Adam was genuinely surprised for half a second.
Not because the receptionist had tried to dismiss the items. That part was normal. What surprised him was how firmly the man had said it.
'No. That confidence is fake. The man at the first shop was much more certain about their value.' Adam thought.
Then the answer came to him.
This one just did not want to bend first.
Of course.
Why would he?
If the customer was young, alone, and carrying three rare items in a worn bag, the easiest move was obvious. Lower the value. Test the nerves. See whether the seller breaks first.
Adam smiled.
"I see," he said.
Then he began reaching for the items.
The receptionist reacted at once, grabbing Adam's wrist before he could finish packing them away. "Fine. Tell me your price."
There it is.
Adam kept his face calm, though inside he felt a quick flash of satisfaction.
'Good. You wanted them from the start.' Adam thought.
He looked at the man and said, "For all three, two hundred thousand dollars."
The receptionist dropped his wrist instantly.
"Don't be ridiculous," the man snapped. "Even if you brought me ten pieces like these, I still wouldn't pay that much."
Adam did not answer right away.
Two hundred thousand had been too high.
He knew that now.
He had thrown the number out to test the range and because he had made one small mistake earlier. He had forgotten to ask the first shop what those kinds of items were actually worth.
Still, the mistake was useful.
Now he had a reaction point.
'Too high, yes. But not useless. Now I know where his fear starts.' Adam thought.
He folded his arms loosely and said, "Then you tell me your price."
That changed the receptionist's mood at once.
The man rubbed his hands together and smiled, the expression oily and pleased. He had probably expected the negotiation to become easier from here.
"For these three? Twenty thousand dollars."
Adam almost laughed.
Twenty thousand for three copied items that had cost him nothing but skill use was still profit. Massive profit, really.
But accepting that number immediately would have been stupid.
If he folded now, every later deal with this man would start lower.
And Adam had no intention of teaching anyone that he could be pressured cheaply.
So he shook his head at once.
"No. In that case, I'll sell somewhere else."
He reached for the items again.
The receptionist leaned forward. "Fine. Twenty-five thousand. That's the highest I'll go."
Adam did not touch the items yet.
Thirty would be cleaner.
A round number.
Worth pushing.
He looked the man in the eye and said, "Thirty thousand dollars."
The receptionist's jaw tightened. "No. Twenty-eight. Not a cent more."
Adam started gathering the items again.
He moved without hesitation, as if he had already decided to walk out.
That did it.
"Wait," the receptionist said quickly. "Twenty-nine thousand. That's it. That's my limit."
Adam kept one hand on the nearest item.
'Almost there. If I stop now, he wins the pace. If I push once more, he'll either throw me out or give in.' Adam thought.
He chose to push.
"Thirty thousand," Adam said. "Not one penny lower."
The receptionist stared at him for a moment, clearly annoyed.
Then he let out a long breath.
"Fine," he said. "Thirty thousand dollars."
Adam nodded once.
Inside, he was more pleased than he showed.
Thirty thousand dollars for three copied items.
'Never rush the first real negotiation. The first price teaches people how to treat you.' Adam thought.
The sale moved quickly after that.
Money changed hands. The items disappeared behind the counter. The receptionist's expression remained sour, but the deal was done.
Adam slipped the cash into his bag and stepped back from the counter.
He had no intention of selling more here.
Not today.
Maybe not ever.
'Never overuse one door when you don't know if you'll need it again later.' Adam thought.
That was one of the biggest lessons pain had taught him.
So he left immediately.
As he walked out, he could feel the receptionist's eyes on him. Not on his face this time. On the bag.
The man had noticed it.
The possibility that Adam had brought more items and simply chosen not to show them.
Good.
Let him wonder.
Once outside, Adam moved a full block away before stopping in a narrow lane to check his money.
Forty thousand from before.
Thirty thousand just earned.
Seventy thousand dollars.
For Adam, that amount already felt huge.
In his previous life, there had been a time when even a few hundred had felt impossible to hold.
But this was not enough.
Not even close.
To the Adam who had survived John, it felt small for what he needed next.
'This is just start.' Adam thought.
'If I slow down now, I stay small. If I get careless, I die. So I keep moving.' Adam thought.
He knew how expensive survival could become when powerful people decided they wanted someone cornered.
Still, the result mattered.
He had turned copied antiques into real cash.
That meant the plan worked today alone.
Not perfectly.
But it worked.
'And now I know something else. Antique shops can be used. That matters more than today's money.' Adam thought.
Adam adjusted the strap of his bag and moved on.
The next pawn shop was farther away and cleaner than the last one. By the time he stepped inside, he had already reset his face and posture.
'New counter. New game. Start from zero.' Adam thought.
A young woman stood behind the counter.
She looked up and smiled politely. "Sir, what would you like to buy?"
Adam stopped in front of her and answered, "I'm not here to buy. I'm here to sell."