C5 CHAPTER5

Sam, slumped in his chair and bored out of his mind, suddenly sneezed and muttered, "I hope they're saying good things about me."

Just moments before, he had toyed with the idea of venturing out to hawk his remaining pills like a nomadic trader, braving the wasteland to peddle them to eager buyers. However, his prideful system balked at the notion.

"As a distinguished and eminent supplier, it is beneath your dignity to personally seek out business!" it had declared.

With no other tasks at hand, Sam set about cleaning for the second time that day. He buffed the display cases to a shine, wiped down the counters, swept the floors, and even invested all 400 of his coins to repeatedly open the level-1 pill supply channel.

His inventory now boasted over thirty varieties of level-1 pills, five level-2 pills, and the nine walnuts he'd decided to offer for sale.

Lost in thoughts of how wonderful it would be to actively engage in commerce, Sam's reverie was shattered by the arrival of a small group.

"Is this the place? It's as old and grimy as Chloe described."

"Actually, it's even more rundown than she mentioned. I doubt such a dilapidated shop in the middle of nowhere could possess any sort of miraculous pill. We've probably been duped out of a thousand coins..."

"Let's at least inquire..."

"Pardon me, is this where they sell the divine pill that boosts strength and replenishes spiritual energy?"

One of the men asked, his voice tinged with skepticism yet unable to mask the flicker of hope at the prospect of acquiring the elusive pill.

"A level-1 strength-enhancing pill will fulfill your requirements!" Sam replied, his smile beaming.

"Hey Boss, I'm an awakened one of the fire element. Can your divine pill help me regain energy?"

"Absolutely, the Energy Pill will cater to all your needs!"

"And this Godly Speed pill, what's its purpose?"

"What about this experience pill..."

Sam patiently addressed each question from the group, occasionally flashing a smile and doling out compliments.

He knew that a large crowd didn't necessarily translate to big sales, but having no customers guaranteed no sales at all. Gradually, he began to pitch every type of pill he had, even the walnuts.

Selling just one could turn his dream of owning a house in the city center into a reality.

"10,000 spiritual coins for a single pill? That's outrageous! How could anything from this shop possibly aid in leveling up?"

"That's a level-2 pill you're talking about. I assure you, the pills I offer deliver exactly as promised."

"This is outrageously priced; no one would be foolish enough to fall for such a scam, blending real with counterfeit products... who do you think you're deceiving?"

"All these pills are identical; the only difference is their price..."

"A walnut for 100,000 spiritual coins? Come on, Boss. If you want to add some shine to your shop, jacking up the prices isn't the way to do it."

Customers were skeptical of the high-priced pills, not out of distrust for their efficacy, but simply because they lacked the funds to test them.

Yet, admitting that lack of funds, rather than lack of trust, was the issue was too much to bear, so they resorted to criticizing what was beyond their reach.

Despite an urge to show these rude customers the door, Sam kept his composure, flashing a smile as he noticed several of them eyeing the level-1 pills with interest.

"Hey Boss, remember me? I'm back for more strength enhancement pills and the Godly Speed pill. Got any in stock?"

Cyril, his very first customer, had returned.

Sam recognized him instantly, recalling how he'd previously rewarded him with his first system bonus and a winning lottery ticket.

"How could I forget a valued customer?" he said, approaching with a broad, theatrical smile. He clapped his hands on Cyril's shoulders, feigning to dust off his shirt.

"Ding! The first customer has made a comeback!"

"New mission: Increase profits tenfold."

"Mission Brief: Persuade the first customer to spend ten times his initial purchase."

"Deadline: One hour."

"Success Reward: A lottery ticket."

"Failure Penalty: The shop shuts down for a month."

"Remember: As a proud member of the esteemed supplier family, it's your sacred, time-honored duty to boost customer spending. Honor your forebears!"

The smile plastered on Sam's face belied the turmoil within; this system would be the death of him yet.

"How on earth can I convince this guy to drop 20,000 spiritual coins on pills when he only spent 2,000 last time?" Sam pondered.

Clearly, the mission was a setup for failure, but the allure of another shot at the roulette ticket was irresistible...

The memory of the delectable taste and the remarkable benefits from just one walnut lingered in his mind.

"Boss, you look troubled. Don't tell me you're out of strength enhancement pills, or is it the Godly Speed pill? Whatever you've got, I'm here to buy."

"Haha, I've just got a fresh batch of pills in my shop, like this level-2 one here. I promise you, take it and you'll level up on the spot—I stake my ancestors' honor on it."

"This level 3 walnut? It'll boost your genetic potential so you can join the ranks of the geniuses. Becoming an Evolved won't be just a dream anymore."

While the shopkeeper's pitch seemed standard fare, to the listeners, it felt like the ravings of a zealot.

"Pills that can level you up just like that? Boss, cut the nonsense. How can leveling up be as simple as popping one of your pills?"

"And charging 100,000 for a walnut? Outrageous."

"That's right," chimed in most of the customers, reverting to their skeptical stance, especially given their reluctance to part with more than 1,000 spiritual coins. Yet...

"A pill that can actually increase your level? Boss, does such a miracle pill really exist?" Cyril, a devoted patron of the store who trusted the shopkeeper implicitly due to a debt of gratitude, asked eagerly.

"Have I ever steered you wrong before?"

"No, it's just that..." Without hesitation, Cyril produced 10,000 spiritual coins. "Boss, I'll take one of those experience pills, please."

"Drop the long face—it's just 10,000 spiritual coins. Here, take the pill and after you've swallowed it, you tell me if I'm overcharging," Sam insisted.

Cyril eyed the pill in her palm for a moment before downing it, under the skeptical yet hopeful gazes of the other patrons. When no immediate change occurred, they launched into a third wave of mockery.

"This poor, naive kid, blowing all those spiritual coins on a single pill."

"I knew it! Just a con job from this swindler of a shopkeeper—a 10,000-coin pill, tsk..."

Amidst the jeers, Cyril's face suddenly flushed red; sweat poured from his brow as a surge of energy coursed through him.

Stuck at four stars for ages, he felt a "Pop" as if a bubble had burst within him.

To the shock of all present, he ascended to five stars, and the pill's power hadn't even fully unfolded. Minutes later, with another "Pop," he soared to the six-star Awakened level.

With red eyes brimming with tears, Cyril couldn't contain his excitement as he exclaimed, "Six Star Awakened! Boss, I've leveled up twice!"

A single pill had catapulted him two levels in mere minutes... Now, it wasn't just the big man whose face was flushed with excitement; everyone in the store shared the same rosy glow.