Chapter 135 Chapter 136 Good Luck
The three young girls smiled brightly, while Ji Ma found it amusing and said, “I didn’t know until you mentioned it. Is there only one girl selling flowers in the whole city?”
The noble female apprentice was momentarily stunned.
Ji Ma said, “Thanks.”
“Ha, it doesn’t matter; your medicine is useless anyway.”
Ignoring the noble female apprentice, Ji Ma noted in her personal system: “According to the information, the money luck potion increases the chances of making money.”
So, to earn a fortune, one must not only give fate a reason to send money but also be in a wealthy environment.
Ji Ma asked a passerby for directions to the market area and headed straight for the commercial district.
Unlike the orderly streets of White City, the streets of Marlin City were bustling, with animals, people, and carts mixed together, unlike the separation in White City. However, Marlin City was livelier, its commodity economy more developed and vibrant.
Ji Ma passed through a section lined with stalls and entered the market area. The noise hit her like a wave, and Ji Ma covered her ears, complaining:
“I thought the road with stalls was already noisy enough.”
The market in Marlin City was much more lively than that in White City. In front of a small shop with a sign showing a “Lizard Hatched from an Egg” design, a man with brown skin and a tall headscarf shouted:
“Sell baby dragons! Sell baby dragons!”
Ji Ma turned her gaze toward the voice, and the man in the headscarf smiled at her, proudly tugging on a golden chain in his hand. A palm-sized green baby dragon flapped its wings, tilted its head, and spat a plume of black smoke flame at the man, singeing his eyebrows.
The man in the headscarf smiled at Ji Ma and said:
“This beautiful lady, look at this dragon, so full of energy. When it grows up, it must become a good dragon to protect you. Only a knight who can defeat dragons is worthy of marrying you, so you won’t have to deal with a bunch of suitors.”
Forget it; I don’t want to marry some dragon-slaying pervert.
Ji Ma stepped forward to ask:
“Is this a real dragon?”
A genuine dragon being sold in such a noisy market?
“Absolutely, just like the legends say.” The man in the headscarf replied, “It was found in the jungles of a distant continent. Adventurers couldn’t hatch the dragon egg, so they sold it to me cheaply. I used ancestral secret methods to hatch it.”
Ji Ma carefully examined the green dragon, which hissed at her.
“Is it a green dragon?”
“You really have an eye for this.”
Ji Ma indeed had a keen eye; she had been in this other world for centuries, having seen many rare and exotic species, including green dragons.
The “green dragon” before her lacked the characteristic crown of a green dragon, and its breath was not the toxic mist with a chlorine smell but fire. It was most likely a scam.
She had seen similar frauds where some extraordinary beings pieced together small animals to create “rare species” to deceive unsuspecting buyers.
“You are right.” Ji Ma said, glancing at the noble female apprentice nearby, contemplating whether to con her, thinking she had stumbled upon an opportunity.
But thinking it over, without any profit for herself, there was no need to provide a dowry for the swindler, so she turned to leave.
“Miss, since you look so much like my sister, I’ll give you a 20% discount, no, a 10% discount!”
After ten minutes of walking through the bustling streets, the road finally widened. Horse-drawn carriages came and went, jolting over the uneven stone road.
The noble female apprentice, holding flowers, said to Ji Ma:
“Don’t you have money to buy flowers? I’m in a good mood. If you ask me nicely, I’ll lend you some money to buy flowers, how about that?”
As soon as she finished speaking, a carriage passed by, and with a thud, a reins snapped as startled horses lost control, the carriage trampled onto the sidewalk, heading straight for the four girls.
The female attendant and the noble female apprentice dropped the flowers in fright as the carriage brushed past them. Ji Ma reacted swiftly, stepping back a few paces to avoid the carriage.
The wheels rolled past her, crashing through the puddles on the sidewalk, dirty water splashed, and Ji Ma sidestepped, perfectly avoiding it. The driver pulled the reins, and the two fine horses reared up, finally stopping.
The noble female apprentice didn’t react as quickly; she got splashed with dirty water, and the flowers in her hand fell to the ground, frozen in shock.
Ji Ma observed the path of the carriage and realized that if she were just an ordinary person, she would likely have lost a leg. Looking at the carriage again, its walls were snow-white, adorned with golden decorations, it looked quite wealthy.
This time, the opportunity to make money was the compensation for a broken leg, and the cost was too high. As expected, doubling the material also magnified the negative effects.
The carriage door opened, and a young master in white stepped down. He wore a golden mask covering the upper half of his face, revealing a handsome lower face that made countless young girls fantasize about what he looked like without the mask.
He wore the most fashionable white tight pants in high society, with a brooch on his chest. The brooch, decorated with shining white diamonds, formed a rose.
Just as the noble female apprentice was regaining her senses and wiping her face with a handkerchief, she stormed over, ready to ask for an explanation. Upon seeing the young master in white, she froze in place, her expression of accusation disappearing, replaced by joy as she asked:
“Lord Is, is that you?”
He shifted his gaze from Ji Ma’s face, spoke pleasantly, “I apologize; my horse frightened you. I will ensure you receive satisfactory compensation.”
“It’s fine; just invite me to admire your estate, and that will be enough.”
