The moment Jai realized that Dollar had reached out to him first, his heart pounded with excitement. But he couldn't afford to let it show.
If anyone at Dev Ashram even got a hint that he was about to meet Dollar, things could take a dangerous turn. What if someone followed him? What if they tried to catch Dollar? In that case, he would not only lose Dollar's trust but Avni's as well.
Carefully scanning his surroundings, Jai discreetly picked up the bundle of cash and the note Dollar had left behind. Wasting no time, he slipped inside his room and locked the door behind him.
Inside, his hands trembled slightly as he unwrapped the bundle. Inside, there was a small vial and something that looked like a golden stone. But the moment his eyes fell on it, he knew it wasn't a stone at all. It was a shell—a turtle shell.
His eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
"Since when did turtle shells turn golden?"
And then, it hit him.
"No way…!"
His breath hitched, eyes widening as realization struck. This wasn't just any turtle shell—it was the sacred blood turtle's shell.
A rush of adrenaline coursed through his veins. He had heard stories about creatures like these, rare extraterrestrial beings whose very existence was considered a myth by many. To own something that belonged to one? That was beyond extraordinary.
"This Dollar is far more valuable than I thought. No one in Dev Ashram has anything even close to this rare. Not even Avni."
Jai's lips curled into a triumphant smile.
Without hesitation, he uncorked the vial and, in one swift motion, downed its transparent liquid. A strange warmth spread through his body as the system registered the change.
"You have acquired the energy of a Primary Alien. A special Gene Point has been unlocked."
The glowing words on his power screen flickered before his eyes. But instead of excitement, a frown settled on his face.
"A Primary Alien? That's it?"
He had expected something stronger—perhaps the energy of a mutant alien, at the very least.
But then he remembered what Dollar had written.
"He said he has more. Maybe this was just a teaser… Maybe he wants to show me that he has something even more powerful. That must be it! This note must have arrived last night, which means I need to meet Dollar today."
The thought sent a surge of excitement through him.
This was it.
This was the moment he had been waiting for.
Not only would he be able to deliver Avni's message, but he could also purchase whatever else Dollar had in store. A perfect opportunity—two birds with one stone.
Without wasting another second, Jai set off toward the Locusts' Territory.
The early morning air was crisp, and most of Dev Ashram was still asleep. That worked in his favor—no one would see him leave. No one would follow him.
He arrived at the meeting spot and waited.
Minutes turned to hours. The sun climbed higher. The morning melted into the afternoon.
But Dollar never came.
Jai's patience began to fray.
"Shit! Did he just play me?"
His fists clenched. Was it possible that Dollar had duped him? Had he been a fool to trust him?
Just as he turned to leave, a voice called out from behind him.
"Did you bring the money?"
Jai froze. His heart skipped a beat.
Slowly, he turned around.
From beneath the earth itself, Dollar emerged, clad in a golden armor-like shell, his piercing eyes locked onto Jai's.
Jai's jaw dropped.
"Were you hiding here this whole time?"
Dollar dusted himself off, his expression unreadable.
"I've been here since last night," he said, his tone casual, as if it was no big deal. "You know how things are at Dev Ashram these days. I couldn't risk anyone following you and leading them to me. So, as a precaution… I hid."
Jai was speechless.
"This guy…"
A slow grin spread across his face.
"I always knew you weren't just powerful, but smart too. That's why I chose to do business with you. And don't worry—no one knows I'm here. Not even Avni Shergill. Why would I betray you when you're giving me such incredible stuff?"
He chuckled, flashing a thumbs-up.
"Come on, man, has Robin ever betrayed Batman?"
Dollar, however, was unmoved.
"Cut the nonsense. Did you bring the money?"
Jai smirked. "Of course."
He pulled out the cash and tossed a bundle forward.
"Here's 1 crore for the golden turtle shell. I have to admit, I've never seen something this rare before, even after all my time on Titan. As for the Primary Alien's energy, I already paid 10 lakh upfront. Here's the remaining 50 lakh. Now… tell me, what else do you have?"
Dollar's expression remained unreadable as he reached into his belongings and pulled out a small vial.
"A Mutant Copper-Toothed Rhino's energy. Price: 2 crore. No negotiations."
Jai's eyes gleamed.
"I knew it! I knew he'd have something extraordinary."
Without hesitation, Jai shoved forward 2.5 crore instead of 2.
Dollar blinked.
"Why are you giving me more?"
Jai grinned. "Because I trust you. I don't need to check. If you say it's real, it's real."
For a moment, Dollar fell silent.
Then Jai leaned forward.
"By the way, Dollar, there's something else. Avni Shergill has a message for you."
Dollar's gaze sharpened.
"She wants to buy the Devil's Soul and Gear of the Sacred Blood Alien from you. Name your price. Trust me, you won't get a better deal than this. She'll make you filthy rich."
Dollar didn't answer immediately. His mind was already racing.
"The offer isn't bad…"
He wasn't going to sell the Devil's Soul—that was too dangerous. But the Golden Axe? That was a different story. It was too heavy, too impractical. Keeping it buried forever wasn't an option.
Finally, he looked up at Jai.
"Tell Avni that if she's serious about buying, she needs to name her price first. If I find it reasonable, I'll sell."
"But on one condition—you bring the money. Not her."
Jai frowned. "Why?"
Dollar's jaw tightened slightly.
Because if Avni saw him… if she recognized him… it would be over.
He couldn't afford that risk.
Not yet.