Chapter 140: Twisted Thorn Cluster Shells
The subordinate blankly stared, while Song Shou too revealed his astonishment.
All of Two Eyes Island was Hun Tong’s domain, yet it seemed there was someone who had a deeper control over it than he?
The subordinate was even more curious: from the beginning, no one had entered room 2. How could there be anyone in there?
But since Hun Tong had commanded it, the subordinate immediately complied.
When room 2’s door opened up, the subordinate was more surprised, “This room had always been closed, how could the attendants inside get in and out?”
“Don’t tell me there is a secret door?” The subordinate recalled some rumors.
It was hard to see into room 2, for it was filled with smoke.
After coming in, the subordinate felt unwell and coughed many times, for the smoke was dense and burned his eyes.
He was barely able to discern that there were two people sitting inside the room.
Their life auras were very distinct.
One was bronze level; the other was an awe inspiring gold.
The subordinate instantly saluted respectfully towards the mysterious gold level.
The mysterious gold fighter’s mouth had a thick cigar in it, he was resolutely breathing it out.
There was a small flame burning at the cigar’s tip and mitting rolling thick smoke, it was the reason why the room was curling with smoke.
After the gold fighter heard his purpose in coming, he smiled and pointed towards the bronze level fighter next to him, saying nothing at all.
The bronze level fighter seemed to be his subordinate and replied, “There are two people in room 21, they are the Wisteria Shop’s level seven elders.”
“Please pass this on to the Feudal Lord, don’t touch those two, they are my quarry.”
The subordinate was greatly surprised, firmly remembered their answer, and immediately withdrew.
As he left, he cautiously closed the door to room 2, still inwardly guessing who that gold level fighter might be.
They not only knew who the buyers in room 21 were, but they also treated them as their quarry.
Who were those two?
What was their relationship with Feudal Lord Hun Tong?
The bronze level was haughty, a fox exploiting a tiger’s might, if he told Hun Tong about it, would he get in trouble for it?
No matter what, he still had to pass on their message.
The subordinate anxiously returned to room 1 and told Hun Tong their answer and warning.
When Hun Tong heard that the two were the Wisteria Shop’s level seven elders, he showed no hint of surprise.
He had actually anticipated that somewhat.
By the time the auction reached its midpoint, each purchase would leak information about them.
They had such financial resources, did not fear Qi You, and had profound auction skills. In an overall survey of Two Eyes Island, it seemed that these two elders had only been heard about, none had ever met these Wisteria Merchant Alliance elders.
“Since they are his quarry, then I’ll have him deal with them. You may leave.” Hun Tong waved his hand. Room 2’s warning words showed they didn’t respect him as feudal lord, but he wasn’t offended or angry.
“It seems the Feudal Lord knows who the gold fighter in room 2 is and seems to have a deep relationship with them.” The subordinate harbored questions as he withdrew from the room and continued to guard its door.
The auction was still going.
The auction master spoke brightly, “Respected guests, next we shall have consecutive auctions of 12 artillery shell boxes. These artillery shells are all iron level, there are 22 shells in each box, and are of the twisted thorn cluster type.
“When these shells hit a ship, they will cause countless vines to franticly grow, and can, within a few seconds, cover a small ship’s entire deck with them.”
“The vines are filled with thorns that can pierce nearby sailors. The vines also have a formidable entanglement ability that can twist around and snap masts. Together with the thorns, they can cut open sails, penetrate hulls, and trap ships in their entanglement. A fairly outstanding combat result!”
This artillery shell couldn’t be demonstrated here.
But the auction stage had prepared a magic image.
In the magic image, a cannon shot a twisted thorn cluster shell into an empty wooden ship wreckage.
Within a few seconds green vines seemed to slither like countless pythons that strangled the wooden wreckage. Sharp thorns even impaled the surrounding vines, with exceptional malevolence.
In the second magic image, they were facing a pod of narwhals.
The twisted thorn cluster shell was shot into the sea, causing a large amount of vines to burst forth and wrap around two narwhales.
The narwhals mournfully cried out.
After a struggle, the two bronze level narwhals wrenched themselves free with heavy injuries. But not long after swimming away, they died and their blood dyed the surrounding seawater red.
This kind of actual combat result enticed the interest of many.
“I didn’t expect to see artillery shells being auctioned, aren’t they munitions?”
“In past auctions some were sold, but only at limited quantities. This time there a lot, perhaps some pirates captured them, keeping part of it for themselves, and coming here to dispose of the rest of them.”
“It’s no wonder they weren’t on the auction list!”
The auction audience discussed among themselves while beginning to bid.
This time, the first to act were the pirates.
The Lightning Pirates, the Stench Pirates, the Applause Pirates, the Ten Touch Pirates, and others competed to be the winner.
The pirates had a strong desire for firepower.
