Viona snorted in frustration. The young man in front of her clearly had no idea who he was dealing with. To her, Zen's attitude was nothing more than a desperate bluff.
"Just name your price!" Viona challenged, her eyes piercing through him, demanding an answer.
Zen stopped closing the second box. He looked up, meeting Viona's gaze with a raised eyebrow. "Are you sure?"
"State it before my patience runs out," Viona urged coldly.
"Fine then... one billion," Zen shot back without a second's hesitation.
He was deliberately Provoking her. Zen knew that an emotional person was unstable and easily lured into a trap. However, Viona's reaction caught him off guard.
Viona didn't flinch. "No problem. As long as your item passes our testing device, one billion is a bargain. But if it turns out you're a fraud... you know what you'll have to give in return?"
Zen was stunned for a moment. He had expected the figure of one billion to make the two women falter, but to them, it was pocket change. With absolute confidence, Zen replied, "I'll do anything."
Hearing that, Viona smirked broadly. "Mala, finish this quickly. I want to leave this slum as soon as possible."
Mala immediately pulled a sophisticated sensor device from her small briefcase. The device was circular with a digital screen and an ergonomic handle. After a few quick configurations, Mala placed the sensor directly over the Dallah.
Beep…
Beep…
A low pulsing sound echoed. Mala and Viona watched the screen intently. However, the sound didn't stop. In fact, its frequency accelerated by the second.
Beep-beep-beep-beep!
The blue indicator on the screen suddenly turned blood-red. The numbers spiked beyond normal limits until finally, the screen flashed a brilliant white and displayed a massive warning.
[WARNING: Magic Artifact Detected – 100% Purity]
Viona and Mala looked at each other, their faces pale. They stared at Zen as if they were looking at a ghost. Zen maintained his flat expression, though he was cheering internally. 'One billion is really happening!'
With trembling hands, Viona dared to touch the bronze teapot. The moment her skin brushed against the metal of the Dallah, her body jolted. She could feel a wave of warm energy seeping into her pores.
Her eyes sparkled. She observed every curve of the pot with incredible detail. "We... we've found a legendary treasure," Viona whispered in awe. She even brought the teapot close to her nose, inhaling the scent of ancient metal mixed with the refreshing fragrance of mana.
"Incredible... this is a pure magic artifact," Viona said, placing the pot back down with extreme care, as if she feared it might crumble if touched too roughly.
She cleared her throat, trying to regain her composure. "Mr. Zen... I apologize for my previous attitude," Viona said with a tone that was far more sincere and serious.
Zen waved his hand casually. "It's no big deal." To him, pride could be set aside as long as the numbers were right. "So, what's the price?"
Viona glanced at Mala. After her assistant gave a small nod, Viona looked back at Zen. This time, there was a hint of caution in her voice.
"We dare to offer ten billion rupiah for this one item, Mr. Zen. What do you think?" Viona asked carefully.
'TEN BILLION?!' Zen screamed in his head.
His salary at the minimarket was only 3.4 million a month. That meant he would have to work for 250 years without eating or drinking to earn that much. And Viona was offering it for a single piece of junk he had bought for 10,000 rupiah per kilo!
Zen tried to keep himself from fainting. He cleared his throat, testing the waters. "Ten billion... is that your ceiling?"
"Certainly not, Mr. Zen. It all depends on its function. Since your item is a household accessory, its price is below that of health or combat artifacts. However, its purity level is extremely rare," Viona explained with utmost respect.
Zen grinned internally. If this was the case, he was about to become a billionaire overnight.
"Very well, it's a deal. Will you be taking the other two as well?" Zen asked.
"Deal!" Viona replied instantly, as if afraid Zen would change his mind. She immediately shook Zen's hand firmly.
Mala then checked the other two items—the silver knife and the fish statue. The results were the same: 100% purity. With hands trembling from excitement, Mala repacked the items into a specialized shockproof briefcase.
Viona immediately called her finance staff. It didn't take long before she pulled a black card from her wallet and handed it to Zen.
"Mr. Zen, this card has a balance of thirty billion rupiah. However, its status is currently locked for security. Please visit the bank branch listed on the back of the card to activate it."
Viona paused for a moment, then added, "Also, as a token of our initial friendship, I have instructed an additional one billion rupiah bonus to be sent directly to your personal account for this transaction."
Ding!
It didn't take long for Zen's phone to chime. An SMS banking notification appeared. Zen's eyes widened at the row of zeros.
[Credit: Rp 1,000,000,000.00 from PT Arka Arkeologi Global]
The transaction was complete. Mala had packed everything meticulously.
"Mr. Zen, that black card can be used at any of our branches worldwide. Do not hesitate to use it even if you are abroad," Viona explained. She no longer viewed Zen as an ordinary youth. She was convinced Zen was a hidden expert who deliberately chose to live in these slums to hide his profile.
"In that case, we shall take our leave, Mr. Zen. If you have any other magical items... please, contact us first. We will purchase them at the best price without delay," Viona promised hopefully.
They shook hands once more before Viona and Mala disappeared around the corner of the alley. Zen stood at his doorway, staring at the black card in his hand that read:
[VVIP - ZEN]
[Platinum Member - PT Arka Arkeologi Global]
The surface of the card felt like a digital screen with gold lettering that gave off an undeniable aura of luxury.
"So... am I really rich now?" Zen muttered, still feeling as though he were dreaming. Thirty-one billion rupiah was now in his grasp.
"I need to cash this out tomorrow," he whispered, glancing at the bank address on the back of the card. Zen stepped back into his room, ready to begin a new chapter of his life.