Adventurer, did you revive today by watching the ads too?

"Hey, who's this guy?" Tia whispered. "You really got your butt burned by a cigarette butt, huh?"

"Get out of here! If you say that again, I'll burn your scrotum with a cigarette butt!"

After scolding Tia Ge, Hua Zhen immediately changed her expression and greeted her with a smile.

"Miss Mavis, I will pay back the debt next week, no delays whatsoever!"

"Oh," the catgirl's face clearly showed a look of regret, "What a pity, I think your butt shape is quite nice, when will I be able to use it?"

"Why are you always eyeing my butt..." Hua Zhen said speechlessly, "I'm here to buy bouncy bombs, do you still have any in stock?"

"That's all."

"what?"

“Someone gave me a really nice ashtray the other day,” Mavis’s ears bobbed merrily. “He offered to trade it for a bouncy bomb, so we did.”

"Huh?" Hua Zhen was stunned. "It's just an ashtray, how can you replace it?"

"Anyway, nobody usually buys them, and they're just sitting there where they'll explode and the contents will easily deteriorate and become ineffective, so why not replace them?" At this point, Mavis closed her eyes and smiled. "That ashtray is actually quite nice; the first person to make an ashtray in the shape of a breast was a genius!"

"A big-breasted ashtray?" Tia asked, her eyes glazed over.

“That’s right,” Mavis nodded, exhaling a smoke ring. “It’s the same model as the dairy cows’ model. You can tap off the ash from the top, and the two holes on the front are for cigarettes. You can stick them in and it automatically extinguishes the cigarette. You can take it out, light it again, and continue smoking. Pretty convenient, right?”

"So...it's completely out of stock?"

As Hua Zhen spoke, she pulled Karula back from trying to grab the smoke ring and covered her nose.

Today was a really bad start.

Not only are the armor pieces expensive, but the buggy bombs are also out of stock.

This curse really brings bad luck!

If I ever see the Cursed Eye again, I'm definitely going to blast its eyeballs out!

"Yes, we're completely out of stock. But if you need aphrodisiacs or stamina boosters, I do have some left."

"That's useless," Hua Zhen chuckled, "Besides, the quality of your potions isn't much better..."

"I can make them now, consider it an order," Mavis stubbed out her cigarette on the nearby trash can. "How many do you want? Just so you know, considering your financial situation, you'll have to pay in full upfront."

"Four, I guess... Can you finish them before this evening?" Hua Zhen asked.

"Great, the order that just came in is now canceled," Mavis said. "Four a day? Do you think I'm a donkey? Normally, I can't keep up with one a day, otherwise my lungs will itch."

"That's because you smoke too much," Hua Zhen said. "Quit smoking!"

"Life is so painful, what's the point if you have to give up even those bad habits?" Mavis pulled out another Gentle Seven Star from her pocket. "Besides, I'm not addicted, why should I quit? I smoke every day and I don't get addicted."

This BYD is beyond saving...

Just when Hua Zhen felt she was about to lose the sense of security that the bouncy bombs provided...

"Although we don't have any in stock, well... do you want a few defective ones?" Mavis asked.

"A defective product?" Hua Zhen was taken aback. "Can it still be used? Won't it explode as soon as I hold it?"

“Of course not,” Mavis said. “I just forgot to put the detonator inside. It will still work normally with the external fuse. There is no risk of it exploding.”

When it came to self-destruction, Hua Zhen and Tia Go's faces fell, while only Karula still seemed to be rummaging through the trash cans like some kind of fool.

"If it's confirmed that the defective product doesn't pose any hidden dangers, then it can be used, right...?"

"Alright, same price as before, 400 solas each, six in total," Mavis said, spreading her hands. "Give me the money, cash on delivery."

"Wait a minute," Hua Zhen blinked, "why are defective products and genuine products priced the same?"

"What's the difference? They both work, don't they?" Mavis blinked. "It's just that the activation method is slightly different; the effect is the same."

"Come on," Tia retorted, "I get a discount when I buy a quilt with a loose thread, why should a defective product be sold at full price?"

Mavis took a drag of her cigarette and remained silent, showing no sign of wanting to pick up the goods.

After a few seconds of silence, she spoke.

