Calamity Messenger-Chapter 101 - 81: Thief’s House · Case Two

Noon, at the Thief’s House.

There was still a bit of time before the meeting, but all the thieves had already arrived. Pharmacist’s Wish pulled out a chair and sat down, her elbows resting on the table, fingers interlocked, her head slightly lowered. Even though she wore a mask, everyone could tell from her body language that she was saying, "I’m very upset."

Nobody originally wanted to upset her further, but hearing her constantly stomping her feet, with her anger clearly rising, seemingly needing to vent to feel better, Ying Rushi had to ask, "Black Wolf, did something happen? Let me guess... did you fail to get the Blade Technique Secret Manual?"

"Damn those merchant curs!" Pharmacist’s Wish slammed the round table in fury, gnashing her teeth as she said, "They ought to be raided, their money stolen clean... How dare they reach out for strategic resources like secret manuals! They’re courting death!"

"I originally wanted to buy it too, but seeing the cheapest one went over five thousand Spiritual Jades, it was a bit too steep for me," Ying Rushi laughed.

Hearing this, Pharmacist’s Wish’s mood improved somewhat. She said with resentment, "It’s not that I don’t have the money, I just don’t want to be the sucker spending that many Spiritual Jades for just a basic Blade Technique Secret Manual. Who knows, there might be another chance at auction later on—did you also see this secret manual auction from elsewhere?"

"Yeah, after all, there are seven or eight trading boards in the main city, one at each of the four city gates, and one at each central thoroughfare, so it’s hard not to see it." Ying Rushi remained very cautious, not revealing any specific information about herself: "In front of every trading board, there’s a crowd of people, who would’ve thought there are so many rich people."

"Trading boards... it’s an apt term," Pharmacist’s Wish mused. "No wonder the prices soared to such absurd levels. Perhaps everyone in the three main cities could participate in the auction."

Shang Xinlei suddenly said, "I bought one."

Ying Rushi was quite surprised, "I remember the cheapest one was over ten thousand Spiritual Jades... Red Snake, you really know how to spend."

Pharmacist’s Wish felt that Shang Xinlei was deliberately flaunting wealth, feeling quite annoyed.

At this moment, Yan Qing finally couldn’t hold back and asked, "Why would so many people be willing to spend a high price to buy a basic secret manual? It’s not a Token, just a manual."

As expected, upon hearing Yan Qing’s question, everyone showed confused expressions, as if Yan Qing had just asked whether Coca-Cola or Pepsi tastes better—a seemingly self-evident, foolish question. But Yan Qing couldn’t suppress his curiosity and took the risk of exposing his persona to ask.

"It’s a bit tricky to explain," Ying Rushi responded, "but why do you think a Token would be more expensive than a manual?"

Even though Yan Qing knew Ying Rushi was probing, he still answered earnestly: "Because a Messenger needs a Token to wield extraordinary power, and a manual at most enables ordinary individuals to become a Messenger, and possibly not even that."

"So you think if a Token is a weapon, then a manual is just something that turns ordinary people into soldiers," Ying Rushi said. "Do you believe that a weapon is more important than the soldier itself?"

Yan Qing raised an eyebrow, "That comparison doesn’t hold. Without a spear, a soldier with a pitchfork, a bamboo stick, or a stone still has combat ability. But without a Token, a Messenger is just an ordinary person."

Unexpectedly, Yellow Dog seemed well-educated, possibly even trained in dialectics... this flashed through Ying Rushi’s mind as she continued, "Let me phrase it differently, do you think there are more Tokens or manuals in the world?"

"There are definitely more Tokens; a manual is used up and gone," Yan Qing said, "But once a manual is used, others can’t use the same manual again, so the demand for manuals..."

He trailed off, and Ying Rushi smiled, "You’ve realized, haven’t you? No matter how many manuals a Secret Realm produces, they are always scarce. Not to mention ordinary people, even amongst those controlling Secret Realms, there’s not enough manuals even for internal use—many strive and compete desperately just to earn the qualification to purchase a manual."

"A 30% fatality rate," Pharmacist’s Wish added plainly. "That’s the fatality rate for warriors in a Second-Turn Military Mansion Secret Realm capable of consistently producing manuals. Although they can redeploy First-Turn Messengers from other Military Mansions, how can training keep pace with speed? Second-Turn Military Mansions often allow warriors to exchange battle achievements for manuals so they can immediately contribute to Secret Realm conquests after one transfer."

Yan Qing was astonished, soldiers need to fight to earn achievements, spend achievements to buy manuals to upgrade, then qualify for higher-intensity battles... yet even this brutal competitive mechanism only grants a path for one out of a hundred elite warriors to ascend. The rest, the mediocre masses, live on this land brimming with extraordinary power but can only grovel, gazing up in awe at the miracles in Messengers’ palms.

He began to understand why manuals were so expensive.

"Manuals are perpetually insufficient, unable even to meet the needs of the Military Mansion, the Court, or noble families. The excluded ordinary people—even if they are wealthy magnates, once-noble descendents of fallen families, or high-ranking officials—without the backing of a Third-Turn Messenger, they can’t even qualify to purchase manuals," Pharmacist’s Wish sneered, "It’s just that the main city protects them too well, allowing them to save so much money..."

"Black Wolf has already elaborated on the scarcity of manuals, let me add a point," Ying Rushi said. "Not everyone who buys manuals wants to become a Messenger. They might feel content even without job transfer."

"Oh?"

