No Budgeting for the Dead

"Ailini!"

"What are you waiting for? Come and help!"

Within the Lake Island Secret Realm, an impatient roar resounded.

As Linsey was dragged underground by the Forest Will, the battle between the two sixth-tier awakened beings had also reached a critical moment!

Under the manipulation of the Green Fir life assimilation technique.

The ground beneath our feet and the surrounding lake water were no longer distinguishable.

They merge into one, transforming into a living mud giant, whose punches, kicks, spears, and hammers, like endless waves, crash down on the head of Ya Li Kun, who is trapped in the center of the secret realm.

Wealthy merchants, on the other hand, used money to build an impregnable wall.

The relentless attacks were all bribed with money, one after another, and then collided and neutralized with the subsequent attacks.

However, Green Fir's attacks were too dense and seemed endless, and for a time, Ya Li Kun could only defend himself.

Just as this situation reached a stalemate...

Ya Li Kun's gaze swept around, and in the wasteland not covered by mud, he discovered a surprise.

—Ailini.

Other merchants or awakened individuals either died on the spot or fled the secret realm in a sorry state.

The only exception was the businesswoman with whom he had established a business partnership.

However, contrary to common sense, it remained in the same place.

At this moment, Ya Li Kun was busy defending, while Green Fir was focused on attacking, and neither of them could spare any hands.

Ailini is the only one left here.

Even though its power is far inferior to that of the Sixth Stage, it is still enough to be the key to breaking the deadlock.

Ya Li Kun didn't care about the dignity of the strong.

He decisively spoke up and asked Ailini for help:

"Ailini, lend me your money. I can pay you 25% interest if you take this guy down!"

"..."

Alikun called out, and Green Fir even turned her gaze towards him.

But Ailini did not react at all.

The merchant girl simply took two steps back, leaving the area where Ya Li Kun and Green Fir were fighting, and watched them with a calm gaze, just as she had when she was observing the battlefield before.

Upon seeing Ya Li Kun immediately shouted a reminder: "Ailini, we are partners!"

"Don't forget our stocking business, it's a rare opportunity!"

Ya Li Kun was anxious.

The current situation appears to be one where he and Green Fir are evenly matched, with neither side gaining the upper hand.

However, upon closer inspection, it can be discovered that Ya Li Kun can only passively defend, and his actual strength is weaker than that of the Life Scholar.

Not to mention that the other party is a holder of Life Source Material who is good at self-recovery.

If this continues, it will consume resources like this.

The businessman, Ya Li Kun, is most likely to lose.

"..."

at the same time.

Upon hearing this shout, Ailini finally reacted.

However, her response was not to offer any help to Ya Li Kun.

The young businesswoman, also from the Platinum City, responded in a flat tone, "The Riverbank Merchant Guild's plan has failed. You will not have any seats in the Financial Street."

"Mr. Ya Li Kun ..."

Ailini sighed, "You should also know the basic principle of businessmen—don't budget for the dead."

This answer undoubtedly rejected Ya Li Kun's request for help.

Green Fir, who had been suppressing the big merchant with a relentless offensive, spoke up with a sarcastic remark, "Ya Li Kun, look at your business partner."

"This is the money principle you believe in, and it has indeed had a good effect in the end!"

"..."

Ya Li Kun's face was gloomy.

His confrontation with Green Fir caused his Essence to be consumed rapidly, and his ability to stabilize his emotions was also weakened.

The only good news right now is...

The gaze emanating from the Eighth Stage of existence had vanished from this land, and the suffocating oppression had finally ended.

Ya Li Kun steadied himself and made one last attempt to persuade Ailini:

"Ailini, I can increase your interest rate by another 50%!"

While calling for help, Ya Li Kun secretly manipulated his skills to extract a sliver of value from the Double Serpent Coin blocking the attack, intending to use it to tempt Ailini into agreeing to his demands.

But when this sliver of value finally took effect on Ailini...

However, it was immediately swallowed up by something on the girl's body, and had no effect whatsoever.

"?"

"Is this... Financial Exemption Order from the United Guild?"

Ya Li Kun was stunned for a moment, then he recognized the origin of the power and realized a terrible fact.

"You Guild..."