"I am an alchemist, and I have absolute confidence in my alchemy," Maviskuku exhaled smoke. "I don't sell products, I sell my technology, Hua Zhen, you should know that, right?"

"Know what?" Hua Zhen was taken aback.

"Bouncing bombs aren't something you can buy for 400 sola. The raw materials alone cost more than that, but I still sold it to you because you're one of the few people who appreciate my alchemy." Mavis's voice was hoarse. "If you don't believe me, go to the equipment shop and see how much those magical or alchemical bombs cost."

Even Tia fell silent this time.

While looking at armor, she also browsed other adventurer supplies.

Dangerous explosives such as magic bombs and alchemical sulfur bombs are subject to very high restrictions on sale. First, they must be registered with the adventurer's personal identification card, and second, a magical connection must be established to ensure that the Public Security Bureau can accurately locate the perpetrator after an incident.

Most importantly, they are very expensive.

A single Alchemy Sulfur Bomb can sell for 1500 Sola, which is almost half a month's salary for an average person, and it's not even as powerful as a Bouncing Bomb.

From this perspective, it seems that Mavis is indeed offering a very low price for Huazhen.

This deal will have to cost a lot of money...

Four bouncing bombs cost 1600 Sola.

For them now, 1600 Sola is indeed not a small amount.

Keep in mind that a typical goblin extermination commission only costs 800-1000 sola, and after taxes, several dozen more are deducted. To earn 1600 sola, you'd have to kill at least two goblin nests. Besides that, you also have to factor in weapon wear and tear, food consumption, travel expenses, and other miscellaneous costs...

"I admit you're right," Hua Zhen said. "I'm already incredibly grateful that you sold me the bouncy bomb at that price."

"Hmm~" Mavis raised her chin slightly.

"However, since your alchemy technology is presented as a commodity, it doesn't change the fact that they are defective products. You can't deny that, can you?"

"Hmm...that's true." Mavis agreed with Hua Zhen's assessment. "Name your price."

"Name your price, a fixed price, no charge, just give me all the defective products," Hua Zhen said, "plus an ashtray."

"What ashtray?" Mavis squinted.

"My ass..." Hua Zhenzhen exclaimed, "Molded!"

"make a deal!"

Karula was indifferent.

Tia's pupils trembled.

Mavis beamed with joy.

Hua Zhen also got the bomb.

Everyone has a bright future.

"You should have said so earlier. Although it's a mold, I should be able to use the real thing in about a week," Mavis said with a grin. "A 1:1 scale?"

"Okay, but you need to reimburse the molding fee."

"As long as you're not made of gold, reimbursement is no problem for me," Mavis said generously. "When will you give it to me?"

"Next week, the outstanding payments and ashtrays will be delivered together."

Mavis laughed and went to rummage through the pile of junk at the back.

Tia couldn't help but tug at Hua Zhen's sleeve and whispered, "Brother, even if a man is poor, he shouldn't sell his ass!"

"Wrong," Hua Zhen shook her head, "Tia Ge, you're completely wrong."

"Damn it, you have no idea what that woman will do with your mold!" Tia's voice was low and urgent. "What if she doesn't put cigarettes in it, but something else?"

Tiague patiently advised Hua Zhen: "Listen to me, this woman has a very strong presence, she's not the weak type. In my experience, this kind of person is very likely to enjoy playing with desires. You need to be careful, she might put some kind of 'sensory-sharing drug' on you, then you're finished! In the worst case, she might even pour some cement inside!"

"Tia," Hua Zhen sighed, "Do you... think I'm some lowly man?"

"yes."

"That's bullshit! Listen up, I'm not selling my ass, I'm selling art!" Hua Zhen declared righteously, "Men's art, you know?"

"Dude, are you out of your mind?!" Tia exclaimed, her eyes wide. "If your butt is a work of art, then my toe should be engraved on a crown and admired by the world day and night!"

"Lady Godiva on Horseback," "The Bathers of Valpinçon," "The Grand Odalisque," "Sleeping Venus"... these artworks all depict naked women, yet later generations have called them art," Hua Zhen said seriously. "I'm also a man with artistic talent; my sketchbooks have even made it onto the C102 bestseller list. With such artistic potential, how could my shapely buttocks not have the potential to become works of art?"

