Julien let out a ragged breath he felt like he'd been holding since birth.
"Okay. Okay. I kinda agree that Streetwise is the best skill ever."
He started walking back to District 9, pondering the things that had happened until now.
With [Streetwise] active, the city was no longer just a place of hunters; it was a market for him.
Julien found that if he focused on people, he could read snippets of their current status.
'This is very useful.'
It wasn't mind-reading, but it was very clear deductive reasoning assisted by the System.
He passed a merchant selling "Magic Swords."
[Assessment: Cheap Steel sprayed with paint to make it look cool.] [Durability: 2/10. Scammer alert.]
He passed a hunter bragging to a girl at a bar.
[Assessment: Hunter is lying. His Rank is D, not B. And he doesn't have any money in his Wallet.]
Julien passed a gloomy-looking man in a costly suit sitting on a bench, holding a sandwich.
[Assessment: Desperate for anything. Recently went bankrupt due to a loss when raiding a dungeon. High probability of impulse buying from the market.]
'This will be enough for me to pick out the potential customers anytime.'
"I can see the demand," Julien whispered, a creepy grin creeping onto his face. "I can see who needs what."
This changed everything he had learned before.
He didn't have to wait for people to get hurt. He could target specific clients who were in need. Selling to customers who required his product.
The basic formula for sales.
By the time he reached the converted stadium of District 9, the sun was already setting, painting the sky in cracks of purple and orange.
The shelter was chaotic as usual, an array of coughing, crying, and refugees arguing for a bed, which you would mistake for a coffin.
Julien navigated the maze of beds with ease, his skill highlighting the path of least resistance, avoiding the drugged guy in Row 4, stepping over the puke in Row 12, and dodging the aggressive tactics of a Judgment Day Preacher in Row 20.
He reached his bed, collapsed onto the thin, ugly mattress, and pulled the thermal blanket over his head to create a private tent.
"System," he whispered. "Let's talk business."
The golden screen flickered to life in the darkness of his blanket fort.
[Welcome Back, Merchant.]
"I want to trade in the Steel Fang Dagger."
He pulled the weapon from his waistband. It felt heavy and cold but looked ordinary. He had risked his life for this piece of metal.
[Processing Trade-In...]
[Item 'Steel Fang Dagger' consumed.]
[+30 Credits added to account.]
[Debt Update]
Principal: 500 Credits.
Interest Accrued: 36.5 Credits.
Payments Made: 30 Credits.
Total Remaining: 506.5 Credits.
Time Remaining: 4 Hours, 10 Minutes.
Julien stared at the number.
"Four hours," he muttered. "I risked getting stabbed, almost got beaten up by thugs, and crawled through the garbage... and I basically just paid off the interest."
'It's crueller than the money-lending thugs.'
The System, helpful as ever, tried to pitch an idea.
[Tip: To clear the debt within the timeframe, the user is advised to sell High-Tier Inventory. Selling low-margin items like 'Basic Potions' is inefficient for your current mortality rate.]
"I know it's inefficient!" Julien snapped, keeping his voice low so the old man next to him wouldn't wake up. "But I can't pull out the expensive stuff! If I try to sell something like a Dragon Heart in the slums, I'll be murdered in seconds."
[Correction: You do not need to sell to the slums. You possess the 'Streetwise' skill. You can locate High-Value Clients in low-security areas.]
Julien paused.
"High-value clients in low-security areas..."
He thought about the "Hoven." It was mostly trash-filled with people who had awakened awful skills, but occasionally, rich kids, "Amateur Hunters," came there to train safely.
They usually had high-level bodyguards with them, carefully scanning the environment, but they were stupid with money.
Or maybe...
He looked at the inventory list again.
[Tier 1 Inventory (Unlocked)]
Basic Health Potion – 10 Credits.
Iron Sword – 15 Credits.
Mana Water – 5 Credits.
Flashbang (Magitech) – 25 Credits.
Potion of Beauty (Minor) – 50 Credits.
Julien stopped.
"Potion of Beauty?"
He clicked on the details.
[Potion of Beauty (Minor)]
Effect: Clears skin, whitens teeth, and removes minor scars. Grants a temporary 'Charisma' buff, which would attract anyone within the range.
Duration: Permanent (Physical effects), 24 Hours (Buff).
Target Audience: Nobles, Celebrities, Insecure Hunters.
A slow, wicked smile spread across Julien's face.
Hunters didn't care about beauty. They cared about survival. But the wives of the Guild Leaders? The rich civilians living in the Safe Zones who pretended the apocalypse wasn't happening?
The influencers who were still trying to post selfies while the world burned?
"I've been targeting the wrong market," Julien whispered. "I've been selling bandages to soldiers. I should be selling Botox to the wives and daughters."
[Streetwise] pinged in agreement.
[Insight: The 'Velvet Lounge' is located four blocks away. It is a neutral zone bar frequented by off-duty B-Rank Hunters and wealthy merchants. Security is mild, but wealth density is High.]
"Perfect," Julien said, ignoring the throbbing pain in his dead arm. He checked the time. Four hours.
It was tight and very dangerous.
If he walked into a high-end bar looking like a refugee, he'd be thrown out without a chance to explain.
He needed a disguise and a sales pitch to seal his entry.
He looked at the [Flashbang].
"System," Julien said, his voice trembling with a mix of fear and excitement. "How much collateral damage will I take if I use a Flashbang for... theatrical purposes?"
[Calculation: Minor blindness for 10 minutes. Slight ringing in ears for 1 hour.]
"Acceptable condition," Julien grunted. He stood up, adjusting his blanket. "I'm not going to be a drug dealer tonight. I'm going to be a magician."
He grabbed his cracked phone and checked his appearance in the black screen.
His appearance looked like the person you would see in the not allowed poster in front of a club.
"Well," he smoothed his messy hair.
"Time to seduce the ladies."