48 Another Enemy?!

After successfully purchasing the building for their Alchemy business, Michael and Gaya continued their exploration of Bradford.

Bradford proved to be a sprawling and thriving city, and Gaya guided Michael through its bustling streets, showcasing the vibrant life of the place.

Eventually, they stopped in front of an enormous building bearing the elegant calligraphy of 'Green Heaven' on its façade.

"Human, this is the largest treasure store in Bradford. If you're looking for anything rare or valuable, you can find it here. They also have the most extensive collection of items we need to set up our business," Gaya explained, and Michael noted her increasing use of the word 'we,' indicating her commitment to their partnership.

"Then let's go inside."

Inside Green Heaven, opulently dressed men perused the wares, often accompanied by robust guards who kept a vigilant eye on the merchandise.

"Look at that, fools seeking extravagant items to add to their collections. What's the point of spending millions of gold on a single painting?" Gaya scoffed, her gaze fixed on a group of people inspecting a fancy painting. Michael silently agreed, having similar thoughts when witnessing people spend exorbitant sums on French paintings or peculiar statues.

His own expenditures back on Earth were primarily focused on practical items such as mansions, firearms, and video games.

"I miss my Xbox, PlayStation, and PC," he sighed internally, then resumed following Gaya.

"The first floor mainly houses items that are useless to rich, good-for-nothing assholes,"

Subsequently, Michael and Gaya ascended to the second floor. As they approached the second level, two soldiers clad in full metal plate armor blocked their path on the staircase. One of them glanced at Michael before politely addressing them, "My Lord, my lady, please show us your means of payment before entering."

"Human, take out the gold coins," Gaya whispered to him, then addressed the guards.

"We don't use pay cubes; we deal with cold hard coins." Michael retrieved their remaining gold coins and neatly stacked them before the guards.

"May we proceed now?" Gaya inquired. "Of course, please enter, my lord, my lady!" The two men immediately gestured for them to pass.

Pay cubes served as a method for storing and managing money. Within the Elon continent, the color of a pay cube also indicated one's wealth, making it a status symbol that was a prerequisite for entering certain businesses.

Fortunately, Abras's memories provided some knowledge about pay cubes, so Michael wasn't entirely clueless.

"Where can I obtain a pay cube?" Michael inquired after passing through the door.

"Of course you wouldn't know. You can't acquire a pay cube whenever you please; you need to have at least one hundred thousand gold coins in your possession. Then, you can obtain one from a Grand Spire bank branch."

"Remind me to get one later."

"I'm not your notebook, you know," she replied, rolling her eyes. But he knew she would help him remember.

The entire second floor was adorned with a multitude of strange and bizarre plants and items on display. It featured a wide array of exhibits, from vibrantly colored flowers to peculiar lumps of iron. Glass bottles contained various animal parts and organs, and among these curiosities, a small pile of darkly colored iron sand stood out. Additionally, several other peculiar crystals emitted bright glows, and ancient-looking Alchemy furnaces were scattered about. 

Compared to the first floor, the second floor of Green Heaven was sparsely populated. Only about twenty extravagantly dressed men wandered about, casually selecting items that piqued their interest.

"Stop gawking around, human; you're embarrassing me." Despite Michael's childlike wonderment at the unique exhibits, Gaya chided him. 

He couldn't help but be captivated by the intriguing array of objects. In his previous life, he had to avoid public places during his free time to minimize the risk of exposure. Even though no one had ever seen his true face, he adhered to the "better safe than sorry" rule. Therefore, places like Green Heaven brought out the childlike curiosity in him. While Gaya teased him by claiming embarrassment, deep down, she enjoyed playfully ribbing him.

Seeing that Michael had taken too long to examine the exhibits, Gaya finally took the initiative and led him to the counter. In front of them, an array of peculiar-looking plants, items, and crystals lay on display. Michael had already planned out the types of pills and potions he intended to create and had their necessary ingredients firmly in mind.

Summoning the manager of the second floor, Michael placed a list on the counter and stated, "I need everything on this list."

The manager was an elder with white hair, and despite his age, his eyes gleamed brightly, as if they were twin stars. He scrutinized the list, then looked at Michael, seemingly assessing him, before speaking with a slight smile, "My lord, the items on this list—are you an apprentice of an Alchemist?" Gaya felt irritation rising at the manager's question and was about to deliver a snarky retort when Michael discreetly kicked her leg.

"Ouch."

"Something like that, Manager Ti."

Manager Ti paused for a moment, mentally calculating, and then replied, "We have all the items on the list, my lord, but the total price will be rather substantial."

"How much?" Michael inquired.

"Six thousand gold coins." Gaya, while not entirely sure about the prices of the items on the list, nodded in agreement when Michael looked to her for confirmation. In a reputable establishment like this, prices were typically fixed, leaving no room for negotiation.

"I'll take it," Michael agreed, ready to hand over the gold coins.

"Stop following me! You are pissing me off. I am telling you!"

But just as he was about to complete the transaction, a girl's loud voice interrupted him. He paused and turned to see several individuals entering the floor. There were ten bodyguards clad in silver, kevlar-like armor, each wielding a spear. They appeared to be accompanying a young woman who had just shouted at a young man attempting to persuade her while following closely behind. It was evident that the girl came from a wealthy family.

Both Michael and Gaya directed their attention toward the young girl, who was undeniably attractive. The irate girl's gaze then locked onto Michael just as he was observing her. She immediately confronted him, her voice filled with anger. "You jerk! What are you looking at?"

Michael was taken aback by the sudden outburst, and the young girl seemed to channel her frustration towards him. Although she appeared to be at Body Refining stage 3, her guards were formidable, with ranks at Body Strengthening stages 2 and 3, indicating their significant background. To avoid unnecessary trouble, he opted to ignore her rather than engage in a confrontation.

"Why do I always seem to attract angry girls?" Michael mused, briefly ignoring the girl and shifting his attention back to the manager. In contrast, Gaya appraised the girl discreetly, taking note of her appearance and the symbols on the guards' chests, before turning away.

However, the young girl grew even more infuriated when Michael dismissed her without displaying any reaction. She shouted at him again, "You rascal, there's no point in turning away now! I saw you gawking at me! Haven't you ever seen a beautiful girl before?"

This time, the girl's remark crossed a line, and Michael knew that remaining silent wouldn't align with his badass persona. He decided to address the situation. "Excuse me," Gaya recognized the shift in his demeanor. Michael had two sides to him: one was the witty, composed side, while the other was the ruthless, cunning assassin. At this moment, the latter side was emerging.

"I wasn't gawking at you. I simply turned my head when I heard you shouting, just like everyone else in this room," he calmly retorted and then gestured toward the young man who had been following her initially, highlighting his innocence.

"Just because one schmuck is trailing behind you doesn't mean the entire world is drooling over you," Michael retorted to the girl. His response left everyone in the vicinity stunned, especially Manager Ti and the bodyguards.

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for successfully being a badass. The reward is 1000 badass points.]