Chapter 8 Visiting a jewelry mall
After a few minutes of thought, Jay finally realized that the only place he could have access luxury items right now would be a high-end jewelry store. Even the smallest pieces there could be worth a ridiculous amount of money, making it the perfect hunting ground for today’s attempts.
With the idea in mind, he immediately pushed himself up from the bed heading to the bathroom to take a shower.
Minutes later, he stepped out, dried himself off, and changed into a fresh set of clothes. They weren’t expensive by any means, but at least they were clean and little bit presentable, at least to him.
He briefly considered preparing something to eat before going out, but he was still full from the meal he had devoured last night, so he didn’t bother.
He grabbed his phone and headed out of the apartment.
A few seconds later, he was standing by the curb in front of the old building, waiting quietly as cars passed by on the busy street.
Soon, a yellow taxi slowed to a stop in front of him.
“Where to, sir?” the local taxi driver asked, bending his head slightly so he could see Jay through the passenger window.
Jay gave him the location before sliding into the back seat.
The driver’s eyebrows lifted slightly the moment he heard the destination.
“Silver Crest Jewelry Mall?” the man repeated, sounding surprised. “That place is for rich people.”
Jay leaned back against the worn leather seat. “Just drive.”
The driver shrugged and pulled away from the curb.
As the taxi moved through the crowded streets, Jay quietly stared out the window while his thoughts continued racing.
This was his first real attempt at using the system strategically. Yesterday had been chaotic, and most of his actions were driven by desperation and confusion. But today would be different.
Today, he actually had a plan.
Jewelry stores handled items worth hundreds of thousands—sometimes even millions—of dollars and touching those high-value items could completely accelerate his rise to wealth.
Twenty five minutes later, the taxi eventually slowed as towering buildings and expensive storefronts began appearing outside. The environment itself felt different from the area Jay lived in. Cleaner roads. Expensive vehicles. Well-dressed people walking around with shopping bags that probably cost nothing less than hundreds if not thousands of dollars.
Finally, the taxi came to a stop in front of a massive luxury shopping complex covered in shining glass panels.
Jay stepped out slowly and lifted his gaze toward the elegant golden letters at the entrance.
Silver Crest Jewelry Mall.
A faint smile slowly formed on his face.
“Time to get even richer,” Jay muttered under his breath as he deliberately took few steps forward and walked into the building.
The moment he entered, he immediately noticed the way one of the security guards stared at him suspiciously. his eyes carried obvious disgust as they slowly scanned Jay from head to toe. It was almost as if the man had already decided Jay didn’t belong there.
But Jay didn’t let it bother him.
Ignoring the judgmental stare, he calmly made his way toward the jewelry section, where countless expensive antiques and luxury pieces were displayed behind crystal-clear glass cases.
The sight alone was dazzling.
Golden lights reflected beautifully against diamonds, silver chains, and rare gemstones, making the entire place sparkle with luxury. Well-dressed customers moved around elegantly while soft classical music played quietly in the background.
For a moment, Jay genuinely felt as though he had stepped into another world completely different from the one he knew.
A world meant for the rich.
Just as he was silently admiring the environment, a saleswoman reluctantly approached him with a smile plastered across her face.
But beneath that smile, anyone could tell her politeness was fake.
“Sir,” she began carefully. “What exactly are you doing here?”
“Ummm. I’m here to check out some stuff,” Jay replied, awkwardly clearing his throat at the end to sound convincing. “You know, I'm thinking of maybe adding something to my collection.”
The saleswoman’s eyes flickered briefly toward his cheap clothes before returning to his face.
“Are you sure you’re in the right place?” she asked politely, though the insult hidden beneath her tone was impossible to miss. “If you’d like, I could escort you back outside.”
Jay glanced at her calmly.
“No, I’m in the right place,” he replied indifferently. “So there won’t be any need for that.”
Without waiting for her response, he continued walking around casually while secretly scanning the displays for something truly valuable.
His eyes moved from one glass case to another, Containing diamond rings. Sapphire bracelets. Gold watches and even emerald necklaces.
Everything here looked absurdly eye casing.
