Chapter 448 - 432: The Drawbacks of Playing the Pig to Eat the Tiger
As the second most prosperous planet in the Thirty-Seventh Cosmic Country, Treasure Star was saturated with the aura of wealth and treasure—a magnificent fruit of cosmic evolution and civilizational development.
Unfortunately—
Shi Ming couldn’t enter most places.
The main reason was the "white treasure aura" about him.
When he entered Treasure Star, Shi Ming, wanting to keep a low profile, had placed most of his collection and wondrous items into his personal storage to avoid being scanned by the "Eye of All Beings." As a result, only one or two treasures were left out for it to detect. While this successfully deceived the Eye of All Beings, the wealth rating it assigned him was also the lowest possible grade: "White."
On Treasure Star, where wealth determined status, "White" was undoubtedly at the very bottom of the hierarchy.
The equivalent of a Shudra in a caste system based on bloodline.
’If I’d known, I wouldn’t have been so low-key.’
A white treasure aura signified poverty and low purchasing power—it was like browsing in an Hermès store while wearing cheap jeans from a street stall. In many cases, people like this were not welcome. In fact, many establishments on Treasure Star explicitly stated they would not serve "bearers of the white treasure aura" unless they underwent an asset verification and proved they possessed 1,000 Cosmic Crystals.
Shi Ming currently only had a little over 800 Cosmic Crystals.
’I really am poor!’
Without crystals, he couldn’t enjoy many of Treasure Star’s services. Fortunately, Rui Liang’s collection was still substantial, and these were all fixed assets. Shi Ming planned to head to a smaller marketplace to sell off part of the collection and obtain some initial capital.
’Of course, I can’t take out anything too valuable.’
It would be illogical for an Awakened shimmering with a white aura to produce a treasure that didn’t match his status.
’It wouldn’t fit the character.’
’Since I’ve already been labeled as a bearer of the white aura,’
’I have to play the part.’
He glanced at the other people and creatures around him. Their treasure auras were a kaleidoscope of colors—blue, purple, orange... as vibrant as rainbows. These were all treasure aura buffs applied by the "Eye of All Beings" to visually represent a person’s wealth and status. All beings who entered Treasure Star, except for the powerful and high-ranking, were scanned by the Eye of All Beings and received such a buff.
It was a unique feature of the planet.
Of course, safety was also guaranteed. The power backing a place like Treasure Star was beyond imagination; no one dared to cause trouble here.
"Xingbao, I’d like to sell some ordinary treasures for Cosmic Crystals. Do you know any places on Treasure Star with a good reputation that don’t discriminate based on treasure aura level? Places that treat all customers equally?"
Shi Ming casually asked the ever-present Xingbao.
"BEEP BEEP~"
"Honored guest, Stall 131 on Basement Level 24 of the Fixed Star Building in District 12 is a trading area that should suit you. The merchant there, a [Star Travel Merchant], can meet your needs. In addition, Stall 19 on Basement Level 36 of Zhuming Building and Stall 121 on Basement Level 9 of the Cosmic Construction Site could also serve your purpose. It is worth noting that Xingbao has not collected any advertising fees for these recommendations. All information is for reference only. The final decision to trade or not depends on your needs as the guest. Xingbao is not responsible for any problems that may arise from the transaction."
’Look at that. A disclaimer clause.’
’Now that’s what I call professional.’
’These places are all underground... Oh well. I’ll just head to the closest one, in the Fixed Star Building’s 24th basement level.’
...
After a series of twists and turns, Shi Ming arrived at the building Xingbao had indicated: the so-called Fixed Star Building.
Skyscrapers crowded the surface of Treasure Star, where every inch of land was worth its weight in gold. There were no oceans, only continents.
The underground levels had also been thoroughly developed. The 24th basement level of the Fixed Star Building, where Shi Ming had arrived, was a world away from the orderly, magnificent surface. It had the distinct feel of a black market, with its rows of small, neat, square stalls and an endless stream of people that made the place incredibly lively. Most of the beings milling about, just like Shi Ming, emanated only a faint, white aura.
This was the world of the "poor."
In an intermediate civilization, 300 Cosmic Crystals was undoubtedly a massive fortune, enough to drive its inhabitants into a frenzy. For any but the longest-lived species, it was just enough to "lie flat" and get by for a lifetime.
But here on Treasure Star, a net worth of 300 Cosmic Crystals placed you at the very bottom of the Pyramid. You’d be looked down upon just walking down the street. Only in the underground could one find so many others of the same kind.
Even on an Advanced Civilization Planet,
the underground was surprisingly down-to-earth.
The ceaseless cries of vendors filled the air, lending this Advanced Civilization Planet a touch of mundane, everyday life.
"Treasure maps to the Core Area of a Star Grotto! Three Cosmic Crystals each! Authenticity guaranteed at a glance! Absolutely the real deal!"
"Latest intel! One strand of [Chaos Silk Thread] discovered in Star Grotto #22191! It’s been added to the museum’s appraisal auction. All interested parties are welcome to bid!"
"Destiny Crystal Stone! Predicts tomorrow’s Treasure Tax! Full refund if it’s wrong!"
"A Light Cone that can boost your luck! Only one Cosmic Crystal!"
The various hawkers’ cries rose and fell, each one drowned out by a louder shout from a neighboring stall. Shi Ming’s Brain of Creation felt as if it had arrived in paradise, scanning one so-called treasure after another. Unfortunately, most of these "treasures" were overhyped. It wasn’t that they had zero effect, but it was a good thing Treasure Star had no laws against false advertising, or many of these people would have been arrested.
Especially that "Treasure Tax Prediction."
’No fee if it’s inaccurate?’
’Isn’t that the same scheme as "pay if you pass the exam, get a refund if you fail," or "pay for a son, get a refund for a daughter"?’
’Pure profit from nothing.’
Fortunately, most of the beings here were just poor, not stupid. A scheme like that could only occasionally fool a member of a less-than-brilliant species or two.
The stalls were packed in tight rows.
The figures within moved shoulder-to-shoulder.
The races coming and going were all different. There were the Stone People, their bodies hard as if covered in a carapace, and there were amorphous, writhing, gelatinous sapient lifeforms that barely maintained a humanoid shape. The sounds of deals being struck blended with the clinking of Cosmic Crystals, forming the unique symphony of the underground marketplace.
After winding his way through the market, Shi Ming found Stall 131.
He was suddenly struck by a sense of déjà vu, reminding him of his school days in his past life, buying cheap electronics from a booth in Huaqiang North.
He came to a stop in front of the stall.
"I hear you purchase treasures here?"
The stall, only about four square meters, was surrounded by a crystalline counter. A young girl in a hat was hunched over, studying a Stone in her hands. She looked up at the sound of a customer’s voice.
She was a young girl whose features were about seventy percent similar to those of an Earthling.
She was only about four and a half feet tall,
a height that meant she’d probably have to jump just to hit the kneecaps of some of the giant races. But this young girl’s treasure aura was anything but simple; it was purple mixed with traces of orange, making her stand out in the world of the underground market.
"That’s right."
The young girl smiled, and constellations seemed to swirl within her eyes.
"It’s not just treasures. I take everything here."
"Contraband, corpses, information, intelligence, and... destinies."
"As long as I’m satisfied with it, the price is negotiable."