Chapter 31: The Third Building

Duan He returned to Blackstone with a cart full of timber.

Lin Yuan noticed him shortly after breakfast.

The beast-material trader stood beside Qiao’s General Goods, looking over the open land farther east. Two workers waited near the cart.

When Duan He saw Lin Yuan leave the tavern, he raised a hand.

"Owner Lin."

Lin Yuan crossed the road.

"You came prepared."

"I didn’t want to make two trips."

Duan He looked much the same as Lin Yuan remembered—plain traveling robes, two storage bags at his belt, and the practical expression of someone who had already calculated whether the trip was worth making.

He pointed east.

"Still renting land?"

"Depends what you’re building."

"A shop."

"What kind?"

"Beast materials."

Lin Yuan looked at the cart.

Duan He continued.

"I buy hides, horns, claws, bones, medicinal parts. Beast cores when they’re worth taking. I resell what I can and transport the rest to larger markets."

"Live beasts?"

"No."

"Good."

"Too much trouble."

Lin Yuan agreed.

"Storage?"

"A small shed behind the shop."

"Anything likely to smell?"

Duan He paused.

"Sometimes."

"Build farther east."

"Reasonable."

They walked beyond Qiao’s shop.

There was plenty of open land along the road. Lin Yuan chose a plot far enough from the tavern that stored materials wouldn’t bother his guests while remaining close enough for travelers to reach easily.

Duan He walked around the area once.

"This works."

"You’re responsible for construction and maintenance."

"Expected."

"Keep everything inside the plot."

"Fine."

"And don’t leave beast remains outside."

Duan He looked offended.

"I run a business."

"So do I."

"Fair."

They discussed rent.

Duan He’s first offer was low.

Lin Yuan refused.

His second was better.

Lin Yuan raised it slightly.

Duan He stared at him.

"You’ve been spending too much time with merchants."

"You’re the merchant."

"Exactly. I recognize the problem."

They eventually settled on a monthly price.

Duan He handed over the first month’s rent.

Lin Yuan stored the spirit stones.

"When can I start?"

Lin Yuan looked at the two workers waiting beside the cart.

"You already did."

Duan He smiled.

"Good."

Construction took less than a week.

The shop was much smaller than Wandering Cloud Tavern, and Duan He had no interest in making it elaborate.

A sturdy wooden building began taking shape beside the road, with a separate storage shed behind it.

By the fourth day, half the outer walls were still unfinished when Duan He placed a temporary board outside.

Beast Materials Bought and Sold

Lin Yuan saw the sign while carrying an empty water jug toward the well.

Two hunters had already stopped in front of it.

One held a rolled hide beneath his arm.

"You’re open?" the hunter asked.

Duan He looked back at the unfinished wall.

"Can you see me?"

"Yes."

"Then I’m open."

The hunter seemed satisfied.

He spread the hide across a temporary wooden table.

Duan He unfolded it and ran his hand over the fur. He checked the underside, then stopped at a long tear near one edge.

"Seven."

The hunter frowned.

"Ten."

Duan He pointed at the tear.

"Seven."

"That’s still a complete hide."

"With a hole."

"Nine."

"Seven."

"Eight."

Duan He looked at him for a moment.

"Eight."

Spirit stones changed hands.

Duan He folded the hide and carried it toward the unfinished shop.

The second hunter was already reaching into his storage bag.

Lin Yuan filled his jug and returned to the tavern.

Apparently, walls were optional.

By the time construction finished, hunters along the road already knew about the new buyer.

A proper sign replaced the temporary board.

Duan He’s Beast Materials

The shop had a wide front counter and a covered inspection area along one side. Larger hides and bones could be examined there without being carried indoors.

The storage shed stood behind the main building.

Duan He’s first customer that morning arrived before noon.

Then another.

A group returning from the west stopped with two hides, several claws, a bundle of bones, and one cracked horn.

Lin Yuan happened to be outside when the negotiation began.

Duan He accepted the hides.

He accepted the claws.

He inspected the bones.

Then he picked up the horn.

"No."

The hunter frowned.

"Why?"

Duan He turned it and pointed at a crack near the base.

"Still usable."

"Then use it."

"I’m selling it."

"And I’m not buying it."

The hunter argued for another minute.

Duan He handed the horn back.

The rest of the materials sold.

The hunter left with the rejected horn returned to his storage bag and a pouch of newly earned spirit stones in his hand.

Instead of heading east, he crossed the road.

He entered Qiao’s General Goods.

A few minutes later, he emerged carrying medicine and two talismans.

Then he walked directly into Wandering Cloud Tavern.

Lin Yuan watched him take a table.

Su Mei approached.

"Food?"

"Whatever’s quick."

"Water?"

"Spirit-Touched."

The hunter placed a spirit stone on the table.

Lin Yuan turned toward the kitchen.

One customer.

Three businesses.

He didn’t need to explain it.

Over the next few days, Duan He’s customers weren’t limited to hunters returning from the west.

One cultivator bought several preserved claws.

Another inspected a beast core for several minutes before leaving without purchasing it.

A traveling medicine maker spent nearly an hour examining bones and dried materials before buying two sealed packages.

A young cultivator arrived looking for a specific type of fang. Duan He didn’t have it, but told him to check again the next time he passed through Blackstone.

The man actually thanked him before leaving.

Lin Yuan didn’t understand what half the materials were used for.

He didn’t need to.

The new shop had also changed the way some hunters traveled.

A group that would normally have continued directly toward Green River City sold most of its load to Duan He and rented two rooms for the night instead.

Another sold only its heavier materials and kept the more valuable pieces.

Duan He didn’t buy everything.

He didn’t always offer the price hunters wanted.

Arguments over value became almost as common as sales.

But people kept stopping.

And the third building beside the road stayed busy.

Several nights after the shop opened, Lin Yuan finished cleaning the kitchen and stepped outside.

The road had quieted.

Qiao’s General Goods was closing.

Duan He’s shop still had one customer.

A hunter stood beneath the light near the side counter while Duan He examined a bundle.

After a short negotiation, several spirit stones changed hands.

A familiar sensation came from the Territory Core.

Lin Yuan paused.

It had been a while since he’d checked the exact number.

He focused.

A faint panel appeared.

Territory Core

Owner: Lin Yuan

Territory: Blackstone Wasteland

Core Level: 2

Spiritual Environment: Faint

Territory Revenue: 307 / 500 Low-Grade Spirit Stones

Lin Yuan’s gaze stopped on the final line.

The last time he’d checked, it had been 221.

He looked toward the road.

Duan He finished the purchase and carried the materials inside.

Across from him, Qiao closed one of his shop doors.

Behind Lin Yuan, voices came from the tavern.

A chair scraped against the floor.

Someone called for another jug of water.

Lin Yuan dismissed the panel.

Footsteps approached.

The hunter who had just sold his materials to Duan He was coming toward the tavern.

He stopped at the entrance.

"Still serving food?"

"Yes."

"Good."

The man stepped inside.

Before Lin Yuan could follow, another pair of hunters stopped in front of Duan He’s shop.

Duan He came back outside.

Then someone inside the tavern called for the owner.

Lin Yuan turned and went back to work.