Chapter 216 Chapter215-Treasure Hunter Merchant, Treasure Thief Rat (1st update, Cheer me with Power Stones!)
Several hundred meters ahead of the trio, a plump and stout figure was hunched over a large rock, fervently digging into the ground.
The creature was adorned in golden attire, embedded with luminous gems of varying glows.
Upon closer inspection, one would realize that these were none other than the precious energy gems – a highly valued item for both players and indigenous NPCs alike.
Especially the higher-graded energy gems, which were extremely rare and virtually priceless in the market.
Yet, this rotund creature audaciously had them embedded on its intricately woven golden outfit.
More bewilderingly, these gems were mere adornments, without any activated properties.
The sheer quantity of the energy gems on the garment was enough to leave one agape; they were densely arranged, creating an effect reminiscent of flowing light.
Peeking out from underneath the golden attire was a grayish-brown fur, and perched atop its head were two pointy ears – it was evident that this wasn't a human.
From the vantage point of John and his companions, they could see the creature wielding a tiny golden shovel, enthusiastically excavating something.
Every so often, a side-profile of its face revealed sharp, tiny teeth... It bore an uncanny resemblance to a rat.
Noticing the bewildered expressions of Adam and Blue Sea, John remarked with a slight chuckle, "This creature is known as the Treasure Hunter Merchant, a wondrous entity from the Godslayer Continent. In some local legends, it's also referred to as the Treasure Thief Rat."
"No one knows of its origin or where it resides. According to the fleeting tales of the Godslayer Continent, the Treasure Thief Rat wanders aimlessly, seeking treasures. Locking eyes with it grants one the opportunity to trade."
Seeing the gleam in Adam and Blue Sea's eyes, indicating their intent to cast a Detection spell on the distant Treasure Thief Rat, John hastily intervened, "Do not cast any spells. These creatures are highly sensitive to energy fluctuations."
"They're as skittish as actual rats, any slight disturbance and they'll scurry away, burrowing underground. Trying to locate them again would be next to impossible."
Upon hearing John's hushed warning, Adam and Blue Sea hastily aborted their spell-casting.
They bowed their heads hurriedly, avoiding even an extra glance, fearful of alarming the stout creature.
John remarked with a light chuckle, "It's fortunate that our guild leader, Adam, spotted it early. Given our current distance, another couple of steps forward might have startled it."
"So, what do we do now?" Adam inquired, brimming with enthusiasm. "Since it's so skittish, we can't approach it. Should we make some noise to draw its attention?"
From John's tone, both Adam and Blue Sea had discerned the rarity and value of this mysterious creature.
Their interest was piqued, and they didn't want to miss out on this golden opportunity.
John replied with a smile, "Absolutely not. From what I know, if it hears any disturbances, it's even less likely to turn our way. It would immediately burrow and escape."
Adam and Blue Sea were left momentarily speechless.
They couldn't use their abilities to observe, nor could they create any disturbance to attract its attention.
It seemed like an unsolvable puzzle. For a while, they racked their brains, pondering ways to catch the Treasure Thief Rat's gaze.
Meanwhile, John refrained from joining their whispered discussions.
With keen interest, he observed the Treasure Thief Rat from afar, subtly activating his Eye of Artemis.
Other detection abilities might cause energy fluctuations, potentially alerting the sensitive creature.
But the Eye of Artemis wouldn't. After all, its superior ranking was evident.
The activation of such a Divine Talent wasn't something the Treasure Thief Rat could easily detect.
Furthermore, the Eye of Artemis, when invoked, required no visible energy surge.
It could be discreetly activated anywhere the night had touched.
[Treasure Hunter Merchant (Demigod Level boss): Also known as Treasure Thief Rat. A wondrous creature born with the ORDER of the universe, it inherently loves to collect and steal various rare and unique treasures. Naturally endowed with an extreme affinity for all basic elements, it's timid as a mouse, poses no threat, yet possesses unmatched speed. Even deities find it hard to catch up... It burrows and flees at the slightest disturbance. The Treasure Hunter Merchant appears unpredictably anywhere, never staying for more than 5 minutes. And wherever it appears, invaluable treasures are surely nearby.]
