'Dungeons are risky, but the rewards are really high. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. That saying really is true,' Fang Zhen thought.
"Sir, how about we add each other on WeChat? If anyone you know wants to buy or sell gold jewelry, you can message me directly. I'll get back to you anytime," Tang Xiaojuan said.
"Alright," Fang Zhen nodded.
They stood face-to-face and added each other on WeChat.
After selling the Gold Pendant, Fang Zhen's mood improved considerably.
He bid farewell to Tang Xiaojuan, walked out of the office, passed the front counter, and stepped onto the pedestrian street.
Watching the ceaseless river of people outside, Fang Zhen let out a long, relieved sigh.
'I've bounced back this time. I never want to be in such a tight spot again. Heh, money really does make a man bold. It's so true,' Fang Zhen told himself.
He still remembered what it was like when he was making a lot of money. It felt like his IQ was soaring. His mind was wide open, brimming with inspiration every day. The next step was always crystal clear. His social life was great, too; he had friends everywhere, and everything he said seemed to be a witty, golden phrase, rolling off his tongue without a second thought.
But when the money was gone, his mind grew sluggish, as if he'd become stupider. Even the world seemed to give him the cold shoulder.
'But it was good in a way,' Fang Zhen thought. 'That recent low point let me see people for who they really are. I've experienced the fickleness of human nature, figured out who my true friends are, and who's just... not.'
He had a good attitude about it. He'd experienced the ups and downs of relationships, but he held no grudges. That's just how the world works. The hardships he faced were nothing special; others had gone through them too. Besides, even at his lowest, a few true friends had been willing to help him. It looked like he hadn't failed at life after all.
Fang Zhen knew very well that as much as he liked and admired his friend Xiao Yi, he was not him.
Fang Zhen liked money and was willing to earn it. He wasn't as detached and otherworldly as Xiao Yi.
However, Fang Zhen had his own way of thinking. He simply saw money as an extremely useful tool, not as the most important thing in the world.
In short, Fang Zhen wanted to be the master of his money, not the other way around.
Now that he was out of his slump, Fang Zhen's heart pounded with excitement. He was ready to make some big moves.
'Just killing a few goblin grunts gave me this much of a return. The benefits in the dungeon world are far greater than I imagined. If I keep digging, I can definitely make my life exciting and extraordinary.'
'But the dungeon world is hardcore. And by hardcore, I don't mean it's just difficult. I mean one wrong move and you could die in there. The risk is huge, and I've only got one life.'
'I need to find a way to reduce the risks, increase the rewards, and improve my odds of survival.'
At that moment, Fang Zhen's mind was sharper and clearer than ever. He began to plan meticulously.
'First, I need to buy some gear.'
'A craftsman needs the best tools for the job. If I want to take down that mob of goblins on the Dark Path, I'll need better, more lethal equipment.'
In a flash, Fang Zhen knew what he had to do.
A lot of the gear he needed was hard to find in physical stores and had to be ordered online. Delivery would take at least two or three days.
He couldn't waste those two or three days. He had to find something productive to do.
He turned and walked deeper into the pedestrian mall.
In front of a GXG clothing store, an employee was cleaning, dusting off a mannequin from the window display near the entrance.
An idea struck Fang Zhen. He had a use for that.
Fang Zhen strode over.
"Welcome!" the saleswoman said out of habit.
"Heh, I'm not here for the clothes. Is this display mannequin for sale?" Fang Zhen asked.
"Huh?" The saleswoman didn't quite process that, staring blankly at Fang Zhen.
"These display mannequins. I have a use for them. If you have any to spare, I'll buy two," Fang Zhen said.
"This... I... I've never had anyone ask that before. I don't know. Sir... please wait a moment, I'll go ask my manager." The saleswoman was clearly flustered and at a loss.
"Alright, go ahead," Fang Zhen said.
The saleswoman went into the store, and a moment later, a male manager walked out.
"Sir, you want to buy... this?" The manager asked, clearly intrigued.
"Yeah. I noticed the quality of your mannequins is pretty good. They're plastic, right? I have a use for them. Let me just check something." Fang Zhen took out his phone, opened an app called 1866—a wholesale sourcing platform—and searched for "silicone mannequin."
"See? On 1866, a set of five mannequins costs between 350 and 800. I only need two. I'll give you six hundred for them. How about it?" Fang Zhen said, showing the manager his phone.
