How Am I Not Human?! (Second Update)

"Come on, hurry! Let's go check it out. Someone's selling a set blueprint, and it's rated blue!"

"What? A set blueprint? Who's that loaded? Where?"

"Boss, aren't you setting up your stall? I was just about to buy something!"

"Ah, I'm not selling for now. Hey, wait for me! I'm going to take a look too!"

At the trading plaza, a large number of Staff Members and Contractors spread the word, and people quickly flocked to a particular stall.

Carl was one of the Staff Members here. After leaving his stall and setting it to automatic sales, he squeezed into the crowd.

In Cycle Paradise, even a single piece of green equipment could fetch 4,000 Paradise Coins, and people would still fight over it.

Blue-rated equipment was worth even more. Every high-quality blue item cost tens of thousands of Paradise Coins.

If good equipment was worth its weight in gold, then set equipment was a once-in-a-century find. No matter its rating, every set item had a unique core ability.

As far as he knew, even a white Goblin Set could pack a punch equal to a set of green individual items. And this one was a blue-rated set!

Even though it was only a blueprint, Carl couldn't afford it. But as a Staff Member in Cycle Paradise, his most important professional skill was keeping track of information.

This would not only help him judge equipment later, but also allow him to sell information to information brokers. Keeping a complete record of what happened could earn him a handsome sum.

Surrounded by layer upon layer of onlookers, Wang Changle sat calmly beside his stall. Its sign read: "Set Blueprint."

It was a simple sign, but it had drawn hundreds of people.

He never answered any of the onlookers who asked about the price, and he had turned off all private messages.

Blacksmithing was a life skill. Its ranks were: Basic, Skilled, Expert, Master...

In Cycle Paradise, upgrading a basic life skill to Expert required a vast amount of resources!

It took no fewer resources than training a Contractor for combat!

Most Contractors didn't bother learning noncombat skills like blacksmithing. Even those who did rarely reached the Expert level.

The only ones who could afford the asking price, had a use for it, and could actually buy it were adventure groups with professional blacksmiths!

"You paupers, shut up and get lost! I, Mad Wolf, am taking this blueprint. Name your price!"

A white man dressed like a barbarian sat cross-legged on the ground, gripping the giant axe Blood Roar. A fierce wolf totem was tattooed across his chest.

He'd never heard of the Nine Dragon Sons' place of origin, but the description said they occupied nine equipment slots. No matter how he looked at it, they seemed like a set.

If he, Mad Wolf, could get his hands on this set, he was confident he could claim Wolf's head in the next Derivative World!

"Moon Princess from the Flower Boat will be here soon, and Dalma from Golden Heart won't be far behind. We'll talk then!"

At that, Wang Changle looked up and pointed at Kuroko Tetsuya beside him, then at the words flashing overhead: "Please wait. Dalma will arrive shortly."

He hadn't expected the Flower Boat's Courtesan to collect even Kuroko Tetsuya, a character from a sports anime.

With his almost nonexistent presence, Kuroko was practically the perfect spy.

"I, Mad Wolf, never wait for anyone! Kid, you're selling it whether you want to or not. If you don't, Hunter Camp will hunt you down until you're dead!"

Mad Wolf rose to his feet, gripping the giant axe Blood Roar with a savage grin.

"There was a bear before, and now there's a wolf. Tell me, how come everyone in Hunter Camp isn't even human? Can't you understand plain speech? Is it so hard to act like a person?"

Although he had turned off private messages, he couldn't block out the sounds around him. The Staff Members' discussion had already told him everything he needed to know about the man before him.

Mad Wolf, Hunter Camp's second-in-command, had enhanced both Strength and Agility. He'd once ranked in the Arena's top three.

The two times he'd run into people from Hunter Camp, they'd both acted the same way: outrageously arrogant.

Even Wang Bing from The Outcast was more normal than these guys. Did they all think they were some kind of chosen hero?

Carl, standing in the crowd, stared in disbelief at the stall owner in armor. Was the man trying to get himself killed? How dare he offend Hunter Camp?

Hunter Camp wasn't the largest adventure group, but it was the craziest.

They were all as vicious as wolves and tigers, and ever since Dragon Leader stepped down, they'd only gotten more arrogant and overbearing.

"You little punk, say that again if you've got the guts!"

Mad Wolf glared at him. He couldn't remember the last time anyone had dared speak to him like that. Maybe it had been before the "Martial Arts School" disbanded?

"He said you're not a person. You're an animal! Ha! This guy's got a sharp eye!"

A refined young man in a black robe approached, twirling a short flute and leading a delicate young woman by the hand.

"Wolf, Moon Shopkeeper! I'm not late, am I? Hahaha!"

A middle-aged man in Persian clothes came through the crowd with a hearty laugh. He nodded respectfully to the delicate young woman.

He looked at the girl Wei Wuxian was leading by the hand. The delicate young woman was actually Moon Princess from the Flower Boat. That was quite different from what he'd imagined.

"This isn't a set blueprint!"

After Wei Wuxian took the blueprint, he handed it to the delicate young woman, Moon Princess. Her voice was gentle, but her tone was certain.

