One of the players approached Rian, noticing his name, [BlackMerchant]. He asked, "How many potions do you have?"
Rian replied, "It depends on how many you want."
The player's name was Alex, a core member of the guild [Iron Vanguard]. Surprised by Rian's confident answer, Alex asked sarcastically, "I want 100 healing potions. Do you have that many?"
Without hesitation, Rian responded, "Yes, sir. The total cost will be 1000 gold coins. First, you need to pay the amount, and then I will hand over the potions."
Alex's eyes widened in shock when Rian confirmed he had the 100 healing potions. He warned, "If you scam me or don't deliver, I'll make your life miserable in both worlds."
Rian replied confidently, "Please, sir, I would never do that. I know exactly what I'm doing."
Alex then accessed his system panel, added the necessary funds to his account, and handed the money to Rian. "I want my potions now."
Excited by the successful transaction, Rian promptly purchased an additional 95 low-level healing potions from his [Merchant Shop] and handed Alex a total of 100 potions.
As Alex took the potions, he was dumbfounded, having not expected to receive all 100 healing potions. Rian left the scene, feeling thrilled about the profitable start to his venture.
Rian, after completing his first successful transaction in the game, decided to find a quiet, remote spot away from the bustling village. He walked through the narrow streets, past the vendors and players, until he reached a secluded corner near a small forest. Once he was sure no one was around, he logged out of the game.
Rian, overwhelmed with happiness, sat on the couch after logging out of the game. Tears of joy started flowing, and his mother, Elara, noticed him crying. Concerned, she approached and sat beside him, gently placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Son," she said softly, "don't lose hope. There's always a way to earn money, so don't cry."
Rian wiped his tears and smiled, realizing his mother thought he was upset. He hugged her tightly and said, "Mom, I'm not crying because I'm sad. I just made 905 gold coins in the game, and I can't believe it."
Rian, with tears of joy streaming down his face, looked at his mother and said, "Mom, now you don't need to work extra anymore. I believe that within six months, I'll complete my mission and let you and Father enjoy your life." His mother, moved by his words, smiled softly and hugged him, feeling both proud and hopeful for the future.
She said hopefully, "I believe in you, son. I believe you can do it."
For the first time, Rian had earned real money, and this much at that. Now, he fully believed that he would earn so much that his parents wouldn't be able to spend it all for the rest of their lives.
Rian glanced at his old phone as it rang, its outdated screen barely legible. He answered, hearing his sister Lila on the other end. "What is it, Lila?" he asked.
Lila's voice was urgent. "Brother, is your in-game name *BlackMerchant*? Because I just saw a player who looked like you. And if it is you, you need to know something. The guild Iron Vanguard has put a bounty out to find BlackMerchant. I hope that player isn't you… Bye."
Rian's heart skipped a beat as he heard Lila's words. "A bounty? On me?" he thought, his mind racing. He had just earned nearly $1000 in a single deal, something his father would take months to accumulate. But now, it seemed like his sudden success had drawn unwanted attention.
As she ended the call, he felt the weight of the situation settle on him. The excitement of his success was now mixed with a sense of danger. He had to be careful. The guild, Iron Vanguard, was a powerful one. If they were after him, his journey had just become much more complicated.
What Rian didn't realize was that he was currently trending on the Everlasting forum. Word had spread that he had seemingly unlimited stocks of potions, selling them effortlessly. The bounty placed on his head wasn't meant to make his life miserable it was simply to find him.
Top guilds had quickly taken notice of BlackMerchant, and their goal was clear: recruit him before anyone else could. Invitations were already being prepared, and the race to secure his skills was about to begin.
In Lumeria City, where skyscrapers pierced the clouds, one building towered above the rest The Opal Heights. It was a place of extravagant luxury, where each apartment was priced in the millions, reserved for the super-elite.
At the very top, Alex paced back and forth in one of the lavish penthouses, phone in hand. The call connected, and he quickly spoke, "President Lilyanne, I need to talk to you about someone."
A soft but confident voice replied on the other side, "I already know what you're about to say. Bring him into our guild, whatever it takes. Don't let anyone else get to him first. And if he won't join us, make sure he doesn't join anyone else. But remember no threats. Just... give him some choices."
"Yes, President," Alex said, ending the call with Lilyanne. Without missing a beat, he immediately dialled another number. As soon as the call connected, he wasted no time, "I need information on BlackMerchant, at any cost. Whether you find him in the real world or in Everlasting, I'll make sure the reward is more than worth your effort."
His voice carried a determined edge he wasn't going to let this opportunity slip away.
Rian, completely unaware of the growing attention from guilds, entered his gaming pod and logged into Everlasting. Finding himself right where he had logged out, he wasted no time. He immediately opened his Merchant Shop interface, clicked on the search option, and typed "hiding mask" hoping to find something that could help him avoid the unwanted attention he had unknowingly attracted.
