"What do you mean I'm human? YOU'RE human!" The man scoffed: "What do you think you were doing?"
"I thought you were some unfortunate prey of that spider - thing."
"Well, not true. SO NOT TRUE!" The man pulled out his right hand and shook his finger at Wu Xiaoming. "I was taken from my place, while I was SLEEPING! That thing couldn't hurt me even if it tried!"
"Okay. Okay." Wu Xiaoming lowered his morningstar, "I'm sorry - since you were all wrapped up, I was just thinking - "
"No, nonono." The man let out a long sigh and raised both his arms in the air: "I'm sorry, I just haven't really slept for a long time. And when you haven't slept, and you got woken up? Man - I've taken bullets in the ass that I would rather take again."
"Okay." Wu Xiaoming tried to control his grin: "So - uh - are you a - a native to this place?"
"Well - when you know this place enough, you'd realize nothing's native here." The man chuckled and stretched and looked around: "But, hey - thank you for pulling me out of the - the webs. I wouldn't be able to break out as easily if it weren't for you."
"Uh - you're welcome?"
The man searched in his pockets, then took out two items, put it inside of a small cloth pouch and threw it to Wu Xiaoming: "Here. A token of gratitude, and my beacon."
Wu Xiaoming caught it. It was another gem, only slightly green, and a small metal plaque with a thin, round piece of - what looked like ruby on it.
"Stomach Jade of Gaki: it was hungry for so long, it has forgotten what satiation feels like. Its last bit of hope, dreams and humanity was forlorn, crystallized around a worthless stone. Increases recovery of stamina and energy."
"****'s Beacon: when he's near, it will glow. Find him and he'll be happy to see you."
"Hey man. You seem like a nice guy. Do you want to buy something?" The man asked, pulling out a small suitcase from behind him, which was practically out of nowhere.
"You - you sell stuff?" Wu Xiaoming asked.
"Yeah. More than stuff, I mean." The man chuckled: "The best merchandise in this entire - forsaken hellhole. Trust me, you won't be able to find this kind of variety and quality anywhere else. Before you ask - I need to say, don't ask me where they come from - you don't wanna know."
"Okay. I see." Wu Xiaoming took a deep breath: "But before we begin, can I ask you some questions?"
"Information's expensive, my good sir." The man shook his head with a cunning smile: "But - since we're having a good day, let's chat over business, huh? How 'bout that?"
"Alright." Wu Xiaoming sighed: "But what kind of currency do you accept?"
"Well, I suppose different people call them differently. But here - " The man, the merchant, smiled and raised his two hands. A glowing red rock appeared in his right palm and a thin, green sliver in his left: "I call it red rock and green jade. But no matter, just look into my suitcase and you'll know the prices. I'm sure you'll find them very reasonable."
But the suitcase wasn't open. Wu Xiaoming hesitated, looking up at the merchant then down at the suitcase.
"Oh, so you're REALLY new here." The merchant chuckled: "Then how did you - never mind, just read it with your mind. You can see certain things with your mind, right? Otherwise why would you be here?"
Wu Xiaoming reached his hand over the suitcase and hovered over. As he pushed his mind to examine the suitcase just like he would any item, a few information panels popped up before his eyes, just like when examining other items. The only difference? There were price tags on their side, some were in red rocks, AKA Spirit Fragments, and others were in green jade, AKA Vision Slivers. Just as one would expect, items costing Vision Slivers were much more powerful and fancy looking.
"How - how did you do this?" Wu Xiaoming couldn't help but ask.
"A simple trick, really." The merchant giggled, fully aware what Wu Xiaoming meant by "do this": "Simply put, this world - it's a world of will, memories, delusions and illusion. When you read things with your mind, you are, in a way, 'seeing' them with your mind, and everything you see is what your mind, spirit, soul or your 'mind's eye', can see at that moment. What I did was just adding a little something in the middle, so you can see what I want you to see."
Wu Xiaoming nodded, but frowned at the very implication of the answer.
