[ Bonus Update Progress: 17/20]
Chapter 31: The Camera
Seeing that the price had finally been agreed upon, the Bank Manager unhurriedly gave instructions to the secretary beside him: "Go and fetch the money quickly."
He then turned his attention back to his conversation with Arthur, beginning to talk incessantly about the advantages of his bank.
"Our bank's interest rates are quite considerable! And as for security, you don't have to worry at all.
Although we did indeed suffer a robbery not long ago, please believe me, we have powerful high-level support behind us.
As long as the funds are stored here, once a customer requests a withdrawal, we guarantee immediate payout," the Bank Manager said confidently.
However, faced with such tempting rhetoric, the three of them, including Arthur, remained unmoved and decisively chose to refuse.
But the Bank Manager did not feel frustrated or angry because of this. On the contrary, when seeing them off, he very generously gave each of them a box of expensive and extremely precious cigars.
At the same time, he expressed with great enthusiasm: "You are all welcome to come to our bank to discuss business in the future; we are definitely trustworthy!"
Johnny, who had been silent all along, thought to himself that this Bank Manager was truly a formidable character.
So, he quietly activated the system and lightly scanned the Bank Manager.
Sure enough, a perk shining with golden light clearly appeared on the system screen—[Strongest Salesman].
Unfortunately, Johnny had absolutely no interest in sales work.
After all, whether before his transmigration or now, he didn't want to work for others anymore, let alone spend time and energy building a deep relationship with this Bank Manager to increase so-called bond values.
Because in actual combat or when dealing with various crises, such a perk wasn't particularly practical for him.
Could it be that after finally transmigrating to this world, he still had to work for someone else? Then wouldn't he have come here for nothing!
Just as the three of them stepped out of the bank's main entrance, Sadie couldn't help but ask Johnny:
"Are we returning directly to Valentine next, or should we head to the shops in Blackwater Town first to buy some necessary items?"
As she spoke, she looked at Johnny with expectant eyes, waiting for him to make a decision.
After spending these days together, the couple had also discovered this young man's intelligence and liked to ask for his opinion on everything.
Johnny stated that he was going to the market to purchase some daily supplies and told the two of them not to wait for him. He told them to head toward Riggs Station first, and he would catch up with them shortly.
Immediately after, he skillfully mounted his horse, patted its back, and first took a look around the nearby shops, only to find that the stores here were truly mediocre.
Having no other choice, he galloped off in the direction of his memories. That destination was exactly the mysterious black market he had visited last time.
Strangely enough, in Blackwater Town, the seemingly legitimate markets appeared quite ordinary, while that black market had become the largest trading venue in a real sense.
It was a feast for the eyes, with everything one could want. Whether it was common items or rare treasures, as long as you looked for them, you might be able to try your luck here.
Moreover, there was an unwritten rule here: sellers would not ask about the source of the items the buyers were selling, and similarly, buyers had no way of knowing the origin of the goods in the sellers' hands.
All transactions were entirely based on the mutual consent of both parties, operating on the principle of "a willing buyer and a willing seller."
Before long, Johnny arrived in front of the black market. He dismounted and reached out to push open the slightly dilapidated door.
In an instant, a wave of heat mixed with the scent of metal and gunpowder rushed toward him. When he looked closely, the scene before him was worlds apart compared to when he last visited!
The originally spacious area was now packed to the brim with mountains of guns and ammunition.
What met his eyes were not only various types of pistols and rifles but also countless bullets of different models.
Someone who didn't know better might mistake this for a proper gun shop at first glance!
Just then, the owner, who was busy moving goods nearby, caught a glimpse of this tall and powerful figure.
At first, he didn't recognize who it was, but after thinking for a brief moment, his eyes suddenly widened, and he cried out with a face full of surprise:
"Oh my! Isn't this the gentleman who came to my place to buy a pistol not long ago!"
One should be viewed with new eyes after a three-day absence; last time they met, he was still a green newcomer, but meeting again, he already exuded the aura of an old hand.
However, the owner wouldn't be so foolish as to pry; after all, that was the most taboo thing in the black market.
Setting down the weapon crate he was currently carrying, he asked with a face full of smiles: "Mister! Is there anything I can help you with?"
Johnny waved his hand and walked steadily toward the counter, reaching into his Wolf King Backpack and pulling out all the gold and silver loot he had taken from the ODriscoll Gang.
Seeing this display, the other party knew it was another significant bit of income, so he quickly picked up a magnifying glass to carefully examine the quality of these goods one by one.
Before long, he calmly set down the magnifying glass and spoke:
"Sir! It's like this, the quality of your items is very good. According to our black market rules, I can give you a maximum of 775 dollars."
Johnny thought to himself, how could they not be good? They were all stripped directly off people's bodies.
However, he didn't say much. He waved his hand to tell the owner not to be in a hurry, as he wanted to pick out a suitable camping tent first.
Under the owner's enthusiastic and tireless introductions and recommendations, Johnny went through many choices and finally selected a large-sized tent.
The owner patted his chest with a smile, guaranteeing that he could mail it to the local Post Office for free, which made Johnny very satisfied.
Just as Johnny was preparing to pay and leave, he suddenly remembered two things he had been thinking about, so he asked:
"Shop Owner! I wonder if you have the most advanced cameras and binoculars like the ones in Saint Denis?"
The shopkeeper's eyes lit up upon hearing this, inwardly delighted, as this was a big deal!
He hurried forward attentively, personally lit a high-quality cigar for Johnny, and said with a beaming smile: "Sir, please feel free to take your time picking; the goods in our shop are definitely top-tier selections!"
Johnny took a leisurely puff of the cigar and began to carefully examine the various binoculars and cameras displayed on the counter.
After some careful consideration, he finally took a fancy to a pair of binoculars that looked sturdy, durable, and quite rugged;
As for the camera, he chose the same model as Arthur's without hesitation.
Seeing Johnny place such a straightforward order, the shopkeeper was also full of joy. He not only generously threw in several rolls of precious film but also flattered Johnny in every possible way.
However, Johnny did not stop his shopping spree there.
Next, he carefully selected some moonshine with relatively low impurity content from the shop, as well as several boxes of hollow-point bullets suitable for rifles.
When all the items had been selected, Johnny and the shopkeeper engaged in a fierce round of bargaining.
Both sides went back and forth, neither giving an inch. After a long and exciting battle of words, the final total price was fixed at exactly 105 dollars.
Of course, this was already the result after the owner had given a full 10-dollar discount!
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