Chapter 37: A Sudden Spending Spree

Chen Meng took a car all the way to the city center, where there was a Divine Physique Supplies store. Jiangzhou University was actually nearby, so the shop’s target customers were clearly the university students. Chen Meng had only heard of this store because Mo Xiaoyi had mentioned it in passing.

Following the navigation, he finally found the shop.

“Chongyuan Divine Physique Supplies Chain, Longxing Street Branch,” Chen Meng murmured. “Yes, this is the place.”

The store before him wasn’t large, looking much like an optical shop from his previous life. But Chen Meng dared not underestimate it. To open a store specializing in divine physique supplies, one had to obtain the proper certification, and rumor had it that this required at least a third-tier Divine Physique being as guarantor. In other words, the owner of this chain was likely a third-tier Divine Physique being.

Chen Meng entered. There were hardly any customers inside.

For the average citizen, divine physique items were unnecessary—and expensive—so most people wouldn’t spend big money on them.

“Welcome!”

A tall, beautiful saleswoman with a ponytail approached Chen Meng politely.

Chen Meng glanced at her and could tell she, like him, was just an ordinary person. Even in a shop selling divine physique items, it was impossible to have Divine Physique beings working as salesclerks.

“What kinds of divine physique items do you sell here?” he asked.

“We have firearms, refining tools, potions, secret techniques for the divine physique, and also some specialized equipment commonly used by Divine Physique beings—combat uniforms, communication devices, cultivation manuals, and so on,” the saleswoman replied, giving him a curious look.

Chen Meng nodded; this matched what he’d heard before.

But they sold potions, too?

After a moment’s thought, he asked, “Do you sell Azure Blue Potion?”

The woman was briefly stunned, regarding Chen Meng with surprise. Then she regained her composure. “Promotion potions are currently regulated items under state control. Small shops like ours don’t have the license to sell them.”

Chen Meng wasn’t surprised to hear this.

Promotion potions were too special; if any shop could sell them freely, the country would fall into chaos.

“However, I’ve heard that the government plans to open up the potion market. In the future, you might be able to buy promotion potions here,” the saleswoman added.

“Open up the potion market?” Chen Meng was startled. Did this mean that promotion potions, which previously couldn’t be sold privately, might soon become available?

What was the government planning?

Chen Meng pondered for a moment and roughly guessed their intention: to encourage competition in the potion sector. Chasing high profits, more people would enter the industry, accelerating the development and iteration of promotion potions. In time, lower-priced and easier-to-refine versions might appear.

But was this truly a good idea?

The saleswoman spoke again: “You look like a student. What divine physique items are you looking to buy?”

Chen Meng had already decided, but he asked, “You have firearms, right?”

“We do, but they’re regulated items. You’ll need to show your ID to buy one. If you’re a student, please present your university student card.”

Chen Meng chuckled. He didn’t have a university student card.

He knew that firearms were already loosely regulated; there was no need to buy from here when plenty of other channels existed.

“I’m not buying a firearm, just asking out of curiosity.” He smiled. “Actually, I’m here to buy clothing—the kind Divine Physique beings usually wear.”

“You mean combat uniforms?” the woman realized.

“Yes, that’s right.” Chen Meng smiled. He’d read about these in his high school textbooks. When fighting monsters, Divine Physique beings normally wore combat uniforms.

Ever since Wang Jie had pointed a gun at him, Chen Meng hadn’t felt safe. He thought it necessary to get a set. If he’d had one last time, he wouldn’t have been nearly knocked down by Wang Jie’s kick—and he’d heard that good combat uniforms could even withstand sniper bullets.

“These don’t require any special qualifications to buy since they don’t pose a threat to ordinary people,” the saleswoman explained, smiling as if she’d guessed Chen Meng wasn’t a university student.

Chen Meng said nothing, and the woman led him to a row of hanging outfits in the back.

Despite being called “various clothes,” it was nothing like a regular clothing store. There were really only two styles, in black, white, red, and blue.

Visually, they looked little different from ordinary clothing.

“That’s ideal,” Chen Meng thought to himself, “so no one can instantly tell I’m wearing a Divine Physique combat uniform.”

He touched the fabric. It felt substantial—not like ordinary cloth.

