Black Rock City had truly bared its fangs to Wei Shen. It wasn't just a place to get clean clothes or sell some spoils anymore; it had become a new battlefield, far more complex and cunning than any forest he'd faced. The battle here wasn't fought with claws and teeth alone, but with information, wealth, and schemes woven in the shadows.
Wei Shen returned to the bustling "Dragon's Cup" tavern. He wasn't there to drink, but to hunt. To hunt whispers, rumors, any thread of information that might help him understand his upcoming opponent at the "Silver Moon Auction."
He found a table in a dim corner and ordered the cheapest tea. Then, using a few low-grade spirit stones, he "bought" a round of drinks for a nearby table, where a group of rough-faced mercenaries with worn swords sat. It was a small gesture, but enough to loosen their tongues and make them more receptive to the presence of this mysterious young man among them.
"Talking about the Wang Family?" one of them said loudly after chugging his drink. "They're the devils of this city, my friend! They control the entire spiritual weapon market. No one dares compete with them directly."
Another, a man with a deep scar on his cheek, added, "Patriarch Wang Li is a cunning fox, but the real beast is his son, Wang Chen. That young man... he's a demon incarnate."
Wei Shen leaned forward slightly, his ears catching every word, his face showing no expression.
"They say he's a forging genius the likes of which the city hasn't seen in a hundred years," the scarred man continued in a hushed voice, as if afraid of being overheard. "But his genius... is incredibly dark. Have you seen the 'Bloody Jade Blade' he uses? The sword that glows with a faint green light like a screaming ghost?"
His companions nodded anxiously and fearfully.
"Rumors say that blade wasn't tempered with water or spiritual oil," the man said in a voice barely above a whisper. "They say it was tempered and nourished with the blood of a living Level Seven spirit beast, screaming in agony as the smith hammered and shaped the metal. And some... some say... it wasn't beast blood at all."
A reverent, fearful silence fell over the table for a few moments; even the tavern's din seemed to quiet.
Wei Shen's face remained devoid of expression, but internally, there was a glint of cold interest. "So, there are others in this world who understand that true power requires unconventional sacrifices and exceeding familiar boundaries," he thought. "This makes Wang Chen a more interesting opponent... and a more valuable prey in the future."
Wei Shen returned to his inn room late that night. He sat at his wooden table, and before him lay a crude map of Black Rock City he had purchased. He marked the main Wang Family compound and the location of the Silver Moon Auction.
As he stared at the map, planning his next steps, an old memory flashed in his mind, like an echo from another life, a life where conspiracies were on a cosmic scale.
---
Arthur, in his late twenties, stood at the pinnacle of the "Arcantak" tower, in a meeting room made entirely of smart glass that displayed live data of stock markets and intergalactic supply networks. He wore a custom-tailored black suit, reflecting his absolute power and wealth.
Before him stood Franklin, his deputy and head of Research and Development, a man in his fifties, his face pale and covered in cold sweat.
"Sir... you did it," Franklin said, his voice trembling. "The rival 'Cyclops Corporation' has been acquired. But... the cost was high. The 'Omega' Advanced Research Division... it went completely bankrupt as you planned. We lost hundreds of our best researchers and engineers in this maneuver. Their loyalty to us was absolute."
Arthur looked at him coldly, his eyes devoid of any trace of pity or regret. "Loyalty is just a feeling, Franklin, not a measurable variable on a balance sheet," he said in a quiet, chillingly logical voice. "The 'Omega' Division was a completely acceptable loss. Its collapse created a legal and economic loophole in 'Cyclops Corporation's' defenses, allowing us to acquire their entire quantum computing patent portfolio for a fraction of its true value. They were merely a pawn sacrificed to capture the queen. The ultimate goal was complete market dominance, and it was achieved. There's nothing to regret when the final outcome of the equation is positive."
---
The memory faded, and Wei Shen returned to his reality in this humble wooden room. But the principle remained alive and burning in his mind.
"Same principle," he thought, a cold smile playing on his lips. "Why should I confront the Wang Family at an auction with the brute force of my limited wealth, when I can weaken them from the shadows, and make them pay a heavy price for the treasure I desire?"
He needed deeper information, information not found in taverns.
Once again, he donned his cloak and melted into the city's dark alleys, heading towards the "Shadow Market."
He entered the "Dragon Leaf Tea Shop," said the secret word, and went into that dark back room. This time, the old man wasn't alone. A young woman sat opposite him, in another chair, appearing not much older than Wei Shen himself. She wore a simple yet elegant black dress, her dark hair tied back with a silver snake-shaped hairpin. Her face was quietly beautiful, but her eyes were her most striking feature – black as a starless night, holding an intelligence and depth unsuited to her age.
When Wei Shen entered, she didn't immediately turn to him, but finished sipping from the teacup before her.
"What do you want this time, mysterious young man?" the old man asked in his raspy voice.
"I want a complete file on the 'Wang Family'," Wei Shen said directly, his eyes fixed on the silent woman. "Their weaknesses, their enemies, the true state of their wealth. And most importantly, everything that can be known about 'Wang Chen'."
The old man gave a dry laugh. "This is very dangerous information. The Wang Family has eyes and ears everywhere in this city. Its price..."
Before the man could finish speaking, the woman spoke for the first time, her voice calm and clear as a silver bell. "The information you seek... it exists. But obtaining it might cost you more than just spirit stones."
At that moment, Wei Shen heard a sudden movement outside the door. The door burst open, and three burly men entered, dressed in Wang Family guard uniforms, their faces showing clear menace.
"Old Man Chen," their leader said rudely. "We heard you have some visitors asking questions that don't concern them."
Wei Shen didn't flinch. Instead, he moved. Before the men could even draw their weapons, Wei Shen had surged towards them like a phantom. There were no flashy techniques, just ruthless speed and brutality. With an elbow strike, he shattered the first man's jaw. With the **Green Jade Leaf Sword** that suddenly appeared in his hand, he slit the second man's throat. Then, he grabbed the third man by the head and slammed him against the wall with force, rendering him unconscious. All of this happened in under three seconds.
Silence returned to the room, now carrying a faint scent of blood.
The young woman stood, looked at the bodies, then at him, the intelligent glint in her eyes deepening. "You have boldness, young man. And the strength to back it up. I like that."
She approached him, a mysterious smile on her lips. "The information you seek... will be yours. For a thousand spirit stones, plus... a small favor I'll ask of you in the future."
Wei Shen looked at her, studying her. She was dangerous, cunning. But she had what he wanted. "Agreed," he said without hesitation.
He handed her the thousand spirit stones, and she, in turn, gave him a sealed black scroll. "Everything you need to know about your enemies... and more."
Wei Shen took the scroll and turned to leave.
"Wait," she called out. "What's your name?"
"Wei Shen," he said as he disappeared behind the curtain.
He returned to his inn and opened the scroll. It was filled with precise information: the Wang Family's secret dealings, their conflicts with other sects, and most importantly, a complete file on their sworn enemy in the city, the "Li Family," who had lost a valuable mine to them in a commercial and bloody battle years ago.
A cold, wide smile spread across Wei Shen's face.
"Inciting one of the old rivals to drain my main opponent's wealth at the auction... a classic Arthurian gambit."
He took a piece of paper, a brush, and began writing an anonymous message, filled with precise and provocative information copied from the file, a message he would ensure reached the hands of the "Li Family" patriarch early in the morning, igniting the flames of their old hatred.
"The auction will just be a stage," he thought as he wrote. "The real battle... has already begun in the shadows."