The Great Merchant in the Cataclysm

Chapter 100: Finding The Solution

After stepping in, their world started spinning and then, they arrived at the era merchant’s shop.

It was still the same boundless blue galaxy. Zhang Mu woke up quickly. He shook his hand and shook off Zero who didn’t have much power now. On the other hand, Zero was shocked by the vast galaxy. The era merchant that he ate had never seen this before because his number was at the back. Hence, he ignored Zhang Mu’s presence and just admired this majestic galaxy by himself.

However, a voice shocked him and woke him up. He slowly turned his head and looked into the direction of the voice.

“Number 001, why have you reach ahead of schedule? There is still a lot of time before the next exchange.”

Zero was sizing up the man who suddenly appeared. The man had an elegant and noble aura around him.

“I think I told you before that you can’t come back here before the date of the exchange. Although I never told you what the punishment was, someone with your personality shouldn’t be so forgetful.

No. 37’s voice was like music to Zhang Mu’s ear. He controlled the emotions in his heart and said, “I remembered it. However, first, take a look at the man I brought.

No. 37 noticed Zero who was behind Zhang Mu and he frowned, “it is a taboo to bring other people into the era merchant’s shop. Although you are the first era merchant and have a chance to introduce another era merchant, I don’t remember that I told you this before.”

Seems like Zhang Mu didn’t lie to him. As the first era merchant, he had the rights to recommend other people. Zero started relaxing.

“However, since you brought him in already, are you sure that you want to use your only chance on him?”

At this moment, no. 37 and Zero’s gaze landed on the silent Zhang Mu. One was a look of inquiry while the other was a look of excitement. Now, Zero was only one step to being an era merchant. He just needed Zhang Mu to say something.

Two seconds passed. To their surprise, Zhang Mu sneered and looked up at Zero. He gave Zero a smile.

Zero saw Zhang Mu’s expression and knew that something was amiss. He wanted to use his spiritual power to control Zhang Mu but he realised that he seemed to have lost all his power and was no different from a normal person.

Under the anxious and nervous gaze of Zero, Zhang Mu said the words that destroyed all his hope.

“This was the person that killed one of your merchants.”

Zhang Mu’s words caused no.37 to turn cold in his eyes. His expression was eerie and he looked at Zero with a serious expression.

“Don’t listen to him. He said it on purpose,” Zero’s mood fell down to rock bottom as he lost all his powers. He looked at Zhang Mu smiling mysteriously at him and couldn’t control his emotions anymore. He disregarded the fact that he was already more than 40 years old and had the body of a middle-aged man and just rushed towards Zhang Mu.

However, Zhang Mu had no intention of dodging. The moment Zero pounced over, he was already controlled by no. 37. He was clipped by two stars.

Zhang Mu was taking a gamble too. He didn’t know if no.37 would act against a human, even if the human didn’t provoke the era merchant’s shop and just killed his era merchant.

No. 37 didn’t bother about Zhang Mu and just called upon a star to search through Zero’s body. After a while, he started frowning. The next moment, he gave a look of realisation. He started having an interest in Zero.

At this moment, Zhang Mu was in torment. What happens of no. 37 take a fancy to Zero’s abilities and recruits him to be an era merchant? If that happens, what would happen when they go out?

Zhang Mu was planning to let no. 37 solve this problem for him. However, he suddenly felt that this issue was not so simple. Although Zero killed an era merchant, if no. 37 liked his talent and kept him under his wing, there was no way he could explain himself after they get out.

But, luck seemed to on Zhang Mu’s side. No. 37 sighed in pity and clenched his fist. The stars that were clipping on Zero pushed against each other and turned Zero into fine powder. Amidst Zero’s miserable screams, his blood infused into the two stars and stained their surface in red.

Zhang Mu was swallowing his saliva throughout the whole process. He didn’t know why no. 37 did this. “Are you wondering why I didn’t use this person even though he is one of the most powerful evolver now?” No. 37 looked at Zhang Mu with sharp eyes as though he wanted Zhang Mu to explain to him why he used him.

Zhang Mu was still immersed in Zero’s death and he asked subconsciously, “why?”

“One, he killed my merchant. By right, it is none of my business whether you all survive in the Paradise Era. However, after he killed this era merchant, I am only left with two other merchants. This means that besides you, only the second one is still alive.”

Zhang Mu noticed the anger in no. 37’s tone. He asked, “what happened to the rest?”

“After the attack on Luoyang by those mutated animals, two of them died just outside my shop.”

Zhang Mu knew why no. 37 took action so furiously. The attack by the mutated animals had caused him to lose two era merchants. No wonder the unbiased no. 37 almost annihilated all the mutated animals within this area. Zhang Mu finally understood it now.

“As for the other reason, this person is ahead of you all in terms of ability but he would soon cease to be a human. Hence, the era merchant’s shop would not recognise his status then. There is no point in taking him in.”

So this was what happened. Seems like Zero was going to become inhuman very soon. No matter how powerful he was, he could not become an era merchant. Zhang Mu felt at ease. He thought that he had solved a huge problem.

But, very quickly, he couldn’t smile anymore. No. 37 was looking at him weirdly.

“Now, let us settle an account, shall we?”

Zhang Mu gave a bitter face and couldn’t say anything. The more he heard what no. 37 had to say, the blacker his face became.

“Entering the era merchant’s shop before the exchange date, deduct ten gold leaves.”

“The price for making use of me and payment for my psychological trauma, 10 gold leaves.”

No. 37 seemed to have exchanged expression with Zhang Mu. He eyes shone brightly as he said with a smile, “a total of 20 gold leaves. What do you say? Are you making payment now or paying by installment.”