Chapter 67: Merchant
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[Residential Zone… A week later]

Residential Zone was deigned with four main areas. Each crafted by the Redeemers to be home to one of the four difficulties.

Ironically, the comfort provided by the area is inversely proportionate to the difficulty level of the area.

The Easy Difficulty area contained prosperity and wealth, people visited commonly for everyday goods and services. It had many homes and was the largest part of the city.

The comforts provided there are extravagant with constant free replenishment of food with expensive wines and delicacies exclusively for those from Easy Difficulty.

The area designed for Normal Difficulty, originally contained a large outdoor park that has since been converted into the administrative area. In addition to the administrative area existing in these parts, many specialty shops opened up and it became a gathering place for adventures planning on traveling further into the zones.

The Hard Difficulty area became managed by guilds, they controlled everything there. The guilds avoid direct conflict with one another and instead competed over resources, manpower, and magical knowledge. Most are constantly recruiting, although at this point anyone who planned on joining a guild already has.

While the Hard Difficulty area is less populated compared to the previous two, it still had a steady stream of visitors.

Then there was Hell Difficulty area… compared to the other areas, it was an unpleasant place with terrible accommodations, lacking supplies, and was rarely visited except those with nefarious intentions.

In such a situation, anyone from the harder difficulties would obviously attempt to live in the weaker difficulty residential areas. This caused friction as only those from their respective difficulty can acquire new apartments and supplied food.

The Redeemers didn’t want to encourage the higher difficult zones to slack off, thus the level of accommodations decreased and treatment worsened as the difficulty level increased.

While this is what caused the prosperity of the Easy Difficulty area, as several of the delicacies were exclusive to the lower difficulty level, it spurred jealousy and hatred as well.

Jealousy and hatred combined with their target’s weakness, a common trait among those from Easy Difficulty, created a powder-keg that was ready to explode.

The guilds stepped in to prevent that powder-keg from exploding. Using regulation and lawmaking, they prevented those in Easy Difficulty from leaving the Residential Zone and created laws that would exploit their benefits for themselves.

Harsh regulation and little representation forced anyone from Easy Difficulty into a guild to survive peacefully and the jealous against them lessened due to the exploitation.

That is the environment that existed prior to the sweeping changes implemented by the guilds.

It became legendary that the phoenix guild managed to change the current legislation overnight, removing all laws that affected free movement and exploitation. Along with that, they took the opportunity to implement a proper monetary system.

Before the guilds argued about which currency to use and different guilds all built their own currency making it impossible to properly create a trustworthy economy. Once one currency became used for official purposes, the other coins were abandoned and the phoenix guild’s currency became used by everyone while the other currencies died off. Now other currencies are only used internally within the guild that created them.

Overall, the environment got better and more peaceful. However, not everyone changed. Criminals who took advantage of the law utilized the useless Hell Difficulty area as their home ground and had been taking advantage of the out of the way location to complete various unsavory deals.

… Today was no exception to the rule and, in the Hell Difficulty area of the Residential Zone, two shadily dressed merchants gathered.

They gathered in a side alley that light strangely avoided as though it had deigned the alley unworthy of its presence.

On the one side, dressed in all black, the cloaked man pulled out an expensive artifact offering it to the other to examine. “How much are you willing to offer?”

“4,000 max.” The other figure in a brown cloak grabbed it, examining the solid round artifact with blue runes atop it.

Immediately, the price was denied and the artifact was snatched back. “Bullshit. It’s worth at least 20,000, give me half that.”

“Not my problem. Take it elsewhere if you have a problem with my price.” The brown cloaked figure took out 4,000 coins refusing to pay even a slightly higher price, his voice clearly implied the opposition had no wiggle room or leverage over him.

The man quickly comforted, “Let’s not be hasty now. There’s no reason to ruin the relationship we have for some petty gain, at least give me 8,000.”

“4,000 and not a coin more. Don’t try utilizing your ability on me, I’ve already decided I won’t be going higher than that. Find another buyer if you don’t like the price.” His voice portrayed the sneer on his face.

“Tsk… You know it’s impossible to find another buyer at the moment. Too dangerous. Two bodies have turned up this week alone, people who come here are either already dead or in hiding.”

Impatient, the man in the brown cloak attempting to buy the item forced a decision. “Don’t waste my time, do you want the money or not?”

