Chapter 27: Rag-and-Bone Man

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Translator: Exodus Tales Editor: Exodus Tales

“Darn it! They are so cruel! Bullying me with their numbers? Are you even human?” Lin Fan leaned against a tree, trying to catch his breath.

I came to collect points, and this is what I get in return? A meeting with snakes?

But who asked Lin Fan to be arrogant and go in without tricks? It wasn’t the bandit’s fault that he walked into the trap himself.

“Count yourself lucky today. Just wait and see. If I do not send you flying off to the moon, I’ll take your surname.” Lin Fan cursed. It’s okay to be embarrassed once, as long as I get my reputation back the next time around.

After a few days, back in the sect, Lin Fan hid behind a wall and started running to his destination when there was nobody around.

“Junior Brother Lin.” Just then, somebody called him.

Lin Fan turned around. Seeing that it was Zhang Long, he plastered a smile on his face. “Senior Brother Zhang.”

“Junior Brother Lin, I heard from Lu Qiming that you picked up a mission. How is it so far?”

“Meh, I did not find the culprit. It was a wasted trip, but I am planning to make another trip after a few days.” Lin Fan smiled, lying through his teeth. How embarrassing would it be if I said that I came back because I was scared by the numbers?

Zhang Long nodded. “Missions are getting harder now. The wanted are getting sneakier. We need luck too.”

“Yeah, I know. They’re snakes! I spent days looking for them, yet nobody appeared! Haish, such a waste of my time.” Lin Fan sighed. Wait, Zhang Long seems way more energetic than before. “Senior Brother, you have broken through?”

Zhang Long smiled hearing Lin Fan’s question.

“Haha, it’s by luck. I exchanged for a pill with the sect’s rewards and broke through luckily.”

“Senior Brother, credit should go to your ability too.”

“Junior Brother, I will be going on a mission with a few others sometime soon. Do come with us then!”

There were quite a few group missions in the sect that came with hefty rewards. Zhang Long had brought this news to Lin Fan as he cared for him.

Moreover, being in Body Tempering Stage Seven, Zhang Long was confident that he would be able to earn the rewards. He thought about Lin Fan and decided to bring him along.

“Of course. Senior Brother. I’ll get going first, I’m still upset from the failed mission.” Lin Fan nodded and went off. I’m going to make some grenades. I was overconfident. Haish!

But they will know how good I am when I finish making my grenades.

They waved goodbye and parted ways.

Lin Fan had already mastered the making of grenades, but there was still something that he lacked.

Materials – shells and gunpowder.

Scrap iron was worthless in this world, but to Lin Fan, it was a necessity. How else would I make my grenades?

Let’s cultivate for a night.

The next morning, Lin Fan pushed a cart out of his room.

“Where are you going, Junior Brother Lin?” Lu Qiming could see that Lin Fan was in a good mood, but he knew that Lin Fan had not completed his mission yet, so he decided to not bring it up.

“Senior Brother, I’ll see you later on. I’m going to collect some scrap iron,” Lin Fan said and went off.

Lu Qiming watched him walk off dumbfoundedly. What on earth?

Scrap iron?

What does he want that for?

What can he do with it?

Lin Fan came to the streets where the disciples lived.

He took up his gong and made some noise while yelling, “Don’t miss this, come and take a look, it’s definitely a steal!”

Some disciples stopped in their tracks and stared at Lin Fan suspiciously.

What does this guy want?

“Senior Brother, are you going to crush rocks with your chest? It’s been years since I saw someone do that since I left my hometown!” a disciple asked.

Lin Fan rolled his eyes and cursed in his mind.

“C’mon guys, take a look. I’m going to turn your trash into money. Bring out all your scrap iron and I’ll buy half a kilogram for one YHB. If you miss this chance, it will be gone forever!”

Lin Fan yelled at the top of his lungs. He found out that some disciples in the Magnificent Flame Sect were poor, and he was confident that they would sell him anything they could.

Indeed, all were left dumbstruck upon hearing Lin Fan’s words.

to their knowledge, scrap iron was useless, and only disciples from the Tool Refining School would need them for training purposes. Everyone just gave scrap iron away for free since it was useless, but Lin Fan’s words left them in shock.

“Senior Brother, are you serious? You’re not lying?” a disciple asked.

Lin Fan patted his chest and smiled. “Why would I lie? Bring it all now. My time is limited, and I have to leave somewhere soon.”

He stirred up the crowd within no time.

“Oh my, I’ll have to dig my spoiled weapon out.”

“Yeah, me too, since they’re valuable now.”

“I’ll be able to earn about ten YHB in a day, I’m so lucky!”

But most disciples were in a panic. They never expected scrap iron to ever be worth anything and threw most of it away. It would be hard for them to get it back all of a sudden.

Lin Fan stood there with a smile on his face. I will get a lot soon.

But knowing about how valuable YBH was, Lin Fan felt blood trickling down his heart.

My money!

But I can make grenades with it, so why not?

Wait, why is nobody coming over?

Have they not managed to find their trash?

“Senior Brother, how much is my sword worth?” A disciple’s eyes shone, looking at him with anticipation.

Lin Fan stared at the sword that had been broken into three different parts and weighed them manually. Wow, more than ten kilograms!

“Erm, about four to eight kilograms. I’ll take it as six.”

The disciple stared at Lin Fan blankly. “Senior Brother, I remember it weighed more.”

“Junior Brother, it used to be more than that, but not anymore. Look at your sword. Doesn’t it look like it’s been infested by bugs?” He pointed to the brownish spots on the sword. There were even holes in the spots.

Not knowing what rust was, the disciple stared at Lin Fan, confused.

“Your sword has been fed on by bugs, thus it’s lighter. Since you’re my first customer, I’ll take it as seven kilos. How does that sound?” Lin Fan asked. “There aren’t people like me around anymore. You’re benefitting from this!”

Lin Fan was surprised with his nonsense. What bugs? I never have seen a bug that has such tough teeth.

The disciple understood Lin Fan and smiled at him. “Thank you, Senior Brother. Then I’ll sell it to you at the price of seven kilos.”

He gave Lin Fan the iron, while Lin Fan gave him money.

The disciple left in all smiles. He might not have earned much, but it was one-fifth of his daily earnings for something that was otherwise worthless.

He left happily to search for more iron.

Lin Fan smiled widely upon making his first transaction. “Who has yet to sell me your iron? I’m letting you guys earn. It will be gone if you miss it.”

Suddenly, a first-class outer disciple who was eating peanuts walked past Lin Fan. He spit out the shell while walking by.

It landed on Lin Fan’s shoes, but he pretended to not see it.

But Lin Fan saw it.

“Hold on.”

This is too much! Arrogant. Eating in front of me and spitting on my shoes? Leaving without an apology!? This is too much!