Chapter 74: Purchasing

Eren and Celeste were chosen to negotiate with Pang Cai on the group’s behalf. He noticed they treated him a lot differently than they did before. Their gazes were a lot more concentrated, just like they did when they were looking at Ormann.

He was now the authoritative figure they looked up to. He didn’t hate it. Having a lot of helpers would definitely be a boon in whatever kind of test was coming their way.

They walked towards Pang Cai. They weren’t the only ones there as plenty more of the other examinees wanted to purchase sunspores from him while his supplies lasted.

But as soon as they approached, Pang Cai turned towards Eren with a big smile on his face.

"My friend!"

Pang Cai jostled his way through the crowd. They made way for him. Blocking all four hundred pounds of Pang Cai would be like blocking a truck passing through.

"I see you’ve returned victorious as well. Good! Good!"

Celeste looked askance at Eren and Pang Cai, realizing that they seemed to have a much better relationship than she originally thought. One might even think that they were friends!

"Anyway, have you come to buy my wares?"

"Yes, we do," Celeste answered. "How many sunspores can we exchange for three sacks of potatoes?"

Potatoes were one of the things they found during their travels in the tunnel without Eren.

Pang Cai waved to one of his assistants. "We’ve had lots of offers for potatoes, which devalues the product quite a bit. But since you’re Eren’s friend, I’ll give you a good price. An entire sack for 50 sunspores."

"Deal," Celeste immediately agreed. It was a good deal. That was 150 sunspores for them in total.

"Nice and straightforward! Just give the potatoes to my assistant over here and he’ll give you the corresponding sunspores," Pang Cai said. "Now, is that all? Business is booming, and I don’t want to miss out on some desperate pleas for sunspore!"

"No, that’s it—"

"I’ll buy more Skyward Herbs from you," Eren said, interrupting Celeste’s words.

"Oh, more Skyward Herbs? Certainly. A refreshing soup will be more valuable in the Subterranean Burrows from now on. Luckily for you, there are a lot of my customers who are trading their Skyward Herbs for sunspores. How much more do you want?"

"240 leaves. And a hundred grams of Darklobe soil, ten stems of trishrooms, a sack of pastor moss..."

He listed out all the ingredients he’d need for the paste, and then some.

This was not the exact recipe. He added a few extra steps to ensure Pang Cai wouldn’t accidentally discover what he was trying to create.

But even if he did, the technique for creating the paste required a lot of practice, one Eren only figured out because of his extensive experience back in Immoræ.

"That..." The scion of the Cai family was staggered.

"Do you have it or not?"

Pang Cai looked a bit offended. "Of course I have it. But the price... it’s going to be at least 490 sunspores in total."

Eren opened all of the hidden compartments in his suit. From his ribs, his waist, his calves and shin, and even the bottom of his shoes, before shoving out bundles of sunspore after sunspore after sunspore.

"Four-hundred ninety. Nothing more, nothing less," he said, leaving the stack on the ground. He ignored the burning gaze Celeste directed at him from the side. It was admirable how well she was able to hide the astonishment in her face.

Pang Cai had a similar reaction. His eyes went through a myriad of emotions. From disbelief, to shock, to confusion.

"You harvested all of these yourself?!"

His shock was understandable. Even the most industrious examinee could only harvest 300 sunspores after spending hours scouring the tunnels for sunspores.

"I got lucky with a Burrow," Eren excused.

Pang Cai scratched his double chin.

He’s suspicious about how I got these sunspores. But he won’t question it. He’s too good of a businessman to get rid of a rich, returning customer like me. As for her...

Celeste remained silent. She was reserving her questions after his conversation with Pang Cai. But he could tell she also didn’t believe his excuse. Astonishment was written all over her face.

Immediately, Pang Cai settled their negotiation with a very clammy handshake. "Guhahahaha! Since we’re friends, I’m giving you a big, big discount. I’ll only take 400 sunspores for all of those items."

It was a gesture of good will. An insurance that Eren would continue to partake in business with Pang Cai.

Eren smiled. For now, he needed Pang Cai. He didn’t have time to dabble in the business of procuring and selling items.

He’d dedicate most of his downtime meditating and practicing his and Ormann’s Battle Record in his Mind Palace.

Pang Cai snapped his finger, and his goons soon hauled leaf-woven sacks of ingredients in Eren’s hands.

"Pleasure doing business with you!" Pang Cai said. "I hope to see you again soon, Eren."

"Likewise."

Then, Eren turned around and walked away carrying his purchased items.

As soon as they broke away from the crowd of examinees around Pang Cai’s flourishing sunspore business, Celeste blocked his way and confronted him straight up.

"What?"

She gazed at his face. As if she was trying to discern something from his eyes. "Nothing... it’s just that, you’re a lot more interesting than I thought. You’re skilled. Much more than all those other geniuses that I’ve seen. But you don’t act like the typical scion.

You’re not arrogant, but you’re not secretive about your competence either."

"And how should I act?" he scoffed.

"... not regretful."

Eren turned silent. He tried his best not to make it look like she’d hit a raw nerve. "You don’t know what you’re talking about."

She pursed her lips. "Whatever it is... just know that you can depend on me. I’m not asking you to trust me. Just know that we’re aiming for the same thing. I will help you win the License Exam.

I’ll help you gather broken sunspores next time."