"I'm sorry, but we're not doing business right now."

After a while, in the Harlom area, in the middle of the old street known as Angel Street, Duan Qing, who led the Legend of Flame and the others to come together, looked at the dilapidated shop with the number 388 hanging on the steps in front of him for a while, and then slowly walked in under the rather peculiar gaze of the clerk inside: "If you are the old customer of the store manager, it will take a while for Lord Hart to come back, if you are a new customer......"

"We're new customers."

His eyes turned around on the shelves in the store that were so scattered that he couldn't get enough of them, and Duan Qing interrupted the other party's words: "We want to ...... Hmm, your shop is out of business? ”

"The three look like adventurers, huh?"

His eyes moved slightly, and the clerk bent down again: "As the three adventurers can see, the current situation in Zaraha City is a little ...... It is special, so the store manager is ready to abandon this centuries-old store for the sake of safety. ”

"You're moving?" The Flame Legend standing behind Duan Qing asked out in disbelief, "But we inquired before we came here, your shop...... I guess it's the last store here, right? ”

"The last store in the Harlom area, to be exact."

The reraised gaze lingered on the burly warrior behind Duan Qing for a moment, and the clerk shook his head with a smile: "In other parts of this city, there are still many shops that serve the people of the empire, and their living environment is much better than ours in terms of situation and treatment......

"That's why you don't want to do it?" So Duan Qing responded to the other party's words in a low voice: "Even if there are no competitors? ”

"There are many more small traders and peddlers who have come out to sell, and you must have seen them all when you came, sir."

Pointing to the figures who were still selling at the corner of Angel Street at the bottom of the stairs they had just entered, the clerk replied apologetically: "The chaos of the war has not only created these competitors for us, but also made our business order chaotic, and more importantly, ......"

"There are no customers here."

Gesturing to the various goods and miscellaneous items scattered on the ground, the clerk said with a low smile, "In addition to the necessary ingredients and clothing...... Everything else here is no longer patronized. ”

“…… It looks so pathetic. ”

The staff in his hand tightened slightly, and the little fish who had been shrunk aside and hadn't spoken much also sighed: "Is this the consequence of the war?" ”

"The consequences of war are more than that, young magician." The clerk's gaze lingered on Xiao Yu'er's body for a while, and then lowered his head again: "I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but ...... The magic supplies in the small shop were also sold out a long time ago. ”

"These things really don't seem to be of much use."

Picking up a wooden rack scattered at his feet, Flame Legend muttered, "Wooden racks, tubs, and glass bottles...... Don't you have any weapons to sell here? Even if it's an arrow or a shield or something......"

"That kind of thing is forbidden in Zaraha City." As if to mention what should be mentioned, the smile on the clerk's face became even brighter: "Reason...... You should understand. ”

"The law and order in the city is so chaotic that many things cannot be traded...... That's what you're trying to say, right? ”

Having already walked to the counter inside the store, Duan Qing stopped at the tables that were scattered with all kinds of papers: "Since this is the case, then business here is indeed not very easy......

"Thank you for your understanding." The clerk slowly walked to Duan Qing's side: "So...... We're sorry, but we're not doing business right now. ”

"How can I help?" Quietly retracting his hand from the clerk's sight, Duan Qing's face also bloomed with a bright smile: "We are adventurers, and we are known for being responsible for solving troubles, if you have difficulties in business or relocation......"

"Well...... My little clerk can't decide. The clerk squinted and shook his head: "I'm sorry." ”

“…… I don't know if you know a guy named Maggie. ”

As if sensing the other party's attitude of not entering, Duan Qing threw out his hole cards: "We have some personal relationship with her, so ......"

"I'm sorry, I don't know the person you're talking about." Without hesitation, the clerk replied, "The shop is just an ordinary shop in the city of Zaraha, and we don't know any strange outsiders......

"Outsiders?" Behind him, the voice of the Flame Legend immediately sounded: "It seems that you know the situation in the neighborhood very well, and you can confirm whether the other party is a local person as soon as you hear the name......

“……”

"An unnamed magician introduced us here."

Seeing the other party's face suddenly silent, Duan Qing's casual eyes then swept over the pages on the table: "After he said here, some of our questions will be answered......

"I'm sorry, but I don't know any magicians." The clerk shook his head again and said, "This is Hart's shop at 388 Angel Street, you may have gone to the wrong door." ”

“…… Well, let's look at this price list. ”

Duan Qing, who had been staring at the clerk who was still smiling for a long time, glanced at the Flame Legend, and then copied one of the lists on the table: "A set of 20 gold coins for Ceylon tea sets, it looks pretty good, and a handmade wooden barrel for 5 gold coins, the price is okay...... Oh, and the wine from the province of Thebilisi, a pot of 50 gold coins, where did you get it, did the Empire give it to you? ”

"It's ...... The list of items left over from our shop has now expired. The clerk's smile finally began to grow unnatural: "For example, the kind of wine you just read about has been discontinued a long time ago......"

"The page looks very new, not like it was made a long time ago." Duan Qing, who was holding the page in one hand, flipped back and forth twice: "I remember that Zaraha City was occupied by the Imperials...... At least six months ago, right? ”

"And the price is very 'fair'." Pointing to the other place on the page, the Flame Legend who licked his lips also laughed: "I've tasted this wine, and this thing called Ulan, which is actually priced at 40 gold coins...... Wow, your hearts are so dark, I remember this thing only sold for 20 gold coins on Koska's side. ”

"Take advantage of the war to make a fortune...... I can understand that. ”

The momentum on his body began to rise gradually as the questioning progressed, and the bodies of Duan Qing and Flame Legend gradually surrounded the clerk: "But...... Didn't you just say you're going to close your doors? Why is the price of what is sold still going up? ”

"yes, yes, I've never seen anyone like you in business." The Legend of the Flame also smiled and twisted his fists: "It's just a business genius." ”

"Either your old brand that has stood in Zalaha City for hundreds of years has been blown out, or you have a problem with your head." Duan Qing squinted at each other: "Or ...... You don't plan to move at all? ”

"Well...... We ......"

