Trading Zone

According to standard procedure, the exchange of Fruit Coins for Huaxia currency should take place in the electronic trading zone on L8. However, to ensure that Xu Mo gained a thorough understanding of the functions and key considerations of each area within the World Fruit Trade Alliance, Du Zhizhang and Chang Zitong conscientiously led him through the entire place from the very beginning.

L2 was the trading zone for Red Enhancement-type shards. However, at the moment, aside from an alliance staff member responsible for registration, the area was completely devoid of ability users, making the empty platform appear particularly desolate.

Seeing Xu Mo's slight surprise, Du Zhizhang explained, "This place never has many people. Even at its busiest, there are rarely more than twenty people around. You could say it's the quietest area in the entire alliance… Unlike other types of shards, Red Enhancement-type shards are relatively straightforward. No matter how they are activated, they only serve to enhance the same four physical attributes. Because of this, whether it's a raw shard or a regenerated one, their value remains highly stable.

"Take the raw shard you just sold as an example—selling it here would fetch at most 1,100 Fruit Coins, and even then, a 5% transaction fee would be deducted. The difference from selling directly to the alliance is less than fifty Fruit Coins. Most people would rather take the most convenient option and sell to the alliance directly. Only a few, like your Sister Chang and me back in the day—when we were broke—would wait around here hoping to find buyers just to make an extra forty-five Fruit Coins."

"But didn't you say Red Enhancement-type shards are in high demand within the alliance?" Xu Mo asked in confusion.

Du Zhizhang smiled helplessly. "That's true, but the problem is that most sellers here don't bother waiting around for a small price difference, while most buyers are well-off and don't want to waste time haggling. They just go straight to the official trading zone. Over time, this place has become something like the alliance's slums."

Since there were no sellers in L2, Xu Mo and the others didn't bother stepping off the carriage and proceeded straight to L3.

Compared to the desolation of L2, the L3 zone—dedicated to Orange Chain-type shards—finally had the atmosphere of a proper trading market. Along the hundred-meter-long platform, a dozen small stalls were neatly arranged by number. Behind each black-clad vendor, a digital display board was mounted on the wall, listing in a standardized table format the types, properties, and initial prices of the shards for sale.

Numerous ability users, also dressed in numbered black robes, moved between the stalls, scanning the information on the display boards. If they found a shard of interest, they would stop to negotiate with the vendor. Some left satisfied with their purchases, while others departed disappointed.

Xu Mo walked around the stalls himself and found that many of the Orange shards for sale were already linked with other types, forming hybrid shards. These were relatively cheap but often had unimpressive abilities, with few truly practical ones available.

After leaving the L3 zone, the trio moved on to L4. The trading area for Yellow Weapon-type Apocalyptic Shards was already bustling like a full-fledged marketplace. Nearly fifty stalls lined the long platform, and hundreds of black-clad customers roamed among them, carefully selecting from an array of weapons on display.

Both cold and hot weapons formed from Apocalyptic Shards were available here. However, while firearms were mostly limited to various types of handguns, the variety of cold weapons was overwhelming. From small knuckle-dusters to three-meter-long Green Dragon Crescent Blades, and even exotic weapons like meteor hammers, the place resembled a massive ancient weapon exhibition.

Xu Mo glanced around but found nothing of interest. Meanwhile, Du Zhizhang and Chang Zitong quickly struck a deal, selling the "Earthsplitter" war hammer and "Colt Python" revolver for a mere 500 Fruit Coins to a specialized weapons merchant.

The L5 Green Artifact-type Shard Trading Zone had fewer customers compared to L4, but there were even more merchants. The items for sale ranged from bizarre to downright absurd. For instance, there were sponges that could expand a thousandfold when submerged in water, tin cans that released a horrendous stench when opened, and bottomless trash bins that could make anything placed inside vanish forever.

Of course, there were also some relatively normal household items, such as refrigerators that required no electricity and frying pans that didn't need fire. However, judging from their rock-bottom prices, it was clear they weren't particularly popular.

Among the protective gear available, the only piece Xu Mo spotted was a round arm shield about thirty centimeters in diameter. It had just been marked at a steep price of 1,000 Fruit Coins when a black-clad buyer, who had clearly been eyeing it for a while, immediately snatched it up.

Remembering that "Ice Shaver" lacked materials to produce additional magazines, Xu Mo spent 200 Fruit Coins on two already-activated but practically useless Green shards. Just as he was about to head to the next trading zone, a small-built black-clad figure suddenly blocked his path.

"Are you… trying to sell something? Sorry, but I'm not looking to buy anything right now." Xu Mo recalled that Du Zhizhang had once mentioned the existence of "wandering merchants" within the alliance—people who avoided trading fees by not renting a stall and instead directly approached customers with their goods. This person in front of him seemed to be one of them.

"Don't be so quick to turn me down! I sell only the best stuff—I guarantee you'll love it at first sight!" As he spoke, the merchant mysteriously produced a pair of gold-rimmed glasses and a plain silver ring.

It was said that wandering merchants usually fell into two categories: those who truly possessed rare and powerful shards, and those who peddled useless junk to unsuspecting newcomers. Xu Mo wasn't sure which type this one belonged to, but curiosity got the better of him, so he stopped to take a look.

"Try looking over there with these glasses…"

Xu Mo skeptically took the glasses and put them on. Following the merchant's direction, he looked at the female staff member handling transaction registrations at the front desk—only to be greeted by the sight of a completely nude, snow-white body. Unprepared for such a shock, he nearly dropped the glasses.

"Well? Good stuff, right? This is a treasure for men! If I weren't so strapped for cash, I wouldn't dream of selling it!" The merchant spoke with an air of regret.

This thing… is just too…

Something suddenly clicked in Xu Mo's mind. He quickly scanned the surrounding crowd through the glasses again. As expected, under this so-called "divine artifact," more than half of the people around him appeared stark naked—their clothing, including the standard black cloaks, vanished completely. Only thicker items like wallets and belts remained visible… as did their identical white masks, which the glasses couldn't penetrate.

However, there were also a few individuals whose inner garments remained intact despite their cloaks being rendered invisible. It seemed that their clothing was made from some unknown material that blocked the glasses' effects entirely.

Noticing Xu Mo's confusion, the merchant quickly explained, "Don't doubt the quality of these glasses! Those people whose clothes didn't disappear are all wearing Apocalyptic Shard-derived attire from L9. But for regular clothing, aside from fur coats, these glasses see right through them!"

"Uh… no thanks. I really don't have any use for this," Xu Mo replied with an apologetic smile, returning the glasses.

Although the glasses could, in a way, help identify Apocalyptic Shard users, not every ability user wore clothing made from shard-derived materials—while every ordinary person did wear regular fabric. If he used these glasses frequently, he'd soon be faced with a world full of naked figures. He'd rather not subject himself to that.

Seeing that Xu Mo was about to leave, the merchant grew anxious and grabbed his cloak. "Wait! I've got one more thing! At least take a look at this ring before you go!"

Glancing at Du Zhizhang and Chang Zitong, who were still haggling over shards not far away, Xu Mo sighed and nodded. "Fine, but if I don't need this ring either, you'll stop pestering me, deal?"