The merchant also understood Wu Xiaoming's hesitation in but a second, his smile grew wider: "Of course, that trick is only done thanks to the suitcase. When you decide to buy what you want, I will take it out for you to look closely. I can't just let them out in the open, can I? What happens if a marauder is watching somewhere nearby? You're a smart guy, you'd get it."
Wu Xiaoming nodded again - this made sense, and fitted well into how he understood this realm.
"But - I am a bit curious - where do these things come from?" Wu Xiaoming asked as he scanned through the different items. There were quite a few of them, a pair of socks, a pair of slippers, a bracelet, a pair of earrings, a bronze compass, a pair of metal bracers, more gems of different colors, and - a handgun.
"You know, I just told you I cannot tell you where they come from." The merchant feigned frustration, but immediately laughed: "Don't worry, I know what you mean - a bit of a thinker, are we? The simple answer is they are all projections and reflections of energy. For instance, in the OTHER world, the one you're from, if you have a cherished family heirloom, or a heavily cursed object, they will exist here as well. And people like you, or me, can collect them, use them, and sell them."
"But what happens if that thing breaks here? Or breaks over there?"
"Depends - sometimes they are not affected, sometimes one thing breaks will break another. " The merchant looked into Wu Xiaoming's eyes: "And honest to whatever's holy and powerful, everything I have to offer here has been vetted - it will only break here if you're not careful, nothing will break them otherwise. You have my word."
"Okay." Wu Xiaoming's eyes fixed on the pair of metal bracers - they were really simple, really, and for a price of 4000 Spirit Fragments.
"Crushing Paws Bracers: blessed by enlightened monks, worn by a fierce warrior. Resonates with the will to fight. 'My veins are not dry yet', said their previous owner."
"I'll have these." Wu Xiaoming looked at the merchant.
It was not an easy choice - most other items were either more expensive or did not seem to be very useful. If he was to test by buying a cheaper item, he would need to spend 1250 Spirit Fragments on a very long but fragile looking wooden spear.
"Good choice, good choice." The merchant grinned and reached into the suitcase.
He raised his right palm, concentrated and commanded himself and his inventory to take out 4000 Spirit Fragments. A glowing red orb appeared above his palm.
The exchange went surprisingly well, the merchant even let Wu Xiaoming examine the bracers again before taking the Spirit Fragments - they indeed came with the same description when outside the suitcase.
"If I come into something in the future, can I sell them to you?" Wu Xiaoming put the bracers on and asked - he did not want to expose the fact that he has an invisible inventory system yet.
"Of course. But only if they are of value." The merchant closed the suitcase: "And - I think a smart guy like you would know what that means."
"Yes - but - " Wu Xiaoming hesitated: "What makes these items valuable?"
The merchant laughed, louder and harder than any other time since Wu Xiaoming met him. He took a brief moment to calm down before answering: "Oh, young man. From all those people who've met me, you're one of the few who asked. Good for you, good for you."
Wu Xiaoming waited, as the merchant rubbed his eyes behind the metal mask.
"Remember, this world's made of will, memories, delusions and other elements of the sort." The merchant straightened his cape and snapped his fingers. A portal appeared right beside him, humming and crackling: "The energy within can be pure, mundane or simply chaotic. For people like us, only the pure and orderly can be seen, understood and used. And the stronger the energy, the more valuable it is to me. Now - I have somewhere else to be, take care, young man. We'll meet again. And when we do, do make sure to bring lots and lots of rocks with you!" Then, not even leaving Wu Xiaoming a second to ask a follow-up question, he jumped into the portal, which closed promptly.
"Well." Wu Xiaoming scratched his jaw - his hands became slightly heavier from the metal bracers, he was simply not used to the new weight at first: "Thanks - I guess."
He wanted to ask about the other people this merchant had met before. Though from the conversation and the man's attitude, he probably wouldn't get a clear answer either way. The most important thing right now was that he knew, this place was not exclusive to him. And if he could find someone who could enter this realm, and was also present in the physical realm, he would probably ask them these questions.