"You want to buy an antique gun for your father's birthday gift?"
The store manager was surprised, so were the customers in the store.
But it was understandable why they reacted this way. The customers who came to "Firearms Street" usually only had one goal: that was to buy a gun that they liked with the suitable firepower, be it pistols or rifles.
Although there were people who bought antique guns, they were usually a particular group of people.
At least, not a high school student.
The reason was very simple. Most of the antique guns were not working anymore and were very expensive.
To a certain extent, it was a luxury item. Ordinary high school students would be unable to afford it. For those who could, there were other channels to obtain better firearms.
However, there was nothing wrong with the reason Tang Qi gave.
A seemingly "rich second-generation" from a well-to-do family wanted to buy an antique gun as a gift for a father who liked such things. Who was able to find fault with that?
Naturally, Tang Qi did not reveal that the father of the original Tang Qi had passed away.
The reason why he wanted to buy an antique gun was, of course, to have a weapon to defend himself with.
With a firearm, Tang Qi would not need to resort to knives, spears, sticks, or clubs.
As he could not buy those powerful new firearms because of his age, he had his eyes on the antique guns.
There were reasons why he did not choose to take the risk and seek out some gray channels to buy real firearms.
The first was that he was unwilling to reveal his identity, one that he was currently trying very hard to play. The second was that he had not reached the situation where he had to stake everything in a last-ditch effort.
Antique guns were sufficient, as long as you chose those that were still working.
The original Tang Qi might not have any knowledge on firearms, but Tang Qi himself was very familiar.
In his previous life, he could be considered as a firearm enthusiast, and he even went to the United States to experience it. He was also very passionate about antique guns, relying on the Internet to accumulate a vast reserve of knowledge.
And here, it was absolutely impossible for a high school student to master the knowledge of antique gun repair.
Because the Internet did not exist.
The civilizations of Origin Blue Star currently happened to be stuck at this junction.
After some thought, the store manager immediately changed his attitude from serious to warm and friendly. At this time, he looked at Tang Qi as if he was looking at a money tree.
"The income from selling an antique gun can support this run-down store for half a month." The store manager muttered from the bottom of his heart and, at the same time, brought Tang Qi further into the store with great enthusiasm.
In front of the innermost counter, a very thick illustrated book landed in front of Tang Qi with a thump.
The cover, impressively, was a very ancient matchlock gun.
The store manager took the book and said proudly, "I like people who care about family. Take your time. When it comes to antique gun collections, there are no other stores in the entire Firearms Street that are comparable to mine. Tell me which one you like. I will give you a 10% discount."
As the store manager was talking, Tang Qi had already opened the illustrated book.
Tang Qi resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the price of the first antique gun.
Expensive, very expensive.
Although Tang Qi had just entered into this world, he was well familiar with the prices of its goods.
The prices of antique guns in this illustrated book was about ten times that of new guns.
The firepower was not as good, yet the prices were more than ten times or even hundreds of times higher. No wonder Tang Qi wanted to roll his eyes, and little wonder why the store manager was so generous.
It was a pity that the 10% discount could not hide their intention to fleece customers.
But currently, Tang Qi did not have much room to criticize as he browsed through the pages patiently.
Just after looking through a few pages, Tang Qi was a little mesmerized.
Like antique swords, antique guns also had a captivating artistic charm to them. This was the result of the combination between the passage of time, resolute spirit, steel, and gunpowder.
If he had not come here with a purpose in mind, Tang Qi would have loved to take the time to admire them.
Especially that, although this Origin Blue Star was somewhat similar to Earth from his previous life, there were many differences as well. These were reflected in the firearms. Origin Blue Star's firearms were more exaggerated and brazen.
Through the passage of time, the various antique guns that roused people's blood gave off a very seductive aura.
After a few pages of serious appreciation, Tang Qi began to turn pages quickly, giving off the appearance that he was selecting a gift. This made the store manager more convinced that a significant transaction was about to be completed.
Soon, Tang Qi selected about a dozen antique guns.
Most of them were still working, and a few of them could be passed off as works of art that could be placed on a shelf.
"Store manager, these are the ones which I would like to see the actual product."
"No problem!"
To a potentially big customer, the store manager was extremely patient.
He called over two hot female service staff. Soon, a dozen boxes were placed in front of Tang Qi.
The first box revealed a gleaming pistol. It had an ivory grip, and the surface of the gun was plated with gold. Just one glance was sufficient to realize that its first owner must have been very wealthy, and its firepower was certainly not insignificant.
The manager gave a timely introduction. "The Vacrian golden pistol was made by the prominent slave owner Count William. It was used as a gift for his descendants and men. Less than a hundred survived. This can be considered the treasured jewel of my store."
Tang Qi did not even lift his gaze as he listened to the introduction. Instead, he looked directly at the second box.
Golden pistol?
Tang Qi wanted a gun to protect himself, not to attract robbers.
The second box seemed more reliable. It was a revolver with a strong western style. Its build was simple and crude, with a wooden handle and a light gun body. It appeared to be well maintained.
"Kid, this is the favorite of cowboys from the western region, the Corona revolver. The perfect combination of simplicity and power. Every man loves it."
Tang Qi suppressed his temptations and continued to look at the third box.
This time, there were two heavy-caliber short-barrel pistols.
From the thick caliber and the silver gun body, one could immediately imagine the explosive gunpowder and the strong sulfur smell.
"Kid, you found the one which I find hardest to let go of. This is a pair of Silver Hunters. The Silver Hunter company only produced a thousand pairs. Without giving me an extremely tempting price, you are unable to take them away from me."
Clearly, this pair of pistols was very eye-catching as Tang Qi heard the sounds of people swallowing their saliva all around him.
To be honest, Tang Qi was also very tempted.
This pair of heavy caliber short-barrel pistols were clearly in working order. One only had to look to know how powerful they were when they were fired.
However, with the thought of not wanting to miss the rest of the good stuff, Tang Qi suppressed his feelings and continued to browse further.
Boxes continued to be opened, and antique guns of various shapes and ages appeared one after another.
The store manager was not bothered at all. He gave detailed introductions on each and every gun, demonstrating the knowledge of an extremely learned collector and broadening Tang Qi's horizons.
After seeing until only one box was left, Tang Qi did not see anything that could surpass that pair of "Silver Hunters".
Just as Tang Qi made his decision, the hot service staff in front of him opened the last remaining box.
Tang Qi, who had already planned to buy the Silver Hunters, suddenly stopped.
"Ah."
While exclaiming quietly in his heart, Tang Qi's breathing got disorganized for a split second — though it was hardly noticeable.
He quickly closed his eyes and looked at the special interface that materialized in his pupils.
The sudden appearance of the word "mysterious object" was extremely blinding but also gave Tang Qi a pleasant surprise which he could barely hold back.