Chapter 16 Meeting Scarface, the Black Market Boss
"Well……!"
Caught off guard, the burly man was strangled until he saw stars, and his anger flared up again.
"Damn it! Who the hell dares to grab my collar! You're asking for trouble, aren't you! Just wait till I get my hands on you..."
He whirled around menacingly, but when he saw the girl's face so close to his, with a half-smile on her face, all his harsh words caught in his throat. His fierce expression melted away like ice and snow, and in the blink of an eye, it was replaced by a fawning smile that was almost comical.
"Oh! It's...it's you, Grandma! Is there anything else you need? I...I wasn't very nice just now, please don't take it to heart!"
The speed at which he can change his expression is truly exceptional.
Xu Zhili released her hand, leisurely patted off non-existent dust, and a playful smile appeared on her lips. Her voice was not loud, but it carried a cold, penetrating power.
"Brother, you're leaving already? A watch... and you're done with that?"
She strolled slowly, circling the burly man, her eyes as if assessing a piece of merchandise.
"I was just thinking, how many meals can this watch afford for you? Or... can it ensure you have a full meal every time, with meat at every meal? Hmm?"
The burly man's heart skipped a beat, his greed rekindled, and his eyes widened even more as he cautiously asked, "Aunt...Grandma...you...you still have stock?"
Xu Zhili stopped and looked directly at him, her smile carrying a hint of cunning and condescension.
"Yes, the goods... of course we have them. The only concern is..."
She deliberately drew out her words, her eyes sweeping over his hand gripping his watch tightly, "I'm just afraid that you... have too small an appetite and can't handle the 'goods' I have."
The burly man swallowed hard and instantly understood.
The person in front of me is not a lost lamb at all, but a dragon crossing the river in sheep's clothing!
His fawning expression deepened, he bent even lower, and lowered his voice, conveying a sense of awe and ingratiation.
"Grandma! You...you are truly a hidden master. I was blind to your greatness. With my meager abilities, how could I dare to accept your goods? If you need to find someone, you should look for our 'Scarface Master'."
This black market is truly run by the boss! No matter what rare stuff you have, as long as the price is right, 'Scarface' will take everything from you, guaranteed to satisfy you!
"Scarface?"
Xu Zhili raised an eyebrow, understanding dawning on her.
It seems the main character is about to make his appearance.
She nodded slightly. "Then... lead the way."
Xu Zhili's voice was calm, yet carried an unquestionable tone of command.
Shoes that had stepped in dog poop took their first step toward the heart of the black market on this blood-soaked and filthy land.
The burly young man's introduction gave Xu Zhili a sense of security.
It seems this trip to the black market wasn't a waste of time; it saved us a lot of trouble by avoiding many intermediaries.
Unfortunately... she looked inside her mental ability space and found that most of the area was still imprisoned by invisible chains.
You might be able to spare ten or eight dollars for small luxury items like watches, but what about cars and large industrial products?
Don't even think about it.
What's more troublesome is that modern items would be too conspicuous in 1968. A classic and understated Omega De Ville is the limit of what she can offer that is still within the "explainable" range of value and the gap between its value and the era.
But it didn't matter. She had accumulated a mountain of watches during the apocalypse, so ten watches were just a drop in the ocean.
"oh?"
Xu Zhili maintained a mysterious smile, but her eyes were scrutinizing. "Scarface? That sounds impressive enough."
"However, this batch of 'rare items' of mine is not like cabbage from the street. Are you sure he can really swallow it whole? Don't let him choke on it."
She deliberately emphasized the phrase "rare and unusual thing".
The burly man thumped his chest, his large yellow teeth standing out starkly in the dim light: "Grandma, you can rest assured! Scarface is around here, this is the one!"
He gave a thumbs up, "No matter how rare the goods are, as long as it's a real deal, Scarface's appetite is bottomless. Price? Absolutely fair, guaranteed to satisfy you!"
Though her words were eloquent, a subtle slyness flashed in her eyes.
Xu Zhili pretended to hesitate for a moment before reluctantly nodding, "Alright, lead the way, but..."
She glanced at the burly man with a hint of warning, "We'll find out what the goods are when we get there. As for your 'benefits,' that depends on whether I'm satisfied."
She needs to maintain an air of mystery while also keeping the other person guessing.
The burly man chuckled and readily agreed, leading the way through a maze of twists and turns until they finally stopped in front of a seemingly ordinary, even somewhat dilapidated, courtyard.
He stepped forward and knocked on the door in a specific rhythm.
The door creaked open a crack, and a pair of sharp, hawk-like eyes swept over.
The burly man leaned in and whispered a few words before the door was fully opened.
The courtyard is a hidden world, completely different from the dilapidated exterior.
Various scarce goods were piled up in different categories, emitting a mixture of smells.
In the center of the courtyard, a man sat imposingly on a grand armchair.
The man was around forty years old, with a burly build, wearing a faded old military uniform (without collar insignia or cap badge), his shirt open, revealing an equally worn undershirt underneath.
Most striking is the deep, centipede-like scar on his left eyebrow, which runs diagonally from the eyebrow to the temple, adding a touch of ferocity to his already hard face.
He was slowly and methodically peeling an apple with a small knife, without even lifting his eyelids. That was Scarface.
The burly man scurried over and bent down to whisper his report in Scarface's ear.
Scarface continued peeling the apple without pause until the last layer of peel fell perfectly. Only then did he raise his eyelids, his gaze like a cold searchlight, instantly locking onto Xu Zhili standing in the courtyard.
His eyes were sharp and scrutinizing, carrying the oppressive aura of someone long accustomed to a position of power. He made no attempt to conceal his gaze as he surveyed her, as if weighing the value of a piece of merchandise.
"I heard you have some rare items?"
Scarface spoke, his voice deep and hoarse, like sandpaper scraping, "Show me what you've got, let me see it."
His tone was calm, yet carried an unquestionable command.
Xu Zhili remained calm, showing no signs of stage fright. She slowly took out a women's Omega De Ville watch from her handbag, which was actually a storage space.
Instead of carefully handing it over, she threw it at Scarface with an almost rude gesture! The movement was as casual as throwing a stone.
Scarface frowned almost imperceptibly, a hint of displeasure flashing in his eyes—this woman doesn't know the rules!
But he reacted extremely quickly, flipping his wrist and precisely catching the flying watch in mid-air.
It feels slightly heavy when you hold it, and has a cool and delicate texture.
He looked down, his gaze falling on the watch face.
Simple, sleek, and exquisite.
The sound of the pointer moving was subtle and steady.
The luster of the dial and the craftsmanship of the strap both exude an elegance and quality that transcends time.
A fleeting look of amazement and greed flashed across Scarface's eyes, but his face remained unchanged with its perpetually cold and hard expression, even carrying a hint of pickiness.
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