Chapter 125: The Energy Assignment

The siblings scrambled in panic to find an antidote. They tried several, but none could neutralize the venom. Fortunately, Wu Hua’s HP was as thick as an ox’s, so he simply let it drain, though his finger was swollen like a steel pipe, pulsing with both numbness and pain.

"Friend, the poison on your military dagger likely requires a high-level doctor to study it before a specific antidote can be formulated," Coffee Cat said. "Let me make a sheath for you. You can strap it to your leg to avoid accidental injury. Don't worry, I use A-grade optical fiber—it's a specialized accessory for military daggers, and the system defaults to preventing self-inflicted wounds. Otherwise, your Dragon Fang could even slice through your own combat suit."

Wu Hua said gratefully, "Thank you so much! How many credits? I'll buy it."

Coffee Cat waved his hands hurriedly. "No need, no need! My little sister finally leveled up to 34 and is almost at 35. You saved her from losing a level of experience, so I’d feel terrible taking your money."

Hearing this, Wu Hua felt embarrassed instead, as identifying blue-tier items usually cost several thousand credits at the very least.

Soon, the other two purple-tier items were identified:

**Ring of Gentleness (Enhanced Version)**
Class Requirement: Controller
Defense: 20
Bonus Attributes: Elemental Mastery +1, Focus Mastery +1, Mana Channeling Time reduced by 2.5 seconds (Ineffective for skills above level 40).

This ring was quite decent. Reducing mana channeling time by 2.5 seconds was a treasure for any Controller, even if the other attributes were complete garbage.

**Third-Generation Tech Chip GK3000 (Defense Version)**
Purple Equipment
Class Requirement: Chip Warrior
Level Requirement: Level 30
Implant Enhanced Attributes: HP +300, MP +150, Defense +200, Movement Speed +1, Vision +1.
Bonus Attributes: Eight-Element Alloy Armor durability increased by 80%, Twelve-Element Alloy Armor durability increased by 40%, Sixteen-Element Alloy Armor durability increased by 20%.

This type of tech chip was designed to be implanted into a Chip Warrior to induce enhancement. This particular chip was quite good; higher durability meant slower degradation, allowing for longer combat duration. Chip Warriors were naturally high-defense; for other classes, every extra second a Chip Warrior could stay in the fight meant more danger. Surely, no one would enjoy taking a sword slash from a Chip Warrior at close range.

Coffee Cat handed over the sheath. "Haha, Brother Mad Gun, I have a question. Seeing your gear, you’re clearly a Gunner. I wonder if you’re interested in selling this ring and the tech chip?"

Wu Hua was stunned. "You want to buy them?"

Coffee Cat smiled. "How about 30,000 credits?"

Wu Hua was taken aback. This price was far too low. If these two items were at the Divine Light Auction, they would be worth at least 200,000; even selling them to the Mao Mountain charlatan would fetch at least 50,000.

However, Coffee Cat’s next sentence made Wu Hua even more suspicious. "I know you think it’s low, but I’m not lying to you. Even if I sold these two items, I’d only get about 50,000 credits."

"How could it be so low?" Wu Hua asked curiously.

Coffee Cat sighed. "Since you’re new to Phoenix Tail City, you wouldn't know. The terrain around this city is strange. Only the Phoenix Tail River flows toward the West District. The upper reaches are formed by mountain waterfalls and underground rivers, while the lower reaches are quite wide, requiring boats for travel. The former pioneer outpost there was occupied by a company that built a transit port. They charge for every ship that enters or exits, and the fees are exorbitant—300 credits to leave and 100 to enter."

Wu Hua was shocked. "Damn, that’s worse than robbery! Even taking a fighter jet doesn't cost that much. What’s going on?"

Coffee Cat explained, "The company is called Arctic Snow. They aren't even a local company, but they are incredibly powerful. This transit port is strategically placed because to the north lies a primeval forest called the Death Hollow. Most of Phoenix Tail City’s gear is farmed there. As you’ve seen, these surrounding mountains are just snow-capped peaks with almost no monsters, yielding only A-grade ice crystals. But the mountains are too steep to climb. If you want to go to the Death Hollow, you have to go through their port."

