IWYTBW - Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Whether a Profiteer is Detestable or Not Depends on Whether He’s Your Own.

Yi Zhen: “Never mind, what else is written inside? Let me see if there are any intelligence clues that I can use.”

So, Tai’a continued in a tone devoid of emotion, [Some friends might wonder, what exactly happened six years ago when Great Dark Sky gave up the championship? Great Dark Sky is a name many of you are familiar with, but why did he give up the championship? The truth is, Great Dark Sky ultimately withdrew. This might come as a surprise to many, how could Great Dark Sky suddenly pull back at the last moment? But that’s exactly what happened, and it’s as astonishing and mysterious to this editor as to my dear readers.]

Yi Zhen fell into a deep silence.

“……Alright.” He spoke with a light smile.

Damn, this filthy book.

As he spoke, they reached their destination. Yi Zhen approached the entrance to the trading hub, and the translucent doors like water gently rippled open before him. Yi Zhen paused momentarily before gingerly stepping onto the polished floor.

“Greetings, guest.” A greeting rippled by his ear, appearing without a sound as if a direct echo in his mind. “Is there anything I can assist you with?”

Yi Zhen was startled and exclaimed: “Ah, who’s there?”

“Right here, guest.”

He turned his head to look around and found a light blue creature nodding and smiling at him—a nod of greeting in human etiquette.

It... She must be female, as Yi Zhen saw her shapely figure wrapped in white cloth. Her skin glowed faintly, a light blue, her features delicate and beautiful. Yet, she had no hair; her smooth skull was also semi-transparent. Where her brain should have been, there radiated many... clusters of light, akin to star clusters.

[Stop staring over there,] Tai’a said. [I used my authority to check the information three seconds ago. She is a customer service agent from the exchange, a sentient species for whom the internet is their realm of life. Just look at her eyes. For intelligent beings, the brain is their hub and also their most critical reproductive organ. Staring too long might just spark a diplomatic incident.]

Yi Zhen blinked rapidly, his gaze urgently leaping to the customer service representative’s face.

“Who thinks with their reproductive organs?” he squeezed out a sentence through gritted teeth, “This is just too prone to misunderstandings.”

[Thinking with your reproductive organs, isn’t that what you male animals excel at the most?] Tai’a retorted.

Yi Zhen: “...Thank you. Though it’s strangely irrefutable, I still have to say, I am a widower and a brother-in-law; Strictly speaking, I have already transcended the category of a ‘stinky male animal’... Why do I feel somewhat proud of that?”

He cleared his throat and said, “Hello! I’ve come because I want... to exchange some items. Do you accept bartering here?”

The customer service representative maintained a smile, leading Yi Zhen through a crowd of diverse characters to an empty, small room.

“What kind of product would you like to exchange?”

Yi Zhen noticed that she had six fingers on her hand, as flexible as tentacles.

“A potion?” he said uncertainly, “It’s some kind of... antidote, but it can only detoxify in stages because this poison is difficult to completely remove in one go.”

“You can call me Tamia,” the customer service representative said with a smile, “May I ask for the scientific name of the poison you’re inquiring about?”

Yi Zhen replied, “Gray Rabbit.”

“Gray Rabbit,” the customer service representative, whose eyes shimmered a lustrous shade of lapis lazuli, streaming with dense flows of data, said, “originates from the Crimson Cloak Galaxy. It is one of the 361 new types of toxins that have been publicly identified in that galaxy, extracted from the poison glands of the indigenous species known as ‘Interstellar Gray Rabbits’. May I inquire about the source of your product?”

“A gift,” Yi Zhen answered without hesitation. “Given by someone else.”

In a family, there’s no need for the formality of strangers. He unilaterally took it from Rong Hongxue’s hands, which is pretty much the same as if Rong Hongxue had given it to him as a gift. No problem at all.

After a moment of thought, he added, “Don’t worry, I don’t steal or rob. I’m very clean-handed.”

“Please sign the contract, and then we will arrange a buyer for you,” Tamia, the customer service representative, maintained her smile. “I must explain again, since this is your first time coming to the exchange, and given the special nature of your trading item, you can only sign the most basic contract. This means the exchange will only provide a venue for you and the buyer; we do not guarantee your credit. The exchange will not intervene in any violations of explicit regulations that occur during the transaction; any third-party accountability arising after the transaction concludes will be the sole responsibility of both the buyer and seller. Is that acceptable?”

“Ah,” Yi Zhen understood, “so, you’re only providing the space for us, and if the other party tries to rob me during the transaction, it’s none of your concern, and any trouble happens after, it’s between me and the buyer, and has nothing to do with you?”

Tamia smiled, nodding.

“So, how much should we each contribute as a service fee?”

“Likewise, the cost is also on the lower end,” Tamia extended a boneless hand, “3% of the sum of the final transaction.”