"No, no wonder the boss suddenly went bankrupt! He was betrayed by you beasts. You're going to devour him..."

Ailini suddenly interrupted Ya Li Kun's cursing, "Lord Ya Li Kun, don't speak so harshly."

"Just like what you do with the Forest Veins, I'm just conducting normal business activities."

"Please allow me to refuse the 75% interest rate you are offering."

Ya Li Kun was furious.

Fortunately, the skill of manipulating emotions came into play again at this moment.

He suppressed his anger and the sudden realization of what had happened to the Riverbank Merchant Guild.

Return wholeheartedly to the battle itself.

Ya Li Kun clear-headed.

Things have come to this point, and I'm certain to die here today; there's little chance of any other changes.

But he wasn't the only one in the Riverbank Merchant Guild.

The other two Sixth Stage merchants, despite having a rift with Ya Li Kun, are still active in the Courtyard in the Forest World.

The interests of the Riverbank Merchant Guild are aligned with theirs.

Everything is not yet over.

"Call--"

"This deal is going to be really difficult."

Ya Li Kun took a deep breath.

He stood still, his slightly plump body moving, and reached into the collar of his purple robe with his right hand, pulling off the silver necklace that was fastened to his chest.

bite--

The silver necklace gleamed in the merchant's hands.

It is made of pure silver and its exterior is shaped like a river.

This is the Essence host that Ya Li Kun chose after becoming an Awakener and confirming his Essence type.

Ya Li Kun looked at his most important possession.

His gaze briefly drifted into a daze, as if he were still on the day he left his apprenticeship at the Chamber of Commerce, when he first held up the necklace that symbolized his status as an awakened one.

"..."

That's the end of it.

A few seconds later, Ya Li Kun threw the necklace.

His Sixth Stage merchant Essence was contained within it, and at this moment he tossed it high into the air, immediately suspending it in mid-air and radiating its power outwards.

boom--

It is also a host of the Essence.

However, in terms of power, Ya Li Kun's necklace and Finn's branch are not on the same level.

It contains special Essence.

To broaden the concepts of buying, selling, and leasing.

Even Green Fir, caught in the midst of battle, was affected, her skills becoming unstable. The giant formed from mud, like a flood encountering a dam, was violently struck, then forced back, and even began to dissipate! "Interference from the Essence?"

Upon seeing this, Green Fir's expression darkened, and for the first time in the battle, she took a step back.

Her Essence was being depleted at an extraordinary rate, and even she was struggling to withstand Ya Li Kun's last trump card!

"Green Fir, there is no conflict between us that cannot be resolved."

"Kang Qi was born in the forest..."

Pfft

Just as the battlefield situation reversed, Ya Li Kun gained the upper hand, even preparing to persuade them to surrender.

But he heard a voice behind him.

A long, brownish-red wooden spear suddenly thrust out from behind Ya Li Kun!

The wood looks ordinary.

In an instant, it pierced through the conceptual barrier formed by money, tore open a rift in Ya Li Kun's purple robes, and finally reached the merchant's beating heart! "Ah?!"

A sharp pain shot through Ya Li Kun's chest.

All the strength in his body seemed to be drained in an instant, and he could no longer maintain the skills he was using.

He realized that his heart had been pierced.

If there were no external interference, he could use Double Serpent Coin to heal his injuries. But his current situation would definitely not give him that chance.

"..."

Ya Li Kun's body stiffened, his expression frozen in astonishment.

He turned his head and glanced back.

Only then did they realize that the land, which had just been a blank space, now had a man standing there.

The other party has the appearance of Kang Qi.

The weapon in his hand was the wooden spear that had pierced his chest.

But Ya Li Kun the only one who did not sense the aura of a Life Scholar from the other person!

When did the other party return to the ground? Why didn't I hear the sound of the soil breaking apart? How could Kang Qi, as a scholar, be so fast?

An endless stream of questions flooded his mind, but Ya Li Kun had no more strength left. As his body fell backward, he managed to ask only one question in broken sentences, "You're not... Kang Qi, who exactly are you?"

Swoosh—

The wealthy merchant received no reply.

The spear was pulled from his body, and he lost consciousness, finally collapsing to the ground and sinking into eternal darkness.