmed his assessment.

Its value didn't even require much knowledge of aquatic monsters to discern; any adventurer with a modicum of experience would know not to pass it up.

Xia Nan stripped and brought back nearly all the skin from the Shark Beast's massive three-meter frame. Thanks to the temporary treatment the Cliff Rock Village fishermen applied to it, it showed no signs of rotting even after five days and should fetch a good price.

2. Fins and claws;

A small chunk of the protruding fin on the Shark Beast's back had been chopped off during the fight, but its overall structure remained fairly intact.

Aside from that, the auxiliary fins on its elbows, outer knees, and tail also possessed decent sharpness, so Xia Nan sliced them all off to take with him.

The five black claws on its humanoid hands had performed exceptionally well in battle. Combined with the Shark Beast's immense muscular strength, they could easily pierce right through a human skull. Since they were relatively small and easy to preserve, he brought them along as well.

3. Swim bladder;

Xia Nan discovered its swim bladder during the dissection, located right in the center of the Shark Beast's chest, near its heart.

It was a translucent, fluorescent blue, shaped like a deflated oval air sac, and the air magic particles surrounding it were highly active.

Recalling the Shark Beast's performance during their battle—specifically the move where it suddenly blasted a massive torrent of water from its mouth, inflicting the severe injuries that ultimately led to Nick's death—that ability likely originated from this unique swim bladder.

Barring any surprises, this was likely the most valuable piece among all the materials.

4. Scraps like bones, tendons, and sinews;

The Shark Beast's bones were relatively light, yet they supported its extremely dense, robust external musculature, giving them a certain degree of structural strength.

Its tendons and sinews were also quite impressive in terms of elasticity and durability; perhaps they could be used to craft bowstrings.

Since these parts wouldn't spoil after some simple processing anyway, and the Flying Fish Oil Barrel had plenty of space on board, Xia Nan simply shipped all of it back in one go.

Of course, the vast majority of these materials were currently still stored on the Flying Fish Oil Barrel, watched over by the crew of the Black Gull.

Xia Nan was only carrying a few material samples in his backpack.

Otherwise, given the Shark Beast's massive frame—which, when standing fully upright, was taller than several Altons stacked together—Xia Nan would probably need a handcart just to move its bones, which would be far too conspicuous.

He planned to hire someone to transport the rest once he found a proper buyer.

Pondering how much these things could sell for, Xia Nan unknowingly arrived at the White Cliff District, the uppermost layer of Barracuda Bay, following the address provided by the tavern owner, Hera.

Compared to the cramped, narrow, and densely packed alleys of the Saltwater District, the environment here was like night and day.

The wide, clean streets were paved with neat cobblestones, offering an unobstructed view. Carriages and pedestrians were sparse, allowing one to see all the way down the road at a glance. Accompanied by a gentle breeze and the occasional music of a bard drifting from the small shops along the street, it gave off a soothing, relaxed atmosphere.

The distance between buildings was even wider than in the middle-layer Cormorant District. The architecture lacked that uniform, assembly-line appearance; each structure was distinct, reflecting the personality and tastes of its builder.

There was plenty of greenery, and benches for pedestrians to rest on lined the roadside, alongside exquisite stone statue fountains built entirely for aesthetic purposes.

Along the way, Xia Nan even passed the entrances to two small public gardens.

It could only be said that the existence of Transcendent power and the blurriness of rules and order made the polarization of wealth in this world particularly stark.

When an individual's strength grew powerful enough to suppress an entire army, the law of the jungle—survival of the fittest and winner-takes-all—was displayed to its absolute extreme.

Xia Nan felt a silent sense of conflict toward this reality.

On one hand, at least for now, he lacked the immense power needed to change any of it. He respected resolute figures with grand ambitions, but he was ultimately just a transmigrator who had been in this other world for less than two years. Even in Rivervale Town, where he had stayed the longest, the time spent was shorter than the hours he had logged at his office desk in his past life. He lacked the bonds, the drive, and the resolve required for such a cause.

On the other hand, the very fact that he could traverse such vast distances and stand here pondering these issues as a Class Holder—rather than swinging a hoe in a field, drenched in sweat and anxiously wondering how to pay this year's grain tax—meant that he, too, had long since become a member of this ruthless jungle.

Shaking his head, Xia Nan pushed the thoughts aside.

No matter which path he would walk in the future, or whether his mindset would change.

At least in the world he currently found himself in, one thing would never change:

—Strength decided everything.

Only when he possessed enough strength would he gain the right to "choose."

Otherwise, it was all just empty talk.

With the Attribute Panel, even if his progress was slow, as long as he worked hard, he would reap the rewards and continuously move forward.

He would not waste this opportunity.

He cast his gaze forward, sweeping his eyes across the street.

Unlike the congested crowds at Wave-Breaking Wharf, pedestrians were a rare sight on the main avenue of the White Cliff District. The occasional figures he did spot were mostly wealthy merchants and nobles clad in silk robes and fine garments.

Of course, adventurers like Xia Nan weren't uncommon either.

The vast majority of them were well-equipped and exuded a focused aura, marking them as veterans.

This wasn't surprising. Adventurers in this world had fairly high incomes to begin with, especially those who had already attained a Class Level and belonged to a fixed party.

Coupled with the fact that adventurers rarely had a habit of saving money, they preferred to enjoy the moment instead.

