Reincarnated As a Villain!

"1,000 dollars. I want that statue," a sudden voice cut through the air, drawing the attention of both Leon and the vendor.

They both turned toward the voice's source. Standing there, his jet-black hair catching the faint light of the market, was none other than Victor Archfindor.

Leon's brows furrowed in irritation, while the vendor's eyes widened in surprise. "Young man, are you saying you'll buy this statue for a thousand dollars?!" the vendor asked, his voice trembling with a mix of shock and eagerness.

"Of course. Anyone with a discerning eye can tell this is a treasure," Victor replied with an easy, confident smile spreading across his face.

"Hahaha! Absolutely, absolutely! You've got a good head on your shoulders, son. This Buddha statue is an artifact from the early Qin dynasty. You know, from those narrow-eyed folks," the old man said with an enthusiastic nod, his words dripping with excitement.

Victor's smile remained unwavering as he nodded. He knew all too well where the statue had come from—the trash. It was almost laughable that something so priceless had been saved by someone who couldn't grasp its true value.

"Well then, 1,000 dollars is my offer," Victor stated firmly.

"Hahaha! Done! The statue is yours!" the vendor exclaimed, practically snatching the statue from Leon's hands as he moved to hand it over to Victor.

"Hey! Didn't we already strike a deal?" Leon protested, his voice tinged with frustration.

"A deal? I don't recall agreeing to anything," the vendor countered dismissively.

"You agreed to fifty bucks, old man," Leon pressed, his tone growing sharper.

"Yeah? And if you were in my shoes, would you turn down 1,000 dollars over fifty? Don't be absurd," the vendor shot back, crossing his arms.

"Well, I believe in the ethics of sales. Whoever makes the first deal should get the item. That's how you maintain trust with your customers," Leon retorted, his voice steady and firm.

"Ethics? What a load of bullshit!" the vendor scoffed, turning his attention back to Victor. "Let's wrap this up, young man. 1,000 dollars, and the statue is yours."

Victor's smirk deepened, but Leon refused to give in. He reached out, gripping Victor's shoulder. "Hey, brother, I know you've got money to burn, but don't you think you should respect the fact that I claimed this statue first?" Leon asked, his tone almost imploring.

"I want this statue, and if you think a lecture on buyer etiquette is going to sway me, you're wasting your time," Victor said, his smirk turning into a full-blown grin.

Leon's expression hardened at Victor's words. He clenched his jaw, his resolve steeling. "Tch, fine! 1,100 dollars for the statue!" Leon declared, his voice loud and clear as he turned to face the vendor.

The vendor blinked in surprise, his expression shifting to one of excitement. Perhaps the young man wasn't bluffing after all.

"Well, if you're offering more—"

"1,500 dollars," Victor interrupted smoothly, his voice calm but firm, cutting off the vendor mid-sentence.

The vendor's face lit up as if he'd struck gold. "1,500 dollars! Are you going to bid higher, young man? Don't forget, this is a Qin dynasty artifact!" he exclaimed, his attention shifting back to Leon.

"1,700!" Leon shot back without hesitation.

"2,000," Victor countered almost immediately, his tone unwavering.

Leon's face twisted in frustration. Victor didn't even flinch, while Leon himself felt the weight of his own financial limits pressing down on him. He could barely manage 2,000 dollars, and that was only if he reached out to someone for help. But judging by Victor's unshaken demeanor, he clearly had no intention of stopping.

Leon placed his hand on Victor's shoulder once more, his grip tightening. "Listen, brother. It's not worth creating bad blood over a statue. Do me a favor and step back. I'll owe you one, and trust me, having me in your debt will be worth your while," Leon said, his voice firm but tinged with desperation.

Victor turned, his crimson eyes locking with Leon's blue ones, their gazes clashing like opposing forces. "Only you?" Victor sneered, his voice laced with mockery, each word a deliberate sting.

Leon's brows furrowed deeper. "It's never wise to underestimate someone too soon, buddy," he said, his tone colder now.