“Screw you too.” The round artifact flying out of his hands toward the buyer as he spoke. Grabbing the money out of the buyers outstretched hands, he began to walk away.

“Pleasure doing business with you.” The man replied with a chuckle.

Giving him the middle finger as he walked away and argued, “0 out of 10, would not trade again.”

“Usual time next week then?”

He stopped, sighed and halfheartedly replied, “Yeah…” Before walking away mumbling insults pertaining to a leach and a greedy demon.

When the black cloaked man arrived outside of Hell Difficulty, he removed his cloak. Underneath showed a face that Tobias would recognize. He was the merchant who had scammed him several months ago.

Arriving back at an abandoned apartment in the Normal Difficulty, he confirmed nobody followed him before quietly entering.

Inside the building was countless artifacts piled up in random places, most fake. A woman in leather adventurer gear sat in the corner crafting the counterfeit items.

“You’re back. How much did we get?” The woman asked, putting down the item she was working on.

“4,000. The bastard refused to go higher than that.”

“What?!” The woman cried out in outrage, “How are we going to cover our investment with only 4,000 coins?”

“There’s nothing I could do. It’s too risky to be moving about to find a new buyer at the moment. Bodies have been popping up everywhere, everyone who would pay a decent amount is laying low.” The merchant explained to his partner.

The woman cursed, “That barely enough to stay afloat.”

“I know.” The man sighed, moving to sit on a nearby chair.

They sat in silence for several moments, before moving to do their own separate tasks. The man gathered various fake artifacts and began utilizing various techniques to make them more convincing fakes. While the woman utilized her ability to create perfect counterfeits of real artifacts, only without any of the special powers of the real artifact.

“I been wondering this for awhile… what are you going to do if someone returns with one of our fakes.”

“You already know that’s impossible. I am careful to only sell to people who are leaving the residential zone soon.” He replied annoyed at the question.

The woman seemed perplexed at that reasoning and curiously asked. “What if they change their mind or come back after leaving?”

“If they leave, the artifact will continually attract powerful monsters to them. They would have to give it up to survive the return. If they don’t end up leaving or return prematurely, the bribed guards will beat them up and take the counterfeit.” The man explained before laughing, “Either way, nobody will be capable of proving anything… Without proof, nobody would dare to act against an upstanding member of the merchant association.”

“Well, it’s certainly an interesting scheme.” The voice of his partner sounded completely different from usual, taking on a dark tone.

Something clicking in the man’s head, he slid off his chair and began backing off toward the exit of the apartment. That wasn’t something Pahira would say, nor was it Pahira’s voice.

In fact, this entire conversation was odd. When he had tried explaining his methods to her before, his partner controlled her curiosity to obtain plausible deniability.

When the imposter took a step toward him, he demanded, “Who are you? Where’s Pahira?”

Audibly, he sounded intimidating, his appearance though was less threatening than a toothless kitten. In fact, he’d never stopped backing away toward the door and clearly planned on escaping as soon as possible.

“She’s dead.” The imposter replied before looking puzzled and then smiling, “Interesting… You have the ability to influence people? That’s must be how you get people to buy your fake goods without checking them carefully.”

Denying all knowledge of impropriety, he lied. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Leave me alone.”

Utilizing his ability to increase the effectiveness of his words. However, the imposter had already decided on a course of action and his ability wasn’t powerful enough to deter them from that course of action.

With a dark gaze, the woman sporting Pahira’s face dismissed his statement. “Doesn’t matter, I’ll find out once you’re dead.”

Sprinting out the door, he pulled out the various artifacts he had on his person. His main occupation being a merchant, the majority of his artifacts weren’t on his person. Instead they were trapped in his apartment he had to run away from.

The entire body of the imposter began to change until they turned into a man that the merchant recognized.

Zoom?! The ranker, Zoom? Who can travel faster than sound? Did this imposter manage to kill zoom?

Realizing he was in a bad situation, he utilized his ability and cried for help. “Help! I’m being attacked!”

Unfortunately, he’d chosen this location for a base precisely because it was abandoned and barely used. The likelihood of someone hearing him was low. The likelihood of that someone being strong enough to help him was even lower.

Hearing the barrier around him form then shatter, he realized that he’d been attacked from behind.

The glove of the hated one blocked his opponent’s near instantaneous attack. With a thirty minute recharge time, it wouldn’t help him further in this fight.

Fumbling around in his bag as he ran, the merchant accidentally dropped a barrier trap on the floor behind him.

