Lord Of Doom!Reincarnated Into a Novel as the Strongest Side Character-Chapter 55: A Pawn Shop

One person entered after showing their identification to the guard.Kenji and Sakura faced Gojin, who stood calmly, whispering into his ear. Fear laced their voices.

"We’re getting close to the checkpoint. What are we going to do? What if your mysterious plan doesn’t work?" Sakura asked, her eyes wide with fear.

Gojin tilted his head toward her and whispered in a serious tone:

"Then we bring the city down to ashes."

Kenji and Sakura’s eyes widened at Gojin’s declaration. Did he mean it? Their breaths were caught in their throats at the weight of his words.

"Just joking. We run, what else?" Gojin replied with a smile, instantly lifting the weight off their chests. They sighed and tried to remain calm, just like Gojin.

They were now next in line. The guard stretched out his hand, asking for their tags while staring at Gojin’s blindfold.

Gojin smirked and fixed his gaze on the first guard.

"I think we should go in, right?" His voice was barely above a whisper.

Suddenly, the guard’s eyes glowed purple before returning to its normal black. He nodded with a smile and bowed slightly, stepping aside to let the three of them pass, leaving the other guard and some commoners confused.

The other guard asked why he had let them in without identification. He simply shrugged, claiming he would explain later after his duty. Yet, he still seemed under Gojin’s influence of the Devouring Eyes.

....

"How did you do that? He let us in just like that?!" Kenji asked, stunned, alongside Sakura.

Gojin simply shrugged, placing one hand on his chin and rubbing it, a grin spreading across his face. He stared at the bustling capital city before him, and the other two were equally lost in awe.

Suddenly, they were nowhere to be found. Gojin looked around, scanning left and right with a puzzled expression. He turned around but saw nothing. When he decided to look back at the city, not caring where they had gone, he instantly spotted them jumping from one market stall to another, admiring the items on mini stalls— intriguing ingredients, ribbons, and silk clothing. They were lost in the crowd and noise as the surroundings continued to pulse with activity.

Gojin sneered and walked into the throng, swiftly passing by everyone without making contact. He made his way to where Kenji and Sakura stood, admiring an array of bracelets and ribbons displayed on a long wooden table covered by a carpet. The man behind the stall grew furious when he saw they were only staring, blocking the market from actual customers. He immediately shooed them away.

"Buzz off, houseflies! Let the real customers through!"

He grabbed a small wooden baton and attempted to swat at them. They dodged and skidded backward with frowns, while Gojin passed by them as if they were strangers, as the attention of the crowd shifted to the commotion.

They spotted Gojin and instantly trailed behind him like eager pups. He declared:

"Stop jumping around! If you’re going to act like that, we might as well separate and meet outside the city fifteen years later."

The two of them widened their eyes in horror, nodding in agreement to stick with Gojin. Still, their gazes wandered sneakily to the various items around them.

After walking for a while, they crossed a short wooden bridge, beneath which lay a pond adorned with petals of blossoms. The other side of the bridge was quieter than the bustling market square; here, most establishments were shops made of wood and stone. Wooden beams were placed outside, showcasing the wares within.

Gojin quietly searched for a specific store while Kenji and Sakura rubbed their hands together with mischievous grins. They were about to stride into a medicine shop with pride when Gojin caught them by their clothes and yanked them back.

He silently cursed at them, gesturing with a furious expression that they should stop trying to embarrass his newfound dignity. He groaned and continued his search, turning into an alley nestled between two long shops.

There, he found a pawn shop, and it seemed this was what he had been searching for. He released Kenji and Sakura, allowing them to dash into the establishment. The two sped in with grins like playful kittens.

Once inside, Gojin confirmed that no one was watching.

After ensuring the coast was clear, he opened his vault and retrieved the Levies Granter. The stone retained its radiant glow!

He mischievously muttered:

"These pawn fools will surely mistake this for something special and pay any amount I ask. They do have the money, after all."