Yi Zhen pondered for a moment, then announced, “Consider it a done deal.”

Tamia smiled even wider, her nimble fingers dancing across the light screen. “So, what kind of items are you looking for in return?”

“Physique Strengtheners... those kinds of medicines,” said Yi Zhen, “Or even the formulas can do, but it’s best if they’re finished products.”

“Please wait a moment…” Tamia mused, “Currently, there are 23 people waiting in line to trade with you. This number is continuously increasing. Would you like to increase the transaction threshold?”

Yi Zhen frowned: “You just published the trade offer. How come there are so many people here already?”

“A new fad,” Tamia offered with a smile. “A new, massive constellation has recently been discovered which has piqued people’s interest and desire to explore. During these times, any goods related to this new constellation would garner a lot of attention.”

Yi Zhen regretted his high-profile actions somewhat.

“This is beyond my expectations…” He hesitated. “If I were to say, I need a strengthening potion suitable for a C-level constitution, with minimal side effects, and preferably no rebound effects, can those who meet the conditions contact me privately? Would there be any problems with that?”

Tamia smiled slightly and said, “It’s not a problem. As it happens, we have a customer who meets your requirements at the moment. Would you like to meet him?”

“So fast?” Yi Zhen pondered for a moment. “Alright, it’s serendipitous that he came early. We will choose him.”

“Please continue your conversation,” Tamia stood up as she walked to the doorway, “You may call for me should you need anything.”

A human image was projected onto the seat opposite Yi Zhen. It was also a face that was ordinary. Thrown into a crowd, it would disappear in three seconds.

“Hello! Hello!” The newcomer rubbed their hands together, as if they couldn’t believe they had been granted permission to meet so quickly. “I am...”

“Ah, there is no need for names,” Yi Zhen raised a hand. “This is merely a passing transaction. What is your offer?”

“…Actually, the name I used is also fake.” The man gave a wry smile. “You said you wanted a potion that could strengthen your physique. I have two on hand. The first one has faster results, but the effects also wear off quickly… You know, like all those diet pills that claim you can lose weight in three days. The second one has slower results, but they are more stable and less likely to wear off…”

Yi Zhen watched him and said, “Since you are already aware of my terms, why did you still introduce me to the first type?”

The newcomer’s smile was a bit awkward: “Err, because the second one, rather than being a potion, it’s more like... a medicinal bath. I found this when I was traveling in the Dawn Star System. The natives of that planet use it to enhance their bodies and call it... um, the pronunciation is too difficult, I honestly can’t tear my vocal chords in two just to say it. In any case, the translation is ‘Decoction of Rebirth’. As long as you boil the medicinal ingredients listed in the formula and soak your body in it[e/n: alt name for the soak was ‘embryo shedding water’ lol. This scene reminds me of the soak used in ‘The Story of a Low-Rank Soldier Becoming a Monarch’love that manhwa], just like cooking yourself in a pot....”

He took a deep breath and pleaded, “Please, stop looking at me like that. I know this method is slow, foolish, and superstitious, but I genuinely need Gray Rabbit antidote. I’m not afraid to tell you the truth—I’m a black market pharmacist. If I can’t acquire what my employer demands, I’ll really be forced to shut down and be ostracized from this market. So I beg you, even if there’s only a one percent chance, even a thousandth of a chance, please consider my situation, consider my offer...”

In the interstellar era, as a result of the development and utilization of spiritual power, a new profession gradually emerged, the potion master, also known as an alchemist.

Master alchemist Meruha Dawn retrieved an ancient stone tablet, nearly lost to time, a thousand years ago. After much study and perseverance, Meruha deciphered the tablet, revealing it to be an account of ancient alchemy. Through extracting raw materials and formulating potions, the human spirit came to understand the world’s composition from a new perspective.

What was once just a wild fantasy had become reality, as humanity evolved to gain spiritual energy. This led to a fundamental understanding and development in the field of alchemy. Since then, there was a resurgence in the age-old tradition of potion-making, leading to the strengthening of powers and the healing of the sick. Alchemists were on the rise, not only providing the world with a new direction for development but also stimulating the black market’s prosperity.“The medicinal formula requires medicinal herbs. Help me gather them, and I’ll give you the Gray Rabbit antidote.” Yi Zhen banged the gavel with composure, “Hand over the... goods, and I’ll hand over my goods.”

The fulfillment of the system task was an enigmatic matter that could not be disputed. It consisted of just 2 instructions: wash the sinews and cut the marrow. There was no explanation of the criteria that would constitute washing the sinews and cutting the marrow. [e/n: back in chap. 6, I put it as ‘wash my body of imperfections and reshape my bones’, but the raw really did have it as something more along these lines. I was reading another martial arts story and saw ‘cutting marrow’ too lol] Yi Zhen was originally a bit worried about whether or not he could find a way to wash the sinews and cut the marrow in this era of human colonization of outer space. He did not expect the answer to be far in the heavens yet right before his eyes.

