Old Master Shi's expression darkened instantly, the faint trace of warmth from before vanishing completely. His gaze sharpened as he looked at Lin Yuan, as if weighing something unspoken behind his eyes.
"Authority dogs don't visit without a reason. Harbor Authority only bullies two kinds of people—successful merchants and quiet ones."
Lin Yuan let out a short breath, his tone calm but edged with quiet resignation. "I'm hardly successful."
"You're both."
The old smith glared half-heartedly, though the fatigue in his face made it lack real force. He shifted slightly on the stool, the bandages around his arms creasing as he moved.
"And you're too polite. That makes you look weak. Carnivores love sheep."
Lin Yuan frowned slightly, his gaze steady. "I'm not trying to look like anything. I just want the shop to run cleanly."
"A clean shop," Old Master Shi grumbled, shaking his head with clear disbelief. "In Azure Harbor? Might as well wish the sea to stop being salty."
He coughed again, longer this time, his shoulders tensing as the sound echoed in the quiet workshop. The weakness in his body showed clearly, no matter how much he tried to ignore it.
Lin Yuan set the tonic on the bench beside him, his movements careful and deliberate. "Uncle Shi… have you eaten today?"
"Bah." The smith waved him off impatiently, though the gesture lacked strength. "Don't mother me. I've been working on something important."
His rough fingers rummaged through a nearby drawer, pushing aside scattered tools before pulling something out. What he revealed was a thin strip of metal, its shape and length immediately familiar.
Lin Yuan's eyes flickered slightly as he leaned in to inspect it. "…This isn't one of mine or yours."
"Some idiot out there is copying our design," Old Master Shi growled, his tone filled with irritation. "Interior's different, weight balance is trash, but from a glance? Looks close enough to fool half the fishermen on the Tide Line."
Lin Yuan's expression shifted subtly, a trace of concern surfacing beneath his calm. "…Who is doing this?"
Old Master Shi shook his head, his brows furrowing deeply. "No idea—and that's the worst part. Could be anyone: scrap forgers, a small workshop hungry for coin, maybe even some merchant testing the market."
He exhaled slowly, his voice dropping. "The harbor's full of scavengers. You put out something good, and ten hands will reach to steal it."
Lin Yuan's eyes flickered with restrained annoyance. "I'll look into it. See who's behind this and deal with it before it becomes a problem."
Old Master Shi lowered the metal strip and wiped his hands on his apron, the motion slow but practiced. His expression remained serious, as if something else still weighed on his mind.
"There's another piece of bad news."
Lin Yuan stilled slightly, a faint tension settling into his posture. "What now?"
"The metal prices surged again this morning." Old Master Shi leaned back with a grimace. "And not the normal day-to-day fluctuation. This time, it jumped nearly thirty percent."
Lin Yuan frowned, the number clearly bothering him. "Thirty? That's too much for a single morning."
"That's exactly the problem," Old Master Shi muttered. "I talked to three smiths before noon. Every one of them said the same thing: the Craftsmen Guild is tightening its grip on the supply lines."
He paused briefly, his expression darkening. "They're claiming shortages, but we all know their warehouses are full."
Lin Yuan felt irritation creeping in, though his face remained composed. "Why now? There hasn't been a storm or sea beast attack…"
Old Master Shi nodded. "That's why we're suspicious. It isn't a natural rise. It's pressure. Deliberate pressure."
Lin Yuan leaned against the workbench, his thoughts moving quickly. "If the Guild wants higher prices, it affects everyone at the bottom first."
He exhaled slowly, his tone heavier now. "People around here are already struggling to afford ingots, and with that whole Stone Street incident, things are just getting worse…"
Old Master Shi's eyes narrowed. "That's exactly why it worries me. Someone is trying to squeeze the Tide Line from the bottom up."
Lin Yuan fell silent, weighing the situation carefully. The workshop felt smaller in that moment.
"We should stop producing new spears. I'll declare my inventory empty and make it clear that anything else isn't mine."
"That's a strategic move." Old Master Shi nodded slowly.
Lin Yuan continued without pause. "I'll also stop selling the Cold Restoration Pills."
"What?" Old Master Shi's eyes widened. "Isn't that like cutting off your own hands?"
