Before anyone else could react, August had already darted toward the machine.
He bent down, gripping the edge of the massive piece of equipnt. Without hesitation, he braced himself and lifted with all his might.
For a machine weighing well over four hundred pounds, it ca up with an ease that left everyone around him wide-eyed and stunned.
"Holy… August!" Derrick's jaw nearly hit the floor. "How are you…?"
"Just get Leo out," August grunted with a steady tone even as the weight pressed down on him.
Derrick quickly snapped out of his shock and scrambled to help, reaching in to pull Leo out from under the machine.
Leo, still wincing from the pain, looked up in disbelief. "Thank you… thank you," he mumbled weakly but full of gratitude.
As Derrick pulled Leo clear, August carefully set the machine down, drawing a collective breath of awe from the surrounding workers.
Whispers spread as everyone stared, unsure of what they'd just witnessed.
One of the supervisors stepped forward, still looking a bit shaken. "Alright, 911's on the way," he announced, trying to regain control of the situation. "Everyone, back to work while we sort this out. Leo's going to need dical attention—he's in good hands now."
As paradics arrived and loaded Leo onto a stretcher, he gave August a weak thumbs-up.
August returned the gesture with a nod, watching as they took Leo away for dical attention. The factory floor buzzed with hushed conversations, and it wasn't long before the police arrived, questioning everyone about the incident.
After the chaos settled, August and Derrick finally got the chance to clock out and leave for the day. They walked together toward the bus station with what had just happened today still fresh in their minds.
"Man, I still can't believe you lifted that thing on your own," Derrick voiced while shaking his head in awe. "Have you been working out because that was… insane."
August laughed it off, though he knew even he was surprised by his own strength. "Just had an adrenaline rush, I guess," he replied, not wanting to delve too deeply into it. "Let's just say Enders Light is keeping in better shape than I thought."
August didn't ntion consuming the fruit of corruption to anyone yet even Derrick. For every ten levels scaled, one receives a higher percentage of their in-ga strength in real life so long as they have consud the fruit in reality.
"Yeah, no kidding." Derrick chuckled, but his face fell slightly as he looked off toward the road. August noticed the shift in his friend's mood and shot him a curious glance.
"Hey, Derrick, you good?" August asked, trying to read him.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm good," Derrick replied quickly, forcing a smile. "Just… got a few things on my mind."
They reached the bus station, and as they waited, August nudged Derrick with his elbow. "So, you headed ho, or…?"
Derrick hesitated, then shook his head. "Nah, not tonight. Got so stuff to take care of first."
"Stuff, huh?" August raised an eyebrow, clearly curious but not wanting to pry too much.
Derrick grinned, waving as he took a step back. "Don't worry about it, man. See you at work tomorrow. And thanks again… for everything today."
August gave him a look of mild suspicion but nodded, clapping him on the shoulder. "Alright, see you then. Just… stay safe, alright?"
"Sa to you, man. And thanks for having my back," Derrick voiced with a soft but genuine tone.
With a quick wave, Derrick headed off, and just as August was about to board his own bus, he caught a glimpse of Derrick disappearing into the distance.
The nagging feeling that sothing was off lingered, but he had his own mission ahead, and soon he was on his way across town.
---
After a short ride, August arrived at his destination—a jewelry appraisal shop across town.
As he stepped in, the faint chi of the doorbell announced his presence. The shop was a small but classy space, filled with glinting jewels and shining tal under glass displays.
A few custors glanced his way, so giving him appreciative stares as they noted his striking appearance, though others whispered comnts about his worn clothes.
Ignoring the stares, August walked up to the counter where a middle-aged woman with neatly styled hair and a sharp gaze looked up at him.
"Good afternoon," she greeted him with a professional smile. "How can I help you today?"
August reached into his pocket and pulled out the gold coin he had extracted from Enders Light. He placed it on the counter gently. "I'd like to know the worth of this," he stated casually. Your next read awaits at empire
The woman's eyes widened slightly as she picked up the coin, turning it over in her hands and inspecting it under the shop's bright lights.
The coin's surface had a unique, almost mythical sheen that seed to catch the light in an unusual way.
"This is… quite a piece," she murmured, pulling out a jeweler's loupe to examine it more closely. As she scrutinized it, her expression shifted from intrigue to confusion as her brows furrowed.
"Is everything alright?" August questioned while watching her reaction.
"Just… give a mont," she voiced before disappearing into a back room with the coin.
August waited, tapping his fingers on the counter as he observed the various pieces on display.
After several minutes, the woman returned, holding the coin with an almost reverent care. "Well… I have to be honest with you. I've never seen anything like this," she admitted, both intrigued and perplexed. "It looks like gold, yes, but there's sothing different about it."
"What do you an?" August questioned with a look of curiosity.
"It's made of minerals I've never co across," she explained. "We have ways of identifying and valuing gold and precious tals, but this… it's sothing else entirely. I ran a few tests, and I can't identify it. I've never seen any mineral like this in my entire lifeti."
August's mind raced. Of course—it made sense that the coin, originating from Enders Light, would have different properties than Earth's tals.
The ga world had its own unique rules and resources, after all.
The woman shook her head in slight bewildernt. "It's fascinating. If I had to guess, I'd say this could be more valuable than standard gold because of its purity and luster. But without a reference, we can't place a traditional value on it. Right now, society wouldn't know what to make of this unless it gained so cultural significance or demand."
She eyed the coin once more, clearly captivated by it. "Tell you what—I'll buy it from you for a hundred dollars. It would make a lovely addition to the shop."
August chuckled, reaching out to take the coin back. "I appreciate the offer, but I think I'll hold onto it. It's worth a bit more than that to ."
The woman shrugged, looking a bit disappointed but understanding. "Fair enough. I have to admit, it's truly a one-of-a-kind piece."
Pocketing the coin, August thanked her and left the shop.
He was now certain that Enders Light items held the potential for much more than he'd realized. He just had to figure out the best way to make use of them in this world.
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