C3 Girl next Door

"Xiao Yu, is that you?" Tang Tianyuv mustered a smile and asked, "What brings you here?"

The young girl, Yem Yu, was none other than the daughter of Tang Tianyuv's creditor, Mrs. Zhang. At times, Tang Tianyuv wondered how a woman as ill-tempered as Mrs. Zhang could have a daughter as gentle and sweet as Yem Yu. Could this be a case of the fabled genetic anomaly?

"My mom mentioned you were at Black Stone Lane, so I came looking for you," the girl said, her nose wrinkling in annoyance. "Brother, you know it's the weekend. You promised to wait for me at home, yet here you are."

Caught off guard, Tang Tianyuv suddenly recalled the promise. He had remembered, but Mrs. Zhang's pressing matters made him forget all about it. Naturally, he wouldn't share these details with Xiao Yu. Struggling to his feet, he offered a smile and said, "I'm sorry, Xiao Yu, let's head back."

"Move it!" someone barked from behind, shoving Tang Tianyuv so hard he nearly toppled over. Thankfully, Xiao Yu's quick reflexes saved him from a fall. Turning around, Tang Tianyuv saw a man in a uniform grumbling as he cleaned up a mess of vomit.

"Brother, we won't stoop to his level," Xiao Yu whispered, comforting him as she urged him to leave. Tang Tianyuv remained silent, yet he couldn't help feeling touched. He recognized that Xiao Yu was sparing him any embarrassment. Given his frail condition, he knew he wouldn't stand a chance in a confrontation, whether it involved fighting or hurling insults.

Every man has his pride, and a girl like Yem Yu understood how to preserve the delicate self-esteem of a man. Tang Tianyuv took note of her sensitivity.

But the worker was having none of it. Standing tall, he declared, "You can't leave."

Yem Yu stepped forward, challenging him, "What seems to be the problem?"

"You've violated public cleanliness. That's a twenty-dollar fine," the worker said matter-of-factly, pulling out a ticket and a pen from his pocket. He quickly scribbled on it, tore it off, and tossed it into Tang Tianyuv's chest. "Pay up and get out."

Without a word, Tang Tianyuv reached into his pocket and withdrew several Federation Coins, counting out twenty and handing them to the worker. Yem Yu watched in silence, offering no comment.

A sensible girl knows what to do and what not to do, and Yem Yu was without a doubt the kind of girl who put people at ease.

With ninety-eight dollars spent on a piece of dry bread and a fine, Tang Tianyuv was left with seventy-six. He stood there, silently doing the math, the weight of his situation bearing down on him. Then, like a bolt of lightning, a long-forgotten memory streaked through his mind.

Black Stone Lane!

I remember now, I've been here before!

Taking a deep breath, Tang Tianyuv allowed the flood of memories to wash over him.

He had visited this place before, but that was over a decade ago. His foster parents had taken him to see the Worm Iron Ore Market. As soon as he reached the entrance, he felt sick and ended up vomiting right there. His foster parents were so alarmed they didn't dare go any further and rushed him to the hospital instead.

Despite their skepticism, his foster parents tested the waters by passing the entrance with him again. Each time, he would become uncomfortable and burst into tears. Finally accepting the oddity of the place, they decided to never bring him back.

More than ten years later, he found himself back at Black Stone Lane, as if guided by some unseen force.

But was this place truly so peculiar? Tang Tianyuv pondered, his brow furrowed, oblivious to the fact that he had been standing at the entrance all this while, withstanding the force pressing upon him.

"Brother, are you going in?" Yem Yu tugged at his sleeve. "It's my first time here too. Shall we go in and have a look?"

It was only then that Tang Tianyuv realized he had been lingering at the doorway. He paused, a moment of realization washing over him.

He could still feel the power seeping into him, yet it was much milder now, so much so that he hadn't even noticed it before. Perhaps he had grown accustomed to it?

"Let's go," Tang Tianyuv said with a smile to the girl. "Accompany me to buy a stone."

Inside Black Stone Lane, the crowd was sparse. Worm Iron Ore was no common commodity, and unless one had the intention to buy a stone, there was little reason for casual visits. As they entered, the space opened up, feeling far more expansive than the cramped entrance suggested.

Meanwhile, Tang Tianyuv felt an overwhelming force pressing in from all sides, far more intense than what he had experienced at the entrance. It was almost suffocating, a sharp pain twisting in his stomach, accompanied by a nauseating urge to vomit. It dawned on him that there was indeed a palpable power within this market. At the entrance, the force had a singular point of entry, but now that he was inside, it was omnipresent.