"Damn it, it's not a set! Kid, you're dead the moment Hunter Camp finds you!"

So it really wasn't a set. And he'd been humiliated here for nothing.

In an instant, Mad Wolf erupted with rage and pressed Blood Roar against Wang Changle's neck.

"Yes, this really isn't a set."

The calm voice immediately drove away most of the onlookers. Even Dalma looked a little embarrassed.

But Wang Changle knew he'd found the people who actually wanted to buy his goods. The item wasn't a set; he'd only claimed it was to draw in anyone who knew what it was and was willing to buy it.

Clearly, Dalma wasn't that person. Neither was Mad Wolf. They wanted a "set blueprint."

The one who'd spoken up and stayed, Moon Shopkeeper, was the one who wanted to buy it. Otherwise, she wouldn't have spoken up to scatter the rest of the crowd.

Seeing the other man ignore Blood Roar, Mad Wolf shot him a vicious glare and vanished.

Before long, the crowd had dispersed, but Wei Wuxian and Moon Shopkeeper hadn't moved an inch.

"Though it isn't a set, we're willing to offer 35,000 Paradise Coins."

After the two groups left, Wei Wuxian named his price. Moon Shopkeeper nodded gently.

He could tell that the Nine Dragon Sons weren't a set item, but they were the foundation of a formation. If they were paired with the Nine Dragon Illusion Formation, its effects would increase exponentially.

They'd just found the Nine Dragon Illusion Formation, which was why they'd arrived a little late.

"Master Wei, I can sell you this blueprint for 30,000 Paradise Coins! But I also have some materials with me. I hope Moon Shopkeeper can help me forge a dagger for killing."

As he spoke, he took out five kinds of materials and some Life Essence, then traded the blueprint to Wei Wuxian. His eyes, however, were on Moon Princess.

Yes, his real goal from the beginning had been to find someone who could forge a weapon for him.

Someone who knew what the blueprint was and could afford to buy it was also the perfect blacksmith. That was far more useful than searching blindly for the right one.

[You received 30,000 Paradise Coins from Contractor 456943]

Moon Princess gave a slight nod and took all the materials from Wei Wuxian. With a flick of her hand, a flame like a jade-green lotus bloomed in her palm.

The Giant Snake's Tooth melted together with the iron, and the rough shape of a blade slowly formed. The curved fang became a small, four-sided dagger with a sharp edge and four deep blood grooves.

The Mysterious Turtle Shell and Life Essence wrapped around the handle, giving it a more substantial feel. The Iron Sand melted into liquid and coated the blade with a layer of hardened steel.

[Notification: You obtained Mysterious Iron Stinger*1]

Mysterious Iron Stinger

Origin: Cycle Paradise

Blue: 50

Attack: 15–28

Durability: 30/30

Blood Blade: Inflicts bleeding when stabbing. Stacks up to four times.

Mysterious Turtle: Strength +2

Life: Endurance +1

Description: Created by Contractor No. 301728

Price: 6,000 Paradise Coins

He gripped the weapon in delight. The blade was about 24 centimeters long, with a handle about 12 centimeters long. It was based on the triangular military bayonet, but unlike that weapon, this one had four sides.

Unlike a military bayonet, every side of this dagger was sharpened, gleaming coldly. Whether he stabbed, sliced, or slashed, it could inflict considerable damage.

If he drove it in, it would leave a vicious cross-shaped wound. A slight twist would tear it open into a horrific gash, and the wound would bleed as well.

In the blink of an eye, she'd forged a blue weapon. No wonder Dalma from Golden Heart had bowed his head to greet her, and Mad Wolf hadn't dared make trouble.

A blue dagger with three attribute bonuses, made from fairly ordinary materials.

This wasn't bowing to someone. It was bowing to capital. One could only imagine how terrifying it would be to pair a Courtesan surrounded by so many male leads with a master weapon-forger.

"Brother, that settles it. We've exchanged goods and money. Send me a friend request. If you get anything good in the future, you can contact me."

As Wei Wuxian spoke, he led Moon Shopkeeper away and gave Wang Changle a cordial bow.

[Notification: You received a friend request]

After accepting it, he continued setting up his stall. He listed [Swift Rabbit] for 5,000 Paradise Coins and each of the two skill books for 2,000 Paradise Coins.

[Swift Rabbit] wasn't a good fit for him, but its effect was genuinely useful, especially for some female Contractors.

Its speed boost was useful for escaping or pursuing someone, and its cooldown wasn't too long. It also had no side effects.

As for the skill books, their use restrictions meant he priced them about the same as other Staff Members did.

Before long, a soft, cute girl bought [Swift Rabbit], but no one showed any interest in the two skill books.

After waiting a little longer, he set his stall to automatic sales and headed for the [Attribute Enhancement Hall].

Compared to the nearly 1,000 Paradise Coins, his time was more valuable. He had to make the most of every minute and grow stronger!

Carl quietly recorded everything that had happened, then returned to his own stall and started contacting people from Hunter Camp. He was confident he could sell this story for a good price.