"All of them!" Roy really wanted to say that out loud, but he held himself back.
As a mature businessman, he understood one basic rule: no matter how tempting the profit, you must stay calm.
He forced himself to breathe evenly and began his usual mental gymnastics — an eighteen-curve business strategy brainstorm. After interacting with Arya for several days, he felt confident that he understood her personality fairly well.
She was the kind of person who didn't care about the price if she felt something was useful, but would reject something even if it was free if she believed it would waste space. On top of that, she was generous and didn't nitpick over gains and losses. She disliked unnecessary confrontation.
He had seen this firsthand when Arya paid him a "hardship fee" after learning he had been washing laboratory test tubes.
Was it really a hardship fee?
No. It was a time-saving fee he deserved for making her life easier.
That was also the reason why, when Arya approached him that morning, he had been willing to let her buy on credit.
If he demanded to exchange all of her Magic Potions for Healing Potions, Arya would definitely agree. She would probably transfer everything without hesitation. Even later, when she needed supplies, she would still return to him.
But precisely because of that, Roy couldn't bring himself to do it.
The longer a client relationship could last, the more carefully it had to be handled. Reputation mattered. Nobody liked someone who looked greedy.
Even if the world itself had become greedy.
Roy finally typed:
"Then… let's make it 30 bottles."
In his professional judgment, 30 bottles was the perfect number — not excessive, not stingy. It was a price Arya wouldn't argue over and one that wouldn't make him toss and turn at night with regret.
After sending the message, Roy leaned heavily against the wall behind him.
"Hiss—"
Only then did he realize his back was completely soaked. Cold sweat clung to his clothes.
That had been a real psychological battlefield.
At least he hadn't let greed swallow his principles.
When he looked at the last message he had sent, Roy felt a strange sense of pride.
How many merchants could still stick to their principles when faced with enormous profits?
Arya: [OK]
Ding.
The transfer arrived almost instantly.
Although the Magic Potions she sent were labelled +30, Roy couldn't even be bothered to inspect them. Whether they were truly +30 or +50 didn't matter right now.
His eyes were locked on the red-glass Healing Potion.
He reached out and lifted it carefully, examining it as though it were a legendary artifact.
Maybe he looked like a country bumpkin.
But wasn't any item that promised huge profit practically a treasure to a businessman?
With that thought, he upgraded his Shelter and immediately opened the exchange market to search for Arya's shop.
She had already delivered the potions, so the rest would definitely be listed. Even if only a portion was posted publicly, he needed to move fast.
This time, he had no intention of playing polite. These were public listings. Whoever was fastest would win.
He planned to buy everything he could.
…but nothing showed up.
Even after completing his Shelter upgrade, Arya's shop still looked empty.
For a brief moment, Roy doubted his own judgment.
Then suddenly, new items began to appear.
First came the +30 Magic Potions.
Then came the Healing Potions.
The global chat exploded.
"Oh my god! I come back to my desk and see something insane like this!"
"Healing Potions! They finally exist! But my brother is already dead…"
"Trading for E-rank demon crystal cores? And two cores for one potion? Isn't that too expensive?"
"There are blueprint and book exchange options next to it. If you think it's too pricey, go check those."
"Still crude-grade +30? There really aren't any +50 apprentice-grade ones?"
"No need to guess. Obviously, she's just practicing, right? So we're her test subjects."
"Then don't buy it. You rushed in anyway."
"You're criticizing me? That shady merchant Roy grabbed 36 bottles instantly. Why not criticize him instead?"
"That black market rat."
"Don't let me run into him. I'll make him regret it."
Roy smiled faintly while reading the chat.
He was used to threats like this.
If Arya's inbox was filled with endless friend requests, his own inbox was buried in fake greetings and hidden hostility.
But one thing bothered him.
Why was Arya trading Healing Potions for E-rank demon crystal cores?
And why was she releasing a full hundred bottles?
From his previous observations, she could usually batch-produce around 200 bottles at a time.
Now, releasing half of that just to collect demon crystal cores was unusual.
Did upgrading a Level 4 Shelter require demon crystal cores?
He vaguely remembered that upgrading from Level 2 to Level 3 had increased the material requirements by ten times. It wouldn't be strange if Level 3 to Level 4 increased another tenfold.
If that was true, then this intel was worth real money.
At first, because the Level 1 → Level 2 upgrade was so easy, Roy hadn't bothered to buy information about Level 3.
But now, with the increasing difficulty and growing material demands, people would definitely want to know the upgrade conditions for Level 4.
He finished swallowing the last sip from one of the 36 Healing Potions and finally made a decision.
He would buy the intel.
Opening the drawer of his nightstand, he pulled out a blueprint that he had stored carefully.
It was something the other party would definitely find valuable.
Roy typed:
"[Disposable Tray Scale Design Blueprint] Materials included. Buying intel for Level 4 Shelter."
Arya replied quickly.
"The basic unit requirements increased tenfold compared to Level Three. In addition, you need 100 units of obsidian, 10 units of magic crystal, and 10 D-grade monster crystal cores. However, everyone's Shelter upgrade conditions are different, so you'll have to figure your exact requirements yourself."
Her reply was concise, but it was packed with value.
To be honest, if upgrade materials couldn't be inserted directly into the upgrade interface to reduce the visible requirements, Arya felt like her storage would have already exploded.
Roy frowned deeply after reading her message.
He knew about obsidian, but in seven days, he had only managed to collect around a dozen pieces.
As for magic crystals and D-grade monster crystal cores…
He had never even seen them, much less held one.
But worrying about that now was pointless.
As a seasoned merchant, Roy understood something very clearly.
Everyone's specific upgrade requirements might vary, but the massive tenfold jump in base materials and monster crystal core demand was universal.
Those two details alone were enough for him to profit.
More importantly, Arya's behavior made one thing very clear.
She wasn't collecting E-rank demon crystal cores for Shelter upgrades.
She was collecting them for alchemy.
And that realization was priceless.
If demon crystal cores could be used in alchemy, then they probably had other hidden uses too.
Roy quickly adjusted his strategy in his mind.
"Start hoarding a small batch once D-grade cores appear… and when E-rank cores flood the market, buy low."
Even if he guessed wrong, the potential loss would be small.
But if he guessed right…
The profit would be endless.
Just as Roy picked up his notebook and began writing down this critical information, Arya, on the other side, was also frowning deeply.
Something about the situation didn't sit right with her either.