The imposter, posing as zoom, didn’t seem to be in a rush. Despite that, there was no time to recover the dropped trap.

Cursing to himself, he tried to negotiate with the imposter. “Listen, there’s no need to kill me. I’m willing to serve you instead. I might not be particularly rich, but I’m still a profitable merchant.”

The imposer let out a bizarre smile and stated, “Sure, why not?”

He’d planned on continuing to attempt to convince him and delaying. “Really?”

“Yeah… Start by handing over all your artifacts.” Mirth filled the imposter’s eyes, as he spoke.

Staring at the imposter, he considering actually surrendering. It didn’t take him long to reach the conclusion that serving him was impossible.

This impostor seems to have the ability to shapeshift into people he kills and utilize their ability. Even if he handed over everything, he would just be killed afterward.

This imposter is likely the cause of the recent killing spree. Since I’ve seen his ability to shapeshift, he’d never agree to let me survive.

People had thought the killer a ghost or teleporter, if people learned of his ability to shapeshift and is able to utilize the ability of those he kills, the likelihood of him being hunted and killed increases by several folds.

The imposter had already showcased his determination to kill him earlier. When he’d told him to leave, the merchant’s ability would have stopped him if he hadn’t completely made up his mind.

“Let’s not be hasty. I’d like some kind of guarantee you won’t just kill me afterward.” He spoke mainly for the purpose of delaying his opponent’s actions rather than attempting to properly convince him.

The merchant didn’t stand a chance of escaping from Zoom with his abilities. His only hope was the imposter’s ability had a time-limit or that someone heard his shouts and came to save him.

“You think you’re in a position to bargain?” The imposter’s eyes shone in a cold-frosted light.

“Bargain? No, no, I wouldn’t dare. I’m only trying to guarantee my little life while serving you.” He said, hurriedly denying to prevent the imposter from killing him.

The imposter began getting annoyed, “Enough. Hand over your artifacts and die.”

Noticing the specific phrasing of ‘and’ instead of ‘or’, the merchant’s heart dropped but he continued his charade. “Now, now… I don’t have everything on me at the moment. I’ll take you to them. As a criminal, I’ve built up quite a fortune.”

The imposter frowned, speeding forward and holding a sword to the merchant’s neck. “Through the debts and number of bribes you have to pay, it would be surprising if you even made a profit.”

“Come on, did you really believe I would do that kind of criminal work without a steady profit.” The merchant exaggerated while utilizing his ability to improve his perceived value, “Those were lies to lower the amount I had to pay Pahira.”

While lying about a fortune might get him killed later, telling the truth would almost certainly cause him to die now. Between dying now and dying later, he would always choose later.

“I’ll slowly torture you and make you plead for death if you’re lying to me.” The imposter threatened and made a thin cut appear on his neck.

A thin line of blood dripped from the resulting injury and cold-sweat appeared on his face, but despite actually lying to him, he hastily denied it. “I wouldn’t dare to lie. I wouldn’t dare.”

Thinking about who could potentially defeat this monstrous ranker before him filled his mind with regret. He knew of nobody who would be able to kill a ranker and the imposter would never let him get close enough to a teleportation beacon to escape.

Normal people didn’t stand a chance against rankers and most rankers stayed in the zones increasing their strength. No ranker wanted to be removed from the ranking and be abandoned by their guild, so they were constantly fighting to increase their power.

There was a rumor going around that someone from Hell Difficulty arrived in the Residential Zone and had taken up residence in the Hell Difficulty area. If true, then they might be able to temporarily hold him off while he escaped.

Rumors weren’t a reliable sources of Intel especially nonsensical rumors like that, but at this point anything is better than certain death.

Thirty minutes, he needed to survive another thirty minutes to grant him another chance to escape when the glove recharged. Once that happens, if someone interferes and delays this imposter he has a higher chance of survival.

“I left the majority of my fortune in one place. Too dangerous to carry around.” The merchant fraudulently explained, “Follow me.”

A knife placed against his back as he walked, the imposter vowed, “If you try to take me into a populated area, I’m going to stab you.”

“No, no, it’s quite remote.” The merchant lied while silently changing the route in his head.

Thus, the merchant began his journey toward the Hell Difficulty section. Hoping against all odds for a miracle to happen. Little knowing that the small rumor about people from Hell Difficulty arriving in the Residential Zone would change the destined outcome of his life.

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