Chapter 255: Looting a Burning House

Chapter 255: Chapter 255: Looting a Burning House

"Insta-kill? Are you kidding me?!!"

"Rotting Corpses are total trash, so there’s no need to hype this up, right? It’s just an F-level monster! You guys are blowing this way out of proportion! The monsters we’re facing now are E-level at the very least, okay?!"

"Exactly! And there are D-level monsters, too. Even if it can insta-kill a Rotting Corpse, that doesn’t mean these things are useful."

"Some people might not like hearing this, but it’s the absolute truth! The ability to insta-kill a Rotting Corpse isn’t that impressive. I can insta-kill a Rotting Corpse with my weapon, so why should I spend resources to buy runes?"

"No, with so many people jumping in, is anyone actually reading the prompt? Did anyone notice that Master Blacktiger is selling E-level Purifying Flame Runes and E+ Heavenly Light Runes?"

As soon as this message appeared, many of the people furiously typing on their keyboards paused, then scrolled back up through the chat history for a long time before they finally saw Blacktiger Ford’s original message.

Taking a closer look, they saw the person was right, and they immediately went quiet.

Just then, a few others claiming to have used "Purifying Flame Runes" popped up, bragging loudly in the regional channel about how incredibly powerful the Purifying Flame Runes were.

"A bunch of frogs in a well! Who told you E-level Talismans were for fighting trash like Rotting Corpses?"

A user with the ID "Stone" was the first to speak, his tone filled with unconcealed excitement and a hint of superiority.

"I got ambushed by an E-level monster yesterday. The damn thing’s Speed was insane; it clawed through my shoulder before I could even swing my blade! I thought I was a goner, but at the last second, I used one of Master Blacktiger’s Purifying Flame Runes! And guess what? BOOM! The ball of fire flew over like it had eyes and instantly turned that Shadowclaw Cat into a giant fireball! An insta-kill! A real insta-kill! In one shot!"

His words were like a giant boulder dropped into a calm lake, instantly creating massive waves.

Before everyone could process this, another user with the ID "Eagle" chimed in to corroborate:

"Stone isn’t lying. I ran into an E+ Level Hardshell Centipede. Its shell was like solid iron; my blade got chipped and couldn’t even break its defense. I was almost killed by its venom. In the end, I used a Purifying Flame Rune too. The moment the flames touched it, they drilled right into the gaps in its armor, and I could hear it sizzling inside. It stopped moving in just a few seconds! An E+ Level monster! Taken down with a single rune!"

"Me too!" another user named "Catspaw" eagerly shared. "I used a Heavenly Light Rune! It was against a D-level monster, a Rot-venom Slime!"

"That thing can split, it’s disgusting! When I used the Heavenly Light Rune, it didn’t summon ordinary flames. It was this golden-tinged blaze, and the heat was terrifying! The key thing is, while it didn’t insta-kill it, it did heavily wound it, letting me finish it off and save my own skin! An E+ Talisman can seriously injure a D-level monster! You guys figure out what that’s worth!"

These few firsthand accounts, filled with specific monsters and combat details, were more powerful than any empty hype. The tide in the regional channel instantly turned.

"Holy shit! For real? An E-level Talisman can insta-kill an E-level monster? And an E+ Talisman can take on a D-level?"

"I’ve run into a Hardshell Centipede before, and I almost died to it... and a single rune can take it down?"

"Who was it that was questioning whether Master Blacktiger’s runes were useless? Show yourself."

"This is insane... these runes are practically life-saving Divine Artifacts!"

The voices of doubt vanished, replaced by an even more frantic desire and adoration.

Everyone understood what a rune that could instantly turn the tide of battle and even challenge higher-level opponents meant in this perilous environment—

It was a second life!

But Seraphina Sinclair hadn’t sold any runes yesterday, nor had she benevolently used runes to save the lives of these unrelated people.

These people... were, of course, shills she had hired.

Seraphina Sinclair watched her private messages, a smile playing on her lips. At first, the offers were all in Black Fog Coins and materials. These things weren’t rare; Seraphina had more than enough of them.

But after her shills did their work, the items being offered by the survivors in her private messages changed dramatically!

While there were no weapons or blueprints—the most in-demand items at the moment—people were offering up almost everything else they had.

"[Mindcleansing Amulet (E-level)]. Effect: Slightly increases Spirit resistance when worn. Master! I’ll trade you this piece of equipment for fifteen Heavenly Light Runes. This is an E-level item, it’s definitely worth it!"

’Worth my ass.’

Seraphina Sinclair clicked open the description, glanced at it, and dismissed the option.

This guy was really asking for the moon. Fifteen runes in one go, not to mention the item’s effect clashed with equipment she already owned.

Besides, her Silver Moon Earrings also had a spatial effect, making them a direct upgrade to this item.

Seraphina Sinclair deleted the chat window and moved on to the next.

"[Damaged Alchemy Crucible (E+ Level)]. Description: Seems to be usable for mixing certain potions, but it has a crack in the bottom. Effect unknown. Master, this item, plus three Black Fog Crystals, in exchange for two of your Purifying Flame Runes, how about it? Master, please reply quickly! There’s a monster in my mobile cabin!"

’This...’

’Going by the item’s grade alone, the offer was extremely generous. But even though the item was E+ Level, its effect was unknown. It was a big gamble.’

’Plus, it was obviously for making potions. Even if I bought it, I could only turn around and sell it to Pretty Guardian.’

’That whole process would be time-consuming and troublesome, not to mention it might just end up stuck in my hands.’

After a moment’s thought, Seraphina Sinclair decided to take advantage of the situation. If he was willing to raise his offer, she was willing to trade.

After sending the message, Seraphina Sinclair continued to the next offer.

"Master! This is what I have, a Skill Book. [Skill Book — Basic Concealment (D-level)]. Effect: After learning, slightly reduces your presence. The effect is diminished against high-Perception targets. Hides you from certain monsters!"

"This is a D-level item! Trading it for ten Purifying Flame Runes isn’t too much, right? I’m trapped in a bathroom by a monster right now and can’t get back to my mobile cabin. If it weren’t for the fact that this Skill Book can’t help me out of this immediate jam, I would never sell it! Master, you’re getting a huge bargain!"

’A D-level Skill Book?’

Seraphina Sinclair furrowed her brow at first, but after confirming the person wasn’t trying to trick her with a fake and that it was indeed a D-level Skill Book, joy instantly flooded her heart.

Even as the top-ranked survivor with the fastest progress, Seraphina Sinclair had only obtained two Skill Books so far.

She knew exactly why the other party hadn’t learned it. The requirements for these things were too restrictive. It wasn’t that survivors didn’t want to learn them; they simply couldn’t!

Now, with an opportunity to trade ten runes for a Skill Book right in front of her, how could Seraphina Sinclair possibly pass it up?

Besides, this person was hiding in a bathroom, desperate for a trade, yet their situation still gave Seraphina Sinclair enough time to craft the runes. It was the most suitable deal she could ask for.

Seraphina Sinclair agreed almost immediately. The other party was just as decisive. As soon as the trade contract was sent, they put up the promised items.