Eric stepped out of the pawn shop with his heart racing.
Something about his conversation with the young Chinese woman had stirred something inside him. He couldn't quite define it—maybe an opportunity, maybe survival instinct—but he knew one thing:
He couldn't let it slip away.
The shop.
The situation.
The girl.
It all felt like a turning point—a chance to build something bigger than mere survival.
Before heading home, he made an impulsive—yet calculated—decision:
He needed more coins.
A lot more.
With the stack of cash he had just received, along with what little he already had saved, Eric began walking from store to store across the commercial district.
In every grocery shop, bakery, newsstand, and even small cafés, he approached the clerks:
"Could you exchange bills for coins?"
Some found it strange.
Others frowned, suspicious.
But every time Eric added calmly:
"I can pay a little extra for the trouble."
…the reaction changed instantly.
A spark in their eyes.
A quick glance between employees.
And then—
Agreement.
He never offered too much—he didn't want to raise suspicion. Just a few extra euros. Enough to be unusual…
But never alarming.
And so, from each shop, he walked away carrying small bags, improvised cups, or plastic sacks filled with coins.
At the last store before leaving, something caught his attention:
A portable scale.
He didn't hesitate.
He bought it immediately.
There was something he wanted to confirm about the Midas System.
When he finally took a taxi—something he hadn't done in months—he realized just how heavy his backpack full of coins really was.
Too heavy for public transport.
Too heavy for someone poor to carry.
But at that moment…
He wasn't exactly poor anymore.
When he got home, he dumped the coins onto the floor, forming a noisy, shimmering pile of ordinary metal.
Each piece—
Potential gold.
He dropped his backpack, opened the Midas System interface with a command, and began converting the coins without even looking at their denominations.
Only weight mattered.
That's how the system seemed to work.
When the transformation was complete, Eric used the scale to weigh several of the newly created gold coins.
Almost identical.
7.5 grams each.
Practically the same as a one-euro coin.
A pattern.
A system.
A perfectly calculated logic.
He counted everything carefully.
Including what he already had—
He now possessed 202 gold coins.
More than enough to start anything.
And Eric had a plan.
The next morning, for the first time in a long while—
He didn't go to work.
His boss called for nearly four hours straight.
His phone kept vibrating until the battery almost died.
Eric ignored every single call.
He took a taxi back to the pawn shop from the night before.
He walked in with steady steps.
The store was empty—but more organized, less destroyed.
The young Chinese woman stood behind the counter, head lowered, flipping through what looked like an old book—probably something left behind by a desperate or bankrupt customer.
"Good morning," Eric said.
She looked up, a flicker of hope in her eyes—thinking he was a customer.
But when she recognized him, her expression shifted into polite disappointment.
"Look… if you brought another coin, I'm sorry, but I can't pay upfront this time," she said. "I haven't received payment for the last one yet. If you give me your bank details, I promise I'll transfer it as soon as I get the money."
She hesitated, biting her lower lip.
"I really appreciate you selling it to me yesterday… that money came at a very…"
She paused.
"…very important moment for this shop."
Eric smiled calmly.
"Actually, I have a much bigger proposal."
He took a breath.
"Would you sell me 51% of this shop?"
She blinked.
Then laughed.
A disbelieving laugh.
She straightened up and looked him up and down—his plain black T-shirt, worn jeans, clearly modest appearance.
"Look…" she said, shaking her head. "Even if you had the money, I wouldn't do that. I inherited this shop from my father. And along with it…"
She exhaled.
"…all the problems he left behind."
Eric assumed those problems included the men from the night before.
He stepped closer to the counter.
Then, in a sudden—almost impulsive gesture—he lightly tapped the top of her head, as if speaking to a stubborn child.
She immediately recoiled, annoyed.
"That's exactly why I need to be your partner," Eric said. "You're the most honest person I've met in this business."
(It was true he had only met two pawn shop owners so far…
But there was no need to mention that.)
She crossed her arms and gave him a look of pure disbelief.
Eric knew this was the moment.
"I'm not stupid," he said firmly. "I know your shop is in serious financial trouble. Trouble that could put you in danger."
Her expression tightened.
She looked down.
But the faint flush rising to her cheeks revealed he had hit the mark.
And then—
Eric played his final card.
With a single motion, he placed 32 gold coins onto the counter.
The impact was immediate.
She froze.
Her eyes widened.
Her hands began to tremble.
Where did this lunatic come from?
It was written all over her face.
"So?" Eric asked calmly.
"Will you have coffee with me… so we can talk about your financial problems?"
She didn't answer.
Didn't breathe.
Didn't blink.
It was as if the world had stopped in front of those coins.
Eric gently reached out—
And touched her hand.
"My name is Eric Santos," he said softly. "What's yours?"
She slowly lifted her head.
For the first time—
There was no fear.
No anger.
No disdain.
Only admiration.
"I am…"