Chapter 224 - At Least The Big Boss Knows What's Up
(MC POV)
Ok, I admit, that might not have been the smartest thing to do, but it looked like a pretty good idea at that time ok?
That move basically displayed my wealth and strength at the same time, so that should at least clue these people in on who they're dealing with right?
Wrong.
"Robbery! We're being robbed! Raise the alarm!" The guide screeched.
The guards had now drawn their weapons and a rather ear piercing whistle was blown near the room's entrance.
As though to make a point, a horde of guards flooded into the room, doubling the number that had already been inside.
"Hey, I already paid up, what gives?" I protested.
The guide threw the pouch of coins on the ground, "You think money can solve this?!"
I raised a finger, "Can I speak to your manager now?"
"I. Am. The. Manager!" He screeched.
"Oh? So you can claim responsibility for everything that goes on here?"
"YES! You damn insignificant commoner! I gave you face by letting you come in here and you went to ruin the entire place!"
I gave him a confused face, "Wait… I literally just threw five hundred gold at you, you know? I've even broken your supposed indestructible case too. You seriously won't reconsider what you're doing right now?"
"Guards! Get this miserable little thing out of my sight!"
Ah, guess he really won't.
The guards pointed their weapons at me, slowly moving closer towards me.
Just as I prepared to set off a few of the explosion inscriptions I inscribed on our way here, someone burst through the door with even more guards in tow.
"What the hell is going on here?!"
Everyone turned to regard the newcomer, the guards immediately lowering their weapons when they saw who it was.
"Gu… Guild Master Pai! Wha… What brings you here?" The guide stammered, running up to the guy and bowing his head in a hurry.
Jackpot.
Now, I've seen my share of fat guys and I've never been one to judge, but this guy takes it to a whole other level.
His height was already a full head shorter than me and his entire body was almost spherical. Couple that with all the jewellery he was wearing, I wouldn't be surprised if someone mistakes him for some kind of ornament in the building.
"Of course I'd be here!" The supposed Guild Master roared. "The alarm triggered for… What the hell happened here?! Why are our cases broken?!"
The guide lowered his head even more, "My apologies sir! A vagrant came in and made a mess of the place! We were just taking care of him!"
"A vagrant caused this mess?! And you call yourself a floor manager?! Who the hell is the vagrant?! I'll skin him alive!"
Oh, so he wasn't lying when he called himself the manager. Why would they make the floor manager act as guides for new customers?
From where I stood, I could see a smirk materialising on the supposed floor manager's face when he locked eyes with me, his finger pointing towards my direction.
The guards parted ways to open up a path for their pudgy Guild Master.
He stormed towards me but stopped midway when he caught sight of me.
Aha, it seems like he knows who I am. Well I suppose with him being the Guild Master, he should be privy to such information at least, right?
"Va… Vagrant?" He asked, his voice almost a whisper.
I gestured to the discarded gold coins on the ground, then to the broken in cases before finally to myself, "The one and only."
He immediately turned on his heels and pulled the floor manager down to his eye level by his shirt, "Xia Zi! What did you do?!"
"No… Nothing?" He stammered, shocked by the Guild Master's actions.
"Why… Why is there gold on the floor?"
"That… The vagrant--"
The Guild Master slapped his face with enough force to turn that floor manager's head to the side, "Don't call him that! Now answer me! Why is there gold on the ground and the cases destroyed?!"
Xia Zi gestured towards me, "The… He was… He was causing trouble! He… He damaged our case and wasn't happy that he needed to pay a fine, then threw that five hundred gold at me so that he can smash up ten of the cases!"
I could hear the Guild Master suck in a lungful of air from where I stood.
He shoved the floor manager aside before turning to the rest of the guards, "Did you point your weapons at him?!"
The guards looked at one another, unsure of what the correct answer was.
"DID YOU POINT YOUR WEAPONS?!"
"Yes… Yes Guild Master…" The guards echoed in unison.
