Chapter 397: The Supernatural Gathering
Within less than ten seconds, that faint dawn light rapidly expanded, forming a radiant gate—
A gate of light suspended directly above the sea's surface!
Those on the few nearby small boats immediately abandoned ship and entered the glowing gate one after another, vanishing without a trace. Only the empty vessels remained, rocking quietly atop the waves.
The other small boats scattered across the sea began moving toward the gate as well. Those closest to Zhou Ning, whose strength wasn't particularly high, were terrified of being dragged into trouble—they rowed so frantically their oars nearly smoked.
I really didn't mean to be this flashy...
Zhou Ning shook his head slightly, took a deep breath, then used Moon Step to launch himself off the Black Pearl. With the help of his cloak's gliding function, he shot straight toward the gate of light and slipped into it.
In an instant, his vision was engulfed in an intense white glow.
When sight returned, Zhou Ning found himself standing within a vast, enclosed space—a massive room with gray stone walls, a fireplace, bookshelves, and silver-gray sofas and armchairs. At the center stood a huge stone table. The decor was both rugged and classical, exuding a strange kind of harmony. Surrounding the space were numerous bas-reliefs depicting scenes of hunting—wolves, tigers, even dragons.
However, something felt off. None of the furnishings seemed designed for humans. Every piece was four or five times the usual size—clearly made for giants.
A roaring fire burned within the oversized fireplace nearby, making the room's temperature uncomfortably high.
Zhou Ning exhaled slowly, carefully observing his surroundings without making a sound.
At some point, a spectral giant with graying hair had appeared, seated at the head of the long table. His form was towering, much larger than anyone else's, but it was obvious that this wasn't his true body.
He rapped his knuckles on the table, drawing everyone's attention. A bottle of wine appeared in his hand out of thin air, and he said with a calm smile, "Now, you may use your imagination as you wish."
Zhou Ning narrowed his eyes. The people in front of him suddenly grew to nearly six meters tall, easily fitting into the enormous chairs. The sight was both strange and absurd.
Just then, a familiar voice echoed in his mind—Molly's:
"This should be a space imagined by some god-level Reader. Such a space can project itself anywhere in the world through the reflection of a book. From what I recall, the Knowledge Council and certain secret organizations have mastered this technique."
A god-level Reader... That sounded a lot like the second ability of his own Stand.
Zhou Ning nodded slightly, realizing what he needed to do. With a thought, his body expanded as well, matching the others' size, and he took a seat on the left side of the table.
Before long, most of the seats had been filled by the participants who entered this space.
The spectral giant with graying hair swept his gaze around the table and said in a booming voice, "I am the convener of this gathering—Ian, the All-Knowing. You may call me Ian. We have two newcomers this time. Please choose a codename for yourselves—something easy to remember."
The All-Knowing? Quite the boast. Zhou Ning suspected this man possessed some kind of relic capable of identifying the value of objects.
Since one of the newcomers was clearly himself, Zhou Ning lightly tapped the table. His voice, distorted by the modulator in his black helmet, came out deep and hoarse:
"...You can call me Batman."
He immediately felt several gazes focus on him, as if assessing his strength. After a moment, Ian nodded. "Welcome to the gathering, Batman."
Next to speak was a man across from Zhou Ning, wearing a white shell-like mask and a red coat. He had also altered his voice deliberately.
"I'm Pluto. Glad to be here."
Pluto—that was the name of a ruthless prime minister from the ancient Falric Kingdom. While the man spoke, Zhou Ning noticed a large emerald ring on his finger. It looked very familiar.
He quickly guessed the man's true identity: his neighbor, a prominent figure who was most likely a noble of the Western Kingdom, perhaps even the diplomat stationed in the Bryston Kingdom.
"Now that the newcomers have introduced themselves, this gathering shall officially begin," said Ian. "As usual, we'll start with the free trade session. You may each announce what you wish to acquire or what items you wish to sell. I'll handle the appraisal of all goods and charge a 10% transaction fee. Any objections?"
This setup was quite similar to the Transcendent gathering Zhou Ning had attended back in Darkland's old quarter—but the fee here was twice as high. Hopefully, there'll be something worthwhile this time... he thought silently.
Ian's stern gaze swept over the table. Seeing no one speak, he nodded in satisfaction.
"Then we'll begin from the left. Mole, you start."
The man addressed—a person wearing a comically oversized mouse mask—nodded and placed a small box on the table. Opening it revealed a milky-white bowl made of bone.
"I wish to sell an unidentified relic from an island tribe," he said. "This bowl was made from the skull of a tribal chieftain. When filled with water, it produces a potion with six times the healing power of a standard recovery elixir. It can be used once every thirty minutes."
"It has no real drawbacks—aside from the rather... unusual taste of the potion."
"I'm looking to trade it for 3,500 Vecktas, or something of equivalent value."
That's actually pretty good—like an unlimited-use potion crafted by a master alchemist. Could easily save a life in a pinch... Zhou Ning thought. But the idea of drinking from a skull made his stomach turn, so he chose not to bid.
No one else spoke at first. All eyes turned to Ian at the head of the table.
"The item is genuine," Ian confirmed with a calm nod.
With that assurance, the trade grew lively. Several people began bidding in succession, and the bowl was finally sold to a man in a lion mask for 5,200 Vecktas.
This gathering was clearly on a higher level than the one in Darkland—the items that followed did not disappoint either, each one fairly rare and valuable.
The most expensive was a ship's figurehead that could calm storms and tsunamis during voyages. It sparked an intense bidding war, eventually selling for an astonishing 37,500 Vecktas.
No doubt all the bidders were pirates, Zhou Ning thought wryly.
After a brief lull, the trade continued. This time it was Pluto's turn—the man Zhou Ning suspected to be the Falric noble.
"I'd like to sell a batch of kryptic silver at market price—about sixty units, each worth 895 Vecktas," Pluto announced. "However, if someone is willing to complete a bounty task for me, the entire batch will be given for free."
"What task?" someone asked immediately.
"Assassinate Angus Motley," Pluto replied.
The room fell silent at once. Zhou Ning couldn't help curling his lips. Angus Motley was the governor of the Motley Archipelago under the Western Kingdom—one of the few official demigods at sea. Killing him would be as difficult as slaying a pirate king. Offering this small reward for his head was pure wishful thinking.
No one responded for quite some time. Eventually, Pluto sat down with a trace of disappointment. Zhou Ning, however, decided to purchase ten units of kryptic silver—an essential material for crafting ceremonial equipment. An unexpected gain, all things considered.
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