First Step to World Domination 2

The shopkeeper's eyes narrowed as he noticed that Adam was still standing there, unmoving, with a slight smile on his face. His patience, already worn thin by his troubles, began to crack. The shopkeeper's face grew red with frustration. "I told you, kid. I don't want anything. Can't you hear me?" he said, his voice growing sharper with irritation.

It was clear that every word Adam had spoken before had already pushed his nerves to their limit.

The tired lines on the shopkeeper's face deepened as he took a step forward, his eyes burning with a mix of anger and disbelief.

Adam, however, remained calm. He took a careful step forward, closing the distance between them, until he was standing directly in front of the shopkeeper.

His confident demeanor did not falter even as the shopkeeper's words grew harsher. Leaning in slightly so that his voice was even and unwavering, Adam said in a calm tone, "I'll give you something that you won't be able to refuse."

At that moment, the shopkeeper's mind raced. Inside, he thought, 'Another scam artist trying to trick me.' He had seen plenty of kids and adults come into his shop, all trying to sell him worthless trinkets or false promises.

They would talk about miracles and quick riches, but all they left behind were more problems. In his long years of struggle, he had learned to be very careful. Every word, every gesture was weighed carefully.

And now, here was this kid—so young, so calm—making a bold claim that made him uneasy.

The shopkeeper's heart was heavy with his own troubles. He thought of the mounting debts, the customers who no longer came, and the painful memory of his wife leaving him to return to her family.

His business was failing, and he could feel the weight of each loss and disappointment pressing down on him.

With every visit from someone with a new "opportunity," his hope was crushed a little more. Today, it seemed, fate had sent another test his way.

His annoyance soon turned into anger. In a swift, almost instinctive motion, his patience snapped. Without taking another moment to think, the shopkeeper lunged forward. He grabbed Adam by the collar and pulled him roughly toward the shop's entrance.

"Listen, brat! I don't have time for this nonsense!" he growled, his voice echoing off the dusty walls of his small shop.

The rough grip and harsh tone made it clear that he had had enough of empty words and wasted time.

Before the shopkeeper could do any more, Adam acted quickly. With a fluid motion that was almost too fast to see, Adam reached into his inventory. From within, he pulled out a gleaming gold bar.

The bar shone brightly under the dim light of the shop, its surface smooth and polished, reflecting every detail of the small room. The sudden appearance of the gold bar caught the shopkeeper completely off guard.

The moment the shopkeeper's eyes caught that unmistakable shimmer of pure gold, his entire body tensed. Time seemed to slow down.

The rough hand that had gripped Adam's collar began to falter as his eyes shifted from the angry boy to the brilliant bar in his hands. His breath caught in his throat, and for a second, he stood frozen.

His mind could not immediately process what was happening. The gold was real—solid, heavy, and unmistakably genuine.

For a long, silent moment, the shopkeeper's eyes did not leave the gold bar. Slowly, as if in a trance, his hand moved toward it.

His large, calloused fingers reached out, trembling slightly as he tried to make contact with the metal that had so suddenly disrupted the angry moment.

But just as his hand was about to close around the gleaming piece of metal, Adam moved with surprising speed.

In one smooth, graceful motion, Adam withdrew the gold bar from sight. It was as if he had vanished it into thin air, slipping it back into his secret inventory.

The shopkeeper's hand closed on nothing but empty space. His fingers curled in mid-air, grasping for something that was no longer there.

His eyes widened, and his heart pounded loudly in his ears as he stared at the empty space where the gold had been just a second before.

The shock of the moment washed over him like a tidal wave. The realization struck him like a bolt of lightning: this boy was not like the others. This kid was not simply a scam artist trying to sell him fake promises.

Adam had real gold—a substance that held true value and could change everything. His mind reeled with the possibility that this was no ordinary trick. The gold was real, and it was something that could not be easily dismissed.

For a moment, the shopkeeper's anger gave way to uncertainty and a deep, sudden desperation. His eyes darted back to Adam, now filled with shock and a hint of hope mingled with fear.

The shopkeeper's voice dropped to a softer tone, edged with caution and curiosity. "Who... are you? And what do you want?" he asked slowly, as if he were trying to understand the strange situation that had unfolded before him.

