In the end, Tang Ling decided to pay the price. He told Boss Huang everything about the body array, including what he learned and where he learned it in detail.
He also agreed to pay up for one extra book of Boss Huang’s selection such as a book on body array or whatnot every day during his reading hour. The price would be 250 Black Wind coins, which was about half a Black Sea coin. For that price, he would get an extra hour of reading.
According to Boss Huang, Tang Ling could buy everything in Dvesha Moha. Since Tang Ling had started earning money, the rules in Dvesha Moha would apply to him and he would have to keep up with the price.
From now onwards, he could even buy free time. 1 Black Sea coin could buy him three extra hours of free time. Even his clothes, food, and even smithing techniques could be bought in advance.
Boss Huang gave Tang Ling a to-buy list, which included almost everything that he could think of, from meals, lodging, and entertainment to freedom.
Boss Huang’s swindling started to confuse Tang Ling’s rationale to the extent that he somehow felt the list made sense and the price was reasonable.
“Look how good I am to you.” Boss Huang smiled from ear to ear.
“Great!” Tang Ling had a strange feeling in his heart. Something did not seem right. He saw Boss Huang enjoying the pastries and tea with a sleazy look although he was drinking only plain water.
When he came to think of it, did he not owe Boss Huang 27 Black Sea coins? Why did it feel like it was a hole that he could never fill?
Boss Huang would never give him the time and chance to figure things out, so he grabbed Tang Ling’s hand and pressed his hand to the list, leaving a handprint on it. He then gleefully put it away and said while pointing at Tang Ling, “Look at you. Look at how much have you burdened me,”
Suddenly speechless, Tang Ling somehow felt like he had fallen into Boss Huang’s trap again.
Whatever, it’s really not wise for me to argue with someone like Boss Huang.
Tang Ling had a tight schedule ahead, so he skipped the chatter and flattery. “I need some of the Black Sea coins to buy a present for Higan and purchase some body array materials. As for the rest, I can use them to buy information from you.”
“My information is costly.” Boss Huang immediately looked serious.
“I’m okay with it. If it’s worth it, I’ll just take what’s it’s worth.” Tang Ling referred to the bag of Black Sea coins laid open on the table.
This kid…
Boss Huang squinted his eyes. It was at times like this that the kid emanated his personal charm which somewhat resembled his unreliable father.
“Fine, ask away.” Boss Huang adjusted his body into a more comfortable sitting posture.
“Firstly, Ro Xin and Ro Li’s whereabouts,” Tang Ling asked his first question. If time allowed, he wanted to meet them later that day.
“Just their whereabouts? What about their situation?” Boss Huang was not in a hurry to take the payment.
“Both.”
“Fine.” Boss Huang grabbed 10 Black Sea coins from Tang Ling’s bag. “They are in the Pearl District of the deck area. The Ancient Path Drugstore, No. 299 on the third street.
“That girl, Ro Xin, she’s a lucky one with a bit of brains. She was smart enough to ask around for medicinal shops and drugstores on her first day and she didn’t find a messy and cheap place to settle down in.
“Then, she found herself settling down in the Ancient Path Drug Store as an apprentice who works for free. Her dumb big brother is also working there as free labor. She’s smart and lucky because she seized the chance when it was presented to her when she healed one of the important figures who have real authority in Darkness Port. So now, the owner of the drugstore looks highly upon her. You can say the two of them are living a steady life for now.”
Boss Huang provided information about the brother and sister in detail. After all, he was rather a responsible man if he was paid for it. He even told Tang Ling about the encounters the siblings had in the past few days, as expected of the all-knowing Boss Huang.
“What’s the owner of the drugstore like?” Tang Ling asked a crucial question.
“He’s one of the hidden dragons in Darkness Port. He’s somewhat a powerful person, not exactly your Mr. Nice Guy but definitely not a bad one either. You could say he’s a typical philistine. How’s that sound?” Boss Huang answered without a second of delay.
Tang Ling nodded. A philistine was probably the best kind of person to be with in Darkness Port, just like Boss Huang himself. He might be somewhat of a philistine himself with a little bit of mischief, yet it was easy to get close to him.
Boss Huang nodded in response to Tang Ling before he added a comment, “The girl will surely achieve something in the future because her insight of people is sharp.”
“Yeah, she’s great.” Tang Ling smiled wide and dumbly with his white teeth were showing. He looked naive and stupid, but he was really proud of his friend.
“Are you going to meet them today?” Boss Huang asked purely out of curiosity.
“Yeah.” Tang Ling nodded.
“Go then. Bring the girl back here sometimes, but I’ll charge the big dumb brother for meals,” Boss Huang said, referring to Ro Li.
Tang Ling disdainfully thought, ‘Is it because Ro Xin is a pretty girl? Don’t make gender inequality that obvious.’
“Is there anything else?”
