episode_0017

I came out of the government building, roughly scratching my head and sighing deeply.

“Annoying….”

Of course, I didn’t think I could easily obtain the Great Root Pill, but I never imagined it would be so tangled up from the start.

Because it is a dangerous pill that converts all the life force of the user into stamina, eventually leading to death, its production and use are entirely prohibited…, additionally, I heard that the user dies after mercilessly ejaculating from his member. I felt like I understood a bit why it was designated as a prohibited pill after hearing that.

“…To be honest, I’m also worried about whether the Great Root Pill will even work on me.”

Low- to mid-grade recovery potions that can be easily obtained in the Philegrean Central Continent had no effect on my body.

On the other hand, the degraded Great Pill given by the Sword King clearly had an effect on me. There’s no way that common low- to mid-grade recovery potions you can buy at stores are the same grade as a sect’s secret pill, so I could assume that my body only accepts high-grade medicines.

If the Great Root Pill isn’t the same grade as the Great Pill…, it means it has no effect.

“Haa…, even if it does have an effect, it’s a problem….”

No matter how big it gets down there, what’s the point if I die?

It’s just a pretty but useless thing.

“Well…, I still have to try to get it.”

I’ve come this far, I can’t go back empty-handed. Now that it’s come to this, even if I can’t eat it, I must obtain it.

“….Well, even if I try to get it, there’s no way right now though.”

Because it’s designated as a prohibited pill, and the act of trying to obtain it is a crime, I can’t ask anyone about it.

But if rumors of the ‘Great Root Pill’ have reached the ears of the White Lotus, then it must be circulating through some dark routes. If I can find that route, getting it won’t be a problem….

“Haa…, let’s just think of it as sightseeing for now.”

One of my companions was caught by the government, but I warned them, so they won’t do anything stupid.

If they do…, I can just cover my face and cause a ruckus. Let’s not overthink it.

“Then, the first thing I need is a place to stay…, at least a place to stay here for a week….”

Where do the protagonists usually stay in martial arts novels…. Did they stay at inns?

I’ve seen a few inns while walking around, so I can go around there and look for a room.

I went into the nearest inn.

It was close to evening, so the inn was quite crowded with people.

In addition, my clothing was quite alien from the standards of the Yeom Country, so it greatly attracted the attention of others.

However, Xinhyun City has many merchants coming from the center, so the curious gazes quickly disappeared, and they continued their conversations. And a young waiter, who looked like a servant, scurried over with a business smile.

“Welcome~! Are you here for a meal?”

“I’d like a meal and also, is it possible to get a room to stay for a few days?”

“Uh…, a room?”

The waiter scratched his head, looking troubled, then swallowed nervously as he looked at the sword at my waist and said carefully.

“I’m sorry…, right now, the warriors of the Hwasan Sect have come here, so there are no empty rooms…”

“Is that so?…”

Well…, since the Yongbong Association competition is being held in Xinhyun City, it’s natural that participating sects would flock here.

….This is suddenly making me anxious? Can I even get a room to stay for one night, let alone a week?…

“I’m sorry. This place is for the Wudang Sect….”

“I’m sorry. This place is for the Tang Family….”

“The warriors of Jongnam….”

“The Common…”

In this wide land of Xinhyun City! In these many inns!! How can there not be a single empty room!!!

“Right! After all, 13 sects and families are participating, and they won’t just bring one person per sect, they’ll bring a few! Especially if it’s a family, the number of people in the group will be even greater!! Even if they only bring a minimum of 10 people per group, that’s 130 people!! That’s a lot! A damn lot!!”

It could actually be even more than that!

But still!!

Don’t you think it’s a bit much that there are no rooms like this!!!

“I’m going to have to sleep on the streets!!!”

I’m not some beggar from the Beggars’ Sect!

Get away! Don’t look at me like that!! You beggar bastards!!!

“….Haa.”

“Do you need a place to stay?”

I wonder if it’s possible to stay at the government building? It seems better to stay at the government building.

Just as I was seriously considering going back to the government building, there was an old woman who spoke to me.

“Who are you?”

“I’m just a harmless old woman who runs a small shop in front. From what I can see, you seem to be in trouble because you don’t have a place to stay…, if you’re okay with it, you can stay at our shop for a few days.”

It’s nice to suddenly have a place to stay, but…, in martial arts stories, there’s a rule that you should never trust old people or children whose identities are not clear…, should I follow it, or not?

I hesitated for a moment, but that hesitation quickly disappeared.

Old Man Wang

Level: 1 Health: 750/750

Strength: 3 Mana: 640

Agility: 4

Magic: 8

Skill: 22

Durability: 5

Hmm. He really was just a harmless old man.

His skill is a bit higher compared to the other stats, but if I consider it as experience from his life, it’s not a strange stat.

“If you’re willing to let me stay, I’d be grateful.”

“Hehe, in return, I’d like you to help with the shop work while you’re staying, is that alright?”

“That’s nothing. I’ll help you.”

“Trustworthy. Then follow me.”

I followed the old man down the street.

The old man went off the main street and into a rather secluded back alley.

Only then did I feel a bit strange, but I trusted my eyes…, my stats, and kept walking.

