Chapter 83: You Spend Money Pretty Fast Too
Before long, Chen Fan saw the heavy arrows the woman had mentioned.
The arrows varied in size, but all shared large, weighty heads. The most extreme example had an arrowhead comparable to two or three adult fists stacked together.
"Are these heavy arrowheads made from first-grade primal alloy?" Chen Fan asked.
"Of course not," Zhu Yan replied with an awkward smile. "They're ordinary metal. That 200-pound draw-weight bow on your back would launch these with tremendous force—great for intermediate beasts at close range, though they lack armor-piercing capability."
Chen Fan frowned.
Powerful intermediate beasts required specialized armor-piercing arrows. Heavy arrows excelled in raw impact but struggled against hardened defenses.
Would they work better against humans?
The thought struck him suddenly.
He remembered the bald man Meng Yu had described—the one who'd deflected two arrows from over 300 meters away.
An arrow at its flight's end can't pierce thin silk. Beyond 300 meters, projectiles lost lethal speed. But within 200 meters? Chen Fan doubted anyone could block consecutive shots.
And with heavy arrows?
Blocking meant survival. But could they be blocked?
"How much per arrow?"
Zhu Yan brightened, pointing to a mid-sized specimen. "Steel construction, 400 grams. Perfect for your bow—50 yuan each."
"Fifty?!" Gu Jianghai blurted. "That's outrageous!"
Liu Yong and others nodded vehemently.
"Big brother, these are specialty items from Anshan City," Zhu Yan protested. "We paid premium prices ourselves."
"I'll take three." Chen Fan suppressed a wince.
1,500 yuan halved in moments. Yet both arrow types were necessary—one for immediate use, the other for future hunts.
One intermediate beast kill will recoup this, he consoled himself.
Zhu Yan beamed. "Interested in bows? We carry up to 500-pound draw weights. Custom orders available, though delivery times vary."
Chen Fan's brow furrowed.
"Materials escalate costs," she explained. "Bow bodies are easy, but strings require tendons from intermediate or advanced beasts. Advanced specimens... well, their proximity keeps fortress dwellers awake at night. Hence 500-pound bows cost 2,000 yuan."
"Pricing scale?"
"100-pound: 100 yuan. 200-pound: 200. 300-pound: 300. 400-pound: 800. 500-pound: 2,000. Beyond that? 5,000 yuan minimum, availability uncertain."
Chen Fan marveled inwardly. A single advanced beast must yield dozens of bows. Their value is astronomical.
He glanced at his father. Chen Guodong gritted his teeth. "Xiao Fan, maybe the 400-pound—"
"Next time." Chen Fan's refusal drew relieved sighs from the group.
Zhu Yan shifted tactics. "Since you're hunting intermediate beasts, consider a primal alloy dagger. Regular blades dull quickly."
"Prices?"
"300 yuan for 10 cm with alloy edge. 600 yuan for palm-sized blade with third alloy content. Over 1,000 yuan for full alloy construction."
"The 600-yuan one."
His remaining funds dwindled to under 200 yuan.
"Spearhead upgrade? New alloy combat blades just arrived—"
"No."
"Come again soon!" Zhu Yan waved wistfully as they exited.
On the bustling street, Liu Yong broke the silence. "Damn, that's daylight robbery!"
"Faster than robbing banks," Gu Jianghai agreed. Gu Ze eyed Chen Fan, thinking You spend as fast as you earn.
"Quality tools justify the cost," Chen Fan countered. The group nodded reluctantly.
Liu Yong snapped his fingers. "Weren't you looking for that martial manual peddler?"
"The old stall vendor?" The Gus exchanged vague glances.
"Let's go." Chen Fan fell into step behind Liu Yong.
Translator's Notes:
Special thanks to readers yahui, EggBandit, and ThunderousSilence for support! Your votes and encouragement fuel this journey. Whether we hit the charts or not, onward we go!
