Chapter Ninety-Four: No Matter How Cunning You Are, You'll Still Have to Drink Our Foot-Washing Water!

"Driver, how much do you make in a month driving a taxi?"

"It depends on business. When it's good, I can make a little over ten thousand; when it's slow, only a few thousand," the elderly driver replied.

"Why is there such a big difference?" Tang Fei asked curiously.

"Nowadays, there are unmanned taxis and autonomous driving everywhere. Who would want to take a human-driven cab?" the driver said with a lonely expression. "Taxi drivers like us are just filling welfare positions provided by the Imperial government to look after the impoverished and the unemployed. Making enough to get by is fine; you don't expect to get rich off this, do you?"

"Oh," Tang Fei nodded and asked, "Are you among the impoverished or the unemployed?"

"I'm unemployed. Why are you asking this, young man? You're so young, do you want to apply for this too?"

"Not really," Tang Fei said. "I'm conducting a social survey."

"A social survey? What's the use of that?"

"Not much use," Tang Fei replied. "Just providing some help to those who have just arrived at New Star, helping them integrate into life as soon as possible and increase their understanding and awareness of this society."

"What are you joking about, kid? New Star hasn't accepted immigrants from the Old Earth for a long time."

"Not even if they saved a princess?"

"We don't even get to see a princess, so how could we save one? Don't joke around, young man," the driver said with a chuckle.

"What if?" Tang Fei persisted. "If a man has no dreams, what is the difference between him and a salted fish?"

"If I were forty years younger, I would believe you. But now, I can't. I am just a salted fish."

"So you just lie down wherever you fall?"

"I used to try to climb back up when I fell. Later, I realized that climbing up only led to an even harder fall. So, I stopped trying. I just lie here. I've gotten used to it, and I've come to feel it’s not so bad. People need to learn to accept their fate."

"You are a truly wise old man," Tang Fei said, giving a thumbs-up.

"Why are you so talkative, kid? It's rare these days to find a young person willing to talk to us old men."

Tang Fei looked at the driver and said softly, "Because, besides you, I don't know who else to talk to."

The driver was silent for a moment, then consoled him, "Kid, this ride is on me. I won't take your money."

He understood the desolation in that sentence all too well. Like him, most people existed in a state of life where they had "no one to talk to." The world was bustling with noise, but the joy belonged to others. Whether one stood in the crowd or hid in a corner, no one really cared or paid attention. Their eyes simply couldn't see you.

"No need for that," Tang Fei said with a smile. "Sir, you might not believe me, but I am currently so poor that all I have left is money."

"..."

The driver certainly didn't believe him. That was, until Tang Fei left him a very large tip.

Tang Fei returned to the Galaxy Mall, the place where Phoenix had once taken him to buy clothes. With twenty million Star Coins in his bank account, he felt incredibly inflated. Since even the Princess herself said this was the best mall in Phoenix City, it was only fitting for his status to shop here. He already had enough clothes, and his refrigerator was stuffed full of food by Phoenix.

Tang Fei’s main goal this time was to find a weapons supplier to renovate his practice room. He had already checked online on his way here; there were three major civilian weapon suppliers in the Phoenix Empire: Sun Group, Huacai, and Vulcan. Other military suppliers also produced civilian equipment, but they didn't manage it as well as these private enterprises.

After confirming the location, Tang Fei took the elevator directly to the twenty-ninth floor. It was a world of weaponry: flying cars, escape pods, mini flying saucers, water-flying boots, and more, alongside a dazzling array of firearms, ammunition, and various weapon systems. Of course, firearms could not be purchased casually; a license was required.

Tang Fei headed straight for his target, arriving first at the Sun Group’s flagship showroom. Lin Qingyou, a part-time sales associate, saw that the regular staff were all busy with other customers and no one was paying attention to Tang Fei, so she walked over and asked with a smile, "Hello, sir. Is there anything I can help you with?"

Tang Fei pointed to a gravity chamber and asked, "How much for this?"

"Thirty million Star Coins," Lin Qingyou replied with a sweet smile. She didn't show any disdain or discrimination just because the product Tang Fei asked about was extremely expensive. Customers came by every day to ask for prices; some made purchases, but most didn't. That was perfectly normal. Why mock or belittle a customer just because they looked young or weren't dressed in finery? That would be moronic. Such a clerk would be fired on their first day—where would they find the "fated protagonist" to slap their face?

