"We're with the Great Wall Legion. I'm Guard Feto, and this is Witch Shana." Feto stepped forward, his voice clear and firm. "We hid in this cave to escape werewolves, and never expected to meet a black market merchant here—guess we're fated. But before we talk business, we might need to team up to face the danger ahead."

"Nah, nah! That's your trouble, not mine! Heh heh heh…" Wilder, the black market merchant, chuckled.

What a selfish jerk! Shana frowned. "Hey! Wolves and humans are mortal enemies! When those beasts burst in, we'll be doomed, but do you think they'll spare you?"

Feto added, "Exactly, friend. Let's discuss how to fight the werewolves together. How many Bubble Puffers do you have?"

"Heh heh heh, you wanna buy Bubble Puffers? We can talk about that. But if you're trying to get something for free, forget it." Wilder walked toward them across the pool's rocky edge. "Us black market merchants hold trade licenses from the Golden Harbor Guild of Unusual Merchants. We have neutral immunity status anywhere—even in this wild frontier, we won't be attacked by monsters. So the werewolves will kill guards and witches, but not black market merchants. Heh heh heh…"

"Is that so? Don't be so sure! Those soulless beasts don't care about immunity when they're killing. I've heard of werewolves slaying black market merchants before." Shana retorted.

"That's just a rare case. Some merchants don't respect their neutrality—they pick sides during human-wolf wars, which is asking for death. Besides, the werewolves who killed those merchants were punished. The Faceless, Golden Harbor's assassin guild, won't let rule-breaking werewolves off the hook." Wilder snickered. "Werewolves are cruel and bloodthirsty, but they're not stupid—otherwise, they wouldn't have fought us humans for a thousand years, right? When the werewolves rush in, I just need to stay strictly neutral, and I'll be fine. Heh heh heh…"

My senior sisters were right! Black market merchants are all selfish scoundrels! Shana snapped, "You said we're both human. How can you stand by and watch werewolves kill your own kind?"

Wilder said, "Why should I help you if you don't pay? How much is sympathy worth? How much is loyalty worth? We're both human, but would you give me a thousand Golden Glow Coins for free?"

"That's not the same thing! You're impossible!" Shana wanted to feed him poison before the werewolves even arrived.

"To me, it's exactly the same. In fact, money is more important than life!"

"You!"

"Alright, alright." Feto quickly grabbed Shana's hand to calm her, then turned to Wilder. "Since you like doing business, let's make a deal. Name your price for helping us."

Wilder grinned. "Heh heh heh, I've got plenty of ways to take down werewolves. One Bubble Puffer can take out two werewolves, but if more come, you'll need to buy more goodies. Bottom line: as long as you have enough money, I'll sell you anything. Heh heh heh…"

Feto said, "I want us to get out safely, and you escort us back to the Great Wall. Can we make that deal?"

Wilder said, "Wilder the black market merchant will take any deal, do any business. But this one'll cost you a pretty penny. Heh heh heh…"

"Name your price!" Feto said.

"Flat rate: fifty thousand Golden Glow Coins!"

"Fifty thousand?" Shana's eyes widened in shock. "That's daylight robbery!"

How dare he demand such an exorbitant price!

"What? You think that's expensive? A witch's life, a guard's life, plus the important military intel you're carrying back to the Great Wall. Fifty thousand is a steal!"

"Military intel…" Shana stared at him, stunned. "You…"

"If you weren't carrying critical intel, why would the werewolves keep chasing you? Wolf King Will has enough problems—do you think he'd waste time on random humans?" Wilder chuckled.

How does a black market merchant know so much? He knows everything… Just then, footsteps echoed near the cave entrance. Shana's face paled—werewolves had found them! She exchanged a glance with Feto, who nodded, as if making up his mind.

"Deal!" Feto said.

"Good! That's the spirit of a Great Wall Legion soldier!" Wilder held out a surprisingly smooth palm. "Pay up!"

He's so burly, but his hands are so delicate. Shana stared at his hand, slightly confused.

"Friend, you first escort us back to the Great Wall, then we'll pay you the reward." Feto said.

Wilder shook his head. "No, that's against the rules. You have to pay first."

"We can only pay once we're back at the Great Wall." Feto insisted.

Wilder frowned. "Fine, let's meet halfway. Pay twenty-five thousand now—half the reward—and the other half after we complete the task."

"We don't have cash on us. We can only pay once we return to the Great Wall." Feto said.

"What? So you're broke?" Wilder rolled his eyes and pulled his hand back. "Then why are we even talking? You're wasting my time!"

"No, I mean it. As long as you get us back safely, we'll pay the full fifty thousand, no lies. I swear on the honor of the Great Wall Legion and the Golden Divine Humans."

"Nah, you're not the Grand Commander—you can't speak for the Legion. And Golden Divine Human honor only guarantees deals under a thousand coins. This is way too big for your honor to cover. I've already compromised. If you can't pay half now, the deal's off."

Shana watched coldly, seething at the merchant's arrogance. What's so great about a black market merchant? I'm a versatile genius magical maiden, and Feto's a golden guard. If we can't fight our way out, I don't believe you have some amazing trick to get us back!

Shana snapped, "Deal's off then! Trying to take advantage of our crisis? Bah! You're not even worth a hundred coins!" She gripped her poison vial, crouched behind a boulder by the waterfall, and waved at Feto. "Come cover me! We'll fight our way out with our own strength! Werewolves are nothing! Any beast that comes through that waterfall gets a face full of poison!"

"Let's do this!" Feto shot Wilder a glare and stood beside the witch.

The two divine humans took battle stances, leaving the black market merchant looking awkward. Wilder scratched the back of his head and laughed nervously. "Hey! You're really gonna fight them on your own? From the footsteps, there are at least a dozen werewolves nearby! And the leader is Wolfe the Adamantine Wolf, the mightiest warrior of the wolf clan! You can't beat him!"

How does he know that! If the Adamantine Wolf is here, we really can't win… Shana's heart sank, but she refused to show weakness to Wilder. "So what? We'll fight to the end. Even if we're killed by werewolves, it's none of your business! Just stand there and watch!"