Chapter 22 A Gunpowder Substitute
Firn pointed to an empty patch of ground. "This is where you can set up your stall. You can tie your Flame Hoof to this wooden post here." He then pointed to a two-story building nearby. "There's an inn over there. If you want to stay, you can go there. Accommodation costs two Phosphorus Crystals per day, food is extra."
"Alright, thank you for the information." Nightshade took out thirty Phosphorus Crystals and handed them to Firn. "This is the fee for three days."
Firn accepted the crystals. "Any other questions? If not, I'll take my leave."
"No questions. Thanks for guiding us." Nightshade took out two Phosphorus Crystals as a tip and handed them to Firn.
Firn accepted them, his smile becoming a bit more genuine. "If you need anything, you can call for the security patrol. I'll be going now."
After seeing Firn off, Lan Chi and Nightshade began setting up their stall. They moved the wooden barrels of fruit down from the wagon and spread a cloth on the ground, placing miscellaneous items like bows and arrows on it.
Nightshade wrote a sign and stood it in front of the stall. "I'm going to buy medicinal herbs. Do you need anything?"
Lan Chi thought for a moment, reached into a compartment in the wagon—actually the hut's space—and pulled out a bag of Phosphorus Crystals they had prepared earlier. He handed it to Nightshade. "Buy a variety of seeds, food, medicinal herbs, or anything else." He wanted to expand the variety of plants in his growing room.
"Alright." Nightshade took the money bag and walked away.
Lan Chi took a simple stool from the wagon and sat down in front of the stall, bored as he scanned his surroundings.
It was far more chaotic and lively here than he had imagined.
The air was thick with the smell of medicinal herbs mixed with the rich aroma of roasting meat, along with the sharpness of damp leather and pungent mineral powder.
In his field of vision, half-orcs clad in beast skins were shouting themselves hoarse in front of their stalls. Pointy-eared Elves turned over dried grasses as if appraising works of art. Several figures draped in dark red robes moved through the market like ghosts.
The sounds of bargaining in various accents rose and fell, rattling his eardrums.
Lan Chi glanced briefly at the neighboring stalls. The goods for sale were bizarre: dried purple mushrooms, roughly polished bone ornaments, and piles of ore residue. In comparison, his stall was actually normal—just some fresh fruit and a few wooden weapons.
"Boy, that man earlier was your uncle?" A greasy, sharp voice sounded from the next stall. Lan Chi turned to look and saw a short figure with yellowish-brown skin grinning at him.
Lan Chi nodded. "Yes."
The short figure stood up from his stall, reaching only up to Lan Chi's thigh. His eyes were large, like a cat's. His nose was very distinctive—pointed, like Pinocchio's. He smiled ingratiatingly, his face full of wrinkles matching his yellowish-brown skin, making him look no different from old tree bark.
He held a bottle in his hand and extended it toward Lan Chi, speaking in a tone one might use with a child: "Child, how old are you? Tiring work, traveling with your uncle to trade? Here, this is for you to play with."
Lan Chi felt speechless. He was already an adult—thirty-two years old—yet being treated like a child just because he had an Eastern face that looked young.
Lan Chi didn't take the bottle. Instead, he smiled slightly, polite but distant. "Thank you for your kindness, but my uncle taught me not to accept gifts from strangers." His gaze swept over the strange goods on the other's stall. "We're here to do business."
A glimmer of sharpness flashed almost imperceptibly in the short figure's eyes. He withdrew the bottle, his smile unchanged, but his tone became more serious: "Clever upbringing. Well then, young sir, what treasures are you selling? Perhaps... we have things each other needs."
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He pulled out the stopper. The liquid inside the bottle immediately became agitated, the dark fluid boiling like boiling water, violently hitting the walls of the bottle.
The next moment, the liquid shot out of the bottle mouth like a blur, exploding in mid-air with a bang.
Golden sparks scattered like broken stars, and several silver arcs flashed across the market before disappearing. A faint smell of smoke spread through the air. Several nearby stall owners and passersby were attracted by the commotion, but only glanced back curiously, muttered "that thing again" as if it were nothing unusual, and turned back to their own business.
Lan Chi's eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly as he forcibly suppressed the shock inside him. What was that thing... fireworks?