This meant that, purely from a consumption standpoint, the daily expenses of many Class Holders were often even higher than those of hereditary nobles.

Having achieved a leap in social class through their own strength, these adventurers desperately craved elevation and recognition in their social standing.

Purchasing property and expanding one's network in the White Cliff District had become a near-universal consensus among the vast majority of Class Holders who lived in Barracuda Bay long-term.

As a result, even though Xia Nan was simply wearing a solid-colored shirt and trousers, paired with the two longswords on his back and the bone-white leg armor on his lower body, no one cast any strange looks his way; it was a common sight.

Glad to avoid drawing attention, Xia Nan followed the address Hera had given him, walking for another twenty minutes or so along the main road before finally arriving at his destination.

Situated on the corner of a quiet street away from the hustle and bustle, dotted with lush greenery, sat an exquisitely styled, steep-roofed cottage that had been converted from an old noble residence.

The first and most eye-catching feature was the store's massive, spotless curved glass display window facing the street. The sill was lined with a fine dark velvet blanket, upon which ready-to-wear garments were meticulously arranged in a gradient of sizes and colors—lace gloves, aristocratic cloaks, silk robes...

The wooden door was heavy, and its brass handle was polished to a mirror shine, with simple engraved patterns faintly visible on its surface.

A finely textured signboard, polished from some unknown wood and coated in dark blue paint, lacked any exaggerated designs. It only featured an emblem of scissors and silk thread in the corner to indicate the shop's trade, hanging inconspicuously under the eaves—a true embodiment of quality products speaking for themselves.

Printed on the signboard was a string of ornate, elegantly flowing characters. Xia Nan stood at the door and stared at it for quite a while but couldn't decipher it; he merely guessed it was Elvish.

Fortunately, an extra line of small text was printed beneath it in Common to display the shop's name, confirming that he hadn't come to the wrong place—

[Pearl Spun Yarn]

A tailor shop Hera had specifically recommended to him, claiming that the boss was exceptionally reliable and responsible, and that it was frequently patronized by high-level Class Holders.

She had told him that if he wanted to process materials like shark skin, he could consult the shop owner and might just find some success.

Standing on the street, Xia Nan wasn't in a hurry to enter. Instead, he released his Perception and carefully observed the exterior details of the tailor shop.

It was clearly designed with intent.

Just from the tailor shop's inconspicuous signboard, he could already glean a great deal of information.

The shop owner was likely an Elf, or a half-Elf. At the very least, they were an enthusiast of Elven culture.

They were also supremely confident in their craftsmanship, feeling no need for a flashy sign to attract customers, and likely didn't have a very extroverted personality.

Pondering this, he cast one last glance at the ready-to-wear clothes in the display cabinet, then pushed the door open and walked in.

"Ding-a-ling..."

The crisp chime of a wind bell rang in his ears.

The originally chilly air was instantly replaced by warmth. It seemed some kind of incense was burning, as he caught a faint, deep fragrance with every breath.

The wooden floor was spotless, without a speck of dust in sight. The walls on either side were painted a pearl-like off-white, devoid of excessive decoration. There was only a single painting hanging on the wall—one that looked quite abstract to Xia Nan, composed of various shades of blue pieced together to simulate the ocean.

Rolls of fabric were stacked like books on a library shelf, arranged by "material, color, and gloss." They were uniform in length and width, stacked all the way from the floor up to the ceiling.

The edges of the rolls were perfectly aligned. At a glance, it looked as though an entire wall was filled with different colored fabrics, creating a momentarily stunning visual impact.

In contrast, the reception area was much simpler. There was only an oak table painted the same off-white color as the walls, along with two chairs.

On the table sat a simple pen holder, a few blank-covered booklets, and a small silver bell to summon the attendant.

It was practically the polar opposite of the "Rockhammer" blacksmith shop in Rivervale Town.

Although both places displayed their wares on shelves, the difference between them was like the difference between the "steel" and "fabric" they each represented.

The former was hard and direct, emphasizing efficiency—ask if you needed something, haggle if you liked something, buy it if you could afford it, and leave if you couldn't.

The latter was comparatively much "softer," focusing more on the atmosphere and prioritizing the customer's personal experience.

For some reason, standing in this tailor shop gave Xia Nan a faint sense of déjà vu, reminding him of luxury boutiques from his past life.

He instinctively patted the pouch at his waist.

Though his outward expression remained unchanged, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of apprehension inside.

He comforted himself with the thought that he was here to process monster materials, not to spend money.

He didn't care about "aristocratic decency" anyway, so there was absolutely no chance of him falling into the trap of marked-up luxury goods. One way or another, he would manage to keep the nine hundred or so gold coins he had on him.

If he managed to sell the Shark Beast materials for a high price, his savings might even double outright.

Perhaps Xia Nan had arrived too early; when he walked into the [Pearl Spun Yarn] tailor shop, the owner was not present.

In the entire shop, besides himself, there was only a father and daughter pair.

Judging by their attire, they were likely nobles residing in the White Cliff District.

He had no intention of eavesdropping, but the keen hearing granted by his formidable physical attributes allowed him to overhear their conversation even before he entered the door.

Based on keywords like "banquet," "coming of age," and "gown," he deduced that the father was looking to custom-order a dress for his daughter to wear to an upcoming banquet.

And when Xia Nan pushed the door open and walked in, the two of them unconsciously paused their conversation and looked his way.