Chapter 21: Black Fog Crystal

Chapter 21: Chapter 21: Black Fog Crystal

[Blacktiger Ford]: So you’re trying to guilt-trip me? Fine. Let’s settle the score. When I was killing monsters, I shouldered the risk myself. When I was catching the Black Mist Catfish, I put my own life on the line. Now you think you can just run your mouths and get that information for free? Why should I?

"I’m dying! Even though I’d also benefit if he shared the info, watching Master Blacktiger shut them down is so damn satisfying! ’I did all the work, so why should you get to freeload?!’ What a bunch of shameless bastards."

"I support Master Blacktiger! That’s right! What’s with this attitude? Just a bunch of haters who can’t stand to see someone else succeed!"

"So well said! I’m so moved, I’m tearing up. With Master Blacktiger setting an example today, from now on, if anyone else dares to pull some vile crap like guilt-tripping, we should all block them together!"

"Wow, you all change your tune so fast. A second ago, not a single person was defending Master Blacktiger. Now that he’s laid down the law, you’re all crawling out of the woodwork to take a stand? Do you really take him for an idiot? You think he can’t see right through you?"

"Hey, hey, it’s every man for himself. Master Blacktiger can look out for number one by not sharing the info, so we’re justified in trying to get it, right? Who’s to say who’s nobler here? Did you really have to say the quiet part out loud and make things awkward for everyone?"

"The poster above is spitting facts. Let’s be honest, we’re all just looking out for ourselves here! The idea that one of us is ’nobler’ than the other is a load of crap!"

"The poster above me is a bit extreme. Personally, I think Master Blacktiger is much better than the guilt-trippers. They were hiding behind the banner of ’doing it for the greater good,’ but our Master Blacktiger is brutally honest. He says what he means, and that’s way better than those people who are always scheming and beating around the bush!"

"Exactly! Master Blacktiger’s honesty is what makes him great! Way better than those guilt-trippers! I’ll start the praise."

"Me too!"

...

In short, the tide in the Regional Channel had suddenly turned, transforming into a full-blown praise session for Blacktiger Ford.

To this, Seraphina Sinclair could only say: "..."

She really hadn’t expected things to turn out this way.

Seraphina had originally been about to let loose a stream of curses, but she was more mature now, not the hothead she used to be.

’Actually, there are just too many of them to argue with...’

AHEM.

So, Seraphina had simply stated her position and laid out her reasoning. To think it would win her so much support...

She sighed, unable to help remarking, "Guess there are more sane people out there than I thought."

Just as she was thinking this, the system chimed with a private message notification.

Confused, Seraphina Sinclair opened her messages. She had already disabled notifications for mentions from the Regional Channel, so this had to be a direct message.

[Happysleepwalker]: Are you selling the information about the Black Mist Catfish? I want to buy it. This is what I can offer for a trade—an E-level material!

[Black Fog Crystal (E-level)]

[Description: A precious material used to craft luminescent items. Current uses... oh, but you don’t have the qualifications to know that.]

That phrase again.

’No wonder he’s willing to trade this,’ Seraphina thought.

A material with no known specific use versus a method for obtaining an E-level food ingredient...

Especially now, when all the food found in chests tasted so awful, most people would surely choose the latter.

Seraphina didn’t hold back. She went straight to the system’s information trade contract and wrote down everything she knew about the Black Mist Catfish.

She even included the materials you could get from dismantling one.

After all...

Seraphina felt a bit resigned. Actually encountering one was purely a matter of luck. Even after buying the info, it wouldn’t do him much good.

But since he had come to her, offering an E-level material on a silver platter, Seraphina certainly wasn’t going to let it go.

Besides, she was providing all the information she had. That was definitely worth the material.

If he just assumed that buying the information guaranteed he could catch a Black Mist Catfish and enjoy a fish fillet dinner...

Well, too bad.

That part had nothing to do with Seraphina.

Seraphina quickly drafted an information trade contract and sent it over.

The other party followed the contract’s instructions, gifting the E-level material to Seraphina. The contract then automatically activated, and he finally laid eyes on the information regarding the Black Mist Catfish.

Happysleepwalker skimmed through the text he had purchased, and only after he finished reading did he belatedly realize... there was no way for him to actively hunt for Black Mist Catfish!

Still, looking at what Blacktiger Ford had provided...

He frowned. The information was definitely useful.

He hadn’t made any preparations for water getting into his mobile cabin, so learning about that possibility in advance was definitely helpful. On top of that, there were the different materials obtained from dismantling a Black Mist Catfish, along with their detailed descriptions...

It was all genuinely useful.

But he still felt like something was off...

Happysleepwalker felt like he’d swallowed a bitter pill he couldn’t complain about.

Meanwhile, Seraphina was busy examining the Black Fog Crystal. It was about the size of an egg, a semi-transparent black crystal.

’It’s actually quite pretty.’

She hadn’t even closed the private message window when a message from a second sucker popped up.

[HandsomeYoungMan]: Master, what you said about trading materials for information, is that for real? Can I make a trade with you?

’Of course you can!’

Seraphina calmly added:

[Blacktiger Ford]: Other things work too, it doesn’t have to be materials. I’ll trade for anything I deem suitable.

[HandsomeYoungMan]: That’s great, Master! Can I trade an F+ Level blueprint for it? I know it’s for information about an E+ Level food ingredient, so my offer might be a bit of a lowball, but I really don’t have anything else! Here is the blueprint’s detailed information! Please take your time, Master!

[Black Fog Crystal Energy Storage Lamp Blueprint (F+)]

Huh?

Just from seeing the name, Seraphina Sinclair’s interest was piqued.

That name was all too familiar. Hadn’t she just gotten her hands on a Black Fog Crystal?

[Learning Requirement: Intelligence >= 10]

[Materials Required: Black Fog Crystal x1, Metal Fragments x5, cloth x2, wood x3, glass x2]

[Effect: Place it in the sunshine to automatically collect sunshine! But take note: when the sun is obscured by the black fog, the efficiency of sunshine absorption will be drastically reduced! (One point of sunshine equals one point for a Sunflower’s Hunger Level. Current maximum storage: 200 points of sunshine!)]

Seraphina happened to meet the requirement perfectly.

As for the materials... Seraphina raised an eyebrow. She had everything except the glass.

Glass...

Seraphina glanced at the two broken mirror shards. ’These should count, right?’

Whether they would work or not wasn’t the immediate concern. First, she had to complete the trade.

Seraphina simply copied the information trade contract she had sent to Happysleepwalker, swapped the item to be traded for the blueprint, and sent it to the HandsomeYoungMan.

HandsomeYoungMan accepted the contract without hesitation, and the blueprint was hers!

Seraphina eagerly gathered the other materials. When it came to the glass, she felt a pang of nervousness, only relaxing after the system confirmed the shards could be used.

A smile broke out on her face, and she immediately clicked "Synthesize."