The short figure took in Lan Chi's expression, his face full of smiles. He shook the now-empty bottle proudly. "Well? 'Flash Bottle.' A little trinket. Not bad, right? I wonder if the young sir is interested in this product?"
Interested? Of course he was interested!
Lan Chi withdrew his gaze and forced himself to calm down. He had to acquire this item, but he also didn't want to be seen as easy prey. "Cough, it looks alright."
The short figure winked at Lan Chi and enthusiastically pulled him along. "Come over here, take a look. There are other types here too."
Lan Chi followed along. He wanted to see what other products there were. The stall was filled with many bottles and jars of various colors, some faintly glowing. Simple labels were attached to the bottles. Lan Chi glanced at them—well, the writing was unfamiliar.
The short figure casually picked up a light blue bottle, pulled out the stopper, and shook it. The liquid again rushed out of the bottle mouth, exploding in the air into a spray of blue specks, much like stars in the night sky.
"This one provides illumination," the short figure explained. "If you're traveling at night, set one off and you can see clearly for several meters around. It lasts about ten minutes or so."
He then picked up a dark purple bottle. This time, the liquid burst into a cloud of purplish-red smoke, emitting a faint fragrance. "This one repels insects in the forest. Ordinary flying insects smell this and flee."
Lan Chi listened carefully to the explanations, silently noting the use of each type.
Seeing Lan Chi listening attentively, the short figure felt he had probably found easy prey. He said, "These things are my exclusive formula. Two for just one Phosphorus Crystal. Cheap, right?"
Lan Chi glanced at him, squinting slightly, and smiled. "These things can't be eaten, can't be drunk, and can't be used against enemies. Useless if bought."
The short figure quickly defended himself: "How could they be useless! If you're lost in the forest at night and can't find your uncle, you can use them as signals. This kind of flash can be seen from over ten li away. This one provides light. This purple smoke repels insects. All excellent items for wilderness survival!"
He glanced at the fruit on Lan Chi's stall and said, "Young sir, those fruits of yours will rot in a couple of days. But my bottles? Their power doesn't diminish even after a year. This is real hard currency."
Lan Chi waved his hand. "I might buy them, but I'll take everything. You'll have to sell me the formula too."
Hearing this, a flash of delight lit up the short figure's eyes, but he quickly suppressed it, putting on a troubled expression. "This... this formula is how I make my living. But seeing that the young sir appreciates quality goods, one hundred Phosphorus Crystals, and the formula along with all these goods are yours."
Lan Chi curled his lip and snorted. "Do you take me for a fool? You're not sincere at all. Forget it." He stood up and started to head back to his own stall.
The short figure panicked and quickly grabbed Lan Chi's pant leg, forcing an ingratiating smile onto his face. "Hey, hey, don't go! Then... name your price? How many Phosphorus Crystals will you give?"
Lan Chi glanced sideways at him. "All the goods on your stall, including finished products and materials—twenty Phosphorus Crystals."
The short figure was about to refuse when Lan Chi added, "I just saw another stall selling the same products. Their price was ten bottles for one Phosphorus Crystal per Flash Bottle."
The short figure fell silent immediately, his expression somewhat awkward. It seemed he had encountered someone who knew the value. He thought for a moment, then finally gritted his teeth. "Fine, but I want thirty Phosphorus Crystals. The materials I have left can make at least fifty more Flash Bottles, plus the formula—you're not losing out."
"Fine." Lan Chi nodded. He didn't really care about the extra ten Phosphorus Crystals, as long as he got what he wanted. He counted out thirty Phosphorus Crystals from the small pouch he carried and handed them to the short figure.
The short figure accepted the crystals, his face blooming into a wide smile. He quickly packed up all the bottles and jars on his stall, along with the pile of untreated various materials nearby, stuffing them into an old cloth bag.
Then he leaned close to Lan Chi's ear, lowered his voice, and rapidly recited the formula ingredients, processing steps, and mixing proportions.
Lan Chi committed it to memory. After confirming he had remembered correctly, he nodded.
Having sold off all his goods, the short figure tidied his stall and walked away humming a little tune. Finally managing to sell his entire inventory at a high price, he planned to find a tavern and celebrate properly with a drink.
Lan Chi carried the bag back to his own stall, took out paper and pen from the wagon, and recorded the formula he had just heard. He was very interested in the function of the Flash Bottles. Perhaps he could use this to develop some kind of thermal weapon.