"I don't think your help would ever benefit me. If you want this statue, pay for it. Don't beg someone else to give up what they also desire. You're a man, aren't you?" Victor's words were like daggers, sharp and unforgiving.

Leon's fists clenched at his sides as his frustration mounted. Gritting his teeth, he turned back to the vendor. "3,000 dollars!" he declared.

The vendor's eyes widened with glee.

"5,000 dollars," Victor said again, as casually as if he were commenting on the weather.

The vendor was nearly giddy with excitement. "5,000 dollars it is!" he said, his voice trembling with joy.

Leon ground his teeth together, his frustration boiling over. "Hey, old man! Can't you see this guy is just playing around? Dropping this much money for a statue—he's probably scamming you," Leon accused.

The vendor scrutinized Victor, noting his pristine clothes and composed demeanor, then glanced at Leon in his casual T-shirt and shorts.

"Do you take me for a fool? Even in my old age, I can tell the difference between a serious buyer and a joker. Kid, don't judge a cover by its book. Or is it the other way around? Whatever—you get the idea if you're educated," the vendor said with a dismissive wave of his hand.

"Sometimes, greed blinds people. I can understand that," Victor said, his smirk sharp and cutting.

"Hahaha! You're a clever one, son," the vendor laughed, pointing at Victor. "So, young man, are you going to raise your bid?" he asked, looking back at Leon.

Leon's jaw tightened. "You're an unfair seller, old man. I was the first to make an offer for that statue," he growled, his frustration palpable.

"Listen, kid, you've probably heard 'the customer is king,' right? Well, in my book, the seller is god. I can do whatever I want with my goods," the vendor retorted, his tone unyielding.

Leon's expression darkened. He had expected the night to go his way, but this was an obstacle he hadn't anticipated.

The vendor smirked, leaning in. "So, what's it going to be? Want to raise your bid? This is a rare relic, you might not find another like it."

Leon clenched his fists, frustration building. He didn't have the money to top 5,000 dollars, and it was clear the vendor wouldn't back down.

Without a word, he turned and walked away, defeated.

Both the vendor and Victor watched Leon walk away. Victor felt a hint of disappointment that Leon hadn't put up a fight—it would have been satisfying to humiliate him here. But, on the other hand, he was also relieved to have arrived just in time. He hadn't expected the plot to change, with Leon arriving earlier than he was supposed to.

The vendor, however, felt let down. He had expected Leon to raise his bid.

"Well, I guess it's just the two of us now," the vendor said, turning back to Victor.

"Yeah, I'd like to pay in cash," Victor replied smoothly.

The vendor's grin widened. "You know what? I've changed my mind," he said.

Victor frowned. "What do you mean?" he asked, his voice turning cold. 

"You see, young man, this Buddha statue is incredibly valuable, and I stand to make a fortune if I sell it to the Qin dynasty. So, I've had a change of heart. It's 100,000 dollars for the statue, or nothing at all. I'm sure that amount won't be an issue for you," the vendor said with a sly grin.

Victor's crimson gaze hardened, and an invisible force of mana surged around him. In an instant, his hand shot out, gripping the vendor's throat with iron-like strength.

"Don't think you can extort me, old man. Do you really believe I don't know you found this Buddha statue in the trash? You preach 'don't judge a book by its cover,' but now you're about to learn the meaning of your own words," Victor said, his voice icily calm as he tightened his grip around the vendor's neck, the old man's skin flushing red.

With his other hand, he casually grabbed the Buddha statue, a grin spreading across his face. "I'm taking this, and if you dare protest, I'll snap your neck," he warned, his tone deadly.

The vendor, gasping for air, nodded frantically, fear evident in his eyes.

"Good," Victor said with a smirk, releasing his hold. The vendor crumpled to the ground, choking for breath.

As his vision grew dim, he watched Victor walk away, the sound of his footsteps echoing in his ears. Moments later, everything went black.