Dimensional Slime Rancher-Chapter 3: There’s something deeply wrong with this shop!

Chapter 3: There’s something deeply wrong with this shop!

A lethal sword had been literally an inch from Ren’s throat, but the shopkeeper had remained completely indifferent, casually sipping his tea.

Did he really have that much absolute faith in his automated security?

The remaining three assassins finally recovered from their paralyzed shock. They stared at Unit 01 as if they were facing an ancient, mythical monster.

They did not dare to underestimate the lazy shopkeeper any longer. There was no complex reason for it.

"Fuck this, the intel was complete garbage! There’s something deeply wrong with this shop!"

The three assassins exchanged panicked glances, the eyes underneath their bamboo hats filled with sheer terror.

Without question, their assassination mission had catastrophically failed. As professional killers, the golden rule was simple: if the first strike fails, immediately retreat and disappear.

There was no point in dying pointless deaths. Giving up on Xia Ming, the three masked men blurred into motion, desperately dashing toward the open entrance of the store.

However, how could the three of them escape when they were already locked onto by the System’s defense protocol?

"Leaving without making a purchase is perfectly fine. But leaving muddy footprints all over my floor? Unforgivable," Ren said, his voice laced with profound boredom.

The escaping figures were suddenly seized by a terrifying, invisible gravitational force, yanking them violently backward until they were planted directly in front of the iron golem.

Unit 01’s mechanical red eyes blinked. It moved with a speed that blatantly ignored the laws of physics, throwing out three massive palm strikes in rapid succession.

Bam! Bam! Bam! The three elite assassins each spat out a spectacular mouthful of blood, their internal Qi armor shattering like cheap glass as they collapsed onto the polymer floor.

The bamboo hats on their heads were blown to pieces by the shockwaves, leaving them helplessly groaning on the ground.

The sickening sound of tearing fabric rang out once more. Just like the first guy, the three assassins were violently stripped of their expensive stealth gear and hidden weapons.

Unit 01 gently waved its massive arms. The three bodies flew out the door, splashing into the muddy alleyway with nothing but tiny, embarrassing loincloths to cover their dignity.

It was still pouring heavily outside. The continuous raindrops spilled from the dark sky, rapidly forming a gray curtain that enshrouded the world.

After completing its trash disposal duties, Unit 01 mechanically pumped its brass fist in a stiff, victorious motion.

Then, its optical sensors dimmed to a peaceful blue, and it happily marched back to its charging station in the corner of the room.

The bone-chilling coldness in Xia Ming’s eyes gradually melted away, returning to his former refined and gentle state.

A hint of an amused smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he meaningfully looked at Ren.

The Prince suddenly realized that he was completely unable to see through this young man.

Ren was supposedly only a Stage 3 Qi Condensation weakling, yet he commanded power that could rival the imperial guards.

"Are you going to buy something, or just stand there dripping water on my floor?" Ren ignored Xia Ming’s intense gaze and expressionlessly asked.

"Ah, my apologies. I originally came to ask about the new item on your menu. Today, I am incredibly lucky that Boss Ren was around to lend a hand. I wanted to treat myself to something special to celebrate still breathing." Xia Ming chuckled, giving a polite nod toward Ren.

If it weren’t for Unit 01’s brutal intervention, things would have gotten incredibly messy.

Even Xia Ming didn’t expect his political rivals to be deranged enough to openly deploy assassins in the middle of the capital city.

"The new item is a Searing Mana Cube, but it’s for beasts, not for you. Unless you enjoy extreme heartburn,"

Ren simply said, setting his empty teacup down. He gently patted Xiaoyi on the head to reassure her.

"Oh? A combat item for beasts?" Xia Ming’s eyes lit up. His smile grew a fraction wider as he meaningfully glanced at the door.

"Xiaoyi, make sure Boss Ren doesn’t drink all the good tea. I need to step out for a moment," Xia Ming said to the little girl, slowly walking toward the entrance and picking up his oil-paper umbrella.

"Oh, eh? Why are you going back out in the rain?" Xiaoyi blankly asked, her large eyes blinking in confusion.

However, Xia Ming did not answer her.

He just stepped out of the warm store and into the freezing storm.

Just by taking a single step outside, the expression on Xia Ming’s handsome face underwent a terrifying shift.

The gentle, scholarly smile vanished, instantly replaced by a brutal, bone-chilling killing intent.

He opened his umbrella to block the curtain of rain. The water splashed onto his fine boots, soaking the hems of his pristine white robes.

