Chapter 3474 Are You Stupid?
"Top-quality iron ore! You won't regret buying it-guaranteed value for your money!"noveldrama
"Sir, come take a look at our iron ore! It's absolutely better than theirs!"
"The ore from Tigerforge Alliance was just mined this morning. Check it out, my friend!"
Matthew stepped into the bustling stone market, his eyes scanning the surroundings. The merchants, noticing that Matthew seemed unfamiliar with the market, immediately began shouting to catch his attention.
"No, thank you," Matthew said, shaking his head. He could see through their tricks. They assumed he was a newcomer they could easily swindle by selling inferior or defective ore. This kind of deception was far too common. When Matthew walked deeper into the market without stopping, the merchants instantly realized he wasn't the easy mark they'd hoped for.
"D*mn it, wasted all that saliva for nothing," grumbled a burly man from the Tigerforge Alliance, spitting on the ground in frustration.
"Boss, look at that guy. He's all alone. Should we maybe..." The man's lackey's eyes lit up as he whispered to his boss.
"Maybe' my ass! Shut your d*mn mouth!" The boss smacked the lackey on the head. "Do you even know where you are? This is the stone market! Anyone who can walk in here alone is no pushover. You think those guys out front are amateurs?"
The boss cast a wary glance at Matthew's retreating figure. Someone this well-dressed, walking around so boldly in the West Montiria Islands? That screamed trouble. If they messed with him, they'd probably end up as corpses sold off by human traffickers the next day.
Walking through the stone market,
Matthew examined the piles of ore on either side of the road. Although he wasn't formally trained in ore appraisal, his sharp eyes allowed him to
to discern quality at a glance. On the left, a pile of iron ore appeared clean on the surface, but something seemed off about it. The impurities were likely hidden deep within, making it unusable once smelted.
As Matthew ventured further, the piles of ore grew sparser. The more powerful and reputable merchants didn't leave their stock out in the open. Large, conspicuous piles were usually low-quality ore meant to attract attention. True top-grade ore was treated like a treasure and kept hidden away.
"Third to last shop..." Matthew muttered, his gaze sweeping over the storefronts. Finally, his eyes landed on one that stood out.
"Lopez Mining Group... this must be the place," he mused, gazing at the lavishly decorated shop-rare for the West Montiria Islands-recalling Bram's advice.
"If you're unsure, just look for the shop with the fanciest decor. That'll be Angus'."
With purposeful strides, Matthew entered the Lopez Mining Group.
"Welcome, sir! How may I assist you today?" A woman dressed in a red bodycon, her figure accentuated by the tight fit, approached him with a charming smile, her high heels clicking on the floor. "I'm here to see Mr. Angus Lopez," Matthew said plainly.
The woman's sultry gaze faltered for
a split second, though her smile remained intact. Stepping closer, she spoke softly, "Sir, requesting to see the boss right away puts me in a tough spot. If I disturb him without
MS
reason, I'll surely be punished."
Matthew stepped back slightly, silently pulled out the sealed letter, and handed it to her. "Give this to Mr. Lopez for me."