Level Up The Colony
Chapter 38: Haggling

Chapter 38: Haggling

Timothy muttered, "I’ll check that later," before grumpily dozing off in the living room, too tired to even lock his door or check on his trusty termite companion.

The next morning, the harsh glare of sunlight piercing through the windows jolted him awake at around 10 a.m. freewēbnoveℓ.com

He yawned, stretching until his joints creaked like an old wooden door, feeling surprisingly refreshed.

Still groggy, he shuffled toward the bathroom in his shared room with his siblings, where he took a bath, brushed his teeth, and washed away any lingering fatigue.

It was only then that he realized the clothes he had worn the previous night were in tatters.

Sighing, he tossed them in the trash, yet another casualty of his ever-evolving circumstances.

With only one set of clothes left, he had no choice but to wear them.

Though he hadn’t planned much for the day, he knew what needed to be done.

The house felt messy, so he spent time organizing and dusting until everything was in order.

Strangely, he felt lighter afterward, as if a weight had lifted from his shoulders.

For the first time in a while, he didn’t have to worry about an imminent death threat hanging over his head.

By the time he finished cleaning, it was already past eleven.

He made sure to complete his daily quest, which took longer than expected, but with some effort, he got it done.

That was when his stomach reminded him just how hungry he was.

With little cash left in his account, he knew he couldn’t afford to be reckless, but at the same time, what was the point of having money if he never spent it? Making up his mind, he hailed an Uber and headed to a large shopping complex that housed a mall, restaurants, and a spa.

The establishment was situated in a high-end government residential area near the governor’s house, ensuring both security and a steady stream of customers.

Timothy had been there once before, back when it first opened.

His father had taken him, long before the gates and dungeons changed the world.

Now, he was here alone, determined not to hold back on spending, though he was well aware that prices in places like this were anything but negotiable.

At the entrance, security conducted a thorough check, only letting him in after he presented his Hunter Identification Card.

Inside, surveillance cameras were positioned at every corner, and luxury was evident in every detail of the architecture.

But Timothy remained indifferent, he had always been more fascinated by rare creatures than extravagant buildings.

The complex was a sprawling one-story structure offering everything from gaming and cinemas to fashion and dining.

But Timothy had his priorities straight.

First, he made his way to the grocery section, opting for non-perishable goods since he had no interest in making frequent trips just to flaunt his status.

With a vast selection available, he ended up taking one of almost everything, and if he liked an item, he grabbed two.

By the time he reached the counter, his purchases filled three carts.

He gave the cashier a nervous smile before making the payment of 350,000 naira, roughly $233.

Fortunately, he was allowed to leave the items with security while he continued shopping.

Next, he headed toward the boutique section, navigating the massive space with ease, thanks to the strategically placed security personnel.

Along the way, he subtly sensed the presence of a few Hunters, most of them on the weaker side of "average."

As he approached the men’s boutique, a familiar face caught his eye.

How long had it been? He wasn’t sure.

She had probably moved on to college, while for him, even affording high school for his sister had been a struggle.

College had never been an option.

He could have pursued other skills, but then the gates and dungeons had reshaped everything.

For a moment, he hesitated.

Should he say hi? Or just walk past?

This was the store he had intended to enter, not for the brand but simply because the others looked even more expensive.

However, the girl stood near one of the boutique’s two entrances.

Instead of confronting the awkward situation, he swiftly took the other door.

The security guards gave him amused looks, probably judging him for his plain clothes, but he ignored them.

If anything, their attitude only convinced him not to tip them.

Once inside, he buried himself in the clothing selection, doing his best to ignore the girl’s presence.

He wasn’t one for flashy outfits.

If he had a choice, he’d wear loungewear to church, if he ever even went.

But before picking anything, he did what was most important: he checked the price list.

As expected, there wasn’t one.

Unlike groceries, boutiques didn’t label their prices, and he doubted bargaining was an option.

For someone fearless enough to hunt monsters, he nearly died of shame right then and there.

He stood in place for a while, trying to figure out his next move when a sales attendant approached him.

"Sir, do you have a preference you’re looking for?"

Timothy immediately straightened up, putting on a confident expression.

But inwardly, he was already panicking.

Sales attendants were the worst, they could be ruthless when it came to upselling.

Keeping his tone calm, he replied,

"Nothing in particular. Just something simple, nothing too flashy or extravagant."

Even as he spoke, he wondered if he should have just said he was window shopping instead.

This was exactly why he needed his sister.

Women were naturally better at this kind of thing.

But with his mom and sister both unavailable, he could only sigh and move forward.

Without much thought, Timothy picked out clothes based on what he liked, mixing in a few practical outfits for raids.

Then it hit him: shouldn’t he buy equipment, too? But that meant going to the association, and he absolutely hated dealing with them.

As he kept browsing, he found himself caught in a tug-of-war between what he wanted and what he actually needed.

By the time he was done, he had selected twenty sets of clothes, including trousers, shirts, and jackets, most of them oversized, just in case another surge in strength altered his build again.

He also picked up five pairs of sneakers.

Almost everything he chose was in dark shades, deep red, navy blue, gray, black, and dark purple.

Nothing too flashy.

"That’ll be one million, four hundred and fifty thousand naira," the salesgirl announced after tallying his total. Roughly $966.

Timothy nearly choked on air.

Internally, he was screaming, but outwardly, he remained composed.

He pulled out his phone, opened his banking app, and was about to make the transfer when a hand tapped his shoulder.

"Longest time," a familiar male voice said.

Turning around, Timothy’s face lit up with a genuine smile.

"Ralph! Longest time, bro. What’s good?"

"I’m cool, I’m cool. And you?"

"I’m still kicking."

That’s when it all clicked, Ralph was the older brother of the girl he’d seen earlier in the mall.

No wonder she was in a men’s boutique.

Her brother must have dragged her along to help him haggle or something.

And sure enough, she was already in full negotiation mode, bombarding the salesgirl with discount demands.

Timothy stood there, stunned, watching as she completely ignored him, instead playfully arguing with the attendant over pricing.

He glanced at Ralph’s shopping bags, which were far more packed than his own.

And yet, she was still haggling for a fifty percent discount.

Timothy almost felt bad for the salesgirl.

Even more so when they finally settled on a forty-five percent discount.

He almost stumbled.

What kind of woman had she grown into? He had no idea.

But if she was going to pretend not to see him, he’d just do the same.

That was the plan until she suddenly called his name.

"Timothy."

His fingers fumbled over his phone screen, messing up the pin input for his transaction.

Keeping his voice calm, he replied,

"Sophia."

"So you’re just going to act like you didn’t see me?"

Only then did he turn to look at her properly.

And just like that, a smile crept onto his face.

His mouth went dry, his thoughts scattered, and his high school crush was standing right in front of him after all these years.

He was about to say something, anything when she abruptly asked,

"How much discount did she give you?"

’Shit.’

And just like that, Timothy found himself walking away with a thirty percent discount, saving him four hundred and thirty-five thousand naira ($290).

His final total was now one million and fifteen thousand naira ($676).

As they exited the store, Timothy felt... strange.

Almost like he’d just lost a part of his dignity.

Somehow, Sophia had completely flipped the script, he was supposed to be the strong and reliable one, yet here he was, getting saved by her bargain-hunting skills.

So lost in thought, he didn’t even notice when Ralph slipped away.

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