“Alright.” Is said, glancing at the dirty water on the noble female apprentice’s dress, frowning and saying, “I can’t let three ladies go back all dirty like this. If you don’t mind, please ride in my carriage to my humble abode. My servants will prepare a hot bath for you.”
With that, he turned to a male servant behind him and said, “Did you hear that?”
The male servant nodded, “Understood, master.”
The noble female apprentice’s face flushed with happiness. The Is family was the wealthiest noble family in Marlin City. Decades ago, it was his family that led representatives from Marlin City to purchase independence from the empire’s emperor.
Although other electoral candidates didn’t quite agree.
Being able to share a carriage with the well-known charming aristocrat was enough for the noble female apprentice to boast in her circle of friends. She promptly set aside her grievances with Ji Ma.
Ji Ma, estimating the other party’s financial capacity, was pondering how to extort a suitable amount.
Is looked at her and winked his bright purple eyes, saying, “Miss, I’m sorry for dirtying your lovely flowers; they look heart-wrenching.”
He then took off the precious brooch from his chest and handed it to Ji Ma, saying, “I hope this unremarkable brooch can compensate for your sorrow.”
The noble female apprentice immediately chimed in, “But I bought those flowers!”
“Right, I didn’t buy the flowers.”
Is smiled and said, “I almost let Marlin City’s second most beautiful flower wither just now; that would be a great sin. I hope this trivial brooch can bring a smile to your face.”
The noble female apprentice glared at Ji Ma with jealousy.
Ji Ma asked a rather deflating question, “How much is it worth?”
The noble female apprentice couldn’t help but laugh; she was indeed a materialistic girl.
“I don’t know either,” Is said, “You must have just arrived in Marlin City, right?”
“Yes.”
“I’m familiar with the commercial district and know of a pawn shop with reasonable prices. Shall I take you there?”
Ji Ma took the diamond brooch and said, “Sure.”
“Conveniently, the carriage can only carry four people.” Is said and instructed his servant, “Take them back, I’ll accompany her.”
“Yes, master.”
Ji Ma looked at the noble female apprentice, relishing the jealousy in her eyes, and said, “Thank you for the flowers.”
“You!”
The noble female apprentice gritted her teeth, lifted her dirty skirt, and forcefully stepped onto the carriage.
The carriage carried the four away.
After watching the carriage drive off, the charming young master of Marlin City was just about to make a move to capture Ji Ma when he turned to her and said, “May I have the honor of knowing your name?”
But he only saw Ji Ma’s back.
Ji Ma approached a passerby and asked, “Hello, may I ask where the nearest pawn shop is?”
“Walk ahead, turn left, the third one is it.”
“Thank you.”
With that, Ji Ma completely ignored the most famous charming young master of Marlin City behind her and walked away.
This actually ignited Is’s desire to conquer her. He quickly walked beside Ji Ma, saying, “If you need money urgently, you can come home with me to get it; I don’t carry that much cash.”
“No need.”
“Marlin City has everything—high-end decorations, rare exotic beasts from the New World, even dark elves’ crossbows—everything you could want. If you need a fun tour guide…”
Is listed off various high-end entertainment spots, trying to guess Ji Ma’s preferences.
But Ji Ma didn’t care at all for Is’s mentioned high-end attractions. Flying as a seagull, taking a boat out to sea, or opera banquets or whatever.
Is could never guess that Ji Ma was only interested in brothels.
They entered the pawn shop, and a listless clerk was slumped over the counter. Ji Ma pointed to Is with her thumb and asked, “Do you know him?”
The clerk perked up immediately at the sight of Is, raising his spirit, “Lord Is, good…afternoon! What brings you here?”
Is said, “Relax, I’m not here for inspection.”
Ji Ma displayed the brooch and said, “This is his; I’m taking it. How much?”
The clerk hesitated and looked at Is, saying:
“Lord Is, what do you say?”
Ji Ma asked, “Is this your shop?”
“Yes, it’s my family’s.”
“What a coincidence.”
“Not really; it’s this entire street.”
Is laughed and told the clerk, “Don’t mind, the brooch now belongs to her; please offer a price that suits my standing.”
The clerk examined the brooch and called in the shop’s appraiser, who finally quoted a price of 1,300 gold coins.
Ji Ma only needed cash, putting nearly ten kilograms of gold coins in a box and pushing it toward Ji Ma. Ji Ma opened the lid, plunged her hand into the box full of gold coins, unabashedly indulging in her greed.
Is asked, “Do you need someone to help you carry the gold coins?”
“No need.” Ji Ma closed the box, before Is’s eyes took out a brown dimensional space bag, stuffed the box inside, saying, “Just fits in there.”
This move was to prevent Is from becoming angry if he failed to woo her and revealing that her background was not simple.
Is smiled and said, “Woman, you intrigue me.”
“I have a fiancé.” Ji Ma lied without hesitation, using George as a shield to create trouble for him, “His name is George; he’s a brave from the Holy Hall. Last month, he just slew a dragon. I spent an unforgettable night with him in the forest.”
The smile on Is’s face stiffened.
“Goodbye, thanks for the money; sorry, us Holy Hall folks speak frankly.”
Ji Ma waved at him and turned to leave.
Is did not pursue her, and Ji Ma felt quite satisfied. She planned to buy something nice to reward herself.
