Chapter 121: Keep a Lower Profile

Eternal Darkness wore a satisfied smile as he leaned back in his chair, looking at Lu Kuan. "Name your price."

"Five hundred thousand," Lu Kuan replied without hesitation.

Eternal Darkness had been bracing himself for Old Deer to demand an exorbitant sum, expecting a long, drawn-out negotiation. But in truth, the price offered was surprisingly low.

In the official game store, anything with even a modicum of value was being hyped to insane levels—the base price for a 10-slot backpack had reached 50,000, and a mediocre B+ grade pet egg could easily fetch 150,000 to 160,000. These inflated prices had long since surpassed the purchasing power of the average player.

To think that this top-tier pet egg was being offered for a mere 500,000? That didn't sound like Old Deer at all; in Eternal Darkness’s experience, this kid was never one to settle for a loss.

"Are you sure?" Eternal Darkness hesitated for only a fraction of a second before agreeing. Regardless of the reason, he knew he wouldn't be losing money on this deal.

"Hehe, I haven't finished yet," Lu Kuan said with a grin. "We both know that A-grade pets have at least two innate skills, and only in very rare cases do they have three. An A+ grade pet will certainly follow this rule and have at least three innate skills."

"And your point is?" Eternal Darkness asked, puzzled.

"My point is, if the pet hatches with a fourth innate skill, you owe me an additional 300,000. And if you’re lucky enough for the pet to mutate upon hatching, you owe me another 500,000."

As Lu Kuan laid out his conditions, Eternal Darkness felt a sense of relief: *I knew it, he was holding out for this.*

Soon, Eternal Darkness offered his own perspective. "Old Deer, I won’t beat around the bush. A million or so is just pocket change to me; I could pay it all upfront without issue. But looking at you, it seems you’re certain this Wyvern pet will have extra skills and even mutate?"

"I have a bit of confidence in it," Lu Kuan replied with a mysterious smile, well aware that the other was fishing for information.

"Can you share a little? You know, if you have exclusive intelligence, I wouldn't be stingy with an information fee," Eternal Darkness pressed.

Lu Kuan chuckled inwardly. This guy’s brain worked fast. Pet mutation and enhancement, much like equipment crafting and strengthening, were among the most high-end aspects of the game. It seemed that since witnessing Lu Kuan’s modification of forging recipes last time, Eternal Darkness was now eyeing the same strategy here.

Unfortunately, Lu Kuan couldn't sell this information. Combat pets were a novelty worldwide, and if he appeared to know the secrets behind them too early, it would inevitably invite suspicion from those with ulterior motives.

So, Lu Kuan smiled and shook his head. "I don't have any exclusive news; you’re overthinking it."

Seeing Eternal Darkness still wearing a skeptical expression, Lu Kuan added, "Guild Leader, don't waste your energy on that. We have the potential to be long-term partners, which is why I came to you first. Surely you don’t need to worry about this egg?"

Lu Kuan’s tone was relaxed, radiating immense confidence. Eternal Darkness knew this was true and smiled. Just as he was about to speak, his assistant leaned in.

"Guild Leader, this price is still negotiable. I think we can push it down further..." the assistant whispered. Several others nearby nodded in agreement. After all, Old Deer was just one man; if they negotiated, threw around some professional jargon, and discussed the current game economy, the guy would surely get nervous. They could drive the price down or even extract some intelligence.

Eternal Darkness curled his lips and raised a hand, cutting his assistant off.

"I have one last question," Eternal Darkness said, switching to a private chat channel so his assistants couldn't hear. "I recall that creatures like Snake-lizards and Wyverns lay multiple eggs per clutch. While the official site doesn't mention it for boss-level monsters, it should be about the same, right?"

Lu Kuan raised an eyebrow. Eternal Darkness was staring at him intensely, a seasoned glint in his eyes.

"It is indeed more than one," Lu Kuan admitted frankly without concealment.

"I won't ask how many more you have, but can you sell me another? I’ll add 20 percent to the price. Final offer, and I'll pay for both pets at once," Eternal Darkness said, his face lighting up with excitement.

Lu Kuan was genuinely impressed. Eternal Darkness was truly deserving of his future reputation; his quick wit and boldness made him a standout in the game.

However, Lu Kuan shook his head. "I hope the Guild Leader understands. I need to expand my business, and the rest are already promised to others. My apologies."

Seeing the sincerity in Lu Kuan’s expression, it was clear this wasn't just an excuse. Eternal Darkness couldn't help but look disappointed. An A+ grade pet! If his guild could possess two at once, it would be equivalent to adding two powerful helpers to their 20-man team, whether for dungeon farming or challenging wild bosses. Furthermore, such top-tier pets were almost guaranteed to have unique, powerful skills. If he were lucky enough to get one with a buffing skill to strengthen teammates, it would be perfect.

Still, Eternal Darkness quickly regained his composure. "It's a deal, then. Let’s head to the official store to complete the transaction now."

Lu Kuan had no objections. Both parties logged off, verified the trade through the official store, and returned to the game.

Lu Kuan traded one of the pet eggs to Eternal Darkness. Instantly, 490,000 was deposited into his bank account by the system—the missing 10,000 was the commission taken by the heartless game developers.

Including his previous life, this was the first time Lu Kuan had seen a six-figure balance in his own bank account. Watching the transaction confirmation on the bottom left of his vision, he let out an involuntary sigh of relief, a profound sense of achievement welling up inside him.

"Pleasure doing business with you," Eternal Darkness said, shaking Lu Kuan's hand. "My previous offer stands permanently. Whenever you're ready to sell exclusive intel, don't forget me."

"Of course," Lu Kuan replied with a happy grin.

Soon after, Eternal Darkness left with the Wyvern egg, accompanied by his subordinates. Just as Lu Kuan was preparing to head to the bank, a message came in from Qian Duoduo. Opening it, the other man’s boisterous voice blared through the communicator.

"I want it, I want it! Let's trade right now! Expert, you’re practically a godsend! My admiration for you is like a surging river..."

"Alright, alright... where are you?" Lu Kuan asked, unable to handle the chatterbox.

Qian Duoduo replied immediately, "Scouring the auction house for loot."

"Ten minutes. Meet me at the auction house entrance."

Lu Kuan set the time, headed to the bank, equipped his gear, cleared the junk from his inventory, and finally made his way to the auction house.

He spotted Qian Duoduo from a distance. It was impossible not to—anyone standing on the roadside in a full set of blue gear, without bothering to hide the glow of the item quality, was hard to miss.