10 - Meeting the first young master

It was a chilly Saturday morning so there were not much people out on the street. Most were either sleeping in from the stressful weekdays or passed out from partying on a Friday night.

A tall wiry built youth, with a slightly unkempt dark hair, just walked into a clothing store.

The store had just opened up for the day so while there were not much people in it, every customer seemed to be someone worth something.

Of course the only exception was the youth, who looked like he had been picked from a homeless shelter with his faded jeans and old shirt.

Adam had received a call in the early morning by Olivia to bring her phone which she had forgotten at his place. So he had gotten dressed and prepared just to realize his available clothes weren't up to par.

That led to the current situation where he had to stop by a store to change his style.

An attendant walked up to him to ask if he needed assistance but he refused her. Since he himself wasn't even certain of what he wanted, he decided to just go around till he saw something.

After a few minutes of exploration, he got to the centre of the store and saw something he liked.

There, a coat hung alone on a mannequin. Dark, well-fitted, and clearly the centerpiece of the collection.

Adam walked toward it without hesitation.

It had a price tag of $2,500 so it was something he could afford.

Up close, he studied it carefully. The store had a policy that you had to buy whatever you touched so he didn't mind feeling the coat. The material felt solid when he touched it; the stitching, precice.

"I'll take this," he said.

The attendant situated at the area blinked once, then gave a small nod. "Of course, sir. That piece is part of a limited release. I'll have it prepared—"

"I wouldn't touch that," a voice drawled behind him.

Adam didn't flinch at the voice. He still let his fingers brush the cool, fabric. His eyes already looking for clothes that would complement it.

A young man eventually approached from behind. He looked to be about Adam's age, maybe a little older, with neatly styled blonde hair and a frame similar to Adam.

Of course, he looked rich and had a bunch of followers behind him.

He stopped beside Adam, glancing at the coat briefly before looking at the attendant.

"I want the coat," he said. "Wrap it up."

The attendant hesitated. "Sir, this gentleman has already—"

The man finally looked at Adam properly. His gaze moved from Adam's shoes to his shirt, then back to his face.

"I'm sure he won't mind," he said lightly.

Adam didn't respond to the provocation. He picked up a light tailored trouser and a crisp shirt to match the coat.

"I said I'll take it," Adam repeated.

"With what? Hope and good intentions? Didn't you see the price" The man laughed, then turned to the attendant. "I'll give you five thousand just to spare the garment the indignity of his touch."

Adam finally turned. He looked tired, but his eyes held a strange, piercing clarity. "Six thousand," he countered a bit loudly that his voice echoed in the place.

[Arrogance detected ]

[ Target Detected]

Arrogance Sensitivity: High

Potential Reward Multiplier: ×9

Reward: $10,000

Penalty: -$250,000 , -50% experience

The shop grew silent seemingly in surprise at how someone dressed like a stray was able to confidently call out that amount.

[Perception Increased: 9%]

Even the clock on the wall seemed to hold its breath.

The man's smirk wavered. He stepped closer, the strong scent of his cologne reminding Adam that he also needed one.

"You're playing a dangerous game, beggar," he hissed. "Eight thousand. My father's net worth is in the millions of dollars. You don't know how much I am prepared to drop today just to see you walk out empty-handed"

There was a small pause where one of his followers whispered something to him.

The man smiled, but there was no humor in it. "You can say whatever you like. That doesn't mean you can afford it."

Adam met his gaze. "That's not your concern. Ten thousand."

[Perception Increased: 25%]

The number hung in the air.

A few nearby customers had started paying attention. Not openly, but enough for the system to increase the multiplier from nine to fifteen.

And the sound of their voices attracted the rest of the customers who wanted to know what was going on.

The man let out a short breath, almost amused. "You're serious."

Adam didn't answer.

"Fifteen thousand," the man said, pulling out a silver card with black streaks elegantly designed around it.

"Twenty." Adam retorted calmly.

[Perception Increased: 49%]

Now the man studied him more carefully. The initial dismissal was gone, replaced by curiosity.

"You're going to keep this up?" he asked.

"If you are," Adam replied.

The man smiled again, this time sharper. "Thirty."

There was a quiet shift in the room. Even the attendant seemed tense now.

Adam reached into his pocket.

For a second, it looked like he might come up empty. His hand lingered there longer than expected. Then he pulled out a plain card. It was unremarkable compared to the other man's.

"Fifty thousand," Adam said.

[Perception Increased: 61%]

The man's eyes flicked to the card, then back to Adam's face. The whole moment felt wrong and it didn't add up between the clothes, the card and the confidence.

The willingness to keep going wasn't something that a pauper should have, unless Adam was the greatest actor in history.

"Do you even know what you're doing?" he asked.

Adam tilted his head slightly. "Buying a coat."

A faint laugh escaped the man. "No. You're trying to prove something."

"Maybe," Adam said. "Are you?"

[Perception Increased: 68%]

The question landed harder than expected since for a moment, the man's face heated up a bit. But his expression quickly cooled. "Sixty thousand."

Adam didn't hesitate this time. "Eighty."

[Perception Increased: 80%]

The attendant swallowed. "Sir, we don't usually—"

"It's fine," the man cut in, though his attention stayed on Adam. He seemed to chew on his next words. "One hundred thousand."

Adam looked at the coat again, as if considering it properly for the first time since the bidding started.

Then he nodded once.

"One-hundred and fifty thousand"

Silence.

[Perception Increased: 98%]

No one pretended not to watch anymore.

The man stared at him, searching for hesitation, doubt, anything that suggested this was a bluff. He didn't find it.

For the first time, he didn't respond immediately.

Adam held his gaze.

"You're not walking away from this," the man said finally. "If you lose the bid, you still have to pay a third of your final bid."

"I know," Adam said. He knew how these things worked and it was an unspoken rule to stop people from causing trouble. Of course, some people were above that rule.

The man exhaled slowly, then shook his head. "It's not worth it."

He slid his card back into his pocket. "Keep it."

The tension broke almost instantly.

The attendant let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "Sir, I'll have it packaged right away."

Adam handed over his card without a word.

The transaction took a minute. Maybe less. The attendant returned with the coat and other chosen ones, neatly folded and placed in a protective bag.

They had even included shoes.

"Thank you for your purchase," she said.

Adam took it.

As he turned to leave, the man spoke again.

"You could've bought ten better things with that money."

Adam stopped briefly, then glanced back.

"I didn't want ten things," he said. "I wanted this one."

[Perception Increased: 100%]

He walked out without waiting for a response.

[Mission Complete]

[Reward Granted: $10,000 × Multiplier (×21)]

[Total Earned: $210,000]

[Perception Threshold Achieved]

[Balance Updated: $701,400]