The Guild Master took a step back as though physically struck, his limbs falling weakly to his sides.
"G… Guild Master Pai? Are… Are you alright?" Xia Zi asked.
I bent down to pick up one of the gold coins, "So… I take it the Merchant's Guild is so affluent that five hundred gold can be tossed around just like that?"
Xia Zi scowled at me, "This has nothing to do with you. Guards, why is he still here? Remove him at once! Can't you see his presence is causing distress to our Guild Master?! Give him a proper beating and--"
The Guild Master slammed his head on the ground to perform a dogeza, stunning everyone around including myself. Not to be mean but I was surprised his head could even touch the floor with his belly in the way.
"Master Lin! Please forgive this lowly one for not properly educating my staff! I bear all responsibility for this oversight!"
Everything came to a standstill.
"Ma… Master… Lin?"
"You mean… The Master Lin from Heaven Sect?"
"That… That can't be right?"
"Who… Who else can break those cases so easily?"
"Guys… Did we just… Point our weapons at Master Lin?"
I made a show of running my hand across a broken display case, "Ah… That was so scary, having so many guards pointing their weapons at me like that is not good for my heart."
The guards dropped their weapons and immediately fell prostrate on the ground.
Lifting the coin to my eye level, I inspected its surface with an eye, "These coins seem real to me as well, I wonder why I was looked at by such hostile gazes? Is this how the Merchant's Guild normally treat their customers?"
All of the staff members joined the guards in prostrating themselves.
Within the entire room, the only people that remained standing were the floor manager and I. It seems like the floor manager was just staring at the prostrated Guild Master with a complicated face.
Ignoring him for the moment, I stood in front of the Guild Master.
"Nice to meet you, Guild Master…?"
He gulped, "Pai… Pai Mapi"
"So… Guild Master Pai Mapi, could I get an explanation on why this happened?"
"May… May I ask… What happened?"
"You see… I came here to get some storage rings as gifts for my friends. Is this the place I would be able to get rings quality enough for that purpose?"
"N… No…"
"Oh? So any reason why I was guided here instead?"
A bead of sweat rolled down his temple, "I… I do… I do not know…"
"Then surely, you must know why the staff treated me like some poor, homeless fellow?"
The Guild Master turned his head to glance at his staff, all of them keeping their heads lowered to avoid eye contact.
I knelt down in front of him, tossing the gold coin on the ground in front of him, "I even offered payment, Guild Master, and this is the treatment I get. Could I get some kind of explanation for that?"
"Ma… Master Lin… If… If it pleases you… I… I can... can arrange… A number of… Of benefits…"
"Oh, I'm intrigued now. Benefits eh? What kind?"
"Out best selection of storage rings… At good prices…"
"Oh. Good prices? How good?"
"Very… Very good."
"Better than having your staff throw my gold on the ground?"
"Y… Yes! Without a doubt!"
I stood back up, "Let's see them then."
Pai Mapi hastily got up from the ground. Right as he was about to show me towards the door, I held up my hand.
"Wait… I want him to show me," I pointed to the staff member that refused to show me the rings moments ago.
The man looked up at me with fear in his eyes, an expression I returned with a grin.
The Guild Master glanced at who I pointed and nodded, "Un… Understood… Sh… Show him to the Premium section… Make sure Master Lin gets the best treatment."
Said man got on his feet and gestured to the door, his waist bending at a perfect ninety degree angle, "Th… This way… Master Lin…"
I stepped past him, weaving my way through the crowd of still prostrated staff.
"Oh, by the way," I added just as I reached the exit. "Mister Xia Zi here said he claims all responsibility for everything that happened. I hope you can give something satisfactory, Guild Master."
I chuckled to myself as I left, following the staff member's lead to the so-called 'premium section'.
Heh, I think that went rather well. Soon enough he will be coming up with various methods of apology and I just need to pick the free delivery one.
Everything is going according to plan.