Moments later, a list of items appeared in front of him:
Veil of Shadows Mask: 100 gold coins
Misty Veil Mask: 50 gold coins
Phantom's Shroud Mask: 200 gold coins
Intrigued, Rian clicked on the Veil of Shadows Mask. The description read:
"This mask will prevent anyone from seeing your name and face until you reach level 30."
Satisfied with the potential protection it offered, he purchased the mask. After purchasing the mask, it spawned in his storage space. He took it out and examined it grey with shadowy markings crossing its surface, giving it a mysterious and cool appearance. Rian immediately put it on, feeling a sense of security.
He thought to himself, "No one will reach level 30 this early in the game, so this mask will keep me hidden for a while. Worth the 100 gold coins."
Now with 805 gold coins, Rian decided to purchase 5 more healing potions, bringing his total back down to an even 800 gold coins. As he stepped out from the street corner, he noticed the lively chaos of the village marketplace. Players were shouting, trying to form teams and gather resources for their journeys.
"Healer! We need a healer! We promise to provide mana potions and experience points for a priest!" one player yelled.
Another shouted, "Looking for a tank! If you're a tank, come join us!"
Rian's ears perked up when he heard someone else shout, "We need potions! We'll pay extra if you have any to sell!"
Recognizing the opportunity, Rian smirked beneath his mask, knowing this was his chance to make even more gold.
Rian approached the group, his grey mask hiding his identity. The team leader noticed him immediately, his eyes narrowing in suspicion as he saw the blank space above Rian's head where a name should have been.
"Who are you? And why can't I see your name?" the leader asked, his tone cautious.
Rian, keeping his cool, replied, "I'm just a merchant here to sell potions. My name doesn't matter what matters is that I have what you need. Are you interested?"
The leader hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to trust someone whose name he couldn't even see. But the desperate need for potions was enough to override his suspicion.
"How much are you selling them for?" the leader asked, curiosity getting the better of him.
Rian nodded confidently and said, "Same price as the stalls, but I'll take one extra gold since you mentioned paying more for potions."
The team leader hesitated, then asked, "How many potions can you supply?"
Rian smiled behind his mask. "I can supply around 200 of any potion you need. Just tell me the amount."
The leader looked surprised but decided to take the offer seriously. "Alright, I'll take 50 healing potions and 50 mana potions."
"That'll be 1,100 gold coins," Rian replied smoothly.
The team leader handed over the coins without further question, still cautious but clearly in need of the potions. Rian quickly accessed his shop, purchased the 100 potions, and handed them over effortlessly.
"Pleasure doing business with you," Rian said, turning to leave as the team leader stared in disbelief at the speed of the transaction. His blank name still left a lingering mystery.
Rian, thrilled by his recent success, checked his balance and saw 1,800 gold coins in his view. This meant he had earned an equivalent of $1,800 in the real world. Excited by the prospect of making even more profit, he eagerly planned his next move, knowing that his growing wealth in the game was a significant boost towards achieving his goal.
As Rian sat on a bench, he noticed that many players were staring at him with curiosity. The fact that his name and face were hidden made him stand out, and people wondered where he had acquired such an item. Despite his success with selling potions, Rian knew that relying solely on this strategy wouldn't be enough. He needed to level up as well.
While deep in thought, he heard a party nearby offering to carry and boost players to level 10 for a price. This opportunity could be just what he needed to advance quickly and strengthen his position in the game.
Rian approached the party, and the leader, with a friendly tone, asked, "Sir, would you like to be boosted to level 10? We can negotiate the price."
Rian nodded and inquired, "How much will it cost? I know many players are struggling with levelling up and often need help."
The leader replied, "It will be around 100 gold coins. We'll prioritize levelling you up and ensure you don't die."
Rian said, "I'll offer 50 gold coins. I don't care about priority or dying, but that's all I can afford."
The team leader responded, "Sir, we can barely make a profit at that price. We're risking our lives, and dying means we'll face penalties from the game. The lowest we can go is 75 gold coins, or we won't be able to boost you."
As Rian hesitated over whether to spend that much money or level up on his own, a young girl standing next to the party leader spoke up. "If you can provide us with some potions and 50 gold coins, we'll accept your offer."
Rian, momentarily distracted by her beauty, quickly refocused and said, "Sure, I can provide you with 5 mana potions." He still had the potions he purchased earlier and planned to give them to the team.
The girl, a mage, brightened up at the news of the mana potions, as they were sold out in all the stores and wouldn't be available again until the next day.
The team leader smiled and said, "Thank you for doing business with us. My name is Derek, and I'm the tank. This is Mina, our mage, and behind her is Goran, our fighter. Finally, we have Mira, our healer."