The saleswoman began her introduction: “A full set of combat attire includes vests, trousers, belts, boots, knee pads, wrist guards, arm guards, helmets, and so on. But for practical use, you only need the basic vest, trousers, and boots. Too much protection doesn’t really make you safer in Divine Physique combat—in fact, it can slow you down and reduce your strength.”

Chen Meng nodded, already aware of this.

The shop mainly sold these items, with the boots displayed on the bottom shelf, looking much like ordinary sneakers.

“Could you explain the combat uniform’s functions?” Chen Meng asked.

“Certainly,” the saleswoman replied. “All the combat uniforms you see here are made of roughly the same materials: 75% celestial silkworm silk, 20% metallic thread, and 5% energy fiber. They’re inscribed by artifact smiths with runes for toughness, lightness, and temperature regulation. For example, this vest can withstand ten shots from an ordinary handgun, ten direct attacks from a first-tier Divine Physique being, or a head-on collision with a small car doing a hundred kilometers an hour. Because of the temperature rune, it also regulates your body temperature, keeping you relatively comfortable at all times.”

Hearing this, Chen Meng’s eyes lit up.

This combat uniform was impressive—worthy of Divine Physique use.

He would definitely buy it!

“If I buy just the basic three items you mentioned, like the ones here, how much would that cost?” he asked.

“Thirty-two thousand!” the saleswoman replied instantly. “Of course, there are higher-grade ones upstairs if you’d like to have a look.”

Chen Meng sucked in a breath. He knew these items would be expensive, but not this expensive.

Thirty-two thousand—it was daylight robbery!

“I’ll look, but I can’t afford anything more advanced.” Chen Meng grinned. “But, miss, can you give me a better price? I’m a student—train tickets are half price with a student card, you know.”

He was here mainly to earn knowledge points, but he didn't want to be a sucker.

“Thirty thousand, lowest price!” the saleswoman said after a moment’s thought.

“Can you make it any cheaper...?”

“No.”

“Really?” Chen Meng looked into her eyes but saw not a flicker of hesitation—she was firm on the price.

“I’ll take it,” he said.

The saleswoman arranged for him to try on the set. After all, for a good combat uniform, comfort was important.

About ten minutes later, he’d made his selection.

“Do you sell daggers?” Chen Meng asked, thinking that if he’d had one last time, he wouldn’t have needed to smash Wang Jie with a rock—one quick slash would’ve ended the fight.

“We do,” the woman replied, leading him to the counter and opening a drawer full of over thirty daggers.

“Rune daggers, inscribed with sharpness and agility runes. Standard price: fifteen thousand each.”

Chen Meng was stunned. Even a dagger cost that much.

He picked up a black one, 24.9 centimeters long, reminiscent of a military knife. It felt good in his hand.

He thought the black color would be hard to spot in the dark—ideal for a surprise attack.

“How much for everything together?” he asked.

“Forty-five thousand.”

“And after the discount?”

“That is the discounted price!”

Chen Meng was speechless. “Miss, my combat uniform was thirty thousand, this dagger is fifteen thousand—total forty-five thousand. Where’s the discount?”

“You got two thousand off the uniform.”

“That hardly counts. Can’t you do a bit better? I genuinely want to buy.”

“Forty-four thousand!” the woman replied, glancing at Chen Meng. “At this price, I’m barely making any commission.”

“Deal.” Chen Meng grinned, though the number seemed a bit unlucky.

Oh well—never mind.

He took the money from his backpack and handed the saleswoman forty-four thousand in cash.

She didn’t find this odd; many customers in their kind of shop still paid cash.

Leaving Chongyuan Divine Physique Supplies, Chen Meng looked at the extra 440 knowledge points he’d gained and couldn’t help but smile.

But he needed to keep spending. He went to another clothing store and bought himself two sets of ordinary clothes and shoes for just over two thousand yuan.

He’d have to tell his parents they were cheap knock-offs from a roadside stall.

Finally, for Mouse Bebe, he bought a pile of snacks—mostly chicken-based, like braised chicken legs and packaged roast chicken.

All in all, he’d spent forty-seven thousand yuan that day. As for the remainder, he planned to keep a thousand on hand and deposit the last ten thousand into his mobile account.

Ten thousand wasn’t enough to draw attention, after all.

...

That evening, back home, Chen Meng began upgrading his high school-level potion refining skills.