It seems that a certain keyword triggered Karula and Shiva...

wrong.

Given that this mother and daughter can't even speak human language, it's clear that language can't stimulate them.

But they did look at Hua Zhen's lower body.

He glanced at it, then turned his gaze to Tia.

Karula and Shiva licked their lips at the same time, clearly thinking the latter's was fatter and more satisfying to scoop out.

"Never heard of you, but you're a painter? No wonder you're so good at sculpting slime gel..."

“That’s an artwork from my hometown, it’s normal that you haven’t heard of it,” Hua Zhen said. “Anyway, just as Miss Mavis is selling her alchemy skills, I’m just selling the buttock art I create. As for what bad things she does with this artwork, that only proves that she has bad taste.”

At first glance, Tia thought it made some sense.

But if you think about it carefully, it's already pretty pathetic that someone uses your artwork to rub their cigarette ash, right?

"Most importantly, we don't have to pay anything!" Hua Zhen whispered. "They even reimbursed us for the cost of the slime gel. We're making a pure profit this time."

Damn it, Hua Zhen, all he's saying is that he doesn't want to pay, right?

Tia grimaced, almost getting caught up in his tricks, and really thought it might be some kind of art.

Forget it.

Since the person in question has no objection, I shouldn't continue.

After all, having the bouncing bomb would also benefit oneself.

Hua Zhen silently watched Mavis over the pile of junk.

Mavis was an alchemist he had met two months prior.

She has a very pretty face and is definitely a beautiful girl.

Unfortunately, she was a heavy smoker, as evidenced by the pile of cigarette butts on the trash can next to her.

Hua Zhen felt that if this guy kept smoking like this, he would get lung cancer sooner or later.

Given their casual acquaintance, all they could do was offer verbal advice.

If someone really pushes you too far, they might never sell you anything again.

Hua Zhen didn't know much about her.

The only limitation is that the other party is an alchemist, and an unorthodox one at that.

Although it's unofficial and lacks proper qualifications, the things Mavis makes are quite useful in the explosives field, and so far, it seems to have received zero negative reviews.

Aside from smoking, it seems that collecting ashtrays is the only hobby he has left.

Hua Zhen's bouncy bombs were purchased from her.

Because she didn't have much money, and Mavis herself was quite easy to talk to, Hua Zhen even got some credit from her to ease her financial pressure. However, Tia Go used all the Bouncing Bombs in the Goblin Cave.

In a way, Mavis was the one who helped Hua Zhen embark on the path of an adventurer.

It was a rainy day. Hua Zhen had just bought some discounted food from a nearby convenience store when he saw Mavis tinkering with alchemy equipment in the alley across the street. Driven by curiosity, he went over to take a look and started a conversation with her.

"Wow, that's a customer with a nice, perky butt. Want one?"

"No, this is just an alchemy shop, not a street vendor. Want to take a look at the goods?"

"Don't want to work? Want to become an adventurer?"

"Oh, then you can patronize my business from now on. I'll give you a discount, and the prices will definitely be cheaper than anywhere else, provided you don't worry about my qualifications."

In short, wiring is that simple.

However, it seems that he has now gotten himself involved in the mess.

Although I have enough money to pay off my debts now, I still need to keep some to ensure that I can at least eat and not have to live in the stables.

Not long after.

Mavis returned with the bouncy bomb.

The bouncy bombs have been fitted with fuses, and she is currently making final adjustments.

"By the way... did you use up the ones I gave you last time so quickly?" Mavis advised, a cigarette dangling from her lips. "While it's good that you acknowledge my alchemical explosives, you should also think more about yourself. There will always be situations where you can't use bombs. Honing your skills is the real test."

Not hearing a reply, Mavis raised her head.

She saw the two of them secretly playing with crickets.

"What kind of training... Hua Zhen, don't you think it's a bit creepy? This is definitely a plan to make us stick out our butts so she can use them as ashtrays."

"Sigh, I already said it's art, art."

"If you don't want it..." Mavis stared at the two of them with deadpan eyes, "I'll take it back."

"Yes, yes, I'll take it!" Tia immediately switched to a smiling face. "Thank you so much! I'll definitely urge Hua Zhen to make the ashtrays and deliver them to you as soon as possible!"