Along the way, they had gathered quite a bit of wild animal materials. For example, the disciples of the Zhang family didn’t even care for ordinary beast materials, aside from those from fierce beasts. After all, hauling them back with great effort wasn’t even worth the price of a single meal for them.

But these things were very useful to Eric Bennett and his companions. In the past, just a little bit of what they skimmed off was enough to feed their families for several days, so of course they wouldn’t let this opportunity slip by.

After the two of them emerged from the forest, they turned back to glance at the woods and let out a long breath.

This time had been extremely dangerous, and it meant something different to Eric Bennett as well. It was his first time leaving the village since coming to this world. Although he had the memories of the previous Eric Bennett, there was still a big gap between memory and reality.

Through the events of today, Eric Bennett gained a new understanding of this world. Human life was as cheap as grass, and this was demonstrated in the most direct way. At the same time, he realized that the only way to survive in this world was through strength.

You could say that, although entering the mountains was a near-death experience, it was also a baptism for Eric Bennett, allowing him to truly integrate into this world from the inside out, and marking a transformation of his spirit.

Eighteen lives were lost, yet not even a ripple was made—one could even say that a single life was worth less than a single pill.

Although eighteen people had died, for Eric Bennett and his group, it was a huge windfall. They already carried some supplies with them, but even more valuable were the wild animal materials and the entire blood and flesh of a fierce beast—the blue-eyed green wolf.

To the people of this world, everything they had on them combined wasn’t worth as much as the flesh of the blue-eyed green wolf.

Eric Bennett and Brian Cooper divided everything equally, though the pills and secret manuals were not brought out. If those were put on Brian Cooper, it might bring him fatal trouble.

To make up for it, Eric Bennett gave most of the blue-eyed green wolf’s flesh to Brian Cooper. With this meat, Brian Cooper would have little trouble breaking through to the third level of body refinement, and might even reach the fourth. At that point, his life would be completely transformed, so the flesh of a fierce beast was the best thing for Brian Cooper.

Outside the mountains, Eric Bennett parted ways with Brian Cooper, and each entered Qingshan Town separately.

Carrying four or five bundles on his back, Eric Bennett arrived at a secluded corner of Qingshan Town and headed straight for a shop in the corner called Lin’s General Store.

Although this was the most remote area and the store itself wasn’t large, there were still quite a few people coming and going.

In Qingshan Town, the shops on the main and side streets weren’t places people like them could enter. Besides, those shopkeepers didn’t care for what they had to offer. More importantly, they were members of the Flying Tiger Squad, while the main and side streets were all properties of various families and merchants, who sold goods they had embezzled. Naturally, they wouldn’t choose to go there.

“Brother Li, is the shopkeeper Lin here?”

He had been working with Lin’s General Store for four years. Although he didn’t sell much, nor anything particularly precious, as a long-term partner, Eric Bennett was quite familiar with the place and naturally chose to come here.

“Young Bennett, you’re here. The shopkeeper is in the backyard!” Upon seeing Eric Bennett, a young clerk in his twenties pointed to a small door at the side of the shop.

This could be considered a privilege for Eric Bennett. With the strength of the second level of body refinement and four years in the Flying Tiger Squad, he naturally had his own channels for acquiring goods, including some things that couldn’t see the light of day. So, for ordinary items, Eric Bennett traded directly in the shop, but for better things, he went straight to the shopkeeper. The clerk had known Eric Bennett for years and understood the rules.

In the backyard, a man in his sixties was resting leisurely on a lounge chair. This old man was the owner of Lin’s General Store. As for his name, no one knew; everyone who knew him simply called him Mr. Carter.

Mr. Carter looked very ordinary, with no sign of martial strength. This was something Eric Bennett found odd—how could such an old man run a shop in the chaotic Qingshan Town without anyone causing trouble? You had to know, even though Qingshan Town was small, the distribution of power here was extremely complex, almost a microcosm of Qingshuang City.

Almost every shop here had a head office in Qingshuang City, but Lin’s General Store was an exception. It had no connection to any power in Qingshuang City, which was also why Eric Bennett chose this place.

Chapter 12: Harvest

Looking at the old man lying on the lounge chair, Eric Bennett suddenly felt a strange sensation. It was as if this scene gave Eric Bennett a sense of harmony, as though the old man and the courtyard had become one, blending together.

“Manager Carter!”

“Mm, Little Bennett, you’re here!”

“Hm?” After greeting Manager Carter, that harmonious feeling suddenly vanished, leaving Eric Bennett momentarily stunned.

Little Bennett, did you get your hands on something good again?

“Nothing escapes Manager Carter’s eyes. I do have some things to sell!”

However, it was just a vague feeling, so he didn’t dwell on it and continued chatting with the old man.

What Eric Bennett didn’t notice was that when Manager Carter first saw him, a trace of surprise flashed across his face, though it quickly disappeared.

As Eric Bennett spoke, he began to take out the items from his bag.