Survival Game: Call Me an Honest Businessman

As Li Zhi observed the various masks on the stall, a cloud of black mist drifted out and stopped behind the stall.

"Welcome, feel free to pick and choose whatever you like."

Li Zhi picked up one of the masks.

"This is the concealment item?"

"Wow, a human from Earth! Yes, this is a concealment item. Wearing it can change your appearance and voice."

A cloud of black mist swirled up one of the masks, and when it spoke again, the voice became male: "If you're a fellow countryman, you can get a discount. See which one you want."

Li Zhi: "Can I try it too?"

The mask returned to the stall, and the voice changed back: "Since you're from Earth, I'll grant your request."

Li Zhi casually picked out a mask and put it on his face.

"Hello there."

The voice has indeed changed.

But she couldn't see her own face, nor could she see the details of the mask.

Li Zhi: "How much does one of these masks cost?"

"You have 50 silver coins in your hand. Since you're from Earth, I'll give you a 20% discount, so it's 40 silver coins."

"It's too expensive, can you make it cheaper?"

"It's already a great deal. This mask can not only change your face and voice, but also prevent races below B rank from seeing through your racial level. It can be used in many situations."

"Does it have levels? Does it have attribute points?"

"Yes, this is a D-grade item. You should know that there are very few pieces of equipment and weapons in the entire Apocalypse Continent that can add attribute points, but this mask you have happens to be one of them, adding 10 defense points!"

Li Zhi smiled and said, "Since we're compatriots, why don't you let me see the details?"

"It's not that I don't want to show you, it's just that Soma Ghost Market has its own rules. I've already let you try it on because you're a fellow countryman. In principle, even trying it on is considered breaking the rules."

Li Zhi: "Okay then, I won't ask where your masks came from. I just want to know, do your masks have any official cooperation?"

"Yes," the black mist said. "As you know, the authorities are operating in many places now, and they always need to disguise themselves. To be honest, the authorities are our biggest clients."

Li Zhi: "I happen to be in contact with the official procurement manager. How about this, I'll put in a word with her and I'll negotiate the price with you through her, okay? If the price is right, I can buy more."

"I don't think it's necessary. The people at the ghost market don't know each other anyway, so this isn't a good idea. Besides, the buyers I know are different from the people you know, right?"

Li Zhi smiled and put down his mask. "You're collecting Apocalypse Crystal fragments?"

"Take it."

Li Zhi: "What's the price?"

"30 gold coins for 0.1 unit".

Although 0.1 units of Apocalypse Crystal fetched 92 gold at the auction, that was only possible because Ling and Riley were bidding against each other.

Normally, the auction price of 0.1 unit of Apocalypse Crystal should be 75 gold, and the market price will only be lower. According to Li Zhi's inquiries, it is around 60 gold.

However, in the ghost market, because of the rule of "buy and sell," the price will be about 7-8% off.

That is, around 40 to 50 gold.

"Too low."

Li Zhi turned and left.

"Wait! You have a fragment of Apocalypse Crystal to use?"

"have."

"How many?"

How many do you want?

The black mist hesitated for a moment: "At least 10. Do you have any?"

Li Zhi took out ten Apocalypse Crystals, and picked out one of them: "You can check the goods."

The black mist took the shard of crystal, and after two seconds, handed it out.

"How about this, I'll give you a 5% discount on the mask, and I can also raise the purchase price of Apocalypse Crystals a bit, 35 gold each, how about that?"

Li Zhi: "Even at half price (40 silver coins), it's still a waste to buy a crude voice-changing mask."

The black mist paused for a few seconds before saying, "Our masks are D-grade items. Not to mention that very few people can buy D-grade items now, even if they could, they would cost at least 5 gold. If it weren't for the fact that you are from Earth, I wouldn't be giving you such a discount."

Li Zhicai doesn't believe in the idea that compatriots should not deceive their compatriots.

Especially the person in front of her, after discovering that she was from Earth, couldn't contain his excitement.

Later, probably realizing that his tone was a bit too agitated, he deliberately used a male voice mask to divert attention and try to cover it up.

Especially when she later asked if it was a prop and if it had attribute points, the black mist answered quickly and neatly without any suspicious pauses, which sounded very credible.

But in Li Zhi's eyes, it was even more suspicious.

D-grade item, 10 points of defense.

Isn't this much more appealing than voice-changing or face-changing?

Why not use these two as promotional tools from the beginning?

It was only after she asked that I added this.

This only shows that it was a quick-thinking reaction on her part; she accepted whatever was in her favor without a second thought.

Later, when she brought up the official matter, it was no longer a test.

She wanted to warn the person in front of her that she had powerful backers and was not someone she could fool.

When the opponent smoothly switched to the Apocalypse Crystal, Li Zhi felt that although she was inexperienced, she knew when to stop.

I never expected to bring up this mask again.

That can only mean...

She really needs the Apocalypse Shard.

Li Zhi smiled and said, "You can test my Apocalypse Crystals as you please. If you're a merchant, I can let you test them with a fair scale. However, my selling price is 55 gold for 0.1 units."

"No, this is too expensive. The highest price for a fragment of Apocalypse Crystal on the black market is only 48 gold."

The black mist returned the shattered crystals of the Apocalypse.

It seems they aren't that interested in it.

Li Zhi chuckled, retrieved the Apocalypse Crystal, and turned to leave without hesitation.

"Wait a moment!"

The black mist quickly blocked Li Zhi's path.

"I didn't say I wouldn't accept it, it's just that the price is too high, and I'd like to discuss it."

"No discussion." Li Zhi laughed, "I'm only offering you 55 gold for the sake of our compatriots. I'm not afraid of you verifying the goods; it gives you the peace of mind of a physical store. In a physical store, a single Apocalypse Crystal costs 60 gold. If you buy 10 genuine Apocalypse Crystals, you're saving 50 gold. Isn't that a good deal?"

The black mist remained silent for a long time.

"Wait, I'm not the real boss. Call my boss here."

Li Zhi returned to his stall, fiddling with the mask in his hand: "Okay, go ahead and call."

She tried out the masks one by one and found that different masks could indeed change the voice, and they sounded quite natural.

Just as I was putting on the last mask, a voice came from behind me:

"Hello, are you here to sell Apocalypse Crystal Shards?"

Li Zhifu's hand on the mask froze.

Slowly turning around, I saw a cloud of black mist that was no different from everyone else here.

The black mist's voice was unhurried, clear, and gentle, possessing an inherent relaxing and comfortable quality: "May I ask how many you have here?"

Li Zhi, wearing a mask, spoke in a flat, aged voice: "Aren't you going to deal with your employee's fraudulent activities?"

The black mist chuckled softly, like a gentle spring breeze: "This is the Soma Ghost Market, after all. It's your skill to see through her. Your experience and insight allow you to defy the rules. Our little one's skills aren't quite there yet, but she still followed the rules, didn't she?"