Chapter 20

Chapter 20 Transaction

In the dim basement, with Mr. Gray Hill, the host, speaking, the gathering officially began. Everyone started to speak in turn according to their order, which started from the right hand of Gray Hill and proceeded clockwise.

The first to speak was a woman shrouded in a dark purple cloak. She stretched out her withered hand and took out a box from within the cloak, placing it on the table. Inside the box were yellowish fragments.

“Firstly, as usual, this is what I have prepared for this gathering. It’s nightglow grass that has been processed into dried medicine powder. This time, I’ve prepared 100 grams. Whether used to make condensed spirit incense to enhance meditation effects or to brew calming tea to resist poison recognition, it’s quite effective,” the woman said in a hoarse voice. After surveying the surroundings, she held up three fingers.

“As always, every 5 grams costs one pound, starting at 10 grams. If you want to trade in kind, you can bring it out, and Mr. Gray Hill will determine its value on the spot. If the value is sufficient, I’ll accept it…”

Hearing the old woman’s words, Dorothy, seated at her place, was startled.

‘5 grams for one pound? Is it really that expensive!?’

Dorothy was shocked by the price of the grass residue. Knowing that a farmer’s annual income was only eight or nine pounds, and a worker’s was about thirteen or fourteen pounds, starting at 5 grams per pound and selling from 10 grams upwards was outright robbery!

Shaking her head inwardly, Dorothy thought that such a high price would not attract any buyers. However, she did not expect someone to raise their hand soon after.

“I want 80 grams, Miss Willow Branch…” The person quoting was a gentleman wearing a mask and top hat, dressed in a suit. Hearing his words, the old woman chuckled.

“Hehe, of course… Mr. Shepherd, this large portion is definitely for you…” After saying this, the old woman took out a small copper scale and carefully weighed out most of the medicinal powder before packing it in yellow paper tied with grass rope. She then slid the packet across the table to the masked gentleman.

“There are still 20 grams left. Does anyone else need them?” Following this, the old woman called out to the surroundings. Soon after, there was another response.

“I want 5 grams!”

“Please give me 10 grams, Miss Willow Branch…”

“And me too!”

Completely unexpected by Dorothy, the exorbitantly priced medicinal powder in the old woman’s hands sold out quickly, and many people couldn’t get any. This made Dorothy gain a rough understanding of the prices of secret items.

The gathering continued. After the old woman, the members spoke in turn, some selling things, others seeking items, and some looking for information.

Among these, buying and selling transactions were the most important part. There were exchanges involving money as well as bartering. When bartering occurred, both parties would ask Gray Hill, who was hosting the meeting, to determine the value, indicating how broad Gray Hill’s knowledge was.

The prices of the traded goods were very expensive, with items ranging from a few pounds to dozens of pounds. A gold ornament containing a small amount of the Lamp’s spirituality even sold for 100 pounds, making the initial offering of the old woman seem insignificant. This left Dorothy stunned.

‘Wow… just a little bit of spiritual item can be sold so expensively… getting a couple more could directly buy a house in the city…’

Looking at the generous bids on the table, Dorothy couldn’t help but comment internally. She finally understood that doing mysterious research in this world was burning money; without capital, one simply couldn’t play.

Now it seemed that most of the people around this round table were influential figures in society…

Seeing the various transactions being completed at the gathering, Dorothy couldn’t help feeling excited. To be honest, there were many things she wanted, like potions that grant temporary night vision, or incenses that keep one awake at night. But unfortunately, the prices were extremely high, causing Dorothy, who had felt like a tycoon since arriving, to instantly become poor again.

Most of Dorothy’s money came from searching Edric’s body and home. She found five pounds on him and later discovered thirty pounds at his home, totaling thirty-five pounds. After paying fifteen pounds for the transportation and long-term storage fees of the zombie puppet, the remaining twenty pounds were enough for Dorothy to live comfortably in the mundane world for a long time. But once inside this secret gathering, those funds were completely insufficient.

‘Money is truly needed when it’s short…’

At the gathering, the silent Dorothy thought helplessly, but in fact, she wasn’t incapable of buying those valuable items; she just hadn’t encountered what she truly needed yet.

What Dorothy urgently needed was a secret transmission book containing mysterious knowledge… and so far, no one had been able to produce one…

Gradually, the gathering approached its end. Just as the last person finished speaking and completing their transaction, Dorothy remained silent.

Just as Dorothy thought she might leave empty-handed, the scene suddenly fell quiet, and everyone’s gaze turned in one direction.

That was the main seat at the round table, the host of the gathering, Gray Hill.

‘Why… Is he waiting for the leader to announce the end of the gathering?’

Just as Dorothy was puzzled, Gray Hill cleared his throat twice. Then, a masked servant stepped out from the side, holding a box in his hand.

“Now that you’re all done, it’s my turn to wrap things up. This time, I’m selling a secret transmission…”

Gray Hill said calmly. Hearing this, Dorothy’s spirits lifted immediately, and she sat up straight.

‘Is Gray Hill also participating in the transaction? And this time, he’s selling a secret transmission?’

For a moment, Dorothy’s attention focused on Gray Hill. The servant placed the box in front of him, and Gray Hill opened it himself, taking out a thin, old book.

“This secret transmission is titled ‘The Dream Explorer’s Record.’ It’s a book detailing how to control one’s own dreams. This book can teach people to enter dreams while awake…”

Gray Hill slowly said as he held the old book. However, his words didn’t cause much reaction in the room. Dorothy also found it unremarkable; she had heard of lucid dreaming before.

Gray Hill surveyed the room and continued.

“In addition to allowing you to manage your own dreams, this book also records the method of entering the ‘Dream Realm’ from one’s own dreams. Hehe… to briefly explain to some people with shallow knowledge of mysteries, the Dream Realm is a common dream realm shared by all wise beings, one of the inner realms. It contains countless wonders unimaginable in the present world, harboring many hidden secrets. Countless extraordinary existences roam through it, and even deities have left their footprints here… It’s full of dangers… yet brimming with opportunities…”

After finishing, Gray Hill returned the old book to the box and leaned back in his chair, playing with the eager eyes in front of him as he continued.

“Even for true Extraordinary Beings, exploring the Dream Realm is an important matter. Let alone you, therefore, I am pricing this book at… 500 pounds.”