Chapter 16: Turning Gold Into Reality

When the familiar scent in the air hit him, Jiang Chen nearly broke into tears.

Cough, of course, the smell of haze isn't pleasant.

The clock on the wall pointed to 11 o'clock. It seemed that the time in the apocalypse was synchronized with that of the real world. When he left that place, it was around 11 a.m. as well.

Jiang Chen rubbed his aching temples and took a slow, deep breath.

His sanity was hanging by a thread. He wasn't sure if staying there any longer would push him past the edge.

As a man, Jiang Chen considered himself to have a strong mental fortitude, but he'd overestimated himself. In the face of whizzing bullets, machine gun fire, and the sight of scattered corpses, while he hadn't been trembling, he didn't believe his psychological shock was any less than that of Yao Yao's.

The familiar noise in his ears came from the road outside the window. Normally, these sounds would have made Jiang Chen feel irritated. Yet, now, hearing them again, they felt so comforting, so… familiar.

Long live peace on earth!

…

Though Jiang Chen was tempted to scream it out loud, he restrained himself, mindful of the countless concerns running through his mind. Instead, he just stretched his stiff arms, trying to shake off the tension without losing his sanity.

The societal constraints that come with civilization—fear of being labeled a weirdo or a lunatic.

Feeling the heavy metallic weight on his back, Jiang Chen couldn't help but feel a rush of warmth in his chest. He hurriedly pulled the backpack closer to his heart.

Gold! He was rich!

Placing the backpack, filled with gold bars, on the electronic scale, Jiang Chen watched as the needle pointed to just over 7 kilograms. His heart raced wildly.

This is over a million!

Jiang Chen wasn't sure about the exact price of gold, but he knew it ranged from 200 to 300 yuan per gram. Even at the conservative rate of 200 yuan per gram, that's 140 million yuan for 7 kilograms!

This windfall was something Jiang Chen, who had never earned more than 3,000 yuan a month, could only fantasize about in his wildest dreams. But now, it was his reality.

The contrast was so striking that, amid his joy, Jiang Chen couldn't help but feel a sense of confusion.

What should he do with all this money?

Buying a car was no problem. Buying a house? That was probably doable as well… no, no, no, if he's going to buy a house, it better be a mansion.

Wait, what about the entire bank vault?

But just as he thought of the bank vault, Jiang Chen's expression darkened.

He would have to return to that place.

That place where even the air felt thick with the oppressive weight of the apocalypse.

As this thought crossed his mind, doubts began to creep into Jiang Chen's heart. But just then, a delicate figure appeared in his mind.

— "I believe in you, too."

— "Don't say anything, just come back soon."

"Sun Jiao…" Jiang Chen whispered the name, instinctively reaching up to touch his lips.

The warmth of that kiss had yet to fade.

And as he thought of that kiss, another delicate figure surfaced in his thoughts.

— "…And, and, I'm very obedient… No matter what you ask me to do, I won't resist…"

— "…I…I'm not unhappy with having such a kind master. Yao Yao… she's already very happy, I hope you won't abandon me."

"Yao Yao…" Jiang Chen murmured, the memory of her innocent kiss, though unexpected, was forever etched in his heart.

Suddenly, Jiang Chen burst out laughing, tossing all his gloom aside.

"What am I thinking? I'm not some lolicon," he laughed to himself, jumping off the bed.

First, he'd make lunch.

Then, he'd go out and turn the gold into cash.

As for buying cars and houses… If he's going to buy a house, it better be a mansion. If he's buying a car, it better be a luxury one! He sure wasn't going to settle for something worse than the ruins he'd scavenged in the apocalypse.

The entire bank vault is mine!

As for this small fortune? Haha, might as well enjoy it for now! Since he was back, he'd take a break and relax before thinking about anything else.

Whistling a tune, Jiang Chen walked into the familiar kitchen, grasping the slightly dusty kitchen knife.

He'd settle for a simple scrambled eggs with tomatoes for lunch and save the big feast for dinner.

He'd made up his mind to spend all this money. If he didn't, he wouldn't have the courage to go back.

