"Brat, you think you care more about Stella than I do? I’m her biological grandfather, for God’s sake!" Old Dorok barked as he emerged from his workshop to confront Neo.

​Neo straightened his posture and scratched his head sheepishly. "Sorry, I just thought your cold businessman nature was acting up again."

​"Hmph, speak for yourself, brat. I heard you got a job at a Beyonder mercenary group, yet you still didn’t call this old man to deliver the good news. I had to hear it from someone else," the old man grumbled.

"What!" Stella looked shocked. "Brother Neo, is that true? You really became a beyonder? Since when?"

Neo laughed lightly and replied, "Just recently. I have joined the Apex Nebula space mercenary group to learn more about Beyonders as I know nothing about them."

"Still it’s pretty amazing, brother Neo. It’s my dream to become like you," Stella said, her eyes shining.

"I’m sure You’ll be one as well, Stella."

​Neo coughed into his hand and quickly shifted the topic. "Anyway, I’m here to buy something, old man. I’m in a bit of a hurry."

​Dorok looked impressed and intrigued, "Oh? What are you looking for? Let’s see if I have anything useful, though we don’t deal with Beyonders regularly."

​"Nothing too fancy or high-tech," Neo replied. "I’m looking for some magical treasures. But they must be produced by nature, not man-made. Do you have anything like that?"

"Just natural treasures?" Dorok paused, his eyes scanning the various shelves packed with his hand crafted items.

"I’m not sure, but there should be some in the back. Still, I don’t think they’ll be all that useful for a Beyonder like you, boy."

​"Let’s just take a look first," Neo muttered, already heading toward the back shelves.

​Dorok and Stella followed close behind, curious to see what had piqued his interest. Along the way, Neo noticed that the shelf which previously held the Aqua Core flasks was now completely empty.

​The old man noticed his gaze and spoke up.

​"That water is in incredibly high demand, Neo. Customers went crazy for it. Every single flask was sold out within five hours of your departure that day. Now, I’m flooded with pre-orders for more. But alas, if you’re heading for the stars, there will be no one left to supply them now. At the very least, introduce me to the producer before you leave; otherwise, these people will bother me for days."

​He spoke with an almost pleading look, appearing for a moment like a helpless child. Stella laughed at the sight, and Neo followed suit.

​"Alright, I will talk to them, Old Dorok," Neo said.

​He didn’t give a definitive answer yet. After all, he was the secret producer of that magi-tech product.

Nevertheless, the old man was happy. He is going to meet the genius inventor, what could be more exciting than this?

Meanwhile, Neo continued to stroll past the shelves, noting every item displayed there.

​Suddenly, something caught his eye. It was a weirdly shaped patch of black fur, dense and coiled. He picked it up and appraised it closely with the System.

​Appraisal:

​Item: Mystique Wolf Fur

​ Quality Grade: E

​Description: This is an extremely rare and invaluable item originating from a special species of magical wolf whose perception and battle awareness are very strong. It is in high demand across multiple worlds.

​Properties: Contains rich DNA and genes (96% Purity).

​Compatibility Rate: 89%

​Estimated Price: 2 UC (Universal Credits)

​Old Dorok furrowed his brows. "What’s this? Out of all my excellent items, you chose this insignificant beast fur?" he asked.

​Neo barely contained his glee. "Yes. What’s the price?"

​"5,000 dollars, Brother Neo," Stella replied before the old man could, eager to showcase her capabilities.

​Neo was stunned. Not because the price was high, but because it was too low.

​"Old man, I want to ask—do you happen to know what Universal Credits are?"

​The old man crossed his arms with a scoff. "Who do you think I am, boy? It’s the universal currency that everything runs upon. All worlds, civilized or uncivilized, use this currency to exchange goods, technologies, magical treasures, cosmic fruits, and more. The conversion ratio with local currency depends on the scale of the civilization and the size of the world. If it’s a Greater World of a Type 3 Civilization, like Planet Centurion, the conversion is 100:1 UC. However, for a low-tier world like Earth, it is 100,000,000:1. That means 100 million dollars is worth just 1 UC in our world, even after we upgraded to a Type 1 Civilization."

​By the end, the old man’s voice turned grim, conveying how demoralizing and sad that reality was for the inhabitants of Earth.

On the other hand, both Neo’s and Stella’s minds were spinning after hearing the figure of 100 million.

​"100 million? Just for one credit?" Neo uttered, visibly shaken.

​The old man’s silence confirmed the truth more than words ever could.

​That means I just stumbled into 200 million dollars just like that? Neo wondered inwardly.

​"I’ll take this," he said almost immediately, pocketing the fur.

​He felt a pang of guilt for taking it without disclosing its real worth, but this treasure was far too important for him right now. He couldn’t afford to leave it behind. Still, he decided that he would pay them the true balance as soon as he had the funds. After all, he didn’t like carrying debts for long.

​The old man might have suspected something, but he didn’t say a word.

​Next, Neo spotted a rusty old blade fragment.

​[ Item: Spirit-Iron Shard ]

[ Grade: E ]

[ Description: A fragment of a weapon forged from Spirit-Iron. Though shattered and rusted, the material retains a high affinity for conducting Cosmic Energy. ]

​He looked at the old man for the price.

​"Boy, this blade fragment may look like junk, but it was once part of a weapon used by a mid-tier Beyonder. Even though it’s broken, it can still serve as a focus for energy. I can’t let it go for as cheap as that fur. For this, I want 20,000 dollars."

​Neo didn’t even blink. Compared to the potential value in Universal Credits, 20,000 dollars felt like pocket change. He checked the System once more to confirm the shard’s worth.

Estimated Price: 0.5 UC

Fifty million dollars, Neo calculated. Another steal.

​"Deal," Neo said, reaching for his wallet. "I’ll take the shard and the fur. Wrap them up, Stella."

Stella moved quickly.

As she packaged the items, Old Dorok watched Neo with a piercing gaze, his arms folded over his chest.

​"You’re in quite the rush to gather ’natural’ materials, brat. Most new Beyonders are out there looking for the flashiest laser swords or reinforced chest plates. But you’re looking for furs and broken blades."

He sighed,

"Whatever path you’re on, just make sure you don’t lose your head. The universe don’t care how much ’potential’ you have if you’re dead."

​Neo took the package from Stella, nodding solemnly. "I know, Old man. That’s why I’m preparing now. I don’t plan on being a corpse anytime soon."

​As Neo walked out of the shop and back into the neon-lit streets of Chronopolis, he felt the significance of the two items in his pocket.

They weren’t just materials to him, they were his fuel to rise.