The twisted thorn cluster shells especially suited the pirates!
Because when pirates were looting, shooting too many cannons could easily blow up a ship’s merchandise and even sink merchant ships.
The twisted thorn cluster shells solved that necessary sore point.
Although it still harmed ships, they wouldn’t go so far as to sink them, rather the snapped masts or punctured hulls leaking water would greatly hinder a merchant ship’s movement.
The pirates would first use these shells to alter a merchant ship’s motive force, then calmly sail to them, launch a sword fight, settle things, and complete their looting.
The pirates competed with each other, and even One Eye, Two Eyes Island’s patrol fleet leader, joined in too.
He wanted to find out how strong these artillery shells really were.
Relying on the two magic images would only give a superficial understanding of them.
Merchant alliance representatives too piled in to bid.
To them, this type of artillery shell could be used to deal with pirate ships and give their transportation fleet time to escape.
The price of iron level artillery shells was about 3 gold coins. 22 iron level shells was then 66 gold coins.
This was the normal price, but twisted thorn cluster shells were rare.
Finally, at 80 gold coins, the Ten Touch Pirates became the ultimate winner.
But that was only the first box.
The others needn’t be anxious.
For the next twisted thorn shells, all parties acted in succession.
The Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps was one of them and managed to win one box.
Zi Di also made a move, suffering obstruction and price increases, until finally, she won the survivors another box at 88 gold coins.
The twisted thorn shells were very popular and after the auction finished, there was still people reluctant to move on.
All parties that obtained these artillery shells were delighted, especially when they thought they pulled a little something over room 21.
After the twisted thorn cluster shells was a set of axes.
They were extraordinary weapons made mainly out of star iron – star iron hand axes.
There were 30 altogether.
The hand axes were different from lumber axes, these were clearly made for battle. They were smaller than normal axes and appeared sharper and savage.
The pirates’ eyes shined.
They battled often and could see these axes suited naval battles at a glance. Especially during ship hold fights where these axes could be easily used in those narrow spaces!
There was only one box of hand axes, and as expected, they drew many panicked buyers.
Zi Di robbed them of what they cherished, displaying her substantial wealth as she won the box of hand axes.
After the iron level hand axes was a batch of bronze level swords.
The auction master presented it, “There are a total of 50 bronze level ring swords. When they are thrown, they can whirl around in a loop, and after beheading the enemy, they can automatically fly back to their user’s hand.”
A magic image appeared to display how the ring sword functioned.
In room 14, Zong Ge’s eyes shined at this, and he said to the dragonman youngster, “If I had those ring swords and paired them up with a new battle skill, it would add a hidden trump card to the newly built Quick Knife Battle Squad.”
Thus, the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps joined the bidding war and persevered until the end.
When it was only the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps, the Bandage Mercenary Corps, and room 21, the Bandage Mercenary Corps’ doorbell rang.
Tripleblade acted as an envoy at the dragonman youngster’s behest and had come to discuss things with the Bandage Mercenary Corps, “Room 21 has robust finances, we should ally against them.”
“What does your corps mean by that?” Commander Beng Dai was somewhat suspicious.
Tripleblade explained in detail, “Our two corps can join hands to deal with room 21. We must win these ring swords and cannot let them revel in their might again!”
“No matter which party is victorious, we will divide these ring swords evenly and give the winner half the price they paid.”
After hesitating for a moment, Commander Beng Dai replied, “Alright!”
He agreed.
The ring swords’ auction price slowly rose.
Because they needed to communicate with each other, the Dragon Lion and Bandage Mercenary Corps both bid at a slow rate, often bidding at the third cry of the auction master.
Meanwhile in room 21, Zi Di was bidding the opposite manner – instant bids.
She raised the price several times in a row, in an attempt to scare off her competitors.
But every time, either the Dragon Lion or Bandage Mercenary Corps followed up slowly afterwards.
After a few confrontations, everyone in the auction hall gradually noticed that something was fishy.
The ring swords’ price had already greatly surpassed the market value, yet none of the three had given up the contest.
“The situation is a bit queer.”
“Don’t tell me those ring swords are worth that much?”
“I actually know that the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps is raising a suspected battle squad of cultivators, they all use curved blades.”
“The Bandage Mercenary Corps also mostly use cutlasses; their auxiliary commander is a decommissioned officer that teaches the mercenary corps’ younger generation and newcomers.”
“Even if that is so, they would be unlikely to pay such a premium for that.”
“It’s still rising…”
The auction continued.
Commander Beng Dai’s forehead was already covered in sweat.
For the first time, Zi Di’s bid revealed some hesitation.
Finally, after the auction master called out three times, the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps became the final winner.
After the dragonman youngster completed the auction delivery, he immediately got up and brought half the bronze level blades to the Bandage Mercenary Corps’ room.