Chapter 316: Bluffing
“Sorry, I’ll still choose the new equipment.”
Chang Ning thought about it and still rejected the man’s proposal, even though he really wanted to see the “junk” the other was talking about. But who let him be short on cash right now?
But the man’s sudden enthusiasm made Chang Ning suspicious. He had never met the other before.
Anyone encountering someone who suddenly showed enthusiasm toward them would be suspicious. As the ancients said: No courtesy without a reason—either a seducer or a thief!
Not to mention in a foreign land, where the danger level was skyrocketing.
“Buddy, you made a very wise decision.
All the goods here are well-known and reputable. Seeing how much face you’re giving me, those equipment for four thousand US Dollars are yours—just consider it making a friend.”
The shopkeeper was very happy to see Chang Ning finally choose his own, grinning widely.
“OK, no problem. If you need help, you can contact me.”
With that, the man casually wrote his contact info on a sticky note and handed it to Chang Ning, then turned and left.
He came here for business and running into Chang Ning was pure coincidence. Old Qiang hadn’t tipped him off beforehand.
Since there was an outsider present, he could only come back next time.
“That man just now is the colleague I told you about, a capable guy.”
The strong man was talking to Chang Ning about that man just now.
Chang Ning already had some guesses in his mind, and hearing the few people’s conversation just now further confirmed his guess.
They were mercenaries!
Even if the shopkeeper wasn’t, his identity was definitely not ordinary.
“Alright, let’s not talk about that buzzkill.
I have other good stuff here. Not sure if you’re interested?”
For the guy who almost stole his business, the shopkeeper clearly didn’t want to talk about him.
“Sure, let’s take a look then.”
Though Chang Ning wanted to make some big noise, he wasn’t in a rush at this moment.
What if the shopkeeper had some good stuff? He might need to come back for supplies later.
Seeing Chang Ning eagerly touring every corner here under the shopkeeper’s lead, the Russian strong man proposed they part ways.
They were just chance acquaintances; their current relationship was barely nodding acquaintances.
Besides, Chang Ning was afraid that having the strong man follow him would hinder his actions.
Who knew if these mercenaries would report him to the America government?
Chang Ning didn’t dare take that risk, even if there was a Chinese Person among this group of mercenaries.
As said before, in a foreign land, fellow countrymen might be even more dangerous.
“Alright then, I’ll come pick up the equipment tomorrow.
Here’s the deposit.”
Handing over his remaining five hundred US Dollars to the shopkeeper, Chang Ning blended into the shopping crowd, and in the blink of an eye, his figure vanished.
Wandering aimlessly down the main street, all around were white-skinned and black-skinned foreigners coming and going; occasionally seeing a yellow-skinned one, they might even be Japanese or Korean.
This sense of loneliness in a foreign land surrounded Chang Ning from all sides, but he didn’t feel much about it.
America was just one stop in his life, not the whole of it, so this alienated loneliness wasn’t anything he couldn’t overcome.
Hands in pockets, disguising himself as a backpacker touring America, Chang Ning looked around at the buildings so different from Huaxia style.
He’d heard many buildings here had long histories?
Heh, how long could they be?
For a building over two hundred years old to be preserved was already impressive.
Who let America’s history be only just over two hundred years?
Strolling to a public telephone booth, Chang Ning fished out a coin from his body, inserted it into the slot, picked up the phone, and started dialing the numbers from a card printed with a string of digits.
After three busy tones, the phone was picked up.
“Hello, we met once in the black market today,” Chang Ning said.
“Oh, buddy, I remember now, it’s you.
Is there something I can do for you?”
A hearty laugh came through the phone first, then he asked what business Chang Ning had that could benefit him.
“Buddy, do you know a gang called ‘Zero Point’?” Chang Ning asked in return.
“Of course, there are at least five gangs here called ‘Zero Point,’ all small-time ones that amount to nothing.
Did they mess with you? For ten thousand US Dollars, I can make that gang disappear.”
The man on the other end said making a gang disappear as casually as taking a sip.
It sounded like the other side had considerable strength.
Not to mention whether Chang Ning even had ten thousand US Dollars on him, even if he did, he wouldn’t hand it over just to wipe out a small America gang.
He came here to complete a mission, not to play vigilante in America.
Besides, if he had ten thousand US Dollars, he would’ve bought that equipment without a second thought, no need to target a gang—even if that gang had messed with him.
“Price is too high.”
“Then why’d you call? Buddy, my time is valuable.”
Hearing Chang Ning couldn’t afford it, the enthusiasm in the other’s tone dropped sharply.
Such an attitude had no effect on Chang Ning; he didn’t care about the other’s attitude. He just wanted what he needed.
Completing the mission was the top priority right now; everything else could wait.
The other hadn’t messed with him; it was just a bad attitude, not yet at the level of deserving a beating.
“Calling naturally means business,” Chang Ning said in an unhurried tone.
Although that black person boss in the black market had told him intel on the ‘Zero Point’ gang, it wasn’t accurate, and he was also afraid that black person boss might scam him.
So this call was first to confirm the accuracy of the black person boss’s intelligence again, and second to see if this guy had more detailed intel.
Like places Drunk Donnie frequented, whether he had any mistresses or such.
If that Black Ghost dared to deceive him, what his end would be wouldn’t be up to him.
His, Chang Ning’s, money wasn’t so easy to take!
“What business? If you dare mess with me, I’ll twist your head off and use it as a ball to kick!
Chinese kid, you don’t want to know that feeling, I swear!”
The man on the phone viciously threatened Chang Ning.
“Looks like you don’t want to know what business it is. That’s not an attitude for doing business.”
With that, Chang Ning decisively hung up. By his guess, the other couldn’t be someone with strong backing.
Which person with strong backing would personally hustle the market like a salesman?
Sure, it didn’t rule out those who liked to work, but ninety-nine percent of people in the world were hedonists.
Just like that TV series character’s line: You’ve fought your whole life, can’t you enjoy it a bit?
The purpose of people’s struggles is to enjoy life, after all.
Therefore, Chang Ning figured the other had no real background—most likely just a lone information broker.
As for him opening with wiping out ‘Zero Point,’ Chang Ning leaned toward it being bluffing to gain the upper hand later.
Too bad Chang Ning didn’t buy it and directly cut off the support by hanging up.
If he was right, the other would call back soon.
“Ding-a-ling~”
The phone rang.
