bookbashuk Chapter 797: Purchasing Canned Knowledge (1)
Chapter 797: Purchasing Canned Knowledge (1)
"No, no, we have our own way."
The corners of her lips curled up slightly, her eyes curved into a clear crescent, and her smile spread like ripples. She smiled lightly and waved at Elhaisen, her tone brisk but revealing a bit of playfulness and unquestionable certainty.
Paimon nodded in agreement, his face serious and his bright eyes fixed on Little Iya. He chuckled softly, his voice as clear as the swaying of wind chimes: "That's right! We have our own unique secrets, and we're sure to pick out the most valuable canned knowledge!"
“…” Elhaisen was slightly startled, his eyes slowly moving between the two of them, as if he was examining a game of wits that was about to unfold.
After a moment, he lowered his eyes and remained silent for a long time before finally speaking. His tone was as calm as the ripples on a lake, but it couldn't hide a barely perceptible sense of helplessness: "Is that so? Since you are so confident, then I guess I really don't need to remind you again."
He paused briefly, tapping his arm lightly with his slender fingertips, as if considering his words, and then whispered:
"However, to be on the safe side, I suggest you prepare a backup plan. Keeping a hand in reserve allows for calm advancement and retreat—this is the fundamental principle of a wise man."
Ying and Paimon looked at each other, a gleam of inspiration flashed in their eyes, and they nodded thoughtfully, with a layer of quiet thought between their brows.
Seeing this, Elhaisen's eyes flickered with a glimmer, and he was about to take advantage of the situation to introduce his carefully conceived alternative plan -
Suddenly, Ying raised her hand, clenched it in the air, and her fingertips drew a sharp arc. A sly and ostentatious smile appeared on the corner of her mouth. She looked at Elhaisen and said word by word:
"Isn't Dolly a businessman? I know a trick to deal with businessmen, and it's very useful, and that's..."
Paimon understood instantly, his eyes lit up, and he immediately imitated her movements, raised his hands high, and continued with a smile:
"I know which method you mean!"
The two smiled at each other, their tacit understanding flashing like lightning, and shouted in unison: "I want them all!"
I want them all.jpg
【Zhongli: Good, very energetic!】
[This is the perfect way to learn the essence of the Emperor.]
[An anonymous tea-drinking and bird-walking person: Boss, I want them all.]
[Why don't you just report Zhongli's ID card?]
[To be honest, this trick is really effective against businessmen.]
[The first has the Phoenix mechanism treasure hunt, and the second has the "I want it all" crush. The former shows off the skills, and the latter shows off the numbers - a mere merchant Dolly, she can handle it, no problem~]
Looking at the two partners in front of her with abundant Mora and overwhelming momentum, it seemed as if if Dolly hesitated for a moment, they would use the mountain of Mora to directly smash open the door to intelligence.
Elhaisen was speechless for a moment, and fell into silence with a complicated expression, as if he was not facing two travelers, but a financial storm sweeping the city.
Although Ying had promised that in return for his providing the key address and contact code, she would share some intelligence with him.
But to be fair, Elhaisen is not satisfied with this.
He knew very well that relying on information given by others was like building a tower on sand, with a weak foundation, which would collapse in an instant when wind and rain came.
True wisdom never relies on mercy or luck, but comes from rationality and trust of equal exchange.
For him, barter based on equality is the most solid and reliable path to the truth.
As for whether Ying and his companions truly understand this truth...
Elhaisen saw it clearly.
Because of this, he wanted to quietly plant the seeds of trust with a silent helping hand.
It's not about wanting immediate rewards, but about being more truthful and less hypocritical when exchanging information in the future; being more open and less calculating.
But now it seems that everything still needs to be considered in the long run.
Elhaisen sighed softly in his heart, and a trace of imperceptible solemnity passed across his brows, like a thin mist blowing across a quiet lake, quietly tinged with a bit of deep thought.
He lowered his eyes for a moment, then raised them again, his tone as calm as water, but each word clearly said:
"If your transaction with Dolly is successfully completed and you want to find me, you can go to Vikara Trading Post—"
"I'll be waiting there for your news."
As he finished speaking, he nodded slightly, his clothes fluttering as he turned and left. His figure blended into the bustling crowd, like a drop of ink falling into a noisy river, disappearing in an instant, leaving only a lingering silence.
After Elhaisen's figure completely disappeared around the corner, the three of them followed the clues he left behind and set out on a journey to find the contact person.
The sun shines obliquely, the shadows in the alley are mottled, and every step is like stepping into an unknown chess game.
Dolly's contact is a seasoned trader with a keen eye and a long history, quietly lurking deep in the intricate old streets of Port Ormos.
He was like a chess piece hidden in the shadows, silently waiting in the maze of dust and spices, just waiting for the signal to make a move.
The group wandered through winding alleys, their walls mottled with crevices and vines climbing over them, the air thick with the rich aroma of exotic spices. Finally, they found their mysterious contact in front of a stall hung with colorful sachets and dried flowers and incense.
