Apocalypse Gachapon Chapter 2036: Equipment street

The female shop assistant's eyes brightened considerably.

Although Su City served as the primary trade hub for the entire Su Race faction, the combat beast industry, despite its substantial capital requirements and high entry thresholds—effectively barring any race other than the Su Race, thus creating a lucrative, monopolized market—did not guarantee profitability for every establishment, nor did every combat beast find eager buyers.

Firstly, the competition was incredibly intense. Su City hosted close to a thousand combat beast vendors locked in perpetual rivalry over product quality, pricing strategies, customer service, promotional offers, after-sales support, and even the aesthetic appeal of their storefronts. Securing a sale demanded significant exertion and diligent effort.

Within this landscape, certain shops were under the direct patronage of the Su Race's lineage, affording them inherent advantages. Many subordinate races, when in the market for combat beasts, tended to patronize these establishments exclusively. Regrettably, 'Guban' was not among these favored merchants and thus could not secure such lucrative contracts.

Secondly, combat beasts originating from the Traitor Dragon Race experienced sluggish sales. These creatures boasted formidable combat prowess. However, precisely because of this potent strength, they were prone to uncontrollable outbursts. Even when ultimately subdued, such incidents frequently resulted in considerable collateral damage, posing a significant nuisance.

Furthermore, these beasts presented considerable challenges in terms of rearing, demanding specialized dietary needs and particular environmental conditions. Any losses incurred at the shop's breeding facilities, stemming from these difficulties, inevitably had to be factored into the sale price for the consumers. As an illustration, the creature that caught Ye Zhongming's eye had resided in Guban's breeding farm for a duration of seven years. Even with a desire for a swift sale and a reluctance to set an exorbitant price, substantial discounts were unfeasible. The listed price of six hundred thousand Moonspan Gold was already markedly reduced. Even so, without encountering an individual like Ye Zhongming on that particular day, predicting when a sale might materialize was uncertain. This particular transaction allowed the female shop assistant to earn a considerable bonus.

Overjoyed, the female shop assistant proceeded to provide Ye Zhongming with a comprehensive account of everything she knew concerning this particular Traitor Dragon.

"This Traitor Dragon is a rare specimen of the physical enhancement type. While it may not represent the most common elemental classification among Traitor Dragons, its scarcity directly correlates with its exceptionally potent abilities. It exhibits a high degree of resistance against all elemental attributes. Its defining characteristics are its impressive agility and sheer strength. Its teeth and claws are exceptionally sharp, its scales provide formidable protection, and its regenerative capabilities are also outstanding. It can be confidently stated that, at its current level, it possesses few, if any, true equals."

The female shop assistant spoke with remarkable fluency. After a brief interlude, she continued, "Its most significant asset is its inherent potential. As you are aware, it has not yet reached its twentieth year, remaining in its juvenile phase, yet it has already attained level 9. Its performance in last year's Furelai trials surpassed 5,000; this year, it is projected to achieve an even higher score. Its future development prospects are exceptionally bright. Should you succeed in truly bonding with it, it will undoubtedly become an invaluable asset at your disposal."

Ye Zhongming offered a wry smile. Moments prior, she had described it as difficult to raise, and now she lauded its exceptional power. Surely, the more powerful the beast, the more challenging it would be to tame, wouldn't it?

However, Ye Zhongming remained unfazed by this prospect.

Yangos had been notoriously difficult to manage, yet he and Cloud Peak had managed to subdue it into compliance. Even if this creature possessed a challenging temperament, a firm hand and proper discipline should suffice.

As their discussion concluded, He and Qizhen had also finalized their selections of combat beasts.

Ye Zhongming observed their choices; both women had opted for combat beasts priced at fifty thousand Moonspan Gold. Ye Zhongming let out a slight shake of his head. After a thorough review of the types and statistics of the two combat beasts the women had selected, he commenced his own selection process anew. Before long, he had chosen two distinct combat beasts.

Their respective prices: He's selection came in at two hundred twenty thousand; Qizhen's choice was priced at two hundred fifty thousand.

The two women experienced a mixed reaction of amusement and slight vexation, yet deep down, they felt a sense of warmth.

The combat beasts Ye Zhongming had chosen were clearly derived from and essentially enhanced versions of their initial preferences, hence their considerably higher price tags.

For He, he selected a flying combat beast known as the 'Pear Wind Bird'. This creature possessed the ability to imbue its master with 'Wind Power' during combat, thereby augmenting agility. It also carried an offensive capability, 'Hurricane Peck', which could be employed to strike adversaries when necessary.

Upon reaching maturity, its physical form could temporarily expand, allowing its master to ride upon it for brief periods. In this enlarged state, it could also emit a dazzling light capable of mending its master's injuries.

Qizhen's chosen companion was purely designed for support: an 'Assist-Carrying Honorable'. This particular combat beast was remarkably docile; it would not exhibit any resistance, even if subjected to mistreatment or harm by its master. Its sole ability was to continuously channel its own internal energy, making it available for the master's use as needed.

Subsequent research indicated that the energy provided by the Assist-Carrying Honorable offered minimal benefit in direct combat due to its limited overall capacity. However, its utility proved valuable in manufacturing endeavors, serving as a supplementary energy source and even enhancing the success rate of refinement processes.

This sudden discovery elevated the Assist-Carrying Honorable from a common item to one of great demand, naturally causing its price to escalate.

Nevertheless, the added value this life form provided was truly commensurate with its cost.

After receiving thanks from the two individuals, Ye Zhongming completed the payment. The female attendant then presented him with a chip card, instructing him to place it on his terminal to establish him as a VIP customer of Guban.

In this brief period, Ye Zhongming had expended over a million Moonspan Gold and requested they inform him if more Traitor Dragon combat beasts became available. Naturally, the contact information he provided belonged to Jie Su's assistant. It would indeed be peculiar if such a significant customer wasn't accorded VIP status.

Following the arrangement of a time and location for collecting the combat beasts, the group departed and soon reached the commercial district specializing in equipment. This area was evidently more bustling than the previous street, with a greater throng of people. Shops were arranged in succession, exhibiting clear specialization, such as those focused on weapons, armor, or accessories.

Comprehensive stores were also present, undoubtedly representing the major merchants, their premises spanning several, and in some cases over ten, times the size of smaller establishments.

Among these, Ye Zhongming was surprised to find shops exclusively offering equipment crafted by the Taros Red Dwarves.

"The Taros Red Dwarves maintain a neutral stance. To put it simply, their relationship with our Su Race is quite amiable, affording us greater access to their crafted equipment. Annually, our clan procures a set quantity. You are aware that our demand for equipment is limited on one hand, and on the other, we primarily require items for protection and enhancement. Consequently, any surplus is offered for sale here. It's not that defensive equipment is entirely absent; it's simply less common," the assistant explained with understanding.

Ye Zhongming nodded. The primary strengths of the Taros Red Dwarves stemmed from their combat prowess and manufacturing skills, but also from their considerable wealth. Their Moonspan Gold was largely derived from equipment sales, necessitating established sales channels. The Su Race undoubtedly served as their most significant client, shielding the Taros Red Dwarves from potential repercussions. Selling large quantities to the Reina Star people or the Huo'er Star people might not have offered the same security.

Ye Zhongming glanced outward but opted not to enter the shops for the moment, choosing to visit others first.

His intention was to save these particular establishments for last, anticipating the possibility of uncovering some unexpected treasures.