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Chapter 56: The Black Market

Ashura did not lack affection for Daifei, and when he heard the girl’s sincere confession, he felt that avoiding her was no longer an option.

So he simply pulled the girl into his arms and gave her the greatest possible comfort.

Daifei was so embarrassed by Ashura’s bold gesture that she buried her face against his shoulder, not daring to look up, especially at her godfather, Captain John.

Captain John said nothing when he saw this; he merely sighed with a hint of displeasure.

Supervisor Pato, however, chuckled and dragged him aside, giving the young couple some space.

When Ashura heard Daifei stop crying, he spoke softly, “You have to listen first. I can’t promise you anything yet. I still have important things to do, and right now all I want is to train and grow stronger. I promise I’ll come to see you when I have the time.”

Without raising her head, Daifei wiped her tears on his shoulder and choked, “You’re lying!”

Ashura felt a headache coming and soothed her, “I, Ashura, always keep my word; relax!”

Hearing this, Daifei’s pretty face flushed. She spat lightly at him, slipped out of his embrace, and looked at him with reddened eyes.

After a long moment she nodded and said, “You must keep your promise! Don’t deceive me!”

Ashura replied helplessly, “What good would lying to you do me? Be good.”

This time Daifei nodded obediently, and only then did the two notice that everyone around them was watching with gossip-filled eyes.

Daifei whimpered and buried her head in Ashura’s chest again, while he remained thick-skinned, helped by the fact that his hood hid his face.

After telling Captain John they were heading to the shop, the two clasped hands and dashed out of the Jinli Lai Trading Company.

Laughing and chatting, they walked all the way to the newly purchased shop.

After giving the place a quick tidy, Ashura planned to take Daifei out to buy daily necessities.

As soon as they stepped outside, Ashura sensed several faint gazes fixed on the shop; when those people noticed his awareness, they did not even try to hide.

Ashura guessed they were experts sent by the Jinli Lai Trading Company to protect Daifei; he had not expected Pato to act so quickly, and it seemed the token carried real weight.

Then, like any young couple, they bought a pile of household items and returned to the shop, but before they could whisper sweet nothings, Captain John walked in with a blank face.

Daifei immediately retreated shyly to the room she had chosen, and Captain John said to Ashura, “Sir, may we talk somewhere in private?”

Ashura readily agreed and followed him to the shop counter, where Captain John began, “First, on behalf of the brothers of the Bida Mercenary Corps and their families, I thank you for your recommendation and help; you have clearly given us an easier path in life.”

“But as a father I beg you not to toy with my daughter’s feelings. She is kind, and I do not wish to see her hurt.”

Ashura fell silent for a moment, then said, “I recommended the Bida Mercenary Corps to the Jinli Lai Trading Company purely to put Daifei at ease, so there’s no need to thank me.”

“Besides, as you saw, I hadn’t planned on getting too involved with Daifei, because I have my own difficulties.”

“Yet things have come this far and neither of us has done anything wrong, so I’m willing to move forward at her side.”

“Who can predict the future? But I guarantee I will give her 3 years to think. If she meets someone she truly loves, she might forget me.”

“If, after 3 years, she still feels as she does now, I will take her home to meet my parents.”

After hearing the youth’s words, John nodded in satisfaction and asked, “I heard Daifei call you Ashura; can you tell me where you’re from?”

Ashura did not hide it and answered, “My real name is Ashura, and I come from the distant Olei Kingdom to the west.”

Captain John said he knew of the Olei Kingdom; he had once had a mission delivering goods there.

Ashura was a little surprised and then said, “My father is A Fengtian, a general of the Olei Kingdom, and my family is now being threatened and persecuted by other forces.”

“If you ever have the chance to return to the Olei Kingdom, please pass a message to my family: Ashura is safe and has achieved his wish. Tell them not to worry; within 3 to 5 years I will definitely come home.”

Captain John was slightly taken aback; it turned out the boy had worries unknown to others.

He solemnly promised that he would find a chance to deliver the message.

Ashura breathed a silent sigh of relief and then called to the rear, “Come out. Stop hiding.”

Daifei shyly stepped from behind the door and tried to explain, but Ashura pulled her back into the courtyard.

The two sat facing each other in the room, and Ashura held her hand and said, “You heard what I said earlier. I might not be able to stay long, but I will be back before too long. Be good.”

Daifei said nothing, pouting as she looked at him, and after a long while she said, “I want to hear your story. I want to know your secrets. You feel so mysterious to me!”

Ashura crooked his mouth and replied, “All right, then I’ll tell you about myself.”

Ashura then described how mischievous and lazy he had been as a child.

He told her in detail how he had carried a deep family grudge to Saint Gobban Academy to study, and how he had ended up in the Beast Forest.

He only left out the part about the black-clothed men he had met on the road and the miserable days of being beaten as a sparring partner at the academy.

He was otherwise completely candid, leaving Daifei dumbfounded that the youth had been through so much.

Daifei, for her part, had already recounted all her childhood anecdotes on the road while Ashura was injured.

In the end the two fell asleep fully clothed, embracing on the small bed in Daifei’s room; nothing excessive happened, and they merely poured out their hearts to each other.

It was the first time Ashura had skipped meditation and slept soundly through the night.

The next day Ashura planned to leave Puro City; he wanted to return to the academy and consult Instructor Yuan Da about his next training stage, since he had completed his planned breakthrough in just 4 months.

He lingered in a reluctant farewell with Daifei for quite a while, repeatedly promising to return soon.

This time Ashura pulled up the hood of his warrior robe again and headed for the city gate.

He had walked only two blocks when someone called, “Milord!” Turning, he saw it was Hughes, the guide.

Hughes was now dressed neatly, no longer looking like a street thug.

Hughes immediately fell to his knees and cried, “My lord, do you have any commands? Hughes is pleased to serve you!”

Ashura clicked his tongue; did this guy think he was some gullible rich patron?

Still, free labor delivered to his door should not go to waste.

Ashura thought for a moment and asked, “Besides the Jinli Lai Trading Company, what other places in Puro City trade goods?”

He wanted to find out the price of a level-5 beast core, but Hughes answered without hesitation, “My lord, apart from the Jinli Lai Trading Company there is another great place to buy and sell items. Are you interested?”

Ashura raised an eyebrow and asked, “Where?”

Hughes replied, “The black market of Puro City. The goods traded there are all kinds of strange things, and most deals are barter! Would you like to take a look, my lord?”

Ashura was very interested, and with a grand wave of his hand he ordered, “Lead the way…”

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