The air in the luxurious guest room seemed to freeze solid after Bai Wen's threat. "Hand over all the spoils." It wasn't a suggestion, but a verdict. The invisible pressure from the level 15 young master and the hidden guard in the shadows weighed down on An, making even breathing difficult.
Fleeing meant death. Resisting meant death. Complete submission, handing over all the Demonic Crystals, perhaps he would live, but he would lose the only path he had to become stronger. He would be back to square one, an anonymous G-rank adventurer, waiting for the next mission to earn a few meager silver coins.
No. He would not accept that.
In that life-or-death moment, An's brain operated at an unprecedented speed. Fear was pushed aside, replaced by cold analysis.
Input data: Bai Wen. Level 15. Traits: Arrogant, greedy, impatient. Objective: Demonic Crystals from the cave.
Analysis:
* Arrogance: He believes he is in complete control of the situation. He would never expect a G-rank "sewer rat" to dare to play tricks. His disdain is his greatest blind spot.
* Greed: He wants benefits. If An offered nothing, he would not be satisfied. But if An offered something tempting enough, greed might just overcome suspicion.
* Impatience: He wants results immediately. He would have no interest in a lengthy investigation or complicated explanations.
A plan was formed. A risky move, but the only move he had.
An deliberately let his body tremble slightly, a perfectly natural reaction in this situation, but also part of the act. He slowly, with a look of fear and hesitation, reached into the hidden pocket inside his cloak.
"Young Master... you misunderstand," he said, his voice a mumble. "That place... there were no spoils. Just a mess... The source of the contamination self-destructed, destroying almost everything."
Bai Wen narrowed his eyes, impatience clear on his face. "Do you take me for a fool?"
"I wouldn't dare," An said quickly, taking out two items from his pocket. He placed them on the table. They were the two smallest Demonic Crystals he had prepared, one from the rabbit and one from the wolf.
Under the lantern light, the two pure black, refined crystals gave off a bewitching glow. The stable, though faint, Yin-attribute spiritual energy was enough for a cultivator like Bai Wen to feel their uniqueness.
Bai Wen's eyes were immediately captivated. Greed flashed in his eyes. "What are these?"
"I don't know," An answered, half-honestly. "When the explosion happened, I was hiding far away. After everything quieted down, I went inside to check... and only found these two pieces intact. Everything else had been crushed to dust."
This story was half-truth, half-lie. There was an explosion. There were fragments. And finding only two intact pieces sounded plausible for a lucky survivor of a disaster.
Bai Wen said nothing, just picking up one of the Demonic Crystals to examine it. He could feel the pure energy within it. This was definitely a type of rare spirit stone. His greed was satisfied. His arrogance made him believe that a low-level, weak adventurer like An couldn't possibly have obtained more. Surviving and finding these two pieces was already a miracle.
"Hmph," Bai Wen snorted, but his hand had already quickly tucked the two Demonic Crystals into his sleeve. He had no intention of paying. "Consider yourself sensible."
He stood up, waving his fan, resuming his condescending air. "You may leave. Remember, this Frontier Town belongs to the Bai family. I'm sure you know what should be said, and what shouldn't."
"Yes, Young Master," An bowed his head low, hiding the cold fire in his yellow eyes.
He backed away, turned, and walked out of the room under the steward's supervision. As the heavy door closed behind him, An finally dared to let out a soft, relieved breath. The back of his robe was soaked with cold sweat.
He had lost two Demonic Crystals, but he had protected a whole treasure trove. He had thrown out a small piece of bait so the big fish wouldn't suspect the school of fish hiding nearby.
As he stepped out of the magnificent mansion and back onto the familiar muddy streets, An knew he had won the first move. But he also knew this was just the beginning. He had planted a seed in Bai Wen's mind, a seed of a potential treasure. Sooner or later, that greedy young master would not sit still.
The game in Frontier Town had now truly begun.