stonecrandall Chapter 39: Success!
Chapter 39: Success!
"Brother, just think about how many treasures must be inside Emperor Qianlong's real tomb!"
After going around in circles for so long, all I've got is the desire to make exorbitant demands!
Martin saw right through it all, but he still pretended to be clueless and asked, "What do you mean?"
"Brother, stop kidding me. I've explained it to you this clearly, and you still don't understand?"
The stall owner's mouth was dry from talking, so he picked up a water cup next to him and took a big gulp.
Martin feigned shock, feigning surprise, and exclaimed, "You...you don't mean you want me to dig up your ancestral graves, do you?!"
"Pfft~ Cough cough cough!"
The stall owner who was drinking water almost choked to death by those words.
"Besides, don't you know that tomb raiding is illegal? I'm a model citizen!"
"My dear brother, you're so naive! Don't you know...?"
The stall owner looked around, then leaned closer to Martin and whispered, "Won't you steal it secretly? Quietly, without anyone noticing, you can move the treasures inside. Who would know?"
"Then why don't you steal it?"
Martin looked at the stall owner with clear eyes.
The stall owner patiently explained, "Didn't you say it yourself? That's my family's ancestral grave. If I were to rob it, wouldn't my ancestors kick me to death a hundred years from now?"
"So you just let others steal it?"
"I...I just needed money urgently because my family member is sick. Otherwise, even if you beat me to death or jump off a cliff, I wouldn't tell a single word to anyone!"
The stall owner looked extremely distressed and almost burst into tears.
"Alas, things rarely go as planned, and only a few can be shared with others. I understand, I understand."
Martin sighed deeply, looking as if he deeply sympathized with the stall owner, and said:
"Boss, name your price. I'll buy it if the price is right. Then I'll give the higher-ups the address of Emperor Qianlong's real tomb. That way, I'll not only get a banner, but also a two-hundred-yuan bonus!"
The stall owner paused for a moment, looked Martin up and down with a puzzled expression, and then said, feigning emotion, "Brother, I knew I hadn't misjudged you! Well done!"
Since you're so generous, I can't lose face. Here's the deal: 10 for you!
"Hiss~"
Martin gasped.
You're ruthless, kid. You're shaving me clean, even down to the last hair...
Martin said with a pained expression, "Um... bro, could you make it cheaper? I'm just a recent graduate, where would I get that much money?"
"this..."
The stall owner was a good actor; after hesitating for a moment, he slapped his thigh.
"Eighty thousand, take it! Brother, I'm only selling because we click. I wouldn't sell to anyone else for a penny less, it's only you!"
Am I a PR firm? Watch me get my hair and makeup done!
"It's not that I'm not giving you face, brother, it's just that I'm really short of money. How about... we just forget about it?"
"Hey, brother, business is all about bargaining, so why don't you offer a price?" The stall owner, afraid of losing his prize, quickly relented.
Martin feigned reluctance, saying, "Brother, it's not that I don't want to bargain, but it's 80,000! How can I possibly negotiate that down?"
"Why don't you just pay one back first? What if it works out?"
The stall owner was no longer willing to waste words and planned to rip off as much as he could.
"one hundred."
Martin held up one finger.
"How many?!"
The stall owner was stunned by the price.
Upon seeing the stall owner's expression, Martin immediately solidified his price, saying, "One hundred, not a penny more."
The stall owner complained, "Eighty thousand and you're only offering one hundred? Dude, are you Xie Xun, the Golden Lion King? You're such a shrewd haggler! I've never seen anyone haggle like this in my life, it's blacker than a black hole!"
"Then we'll meet again someday."
Martin pulled a fast one, getting up and leaving.
The stall owner yelled, "You stand right there!"
Startled, Martin turned to the stall owner and said warily, "What? You're trying to rob me because we can't agree on a price?"
"Robbery? I don't do illegal things, buddy. I stopped you to tell you, it's a hundred for you!"
The stall owner's ability to change his expression so quickly is nothing short of an art form.
Martin's heart skipped a beat, and he hesitated, saying, "I suddenly regret buying it. This hundred dollars is my living expenses for this month."
The stall owner panicked, took a few steps to Martin, and grabbed his wrist.
"Brother, you can't just go back on your word. A man's word is his bond!"
"Okay... then."
Martin stamped his foot in frustration, took out a crumpled hundred-dollar bill from his pocket, and just as he was about to hand it to the stall owner, he suddenly pulled it back.
This made the stall owner very anxious.
"What's wrong now?"
Martin said, sounding aggrieved, "No, I'm still a little reluctant. How about you make me a little gadget, boss?"
"You... sigh~ fine, fine, you can choose." The stall owner waved his hand helplessly.
Martin happily rummaged through the stall for a while, and finally, just as the owner was about to lose his patience, he casually picked up a small copper gourd.
"This is it, perfect for attaching to a keychain as a decoration."
The stall owner was secretly pleased, but said preemptively, "Once you've chosen, you can't change it."
"This is it. Please wrap it up for me and the Dragon Crown together."
Martin handed the copper gourd to the stall owner.
The stall owner took out a plastic bag, casually stuffed the dragon crown and copper gourd into it, and then handed it to Martin.
What a simple and unadorned packaging bag...
Cash on delivery.
Martin suppressed his excitement and quickly left with the plastic bag.
After Martin walked away, the stall owner, who had been looking gloomy, smiled slightly, took out a brand-new dragon crown from the box behind him, placed it in the most conspicuous position on the stall, and continued reading the magazine.
Martin found a seat and took the copper gourd out of the plastic bag.
"Another magical artifact!"
That's right, Martin has always wanted this bronze gourd!
I bought a magic artifact for 100 yuan, and it even came with a dragon crown as a free gift. Well, apart from the dragon crown fading a bit, it was such a great deal!
The copper gourd that Martin bought has an invincible characteristic.
It can absorb luck from its surroundings!
Martin carefully put away the copper gourd, as instructed in the ancient book.
"I'm a little thirsty, let me buy a bottle of water."
Martin randomly picked a convenience store, bought a bottle of drink, unscrewed the cap, and gulped down a few mouthfuls.
Martin glanced at the bottle cap and paused for a moment.
"Another bottle, please?"
Martin returned to the convenience store with the bottle cap and said, "Boss, I've won! Another bottle, please."
The boss glanced at it, then put the bottle cap away and gestured for Martin to get a drink from the shelf.
Martin finished his drink, grabbed a bottle from the shelf, and was about to leave when he suddenly stopped.
He gently unscrewed the bottle cap, picked it up, and took a look.
One more bottle, please!
Another hit!
"Boss, another bottle, please."
The boss, who had been watching TV while holding a palm-leaf fan, finally gave Martin a proper look.
"Take it."
Martin placed the opened drink on the cabinet, then grabbed another drink and opened it in front of the boss.
"Holy crap? Should I get another bottle?"
The boss looked at Martin with a strange expression and said in surprise, "You're something else, kid. You've passed all three exams in a row. Are you going to take the postgraduate entrance exam?"
Martin: "(✽ﾟдﾟ✽)"
……