183: You're an expert in this area, I'll listen to you.

Ai Yue's face darkened, and she was about to snap at him, but she heard him say, "Don't be in a hurry to snap at me. I'm saying this because I've deduced it. Listen to me patiently until I'm finished."

"Heh... Deduced? Then tell me!" Ai Yue looked at him coldly.

"Last time, on the outskirts of the Songzhou Safety Tower in that small forest, we were attacked by a swarm of Devil Frogs and almost wiped out. You appeared just in time and saved us, do you remember?"

"I certainly remember saving lives," Ai Yue replied.

Gong Qiuqiu chuckled and continued, "Do you know why we were there?"

Ai Yue indicated she didn't know.

Gong Qiuqiu didn't keep her in suspense and continued, "Before that, according to Gu Xitian, you know the Earth Evasion Technique. Not long after you entered the ground, muffled rumbles of thunder were heard. According to our observations, there was a nest of Ancient Centipedes near where you burrowed underground. Since that day, that nest of Ancient Centipedes has vanished without a trace."

"And so?" Ai Yue spoke expressionlessly. She wanted to see how he had deduced that she had a way to obtain a large quantity of transparent stones.

"At the time, I didn't connect it to you, so I led people to search for the cause of such a change. It wasn't until you accidentally stumbled into the center of our battlefield with the Devil Frogs and saved us that I began to wonder. After returning, at the auction, you suddenly had a large number of transparent stones."

"Afterward, I connected all the events and discovered where the issue lay. Combined with your Lightning Superpower, it was easy to deduce that you were the one behind this, and I realized how you could obtain transparent stones so easily!"

Gong Qiuqiu curled his lips into a smile, a trace of devilish charm flashing across his elegant face. "Ai Yue, tell me, is my deduction correct?"

Ai Yue really hadn't expected that someone could deduce the entire process through several unrelated events.

But she simply didn't want to admit it and said decisively, "Incorrect! I don't understand what you're talking about!"

"Hehe..." A low, pleasant laugh rang out.

Gong Qiuqiu hadn't expected her to lie so decisively. Seeing the forced indifference on Ai Yue's chubby little face, he found it amusing.

Consequently, his laughter grew louder. "Hahaha..."

Ai Yue looked at him in confusion, not understanding why he was laughing or what was so funny!

So she stared at him crossly.

Gong Qiuqiu laughed his fill before stopping. Ai Yue looked at him coldly.

"Sorry, I really couldn't help myself, hehe..." Gong Qiuqiu's cheeks were flushed from laughing. Seeing Ai Yue's cold face, he still found it funny.

Ai Yue was puzzled. Whenever she put on a stern face and stared coldly at people, it usually scared them half to death. Why was this Colonel Gong's reaction so different?

How could he laugh so joyfully?

"I'm sorry! I'll stop laughing. Let's get back to business."

He said he wouldn't laugh and truly stopped; in the blink of an eye, he returned to his elegant demeanor.

Ai Yue still looked at him coldly without saying a word.

Gong Qiuqiu said gently, "Have a little more patience with me. I won't let you lose out!"

"Hmph!" Ai Yue rolled her eyes at him upon hearing this.

"The decision is in your hands. I only need five hundred!" Gong Qiuqiu said coolly and gently.

"Five hundred? Why don't you just go and rob someone!" Ai Yue shouted in surprise.

"I would like to rob someone, but I can't beat you!"

Gong Qiuqiu shrugged as he spoke.

"This is too much! I don't agree!" Ai Yue's face was as black as the bottom of a pot. She feared Gong Qiuqiu was just teasing her; she didn't even have a hundred on her right now.

Since returning, she had distributed the transparent stones she had to her family.

"Don't be in such a hurry to refuse. Let me show you something!"

Gong Qiuqiu opened the backpack he had been carrying and pulled out a small parcel.

"Take a look!" Gong Qiuqiu opened the parcel and signaled Ai Yue, who was reluctant to pay him any mind, to come over.

Ai Yue glanced casually at the contents of the parcel, and her eyes lit up. "This is..."

Ai Yue quickly walked up to Gong Qiuqiu and reached out to touch the item inside the parcel.

The first sensation was that it was as thin as a cicada's wing and exceptionally soft.

Waves of shock rose within Ai Yue. Smelling the familiar scent lingering on it, she exclaimed, "This is, this is... this is Devil Frog skin?"

"That's right! It's Devil Frog skin." With a gentle attitude and elegant movements, Gong Qiuqiu placed the Devil Frog skin into Ai Yue's hand for her to observe closely.

"How did you skin a Devil Frog?" Ai Yue was too shocked. Everyone knew that Devil Frog skin was a treasure, but no one could skin one within three minutes of its death.

Its skin was too hard and impossible to pierce. Three minutes after a Devil Frog died, it would turn into ash and vanish.

Gong Qiuqiu gave a refined smile. "A stroke of luck!"

"A stroke of luck? Heh..." Ai Yue put the Devil Frog skin back into Gong Qiuqiu's hand and narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean by showing this to me?"

"As an exchange item, would you say this is worth five hundred transparent stones?" Gong Qiuqiu said amiably.

It was more than worth it, okay!

As long as she had this, her entire family would become invulnerable. Even if they were blown away by a bomb, they would at most suffer some internal injuries and nothing serious.

Although this Devil Frog skin was precious, transparent stones were equally precious. transparent stones could help Ability Users level up, which was even more enticing.

However, transparent stones weren't actually hard for her to get, but the Devil Frog skin was too important to them.

Without hesitating for long, Ai Yue spoke up, "I can trade, but I can only give you four hundred. Not a single one more!"

Upon hearing this, Gong Qiuqiu didn't hesitate at all and said directly, "Fine! Four hundred it is!"

"Huh? So readily?" Ai Yue hadn't expected him not to bargain at all. This meant she had offered too many; the price she gave completely exceeded his internal expectations.

"That's right. If you say it's worth this price, then it's worth this price. I'll listen to you!"

Ai Yue's mouth twitched, and she said with a forced smile, "I don't have that many on me. Wait for me for three days. In three days, we'll exchange the goods for the payment."

"No need, I'll go with you!"

"You'll go with me? Do you know the Earth Evasion Technique too?"

"Naturally not!"

"Then why are you coming with me? How will you get there?"

"You'll take me!" Gong Qiuqiu said as if it were a matter of course.

Ai Yue was momentarily speechless. "I'll take you? How am I supposed to take you?"

"You're the professional in this area, I'll listen to you!" Gong Qiuqiu said straightforwardly.

"Oh, right. I also have two oxygen tanks. If you take me along, I'll provide them for free. How about it?"

Hearing this, Ai Yue realized that Gong Qiuqiu was going no matter what. She might as well let him go. Anyway, with the oxygen tanks, he wouldn't suffocate.

"Fine. But if any accident happens, I have to ensure my own safety before it's possible for me to help you. So you'd better think it through!" Ai Yue gave him a warning in advance.