When Levi arrived at the largest provisions store in Bailiu City, he had just stepped inside and taken one look around when he immediately turned to leave without a second glance.
"Mr. Levi, I didn't expect to see you here."
"Most of the shops here are mine, you know."
As her last sentence fell, Levi had no choice but to stop and walk back into the store.
A woman was standing at the counter, smiling sweetly at him. It was Lorina, whom he had met just recently.
Levi sighed. He couldn't believe his bad luck; the world was just too small. To think he'd run into this little minx who'd tried to swindle him right here.
That was precisely why he had turned to leave in the first place.
If she dared to shortchange him two copper coins last time, she would dare to swindle him out of six hundred Gold Coins this time.
Today, Lorina was wearing a long white dress. Her beautiful green hair cascaded down to her waist, exquisite earrings adorned her ears, and a choker on her neck was inlaid with an Emerald the size of a cat's eye.
Her entire being radiated the aura of a top-tier wealthy woman.
"I didn't realize Mr. Levi was one of the Pioneer Nobles."
Lorina said lightly, a playful look on her face.
She had never forgotten this brat. Ever since he'd made her give the money back, she'd gone home and tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
The moment she closed her eyes, she'd hear a voice scolding her for being blinded by greed.
To think she would actually run into him here, of all places.
"That's none of your business."
Levi put on a business-like facade, tossing a bag of Gold Coins onto the counter. Acting tough, he waved his hand grandly. "Six hundred Gold Coins. Outfit me with the provisions needed for pioneering, and clothes for my fifty men."
Bailiu City had long since established a full-service pipeline for Pioneers. You just had to throw enough money at these merchants, and not only would they prepare a complete set of provisions, they would even deliver it to your door.
If you chose to add a little more money, they could even provide you with a few Maids, ensuring your pioneering endeavor wasn't just about iron and blood, but also fragrant sweat and tender affection.
After speaking, Levi slammed both hands on the counter and leaned forward, his eagle-sharp gaze fixed on Lorina.
They were face to face, separated by only a hand's breadth.
"Remember, don't you dare shortchange me, your Lord. I'll know if even a single grain of wheat is missing!"
"My eyes are my ruler!"
Finally, Levi pointed to his own eyes, and after dropping that last line, he turned and walked out of the store.
Lorina was taken aback by Levi's sudden seriousness. It wasn't until his figure disappeared down the street that she blushed slightly and spat delicately to the side.
At such a close distance just now, his masculine aura had washed over her face.
...
After leaving the shop, Levi breathed a sigh of relief. The reason he had acted so tough and hadn't given Lorina a chance to react was because he was afraid the little minx would hold a grudge and use this opportunity to make things difficult for him.
Besides provisions, the importance of weapons was self-evident.
Levi had already inquired with the locals, and now he led his gang of barefoot brutes, swarming noisily into a famous Dwarf weapon shop.
This weapon shop was famous for its equipment forged by genuine Dwarves, but Levi really didn't dare to comment on its name.
"Migen Weapon Shop"
Inside the entrance were wide racks displaying all sorts of weapons. In the backyard, dozens of shirtless Dwarves could be seen, fervently swinging Iron Hammers at anvils.
Dwarves were renowned throughout the Middle Ages Continent for their exquisite weapon-forging skills. Though they were hot-tempered, their craftsmanship was beyond reproach.
He walked up to a magnificent suit of silver Armor. A blue gem the size of a longan fruit was embedded in the chest, seeming to shamelessly mock someone's empty wallet.
This suit of Armor was clearly more form than function, a favorite among the sons of nobility.
His Lordship was a pragmatist and naturally looked down on such things. It had absolutely nothing to do with his withered wallet!
"Ahem, what weapons do you all usually like to use?"
Levi strolled through the weapon shop with his hands behind his back, looking for all the world like a simple vegetable farmer in a luxury boutique.
Although he couldn't afford any of the weapons on display, that didn't stop him from broadening his horizons.
"We mostly use greatclubs and Giant Axes; we're most skilled with them. Occasionally, we use Javelins too."
The Beastman Barbarians were nearly blinded by the shiny weapons in the shop. They gulped repeatedly, barely managing to suppress the urge to just rob the place as they answered Levi.
In the resource-scarce Wilderness, a greatclub whittled from any random piece of wood might be crude, but in the hands of these Beastmen, even a wooden club was incredibly deadly.
An Axe was even simpler and more effective. All you needed was to tie a sharp rock to a wooden stick, and you could easily slice an enemy's throat.
Naturally, these weapons, which could be crafted from materials found on the spot, became the favorites of the Wilderness Beastmen.
"What can I get for you big fellas?"
Levi looked around, hearing the voice but seeing no one, until he felt a touch on his foot. He looked down and saw a tiny person looking up at him.
At first glance, he looked a bit like a big-eared Dwarf, but upon closer inspection, he also resembled Shevchenko.
This was a Gnome, dressed in a splendid blue silk coat and wearing a pointed Christmas hat. On his chest, the word "Migen" was embroidered in gold thread.
He was clearly the owner of this weapon shop.
Looking at his outfit, and considering his name, Levi found it surprisingly comical.
In this world, Gnomes were close relatives of Dwarves. Compared to the hot-tempered, stubborn-as-mules Dwarves, they were clearly more skilled in calculation.
And generally, a weapon shop with wares forged purely by Dwarves would have a Gnome as the manager.
After all, you couldn't expect hot-tempered Dwarves to handle the shady dealings of business. Otherwise, they might get thrown in the Water Prison the very next day for starting a collective brawl.
"A Giant Axe for each man, and a set of Javelins." Levi tossed his money pouch directly onto the counter. "Four hundred Gold Coins. You figure out what that gets us."
Migen glanced at Levi, then led the group to a rack.
He pointed to a Double-Bladed War Axe hanging on it, forged from Refined Iron, with an Axe Blade as wide as a wok.
"Forged from Refined Iron. Should be a good fit for your men. Of course, the price is also steep."
Zat had just picked it up and given it a swing when the Gnome's face went pale with fright. He immediately leaped up and stomped hard on Zat's wide, green foot.
"You big oaf, don't you swing weapons in Migen's shop!"
Zat, feeling no pain, nonchalantly scratched his butt, exceptionally pleased with the weapon.
After asking the Beastmen about their preferred weapons, Migen shouted:
"Keno! Go to room nine and bring fifty Axes and fifty sets of Javelins."
Soon, several Dwarves, each built like a small mountain with a face full of thick beard, came out chanting in unison. They carried several heavy wooden crates, which they pried open with crowbars, revealing weapons buried in straw.
The surfaces of these weapons glinted, clearly coated in oil for maintenance.
Without a doubt, this was a new batch. The Dwarves hadn't tried to fool him with refurbished goods.
Levi hooked a Javelin up with his foot, weighed it in his hand, and didn't hold back his praise.
"Hah, worthy of the Dwarves' forge!"