Chapter 11: Fire Rune Acquired

Nick's eyes showed surprise as he looked at the young girl, who appeared to be about 16 or 17 years old. Without thinking much, he nodded slightly.

If she really had a Fire Rune, it would be good news for Nick, bringing him one step closer to crafting the [Rune Water Purifier].

The girl's appearance caused the crowd that had been about to leave to gather again. They were also curious about what these so-called Runes were.

The girl with dry, yellowish hair was relieved to see so many people gathering around. Trading in front of so many people would be much safer.

She didn't say much and took out a circular Rune from her inner pocket. Without hesitation, she handed it to Nick.

"This is a Fire Rune. You can check if it's real..."

"Okay."

Nick responded and took the so-called Fire Rune from the girl's hand.

The moment he touched it, he felt a warmth. It wasn't inherent to the Fire Rune, but rather from being kept close to the girl's body for a long time.

He looked at the Fire Rune. It was inscribed with obscure and difficult-to-understand characters, likely a magical product of the dungeon civilization.

Nick opened the [Workbench] on the function panel, and a detailed description of the Rune instantly appeared before him.

[Fire Rune]: A basic magical product of the dungeon civilization, with a wide range of uses. It emits heat when fuel is added.

After confirming that there was no problem with the traded item, Nick returned the Rune to the girl. A rare smile appeared on his calm face.

"The item is fine. What do you want to trade for?"

A hint of surprise flashed in the girl's eyes. Her gaze swept over the many goods in front of her, finally settling on the purified water Nick had.

She licked her dry lips and said, "Water!"

Nick wasn't surprised by the girl's desired trade item. In the hot and stuffy dungeon world, directly drinkable purified water could be considered liquid gold.

"At most, 1.5L of purified water. For meat... you can pick a few pieces, and the compressed biscuits are yours for the taking."

After saying this, Nick patiently waited for the girl's answer. 1.5L of water, used sparingly, could last two days. As for fresh meat, the taste was far better than instant food.

Nick wouldn't show any so-called gentlemanly conduct during the transaction. Everyone knew the principle of "scarcity makes things valuable." In the current situation, whoever controlled the resources had the power to speak.

"..."

"If you think it's a bad deal, you can refuse. I won't force you to trade. There's no guarantee someone else won't come to trade tomorrow."

After saying this, Nick didn't pressure her further.

The girl was conflicted. She naturally understood this principle, and Nick had already stated before the trade that he would decide the final items.

She bit her lip. Runes were certainly precious, but survival resources were even more important. She nodded slightly and handed the [Fire Rune], which she had just taken back, to Nick again.

"Thank you for your consideration."

Nick's smile widened. He handed the traded items to the girl, and she squatted down, picking out a few pieces from the many python meat chunks.

The girl also asked, "What kind of meat is this?"

"Python meat," Nick replied truthfully.

The girl's face changed slightly, but she still chose three large pieces from the python meat and put all the items into her miniature altar.

Just as she was about to leave, Nick said with a smile, "Would you mind talking to me for a bit, about how you obtained the Rune..."

"And the rest of you, if you don't have what I want, don't disturb other people's trades."

When he finished speaking, the faces of several people nearby changed slightly, but they didn't act out due to the crossbow next to Nick. They left dejectedly.

Although he didn't know Nick's intentions, the girl nodded slightly.

The crowd gradually dispersed. When she was about to explain how she obtained the Rune, Nick gently waved his hand, signaling that she could leave.

"..."

The girl looked strange. She quickly understood Nick's intention. He wasn't using her as entertainment, but rather using the excuse of asking for information to indirectly protect her safety.

Finally, she said quietly, "You're really strange..."

Nick was indifferent. A trade was a trade, and it couldn't be taken lightly. As for the reminder, it was simply a kind gesture after the transaction.

The girl didn't linger. She turned to leave only after confirming that no one was following her. After walking a few meters, she turned around and asked, "Um, my name is Sally. What's yours?"

"Nick. If you're still alive, remember to patronize my business!"

Sally's eyes dimmed slightly. She knew very well the dangers of exploring the dungeon, but she still nodded. "If I have the chance, I'll come find you again."

Nick nodded slightly. After seeing her off, he looked at the [Fire Rune] in his hand. Now, all he needed was a Water Rune to make the [Rune Water Purifier].

After waiting in the camp for half an hour and no other survivors came to trade, Nick dismissed the idea.

Being able to collect a Rune in the trading market was already good luck. It was difficult to imagine gathering all the materials for the [Rune Water Purifier] here.

Nick didn't waste any more time in place. After packing up the temporary camp, he began to wander around the trading market on his own.

If he could trade for other useful items, it would be a pleasant surprise for him.

"Let's go, little guy... Let's see if we can trade for anything good."

Nick stretched and, looking at the obedient pangolin, walked towards the many stalls in the trading market. He hadn't walked far when his attention was caught by the items on a stall in front of him.

Several small woven bags contained grains that hadn't yet been husked.

Nick wasn't completely ignorant. They should be rice seeds. As long as he could get the Rune Water Purifier working, and with no shortage of water, he could consider planting as a long-term plan.

The stall owner, seeing a customer approach, instantly put on an eager smile. He said, "You want these rice seeds?"

"I spent a lot of effort to snatch these bags of seeds from the nest of a dungeon creature. As long as you plant them..."

Before he could finish, Nick interrupted him directly. He had no interest in listening to this guy's nonsense. He said, "One 500ml bag of water. Take it or leave it."

The stall owner's smile instantly vanished. He said in an exaggerated tone, "So many grain seeds! If you plant them all, it's enough to feed you for half a year."

Nick glanced at him, his face calm. He said, "Many people can't even afford water, and you're telling me to plant this much grain?"

"One 500ml bag of water. If you don't want to trade, I'm leaving."

"Wait! I'll trade! I'll trade, alright..."

Finally, Nick left the stall under the stall owner's almost murderous gaze. When he was about to continue trading items in the market, he looked down.

The rather clingy pangolin, Python, had disappeared.