Luo Jie's expression remained impassive, but inwardly he couldn't help but find the situation amusing.
The moment he'd turned to leave, he'd been certain the vendor would call him back.
And it was all because of this weapon: the [Executioner's Ghost-Head Broadsword].
True, this was an F-rank purple weapon. In terms of tier alone, it couldn't hold a candle to an E-rank purple skill.
However, much like the [Campfire] and [Water Conjuration] he'd purchased earlier, the value of items within the Illusions wasn't solely measured by their tier.
While the [Executioner's Ghost-Head Broadsword] might be low-tier, it boasted an attribute that simply couldn't be ignored:
Malevolence (Passive) – Capable of damaging spiritual targets.
Among all Illusions, players least wanted to encounter were those of the supernatural variety.
The entities in such Illusions, thanks to their annoying spiritual nature, were immune to upwards of 80% of all weapons and skills available within the Illusion.
No matter how powerful a player might be, once trapped in a supernatural Illusion, their strength would inevitably be diminished—sometimes drastically, to the point of being rendered utterly powerless.
Weapons and skills capable of harming spiritual targets were few and far between in the Illusions, and the vast majority of those were concentrated in mid-to-high tier Illusions of level three or higher.
A weapon like the [Executioner's Ghost-Head Broadsword], one that could directly damage spiritual targets, was exceedingly rare in the early stages when player levels were generally low.
Moreover, precisely because of its low tier, it was actually easier to sell than higher-tier weapons.
With the right approach, flipping it for four or five times the appraisal price was entirely possible.
Thus, Luo Jie was confident that any vendor with even a modicum of business acumen wouldn't pass up such a rare and potentially profitable item.
Three arcane spells and a quiver of arrows had set him back 9,000 points. The two E-rank purple skills had cost another 40,000 points plus the F-rank purple weapon. The 60,000 points he'd gotten from opening the Points Chest were completely drained.
Earning points was like trying to pass a kidney stone; spending them was like having diarrhea.
Looking at the paltry 11,000 points remaining on his main interface, Luo Jie couldn't help but shake his head in helplessness.
He'd thought 60,000 points would be more than enough, yet he'd nearly been cleaned out just stepping into the market. If he didn't sell something soon to recoup some points, he'd probably not even have enough left to upgrade his equipment and skills.
Reluctantly, Luo Jie made his way to the administration office, paid the 100-point stall fee, and set up a roadside stall of his own in a random booth.
His wares were simple: the main attractions were the [Knight's Steel Mace] and the [Ranger's Hand-and-a-Half Sword], both blue-tier weapons. The rest consisted of a few green-tier firearms and various types of ammunition.
As for white-tier gear? Luo Jie didn't even give it a second glance.
The first items to sell out were the guns and ammo. Despite Luo Jie marking them up by double, they were snatched up in no time, netting him 60,000 points.
If he hadn't held back some ammo for his own use, his earnings would've been a third higher.
Before long, the somewhat sentimental [Ranger's Hand-and-a-Half Sword] was also bought by a player for 5,000 points.
Only the F-rank blue [Knight's Steel Mace] remained, gathering dust.
Luo Jie wasn't the least bit surprised by this outcome.
Warhammers had never been a popular weapon type. They were generally favored only by shield warriors specializing in defense.
In the early stages, when fixed parties were scarce, players tended to prefer versatile builds. As a result, swords, sabers, and firearms—with their broader applicability—were the top choices for most.
Seeing that it was getting late, Luo Jie decided he wasn't going to waste any more time on the mace.
Just as he was about to pack up and leave, three players clad in identical white robes stopped in front of his stall. One of them picked up the mace and asked, "Boss, how much for this warhammer?"
Upon hearing the voice, Luo Jie couldn't help but pause. Comparing the height as well, he immediately recognized the trio.
They were none other than Chief and his companions, the ones he'd shared the ride to the market with earlier.
In a way, it seemed they did have a certain fate.
Luo Jie smiled, deliberately altering his voice as he countered, "How much are you willing to pay?"
Chief looked visibly hesitant, clearly short on points. After a moment's hesitation, he ventured, "Would you take 1,500 points?"
He felt uneasy asking. After all, even if it was an unpopular weapon, it was still a decent blue-tier piece. 1,500 points was probably just enough to cover the appraisal fee.
But he was truly strapped for points. Of those 1,500 points, 500 had been borrowed from his two teammates.
Chief was the first player Luo Jie had taken a liking to since his rebirth, so he had no intention of profiting off him. In fact, if he hadn't been worried about exposing his identity, he wouldn't have minded giving the F-rank blue warhammer to him for free.
"It's the last item," Luo Jie said. "I'll take 1,000 points. Just covering my costs." He then fished out the now-useless white-tier [Good Fortune City Security Uniform] and handed it over to the stunned Chief along with the [Knight's Steel Mace]. "Consider this armor a little bonus."
The pleasant surprise hit Chief like a truck. He froze for a second before remembering to thank Luo Jie profusely. "Boss, thank you so much! I... I don't know what to say..."
After the transaction was completed, as if suddenly remembering something, Chief pulled out an item that looked like a magazine from his storage space. "Boss, you seem like a straightforward guy. Think you could take a look at this for me? See what it might be worth?"
Luo Jie took the magazine-like object, and its item information immediately appeared in his retinal display:
[Sports and Fitness Collector's Edition]
Type: Item
Rarity: EX
Effect: Upon use, allows modification of the user's physical form (excluding hair, skin, and facial features) by up to ±20%. The modified form becomes permanently fixed.
Description: A strong, perfect physique is a man's greatest charm.
"Hmm, this thing..." Luo Jie unconsciously rubbed his chin.
Honestly, he hadn't expected Chief to pull out something like this.
In his previous life, items like this were collectively referred to as "cosmetic items." Their sole purpose was to alter one's physical appearance to a certain degree.
Despite the intimidating EX-rank label, the actual value of such items was... debatable.
After all, for the vast majority of players, power was the be-all and end-all. Spending hard-earned points on a cosmetic item was far less practical than investing in better gear or skills.
And, interestingly enough, these cosmetic items, which one might assume would be popular among female players, weren't actually as sought-after among them as one might imagine.
Because any veteran player knew that the Illusions were a lawless world. The more beautiful you were, the greater the likelihood of attracting all manner of trouble and danger.
The more ordinary you looked, the safer you generally were.
Thus, the players who bought such cosmetic items were either supremely confident in their own strength... or those "kept players" who attached themselves to the strong for survival by selling their bodies.