Chapter 13: Riding Alone, Leaving All Behind

Lu Kuan didn’t force his way through the crowd. Instead, he strolled leisurely to the entrance of the hall, stopping at the desk of the elf lady responsible for welcoming players, and waited there with calm composure.

Many others had the same idea as Lu Kuan; since it was impossible to squeeze into the mentor’s area, it was worth trying their luck with the other NPCs.

At last, as the system clock struck eight, a message flashed before every player’s eyes: “The Advancement Quest has officially begun…” Instantly, the hall erupted into chaos. The noise swelled as the crowd surged toward Lohr’s chambers, and if it weren’t for the NPC guards stationed nearby, a brawl would have broken out.

Meanwhile, at the back of the throng, Lu Kuan rested one hand on the desk, exchanged a few brief words with the elf NPC, and successfully accepted the quest.

“Quest Accepted: Corrupted Ogres (C+)
Ogres have been sighted in the Crimson Mist Forest, posing grave danger to the residents of Molten Fortress. Adventurers are called upon to eliminate them. Beware, for ogres are formidable foes—you might need a few special tools to assist you…”

Echoes of the Gods had only been running for less than a month.

Lu Kuan had already completed this quest once before; he spared it no further glance and left the hall straightaway for the bank. There, he withdrew all the materials he’d accumulated over the past few days and made his way to the auction house.

He shopped skillfully, as was his habit, making sure nothing similar remained for sale before he relisted his own items at new prices.

High-grade iron ore of quality seven or above, which originally sold for a dozen or so silver coins per stack, he now listed at eighty silver coins per stack.

Refined agate threads, originally ten silver coins a stack, he priced at ten gold coins per stack.

Lu Kuan placed half his materials up for auction, holding the rest in reserve to sell once the first batch was gone. Keeping buyers hungry would allow him to push prices even higher.

He glanced at the list of highest-priced items; every seller was “Old Deer.” Lu Kuan smiled with satisfaction.

In his previous life, he’d only ever been on the receiving end of such profiteering. Now that he was the black-hearted merchant, the thrill was unexpectedly sweet.

After leaving the auction house, Lu Kuan began wandering around Molten Fortress.

The second step of the Advancement Quest required finding a traveling merchant in the city for clues. Guided by memories from his previous life, Lu Kuan visited the merchant’s usual haunts and soon found his target.

Outside the great cathedral of Molten Fortress, a little gnome in black leather boots and a monocle was surrounded by several players. At their head stood a tall male elf warrior, clad in black plate armor, a greatsword glowing green at his waist—an imposing figure.

“I already paid you ten gold coins. What more do you want—agate thread?” The elf warrior frowned, his tone unfriendly as he stared at the gnome.

“It’s refined agate thread, refined!” the gnome merchant piped in his shrill voice, folding his arms and shaking his head with clear displeasure. “You think magical devices are so easy to make? I’m already giving you a ten percent discount for the sake of the city lord.”

The players around them all frowned. If not for the quest, they’d have given this noisy little gnome a lesson by now.

The elf warrior pondered for a moment, then turned to his companions. “Go to the auction house and buy a stack of refined agate thread. Quickly, and don’t dawdle.”

Someone immediately dashed off. The elf warrior scanned the crowd, glad that no other players had found the merchant yet.

There were at least twenty traveling merchants in Molten Fortress, their locations randomized each time. Without the guild’s resources, he would have had a hard time finding this infuriating gnome.

“Excuse me, coming through—would you move aside?” a voice sounded from behind. The elf warrior glanced over just as Lu Kuan squeezed in front of the gnome.

“Ah, it’s you, dear sir! Long time no see!” The gnome merchant’s impatience vanished, replaced by a beaming smile. “Is there something I can do for you?”

The gnome’s ingratiating demeanor surprised the elf warrior. This merchant—Billy—was notorious in Molten Fortress for his temper and greed. He’d sell only to those who paid in full, yet only he stocked rare materials and recipes, making him famous in his own right.

Who was this human warrior, to be met with such courtesy from Billy? Was he one of those with naturally high charm stats?

“Mr. Billy, you’ve been hard to find,” Lu Kuan said with a grin, bending down to shake the gnome’s hand. “I’ll be brief—I need a magical trap to lure ogres. Could you…”

Billy grinned, rubbing his hands together eagerly. “Of course, of course. You can trust my skills, but I’m still missing some materials. As for the price… well, you know how it is.”

“No problem. See if these will do.” Lu Kuan immediately handed over several items from his bag. The elf warrior’s eyes lit up when he saw them, and he shot Lu Kuan a meaningful glance.

Billy quickly checked the materials. With the gold coins Lu Kuan included, his smile grew still wider as he set to work.

While Lu Kuan waited patiently, the elf warrior turned to him with a smile. “Impressive, friend. You gathered everything so quickly.”

“Just lucky, that’s all.” Lu Kuan replied modestly.

“I’m Heaven’s Eternal Night, leader of Dark Paradise. Do you have any spare materials like those?” The elf warrior extended his hand, clearly hoping to establish a connection.

Lu Kuan smiled, recognizing him at once—the guildmaster of Molten Fortress’s top guild, a figure who’d become legendary in Echoes of the Gods. He shook the warrior’s hand politely. “An honor to meet you. I do have a bit left. Are you looking to buy?”

“Absolutely. I’ll pay the auction house rate for anything you can spare—the more, the better.”

“Not much, but I can part with a stack.” Lu Kuan’s smile broadened. He opened a trade window and placed some materials inside, setting the price.

Heaven’s Eternal Night glanced down and frowned. “Refined agate thread… fifteen gold coins a stack?”

Lu Kuan replied coolly, “Clearly marked, fair to all. The auction house might be cheaper, but let me give you a tip: if you go now, you may not find any left.”

Faced with Lu Kuan’s confident air, Heaven’s Eternal Night hesitated. The price was exorbitant—even as guildmaster, he couldn’t spend the treasury’s money so freely.

He was about to consult his guild when his teammate, sent earlier to the auction house, messaged him.

“Boss, all related materials at the auction house have been cleaned out! I hesitated because the agate thread was so expensive, and before I could tell you, someone else bought up the rest.”

Reading this, Heaven’s Eternal Night looked at Lu Kuan with renewed respect.