Out in the muddy alleyway, the four naked, heavily bruised assassins were struggling to stand up. They were hacking up blood, barely able to keep their eyes open as the heavy rain sprayed into their faces.

Through the thick, gray fog, they suddenly saw a refined silhouette holding an oil-paper umbrella slowly walking toward them.

The assassins’ line of sight suddenly froze. Their eyes widened in absolute, unmistakable horror.

A few minutes later, Xia Ming stepped back into the Dimensional Ranch, returning to its cozy, dry interior.

He blew into his hands and rubbed them together to disperse the damp chill from his bones. He gave his robes a light shake to get rid of the rainwater, and the gentle, refined smile was already perfectly back in place on his face.

"Xiaoyi, did Boss Ren bring out the new item yet?"

Xiaoyi blinked and nodded. "He went into the Workshop. He should be out soon."

Xia Ming nodded and returned to his wooden stool. At his feet, the rainwater slowly dripping off the bottom of his white robes had a distinct, dark reddish tinge.

Xiaoyi stared at the pinkish puddle of water for a long moment, but wisely decided not to say a single fucking word.

The Third Prince didn’t speak either. He simply closed his eyes and rested, looking like a scholar lost in peaceful thought.

After a short while, the Workshop door slid open with a hiss.

A rich, spicy fragrance drifted out into the lobby, completely washing away the faint, metallic scent of blood that had lingered in the air.

Ren walked out, tossing a dazzling, golden-crimson cube in his hand. It pulsed with a dangerous heat.

"Watch this," Ren said, entirely ignoring the pink puddle at the Prince’s feet. He tossed the Searing Mana Cube to Pudding, who was snoozing on the recliner.

The blue slime instantly engulfed it. A second later, Pudding turned a furious shade of violet, then crimson.

It vibrated violently before letting out a loud, rumbling burp that shot a literal ring of fire into the air, singeing the ceiling.

Xia Ming’s eyes widened in sheer disbelief.

"Incredible... A simple water slime just unleashed a fire-attribute attack without destroying its own core?"

"Temporary elemental mutation," Ren stated proudly. "Perfect for catching arrogant Beast Tamers off guard."

Xia Ming watched the slime happily return to its normal blue state. He let out a long, heavy sigh.

"Boss Ren, do you really have no interest in serving the royal family? With your miraculous breeding and synthesis skills, you could be the Grand Beastmaster of the Empire. The wealth and status would be unimaginable," Xia Ming tried to persuade him once more.

"I am not interested in being anyone’s employee. If the Emperor wants to buy my slimes, tell him to grab a bag of Spirit Stones and wait in line like everyone else," Ren indifferently replied.

He said it so casually, without a shred of pretentiousness, that it was almost funny.

"With your skills, it is a tragic waste to stay hidden in this dirty alleyway. If you stepped into the Imperial Court, you would shake the entire continent," Xia Ming sighed again.

"Who said I can’t shake the continent from this alleyway? Give it a little time. Soon, this street will be so packed with legendary cultivators that you won’t even be able to find a place to park your carriage," Ren said with absolute, unshakeable confidence.

Xia Ming was slightly startled by Ren’s bold claim. He subconsciously replied,

"That’s highly unlikely. With the exorbitant prices of your beasts, ordinary cultivators wouldn’t ever be able to afford them."

Ren leaned against the counter and smirked.

"It’s not that they can’t afford them. It’s that they don’t understand what they are buying yet. You still think I’m just selling pets," Ren simply said.

Whether it was the purifying chill of the Basic Hydro Slime, the meridian-stimulating shock of the Static Fuzzball, or the sheer spatial enlightenment provided by the Void-Glider Ray, the creatures spawned by the System were not normal animals.

High-grade spirit beasts were notoriously dangerous to tame and usually only used for raw combat. But Ren’s creatures were entirely different.

They preserved pure, unadulterated multiversal energy. Contracting one of his beasts was like swallowing a mythical cultivation elixir without any of the toxic side effects. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

They actively accelerated a cultivator’s path to immortality.

This was the true reason his shop was so insanely valuable.

Ren felt he needed to educate this royal VIP.

"Right now, you’re looking at a blue jelly and thinking it’s a fun trick," Ren slowly said, his eyes gleaming with a capitalist’s ambition.

"But I need to remind you... my inventory expands. The genetic templates I use will only get more and more terrifying."

Xia Ming’s hand paused.

"There might be a day," Ren whispered, leaning in closer, "where I put the egg of a multiversal, dimension-eating Dragon on this very counter. You’d better start saving your allowance, Prince."