The four also seemed eager to return and help with the treatment, so after exchanging contact information with Li Chonglou, they left in a hurry.
At the stall, only Li Chonglou and the boss remained.
The boss appeared to be in his late forties or early fifties, but unlike the previous man, his eyes held more shrewdness, and his mental state was clearly much better.
"Kid, you're new to the underground world, aren't you?"
The boss suddenly spoke, and Li Chonglou was taken aback.
"Why do you say that?"
"In this day and age, good-hearted people like you are rare."
The boss smiled, but anyone could tell that "good-hearted person" wasn't a compliment; it carried a hint of disdain.
Li Chonglou felt a sense of understanding and smiled, "It seems you have something to say, boss. Why not be direct?"
The boss shook his head, "You're overthinking it. I have nothing to say, just a reminder: being good-hearted in the underground world comes at a different price than outside."
Li Chonglou's interest was piqued. He had noticed from the start that the boss was different from other merchants. If he were purely profit-driven, he wouldn't have left the green pills for the four. Yet, if he were about sentiment, he wouldn't have refused to lower the price of a blood crystal, even when they mentioned lives were at stake.
Such an interesting person was a rare find.
So Li Chonglou said directly, "To be honest, I'm relatively new here and don't understand much about things. Senior, could you tell me about this Rabbit team?"
The boss looked surprised but still shook his head, "Wouldn't it be more convenient to ask the camp's officials if you want to know about these things? I'm just a businessman; I have no interest in educating others."
Li Chonglou smiled and suddenly squatted down, browsing the boss's stall. He finally chose a cheaper brand of healing pill, one he could afford.
It happened to be two pills.
"Boss, please give me one of these?"
Li Chonglou picked up the small bottle and handed his blood crystal to the boss, whose eyes flickered.
"You're quite smart, kid. Good, good."
The boss smiled and took Li Chonglou's blood crystal.
Seeing an opportunity, Li Chonglou pressed on, "I see you're not an ordinary merchant. Can you guide me, a newcomer, today?"
The boss chuckled, "Just two blood crystals, and you think you can buy me out? Kid, you've got quite an appetite."
"Then please tell me about something worth only two blood crystals. I'm new and don't understand much. It's fine even if you don't say anything; think of it as making a friend."
Two blood crystals, not only to buy what he wanted but also to acquire some information, and on top of that, to make a friend. This extreme attempt to get a bargain left the boss somewhat speechless.
However, Li Chonglou's attitude was sincere, and he spoke his mind without any pretense. After a moment's thought, the boss said,
"Since you keep calling me senior and I find you somewhat likable, I'll give you a piece of advice."
"This Rabbit team is in a lot of trouble lately. Your blood crystals might not be recovered. Be prepared."
Li Chonglou's eyes lit up. This was exactly what he wanted to know most.
"Senior, may I ask a question?"
The boss put the blood crystal back into his pocket and glanced around. Although there were many people, there were also many merchants. No one was approaching his stall for the moment.
Since he had nothing else to do, the boss nodded at Li Chonglou.
"What do you want to ask?"
Li Chonglou didn't rush to ask. Instead, he introduced himself, "Hello, senior. You can just call me Xiao Li."
The boss nodded.
Then Li Chonglou said, "I heard them mention the Rabbit team. Does that mean there are other small teams here? Where do they usually earn their blood crystals?"
The boss chuckled, "Xiao Li, that's more than one question."
"Cough, cough."
Seeing Li Chonglou's slight embarrassment, the boss spoke again, "However, these questions are common knowledge. You could ask anyone and get an answer. I'll just chat with you."
"Thank you, senior."
The boss waved his hand and then said, "Actually, I can answer both questions at once. In the underground world, the easiest way to earn blood crystals is to take missions issued by the camp."
"Although they are issued by the camp, they are actually missions from all three factions, with the camp merely providing the platform."
"And in the underground world, unless you believe your strength has reached its peak and you have absolute confidence in your abilities, it's better to join a team."
"The camp's missions are not simple. Hunting 'Heizi' is the most basic. More often, it's about finding various herbs outside the safe zone or developing other areas. Without a team, even a minor injury can force you to retreat."
Li Chonglou nodded. No wonder everyone he saw here was traveling in groups. Even the man who came earlier wanting to buy the green pill had his own team.
Li Chonglou could now see him standing with a few others.
The boss continued, "To put it bluntly, aside from the official forces of the three major factions, most people here exist as teams."
"The Rabbit team is considered a semi-established small team. But as far as I know, they got into a bet and have to venture into a place beyond their combat capabilities. The underground world isn't like the outside; it's uncertain whether they'll even survive."
Hearing this, Li Chonglou finally understood why the boss had been reluctant to yield to the three men earlier. Besides being a merchant, he understood their predicament.
However, for Li Chonglou, one blood crystal was truly insignificant.
He was practically penniless anyway, and he had just spent his only blood crystal. Whether he had one more or one less didn't really affect him.
"Then, senior, can you tell me where would be good to join a team? Is it easy to join? Or should I build my own?"
"Kid, you're an interrogation machine. Do you really think I'm a free answer service?"
Li Chonglou said apologetically, "Senior, I'm sorry, but I genuinely want to know. Can you tell me?"
The boss rolled his eyes slightly.
However, he still answered, "Joining a team isn't difficult. Many teams are often short of people. You can see recruitment posters from teams in the squares of various camps."
"As for which one to join, it depends on personal choice, so I can't say. It's up to your own judgment."
Li Chonglou said directly, "Do you have any recommendations?"
The boss fell silent.
Seeing this, Li Chonglou quickly explained, "I'm just afraid my strength isn't enough, and I'll join a team that's not very particular. I assume those who frequently recruit are those with unstable members, right?"