"Oh, I was just asking," Tang Fei said nonchalantly.

He felt a bit dazed. He had been struck down at the very first hurdle. He had thought the gravity chamber at school was great and that getting one for home to practice with Fatty would be wonderful. It seemed his imagination had been a bit too optimistic. He had just bragged to the taxi driver about being "so poor he only had money," and now... luckily, the driver wasn't around.

"That's perfectly fine," Lin Qingyou said, still smiling.

"Actually, I'm looking to renovate my basement into a practice room. Do you have a comprehensive quote for that?" Tang Fei asked.

"A practice room renovation?" Lin Qingyou was slightly taken aback. "Sir, do you have any specific requirements? Prices vary by model, and we would also need to design a plan based on the actual dimensions and usage of your basement..."

She had expected Tang Fei to buy something small, like a new pair of flying boots or wearable gear; she hadn't expected a whole room renovation. While this project wasn't as expensive as a gravity chamber, it was still a major item, and the profit margin for the company would be quite substantial. Naturally, her commission would be significant as well.

"No problem. I have the 3D design of the basement with me," Tang Fei said cheerfully. "Shall we add each other on Starlink? I'll send you the design in a moment."

People in the Phoenix Empire mainly used a social app called Starlink. After Tang Fei got his phone, he and Fatty had both downloaded it, making communication much more convenient.

"Certainly," Lin Qingyou quickly took out her phone, and they exchanged Starlink contacts.

"Draft a plan based on the design, and of course, include a quote," Tang Fei said. "I have some other things to attend to; I'll come back to find you in a bit."

"Understood," Lin Qingyou said with a beaming smile, eager to please. "May I ask your name, sir?"

"Tang Fei."

"Mr. Tang, we will make sure to provide you with the most practical plan and the most favorable quote," she promised.

"Haha... I hope so," Tang Fei replied with a smile.

After leaving the Sun Group showroom, Tang Fei headed straight for Vulcan, located across the way.

A duty manager wearing glasses approached him, asking with a smile, "Sir, is there anything I can help you with?" He had noticed that Tang Fei came from the Sun Group store opposite. Men like this were usually genuinely looking to buy something; otherwise, they wouldn't be browsing shop by shop.

"What should I call you?" Tang Fei asked, looking at the manager.

"Chen Kai," the manager replied. "I am the duty manager of this store. I can introduce you to anything you might need."

"Hello, Manager Chen. I want to renovate my basement into a practice room. Is it convenient to add you on Starlink? I’d like to send you the 3D design of the basement."

"Certainly, it’s an honor to serve you, Mr. Tang. We will definitely give you the most favorable quote; you will feel it is worth every coin."

"Good, I hope so."

Tang Fei added Chen Kai on Starlink and immediately sent the 3D design. "I'm going to look around some more, and I'll come back to see you in a while."

"Of course, of course. We will discuss the design plan with our designers right away. We can give you an answer within half an hour."

"Sorry for the trouble."

Tang Fei left the Vulcan showroom and headed toward the Huacai store ahead.

Chen Kai frowned. *This kid is quite cautious.*

*Too bad, no matter how clever you are, you'll still end up drinking our dishwater.* Didn't he know that even though they were competitors, they were also in a defensive alliance? All brands had an "unspoken" market price that everyone strictly adhered to. Even if he ran to every single store, the quotes would all be nearly identical. At most, they would offer different freebies.

Chen Kai shook his head and turned to pull his designers and sales team into a meeting. They needed to finalize a plan quickly; this was a substantial order, and if they could land it, the whole team would get a nice bonus.

Lin Qingyou was also in a meeting with her team, discussing how to price the renovation to win the contract, when her phone pinged. She picked it up and saw she had been added to a group by Tang Fei. The group didn't just contain her; it also included a man named "Chen Kai" and a woman named "Wang Juanning."

Just as Lin Qingyou was wondering what Tang Fei was up to, he typed in the group: "Hello friends. Now that the representatives from the three major suppliers—Sun, Vulcan, and Huacai—are all here, I know your time is precious, so I won't keep you waiting."

"I have already sent the 3D design to all three of you. Once you have your design plans and quotes ready, please send them to me privately. I will choose the one with the best value for money to collaborate with."

"Looking forward to a pleasant cooperation."

"..." Lin Qingyou.

"..." Chen Kai.

"..." Wang Juanning.

Apart from Tang Fei, everyone else was having a very unpleasant time.