Wu Hua muttered, "I see. So this Arctic Snow company has essentially monopolized the farming grounds?"

Coffee Cat nodded. "It’s not quite a full monopoly, but they’ve cut off the only path. On top of that, they built an auction house in the city and artificially inflate the prices of the gear they farm. The prices are absurdly high. For instance, your two items could sell for 500,000 at their auction house."

Wu Hua wondered, "Then why don't you send them to the auction house?"

Coffee Cat shook his head. "They don't accept gear from outsiders. They only sell what their own people farm."

Wu Hua realized instantly that this was the classic practice of using corporate power to plunder and extort.

Coffee Cat said, "Major markets are boycotting them, which is why trading prices here are so low. I hope you can understand."

Wu Hua lowered his head in silence. Mao-mm spoke up: "Brother Mad Gun, if you are willing to sell them to my brother, I am willing to custom-make gear for Yiyi, and I’ll even give you a little gift."

Wu Hua immediately felt there was potential here. Pets needed equipment too, but the items in pet shops were incredibly expensive and all basic-tier. He had never seen weapons or capes for special pets like Yiyi. She couldn't just rely on her kicks to defeat enemies, could she?

Mao-mm took out an exquisitely designed watch. "Brother Mad Gun, thank you for saving me on the snow mountain. This is a multi-functional watch I developed, called the 'As You Wish' watch. It has two devices inside. One is a fifth-generation mixed crystal source. Although its purity is low, it can emit a ray capable of cutting through any material below four-element alloy..."

Wu Hua was shocked. "You actually know about fifth-generation energy?"

Mao-mm smiled. "I just figured it out, but I can only manage to use it for welding purposes."

Wu Hua thought to himself, *If you knew how to use it for crafting like Master Monica, you'd be rich.*

Mao-mm continued, "The other function is that the watch contains two 50-meter-long, high-strength thin metal wires. This is third-generation technology; it can replace a grappling hook, making it easier for you to climb dangerous places. I relied on it to climb the snow mountains. Materials are limited, so I only made three of these. My brother can't participate in combat, so I’ll give this last one to you. I was planning to sell it, but I really couldn't bear to part with it."

Wu Hua was overjoyed. "Don't worry, even if you were selling it, I'd take it! How much?"

Mao-mm smiled and opened the trade window. "I don't think you're a bad person, so I'm giving it to you."

"Alright, I'll sell the ring and the chip to you," Wu Hua said, turning to Coffee Cat. Since she had given him a gift, it wouldn't be right to hold back.

Coffee Cat was delighted, but Mao-mm added, "Brother Mad Gun, Yiyi is energy-tech based. Her clothing and equipment also require high-level energy materials—specifically, fifth-generation tech energy."

Wu Hua groaned inwardly. Wasn't that the same stuff as those "blue steel pipes"? This material was hard to come by. It seemed Mao-mm knew that fifth-generation energy could be crafted, but looking at the various trinkets on the stall shelves, most were auxiliary gear, with no primary combat weapons.

Mao-mm said, "I know a place where the raw materials for mixed crystal sources drop. Brother Mad Gun, since you were able to pioneer the Southern District, I believe you won't have a problem going to the Death Hollow, even if it's very difficult."

Wu Hua was surprised. "No wonder you couldn't go yourself. So it’s up to me! This watch wasn't free after all, haha."

Mao-mm laughed, too. "I hope you can help me find that energy. I really want to study it. Climbing the snow mountains to dig for crystals is truly exhausting, and my constitution is so weak that I’m in mortal danger every time I go up."

Wu Hua said, "Fine, I'll do it. Who told me that in this day and age, pets are the bosses?"

Yiyi hopped onto his shoulder, sat down, closed her eyes, and folded her arms with a dissatisfied huff, as if to say, "Now that you've got your gear, have you forgotten about me?"

Wu Hua couldn't help but laugh. "Don't worry, I won't leave you out. Even if it bankrupts me, I'll provide for you."

Yiyi kept her eyes closed. "Hmph, that's more like it. I guess it wasn't a waste to follow you."