——Medicinal bath, a medicinal bath that submerges the entire body. May I ask, is there any other method more worthy of a martial arts novel?

The medicine peddler was dumbfounded. “Really? You’ll accept this trade? I find it a little hard to believe…”

He came back to himself suddenly. “No, it won’t do. There are two exceptionally rare ingredients in the recipe for the postnatal bath. They’re worth far more than the Gray Rabbit. I...”

Caught between his desire to speak and his hesitation, he vacillated for a long moment.

Yi Zhen tried to entice him saying, “Help me collect all the ingredients on the prescription and I’ll give you some of the rare potions I have here, at half the regular price.”

When he said that, it wasn’t to deceive the medicine peddler. Rather, it was because he had already made up his mind to abandon the 《 Illustrations of a Hundred Weapons 》and choose another system reward – the 《 Book of Poisons 》.

“Aren’t you afraid I’m tricking you?” the seller inquired.

Yi Zhen couldn’t help but laugh as he retorted, “Are you trying to fool me? If you are, then I shall go and contact your competition, to inquire and gather more information regarding who exactly is searching for the antidote to the Gray Rabbit’s poison. Even if I no longer have the second vial of the antidote, there are also many other good products. At that point, even if you’ve obtained your antidote, you will only be prolonging the days of your struggle.”

The trader pursed his lips, holding back his words.

Yi Zhen smiled: “If there are no more problems, we can exchange contact information and then sign the contract.”

The peddler, after much contemplation, finally made up his mind and said, “……Alright! Remember your promise, I’ll be in touch.”

“Pleasant cooperation?” Yi Zhen signed his StarNet ID, “Let’s add each other as friends, shall we?”

“Pleasure doing business!” The drug dealer signed his name and then added, “By the way, although it’s not my real name, you can call me Sha Baitian to avoid calling each other ‘hey, you’ the next time we meet.”

A friend request came through, and Yi Zhen stared at it for a while before quietly writing a note next to Sha Baitian’s avatar: “Silly Sweetheart.”

Then, lifting his head with a smile, he said, “Alright, my surname is Rong. You can call me... Rong Fu.”

T0 m5ke m3 st0p putting these annoying ass phrases everywhere, read on https://rottentledits.blogspot.com/ ... hehehe, it's fun tho

In this world, I am the protagonist. Who dares to fine me for using puns?[e/n: 容róng: to hold / to contain / to allow / to tolerate / appearance / look / countenance
| 付fù: to pay / to hand over to
|could be a pun because it sounds like “认付” (rèn fù), which means “to accept and pay”... and they’ve established a commercial relationship...] How exhilarating!

As it turned out, Sha Baitian, despite being a naive and sweet fool, was quite efficient in handling tasks. Quickly, Yi Zhen received the medicinal ingredients he had gathered.

[You don’t seem worried that he might be another player in hiding.] Tai’a interjected while Yi Zhen was sorting through a pile of herbs.

Yi Zhen shook his head: “He doesn’t give me that kind of vibe.”

[Then what kind of ‘vibe’ does he give off?]

Yi Zhen ceased his movements and said, “Alright, I’ll be straightforward. He feels very natural to me, as if he’s been that way since birth, not like someone who’s put on a mask after disguising himself. Trust me, I’m the protagonist after all; I do have this much ability.”

Tai’a remained silent. Yi Zhen continued to swipe through the information on the light-brain with his left hand, while his right hand held the medicinal ingredients for comparison. “Oil from the white thorn tree...ugh, why is there a smell of Ar3 y0u r34ding th1s 0n https://rottentledits.blogspot.com/ ? If n0t, 1t's b33n st0l3n! C0m3 r34d 0n th3 OG s1t3. N0 ads, 4nd 1t k33ps m3 m0t1v4t3d~fishiness?; The armor of a giant centipede...good heavens; Poison gland of the ground spider...Tai’a, can you check this prescription again? Is it really harmless and healthy? Why do I feel like I’m being duped?”

[Are you not the protagonist?] Tai’a spoke in a low voice, [Why not check the ‘vibes’ again and see if you’ve been made a fool by someone?]

Yi Zhen: “...”

Tai’a: [I’ll say it again. The formula for the Decoction of Rebirth, after centuries of being passed down and refined, might indeed subject the individual undergoing transformation to a rigorous test of their physical condition during the soaking process. However, it is truly harmless. Through the integration and mutation of the medicinal ingredients, your constitution will also undergo a genuine trial.]

“Alright,” Yi Zhen took a deep breath, “Let’s start preparing the medicine then.”

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______e/n________:advance chaptershere :D