Lusnian didn’t expect the customer to leave so soon, but to his surprise, the person turned back. He couldn’t help but wonder if they were going to ask for a refund.
For those unaccustomed to flavors like durian candy, it could be a real torture.
However, to Lusnian’s shock, Gos opened his mouth and proposed a significant purchase, even changing the way he addressed Lusnian, now speaking respectfully: “Shopkeeper, how much of that durian candy do you have left? I want all of it!”
Gos didn’t know how much durian candy would completely heal his magic core, but he could already see hope; if it meant healing his magic core, what would it hurt to buy more candy?
However, after the recent rush, Lusnian only had eight pieces left. Excluding the one he had just eaten, packaging up the remaining seven would cost a total of forty-two gold coins.
After stating the price, Gos paid without hesitation, looking a bit dejected as he asked Lusnian, “Is that all you have?”
Lusnian felt even more pained, furrowing his brow and letting out a sigh, hesitating to respond.
He gently shook his head, sighed again, and said, “Come back tomorrow; today, we are out of stock.”
Having too much business can indeed be a mistake, Lusnian thought to himself.
As the sun began to set, Vista City shone with a warm orange glow, looking particularly beautiful.
Gos stuffed his hands into his pockets, felt the hard candies within, and a smile crept onto his face.
He strode into the city, greeting the two guards at the gate, and hurried home.
The guards, left behind, covered their noses in confusion, “What is that smell? It’s so foul.”
Every step Gos took along the way left behind a strong, unmistakable odor, causing passersby to look around in search of its source.
Gos was oblivious to this, eager to report the good news to his wife.
Upon seeing the familiar large door, he rushed inside, panting slightly as he laughed out loud.
“Baisy, I’m back!”
Gos embraced his daughter, who had rushed to him, unable to hold back his joy as he pinched the pudgy cheeks of the little girl.
“Baisy, I’ve found hope! That shop is truly magical; my magic core is beginning to heal! Oh my goodness, I can hardly believe it’s real! It’s incredible.”
His wife Baisy’s eyes widened, and her needlework fell from her hands.
She quickly stood up, moving toward him to examine his body for any wounds, then covering her mouth in joyful tears.
“Oh, thank the Light God, that’s wonderful… wonderful! Come inside; let me take a look.”
“Don’t worry, I’m fine; we have hope now.”
Gos gently wrapped his arm around her waist, nuzzling her cheek.
With their daughter in his left arm and holding his wife with his right, he cherished them, the most important people in his life.
The warm ambiance touched everyone around, and Gos affectionately stroked Baisy’s long hair.
Their faces drew closer, little by little.
Just as Gos closed his eyes in happiness, preparing to kiss her, a sudden soft object was thrust into his mouth.
Gos froze, his eyes wide open in confusion, not knowing where to put his hands.
“Hurry up and brush your teeth; that medicine tastes terrible.”
Baisy retracted her hand that held the toothbrush, clearly disgusted.
Chapter 10
After nearly a week of rumors, almost everyone in Vista City now knew about the mysterious shop in the Abyss.
The news even began to spread outward, with many travelers from nearby cities arriving, hoping to catch a glimpse of the shop and buy goods.
Woris was among them, but unlike the others, he was a traveling merchant.
Upon hearing about the shop, he immediately gathered his subordinates and headed for Vista City.
Wiping the sweat from his forehead, the man shouted hoarsely, “When will we arrive? That whatchamacallit grocery store isn’t a scam, is it?”
“That place in the Abyss is said to be full of monsters; who in their right mind would open a shop there?”
He took a swig of alcohol, eliciting laughter from the crowd.
“Boss, don’t worry; we’ll be there soon! We’ll find out if it’s real or not,” someone consoled him.
Sure enough, they soon spotted the massive city gates, the four golden characters of Vista City shining brightly.
They decided to enter the city and rest before proceeding tomorrow, pulling their horse-drawn carriage to a halt outside the gate, dust-covered and weary.
After a quick freshen-up, Woris drew on his vast experience to know where to inquire for information, heading directly into a run-down bar.
As soon as he walked in, a wave of heat washed over him; people were noisy and laughing, playing games while drinking, creating a chaotic scene.
Woris ordered a mug of ale and sat at a small table, eavesdropping on the conversations nearby.
The burly men rambled on about nonsensical topics, and it took Woris a while to catch any useful information.
“Hey, did you go to that shop in the Abyss to buy cola?”
“Of course! If I hadn’t just leveled up the other day, I’d have been dead at the hands of the Nine-Headed Bear. Monsters are getting stronger these days; it’s not easy to make a gold coin.”
“Yeah, thankfully we have that shopkeeper helping us low-ranking warriors, or we’d be done for.”
As the topic drifted, one of the burly men spat on the ground and began complaining about the nobles who looked down on them.
Having obtained the information he wanted, Woris silently downed his drink, but before he could stand up, someone blocked his way.
The man with golden short hair and a short sword at his waist was none other than Ebel, the first to discover the grocery store.
Since leveling up, he had become almost invincible amidst the monster tide, equipping everyone in the Astra Mercenary Group and swiftly raising the group’s rank.