"After using a manual, an adult man’s Qi Blood generally doubles or triples. Even if they don’t become soldiers or engage in combat, they can live comfortably, not to mention mastering basic martial skills without tiring or honing their strength," Ying Rushi paused, "Or to put it more bluntly—the basic manuals offer benefits like longevity, strengthening vitality, beauty, and body shaping, all with no side effects, with effects lasting for decades."

Yan Qing blinked, recalling that he indeed felt invigorated upon waking up recently.

Yeah, basic manuals not only teach one cultivation techniques but most importantly, they upgrade the learner!

Yan Qing had always viewed basic manuals from a gamer’s perspective; in a game world, basic manuals aren’t highly valued since players can quickly level up to 10 even with a brief play. In the original game world of "Messenger," ordinary people have no place.

But in the real world, the vast majority of people are just ordinary level 1 folks!

If a level 10 character is equivalent to a Soldier King, then an ordinary person at level 5 after learning the secret manual is at least an elite. Moreover, you don’t need to train or spend time, regardless of whether you’re indolent or naturally lazy like a Yellow Dog; as long as you learn the Basic Secret Manual, you can immediately possess the elite body refined through a thousand trials... This is not just a Basic Secret Manual, it’s essentially a Super Soldier Serum!

No wonder so many are rushing towards it.

"Even for a messenger, buying a Basic Secret Manual you can’t master is never a loss. At least you can slightly increase your Qi Blood, and perhaps you can broaden your knowledge further." Ying Rushi crossed his arms over his chest, "But I wonder if they’ll sell the Basic Secret Manual again in the future, or maybe... offer more advanced goods?"

"Comparatively, I’m more curious about who’s selling it." Pharmacist’s Wish pondered with chin in hand, "This person... no, this organization is selling ten secret manuals, certainly not just for Spiritual Jade. How can a power that controls the trade board be poor? You should know the trade board has existed in the main city for unknown ages, and no one has ever discovered its true function. If not for this sale, no one would even know it’s an interconnective trade platform with the world."

I apologize for being poor.

"A trade platform with only one seller," Ying Rushi corrected.

"Yes, everyone can buy from the trade board, but only the mysterious organization can sell goods... I understand now!" As Pharmacist’s Wish spoke more confidently, "A single word is worth a thousand gold; through these ten secret manuals, they are declaring their existence to the entire world!"

You understand nothing.

"Now, countless people must be watching for any changes on the trade board. Whatever this mysterious organization sells will attract attention, affecting commodity prices everywhere. And no matter what they sell, no one can oversee or even halt the transactions!" Pharmacist’s Wish spoke deliberately: "This mysterious organization might be using this unique trade channel to recklessly manipulate the situation in the Central Plains!"

"They could even use the trade board for long-distance transmission," Ying Rushi proposed another possibility, "For example, putting dangerous items like fire oil on sale, then having an insider at the city immediately buy it..."

The two, with one speaking here and one responding there, envisioned various strategies the mysterious organization might employ, leaving Yan Qing both enlightened and shocked. He was still reveling in the ten thousand Spiritual Jade he earned, but compared to these two schemers, he felt the Treasure Hunting Token in his possession was simply a waste of treasure; if it were them who obtained it, they might stir the world’s great affairs.

Suddenly, a large hole appeared in the round stone table, and a sandbox rumbled upward. The thieves immediately hushed, watching the sandbox gradually construct a giant city before them. As the city’s outline became clear, they all turned to Shang Xinlei with tacit understanding.

Because Shang Xinlei never hid her Jiangnan origin.

"Current target of theft: Jiangnan, Heaven-Swaying"

"Arrival location: The archway at the junction of Upper Ninth Road and Lower Ninth Road"

"Arrival time: Three days later at 2:45 AM"

"Evacuation location: Immediate evacuation upon reaching the archway at the junction of Upper Ninth Road and Lower Ninth Road"

"Evacuation deadline: 1:45 AM"

"Successful theft: Obtain the Token of Yitian"

"Failed theft: Deduct 30,000 Spiritual Jade, permanently lose eligibility to enter the Thief’s House"

Golden light emerged from the sandbox, rendering the whole city transparent and shrinking it exponentially, revealing a silvery white longsword at the center of the sandbox. As the silvery white longsword moved, the sandbox’s landscape constantly changed.

Why is the silvery white longsword moving?

Because it is not stored out of reach, nor is it hidden in a treasury, but is worn around someone’s waist.

"Celestial Sword—Heaven-Swaying!" Pharmacist’s Wish’s eyes gleamed, "The sword of the Western Expedition General, famous throughout the Outer Realm three hundred years ago! It has ended up in the Liang Kingdom?"

"No wonder there isn’t a specific location mentioned; turns out it’s in someone’s possession, which makes things tricky." Ying Rushi asked, "Red Snake, do you know who this person is? If you don’t, we need to find out their identity first—"

"I know who he is," Shang Xinlei replied.

"Oh?"

Everyone was somewhat surprised, not expecting Shang Xinlei to know. Could this person be quite famous?

"In the third year of Yongding, the General of Cavalry of Liang Kingdom quelled the rebellion of Gushu Military Mansion, advanced to Imperial Attendant, Minister of Works, held an Imperial Decree, recorded matters of the Secretariat, led as Director of the Secretariat, promoted to Duke Shixing, and was granted the Heaven-Swaying Sword, honored without his name being called, and did not walk when entering court."

"The Heaven-Swaying Sword Master is none other than the current Chancellor of Liang, Third-Turn Messenger Shang Xuanwen."