บท 79: Chapter 77 : Pitiful Max!!
One day later, Max received a package.
The label read, "557 pieces of custom merchandise."
His hands trembled, hesitant to open it.
Max had just been conned by Everit, suffering heavy losses because he had swapped all the inventory in his store for Everit's cursed doll.
Everit must have evidence and was certain of his success, and Max knew he had no room to backtrack.
But now, the manufacturer had sent a second batch of products.
If the shipping date was correct, they would indeed be arriving within the next two days, but...
"Why don't you open it, Max?" Everit's voice was gentle, almost inviting.
"No need. I'll just take it home and open it there," Max replied, his voice shaking.
"Got something to hide?" Everit asked with a knowing smile.
"No! Absolutely not!" Max quickly denied, "It's just some figurines."
"There's no harm in opening them, right? Unless there's something you don't want people to see?" Everit's smile grew wider.
"No, no!" Max began sweating.
"Then open it. I'm curious to see what's inside," Everit insisted, still smiling.
Devil!
Everyone watching could feel the pressure in the room and thought the same thing.
But when they looked at Max, there was no pity in their eyes.
More than 500 new cursed dolls—all exchanged from Everit. Each one earned him a 20% cut for the trouble. This was definitely Everit's game, and he was playing it well.
But Max? He was the one who set all this in motion!
If he hadn't sold those cursed dolls, would anyone have bought them?
If no one bought them, would all this chaos have happened?
With trembling hands, Max carefully tore open a corner of the package.
"Huh?"
A surprised sound escaped him, and he quickly ripped the package open.
'Rustling'
Figurines scattered across the floor.
Everyone gasped, taking a deep breath.
Because they were all—Max's cursed dolls!
"You're a bit vain, aren't you, Max? Buying so many figurines of yourself," Everit chuckled, spinning his cane with a flourish before walking away—clearly in high spirits.
Max looked like he was about to burst into tears.
**The Figurine Scheme**
The second-generation figurines were crafted with more precision and refined detail—the materials were upgraded, and they even came with built-in voice and action features.
This upgrade, however, made the figurines quite costly, which meant the purchase price was naturally higher.
Max, a shop owner, saw an opportunity. He invested all his previous store's earnings into purchasing these advanced figurines, confident that he could turn a profit. He believed that taking risks was essential in business.
But everything went wrong.
Max's hopes of becoming a successful businessman came crashing down. He ended up losing everything—his time, money, and dream of wealth.
In a shadowy corner, Everit pulled out a communication crystal.
"Thank you, Mr. Everit! I didn't think this customer would buy the figurines at such an expensive wholesale price." The chubby businessman on the other end of the crystal was beaming with excitement.
Some time ago, a customer who had commissioned a large batch of figurines wanted to order a second set. The initial plan was just to use upgraded materials and improve the craftsmanship, which would have slightly increased the wholesale price but not by much.
However, Everit had contacted the businessman, suggesting that he alter the figurines to include built-in voice and action features, even ones that could kneel and apologize.
The businessman was instructed to sell these new figurines to the same customer. Of course, the additional features meant a higher cost, which raised the selling price.
The businessman doubted the feasibility of the scheme—no one would want to pay such a high price for figurines.
But Everit persuaded him. He suggested that they not reveal the character's identity, only providing a product number, ensuring that the customer would purchase without hesitation and wouldn't dare ask for a refund after receiving them.
Incredibly, the plan worked. The customer hesitated briefly but ultimately placed a large order. It was almost too good to be true!
"Don't mention it," Everit replied with a sly smile.
He stood in the shadowy corner, where the sunlight, having found its way around the wall, couldn't touch him at all.
It was night.
Blades flashed in the darkness.
Enemies fell.
"Huff… huff…"
A woman dressed in civilian clothes, her makeup-free face still retaining its beauty, knelt on one knee, clutching a long sword while panting heavily.
Her pink hair, tied into a simple ponytail, was mostly stained with a dark, coagulated red—the result of a battle that had turned her hair into a blood-soaked mess.
She glanced down, opening her collar to check her body.
An old wound had reopened, and the bandage covering it was completely saturated with blood, which was beginning to seep through.
"Sister Ikaruga!"
A child cried and threw her arms around the kneeling woman.
"Ana, don't cry. Be strong. I don't have time to comfort you now," Ikaruga replied.
The sound of footsteps approached—soft at first, then growing louder.
"Hey, isn't this the former S-Class Mage Ikaruga of the Trinity Raven?"
"Jeresi." Ikaruga glanced up at the approaching figure.
Emerging from the darkness was a muscular female mage wielding a scythe. She smirked and taunted, "Ikaruga, didn't you fake your own death to escape? So why come back now? Are you that eager to die?"
"But I have to say, you're quite impressive. You managed to kill so many people."
"What a waste."
"You're not leaving here alive."
Ikaruga took a deep breath, pushing herself to her feet with effort, pulling Ana behind her. Her voice was serious and determined: "I did everything I could to keep my family safe. I thought that by dying, the guild would leave them alone. But I never realized it was all part of their plan!"
"That bastard Wade! He's been capturing people for his experiments!"
"I'll never let him get away with this!"
Jeresi smiled at Ikaruga, who looked weary. "You won't have a chance to meet the Guild Master. Ikaruga, you seem tired—why not rest here?"
'Dang!'
The battle erupted.
****
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