“Sir, how may I help you?”
A calm voice suddenly came from behind him.
Jay turned slightly and saw a man dressed in a perfectly tailored black tuxedo. He appeared to be in his late thirties. Jay quickly noticed how his mere presence drew the attention of several female customers nearby, a testament to how naturally charming and refined he looked.
Jay would had assumed the man was just another employee, but unlike the others, he wore no name tag or uniform badge that identifying him as staff.
“Who are you?” Jay asked, genuinely curious on why someone of his caliber would approached him personally.
“I am the manager of this establishment,” the man replied smoothly. “And your presence seems to be making some of my customers rather uncomfortable.”
His tone remained polite, but the underlying meaning was obvious.
“So tell me, sir,” the manager continued, “how may I help you today. or should I have security escort you out of the facility?”
Despite the subtle threat, Jay remained calm.
“Well, I’m looking for something to add to my collection,” Jay answered casually.
Hearing that, the manager slowly sized him up from head to toe once more. His cheap clothes, ordinary shoes, and overall appearance clearly didn’t match the image of someone who collected luxury jewelry.
Still, years of experience in business had taught him one important lesson—never judge a customer too quickly. Some wealthy individuals intentionally dressed modestly.
“Really?” the manager asked carefully. “And what exactly do you have in mind?”
“I don’t know yet,” Jay replied with a shrug. “That’s why I said I’m looking. I need something Unique, something worth the money. Maybe your finest piece.”
This time, genuine surprise flickered across the manager’s face.
Perhaps he had judged this young man too soon.
The manager’s attitude immediately softened slightly.
“Well,” he said after a brief pause, “if you’re interested in our finest pieces, I suppose we can make an exception.”
He stepped aside gracefully and gestured forward.
“Please, come with me, sir.”
Jay followed behind him as they moved deeper into the building, eventually arriving at a secluded VIP section reserved only for exceptional customers.
The atmosphere here was even more luxurious.
The lighting was softer, the displays more elegant, and every single item showcased inside the glass cases radiated overwhelming value. Two armed guards stood quietly near the entrance, making it clear this area contained the store’s most precious treasures.
Without further delay, the manager brought out a sleek silver suitcase and carefully placed it on the table in front of Jay.
This was no ordinary suitcase.
The surface was smooth and metallic, with a built-in smart screen attached to the top and a fingerprint scanner positioned at the side. It was obvious the security protecting whatever was inside was extremely advanced.
To open it, a special passcode was required—one that reset after every use—along with an authorized fingerprint.
The manager calmly entered the code before pressing his thumb against the scanner.
Beep.
A second later, the suitcase unlocked with a soft mechanical sound.
Slowly, the lid lifted open.
Inside rested a single luxurious wristwatches displayed neatly on black velvet cushions. Even without touching it, Jay could already tell it was worth a ridiculous amount of money.
“This one here,” the manager began proudly as he carefully pointed toward the massive black-and-gold watch, “is called the Hublot Big Bang.”
“It’s considered one of the boldest luxury sports watches ever made. First introduced in two thousand and five, it became world famous because of its oversized case, aggressive styling, and Hublot’s unique ‘Art of Fusion’ philosophy.”
He gently lifted the watch with white gloves.
“They combine unusual materials like ceramic, carbon fiber, titanium, sapphire, gold, and rubber into a single masterpiece.”
The manager paused dramatically before adding,
“This particular piece is valued at $930,000. So far, it’s one of the most expensive watches in our collection.”
Jay was speechless.
Nine hundred thousand dollars for a single watch.
That kind of money could completely change someone’s life forever.
His mind trembled with excitement, but outwardly, he maintained a calm expression.
“This is it,” Jay thought inwardly. “All I need to do is touch it.”
“Can. can I touch it?” Jay asked, trying his best to sound calm.
“Of course,” the manager replied politely. “Anything for a special customer. However, you may not try it on until payment has been completed.”
Without hesitation, Jay slowly stretched out his hand.
The moment his fingers brushed against the cold luxurious surface of the Hublot Big Bang Watch, he focused his mind instantly.
[ Ding... ]
