Timber Market

"This can no longer be called a grove; it should be called a forest," Jaxon stood still, marveling at the sight.

Previously, the old village chief and others had referred to this place as a grove, leading Jaxon to believe it wasn't very large. However, when the old chief mentioned that no one from the village had ever traversed its entirety, Jaxon's curiosity was piqued. Now, it was clear that the villagers truly didn't understand this place—not only were they unaware of the wealth it contained, but they also didn't even know its full extent.

Jaxon had been walking for a day and still hadn't reached the end or crossed through this so-called grove. Moreover, the deeper he went, the denser the trees became, and the variety of animals increased. Many of these creatures were ones Jaxon had never seen or even heard of before.

The towering trees were each thick enough to require five or six people to encircle them, standing dozens of meters high, their massive forms blocking out the sky and casting deep shadows over Jaxon.

Originally, Jaxon had hoped to explore the entire area in one day, but now that seemed like an impossible dream.

"Tomorrow, I'll have to start heading back, or I'll miss the registration deadline," Jaxon thought to himself.

According to the old village chief, failing to report on time would result in being treated as a deserter, punishable by execution. Jaxon wasn't afraid of death—after all, he'd just respawn in a few seconds—but he dreaded the possibility of being imprisoned. How could he continue in this world if that happened?

So, it was absolutely crucial not to miss the registration.

"It seems I'll have to wait until after my military service to fully explore this place," Jaxon mused.

Then, the scene shifted, and Jaxon found himself back in his real-world residence.

Although Jaxon hadn't gained much money or experience during his day in the game, he had received two rewarding quests and discovered a "treasure trove." As a result, he was in high spirits after logging out. Whistling, he decided not to sleep and instead lay in bed, using his phone to look up the valuable types of wood he had found in the forest.

The more he read, the happier he became. Such a vast treasure was waiting for him to mine—it was impossible not to feel excited.

Fortunately, Jaxon's mind remained clear, and he didn't let his excitement get the better of him. After a while, he got up, washed, and headed to Goldenleaf University.

On the sports field, Jaxon once again saw Chloe.

As Chloe passed by, Jaxon greeted her as usual, then continued with his warm-up.

Jaxon expected Chloe to jog away as she always did, but to his surprise, she stopped in front of him.

"Do you have time tonight?" Chloe's cool voice reached Jaxon's ears, her stunning beauty making her seem like a fairy from the heavens.

"Huh?" Jaxon was taken aback. He hadn't expected Chloe to stop, let alone ask such a question.

"Do you have time tonight?" Chloe repeated, her expression unchanged.

"Tonight..." Jaxon hesitated. He had planned to set up his barbecue stall that evening. He had already missed one night due to a gathering, and he didn't want to skip another.

"No?" Chloe's brows furrowed slightly, her voice growing colder.

For some reason, seeing Chloe's expression made Jaxon swallow his initial response and instead say, "Yes!"

"Meet me at the school gate at six," Chloe said.

With that, she jogged away, leaving no room for further conversation.

Jaxon stared at Chloe's retreating figure, dumbfounded.

"Jaxon, why do you have no willpower?" he muttered to himself.

But when he noticed the envious and jealous glances from the other guys around him, he added, "Then again, how many people could refuse an invitation from a beauty like Chloe?"

Just the fact that Chloe had stopped to talk to Jaxon for a few moments had already made him the target of envy and jealousy from the other men on the field. It was a testament to Chloe's charm.

Jaxon then began to ponder what Chloe's words could mean.

"A date? Probably not. We're not that close. But if it's not a date, why would she ask me to wait for her?"

After thinking for a while without any answers, Jaxon decided to stop worrying. He'd find out when the time came.

Since there were no classes that day, Jaxon left Goldenleaf University after his workout. However, he didn't return to his apartment or go to the market. Since he couldn't set up his stall that night, there was no need to prepare the skewers.

Instead, Jaxon took a taxi straight to the timber market. Now that he had discovered those valuable woods, he wanted to start selling some of them. As long as the quantity wasn't too large, it shouldn't raise any suspicions.

At the timber market, trucks loaded with wood came and went. Jaxon didn't know much about timber, and since the wood had already been processed, stripped of its branches and leaves, he couldn't tell what type it was just by looking.

Of course, Jaxon wasn't too concerned about that. He was only interested in the prices of the rare woods he had found. Other types of wood, while also harvestable, offered too little profit, and Jaxon didn't want to waste his time on them.

"Business seems pretty good here," Jaxon said to a young man who was directing workers unloading wood from a truck. He handed the man a cigarette as he spoke.

"Not bad," the man replied, taking the cigarette. "Are you here to sell or buy wood?"

"Sell," Jaxon said.

"What kind of wood do you have? How much?" the man asked, puffing on the cigarette.

"The wood hasn't arrived yet. This is my first time dealing in timber, so I thought I'd check out the market first," Jaxon said with a smile.

"Smart move," the young man said with a grin. "But with so many sellers here, the prices are pretty much the same. No one's going to try to cheat you."

Jaxon smiled but didn't respond. After dealing with the deceitful merchant Liu in the game, Jaxon wasn't quick to trust the words of businessmen.

"By the way, what kind of wood are you planning to sell?" the young man asked casually.

"Rosewood," Jaxon said.