Chapter 9 The Right Person

• "That's right, but have you paid for it? If you haven't, it's not yours yet. So I still have a choice, right, boss?
• "Name your price!"
• Seeing the pride on the girl's face, Sullivan thought to himself how unlucky he was.
• "It's not for sale. No amount of money will buy it. If I meet the right person, I'll give this set of silver needles for free. If not, I won't sell it even for a thousand gold pieces," Elias Mercer sighed.
• He had been holding onto a sliver of hope in this black market for two months, but the results left him feeling hopeless.
• "Right person?" Sullivan's eyes lit up.
• If money wasn't part of the deal, he might have another chance.
• "What's your problem, old man? If you're not selling it, why are you showing it off?"
• Fawn Beck's big eyes were full of anger.
• She had finally found something she fancied.
• "Sir, how do you know if someone is the right person?"
• Elias shook his head.
• "Quantum Needles must be used by its successor!
• "The technique and the needles are both essential. Otherwise, it's not the Quantum Needles."
• Successor?
• Sullivan thought to himself, wondering if he could be considered the Quantum Needles's successor.
• "What is this Quantum Needles's successor? Sounds like a gimmick. Old man, you don't look like you have money. How about selling these silver needles to me for 15 thousand?"
• Fifteen thousand?
• Sullivan's jaw dropped in surprise. The girl was really wealthy, just casually mentioning 15,000. Still, the Quantum Needles were definitely worth that price.
• Sullivan was getting anxious.
• "Old man, you're looking for Quantum Needles's successor, right?
• "To be honest, I'm the Quantum Needles's successor!"
• Elias looked at Sullivan and couldn't help but laugh.
• "Kid? Just now, you called me a fraud. Now you're saying you're the Quantum Needles's successor? Do you think I'm stupid?"
• Caught in his lie, Sullivan awkwardly scratched his head.
• "Senior, I was just trying to negotiate because I'm a bit short on cash.
• "I really am the Quantum Needles's successor. I can prove it if you don't believe me.
• "Positive and negative forces interact, oppose, support, grow, shrink, transform, and harmonise with each other. Pure positive energy is like the heavens, while murky negative energy is like the earth. If negative energy overpowers, positive energy suffers; if positive energy overpowers, negative energy suffers. Balance both forces to achieve harmony. When all nine phases are unified, it's called being a balanced person!"
• To prove he actually knew the Quantum Needles, Sullivan recited these key principles.
• "You!"
• Elias stood up, his lips trembling as he pointed at Sullivan, unable to find the words.
• He finally found him!
• "Don't you think this set of silver needles and I are meant to be together?"
• Sullivan grinned.
• Fawn watched the scene in confusion, not sure what all this talk about Quantum Needles was about.
• "Are you really the Quantum Needles's successor?" Elias asked, stunned.
• "What do you think?"
• The Quantum Needles were part of his own inheritance, so he figured he must be a descendant, too.
• "Hmph!"
• Sullivan didn't expect the old man would snort.
• "Wait a minute. You said these silver needles would be given to someone who's meant to have them. Isn't that me?"
• Sullivan was getting nervous. It seemed like the old man wasn't buying any of his lines. Shouldn't he be moved and ready to give him the needles right now?
• "Being fated is one thing, but I didn't expect the Quantum Needles's successor to be in such a sorry state—unable to even come up with five thousand dollars and calling the ancestral technique a scam!"
• Elias was both disgusted and a bit saddened.
• "Come on, don't hit me where it hurts. So what if I'm broke? I'm trying to find a way to make money," Sullivan said, feeling a bit embarrassed. He wasn't the type to be thick-skinned.
• "Forget it. It's a blessing that the Quantum Needles haven't been lost. I haven't been doing much better than you. Just take the needles and consider them returned to their rightful owner."
• Elias sighed, waved his hand, and sat back down on his small stool, covering his face with his straw hat.
• "Are you really giving them to me?"
• To be honest, Sullivan felt a bit embarrassed. He sensed a sense of sadness and resignation from the old man. Frankly, he wasn't much of Quantum Needles's successor himself.
• The Quantum Needles were just one of the more impressive techniques included in the heritage.
• "Wait! Why? Old man, are you just letting him talk you into this? You're not even asking for 15,000?
• "Thirty thousand. I'll take the needles for that!" Fawn, who had been ignored by the two, said with determination.
• Elias seemed to have fallen asleep, not saying another word.
• "Aren't you short on cash? Sell them to me for 30,000!"
• Seeing that Elias wasn't saying anything, Fawn turned to Sullivan with a haughty look.
• "It's not for sale, no matter how much you offer."
• The Quantum Needles were too valuable to be measured in money. Even though Sullivan was low on cash, he wasn't going to sell such a priceless treasure.