One-Eyed Monster

Igor had many problems to ponder, yet was given scant time for contemplation. Those few burly fellows wielded knives, after all.

These people didn’t seem like good-natured sorts, and their speech was always odd. They seemed unfamiliar with the Kayne’s Official Language, with a palpable stiffness in their words.

Though their attire was meticulously chosen, they didn’t seem like Mantai people, who don’t usually arm themselves fully. Mantai often bare their chests to reveal their robust physiques. These few individuals were fully clad in fur garments, resembling the North Shore people. Yet, North Shore people didn’t speak in such a halting manner, nor did they perceive the South as particularly cold...

”Haha, a rare commodity, quite an unexpected find!” said a bearded fellow, his eyes emitting a peculiar light that made Igor very uncomfortable.

”We came here to trade, so obtaining such a find is quite a decent result.”

”But why hasn’t our contact arrived yet!” the first brawny man to burst into the bar asked, thoroughly considering the situation, unlike his men, who stared blankly at Igor.

”Boss, he not coming might be better; we could keep this rare commodity for ourselves!”

”Yeah, this guy isn’t a big deal, and we always have to give him so many gold coins, hard to understand.”

The underlings constantly felt they were losing out, grumbling incessantly.

”What do you know!” the boss began speaking, vastly different from his men, he wasn’t blinded by trivial gains.

”What do you know besides eating, drinking, and brawling? If this rare commodity were left to you, how many gold coins would you get in return? Even if given to you, you’d be big eyes and blank stares!”

The leader was reprimanding his men, paying no heed to Igor and ignoring everyone else in the bar.

”Ahem...” Igor didn’t want to continue like this, he didn’t have much time to waste here, ”May I ask, am I the rare commodity you speak of?”

With these words, the leader who was still reprimanding his men turned to scrutinize Igor. He sized him up, seemingly finding Igor as an even more valuable rare commodity.

”Ah, wasn’t it about me? I’ve gotten ahead of myself, apologies for any offense!” Igor stood up to leave. This move indeed surprised the odd man in front of him, who widened his eyes at this unfolding scene, akin to seeing sunlight for the first time in years.

”Hey, stop, don’t move, we’re indeed talking about you, rare commodity!” the burly leader said fiercely, clearly paying close attention to Igor’s action.

Igor was stunned, wondering what this was all about!

”You’re with us now, we’ll wait for Brass to arrive, and then you can fulfill your mission, go to that, you Kayne folks say...”

”It’s Eternal Tranquility Realm, boss!” a nearby subordinate reminded.

”Yes, Eternal Tranquility Realm!” the leader shouted, then turned to the subordinate who reminded him, glaring fiercely, as if to say, ”Did I ask for a reminder from you”.

Igor had gathered that these guys indeed came for him, but their purpose seemingly wasn’t human trafficking!

”I, don’t have many gold coins on me, why am I considered a rare commodity by you!” Igor joked, knowing reasoning with them was futile.

”You can be exchanged for gold coins!” one strong man said eagerly.

”Yes, lots and lots of gold coins...”

Igor really couldn’t understand how there could be transactions involving gold coins in such a place. After all, this was the border, a desolate and perilous area!

This kind of situation was rather troubling, leaving Igor feeling like he’d entered a muddle.

At this point, the odd man in front gave Igor a faint smile, gesturing him to sit.

Igor sensed this odd man had no hostile intent; his Spirit Sensing Skill had already advanced to a certain degree, allowing him to perceive people’s attitudes towards him.

Igor could sense the tavern owner’s indifference and fear, the elder’s caution and rage nearby, and the odd man’s astonishment and friendliness across from him… These sensing skills gradually formed in practical experiences, not through special training or deliberate pursuit, just naturally developing this way.

”Rare commodity, listen carefully, you are now our goods, everything on you belongs to us, including your breath, before we turn you into gold coins, don’t think you’ll leave here!” the villainous leader arrogantly stated, brandishing his knife, with a tyrannical tone.

Igor wasn’t afraid of this thug at all; he could sense the flow of Spirit Power in these people, lacking any overwhelming Spirit Power reserves, possibly just relying on brute strength. Besides, Igor had gathered these weren’t Kayne people, likely Mantai; their appearance was just a disguise, and their actions were unlike the Vero or Kayne people.

So Igor felt he could punch these people without any psychological burden.

A group of thugs, giving them a beating would benefit the world...

But Igor didn’t want to act immediately, he felt he should hear what kind of business these crooks were engaged in.

”My belongings aren’t valuable, and neither am I, so what exactly are you all after?”

”Hahahaha...”

Igor’s question incited another round of uproarious laughter from the big men opposite.

”Ah!” Igor’s nearby odd man sighed, clearly gratified yet helpless towards Igor’s question.

Igor was puzzled; he found nothing amusing in this!

”Young man, you’re new here, unfamiliar with Mist Town, perhaps what you know is Mist Village, not Mist Capital.” The odd man said, his tone gentle, as if speaking to a friend.

”Hmm?” Igor became curious, sensing this odd man might provide the answers.

The guys opposite were still laughing, seemingly passionate about laughter. Their rampant laughter made the tavern atmosphere extraordinarily bizarre.