Under Liu Feifei's "professional" recommendations and her attentive, almost obsequious service,
Lin Mu finally chose a blue LV.5 leather armor piece, the [Fire Lizard Guardian Breastplate].
And a pair of blue LV.5 [Swift Wind Boots].
[Fire Lizard Guardian Breastplate] (LV.5, blue) Defense: 25–30 Constitution: +3 Special Effect: +10% fire resistance [Swift Wind Boots] (LV.5, blue) Defense: 10–15 Agility: +3 Special Effect: +5% movement speed
Both pieces of equipment had highly practical base stats and bonus effects.
With his modifications, they would definitely come in handy in the [Wailing Cavern].
"Sir, these two pieces of equipment cost 31,200 and 23,400 Nova Coins, respectively, for a total of 54,600 Nova Coins."
Liu Feifei pulled out a calculator and quickly worked out the price.
She held it out to Lin Mu with both hands, her smile never wavering.
The corners of Lin Mu's mouth lifted as he took a silver medal engraved with stars and a pomegranate flower from his storage space.
"This is... the Xilin City Rising Star Medal!"
Liu Feifei recognized it almost instantly.
Her voice climbed several notes with excitement, even trembling slightly.
She covered her mouth, momentarily losing her composure.
The look she gave Lin Mu had shifted completely—from the respect and flattery she'd shown before to awe and fervor.
She knew all too well how much this medal was worth!
It represented not only honor but also the highest recognition of its holder's potential by the Xilin City authorities!
An ordinary "Rising Star Medal" was enough to turn heads.
But with the word "Glory" added to its name, the number of people in Xilin City's history who had been worthy of one could probably be counted on one hand!
"S-Sir, please wait a moment!"
Liu Feifei's voice trembled as she hurriedly worked at the terminal on the counter.
"According to our regulations, distinguished customers holding the Xilin City Rising Star Medal receive a twenty percent discount on any purchase at our official Trading Hall!"
She carefully announced the discounted price:
"The two pieces of equipment you selected come to 43,680 Nova Coins after the discount."
That was more than ten thousand Nova Coins off!
Lin Mu nodded calmly and transferred the money without hesitation.
Privileges were great!
Liu Feifei returned the medal with both hands, feeling as though the tiny silver piece weighed a thousand pounds.
She took a deep breath, doing her best to calm herself.
Then she spoke in what she considered her sweetest, most respectful voice:
"Sir, here's your medal. Please wait a moment. Our manager, Liu Qing, will be here shortly. She'd like to personally issue you one of our store's Amethyst VIP Cards!"
"Oh?"
Lin Mu raised an eyebrow.
It seemed the Rising Star Medal's added perks were even more valuable than he'd expected.
Before long, a beautiful woman in her early thirties strode over, dressed in a dark purple professional skirt suit.
She had a capable air about her and a warm, professional smile.
A nameplate reading "General Manager" was pinned to her chest.
"You must be Mr. Lin Mu. I'm Liu Qing, the manager of the Trading Hall."
Liu Qing extended her hand, her gaze filled with genuine admiration.
"Feifei just told me that you've earned the Rising Star Medal at such a young age. You're a remarkable young talent, and your future is limitless!"
Lin Mu briefly shook her hand and replied calmly, "You're too kind, Manager Liu."
Liu Qing didn't waste time.
She took out a card that was crystal clear, shimmering with a faint purple glow.
"Mr. Lin, this is the highest-level VIP card at the Xilin Professional Trading Hall: the Amethyst VIP Card. I've already registered it in our system."
"From now on, you'll automatically receive a thirty percent discount on any purchase here, regardless of the amount. You'll also have priority access to reservations for certain scarce supplies, and you can ask us to find specific items for you."
She handed the card to Lin Mu with both hands.
"This is a small gesture from the Trading Hall to show our appreciation for a talented professional. We also hope to work with you more in the future."
Lin Mu accepted the Amethyst card. It felt cool to the touch and was clearly made of fine material.
"Thank you, Manager Liu."
He knew this was more than just a discount card.
It was a symbol of status, as well as a potential avenue for building connections.
"Think nothing of it, Mr. Lin."
Liu Qing's smile grew wider.
"Our Trading Hall also takes orders for custom equipment and enchantment services. If you ever need anything like that, feel free to contact me."
She was subtly showing her goodwill.
She was also hinting that the Trading Hall might have connections to some high-level crafting professionals.
Lin Mu's thoughts stirred.
He recalled the equipment he'd modified with "Description Tampering."
If he ever needed to explain where it came from, enchantment might serve as a good cover story.
"I'll keep that in mind."
Lin Mu nodded without making any promises.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Liu Qing personally escorted Lin Mu to the entrance of the Trading Hall.
The treatment drew sidelong glances from quite a few professionals inside, who privately speculated about Lin Mu's identity.
Lin Mu stepped out of the Trading Hall. The sunlight fell warmly across him.
"I got played. That woman's pretty sharp. She waited until I'd paid before bringing out the card. She definitely did it on purpose."
Muttering to himself, he turned to leave, and his gaze happened to sweep across the street corner.
Two figures there seemed to be watching him without drawing attention to themselves.
When Lin Mu looked their way, they immediately glanced elsewhere as if nothing had happened, then disappeared into the crowd.
Lin Mu's gaze turned cold. He understood.
It seemed his actions today had caught the attention of some interested parties after all.
Had that old dog Wang Debiao sent spies after him, still refusing to give up?
Or was it some other faction?
For now, he had no way of knowing.
But he would deal with trouble as it came.
Lin Mu looked away, his expression once again calm.
His top priority was to upgrade his newly acquired equipment as soon as possible!
Before you continue