Hearing Lu Li's straightforward inquiry about the price, Tuantuan felt a surge of joy. She knew this powerhouse definitely had the capital to afford The Slaughterer.
"The senior who owns this said the absolute minimum price is 20,000 Terminus Coins. No haggling allowed," Tuantuan stated clearly.
Hearing that figure, several Explorers in the crowd who hadn't heard the price earlier gasped, profoundly struck by the exorbitant cost of Purple-Grade equipment.
The vast majority of Tier 1 Explorers relied entirely on Blue (Excellent) Grade gear. Only the most elite, high-earning Explorers could afford to fully kit themselves out in Dark-Blue (Rare) Grade equipment. After all, an average Explorer's net income per Mission World typically hovered around 4,000 to 5,000 Terminus Coins.
Faced with a Purple-Grade item that cost tens of thousands of coins, even the absolute top-tier Explorers in the Tier 1 bracket simply couldn't afford it without completely liquidating their entire inventory.
---
"Deal. Open the trade window," Lu Li nodded briskly, completely skipping the haggling process.
He knew the ring didn't belong to Tuantuan, and the asking price was genuinely very reasonable. As a max-rated Purple accessory, The Slaughterer's actual market value should easily exceed 20,000 coins. Depending on market fluctuations, it wouldn't be surprising to see it sell for up to 25,000 coins. The original owner was clearly desperate for liquid capital to offer such a steep, non-negotiable discount.
"Thank you so much for understanding, Boss!" Tuantuan breathed a massive sigh of relief, genuinely thrilled to have successfully completed her senior's task. She had been dreading the possibility of Lu Li aggressively lowballing her, which would have put her in an incredibly awkward position.
The transaction was completed seamlessly: coins transferred, item delivered. Lu Li walked away feeling highly satisfied with his purchase.
---
However, it seemed he had completely exhausted his good luck for the day.
Finding heavily discounted, premium gear on the open market was a rare occurrence. He spent the next few hours thoroughly browsing the rest of the Tier 1 Trade Market but failed to find a single piece of equipment that caught his eye.
After completing a full circuit, he passed by Tuantuan's stall again. She called out to him.
"Boss! Did you not find anything else you liked?"
Tuantuan had already sold most of her inventory and was currently packing up her stall.
Lu Li nodded.
"Do you have any more high-end goods hidden away?"
"Boss, you know what level I'm at. The Slaughterer was an extreme exception. It was by far the best item on my stall," Tuantuan explained. "But if you still have cash to burn, you should head down to the lower levels and check out the Commercial District. That area is entirely run by Support Staff. The equipment selection there is vastly superior and far more comprehensive."
She offered a word of caution.
"Just be prepared for a markup. Support Staff aren't like us front-line Explorers; they aren't desperate for quick cash, so they rarely discount their prices."
"Thanks for the tip. I'll go check it out," Lu Li nodded in appreciation before quickly heading off.
Tuantuan had given him an excellent alternative.
---
She was entirely correct.
Because Support Staff rarely deployed into active Mission Worlds, they spent essentially all their time inside the Terminus Space hub. Their primary function was backend production and logistics. Unlike combat Explorers, they weren't constantly racing against the clock.
Combat Explorers usually had very limited downtime in the Hub. Furthermore, because their Mission Worlds were lethally dangerous, they suffered from an intense, constant pressure to rapidly increase their combat power. Therefore, Explorers desperately needed to quickly liquidate useless loot into raw cash, which they could immediately convert into usable gear or stat upgrades.
That was the fundamental purpose of the Player Trade Market: a chaotic bazaar where Explorers rapidly digested their loot and exchanged resources. Generally speaking, no one was looking to make a massive "profit" off each other; it was mostly about mutual necessity, making prices relatively cheaper.
The Commercial District, on the other hand, was the exclusive domain of the Support Staff. As the name implied, its fundamental nature was purely commercial. Support Staff opened pristine storefronts to manufacture and sell gear for the sole purpose of maximizing profit. Naturally, their prices were steeper than the frantic, desperate Explorer market.
Furthermore, the equipment sold by Explorers in the Trade Market came from only two sources: random monster drops in Mission Worlds, or opening random Reward Chests. Both methods were entirely chaotic and unpredictable.
Different Mission Worlds dropped vastly different types of gear, making it impossible to guarantee that a dropped item would fit a specific Explorer's combat style. As for RNG Treasure Chests, they were notoriously unstable.
Therefore, shopping in the Player Trade Market was entirely dependent on pure luck. An item considered absolute garbage by one Explorer might be a god-tier artifact for another.
The Support Staff shops in the Commercial District were a completely different beast. Those dedicated craftsmen maintained comprehensive inventories covering all combat styles. Some even offered bespoke, custom-forging services, perfectly solving the problem of wealthy Explorers who couldn't find gear tailored to their specific builds.
---
It didn't take long for Lu Li to arrive at the Commercial District.
The sheer volume of foot traffic here was staggering. Moreover, Lu Li could instinctively sense that a significant portion of the people walking around were vastly stronger than him.
The Commercial District was the only zone in the Hub completely free of Tier restrictions. Explorers from all brackets could freely mingle here. Therefore, theoretically, a massive number of high-tier Explorers frequented this area.
When Lu Li first arrived in the Terminus Space, he hadn't bothered visiting the Commercial District because he was practically broke; window-shopping would have only been frustrating.
Now, having walked just a short distance down the main avenue, his eyes were opened to a whole new world.
The sheer variety of specialized shops was mind-boggling. The Support Staff had truly perfected the art of extreme capitalism, hyper-specializing their businesses into highly specific niches.
There were dedicated armor shops, potion dispensaries, tactical support item stores, bloodline modification clinics, skill scroll emporiums...
