Chapter 63: Brother Blacktiger

Chapter 63: Chapter 63: Brother Blacktiger

Seraphina Sinclair fell silent. Remembering her wrist aching from rune painting and all the time she’d spent, she decisively abandoned the idea.

’Honestly... what little I’d earn wouldn’t even be worth the trouble.’

’But this is a golden opportunity, a once-in-a-lifetime chance.’

After some thought, she decided not to give up just yet and posted an ambiguous message in the Zone channel.

[Blacktiger Ford]: The weakness isn’t for sale, but I am selling an item that can take care of the monsters directly. The price is a bit high, so be mentally prepared before you private message me.

The message was like a stone dropped into a still pond, causing quite a stir in the Zone channel.

Before the PING of private messages could even start, the first things to arrive were complaints from other people.

"??? Lives are at stake and you’re trying to sell this stuff!"

"What do you mean, ’the price is a bit high’? Does that mean ordinary people can’t afford it?"

"Doesn’t everyone need this in the current situation? Master Blacktiger, can’t you just make more items and bring the price down? Besides! Everyone is being tormented by the negative effects right now. Demand is so high, you don’t have to sell to just a few people!"

"Can’t we trade for basic materials like before? If it’s too expensive, very few people will be able to afford it, right?? We’re not asking you to help everyone for free, Master Blacktiger, but at least don’t make it so expensive, right?"

"Exactly! Everyone obviously needs this! Now that you have these items, you should bring them out to help everyone!"

Seraphina Sinclair had long expected someone to make demands like this, so her expression remained calm as she read the comments.

There were rational people, too. "Can you all use your brains? Master Blacktiger already said they’re items; he can’t just pull them out of thin air. Why should he give you something he risked his life to get for free? Your lives are lives, but Master Blacktiger’s isn’t?"

But this voice was quickly drowned out by a different kind of chorus and was even branded a "traitor."

Some went even further, asking directly in the Zone channel, "How much did Blacktiger Ford pay you?" Others added, "Don’t just earn supplies for yourself, give me a way in, too."

’I haven’t given that person a single thing,’ Seraphina Sinclair thought, ’but now I’m actually a little tempted to.’

She silently watched the crusade against her in the Zone channel. She even saw several IDs that had previously praised her for the information she’d shared. In the blink of an eye, these same people had changed their tune, now mocking her for being "desperate for supplies."

Tsk.

Even though Seraphina Sinclair had expected this, she couldn’t help but let out a soft "tsk."

’Praise and mockery are nothing more than attitudes, and the root of any attitude is whether or not one benefits from it.’

’The whole world hustles and bustles, all for the sake of profit.’

’Reputation? In this godforsaken place, what fucking good is that?!’

Seraphina Sinclair opened her private messages. Seeing no new inquiries, she finally lost her patience.

’Talk is cheap, and they can curse all they want! But when they start stirring up trouble and costing me business, that’s where I draw the line!’

A bunch of #$%!

’You don’t know how to behave, is that it? Well, today, your grandma’s going to teach you a proper lesson!’

[Agent of Justice]: You heartless merchant! Everyone’s about to die, and you’re still thinking about making money?

[Blacktiger Ford]: @Agent of Justice, you’re so righteous, why don’t you give all your supplies to everyone? I remember you bragging in the channel yesterday about a Healing Potion you got, right? So many people are begging for Potions every day, so how come I don’t see you offering yours up?

That was the first.

Seraphina Sinclair just so happened to have seen his message yesterday. The guy had walked right into the line of fire.

[DoAsISay]: I propose we all boycott Blacktiger Ford! Let’s not buy his things and see how long he can act so arrogant!

[Blacktiger Ford]: @DoAsISay, Boycott me? Feel free. I suggest that anyone who can’t stand me, just like him, should block me right now. Then you won’t have to shamelessly come looking when I share information in the future.

That was the second.

When it came to being blocked, Seraphina Sinclair was completely unfazed.

The title of number one on the server was right there above her name. Any fool knew you could block anyone, but not *her*.

[Daydreamer]: Stop defending him, you bootlickers! He clearly has the ability to save everyone, but he chooses to watch people die instead. Does a person like that even deserve to be called human?

[Blacktiger Ford]: @Daydreamer, you’re right. I do have the ability. The ability to choose who I save! And it’s pretty obvious now that no matter who I decide to save, it’s definitely not going to be you.

That was the third.

After she sent those three messages, the chorus of condemnation in the Zone channel was instantly cut in half.

More pleasant messages began to appear on the public screen again.

"I support Master Blacktiger! There’s no way he got those items for nothing. The people demanding them for free, why don’t you go ask the system to hand out free supplies?"

"I’m not taking sides, I just can’t stand you #%&holes. ’Master Blacktiger has the ability to save everyone’? Try thinking with your big toe for a second, will you? If he really had that kind of power, why would he just be number one on the server?! He should just kill the system and take its place!"

"Upvoted! The post above really speaks to me. How absurd can you get! And the crazy part is that people believe it! Sometimes I really wonder if you guys are even human... I mean, it’s not like the Rotting Corpses ate your brains!"

"It’s so great being in the same Zone as you all... You really know how to put it! In my next life, I wanna be in the same Zone as you guys!"

Seraphina Sinclair snorted softly, finally hearing the chime of a new message notification.

’A message at this time... it’s probably from someone who realized they couldn’t get a freebie and is now reluctantly willing to trade. But... as long as they’re willing to trade, it’s a good thing.’

Seraphina Sinclair wouldn’t let a potential treasure slip through her fingers.

[Pretty Guardian]: Master Blacktiger, can this item guarantee a kill? If it’s a sure thing, I do have something good on my end...

’Why is it her?’

Seraphina Sinclair frowned. She wasn’t an ungrateful person like the others in the Zone channel. When she thought about it, this person’s contribution was a major reason she’d been able to learn rune making.

’This...’

’I should at least hear what she has to offer.’

[Blacktiger Ford]: What path did you choose?

The other party was honest. "The Misty Path."

Since it was the same type of monster, Seraphina Sinclair could make a guarantee.

[Blacktiger Ford]: After you use it, you can just stand to the side and watch. It’s a guaranteed kill.

[Pretty Guardian]: It’s that powerful?

[Pretty Guardian]: Aww~ Brother Blacktiger, we’re practically old friends at this point. This thing I have, it’s definitely a good item...

The other party’s message cut off right there.

Seraphina Sinclair narrowed her eyes, already guessing what kind of item it was.

’It must be one of those things, right? Extremely rare, high quality, but useless to most people.’

’Otherwise, why would she sound so hesitant?’

’And that "Brother Blacktiger" stuff... Honestly, it was a bit nauseating, like an acquaintance trying way too hard to be cutesy.’

She waited patiently for a moment before the other person, sounding exceptionally sheepish, sent over the item information.

[Space Crystal]

Seraphina Sinclair froze when she saw the name. For a moment, she thought it was an Expansion Crystal for upgrading the mobile cabin, but after reading the Description, she realized their functions were vastly different.