Chapter 892: The Brave Guardsmen


    Kat waited for the follow up. The whys and hows concerning the auction house and what made it the best choice... but after ten seconds it became clear she was going to have to ask. The affirmation from Lily just clinched it, “So... you said ‘Auction House’ like I should know what that means already... but why is it the best option by far?”


    “Oh... right, I forgot you were a demon for a moment,” said Xiang causing Kat to raise an eyebrow in question which Xiang didn’t bother noticing. “You see, the auction houses around the continent are all mostly run by the same people. It’s a small sect in terms of cultivators... but massive in terms of economic power. They are known as ‘The Merchants of Gold Road’ and they mostly deal in high level cultivator stuff. Nobody wants to mess with them because they can ce heavy embargos on people who cross them.


    “Anyway, the reason they make the Auction House -capital letters by the way- the best for us is that they’ll take the item off our hands. Now some people might not like that, but we don’t want to be carrying around a giant snake head anyway. They’ll deal with the transport and safety while also adding it to the Auction House line up. Even with their cut it’s still probably the best way to make money from this.


    “The only issue is that we might be stuck here for a few days... certainly longer then I’d like considering it took us a while to get here... but... dammit at we’re reallymitted at this point and maybe, if we’re lucky we can find the thing Xuena’s family was supposed to give the ice ass sect... though I don’t really remember what that was...” Xiang mumbled, trailing off.


    Yang shook her head wondering at how Xiang could have forgotten such a thing already. She of course didn’t need to rely on the notes taken in her notebook for Xuena. Of course not, that would make her a bad friend. Kat on the other hand sighed as she shook her head, not at the forgetfulness but the fact she was going to be here even longer. I dunno how much I’m getting paid for this... and maybe I should... but whatever it is. Isn’t enough.


    [Now don’t so that Kat. I’ve managed to work out my magic to the point I can cast something at least. The fact that we’re here isn’t the best thing ever but at least we can still send messages to the people back at home. I mean really, what else would we be doing?]


    *I suppose... but I wan to give Sylvie a big hug, listen to the sounds of Callisto making breakfast and feel the infectious joy Vivian gives off. Just for a bit. It’s not like we’re getting no rest, and I’m sure in this town we’ll have a ce to stay while we wait... but a day to see everyone would be nice. Though... hmm... system? Is it possible to temporarily duck out of a mission?*


    .....


    User Kat is informed that exceptions can be made, but does not qualify for any of these exceptions.


    *Welp. That wasn’t very helpful at all.*


    [I’m not sure what else you really expected. It’s certainly possible, but certainly not something D.E.M.O.N.S would want to be a regr thing. Especially when they are already so stingy with the messaging times. I imagine the breaks are probably exceptions for pregnant people, or maybe recently pregnant? Perhaps exceptions for the males as well?]


    *I don’t like the fact that you’re right... but you’re probably right. Ugh... fine whatever. I guess I can look forward to having a big break when we’re done with this mission though. I wonder if I’ll just get a week off or longer?*


    [No idea] With Lily confirming Kat’s own thoughts there wasn’t much else to think on for the moment, as they were approaching the gate. It looked exceptionally superfluous. Not only was itpletely ineffective against a cultivator, considering the wall was only about the height of a small house, it was also clearly a bit old. This wasn’t proved by the weathering on the bricks, but by the fact that if you looked to the left where the water was, you could see a section of the wall just ended. There was a dinky little wooden fence, and there was also a guard watching from the top of the wall... but it was an easily exploited opening.


    “Halt. State your business!” said one of the two guardsmen at the gate.


    *Really? What could it possibly be? Perhaps we’re trying to get rid of the giant snake head?* Despite Kat’s inner snark, Xiang wanted to answer them properly. “We are travelling cultivators looking to offload the head of this in beast. It is Rank 3, and killed by our own hands,” Kat could suddenly feel a number of eyes on their party at those words. “Ideally, we will be dropping it off at the Auction House, but that is not our only option of course,”


    The guard nodded in understanding, “I see. In that case are you prepared to pay the fee for entering our fine city?” *I’m sorry what? There’s a fee to get in?*


    Xiang’s mouth twitched downward for a split second before his face returned to a more respectful looking one, “While we do have coin for such expenses good sir, can you inform me as to what we are being charged for?”


    “Of course Master Cultivator,” though the way the guardsmen said it made it feel a lot more like ‘young brat’ “you are attempting to sell your wares here in our glorious city and as such you must be taxed upon entering. With such arge beast, I’m sure you’ll make quite a bit of coin,”


    Xiang couldn’t help it this time, his face set into a frown. “Yet I wish not to sell this piece, but auction it. You mean to say there is a tax on such things? On top of the charge the auction house takes of course?”


    The guardsmen was starting to shift slightly, under Xiang’s gaze. Clearly not veryfortable with all the follow up questions. *Lily, any idea if this is a real tax? I mean... Xiang seems to be trying to find that out... and the guard doesn’t lookfortable... but that’s probably because he’s just a guard right? And what we’re carrying is a Rank 3 beast right?*


    [That seems to be what I’m reading between the lines. I’d guess that either it’s a real tax but the guard doesn’t think he could force the issue but will probably be punished for not getting the tax... or it could be the other way around. He stretched the tax to cover auction items when it really doesn’t. Perhaps something that is a ‘simple’ mistake but if Xiang was an angry cultivator and he got caught... well the city wouldn’t save him.]


    “There is not, if you intend to go to the auction,” Xiang red harder as the guard backtracked, “but you insinuated you may not end up selling at the auction house and if that is the case, I’m afraid I would still need to collect taxes for the passage. There is also of course, a minor charge for entry on top of that, but nothing worth worrying about for cultivators such as yourselves,”


    Xiang tapped his foot a few times as he thought over the statement. It seemed Lily was right, the guard was stretching for a little extra coin. Xiang was debating if he wanted to make a big deal here. It was exceptionally disrespectful, at least in his mind. So it seemed very justified... but at the same time... if he pushed it’d be a big deal. It just wasn’t worth it. “I willmit to the Auction House in that case,”


    “In that case, 3 silver will get you a year long pass into the city,” said the guard.


    Xiang threw the pieces at the guard, perhaps a little to hard as they put a noticeable dent in his armour. The guard didn’t say anything and simply picked up the three, now slightly bend pieces from the ground. Xiang was certain there was a shorter term stay then a year, but he was done with this guard. Standing around much longer would probably lead him to doing something much worse to him.


    The guard nodded shakily after he stood back up and went to grab something from the guard house just behind the wall. The sound of a stamping down three times echoed out before the guard returned and handed them over to the three of us. Kat nced at Xiang who returned with a ‘do you want to do something about this?’ *Lily?*


    [Eh, it’s fine. I doubt they’ll check them anyway.]


    Kat nodded back at Xiang and started forward. As they walked past, the guard had one more thing to stay, “Please stick to the main paths while carrying your... cargo. Any property damage you inflict on the city is your responsibility to pay back,”