“I have a lot more,” Tang Ling immediately added. He calmed himself for a moment before asking the question that concerned him the most, “Where is Zero?”
Since Boss Huang was all-knowing, he should know who Zero was, would he not? If he did not know who Zero was, this question would be meaningless. As expected, he did not show any response on his face. Instead, he started to take the Black Sea coins from the bag and put it down in front of him.
10, 20, 30…
It did not seem like he was stopping.
Tang Ling did not feel anything either. There was no heartache or bitterness at all. If the price of the question was over his level of acceptance, he would simply forfeit it this time and go and make more money before asking again.
Tang Ling’s plan was to keep at least a hundred Black Sea coins. Even if he had to forgo his purchase of body array material, he would want to buy Higan a present with the money. Strictly speaking, he had earned the prize money from the Desperado Ring together with Higan.
As he thought about her gaze and anticipation when she had asked for a present, it put a smile on his face. How could he let Higan down?
Speaking of Higan, what time is it? Why isn’t she here yet? Tang Ling started to miss her.
Soon, Boss Huang stopped taking the coins from the bag.
He had taken a total of 120 Black Sea coins from Tang Ling just for a question about Zero’s whereabouts.
Given the price of things in Darkness Port, 120 Black Sea coins was a big sum of money to commoners, but the amount was cheaper than Tang Ling expected.
“120 Black Sea coins is a fair price. In fact, Zero’s whereabouts, in my opinion, isn’t much of a secret, but the key is that less than 20 people in Darkness Port know who Zero is. I’m one of them. Only by knowing who Zero is can one know where he is, am I right? So, do you think it’s a fair price?” Boss Huang looked at Tang Ling, asking every single word clearly and loudly.
“Fair enough.” Tang Ling nodded. In fact, he was already aroused.
From the moment Su Siao had given him this task, he had been through a lot. Was he close to the finish line yet? It felt surreal.
Then, Boss Huang stood up and took a scroll from the book rack behind him before laying it open on the desk.
It was a map of the deck area.
He pointed at the most obvious castle in the center of the deck area. His finger then slightly slid to the side and stopped at one of the buildings in the circular ring around the castle.
The map was detailed and meticulous, so all the buildings were drawn close to their real-life counterparts. The building that Boss Huang was pointing to was a black one that looked utterly realistic. “This is where Zero is. Got it?”
“I got it.” Tang Ling nodded solemnly. He then looked at Boss Huang. “I have to go out tomorrow. I must find Zero. It’s the reason why I’m here in Darkness Port.”
“It’s your choice, but remember that if you need extra free time, pay up!” Boss Huang added a slick reminder.
“I know, I know.” Defeated, Tang Ling simply answered the boss, but he was actually happy inside since he finally could heave a breath of relief.
Next, all he needed to do was find Zero. Would he be able to find out why Su Siao wanted him to find Zero in the first place?
“Is there anything else?” Boss Huang seemed a little greedy for more as he probed. Tang Ling had spent 130 Black Sea coins for information and had 152 left, so he should be able to ask more.
There were a plethora of questions that he wanted to ask about Darkness Port and this world like the question about the Purple Moon Warrior’s perfect breakthrough and the big opportunity in Darkness Port.
However, Tang Ling knew the questions that baffled him was not what his current savings could buy.
Realistically speaking, he might as well spend the money to buy some body array materials to boost himself. Only then could he earn more money to ask more questions. Therefore, he stretched his body and shook his head. “That’s all for today.”
He then grabbed the bag filled with Black Sea coins from the table and kept it in his arms under Boss Huang’s heavy and unwilling gaze.
“Are you going out? Three hours, 1 Black Sea coin.” Boss Huang did not want to give up just yet. He still wanted to deceive Tang Ling for more money.
“Not now. I still have two hours of smithing left.” He then looked at Boss Huang with a cunning smile. “Boss, I’ve cleared the task of 20 refined blanks. Is it time for you to teach me something new? You must know I love smithing. I am…”
“Shut up!” Boss Huang impatiently waved his hand and said, “I am a man of my word! Come on, let’s go back down to the smithing room.”
He already stood up when he waved his hand. Then, he headed towards the smithing room while grumbling, “Little bastard! Strange! Had it been two days ago, he would have run away if I let him go out…Isn’t he trying to locate his friends?”
Boss Huang was correct. Two days ago, Tang Ling would have eagerly gone out first after knowing Ro Xin and Ro Li’s whereabouts before coming back to continue his smithing.
However, Tang Ling wanted to wait for a little longer today because he was afraid that Higan would come over and he was not around. After a quick estimation, even if Higan was late, she should be here in another two hours. He even wanted to introduce her to Ro Xin and Ro Li.
I wonder if Ro Xin and Higan could be friends.
With that in mind, his mood was further lifted.
Hmm, Higan will come. She said so yesterday.
Tang Ling believed it strongly.