Adam's lips curled into a small, knowing smirk. He replied simply,

"Didn't I say I'd change your mind?"

His words were calm and carried an unspoken promise that things were about to shift in ways the shopkeeper could not ignore.

The shopkeeper took a long, shaky breath. His anger and frustration had left him vulnerable now, and he found himself stepping back slowly toward the counter. With a mix of reluctance and curiosity, he sat down at the old wooden counter.

After a moment of silent hesitation, he gestured for Adam to take the seat across from him. It was a small gesture, but it signified that the shopkeeper was now willing to listen, even if he was still wary of what might come next.

Adam moved over and sat down carefully. He kept his calm, confident expression, his eyes locked on the shopkeeper's face.

For a few long moments, the room was silent except for the soft creaking of the old chair and the faint sound of the shop's door in the background. The atmosphere was charged with a mix of tension, fear, and an unexpected promise of change.

The shopkeeper studied Adam carefully. He looked for any sign of trickery or deceit in the young man's calm eyes.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he spoke. "Alright, kid," he said, his voice quieter now, as if he were lowering his guard. "I'm listening." His words were cautious, but there was a spark of interest hidden in the corners of his eyes.

A faint glint of amusement appeared in Adam's eyes as he leaned forward a little closer. His tone was measured, and each word seemed to carry weight and purpose.

"I'm about to offer you a deal that will not only save your shop but change your entire life," he said, carefully choosing his words.

The shopkeeper's brows furrowed as he tried to make sense of what Adam was saying. He had been in the jewelry business for a long time and had heard many offers—most of them empty promises that left him with nothing but regret.

"I've been in this business for a long time, kid," he began slowly, his voice heavy with years of hard experience.

"I craft and sell jewelry, and I know the value of gold. But the market is not kind to people like me anymore. With gold prices sky-high, I have to buy from retailers at prices that make no sense. It is one of my biggest losses."

He sighed deeply and rubbed his temples, as if trying to ease the burden of his worries. "I can barely afford to pay next month's rent, let alone invest in anything new. So if you're here to make a profit out of me, let me stop you right now. I don't have the money," he continued, his voice tinged with sadness and defeat.

Adam listened to every word the shopkeeper said. He nodded slowly, his calm expression never wavering.

Inside, however, Adam felt a growing sense of satisfaction. Every word that the shopkeeper spoke confirmed exactly what Adam had been hoping to hear.

This was the moment he had been waiting for—a clear sign that the shopkeeper's troubles were real, and that his offer might be exactly what the struggling man needed.

With deliberate calm, Adam raised his hand slightly and said in a soft but firm tone, "Don't worry. I have a special offer just for you."

His voice was clear and direct, and every word was meant to reassure the shopkeeper that this was not a trick, but a genuine chance for change.

The shopkeeper's eyes narrowed once more, suspicion mingling with a spark of hope.

He had often met people who claimed they had special deals or magic solutions, but most had turned out to be empty words. Today, however, something was different.

This kid, who had shown him real gold—even if just for a moment—was not like the others. There was a strange honesty in his calm voice and confident manner.

Crossing his arms over his chest, the shopkeeper leaned back slightly. "Alright," he said slowly, his tone cautious but not completely closed off.

"I'm listening." His words held a mix of reluctance and the desperate need for a solution.

It was clear that his life had become so difficult that even a small chance was worth considering.

Adam looked directly into the shopkeeper's eyes. He knew that he had to be very clear with his next words.

"I'll sell you gold at 50% below market price," he said firmly. There was no hesitation in his tone, only certainty. "And—" he paused for a brief moment to let his words sink in,

"—I'll give you some extra gold as a gift, to solidify our partnership."

For a moment, the shopkeeper was so shocked that he could only stare in silence.

The room seemed to hold its breath as he tried to understand what Adam had just offered him. The shopkeeper's jaw dropped slightly.

His eyes widened, and the lines of worry on his face deepened as he looked at Adam, his mind struggling to process the meaning behind these words.

All around them, the old shop seemed to shrink into silence. The only sound was the faint creaking of an old wooden chair in the background. Every small sound felt magnified in the stillness of that moment. 

The shopkeeper's heart pounded hard, and he felt a mix of disbelief, hope, and fear. Here was a chance to change his life—a chance to save his shop from the relentless grip of failure.