He walked gracefully to the door and opened it abruptly with a smile. Inside, he saw Kenji and Sakura seated in a chair, engrossed in an ancient book. The book had delicate rice paper pages and ornate cover, featured beautifully handwritten calligraphy and illustrations. It likely contained a collection of poems, perhaps love poems, each verse were elegantly arranged in vertical columns.

Gojin sighed and glanced to the side, spotting a man with white hair and a matching beard, holding a rod, seated behind a wooden table as he examined a scroll. This was likely the shop owner. The shop was cramped, with tall shelves pressed against the walls, filled with past treasures and intriguing items displayed in tiny square boxes.

Only a narrow path remained for customers, resembling a lobby where the man and the other two were situated. Kenji and Sakura appeared quite focused on their reading.

Such fools!

Gojin approached the man, who remained absorbed in the scrolls before him, and said in a low voice:

"I have a precious item to sell at a bargain price. Do you buy?"

The man looked up, curiosity piqued. Gojin silently praised himself; it seemed the man was indeed a fool, as he had claimed, though he classified all of them as one.

Most pawn shop owners were typically emotionless, disregarding words and only showing amazement when an item was confirmed to be valuable.

Gojin displayed the stone to the man, who surprisingly became captivated by it and appeared ready to purchase it at any price. Just as the man reached to touch it, Gojin retreated, waggling a finger in a "Not yet!" gesture.

"You can’t touch the goods until after payment. I suppose that’s how business is done around here."

Well-versed in business? Nice!

"Hahaha! You’re correct. How much do you want?" the shifty pawn shop owner asked, rubbing his beard while fixating on the stone.

"Four silvers and 2,000 coins..."

The man’s eyes widened in shock, and he rolled his eyes, staring down at the table.

"That’s the price of an entire house! What if I offer something that might be precious to you instead...?" he muttered - his gaze burning with determination, unwilling to let the item slip away.

Gojin knew this all too well.

The man looked back at Gojin, sweat beginning to drip from beneath his white hair. Gojin silently smiled to himself; he had offered such an exorbitant price, anticipating that the man would want to negotiate lower but wouldn’t be able to drop below 1 silver and 1,100 coins. This strategy is common in markets where sellers aim high to leave room for negotiation. For example, if a seller lists an item for 1,000 coins, they might expect buyers to counteroffer around 800 coins, allowing the seller to settle somewhere in the middle.

While Gojin’s actual sale’s price was still quite steep, he considered it worthwhile since he deemed the stone useless. He preferred to sell it to someone unaware of its true value, drawn in by its colorful appearance.

Potential buyers would likely see the stone’s vibrant colors and assume it held significant worth, failing to recognize its actual lack of utility. There was no way they could assess its potential without his input, making it just a mere stone to others.

So yes, this was a scam scheme.

The man inhaled deeply, standing up from his seat with an awkward grin. He turned to the rows of shelves, placed his hands between two of them, and dragged them open to reveal a larger section of the store.

Kenji and Sakura heard the sound of the shelves opening and turned their attention to Gojin and the man. They watched in shock as the shelves parted.

"Whattttt.....!?"

Kenji and Sakura exclaimed in unison, their voices filled with disbelief.

Gojin was equally stunned.

The new area resembled a vast library, with rows of shelves stacked full and extending deep into the space. Three sets of wooden tables and chairs were arranged in the middle of the room, and a wooden ladder rested against a very tall shelf.The man was short, barely 4’10", and notably bulky, with a chubby frame. He walked over to the ladder and grasped it tightly as he began to climb, reaching for something at the top.

Sakura and Kenji rushed past Gojin to the chairs, settling in with eager expressions. The love poem books were still in their hands, so they began reading through them again.

Gojin scowled, sensing something amiss; a foul odor lingered in the air—some demon had been here, and its energy was still present. Judging by the stench, it had likely left the area about three hours ago. He could also sense that this was likely a grade 2 radiant soul.

He scanned the expansive area but saw no exits leading outside except for the entrance they had come through. However, the demon could have easily teleported in and out. Still, something felt off; it seemed as if this was the demon’s nest, as the atmosphere felt distinctly different. Gojin quickly pieced everything together in mere seconds.

"Is this pawn owner harboring a demon...?"