Chapter 65: Baihe City, Telos House of Machinery

White Tower Floating Land, Baihe City.

As one of the five major cities under the jurisdiction of the White Tower Floating Land, Baihe City had developed for an even longer period than Jiangyuan City, a fact that could be readily seen from their respective resident populations.

Today, the total population of Baihe City exceeded twenty-five million, making it second only to White Tower City among the five cities of the entire White Tower Floating Land.

In the downtown area of Baihe City stood the Baihe Fire City. As a medium-sized Fire Mall situated in the most prosperous district of Baihe City, the number of merchants operating within the Baihe Fire Mall far surpassed that of the East River Mall. Squeezing his way out of the crowd with great difficulty, a trace of helplessness hung on Song Chi's face.

Ever since awakening the Fire Seed, this was truly his first time experiencing the feeling of being packed tightly in a crowd. The crucial point was that virtually everyone around him possessed a relatively high-level Guidance Technique, with physical fitness far exceeding that of ordinary people. Pushing through really meant flesh colliding with flesh, making it thoroughly uncomfortable.

Yet, there was no help for it. The mall's administration explicitly prohibited the use of psionic energy within the interior of the mall, and everyone had to abide by this rule.

However, this happened to suit his purpose. The very reason he had deliberately rushed over to Baihe City during the peak hours and chosen the most popular Baihe Mall was precisely to achieve this outcome.

The more customers there were and the denser the crowd, the easier it would be to create a distraction and blend in. Once he disposed of all the supplies in his possession, he could quietly vanish without a trace by utilizing the Market.

Instead of heading to the top floor, Song Chi chose the lower and middle floors, which had a larger flow of people.

Inside a medium-sized shop named "Telos Mechanics Home," Song Chi summoned the Sky in a designated Fire starship docking area. Because his hull had expanded to nearly twenty meters after upgrading to a psionic airship, all the differential resources he had acquired previously at the trade fair were loaded onto the ship in a single trip, saving him a considerable amount of trouble.

50 tons of Mithril + 10 tons of Vibranium + 215 pieces of Millennial Ice Crystal + 200 tons of Uranium Ore...

As one type of material after another was unloaded from the airship, the store's staff members rapidly recorded the quantities of various resources. Once all the differential resources acquired in the Market were completely unloaded, a staff member standing nearby quickly reported the calculated value.

"Sir, the market value of the resources you have provided is around 2,480 strands of Tier 0 Floating Land Origin. Calculated at a seventy percent acquisition rate, that comes to 1,736 strands. If you have no objections—"

Before the clerk beside him could finish his sentence, Song Chi directly interrupted him.

"Seventy percent of the market value for acquisition? Isn't that a bit too low?"

In his view, 2,500 strands of Tier 0 Floating Land Origin could by no means be considered a small sum. Pressing the price down to seventy percent was simply too unscrupulous.

However, this clerk clearly did not think so. He pursed his lips, and although the smile on his face never faded, Song Chi could perceive a trace of indifference deep within his eyes, showing that he clearly hadn't taken Song Chi's words to heart.

Song Chi furrowed his brow, feeling a silent displeasure in his heart. Without saying much, he directly mobilized the psionic energy within his body to gather at his throat. The mall regulations prohibited using psionic energy for violent brawls, but using it to summon a Fire warship, amplify one's own voice, or enhance hearing was not restricted.

As he opened his mouth, a loud, resounding shout instantly echoed through the entire shop:

"I wonder if the store manager is in?"

Because he had deliberately altered his voice, the spoken words sounded exceptionally hoarse, drawing strange gazes from all the customers present in the shop.

Before him, the male clerk, who had previously managed to maintain a superficial smile, instantly saw his expression sink as he raised his tone and said:

"Sir, please do not disturb the shopping experience of other customers. If you cannot accept our shop's acquisition price, you are welcome to go elsewhere. But if you are here to cause trouble, the mall's patrol guards are no pushovers."

Song Chi wore a mask, concealing his expression from outsiders, but his tone noticeably turned cold.

Given the other party's service attitude, he would normally have been too lazy to bother with him, and calling out for the store manager was not an intentional provocation. Since the matter involved Void Crystals, it was naturally not something a mere clerk could decide upon. However, since the other party was pushing his luck, he naturally wouldn't indulge him either.

Song Chi was well aware that this person's identity might not be simple. To dare act so unconcerned after learning that he was a Tier 1 Fire captain, he had to have some backing.

A faint, hoarse voice came out from behind the mask.

"I don't care who you are or what your relationship with this shop is, but I bet you will definitely have to apologize to me today!!"

With that, Song Chi stared at the person with great interest, watching his shifting and struggling expression.

Clearly, although this person had a poor attitude, he was not stupid. Seeing Song Chi speak with such certainty, he had already guessed that the other party must possess other top-tier resources—top-tier resources capable of impressing his store manager uncle.

In the end, this person did not utter any more harsh threats before being rebuked and driven away by the store manager who had just appeared. Judging by the store manager's darkened expression, this was likely not the first time such a situation had occurred.

Yet, pondering upon it, Song Chi formed a guess: to repeatedly make such elementary mistakes and still be permitted to remain in the shop, this person's identity was in all likelihood the store manager's nephew.

Regarding this, Song Chi had no intention of pressing the issue further. After all, the other party was merely a youngster less than twenty years old who hadn't even awakened his Fire Seed. Once the individual offered a proactive apology, Song Chi turned around and began communicating with the store manager.

Of course, the most crucial factor was the promise the store manager had just made.

Because of this incident, the store manager had agreed that regardless of whether Song Chi had any other resources to offer subsequently, this current batch of supplies would be acquired strictly at market value. This was the key reason why Song Chi couldn't be bothered to argue further.

Inside a reception room located in the inner quarters of Telos Mechanics Home, Song Chi and the store manager were seated across from each other.

Through a brief casual conversation, Song Chi learned some basic information about the white store manager beside him. Named Rock Telos, he was a member of the Telos family of Baihe City, while the young clerk from earlier was his sister's son, currently on vacation and supposedly here to "experience life."

Regarding this outcome, Song Chi silently muttered that as expected. Although he was not overly familiar with the situation in Baihe City, he had some understanding of the top-tier factions there.

The Telos family was precisely one of those top-tier factions in Baihe City, which neatly explained the young man's unbridled confidence.

After a brief chat, Song Chi got down to business.

Reaching out and pulling from behind him, he produced a thumb-sized crystal in the palm of his hand.

"Void Crystal..."

Upon seeing the crystal in Song Chi's palm, Rock Telos let out an exclamation of surprise, appearing somewhat uncomposed despite his nearly a century of life experience.

Nor could he be blamed for reacting this way. The resource known as Void Crystal was simply too rare. Although its applications were narrow—seemingly only required for the enhancement of spatial-type shipborne components—it couldn't withstand the extreme scarcity of its quantity.

Taking this Tier 0 Void Crystal and confirming without a doubt that it was indeed a Void Crystal, Rock Telos asked in a deep voice:

"Friend, may I ask how many Void Crystals you currently have in your possession?"