According to the agreed code, they used questions and answers as a guide, carefully considering every word and sentence, as any mistake would result in all their efforts being wasted.
Finally, this silent test was passed. The vigilance in the other party's eyes faded, replaced by a barely perceptible glimmer of trust - the door to the legendary traveling merchant slowly opened.
However, the journey was not smooth sailing. There were sudden ups and downs along the way, and dangers abounded.
For example, the "long-maned tiger" mentioned in the code suddenly appeared: several disciplinary officers from the Ministry of Justice suddenly came on patrol, their iron boots stomping on the ground, with an imposing manner, specifically investigating the trade of contraband.
The air at that moment froze in an instant, tense as a string.
The contact person's expression turned stern, and he packed up his stall and left without hesitation. His movements were as swift as a startled bird, and he left in a flash without leaving a trace.
Fortunately, the three reacted quickly and followed without hesitation. They rushed through the maze of streets and alleys, their footsteps echoing on the cobblestones like drums beating on the heartstrings.
The sunlight was cut into tiny strips of light by the towering walls and fell on their shoulders, as if the gears of fate accelerated at this moment, pushing them through the fog.
In the end, they managed to escape unscathed and successfully reached their destination - to meet the legendary traveling department store merchant.
[I just went with my gut feeling and got it right! I didn't even realize there were codes...]
[Luckily, I was smart enough to secretly write down the code ahead of time and check it one by one, without making a single mistake. Anyway, if I had chosen the wrong one, would it have triggered some hidden plot?]
【If you choose the wrong one, you will be sent back to try again. 】
[If you answer incorrectly, Paimon will remind you in time and you can choose again until all the answers are correct.]
I seriously suspect that the disciplinary officer was a cover. Hai Ge was probably blacklisted because he stood still and didn't run away—after all, no one was chasing us at the time.
"Miss Dolly, these two customers are here to buy spice fruit. I've brought them safely." The contact person reported respectfully, his tone calm. "Mission accomplished, I'll be leaving now."
Dolly smiled and nodded at him, her eyes moving and the corners of her lips slightly raised: "Oh~ thank you for your hard work."
After watching the contact leave, Paimeng curiously looked up and down at the girl in front of him, who was almost as tall as himself, and exclaimed:
"Are you Dolly? I thought you were some majestic, imposing, and powerful leader..."
If Paimon couldn't float in the air, the two of them standing together would probably be just a little bit behind.
"Hey, hey, what nonsense are you talking about, you simple-minded little spirit?" Dolly raised her eyebrows and snorted in mock dissatisfaction, her hands on her hips, full of momentum. "Am I not the most feared and powerful businessman in all of Xumi—Sanggo Mahabay himself?"
"Be careful I won't do business with you."
She secretly complained: How dare this guy question my authority? He only looks tall because he can fly!
If you can land firmly, let's see who is the real "master"! Dolly thought to herself.
Then, Dolly chuckled and said with a hint of amusement: "But your performance just now was really good--"
"Not only was he able to follow the clues and find my informant, but his reflexes were also quite sharp. Even if he's not a seasoned exile, he's probably been known to exploit loopholes and skirt the law a lot, right?"
Paimon turned to look at Ying, his face full of confusion, and muttered softly, "Is she praising us? It sounds a bit weird, I feel like I'm being secretly insulted..."
Dolly smiled broadly and continued bluntly, "Those guys who, even though they have Mora in their pockets, are out of breath after running just a few steps, not only will they be easily caught by the disciplinary officers, but they also always cause us 'good citizens' who are trembling with fear while running small businesses to be worried. Don't you agree?"
She blinked, then changed her tone and said with some genuine appreciation, "So, I still prefer guests like you."
Rich - dare to step into this secret alley and do this shady business with her.
There is a way - I can follow the clues, crack her contact code, and find her informant.
He has strength - even after being chased all the way here by the disciplinary officer, he can still remain calm and his breath is as steady as if he just came back from a walk.
Unless he was an undercover agent sent by the disciplinary officer, Dolly simply loved this kind of tough and courageous customer.
"Is this your first time here? It's okay, I never ask questions." She waved her hand, her smile as gentle as a girl next door. "Even if you plan to use the canned knowledge to decorate the columns of your living room as quirky works of art, I don't mind at all~"
She took a step closer, lowered her voice, and said with a hint of sly playfulness: "After all—as long as you hold the shiny, round Mora in your hands, we are the best of friends!"
【"The Kind-hearted Citizens of Small Business"】
[Good citizen Dolly, ordinary citizen Diluk.]
Little Dolly is adorable (but don't forget the forbidden knowledge she's selling).
[Although, objectively speaking, if this businessman were in real life, he would be in jail... and in a high-crime area.]
[I don't have Mora, but I have Morax. Do you want it (doge)? The premise is that He is willing to cash it out.]