There was even an entire massive sector exclusively dedicated to gear, further subdivided into specialized boutiques selling only Main Weapons, Off-hand Weapons, Heavy Armor, Boots, Accessories, and so on.
Beyond these essential combat-logistics shops, there were countless entertainment and lifestyle venues: high-end restaurants, bustling bars, massive arcades.
Just moments ago, Lu Li had passed several scantily clad women standing on a street corner, actively soliciting customers. One of them had shoved a "Service Menu" into his hand as he walked by.
He had briefly glanced at the menu.
It listed bizarre, incomprehensible services like 'The 18 Heavenly Postures', 'The Poison Dragon Drill', 'The Full Package', and 'The Half-Set.'
He had absolutely no idea what any of it meant.
In short, the prosperity of the Commercial District vastly exceeded his expectations. It was the ultimate gathering place for the Support Staff, and an absolute paradise for wealthy Explorers.
---
After browsing several shops, he confirmed Tuantuan's warning: the prices here were undeniably a full tier higher than the Trade Market—roughly a 20% markup across the board.
Furthermore, the massive, opulent flagship stores lining the main avenue seemed exclusively targeted toward high-tier Explorers; they were absolutely not meant for his current budget.
Earlier, he had casually strolled into a massive, multi-story department store selling premium combat gear.
Lu Li deeply suspected that even the pristine, uniformed saleswomen walking around the showroom floor possessed higher core attributes than he did.
The gear displayed inside was of a rarity tier he had never even heard of, and the price tags had so many zeroes he didn't even want to bother counting them.
---
After walking for a while, Lu Li decided to veer off the main, opulent avenue and explore the smaller, narrower side streets. Those humble, less flashy shops were likely far more suited for a Tier 1 Explorer's budget.
Before long, he spotted a tiny, unassuming storefront.
There were no hired sales clerks. The only person inside was a teenage girl—presumably the owner—sitting behind the front counter, resting her chin in her hand and staring blankly into space.
Seeing Lu Li walking toward the entrance, the girl, dressed in a pristine sailor-fuku school uniform, instantly snapped to attention.
She sprang to her feet, flashing a perfectly rehearsed, highly enthusiastic retail smile.
"Welcome, handsome sir! Are you looking to buy a bed today?!"
"...Buy a bed?"
Lu Li stopped dead in his tracks, thoroughly confused.
He looked up at the shop's sign hanging above the door:
[Bespoke Private Customs]
He had assumed this was a custom blacksmithing forge.
Was it actually just a furniture store?
Had he walked into the wrong place?
Stepping inside, he glanced around.
Sure enough, the shelves were lined with various pieces of meticulously crafted furniture, miniaturized using spatial compression technology.
And yes, a vast majority of the display items were intricately carved beds...
---
"Ah, my apologies. I thought this was an equipment forge. Excuse me," Lu Li said, immediately turning around to leave.
He muttered under his breath, genuinely baffled.
Who the hell comes into the Terminus Space to buy a custom bed? Is their brain damaged? They have money to burn, and they spend it on furniture?!
In his mind, hard-earned capital should strictly be invested in personal combat power. Increasing your survival rate was the only absolute truth. The standard, system-provided furniture in the private Hub rooms was perfectly functional; wasting coins on luxury beds was pure idiocy.
"Wait! Please don't go!"
Seeing Lu Li turn around, the sailor-suited girl panicked.
She had opened this shop an entire month ago, and she still hadn't made a single sale.
She scrambled out from behind the counter and rushed to block the door.
"I sell combat equipment too! I promise! And I can forge highly customized gear exactly to your specifications!"
Lu Li looked the girl up and down, highly skeptical.
She still had a bit of youthful baby fat on her cheeks and was dressed like a literal schoolgirl. She didn't look like a hardened, veteran Support Staff member.
And she clearly sold furniture.
Could she actually forge combat-viable equipment?
"Please, just come to the back and take a look! I swear, my craftsmanship is top-tier!"
The girl grabbed Lu Li's arm and tried to physically drag him inside.
Awkwardly, she tugged twice but couldn't move him a single millimeter.
The Terminus Space hub strictly prohibited Explorers and Support Staff from forcibly applying kinetic force against one another, completely neutralizing attacks, shoving, and forced dragging.
"Fine. I'll take a quick look."
Maintaining a healthy dose of skepticism, Lu Li followed the girl deeper into the shop.
She led him past the furniture displays to a separate rack in the back.
Sure enough, there were numerous pieces of combat equipment neatly displayed. They had simply been completely obscured by the massive bed frames at the front of the store.
"Legendary-Grade?!"
Lu Li's eyes went wide.
"Did you actually forge this?!"
The sailor-suited girl put her hands on her hips, tilting her chin up proudly. A highly smug, confident expression spread across her cute face.
"Heh heh. Of course I forged it. So, my esteemed customer... are you interested in making a purchase?"
Lu Li shook his head.
Legendary-Grade equipment was astronomically expensive; there was absolutely no way he could afford it right now.
But he realized he had drastically underestimated this girl.
Despite her youthful appearance and bizarre demeanor, she was actually a supreme Master Blacksmith.
He had quickly scanned the stats of the Legendary gear on display.
Every single piece was perfectly max-rated.
The systemic effects were terrifyingly powerful and incredibly synergistic, containing absolutely zero useless, "gimmicky" filler stats.
This required a truly transcendent level of forging talent.
It was a profound shame this girl's brain seemed to be completely broken.
With this level of godly forging skill... why the hell are you so obsessed with making beds?!
__________
PLEASE SUPPORT ME ON PATREON:
Patreon.com/IndifferentVillain
Early Access and + 60 chapter ahead of webnovel monthly, ur support keeps me motivated...thanks and enjoy reading
_______________