The Bizarre Detective Agency

Chapter 249: A Purchase Worth a Fortune

The Deep Sea Stone was essential. It could prevent a host of problems and was the foundation for building a shelter. That was precisely why the three organizations were also buying it up.

But even with a ten percent discount, the price of 7,920 shillings was far beyond Lu Li's means.

It was a purchase that would cost him a fortune.

Of his 2,300 shillings in savings, he set aside 300 for daily expenses and put the remaining 2,000 toward the stone, but he was still short 5,920 shillings.

So, Lu Li began to recount his adventures at sea.

His tale of eating silver-backed fish on a sailboat drew no reaction from the Trader. Neither did his mention of arriving at Atoll Reef. But when he spoke of the fog that swallowed sound and waves, the Trader silently offered 30 shillings. It wasn't much, perhaps because information about the strange fog was not particularly rare.

His story of a dying whale entangled in some black substance earned him 50 shillings. It was unclear whether the price was for the substance, the whale, or both. The account of living clothes on the seafloor brought in 60 shillings. Information about the ghost ship, the "Returning Souls," was valued at 250 shillings—the largest sum so far. After that, each description of the shadows aboard the ship added another 20 shillings. The shadows of the captain and crew members also brought in 60 shillings.

Lu Li had already gained some experience in trading information for shillings. He was beginning to understand which details might fetch a higher price. For instance, the crew roster found in the captain's cabin, along with the fact that the ghost ship was a fishing vessel lost during the hurricane, earned him another 250 shillings.

After a brief pause, Lu Li stated a name and rank: Captain Wayne.

"20 shillings.""First Mate Streller."

"20 shillings."

"Second Mate Bacon."

"20 shillings."

"Navigator Lester."

"20 shillings."

"Sailor Li."

"20 shillings."

Lu Li listed every crew member and their rank from the roster. Perhaps it was a blessing of sorts from the sailors, for having carried their story back to shore. Twenty-three names earned Lu Li 460 shillings.

Only the last shadow remained.

The Trader's face, which had been subjected to Lu Li's relentless information-for-cash exchange, was hidden by a scarf and hat, his eyes lost in shadow, making it impossible to gauge his mood.

Yet he showed no impatience or any other emotion. Perhaps the entity behind the Trader needed detailed information more than broad descriptions.

"The last shadow belonged to Sailor Harben."

Just as he had the previous twenty-three times, the Trader named his price the moment Lu Li finished speaking: "20 shillings."

"But he wasn't on the ship," Lu Li added.

"..."

"Three days after the hurricane ended, I saw his soul in Belfast. Anna said his aura was fading, as if something were consuming his soul."

"Eheheh..." Hearing her name, Anna scratched the back of her head in embarrassment.

After a brief silence, the Trader announced, "200 shillings."

That amount was close to the value of the information about the ghost ship itself.

Next, Lu Li spoke of Friday, but that only brought in 30 shillings. He also mentioned the "dawn breaking through the clouds," "5:30 in the morning," and "surfacing after jumping into the sea," which, as expected, added another 210 shillings.

Having exhausted his main source of income—the ghost ship—Lu Li moved on to the events on the Isle of Gaze. His tale of wilderness survival was not paid for, so Lu Li went to the next item. Flipper prints earned 30 shillings, and a black shadow, 50 shillings. Friday's claim that she went mad after seeing the true face beneath the black cloak earned him nothing.

And that was everything. His total earnings came to 2,030 shillings.

At first glance, the sum seemed large, and it certainly wasn't small, but Lu Li could have earned just as much by disclosing only forty percent of the information from a simple case, without putting himself in such danger.

Just as Tesla had said, one shouldn't expect great generosity from the Traders.

The outstanding amount dropped sharply to 3,890 shillings. It seemed that with just a little more effort, Lu Li would be able to buy his cubic meter of Deep Sea Stone.

However, Lu Li had no intention of immediately spending the entire 2,030 shillings he had earned from the information to cover the difference.

"After deducting your 50-shilling debt, your 170 investigation points can be exchanged for 1,700 shillings. You are still short 2,190 shillings," said the Trader.

"When will the Deep Sea Stone be delivered?"

"In a few days, with the next Trader."

The Trader spoke curtly and to the point.

It seemed to Anna that he was much more talkative than the previous Traders.

"So I can pay on the day it arrives?"

"Yes, but you need to make a 10% down payment. If you haven't paid the remaining balance by the time the next Trader arrives, the deposit will be forfeited."

Lu Li nodded. "I want to exchange the 2,030 shillings from the information for investigation points."

The exchange rate with the Trader was fixed at one to ten, but with other investigators or exorcists from the three organizations, one could get a rate of one to eleven or even one to twelve.

Normally, Lu Li wouldn't bother with the extra effort for a better return, but the situation was different now. Even so, he was still short about 1,500 shillings and would have to find other ways to earn it.

The Trader was silent for a few seconds before saying, "You now have 373 contribution points. Is there anything else you wish to exchange?"

"There is, actually, but I don't have enough money," Lu Li replied. "May I ask something first?"

"Yes."

"How much do back issues of the Investigator Weekly cost?"

The Trader, perhaps encountering such a question for the first time—or at least, the first time from Lu Li—paused for a few seconds before answering, "The Investigator Weekly is printed according to the number of subscribers; there are no extra copies. If you need back issues, they can be printed separately at a 30% discount."

In other words, Lu Li could buy the back issues for 70 shillings each.

"How much would that be with my discount today?"

"60 shillings."

"Three issues of the Investigator Weekly, from the beginning of June, May, and April. I'll pay next time."

Lu Li had changed his mind and decided to seize what might be his first and last opportunity to use the discount, even if it meant spending a little more money.

In any case, Lu Li might come out ahead, but the Trader never lost.

Finished with his purchase, Lu Li asked, "Are there any special offers this week?"

"Discounts on tickets. This week, there's a 10% to 35% discount on ticket purchases. It's Mind Level Self-Check Week. A second leaf from the Heartwood is on sale for half price. And it's Library Week. This week, you can borrow one book from any True Library and return it after the promotion ends."

Lu Li could make use of that last offer.

"And one last question."

Lu Li unbuckled the two spirit pistols from his belt, holster and all, and handed them to the Trader. "Check them. If there are any problems, fix them."

While the Trader inspected the holster, Lu Li asked about the power and price of pistols with different numbers of bloomed roses.

The Trader didn't answer the first question, but he did respond to the second:

"One rose costs 1,000 shillings."