Lin Yuan shook his head slightly, his expression tightening. "You don't understand, do you? Someone is targeting me specifically."
"Even if I'm not the main target, I'm definitely one of them."
Old Master Shi did not respond immediately. He studied Lin Yuan for a long moment, then let out a slow breath.
"…You're right." His voice lowered. "Without backing, you won't make it far."
He hesitated briefly before finishing, "You might not even survive."
Lin Yuan did not answer right away. His gaze drifted toward the doorway, and for a brief moment, his fingers tapped once against the workbench.
Then—
A cold glint passed through his eyes, fleeting but unmistakable, before it vanished beneath his usual calm.
"I'm considering the Dock-Masters Union."
He gave a faint, self-aware smile. "They may not be the strongest, but they've managed to hold their ground."
Old Master Shi nodded. "They invited you a year ago. The old man there thinks highly of you."
"Good." Lin Yuan let out a soft chuckle as he turned toward the door. "Then I'll go take a look."
"Where are you going?" Old Master Shi asked.
"To Old Man Yi's Tavern."
"Courting death!"
Lin Yuan stepped out of the workshop without looking back. His expression had already returned to its usual calm, as if the conversation had never unsettled him.
If information was poison, then Old Man Yi's Tavern was where people drank it willingly.
Dock runners, guild errand boys, ruined merchants, and quiet schemers all drifted through that place sooner or later. If there was anything worth knowing in Azure Harbor, it would surface there eventually.
Right now, Lin Yuan needed answers more than he needed caution.
A carriage was already waiting along the outer road of the Iron Yards, its low hum blending into the constant background noise. He stepped in without hesitation, giving a brief instruction before settling into his seat.
Ten minutes later, the carriage slowed as Merchant Square came into view.
The air shifted before the scenery did—the sharp tang of iron and ash faded, replaced by the layered scents of spice, oil, and sea wind. The noise changed with it, the harsh clang of labor softening into the lively rhythm of trade.
Lin Yuan stepped down and handed over the fare. The driver glanced back, momentarily surprised when a few extra coins landed in his palm.
"Keep the change," Lin Yuan said with an easy chuckle, already turning away.
It's a cool sentence. I always wanted to say it.
Feels strange, though… I'm still not used to giving anyone extra money.
He rubbed his fingers lightly, a faint trace of reluctance surfacing before he dismissed it. Then he stepped forward and entered Merchant Square.
The square was already alive despite the early hour, filled with movement and overlapping voices. The rising sun cast a warm glow across the harbor rooftops, reflecting faintly off scattered metal and glass.
Merchant stalls lined both sides of the street, each one crowded with goods of every kind. Wooden racks overflowed with dried fish, bundles of sea herbs hung in clusters, and simple tools were arranged in neat rows.
There were woven baskets, small trinkets, polished shells, and the occasional strange object pulled from the depths of the sea. Some items looked valuable, others completely useless, yet every single one had a buyer somewhere in the crowd.
Vendors called out loudly, their voices blending together as they competed for attention. Buyers moved between stalls, pausing to inspect goods or bargain over small details.
"Fresh tide shrimp! Still twitching!"
"Lantern oil—last batch before the storms!"
"Only two coppers! One if you buy three!"
Lin Yuan walked through the crowd at an even pace, weaving past workers carrying crates and fishermen hauling in their nets. No one paid him any special attention, and that was exactly how he preferred it.
At the far end of the square, a massive structure rose above everything else, dominating the street like a silent giant. Its presence was steady and imposing, impossible to ignore.
Four floors tall, built from the same dark-brown timber used in the harbor's main piers, it looked less like an inn and more like a fortified stronghold.
If the Tide Line had a heart, this was it.
The first floor housed the inn, with the scent of broth, steamed buns, and fried root vegetables drifting through its open doors. Warmth spilled outward, drawing people in without effort.
The second floor functioned as a marketplace of its own, filled with rented stalls and merchant counters. The upper floors were apartments, always occupied and always expensive.
Lin Yuan paused briefly at the entrance, his gaze following workers unloading crates marked with trade symbols from across Azure Harbor.
Each mark was a silent declaration of allegiance.
A quiet reminder that nothing here moved without someone powerful standing behind it.
"Haven't seen you around in a while, Shopkeeper Lin Yuan."