Adapting… it would take time.

After lunch, Jiang Chen returned to his bedroom. Besides the gold, he also brought back the holographic computer and his pistol.

He hadn't really wanted to bring the gun back into civilized society. After all, if someone saw it, he could end up in jail.

In China, firearms were strictly controlled. Jiang Chen didn't want to stir up too much trouble here. He just wanted to quietly exchange the gold for cash, then enjoy life as a wealthy man. He wasn't here to make a scene.

As for the holographic computer, Jiang Chen only brought it back to watch movies. The owner of the electronics store had promised him that the 100TB worth of films on it were all top-tier, which left Jiang Chen curious. He was eager to see how the movies would look on a holographic screen.

As Jiang Chen thought about it, he pressed the activation button on the holographic computer.

The sleek, holographic display flickered to life, projecting a glowing interface that looked even cooler than Sun Jiao's device. The interface, made of light particles, was the epitome of high-tech.

It was still just a high-spec computer, though.

Unable to hold back his curiosity, Jiang Chen quickly opened the "Movies" folder and clicked on the first film on the list.

But the moment the screen lit up, he froze.

"Mm, mm... harder…"

The explicit scene that appeared immediately flooded the room, accompanied by the sound of moaning so real it was almost tangible. Jiang Chen rushed to shut down the computer, his face turning red. He could only imagine that everyone in the building had heard it.

With a bitter smile, Jiang Chen reopened the computer and scrolled through the progress bar, this time clearly reading the names of the movies.

"In the Office, 16 Shots, Continuous XXX"

"The Female Teacher's Secret Lessons"

"..."

What the hell were these? Just some cheap adult films. Now, Jiang Chen understood the meaning behind that ambiguous look from his boss.

In the past, he might have been interested in these films, maybe even indulging himself in a private moment.

But now... things had changed.

After experiencing the pleasures with Sun Jiao, Jiang Chen no longer cared for those solo activities.

He tossed the holographic pen onto the bed and slung his 7-kilogram backpack over his shoulder, ready to head out. Before leaving, he hesitated, eyeing the handgun that Yao Yao had given him—the one that saved his life. After a moment of thought, Jiang Chen snapped his fingers and tossed the gun and bullets into his storage space.

Aside from its slow startup and the "handling fee" for access, the storage space was quite convenient. Plus, he didn't need to worry about money—well, not the Earth's currency anyway. It only took around 10 energy points to fully charge the energy slot of his ring. Storing the handgun took up less than 1% of that.

As for the EP, he didn't bother taking it out. It was hidden in his sleeve, looking perfectly normal. Its ergonomic design ensured there was no discomfort, even when showering.

After locking the door, Jiang Chen stepped out of his modest apartment and into the bustling, sunlit city.

It was June in Wanghai City, and the shadow of trees swayed gently across the stone-paved streets. The cicadas buzzed incessantly in Jiang Chen's ears. After standing on the busy street for a while, he shook off the strange feeling that had been clouding his mind.

Everything here felt familiar, yet in stark contrast to the chaotic world he had just left behind.

Although he had only spent a few days in that other world, the memories were deeply etched in his mind.

For a moment, the cobblestone streets seemed to morph into cracked cement, the tree shadows reduced to mere stumps. Jiang Chen rubbed his forehead, took a deep breath, and shook off the unhealthy thoughts.

It seemed like he really needed to relax. How much longer could he hold on before he lost his mind? Jiang Chen chuckled bitterly at the thought.

Suddenly, his eyes caught a glimpse of a cicada clinging to a tree, seeking shade.

He had never seen a cicada in the apocalypse, but he had encountered cockroaches the size of guard dogs.

Shaking off the weird thoughts, Jiang Chen hailed a taxi and began his quest to liquidate his gold.

Banks were out of the question—his gold hadn't come with an invoice, and he feared they'd not only refuse to take it but also report him. However, well-known gold shops could handle the transaction without drawing any unwanted attention.

He just needed to negotiate the price. After all, the gold cost him nothing, so he wasn't too concerned about getting the best deal.

