After finishing the most sumptuous lunch he'd had in days, John was now heading back to his 'home' to fetch a few things.
Ai had already prepared a room for him, so he could move in with just his bag.
By the way, that Archon figure ultimately sold for four hundred thousand Mora.
The missing hundred thousand? John had used it to pay rent.
John believed there shouldn't be a free lunch in this world.
Even if someone offered him a place to stay for free, he shouldn't accept it without concern.
Both his upbringing and the extra memories in his mind taught him one rule — favors and grudges must be repaid.
Returning to his humble 'home,' which was generous to even call a home — it was just a single tent, not even a proper wall in sight — John quickly tidied up.
Then he lifted a nearby brick, revealing a small pit beneath.
From it, he retrieved a small bag — a legacy from his parents. It wasn't worth much, but it carried memories.
The backpack from the mall could only store items produced within the mall, with one exception: Mora.
Everyone loved Mora, even his cheat system was no exception.
Because of this, the money on John's person was extremely safe — even if he died, his enemies wouldn't find a single Mora.
Just as John was about to head to meet Ai at their agreed location, two figures appeared at the alley entrance.
Squinting, John knew trouble had arrived.
The two clearly hostile men — one holding a small knife, the other broad-shouldered and imposing — gave any normal person pause.
For John, confronting them now would be unwise.
Even if he defeated them, he'd risk injury or severe harm.
"John, our boss wants to see you. Come with us," one tall man said in a booming voice, brandishing his weapon — clearly not a request.
"Your boss?"
"You'll see soon enough."
John considered it and decided to follow them. He had an appointment with Ai, and if he was late, she would surely notice something wrong.
Though he didn't know Ai's exact identity, her status clearly wasn't low — an extra layer of assurance.
He also didn't believe they would dare commit violence inside Liyue City.
Not that they lacked the strength, but the risks far outweighed the gains. Liyue people didn't make losing trades.
"Lead the way," John said calmly, tucking the bag under his arm.
They took him to a rarely used street within Liyue City.
Though the street was quiet, it was still within the city limits.
At the entrance stood a man and a woman, guarding the door under a sign that read "Yanshang Tea House."
As expected, it was the owner of Yanshang Tea House looking for him.
John kept his expression neutral but felt slightly relieved — at least nothing unexpected had occurred.
Inside, he was led to a private room. The owner was brewing tea, though the aroma suggested it wasn't particularly good.
"Mr. John, long time no see," the man said, putting down his cup.
His eyes, narrow and sharp, made John uncomfortable — as if he were inspecting merchandise, not a person.
Frowning, John didn't immediately understand why he had been summoned. Impatiently, he asked, "Boss Jia, what's this about? I believe the repayment deadline isn't for a while?"
"Of course, of course," Boss Jia smiled warmly, standing and walking to John.
He adjusted his collar as he spoke: "I just wanted to remind you, Mr. John, not to think about running away.
Traveling to another country is long and dangerous.
One misstep could cost you your life — just like your parents."
John's face darkened in anger. "What do you mean?"
"Mean…? Hehe, nothing in particular. I'm merely reminding you as a friend. Nothing else," Boss Jia chuckled.
Then, as if remembering something, he called over a servant.
The servant brought out a contract — an IOU left by John's parents. At the time, they had borrowed eight million Mora.
With interest, the total should be ten million forty thousand Mora, precisely capped at Liyue law's maximum. Meticulously lawful.
Even after accounting for the four hundred thousand Mora from selling to Ai and the Mora from hunting Slimes these days, there remained an astronomical sum John had to cover.
And only three days remained until the repayment deadline.
"Just this much money… how do you plan to repay it, Mr. John?" Boss Jia asked, feigning concern.
"As far as I know, relying on Slime condensate and your recent odd jobs, you likely can't even cover the small change, right?"
"…" John stayed silent, seemingly acknowledging the truth of the statement.
"I do have a way to make money, though — can help relieve your worries," Boss Jia said, setting up his next words.
"What way?" John asked, his voice hoarse.
"You know that boat moored not far from the Liyue port?"
"What boat?" John was startled, but then recalled rumors about that part of the harbor. His expression darkened.
"I won't go to such a place!"
"You don't have a choice," Boss Jia's tone shifted from gentle to predatory, exposing sharp teeth like a beast.
"If you don't go, how can you repay the debt on time? Remember, the penalty is huge…" Boss Jia glanced at John.
"You're only worth a bit more than your appearance," he added insultingly.
John's face darkened. Whether from the insult or the suffocating debt, he was displeased.
But Boss Jia didn't care — all that mattered was Mora. Without it, this 'crisis' couldn't be avoided.
Like John, Boss Jia's situation wasn't ideal. Otherwise, he wouldn't be so desperate.
"I have another method," John said, sensing Boss Jia's urgency.
He realized that if he didn't show any chance of repaying the debt, Boss Jia might act rashly.
By tomorrow, John could appear on some pleasure boat — or vanish from Liyue entirely…