Wang Xuan had not waited long in the hall.
Liu Zi soon led an elderly man through the dim corridor toward him at an unhurried pace.
The old man was around sixty, dressed as though he had come from an ancient Plot World. He wore a gray long robe, and his face was lean, but his eyes held a restrained gleam. At a glance, he looked like a seasoned veteran who had spent decades scraping by in the streets.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, sir." Liu Zi wore that warm yet unflattering smile again. Stepping aside, he introduced the old man. "This is Old Liu, one of our Black Market's renowned appraisers. He's been in this trade for decades, and his valuations have always been well regarded. Rest assured."
The two sat down on the sofa opposite Wang Xuan. The cushions sank slightly, producing a faint rustle of leather.
Wang Xuan nodded, his gaze naturally settling on Old Liu. There were no pleasantries, no small talk.
With a flick of his right hand, a card appeared out of thin air between his fingers, its cold sheen shifting in the dim light.
Old Liu's eyes lit up. He reached out to take the card, examined it closely for a moment, then lightly rubbed its surface with his thumb before smiling.
"A Plot Card. Good stuff.
Players like to call it an Entry Card or a Resurrection Card.
It's a ticket into the Heavens Tower, and the confidence to start over.
The Black Market's standard price is five thousand points of Fortune—five thousand Luck Coins."
He said it lightly, as though it were merely the most ordinary transaction.
"Five thousand points." Wang Xuan did not immediately respond. He tilted his head slightly, as if weighing the significance behind that number. "Liu Zi