Faced with Barn's goodwill, Xia Nan did not refuse.
After all, he hadn't made a decision yet, and taking a look at more was a good thing.
"Don't worry, even though these are second-hand goods, since I dare to put them up for sale, the quality is surely up to standard and durable!"
The thick voice echoed in the shop, as Barn patted his chest and promised.
What lay before Xia Nan were many old-looking weapons.
They didn't have their own dedicated shelves, just simply piled together, clearly not very valued by the shop owner.
But through the metallic sheen emanating from the surfaces of those weapons, and the occasional flash of cold light as the gaze shifted, at least Barn's words were not exaggerations.
They were indeed second-hand, but quite well-maintained.
Xia Nan squatted down, patiently picking them out from the pile one by one, examining them closely, while asking:
"Do high-level adventurers use this kind of weapon too? Not this second-hand stuff, but those plain ones... uh, non-magical items, you know."
In response, Barn stroked his beard and said in a rough voice:
"Many times, adventurers like you, newly starting out, with no offense intended, always harbor many fantasies about those who have professional levels and are more experienced."
"But actually, they're human too; they need to spend money on food, might fall out over the ownership of a trophy, and would save up earnings for half a year just to get a house in a great location."
"Magic items do tend to appear more often in the hands of high-level professionals, but those who are affluent enough to be fully equipped with them are still quite rare."
"What about in our store?" Xia Nan asked casually, as though just making conversation while picking out weapons, "Do you also sell those legendary magical equipment?"
Barn did not respond, just gave a mysterious smile.
Receiving this key piece of information, Xia Nan no longer wasted time, dusted off his hands that had gathered grime, and slowly stood up.
The reality was, second-hand goods were indeed just second-hand, and after searching through, there wasn't a suitable choice.
The wealth of over a hundred gold coins wasn't a major sum, but it was enough to buy a brand-new plain weapon.
If possible, naturally...
Buzz—
Out of the corner of his eye, a gray luster silently flickered.
Xia Nan's gaze instinctively followed it.
In just a few breaths, he paused, stared, furrowed his brow, then his expression returned to calm.
The semi-transparent panel before him faded and disappeared as his attention dispersed.
...
[Sturdy Beheading Longsword]
Type: Dual Handed Sword
Level: Ordinary (White)
Effect: Durability +50%, Beheading Damage +5%
Description:
A fine creation from the "Rock Hammer" Blacksmith Shop, a small mishap during forging seems to have caused some peculiar change with this longsword.
Remarks:
"One, two, three... wait, how many times did I hit it with the hammer just now?"
——"Rock Hammer" · Steelbeard Clan 492nd Forging Competition 105th Place · Barn Steelbeard
...
This was a dual-handed longsword buried in shadows.
With a handle about nine inches long, its spiral metal texture and protruding rivets enhanced the grip friction for the hand, also providing a certain feel when grasped;
The steel cross-guard didn't extend much to the sides, barely going half a finger broader than the blade before retracting, giving it a particularly streamlined look;
The blade was about four feet long, three fingers wide, thin, with sleek lines and sharp edges.
The minimalist style was consistent throughout, with no patterns on the blade surface, only occasionally catching a sharp flash of light for decoration.
Unlike the other weapons in the store, this longsword had an extremely peculiar iron-gray color, as if a thin mist covered the blade, making it far less noticeable than other blades.
On the surface, Xia Nan showed no reaction, but inside a storm was brewing.
He pretended to be nonchalant, speaking apathetically:
"Why does this sword's color seem a bit odd? Is it a defective product?"
Upon hearing this, Barn surprisingly showed a slightly embarrassed expression, scratching his head awkwardly.
"Hehe, a few days ago I was going to forge a dual-handed sword, but got a bit distracted while sharpening..."
!
Wait, I was just saying casually, is it really being sold as a defective product!?
Xia Nan pursed his lips, struggling to keep a straight face.
Beside him Barn was oblivious to his reaction and continued rattling on:
"Sigh, what a pity for this dozen pounds of gray steel, sent to me by my cousin in the clan for testing from a new mining pit at Flame Cast Peak. No idea how to answer when asked later."
"Oh?" Xia Nan raised an eyebrow, following up, "This sword just seems a bit strange in color, where's the flaw?"
Barn still did not notice his subtly fluctuating tone, only absorbed in his regretful thoughts.
He stepped forward, took the dual-handed sword, and pointed to the blade:
"Normally, equipment forged from gray steel should be a light limestone gray. Look, isn't this sword's color a bit deeper?"
"It's because I got distracted and hammered a few extra times while forging the blade, which dragged down the entire process afterward."
As he spoke, Barn showed an even more regretful expression.
"You might find that aside from the color, it doesn't differ from other weapons on the surface, but there might be hidden issues in the blade, and it could unexpectedly break in battle, which can't be tested."
"You know, the equipment from 'Rock Hammer' is always renowned for its toughness and durability."
"For a work like this one, where a misstep in the forging process prevents precise quality control, naturally I won't sell it as a regular product."
"It's clan policy that we can't sacrifice reputation for the profit of a few dozen gold, something they tell everyone before going out."
At this moment, Xia Nan once again appreciated the convenience of the Golden Finger.
Information gap!
Barn's slip during forging made it hard for him to vouch for the sword's quality, fearing possible issues could tarnish 'Rock Hammer's' reputation.
But with the attribute panel, Xia Nan clearly knew.
The small misstep didn't reduce the sword's quality; instead, it made the blade more sturdy and durable, even gaining some additional traits.
He must get it!
He silently resolved.
With Barn having explained why he considered the longsword a defective product, Xia Nan no longer hid his intentions and directly asked:
"I'll take this sword, how much is it?"
"Didn't I just explain?" Barn was puzzled, then said in surprise, "The sword had issues during forging, the quality is uncertain."
"I think it's perfect for me, I'll take it!"
Seeing Xia Nan's determined attitude, Barn stopped arguing, just looked at him for a few seconds.
Then helplessly said:
"Fine, but later if there's a problem, don't come whining to me, and outside, don't say you got this sword here, alright?"
"Of course!" Xia Nan nodded sincerely, "I picked up the sword in a goblin cave."
"35 gold, at cost price."