The winter weather was unpredictable.
Right at this moment, fine snow resembling willow catkins began to drift sparsely from the sky. As the flakes landed on the cold, pitch-black barrels of the guns, they seemed unable to withstand the burning gazes of the crowd and melted rapidly.
The scene was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.
The gun cases were quite large and their lids heavy. Su Ning, unwilling to trouble herself, gave Lin Sen a look to open them one by one.
The continuous clacking sounds echoed without end.
With every case opened, the breathing of everyone present grew a fraction heavier. There were eighteen cases in total, containing not just Browning pistols, but also ammunition, rifles, and even grenades.
Their common traits were being brand new and advanced. These were premium goods that money alone could not buy. In the entire city of Peiping, those capable of getting their hands on such items could be counted on one hand!
No one had expected that the decent stuff Su Ning had mentioned would turn out to be these weapons.
Finally, all the cases were opened.
Su Ning swept her smiling gaze across the crowd. She seemed to be in a very good mood, and those with keen perception noticed that her voice was a fraction softer than usual:
Do any of you see something you like?
The crowd was momentarily stunned.
Like it? How could they not? Grab anyone here at random, and there wouldn't be a second answer. These were not just weapons; they were safety, a guarantee for their lives.
Precisely because they understood the value of these weapons, even Chen Huaiqian wouldn't dare claim that he could procure such fine goods even if he tried his absolute best.
In terms of quantity, he might far exceed this, but the quality was absolutely incomparable!
Su Ning let her gaze rest casually on Jian Ren and absentmindedly called his name, Director Jian, you deal with weapons the most. What do you think?
Suddenly questioned, Jian Ren snapped out of his shock. Before his brain could fully process it, a smile appeared on his face, and he deliberately made no effort to hide the admiration in his tone:
Miss Su, you flatter me.
Even if you searched the entire police station, you wouldn't find a single piece as good as the ones in your cases. At the risk of making a fool of myself, even the personal weapon I carry as the director pales in comparison.
As if to prove his point, he reached into his coat and pulled out a handgun. It was also of the Browning series, well-maintained, oiled on the surface, and gleaming brightly.
But comparisons can be cruel. Next to the genuinely brand-new, factory-fresh guns in the cases, it instantly looked inferior.
With his personal testimony, others who were less knowledgeable about weapons, such as the Guan family, immediately realized that the goods in Su Ning's cases were extremely precious.
In her heart, Su Ning sighed with admiration.
Jian Ren was truly a top-tier talent when it came to reading the room. She dared say that before seeing this batch of weapons, Jian Ren had probably still been on the fence, waiting to see how things played out.
But once he made up his mind, his reaction was incredibly fast. He didn't hesitate to swallow his pride, belittling himself to elevate Su Ning. This both helped her and served as a subtle apology.
Not good enough? Just swap it out.
With that, Su Ning casually picked up a gun from the case and tossed it over. Jian Ren's eyes lit up. He stepped half a pace forward to catch it, deftly spun it around his wrist in a neat trick, and said with a beaming smile:
Thank you for the reward, Miss Su.
It's not a reward.
The smile froze on Jian Ren's face.
It costs money, Su Ning added leisurely. The intrinsic value of these things is just so-so, but the money and effort spent transporting them here were high. How could I just give it to you for free?
However, since we are all friends, I will only charge you the cost price.
These words, spoken almost like a joke, caused not only Jian Ren but the others to relax as well, and they chimed in one after another.
Then we are getting a real bargain.
For goods of this caliber, let alone cost price, if you don't offer three times the amount, the sellers won't even let you look at them. Those foreigners are incredibly greedy.
Actually, you can't entirely blame the foreigners. They are also working for the big bosses on their end and can't make the final decisions. This came from the Secretary-General, who was more familiar with the inside story.
Imported weapons in the country, apart from official government procurements, were basically embezzled and smuggled in through various means by foreign bigwigs looking to make a profit.
The price would often double or triple right at the source.
Once they arrived in the country, the middlemen also needed to make a cut, which meant another price hike.
Layer upon layer of distribution.
By the time they actually reached the buyers who needed them, the price had often multiplied by seven or eight times, if not more. Think it's too expensive? Then get out of the way; there's a line of people waiting for them!