Knock –

A loud sound of the ground then appeared in front of the shop, on the street of Angel Street in front of Hart's shop, and a toppled vendor then appeared in the field of vision of several people turning their heads at the same time, falling into the large pile of goods scattered behind him. Putting back the movements he had secretly made, the clerk who seemed to be attracted to the past then walked out of Duan Qing's bag in a few steps, and then several passers-by around him also stopped looking at him, and included the several imperial soldiers behind the vendor into his eyes: "Despicable bugs! How dare you run away? ”

"I, I didn't run, how dare I...... How dare I disobey the orders of several adults? ”

"Didn't run? Are a few of us blind? ”

With another heavy slap in the face, the leader of several Imperial soldiers reached out and grabbed the vendor who fell to the ground: "You knocked over the guards, and now you are trying to deny it!" Are you ......"

"Are you a spy?"

Abruptly interrupting his teammate's words, another Imperial soldier standing in the rear stepped over his companion's shoulder in two steps: "Todd just asked you a few questions, but you want to run away in a panic?" You...... What's the secret that can't be said, huh? ”

"I, I ......"

Holding the iron hand that was stuck around his neck, the vendor cried out with a sad face, "Wronged, my lord! I don't have any bad intentions, I'm just an ordinary peddler, I ......"

"See what I found?" Another soldier, who was in charge of inspecting the scattered goods, suddenly stood up and said, "So many gold coins, and ...... Wow, is this an herb? ”

"Since you're the one who came here on foot, you should know the rules for entering the city." His gaze was retracted from the herbs that the soldier was holding in his hand, and the soldier who was examining the vendor grinned: "The city of Harlom restricts the entry and exit of similar goods, unless you have a pass issued by our Empire, you ...... Is there a pass? ”

"I, I ......"

"He has."

As these words sounded, the voice belonging to Duan Qing then appeared next to the scene of this dispute along with his figure: "I can guarantee it." ”

“…… Who are you? ”

Let go and throw the vendor who was in mid-air to the ground, and the imperial soldier who had slapped the other party before turned to stare at Duan Qing's face: "An adventurer? ”

"Ah...... That's right. Duan Qing, who hesitated slightly, finally calmed down his expression: "What, is there any problem?" ”

"I advise you not to cause trouble here." Invariably holding their hands on the hilt of their swords, several imperial soldiers turned their fierce faces in the direction where Duan Qing was: "When we first occupied this place, there were originally a lot of adventurers like you who liked to join in the fun......"

"I know we adventurers are often seen by you as people who like to join in the fun, but this time...... I don't mean to cause trouble. In the gradual movement of the flame legend behind him, Duan Qing owed slightly: "We really know that guy, so we ......"

"Do you know this guy?" The Imperial soldier in the lead exuded a more murderous aura on his body: "What is your relationship?" ”

"We don't just know this guy, we know Captain Rodman."

Saying a surprising name, Duan Qing turned around and smiled at the Flame Legend behind him, "Right? ”

"No, that's right." The Flame Legend, who was puffing out his chest and full of momentum, was slightly stunned, and then said with a face of shame: "And that ...... That's right, Scott! And Master Scott, we had a drink together at the Harloum Tavern last time! ”

“…… It turned out to be an adventurer who was messing with us. ”

After inspecting Duan Qing and the two of them up and down for a while, the imperial soldier who was in charge of interrogation before nodded expressionlessly: "Since we are familiar with our two captains, then ......"

"He's just an ordinary trader, and now he's been taught a lesson." Duan Qing put on a smile at the right time: "As for those things that you think are inappropriate, you can take them all......

“…… All right. ”

His staring eyes went back and forth between the two adventurers and the vendor in the field, and the Imperial soldier reached out and motioned for his companion to put away all the herbs and gold coins scattered on the ground: "It shouldn't be a ...... to spare his life."

"The adults are really kind." So Duan Qing clapped his hands: "After I go back, I will mention this matter to Lord Rodman." ”

"Gone."

As if wanting to remember the appearance of these two adventurers, the soldier looked at Duan Qing and the two of them fixedly for a while again, and then walked away with the other team members who had finished cleaning up under the gaze of the surroundings. Duan Qing, who watched them leave, then put away his poker face, bowed his head and waited for the departure of the passers-by around him, and then together with the Flame Legend beside him, he helped the embarrassed vendor behind him up: "Are you okay?" ”

"I, I'm fine, thank you two adults." As if he was still distressed about the gold coins that had been looted by the Imperials, the trader with a cloth belt tied to his head said pitifully: "Alas, it's a pity for my herbs and gold coins, which I have worked so hard to ......."

"That's what they're looking for, manager."

Standing beside a few people early, the clerk who had quietly walked up to the vendor interrupted in a low voice, "They know Maggie. ”

“……”

The sad face on his face disappeared in an instant, and the vendor turned his head to look at Duan Qing and the others, and then buried his gloomy face, which was completely different from when he was bullied before, in the action of lowering his head to clean up those scattered goods.

"Let's go inside."