Gourmet Hunter - Chapter 38 (Patreon)

Chapter 38: The Southernpiece Auction

Early the next morning, Luo asked Machi for Chrollo's address and then hurried towards the East Street.

Before leaving, Luo didn't want Machi and Uvogin to be gloomy all day because of this matter, so he assured them that he would handle it. Whether this would backfire or not was uncertain, but due to this sentiment, both Machi and Uvogin felt uneasy about imposing on him.

Had they not been incapacitated, they wouldn't have had to rely on Luo to find a solution.

Shortly after Luo's departure, Nobunaga was awakened by hunger. After Uvogin informed him about the situation, Nobunaga spaced out for a while, then quickly ate something and went back to sleep. He seriously considered their predicament and concluded that the best course of action was to heal as quickly as possible, which meant more sleep to hasten the recovery of his injuries.

Uvogin felt helpless; he shared the same thought. While lying in the sickbed, he hadn't been idle, attempting to reach and master the use of Nen. He vaguely sensed that utilizing Nen could accelerate the healing process. This intuition aligned with the direction his Nen abilities would take in the future.

If they couldn't afford the subsequent expenses, they might as well go home, which seemed to be the correct way to survive in Meteor Street. Besides the medical fees, what worried Machi and Uvogin more was the issue of food. Given their uncertain recovery time and the high prices in Meteor Street, sustenance was their primary concern.

...

Walking on the street, Luo noticed that the scornful and mocking looks from the past few days had decreased, likely due to the intimidation effect on Marzah starting to take hold. However, this was trivial compared to the task at hand.

Without any trouble and following Machi's detailed directions, Luo navigated through alleys based on the house numbers and soon arrived at Chrollo's residence, a two-story standalone house occupying less than sixty square meters. The house, square and plain with no distinctive features, was primarily yellow and white.

After confirming the number above the door, Luo knocked. Moments later, Pakunoda opened the door. Surprised to see Pakunoda, Luo greeted her, amused by the thought that people in Meteor Street mature early, hinting at cohabitation at such a young age.

"Come in," Pakunoda, unaware of Luo's thoughts, stepped aside to let him enter.

Luo nodded and entered, spotting Chrollo seated by the window, reading. The weak sunlight through the window bathed him, casting a faint halo over his focused face.

Snap! Chrollo suddenly closed his book and looked up at Luo, indicating him to take a seat with a calm "Sit."

Luo made his way to the sofa without hesitation and sat down facing Chrollo. The room, about sixty square meters, had minimal furniture. Near the window stood a European-style armchair with a brass lampstand beside it, topped with a barrel-shaped lampshade. The sofa Luo sat on could accommodate three people, positioned in front of a simple coffee table. The only other visible furniture was bookshelves, filled with books, reaching nearly to the ceiling and lining the walls.

As Chrollo had once said, he loved reading. Luo marveled at the collection, wondering if the kitchen and bathroom hadn't occupied some space, would there be even more bookshelves? Perhaps the second floor was also filled with books?

Chrollo set the book aside, observing Luo silently, not inquiring about his visit. The atmosphere turned quite silent, lasting for several minutes.

Luo felt that if he didn't speak, Chrollo could remain silent for a long time. Thus, he cut to the chase, "Is there a quick way to make money?"

"No," Chrollo responded without hesitation.

Stunned, Luo pressed on, "Then where did the three million Jenny come from?"

"Earned it," Chrollo replied calmly.

"How?" Luo asked immediately.

Chrollo was straightforward, "By retrieving coveted collectibles for the elders, they pay me accordingly."

Luo's eyes lit up; this seemed straightforward to him.

"Are you worried about Machi and their medical bills?" Chrollo asked before Luo could speak, placing the book on the windowsill.

"Obviously," Luo replied.

"Why are you concerned about this matter?" Chrollo inquired, puzzled.

Luo shrugged, "Machi did me a favor."

Chrollo shook his head, clarifying, "That's not what I meant. After their injuries are treated, being expelled from the church after two days won't pose a big problem. So, why are you worried about this?"

Luo, exasperated, retorted, "Are you serious?"

Thud... Pakunoda placed a red mug forcefully on the coffee table, startling Luo.

Glancing at Pakunoda, who seemed protective , Luo offered an awkward smile.

Pakunoda, resembling a protective mother hen, gave Luo a look before handing the tea cup to Chrollo.

Chrollo accepted the English-style tea cup from Pakunoda, took a sip, and then said calmly to Luo, "Meteor Street has its own way of survival. Struggling to live on after getting hurt, not overly depending on others, is the most natural phenomenon here."

Luo frowned, "How can you just ignore such injuries?"

"You're falling into a misconception," Chrollo paused, then continued, "Or rather, your way of thinking doesn’t suit Meteor Street."

Expecting to stay in a hospital until full recovery?

Such a notion doesn't fit Meteor Street, especially under constrained conditions. Preparing for the worst is common sense here.

The church serves as both a healing and a final resting place.

Utilizing everything to its fullest is one of Meteor Street's guiding principles. Thus, even a corpse would be extracted for value.

In such a place, one cannot expect angelic guardians; reliance must be placed on oneself...

Luo felt that his conversation with Chrollo was not on the same wavelength. He knew Meteor Street was a unique place, as Machi had hoped he would adapt to it quickly.

However, Luo wouldn't adapt to Meteor Street's ways; he had his own thoughts and methods of doing things.

His previous idea of making the world adapt to him wasn't just a fantasy.

"Help me connect with the elder. Whatever collectible he desires, I can appraise. I won't boast, but I'm quite confident in distinguishing between genuine and counterfeit items," Luo decided to cut through the meaningless dialogue and get straight to the point.

Chrollo's lips curved slightly, "The elder is already aware of your appraisal skills. There’s no need for me to make introductions. However, it's the end of April now, and until September, the elder won't be acquiring any collectibles."

"What do you mean?" Luo asked, puzzled.

"The Southernpiece Auction," Chrollo explained.

Luo's eyes narrowed slightly, recognizing the significance of the Southernpiece Auction.

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