Then we came out of the back alley and into the outskirts of the fancy Xinhyun City.

“This place…, the houses generally seem to have weathered the storms a lot.”

“Why are you beating around the bush? You can just say they look like they’re about to collapse.”

“….”

Perhaps this is the back side of Xinhyun City.

Certainly, this is a very wealthy city, but…, there is always a place where the light doesn’t reach.

Is he running a shop in a place like this?

“The security isn’t very good around here. Seeing that you’re carrying a sword, you must know how to fight a bit?”

“….Well, I can protect myself.”

“That’s a relief. Ah, there it is. That’s my shop.”

A shop appeared that looked like what you’d imagine if you built a house with wooden planks.

Did I make the wrong decision?…

* * *

2nd day coming to Yeom Country.

The house that looked so old and dilapidated was more cozy than I thought, so sleeping itself wasn’t a problem.

“We do lunch and dinner business, so you’re free in the morning. First of all, your clothes seem quite conspicuous, so how about getting some clothes?”

I accepted Old Man Wang’s advice and returned to the downtown area of Xinhyun City to get some clothes.

Finding a clothing store itself wasn’t a big problem. Moreover, the fact that Xinhyun City has many merchants from the Central Continent was also a big advantage, so trade was possible with the common currency of the Central Continent.

“Oh my, the clothes look so good on you because you have such a great physique~”

“….”

Flattering to sell things seems to be a common thing in the East and West, medieval and modern.

I bought and wore Yeom-style clothes that anyone would commonly wear, without any special decorations as much as possible. I threw the clothes I was wearing into my inventory.

“But young hero, are you planning to stay here for a long time?”

“Maybe…, there’s something I’m looking for, and it seems difficult to obtain…, so I don’t think I’ll be able to leave in just a few days.”

“In that case, you should exchange your money in advance~ This place is relatively active in exchanging with other continents, so you can trade with Central Continent currency, but if you go further inland, you won’t be able to trade at all.”

“Ah…, certainly. I didn’t think of that. Thank you.”

Certainly.

I’ll have to travel around Yeom Country until I get the Great Root Pill, so I’ll have to save up some money from Yeom Country.

‘I heard that the Yongbong Association is not a competition for the purpose of prize money.’

Of course, there is a nominal prize money, but most of the winners receive the prize money from the sect or family that supported them, so in the end, they are just taking back the money they put in, well, that’s the tendency.

…Where do I exchange money?

“The most famous merchant group in this area is the Yuun Merchant Group. If you want to exchange money, it would be good to visit there.”

“Ah, thank you. I’m just getting help.

“Just come back again next time, that’s all I need~ Ohoho.”

I went out of the clothing store.

The effect of changing clothes is definitely working, as there are fewer gazes from around me.

I went straight to the Yuun Merchant Group.

The fact that it was the most famous merchant group in this area was true, as I could see quite a lot of goods going in and out of the merchant group. I exchanged money there without difficulty and thought as I came out of the Yuun Merchant Group.

‘If it’s a place like that…, they might know about the Great Root Pill.’

But if I ask about the Great Root Pill out of the blue, I’ll just be repeating yesterday’s events.

So, to ask about a prohibited pill like the Great Root Pill, I need to be a valuable customer that the merchant group can’t do without. And I can’t be such a customer right now….

“….Wait a minute.”

Something flashed in my head.

I quickly opened my inventory and checked.

There it is.

A large amount of wolf and bear skins that I hunted in Snow Mountain. And their meat and other things.

“….Can’t I just sell these?”

I rushed back to Yuun Escort Agency.

* * *

“You’ve come to…, sell goods?”

“Yes.”

The other person frowned and looked at me.

Of course, the other person’s reaction is perfectly normal. Think about it. Let’s say you work at a Samx customer center. Suddenly, you get a call from someone out of the blue saying they have a good business idea and want to sell it to Samsung, who wouldn’t frown.

If it were me, I would start by cursing them for being drunk during the day.

So the other person’s reaction is extremely gentlemanly.

So I have to respond like a gentleman too.

Thump!!

“…Huh?”

I took out about a dozen or so processed wolf and bear skins from my inventory and dropped them.

“I want to sell something like this. Is an appraisal possible?”

“J, just a moment….”

Since ancient times, leather has been used in various places.

And most of the main uses are luxury goods.

This leather is especially impressive with its snow-white fur that is generally hard to find. Moreover, it is a clean leather without any damage, harvested with an overwhelming value of skill 999. It will definitely have enough value.

…Please say it does. Please…

“W, where did you get these?…, You certainly didn’t have any luggage…, Could it be a special magical item?…”

“Yes. Well…, something like that. So can I trade these?”

Please say yes!!…

I’ve been to over 12 dungeons that I went through in the name of training from the Sword King in Snow Mountain.

The number of demon beasts of wolves and bears that I dealt with in the meantime is easily over 200.

And the inventory could overlap items of the same type, so I could put all the large amounts of wolf and bear skins, meat, teeth, and other things that exceeded 200, and walk around.

I’ll be really sad if you say everything I put in the inventory was in vain!

“T, this is…. Just a moment. I’ll bring my superior, so please wait a moment.”

With that said, the other person went inside.

But they didn’t take the leather?… Is it useless?….