Jiang Chen arrived at "Jinli Gold Shop," choosing it purely because of its pleasant name. It was his first time selling gold, so it didn't matter which shop he went to.

"Good day, sir! Are you here to buy a ring for someone special? We have some exquisite…" As soon as Jiang Chen entered, the saleswoman greeted him warmly. Despite his somewhat plain appearance, she was always cautious—often, the richest people were the least flashy.

"Do you buy gold?" Jiang Chen cut straight to the point, stopping her before she could finish her pitch.

The saleswoman hesitated for a moment, her professional smile fading. She still replied politely.

"We do purchase gold, but only gold with a high purity, like 24k gold. If you have any…"

"Get your manager. You can't handle this deal," Jiang Chen interrupted, a knowing smile on his face. With the amount of gold he had, this wasn't something a simple sales associate could deal with.

The saleswoman's smile faltered, and she reluctantly went to notify the manager. She couldn't believe this seemingly shabby guy, with his gym bag slung over his shoulder, was here to make a big transaction. She was already picturing him being kicked out by the security guards.

When Jiang Chen opened his bag and revealed the gold bars, Liu Anshan, the manager, couldn't help but gasp.

He had been in the gold business for nearly 20 years and had seen gold sold in many ways, but never like this—someone casually bringing it in a backpack.

Seven kilograms of gold bars. After the appraiser nodded, Liu Anshan cleared his throat and gave Jiang Chen a friendly smile.

"It's a total of 7122 grams, and the purity is definitely 24k. Do you have an invoice, sir?"

"No." Jiang Chen stared directly at Liu Anshan, his response straightforward.

Liu Anshan paused, thinking for a moment before signaling the appraiser to leave. The room was left with just the two of them.

"To be frank, Mr. Jiang, I'm guessing the origin of this gold isn't exactly conventional." Liu Anshan's eyes gleamed as he examined the gold. The processing looked like it came from a bank, but gold bought by a bank always came with invoices. Jiang Chen had none.

The gold's origins were clearly not simple, but Liu Anshan asked cautiously, probing the waters.

"Don't worry, it just hasn't been registered in the country. Its origin is perfectly legitimate; it's my payment." Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow and replied casually. He wasn't lying—this was indeed his "work" from the apocalypse.

Liu Anshan wasn't inexperienced, but Jiang Chen's aura made him wary. Was he an international mercenary? No, that seemed too far-fetched…

While Liu Anshan got lost in his thoughts, Jiang Chen didn't offer any further explanation. Instead, he took a sip of tea and continued speaking, his tone cool.

"Mr. Liu, are you interested in this deal?"

"Yes, of course, Mr. Jiang, hehe," Liu Anshan responded with a grin. "But with no invoice for this gold, we might face some issues…"

"7122 grams of gold, at 220 yuan per gram, totals 1,566,840 yuan. I'll round it down and settle at 1.5 million. The extra is your tip. Gold is currently valued at 270 yuan per gram. Doesn't that sound like a good deal?" Jiang Chen casually made the offer while checking the gold price online.

Liu Anshan was taken aback by the price, realizing he could make a huge profit from this deal. He quickly agreed, "Mr. Jiang, we'll accept your offer. Cash or transfer?"

"Transfer, please." Jiang Chen gave him his bank account details. Once the transfer notification came through, the deal was done.

As Jiang Chen left the VIP room, the saleswoman was stunned to see her boss personally escorting the "country bumpkin" to the door, all while smiling and saying, "We look forward to your next visit." It was the weirdest thing she'd ever witnessed.

But Jiang Chen didn't care about her expression.

"Mr. Jiang, here's my business card. Don't forget me next time," Liu Anshan said, his smile widening as he handed it over.

Jiang Chen glanced at the card, then turned and left without a word.

As he departed, Liu Anshan squinted, deep in thought.

He had a hunch—this guy wasn't just unloading a little gold. There was definitely more where that came from.

If he could find out where it all came from...

Liu Anshan's greed flickered for a moment, but after a brief hesitation, he relaxed his brow and turned back inside.

For now, he'd wait and see. Caution was key.