Chapter 21
, all four aspects are perfected, advance to the next level!
Li Wei watched as the other three sales associates disappeared quickly from this floor, as if they had been granted a pardon.
Apart from him, the other three sales assistants, including Emma, were all more or less afraid of Mrs. Dolores.
She was mysterious and elegant, speaking fluent English with an Eastern European accent.
Most importantly, she is like a bottomless abyss, never showing any emotion and never losing control.
"What do you think of the salary I offered you?"
After everyone had left, she asked calmly.
"It's very high," Li Wei said honestly, "and the benefits are good too. I really like it here."
"Well, if you want to keep your job," Mrs. Dolores said calmly, "don't be too curious, and be careful at work while I'm not around these next few days."
Although Li Wei didn't understand why Madame Dolores would say such a strange thing to him, he could tell that it was advice from her, so he nodded and agreed.
"It's alright, you can go now," Mrs. Dolores said. "Thank you for helping with the moving today, Emma will give you a bigger bonus."
Li Wei had initially wanted to say that this was something a knight should do, and that it was a trivial matter. However, upon hearing that there would be a reward, he selectively forgot that he was a knight, thanked Lady Dolores, and turned to leave.
But why did she say that to me? Li Wei wondered as he walked. Was it because I was new? Or was there some secret about this boutique?
After finishing his part-time job in the morning, Li Wei sold a bracelet but declined a hint from a still-attractive female designer, which reduced his $300 tip to $20.
Thanks to the $100 bonus from Mrs. Dolores, Levi earned a total of $384 after tax after enjoying three hours of air conditioning, and also got Emma a free lavish lunch.
As Li Wei got off at the Eighth Avenue subway station, his gaze suddenly fell on a sign put up by a real estate leasing company.
I currently have 7 gold coins, and I only need to add 0.1 agility to get another 10 gold coins.
Although he gave Don Quixote $3500 to tide him over, he still had nearly $7000 left, including what he had before. With the money from selling the 17 gold coins, he could afford to rent a decent apartment, or at least have a private room of his own.
Unfortunately, renting a house in the United States now requires tenants to have stable taxable income, credit score, SSN (Social Security Number), etc.
Li Wei currently lacks none of these three qualities.
If you're going to use Don Quixote's credit score and tax income to rent—forget it, his credit score might not be as useful as Livy's, who has no credit score at all.
At least Li Wei has a handsome face, and people of Asian descent tend to look kind.
But the shops along Eighth Avenue are different. There are real estate rental companies everywhere with Chinese signs, and the windows are covered with A4-sized listings. There are many illegal immigrants and smugglers here, and some properties can be bought for just enough money.
Unit 1, Midtown Manhattan, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, $7200 USD, one month's deposit and three months' rent in advance.
Li Wei chose to skip it; it was too expensive.
The second property is a brand new 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom apartment in Long Island, $5800 a month, with a deposit of one month's rent and six months' rent paid upfront.
Li Wei shook his head. Long Island is a place where many international students gather, and the credit checks are quite strict. Neither he nor Don Quixote could get it done, and the requirement of a deposit plus six months' rent was too outrageous.
The third listing is for a 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom apartment on the second floor of a building in the Bensonhurst area on 14th Avenue in Brooklyn. It's only $2850 a month, with a deposit of one month's rent and three months' rent paid upfront. No credit check required. The landlord is a Chinese expatriate who lives on the third floor.
Li Wei glanced at the photos posted above. Although it was a bit further south, this place was at least better than the basement he was currently living in. Although living with the landlord might be a little inconvenient, the price and the fact that he didn't need to check the tenant's credit were already much better than other places.
Li Wei took out his phone and took a picture of the house, planning to ask about the price after selling all the gold coins, and then move in with Don Quixote.
...
Don Quixote returned a little later than usual in the afternoon. As soon as he got back to the basement, he eagerly crawled into his cubicle to catch up on sleep, seemingly exhausted.
When Li Wei finished cooking dinner and called him to get up in the evening, Don Quixote seemed to still be half asleep.
Somewhat groggy, he grabbed his chopsticks, ate a couple of bites, and then hurriedly went out to the restaurant to wash the dishes, only to return late at night.
"Squire! Squire!" Don Quixote, still half-asleep, called to Livy again. "Wake up!"
Li Wei opened his eyes and looked at the knight Don Quixote, who was dressed neatly and had come into his compartment.
"Are we going to hunt down a witch today?" He sat up, looking at Don Quixote, whose complexion seemed rather poor. "Sir Knight, you don't look too well."
"It's nothing serious, just a minor injury sustained while slaying the dragon," Don Quixote waved his hand dismissively. "But after slaying the dragon, I sensed your potential, squire!"
Upon hearing that a mission might be coming, Li Wei immediately perked up.
"Yes, so give me another task, my lord," he said. "I'm ready!"
"Very good! Very spirited!" said Don Quixote. "Come with me, squire!"
The two left the basement one after the other. This time, Don Quixote did not try to drive. Instead, he led Li Wei to a stone pillar by the roadside, pointed at the stone pillar, and said nothing.
Li Wei glanced at Don Quixote, who remained silent under the streetlamp, then at the stone block beside him, racking his brains to try and catch up with Don Quixote's train of thought.
"Is this my knight advancement test?" Levi asked. "Is this... um... this... a forging stone?"
"Ha! Foolish squire!" Don Quixote said, shaking his head. "This is called the 'Sealing Boundary Stone,' a test that every knight must undergo. Being able to move the boundary stone means you are qualified to become a knight."
As soon as he finished speaking, a task notification popped up in front of Li Wei's eyes:
[Squire Livi, you have received the quest: Move the boundary stone]
The Boundary Stone is the last obstacle before the Knight's class advancement test. Remove it to prove you are qualified to become a Knight.
[Task Reward: Agility +0.1]
It seems this is the last task on his path as a knight.
Li Wei stepped forward, took a deep breath, and moved the stone block aside without much effort.
Almost instantly, a series of reminders popped into his vision:
[Task: Moving the boundary stone is complete]
[Task Reward: Agility +0.1]
Agility 1.1 - Agility 1.2
[The Path of the Knight: Phase One, Apprentice Knight Quest Completed!]
Gold Coins +10
[Job change triggered!!!]