Most of the goods in the market weren't clearly marked with prices, meaning you had to be prepared to either cheat or be cheated every time you made a purchase. So Jiang Ling planned to wander around the market before heading off to find that group of unreliable military enthusiasts, hoping to find some ink for her fountain pen.
"Pencils?" Jiang Ling thought of that question as she passed a stationery stall. The items were carefully marked with prices by the vendor. Seeing the price difference of dozens of times between pencils and ink reminded her of a joke she'd heard before. The veracity of that story was unclear. It was said that Country M had spent hundreds of millions of dollars to develop a ballpoint pen that could write in zero gravity, but before that, Country E used pencils that cost only a few cents each.
The original meaning of this joke is probably about the difference between realism and idealism, but it's often misinterpreted by those with ulterior motives. In Jiang Ling's opinion, the joke isn't funny at all, and could even be described as tragic. One party doesn't understand that small investments can accomplish great things, while the other simply doesn't have the money. Simply put, one is stupid, the other poor, a pair of sworn enemies.
After thinking for a while, Jiang Ling decided to try using a pencil first. A mechanical pencil, refills, and a paper notebook only cost two bags of synthetic grain. She wasn't poor, she just hadn't become rich yet. Okay, she was poor.
After putting her things into her backpack, Jiang Ling felt the few remaining bags of dry food inside and began to doubt whether she could complete today's mission. Although the goods sold in this small market were theoretically not valuable, she was running low on cash. So it was easy for this guy to think of using his superpowers to fill the gap, and stealing was also a possibility. However, petty theft was not acceptable, and she didn't know the rules of the trade.
She'd heard that the Beggars' Guild didn't usually steal from the poor, but were the guys buying handicrafts at this small market actually considered poor? Perhaps they weren't financially poor, but they were truly poor spiritually. Those wealthy military enthusiasts had probably been to the surface twice by now, and were probably still drinking and bragging at some underground gathering place.
"Excuse me, do you accept watches?"
"Oh oh~ Miss, you're here again! I'll take everything! No matter how much!"
"What are you selling?"
"watch!"
"What watch?"
"Mechanical watch!"
"Oh, that, about fifteen points?"
"That's just old stuff, ten points at best!"
"Miss, if you have a lot of goods, come to me! They only take one or two at most, but I can take a lot! Five points each!"
"How much do you sell it for?" asked a curious passerby.
"At least fifty!" This person said as a matter of course, as if it should be so.
Jiang Ling probably understood the cost of the watches on their stalls, so she didn't treat these people unfairly. She took out a few bags of synthetic grain from her bag and then disappeared into the crowd.
She had no concerns about exchanging two mechanical watches for cost price. These guys were clearly profiteers who didn't want repeat business. Since they would never see each other again, she had no reason to hesitate. The specific process was simple. Most people couldn't understand what telekinesis was, and naturally, they couldn't take any protective measures against it.
Having secured such a good deal, Jiang Ling was in high spirits, even humming a tuneless little song on the way home. Luckily, there weren't many people around, otherwise some urban legend would have spread. The two watches were typical second-hand items, with far fewer functions than those super-expensive gadgets, but because they were printed, they kept much more accurate than the old ones. Besides the twelve-hour timer, it also showed the number of days that had passed, though it could only record a maximum of twenty-four days and needed to be calibrated every twelve days.
The accuracy of the watch didn't matter to Jiang Ling. She had a terminal to see the exact time. She just needed something to remind her that time was passing. She would give the extra one to her father. I hope it will make her happy.
. . . . . .
The next two days were uneventful. Jiang Ling spent the entire day at home dealing with the weapons and ammunition to be traded. To prevent gun oil from getting in the wrong places, she wrapped the three remaining rifles in cloth strips before putting them in her suitcase. She ignored the scattered bullets for now, first placing the well-wrapped ones back into the suitcase. As for the scattered ones, she found a good place to put the unused iron box, and to prevent the bullets from rolling around, she thoughtfully stuffed a sponge inside.
It wasn't until she was about to dispose of the two and a half boxes that she discovered that, hidden at the bottom of the box containing the AKs, there were twelve empty magazines and four bayonets. She had assumed the weapons box contained only the guns, but she hadn't expected some basic accessories. Out of integrity, she finally placed these items in the box. Of course, if they wanted these accessories, they would have to pay extra.
After learning that there might be accessories in the weapon box, she searched the crossbow box and finally found a few matching scopes. After trying them, she found that she couldn't understand the grooves on the lens at all. It was not evenly spaced and did not have much magnification ability.
"It seems I have to try it later to know how to use it. I don't know how much content has been simplified in the game." Jiang Ling packed them up with a headache. Although Jiang Wenwen promised that she would not come again, it is still necessary to be on guard against others!
It didn't take long to explore those things. Realizing there was nothing to do, Jiang Ling sat back down in her kennel. A machine, if it doesn't move, will rust, but if it moves too much, it will break down. It's the same with people: lying down all the time can easily lead to illness, but working too much can lead to occupational hazards. And what happens when someone who's been busy all day suddenly finds nothing to do? Will the pressure on their body suddenly release, or will a sense of loneliness creep over them?
Lying in bed, Jiang Ling felt strange. She didn't feel a sense of triumph from completing her plan. Instead, she was eager for time to pass quickly. She couldn't wait to complete the transaction. Listening to the occasional noise of machines and the chatter of people outside, Jiang Ling felt a long-lost sense of peace.
Sometimes you come to love this boisterous atmosphere, a place that feels different every day yet all too familiar. It's like a cocktail game Jiang Ling once played. In that atmosphere, you're a passerby, watching people come and go, listening to their joys and sorrows. Even if the outside world has been turned upside down, what does it have to do with you, a traveler?
Once Jiang Ling returns to a quiet state, she begins to think about life, about those philosophical questions that countless people have yet to answer. Then she places her hopes on the future, and she wants to see the stars.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com