The manager wasn't sure what to make of this. He gave an awkward laugh and said, "Sir, we've never sold our fixtures before."
"Eight hundred," Fang Zhen said.
"Well..." The manager still didn't know how to respond.
"Nine hundred. I need them urgently, or I wouldn't be offering this much. Sell them to me, and I'll take them right now," Fang Zhen said.
"Manager, we do have extra mannequins in the back..." the saleswoman chimed in, clearly tempted.
Hearing this and seeing how serious Fang Zhen was, the manager thought for a moment, then gritted his teeth. "Alright!"
"Great. Pack them up for me, I'll take them away. Add me on WeChat, and I'll transfer the money," Fang Zhen said.
He knew the manager wouldn't report the sale to his boss. He'd pocket a few hundred and could easily order a replacement mannequin later to make up for the loss. That's why he was willing to make the deal.
The manager dubiously took out his phone. Fang Zhen promptly scanned his QR code and transferred the 900.
The moment the manager saw the money arrive, his face lit up. His previous suspicion vanished completely, replaced by an enthusiastic, beaming smile as he looked at Fang Zhen.
"Man, you're a straight shooter! I'll get those mannequins wrapped up for you right away. Need me to find someone to help you get them delivered?"
"Sure," Fang Zhen nodded.
"You got it, man! I'll get right on it." The manager was thrilled and turned to go make the arrangements.
Fang Zhen watched with a calm expression.
He wanted the mannequins for one main reason: to practice with a blade. He needed to build his nerve and train himself to be ruthless.
Modern city dwellers have lost their wild instincts. When trouble arises, people usually just argue. Very few resort to violence. At a critical moment, they can't bring themselves to strike a decisive, ruthless blow.
In a society governed by law, that's not a bad thing—it might even be a good habit. But in the dungeon world, it was a fatal flaw.
When Fang Zhen had tried to slit a goblin's throat with his knife, he'd hesitated. He felt he was still too green.
The mannequins in this shop were good quality and even had a somewhat realistic feel to them. Fang Zhen planned to take them home, get a knife or a dagger, and practice his thrusts, slashes, and cleaves until they became second nature.
People who've never been in a real fight think it's easy, but without practice, your hand will falter when the time comes. This was something you could train, though. According to legend, even great Martial Arts masters had to kill chickens to build their nerve before their first real kill. It was the same principle.
Training with mannequins could at least help him build muscle memory for some tactical moves.
Before long, the manager had the mannequins packed and brought out for Fang Zhen. He even enthusiastically recommended a truck driver.
Fang Zhen added the driver on WeChat and arranged for the delivery for fifty yuan.
Before Fang Zhen left, the manager came over with a fawning smile. "Hey man, I've got the mannequins all set for you. The truck will be here any minute."
"But... what exactly are you going to use them for? If you don't mind me asking."
Fang Zhen looked at the manager, who was smiling but had a curious glint in his eyes, and chuckled.
He knew the manager had made a little something on the side from the deal.
But Fang Zhen didn't care.
It was only a few hundred yuan. What Fang Zhen valued was time and efficiency. The rewards from the dungeon world were immense; even a single day's delay would be a significant loss.
The mannequins were a solution for the downtime while he waited for his online orders to arrive.
You have to spend money to make money. Any expense that helped him was worth it.
"To make money. It's a trade secret," Fang Zhen said with a smile.
The manager's imagination visibly kicked into high gear. His eyes darted about, lost in some wild speculation.
A short while later, the truck arrived, stopping at an intersection near the pedestrian mall.
Fang Zhen helped load the mannequins onto the truck, then got into the passenger seat, and the driver took him home.
「Fang Zhen's Apartment Complex.」
Fang Zhen wrestled the mannequins into the elevator, went up to the seventh floor, and entered his apartment.
His floor had two apartments sharing one elevator lobby. The unit across from his had been purchased as an investment property; it was renovated but no one ever lived there, so it was always empty. This effectively meant Fang Zhen had the entire floor to himself.
After opening the door with the fingerprint lock and hauling the mannequins inside, Fang Zhen shut the door and went to the bathroom to splash some water on his face and clear his head.
After drying his face, Fang Zhen didn't immediately start practicing with the mannequins. Instead, he opened his phone and began browsing online shopping sites.
He needed to buy some weapons and gear for the dungeon.