Fire Crystal Ore

"What exactly is this thing? There isn't even anywhere in town that sells books. Without books, I feel like an idiot..."

Lin Qi entered town with the crystal tucked away, wondering all the way whether it was a treasure.

At that moment, he sorely missed his previous life.

Back on Blue Star, no matter how rare something was, he could whip out his phone and snap a picture. He could look up everything from its geological origins to its historical uses.

But now, forget smartphones—he hadn't even seen a bookstore in town.

In the Iron Anvil Duchy, third-tier towns like Stone Iron City had no schools at all. More than ninety percent of the city's residents were rough folk who couldn't read a single word.

The only reason he could read and write was that, as a child, he had pestered Lin Feng relentlessly into hiring a tutor.

But the tutor's knowledge had been limited. In just one month, Lin Qi had learned everything the man had to teach.

The tutor had been so disheartened that he had voluntarily refunded the tuition. Before leaving, he had also given Lin Qi a yellowed copy of Travels in the Furnace Kingdom.

The book recounted what a traveling merchant had seen and heard while buying and selling goods throughout the Furnace Kingdom, vividly depicting the local customs, the grandeur, and the dangers.

It was thanks to this book that Lin Qi knew how vast and magnificent the world was.

There were fire-breathing Card Beasts at the feet of volcanoes, peculiar ores on the ice plains that could condense cold air, and distinctive card-refining techniques found in different places.

Without this book, in a place with no internet or developed transportation, Lin Qi really would have been like the other young people in town, believing all his life that the world consisted of Stone Iron City and the few small towns nearby.

"Alicia should know what this is, right?"

Lin Qi held the crystal up before his eyes and looked through it at the distant gate tower. Suddenly, he thought of the young lady at the city lord's residence.

Last time, Alicia had casually produced the materials needed to advance a Wind Chime Cat. She was presumably knowledgeable and might recognize the crystal.

But as soon as the thought surfaced, he dismissed it.

"No, I can't go to her. What if this stone really is a treasure and she gets greedy?"

One should never intend to harm others, but should always guard against them.

After turning it over, Lin Qi decided that going home to ask Lin Feng was still the safest option.

"Dad was a mercenary, after all. He's traveled all over, so he might have seen this thing before."

With the "treasure" tucked away, Lin Qi didn't dare linger in the streets. He quickened his pace, wanting only to get back to the shop.

But as soon as he turned onto the familiar street, he froze.

The shop's wooden doors were firmly shut, and there wasn't a trace of the customers who usually lined up outside.

"Uncle Ruilian, why isn't the shop open today?"

Lin Qi walked up and saw Ruilian sitting in front of the door with a cup of ale in his hand, stealing glances at the bakery across the street.

Inside the bakery, Dashan's mother was kneading dough in an apron. Sunlight streamed through the window onto her, warming the hearts of those who watched.

"Oh, we're closed for the day."

Ruilian took a large gulp of ale, and it ran down the corner of his mouth.

He paid it no mind and smacked his lips before continuing, "Isn't this what you taught me? Hunger marketing. Our cards are good quality and cheaper than the ones at the Ten Thousand Cards Pavilion, but our stock is limited.

"To keep everyone eager to buy cards, I only sold half the cards your dad refined yesterday. I'm saving the rest to sell tomorrow. That's how we keep them wanting more."

He paused, then added, "Besides, refining cards is hard work. We have to give your dad some time to rest!"

Listening to Ruilian's well-reasoned explanation, Lin Qi couldn't help nodding.

He was also secretly astonished. I only mentioned hunger marketing to Uncle Ruilian in passing back then. I didn't expect him to grasp it so thoroughly. I was so busy teaching Dad how to do business that I never realized Uncle Ruilian was the real business genius!

Judging by this move of Ruilian's, Lin Qi felt that if he taught him a little more about business, the shop wouldn't go under even if he later went traveling around the Source Card Continent. It might even grow bigger and stronger!

"Why is my desire to explore this world getting stronger and stronger?" Lin Qi murmured to himself as he fetched a small stool and sat down beside Ruilian, gazing at the mountain range stretching into the distance.

Lin Qi had wanted to explore this world before, but the danger outside had kept him from acting on it. Ever since awakening his Natal Card, however, his desire to explore had grown stronger and stronger.

In his previous life, he had been trapped in one city. Even when he traveled, he had always felt bound by invisible shackles.

Now that he had another life, his greatest dream wasn't to become the strongest Card Master, but to be a traveling merchant like the one in Travels in the Furnace Kingdom.

He could travel among mountains, rivers, lakes, and seas while earning money by selling cards. What a carefree life that would be!

But then another thought left him worried. Unfortunately, Dad can't make cards. If I leave, the shop will have to get by selling daily necessities again. How could it keep selling cards?

After sitting at the door with Ruilian for a while, watching Dashan's mother across the street, Lin Qi suddenly took the crystal from his pocket and placed it on the wooden table between them.

Ruilian paid it no attention at first. He raised his cup and took another sip, but the moment he swallowed, he sprayed it out.

"Pfft."

"Cough, cough, cough... What the hell is this? Why does it taste so awful?!"

Frowning, he took another small sip and realized that the ale in his cup was hot.

The ale was already poor quality, and heating it had mixed its sour and bitter flavors with a burnt taste. It was as foul as horse piss!

"The sun's not even strong today! How did it get so hot?"

Ruilian looked around and finally found the source of the heat.

The unremarkable crystal on the table was giving off a faint warmth.

He looked at the crystal, then at Lin Qi, his eyes widening. "Xiao Qi, where did you get this Fire Crystal Ore?"

"Oh? Uncle Ruilian, you recognize this stone?"

Lin Qi was startled. He had only meant to play a trick on Ruilian and hadn't expected him to recognize the stone.

"Of course I do!"

Ruilian sprang to his feet and quickly scanned the street.

There were few people out at this hour, only two children chasing each other in the distance.

He snatched up the crystal from the table, grabbed Lin Qi with his other hand, and ran into the shop.

Once inside, Ruilian nervously shut the doors and windows and drew the curtains tight. His behavior left Lin Qi staring.

"Uncle, why are you acting like a thief? Don't tell me this really is some kind of treasure?"

Ruilian placed the crystal in his palm and examined it closely, then gently scraped its surface with a fingernail, as though checking whether it really was Fire Crystal Ore.

After a while, he turned to Lin Qi.

"Xiao Qi, you picked this up at the abandoned mine, didn't you?"

"Uh, I guess so..."

Lin Qi gave a vague answer, but muttered inwardly, I snatched it from Wang Meng, but it did come from the abandoned mine.

Ruilian looked as though his suspicions had been confirmed.

"Xiao Qi, you've struck it lucky! This is Fire Crystal Ore, an ore that used to be found only in Stone Iron City."

Hearing that, Lin Qi was puzzled.

"Uncle, isn't Stone Iron City famous for its iron ore? What does that have to do with Fire Crystal Ore?"

Ruilian sighed. "That's because the Fire Crystal Ore was mined out."