Stubbornness was part of Tang Tianyuv's nature. Clenching his jaw, he remained silent, steadily making his way forward until he came upon a shop and entered without hesitation.

The oppressive pressure eased the moment he stepped inside, as if the shop itself provided a barrier.

"Looking to buy something, young man?" The shopkeeper, a man in his thirties, welcomed Tang Tianyuv with a warm smile.

"Yes, I'm interested in a stone," Tang Tianyuv replied, his gaze dropping to the round stones on display. Each was neatly placed in its own compartment, with a small electronic display above indicating the price. A quick scan left Tang Tianyuv inwardly reeling; the stones' prices started in the tens of thousands. The cheapest one he could spot was priced at thirteen thousand credits.

"Which stone caught your eye, young man?" the shopkeeper inquired.

"I'm in no hurry. I need to look a bit more closely," Tang Tianyuv said, his cheeks flushing as he gave the stones a cursory once-over before turning to Yem Yu. "Let's check out another place."

Yem Yu acknowledged with an "Oh," ready to leave, but the shopkeeper interjected, "Wait a moment."

"What is it?" Tang Tianyuv asked.

"Are you finding the stones too pricey?" the shopkeeper asked with a chuckle. "Don't be shy. It's common here—eight out of ten customers balk at the prices. You see, if there's nothing inside, it's just ordinary ore. But if there's something within, its value could be beyond measure. That's why we price our stones considering the potential. You're not accustomed to our rules yet. But trust me, if you witness someone crack open a stone and find an Energy Crystal, you won't think the price is too high at all."

Upon hearing that, Tang Tianyuv's awkwardness subsided. He nodded and replied, "You're right, but I didn't bring enough money with me."

The shopkeeper burst into laughter and said, "Ah, so the young man isn't here for high stakes, but for a bit of casual gambling. Why didn't you say so earlier?"

Tang Tianyuv, clueless about the distinction between high stakes and casual gambling, had gleaned all his knowledge of Worm Iron Ore from online descriptions. With no other choice, he bravely admitted, "Exactly, I'm not familiar with it at all. I'm just here to have some fun."

"You've come to the wrong place, little brother," the shopkeeper advised. "If you're looking to gamble casually, head out the door, turn left, and it's the third door on your side."

Under the shopkeeper's amused gaze, Tang Tianyuv and Yem Yu sheepishly exited, counted to the third door, and entered. They were surprised to find that this shop was bustling with business, far more than the last one. Over a dozen people were crammed into the tiny space, with a constant hum of hushed conversations.

A faint stirring in Tang Tianyuv's heart signaled the presence of a force similar to the one outside, albeit much weaker—like comparing an ant to an elephant.

This was no trick of the mind; he hadn't felt anything in the previous shop, but here, there was a definite sensation.

He bowed his head to concentrate on this subtle force and began to follow it, moving slowly forward. A few steps later, he found himself in front of a display of stones.

"Brother, the prices here are way lower than over there," Yem Yu murmured to him, "but the stones are also much smaller."

True enough, the prices displayed on the electronic screen were all under 10,000 Federation Coins, with many as low as 3,500 or 5,000. However, several stones were chipped or scratched, as if someone had taken a knife to them. One stone was even just a half-circle, its other half missing.

Tang Tianyuv nodded, his attention not on the stone prices but on the faint power he sensed. He continued to trace the source of this energy, his eyes scanning from the display grid to the back of the shop, until they settled on a stone in the very back corner.

This stone was nondescript, its dark surface easily overlooked. Tang Tianyuv would have missed it entirely had he not been scrutinizing the shop's contents. It lay in a forgotten corner, nestled among a clutter of miscellaneous items, seemingly of no interest to the shopkeeper.

"Indeed, the energy emanates from this stone," Tang Tianyuv concluded after a lengthy examination.

Just then, a voice interrupted, "Boss, I'll take that stone." Tang turned to see a young man gesturing toward the stone, its price of 4,500 Federation Coins displayed on the screen.

"My compliments on your discernment!" the proprietor, a wiry old man with a lively demeanor, exclaimed, flashing a thumbs-up. "With my years of experience with Worm Iron Ore, I'd say this stone has a high chance of containing an Energy Crystal."

The young man let out a dismissive chuckle. "Oh, come off it, boss. I've got no eye for this stuff. I'm clueless and just took a shot in the dark. It's a small wager—if I'm out of pocket, so be it."

Unfazed by his flattery being called out, the old man chuckled heartily. He extended his hand, deftly grabbed the stone, and appraised its weight with ease. "Payment first, then you can take your purchase."