[Should you get the chance to encounter this magical being, endeavor to make eye contact. Everyone who does so earns a single trading opportunity with it. Believe me, its treasures will astonish you...]
[Level: 1]
...
John's eyes sparkled slightly.
The system's introduction confirmed his suspicions.
This chubby, short figure was indeed the legendary Treasure Thief Rat rumored to have amassed countless treasures.
However, this revelation left him momentarily unsure of how to proceed.
Speed that even deities struggled to match...
This meant that if they inadvertently alarmed the creature, causing it to burrow and flee, even John might find it challenging to catch up.
And with the rat staying in one place for no more than 5 minutes, much time had already passed.
If they didn't act soon, the creature might unearth its desired treasure and leave.
Without further hesitation, John whispered swiftly, "I'll try to circle around to its front to make eye contact. It's the only way to ensure a transaction. Both of you, wait here. Once I've secured its attention, you can approach."
Adam queried with a hint of surprise, "If you've made eye contact with it, can we still establish a connection during your trade?"
John replied, slightly uncertain, "To be honest, I don't know. But given that the Treasure Thief Rat only remains in one place for 5 minutes, we don't have much time to ponder. This is our best shot."
It was clear neither Adam nor Blue Sea wanted to miss this immense opportunity.
They weren't sure if John's approach would work.
What if, after the first person establishes a trading connection with the Treasure Thief Rat, the others find their attempts fruitless?
In such a situation, there wasn't much time for contemplation.
All they could do was hope that John's plan would work.
"At this point, there's no other way," said Galewind, referring to John by his alternative name.
"You're the only one with the agility to swiftly position yourself directly in front of that creature. We lack the strength to do so. If this works, great. If not, at least the three of us won't walk away empty-handed."
Without much hesitation, both Blue Sea and Adam agreed with John's approach.
John chuckled softly and whispered, "Shape-shifting..."
[Shape-shifting (Divine Skill): A gift from the deity Alyssum, who holds dominion over shadows and assassination. By employing this skill, one can instantaneously move to any location within their divine power's scanning range, bypassing any barriers or spatial obstructions. Usable twice. Current charges: two. Cooldown: 30 minutes.]
In an instant, John's form vanished from where he stood.
When he reappeared, he was remarkably positioned several hundred meters away, right in front of the Treasure Thief Rat.
From a distance, Adam and Blue Sea held their breaths, their gazes fixed intently on the scene unfolding before them.
They weren't sure if John's tactic would be effective.
If the Treasure Thief Rat detected someone directly before it and chose to burrow and flee without a second glance, all would be lost.
Fortunately, their worries did not come to pass.
The Treasure Thief Rat evidently sensed the energy fluctuations from John's divine skill.
Perhaps it was because the creature had not yet unearthed the treasure it was seeking, or perhaps it hadn't expected someone to suddenly appear before it.
When John approached, the Treasure Thief Rat abruptly halted its actions, instinctively lifting its head to look straight ahead.
Its gaze met John's, who was wearing a bright smile.
[System Alert: You have established a trading relationship with the Treasure Thief Rat...]
For a moment, the rotund body of the Treasure Thief Rat stiffened.
Hurriedly, it lowered its head, retracting its golden little shovel, and let out a shrill cry as if to burrow and flee.
But despite its best efforts, the binding force of ORDER prevented it from moving as it wished.
Left with no choice, it stood frozen on the spot, trembling and gazing apprehensively at John.
"Now that we've made eye contact, there's no need to think about running away... Let me see what treasures you've hidden in your trove," John said, softening his voice for fear of startling the timid creature.
"Young adventurer, you truly are a fortunate one..." The voice of the Treasure Thief Rat was sharp, tinged with palpable frustration.
Perhaps it had never imagined that someone could bypass its keen perception and appear right before it.
John's smile broadened, as he chuckled, "Actually, it's not just me who's lucky..." He suddenly raised his hand, pointing behind the Treasure Thief Rat.
Instinctively, the rat turned to look and its gaze met the eyes of Adam and Blue Sea, who were swiftly approaching from the distance.
The creature's plump body became utterly petrified on the spot.
Follow current novels on freewe(b)novel.c(o)m