Therefore, they were genuinely thrilled, thinking that no matter how high Su Ning's cost price was, it would still be significantly cheaper than buying on the market. They had scored a massive bargain!
But little did they know, the bargain was far greater than that.
Su Ning was still lacking in experience.
This batch of weapons were items refreshed in the system shop. Their prices weren't high, so they didn't help much with her money-spending missions, but upon discovering them, she treasured them like a rare find.
She bought them immediately.
Aside from quietly upgrading the equipment of her close subordinates, she kept them carefully hidden, waiting for a good opportunity to flex her muscles and solidify her persona of having a mysterious foreign background.
How much she sold them for didn't matter. So even though she considered the historical context and carefully decided to double the system shop price, upon announcing it, she still saw unbridled joy bloom on everyone's faces.
Her heart skipped a beat.
Damn it, it was still too cheap.
Miss Su, is it really this price? You aren't pulling our legs, are you?
Even the exceptionally composed Chen Huaiqian, amidst his pleasant surprise at Su Ning's cost price, couldn't help but question it.
The price was simply too absurdly low.
Put it this way.
If you were a powerful figure in a foreign military who had gone to great lengths to embezzle supplies, the price at which you would resell them to the next tier would still be slightly higher than Su Ning's!
Considering this aspect.
Chen Huaiqian's psychological price point was actually double that, and this was even a demonstration of his extreme trust in Su Ning's foreign background and connections.
System: Honest with all customers, genuine factory prices, absolutely not a penny overcharged.
Who has the free time to pull your legs? Su Ning reacted quickly, frowning slightly in apparent displeasure:
Do you want them or not?
Chen Huaiqian let out a long breath, the white mist obscuring the shock in his eyes, as his mind formulated even more speculations about Su Ning's identity.
He wasn't the only one.
The others present were no fools either. For instance, Second Uncle Guan was now incredibly thankful that he had convinced his entire family to side with Su Ning. He had originally thought she was a golden thigh to cling to, but it turned out she was made of gold from head to toe!
They had hit the jackpot this time.
Thank goodness they hadn't listened to that jinx, Jixing.
Su Ning had no habit of sacrificing herself for others; the quantity each family could purchase was limited. Even though everyone bought up to their maximum allowance, they only emptied five cases.
Amidst their covetous gazes, the remaining weapons were personally sealed away one by one by Lin Sen.
...
After the crowd dispersed in high spirits.
Inside the reception room.
It was still the same two people sitting opposite each other, only the location had changed from the shabby, cold Mayor's office to a warm, comfortable top-floor suite at the Grand Hotel in Peiping.
Chen Huaiqian held his teacup, took a small sip, praised the good tea, and then couldn't wait to change the subject, smiling and sighing at the same time:
After today, who knows how many people in Peiping will be so full of regret that they won't be able to sleep at night.
There is no cure for regret in this world.
Su Ning sneered.
She had sent out invitations widely; they had to bear the consequences of their own choices. Only when it hurts do they remember the lesson deeply.
For the money, do you want silver dollars or foreign currency?
Chen Huaiqian's hand trembled slightly. Recalling the three helicopters he had seen earlier today, a sudden realization dawned on him. Hesitating no longer, he met Su Ning's gaze with piercing eyes.
"Two-thirds in silver dollars. As for the rest, an even split between British pounds and US dollars." He offered a brief explanation, "Rarity is what gives a thing its value. If just anyone could get their hands on foreign currency, it wouldn't be precious anymore."
"Whatever you prefer," Su Ning replied nonchalantly. It made no difference to her. The only distinction between foreign currency and silver dollars was whether she had to click a couple more times to select the currency.
But to Chen Huaiqian, the difference was clearly monumental.
Seeing her agree, his demeanor relaxed considerably. A hint of the unbridled sharpness from his youth resurfaced on his face.
"One month. Give me a month at most."
"I guarantee that the man surnamed He will vanish completely from Beiping City!"
"Then I shall quietly await your good news."
Su Ning smiled. She raised her teacup and gently clinked it against his. The crisp chime of the cups was the sounding bugle of their impending victory.
