【Interstellar Contract Magician】Ruyuanke

Chapter 267 [Empire] Transaction

He weighed the hair in his palm, then looked up, stared at me, and said, "This is premium armor fiber. It's extremely strong and tough, and after special processing, it can be made into top-notch protective gear. But it's very difficult to process, and it's impossible for anyone without a professional to do it."

"So?" I asked tentatively.

He smiled and handed the fur back to me, his tone teasing. "I'm indeed interested. However, this thing is of little use to me alone, but our team is short of high-quality materials. If you're willing... we can discuss a trade."

"Deal?" I looked at him warily.

His smile deepened, and he looked me straight in the eye. "Join our team and bring these materials with you to make equipment. After you complete the mission, you'll get a share of the profits."

This statement gave me a slight jolt. This was another deal—exactly the same terms Nightingale had proposed. Joining a team, being bound to them, rather than simply completing a sale.

"I'll think about it." I didn't answer immediately and remained calm.

The mercenary shrugged, but didn't force it. "Sure. Our team's base is nearby. If you change your mind, feel free to come find me."

I clutched the white hair in my hand, leaning against the alley wall, head bowed, feeling a weak headache. I was completely unfamiliar with the squad system in this place, and although I had pieced together some vague concepts from Nightingale and the mercenary's words, it was clearly not enough for me to make a decision.

I subconsciously wanted to contact Luo Xun, who seemed to know all about these transactions and team rules. But after trying several times, I got no response.

"This guy, why did he fail at the critical moment?" I muttered to myself, and looked at the hair in my hand again. Soft, warm...

I sighed and looked up at the gray sky. The streets around me were filled with whispers and footsteps, but there was no answer for me. I leaned against the wall, feeling its cool touch, trying to clear my mind a little.

A somewhat bedraggled boy approached. His tangled hair and dusty clothes suggested he wasn't from a wealthy family; he looked rather disheveled. With his hands in his pockets, he had a wary look on his face, his eyes lingering over me, as if assessing whether I was worth his time.

"Would you like to exchange or buy the meat of the exotic beast cub we just hunted?" His voice was low and a little vague, as if he was just looking for an excuse to talk, but his eyes revealed a hint of expectation.

I instinctively glanced behind him and saw several dirty sacks piled on the ground. Some contained wrapped and bundled animal hides, while others contained freshly packaged chunks of exotic animal flesh. The air was filled with a fishy smell, as if the items had been freshly chopped from dead animals and were still slightly warm.

"What did you catch?" I asked, a hint of curiosity in my voice.

The boy seemed relieved and pointed to several packages in the sack. "They're the meat of some exotic beast cubs. They just came back from the forest. Why don't you try it? You can exchange them for something useful, or for something else I need."

I observed him carefully for a while and found that he didn't have any particular malicious intentions. Instead, he looked a bit like a street thug.

"Where are you hunting?" I asked, still keeping my guard up. Although these prey may not seem to pose any threat to me, I have already learned not to trust anyone easily in this place.

"It's in the nearby forest." He answered straightforwardly, as if he had no guilt. "These things are not ordinary prey. It's worth making a deal."

I was stunned for a moment before I realized what he meant. It was clear that he wanted to use these prey to exchange for something on me.

"Do you have any other prey nearby?" I asked, trying to get more information. "Or do you have anything more valuable?"

The boy frowned, his eyes flickering. He clearly wasn't expecting me to ask him directly. "Well..." He lowered his head and thought for a moment. "I have some, but they're not easy to come by."

"Okay." I nodded, and began to ponder. This deal was worth my further investigation. Perhaps it would help me understand the situation in this area.

I lowered my voice, intending to continue bargaining with him: "What can I exchange for it? I don't have much to exchange right now."

He took a look at the white hair in my hand, and his eyes suddenly lit up. It was a look of greed that could be seen through his dirty eyes, as if this hair had extraordinary value to him.

"This fur... is very special." He swallowed, obviously very interested in it, "How do you plan to exchange it? A direct exchange, or prepare the materials together and split the profits after the finished product?" When he spoke, his tone was full of a determination, as if he had already calculated all the possibilities in his mind.

I raised an eyebrow slightly, feeling a little uneasy at the look on his face. Although I knew these hairs might be insignificant in the eyes of hunters like them, if they could reveal more information, perhaps they could become a bargaining chip.

"What do you think can be made of this hair?" I asked calmly, testing his attitude.

He smiled, clearly showing some confidence, "This fur is not simple, it can be made into clothes, accessories, and even weapons. In our business, we can resell anything. Besides, this fur is special, and the things made from it will definitely sell for a good price." His eyes flashed with greed, as if he was already calculating how much the fur in my hand was worth.

"But I don't plan to sell it." I responded calmly.

The young man was obviously disappointed when he saw my response, but he quickly adjusted his expression and continued, "Then let's work together and split the profits after the finished product. This way you don't have to hand the thing over directly. What if it's worth more? If you make it into something useful, the chances of exchanging it will be greater." As he spoke, he began to fantasize about making this white hair into some decorations or weapons.

I was silent for a moment, mentally weighing whether this was a trustworthy transaction. After all, dealing with these mercenaries was never a simple "cooperation." Every step was fraught with risk.

"Okay." I finally nodded. "We can give it a try, but I need to take a look at your materials and workmanship first." I was not in a hurry to agree to him. After all, I needed more information to judge whether this deal could bring me benefits.

Although what I need most is information.

He obviously didn't expect me to be so calm. Instead, he nodded with some satisfaction: "No problem, you can see the materials and workmanship. We have the most practical craftsmanship in the industry, and you will definitely not be disappointed."

He led me to a secluded workshop, evidently one of their bases. Though the surroundings looked somewhat shabby, it was filled with tools and materials. Hanging on the walls were numerous finished weapons and ornaments of various shapes, creating an oppressive atmosphere. Glancing at the finished goods, I felt a growing skepticism about this collaboration.

"Take a look at these first," he said, pointing to the piles of materials and tools. "If you're not satisfied, you can always leave."