Moustache believed that these mercenaries from Lindong definitely couldn't be trusted.
However, in the next moment, the man with a hook nose said, "Oh, apart from using points at the adventurer guild, is there another way?"
Are you that easily convinced? Dude, you're literally an Awakener of the Fifth Tier!
Where's the wisdom of a master? The pride of a master?
"It's not just that. I've heard that if you join the Patrol Team, you get a full set of standard equipment and if you want to buy higher-level equipment, as a team member, you get it at a discounted price."
"Moreover, perhaps some adventurers sell the equipment they've exchanged at high prices, but now even two-star adventurers are rare. The quota for exchanging equipment and supplies is limited, and most can't even satisfy their own teams, let alone sell externally; there's hardly anyone who'd do that."
Dragon Slayer Chen Sheng sighed in disappointment, and he called over a staff member, "Anyway, bring me three Demon-slaying Standard Longswords, five Standard Battle Sabers, and eight Combat Uniforms, eight Standard Firearms; here are the Source Crystals…"
He opened his backpack, revealing sparkling white crystals inside, and then handed over the entire backpack, letting the staff count them without even frowning.
He seemed very lavish.
However, Moustache couldn't help but step forward, "Bro, have you tried any of these weapons?"
Chen Sheng shook his head.
Moustache raised his voice, in a tone of sheer frustration, "You bought them without trying? And bought this many! Aren't you worried they might all be fake?"
"Why would they be fake?"
"These weapons have been praised to the skies; how could they possibly be real!"
"If they were fake, why would I even be here?"
Chen Sheng remained calm.
Moustache became frustrated.
The two were simply not on the same wavelength.
After a while, Moustache stopped his spitting rant and didn't speak anymore.
Suddenly, it seemed he understood something; considering Green Shadow's strength, perhaps this hook-nosed man was also a hired gun.
But thinking of others in the equipment area, also high-tier experts like Chen Sheng, could it be… has the standard for hired guns gotten this high?
What was he doing in business? He might as well change careers and become a hired gun!
He hesitated for a moment again.
Standing there, he fell into deep thought.
Just then, an officer from the Logistics Department came forward, suggesting, "There's a new weapon testing area that just opened behind the supermarket; you folks might want to take a look, and then you'll know if they are real."
This suggestion struck a chord in Moustache; his eyes lit up, and he stroked his spiky mustache, "Good, let's go take a look!"
The group, led by the staff, headed toward the third level of the equipment area.
Chen Sheng and others followed closely as well.
The Green Shadow adventurer, ready to latch onto Chen Sheng, was full of confusion. Since when had a testing area been set up here?
This put him at a disadvantage; he couldn't even do a proper demonstration, how was he supposed to latch on?
The adventurer drooped his head but quickly caught up.
Level three was very spacious, only a few weapon racks here and there, displaying various weapons.
There were cold weapons and firearms.
This area was roughly divided into two sections; one side was a target range, and the other was an open area for customers to test freely, the silver-gray metallic floor and walls looked very durable and not easily damaged.
When Moustache and others arrived, the place was already full of Awakeners.
They held some advanced weapons carefully or swung them vigorously, like they'd been given their most beloved toys.
"Since each weapon here is unique, if the weapon you intend to try is already in use by someone, you need to register and wait in line. May I know which weapon you need to try?"
Moustache was about to speak, but he hesitated.
He was already skeptical about these pieces of equipment and hadn't seriously looked into what equipment were available; he couldn't name even one.
To expose an impostor, one must first understand the details of the matter.
Now, things were awkward.
Chen Sheng was different; he had learnt much about the equipment here. He promptly stepped forward, "Do you have a Cloud Breaking Battle Blade? If not, any other type of battle saber will do."
"The Cloud Breaking Battle Blade is currently being tested by someone else, but just now, the Equipment Department delivered a new piece of equipment named the Fiery Flame Saber. Would you like to give it a try?"
"The Fiery Flame Saber..." Chen Sheng pondered briefly and then agreed.
He was adept with sabers; the Standard Battle Saber he had just purchased had greatly pleased him as it was of the same caliber as the Demon-slaying Longsword. However, it was rumored to be the lowest level of equipment, which only made Chen Sheng more eager to see Green Shadow's other weapons.
The staff member didn't bring the weapon over but led Chen Sheng to the stand where the Fiery Flame Saber was kept. After all, this equipment was meant for high-level Awakeners and was not light. The staff member, being just an ordinary person, couldn't lift such equipment.
"This is the Fiery Flame Saber. You can test it now, but the trial period must not exceed ten minutes."
Chen Sheng tried lifting the saber; it was very comfortable in his hands.
The blade shone brightly, its luster punctuated by red patterns that were mysterious and magnificent.
He raised his arm, and with a gentle slash, the blade cleaved the air, leaving a white mark behind.
That was just a casual stroke and wasn't even a forceful one.
Chen Sheng nodded. With his keen eyes, he could see that the Fiery Flame Saber was exceptionally sharp, far surpassing the Demon-slaying Longsword by more than one level.
But he wanted to conduct an even more rigorous test.
He went to a corner on the third floor where heaps of Demonized Beasts' materials were loosely piled, their pungent smell assaulting the nostrils upon entry.
These were provided for customers to test the weapons. Chen Sheng picked up a palm-sized scale, squeezing it with his hand.
"This scale is from an Eighth Layer Demonized Beast."
Moustache's gaze intensified.
He had seen such a scale on a creature resembling a pangolin, a type of Demonized Beast whose strength varied from the Fifth Tier of Awakening to the Eighth Layer. They could drill through the ground. They had encountered such creatures on their way and had suffered significant losses.
It was undoubtedly a scale from a high-level Demonized beast.
With an indeterminate frame of mind, they waited for the moustached man's next move.
As Chen Sheng held the scale up to chest height and let go, in that instant...
Chen Sheng moved, his right hand holding the saber swinging upward in a diagonal slash, like a bolt of lightning that ripped through the air, producing a sharp whooshing sound.
The blade fell, and Chen Sheng appeared as if he had never moved, yet the palm-sized scale had split into two halves that fell to the ground.
The cut was smooth and even.
Moustache and the others, also experts, had clearly seen Chen Sheng's movement. In that instant, the tough scale seemed like a piece of brittle wood, effortlessly cut in half.
Yet, Chen Sheng did not look at the scale pieces on the ground. His eyes were tightly shut, and his brow slightly furrowed.
"Something is not right; I haven't been able to bring out the full power of this saber!"
He stood there, like a statue, and after several minutes, suddenly, his eyes snapped open.
He raised the Fiery Flame Saber horizontally in front of his chest, gripping it tightly with both hands.
His expression grew even more earnest and focused. He did not take any materials but aimed at the air and brought the saber down with a slash.
A white mark remained in the air, and the piercing sound of the air being split rang in everyone's ears.
All the onlookers, regardless of their initial indifference, were captivated, their gaze fixed unwaveringly on the Fiery Flame Saber in Chen Sheng's hands.
An orange blaze erupted, casting their faces in a reddish glow.
It was as if a blinding red light emanated from the blade itself.
The air twisted around it, a wave of searing heat rolling over them.
Not just Moustache and his colleagues, but even other Awakeners testing weapons in the vicinity were taken aback and turned to look!