Chapter 120: Getting Things in Order for The Final Push (Patreon)

Rabban approached me. "Where can I exchange gold coins or jewelry for local money?" he asked, his voice gruff.

"I can exchange it for you."

He nodded and handed over ten gold coins. The coins felt heavy in my hand. I took out the scales I had bought in China and weighed them carefully. Each weighed 36 grams, totaling 360 grams. Pulling out my phone, I checked the current price of gold online. "It's sixty dollars per gram," I said, looking up at him. "So, that's $21,600 total."

"Is it a lot of money?" Rabban inquired, his brows furrowing slightly.

"Depends what for. For transportation and hotels, it's sufficient. But it won't stretch far enough if you plan to purchase goods for trading."

"How much do I need to buy goods?" Rabban pressed further, his eyes narrowing with curiosity.

"Depends on how much you want to buy."

"I want to fill my Storage."

"Then you'll need at least fifty thousand dollars to buy a lot of merchandise," I said. "I have a proposition for you. We're in Vegas, and there are a lot of casinos–"

"What is a casino?" Rabban interrupted, his expression puzzled.

"A casino is a place where you can bet money," I clarified, gesturing to emphasize the concept. "You can either lose it or win a lot more. Do you have the Luck Trait or telekinesis?"

"Telekinesis," Rabban replied confidently, a faint grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Al used telekinesis to cheat and win big," I advised, pointing at Al. "You can do the same. Or, if you want, I can exchange another fifty coins."

"I will change fifty coins, and I'll ask Al about the casino," Rabban decided, nodding thoughtfully.

He gave me fifty coins, and I gave him $108,000.

"When are you planning to leave?" I inquired, curiosity piqued.

He sighed, glancing over his shoulder. "Sonak is stressed. He wants to leave as soon as possible," Rabban explained, his voice tinged with concern. "But we still have to decide through which Gate to leave and how to get there."

"You should know that Earth is heading towards integration," I said. "What that means is that it's effortless to pick up new ability points or classes to fill in the gaps. Sonak knows about it. I think he's in a hurry to leave not Earth, but my company. He behaved very negatively, and now that he has seen my power, he fears me."

Rabban looked very surprised to hear this. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline.

"You should consult with him," I advised, my tone earnest. "Stay here a few months, attend workshops, and accumulate skill points. Use the casino to earn a substantial amount, stock up on merchandise for resale, and then move on—preferably by sea, not by air."

Rabban nodded the whole time I talked, a thoughtful look on his face.

"I have a list of all the Gates we've visited. I can give it to you."

Rabban's tense features softened, and he gave a grateful nod. "Yes, please," he said earnestly.

I pulled out my updated list, cast Copy Text, and handed him the fresh copy. Suddenly, Mahya started clapping, drawing our attention. Rabban and I turned to her, puzzled.

"You didn't even think to take out your printer to make a copy. You just used magic. You're learning," she said, smiling as she patted my shoulder.

Her words made me realize she was right. In the past, I would have immediately reached for the printer. This time, magic had been my first instinct. A grin spread across my face. "Ha! I'm learning," I thought, feeling a sense of accomplishment.

"Let me see the list," Mahya requested, her eyes bright with curiosity, extending her hand towards the document.

"I thought we had decided on the Gates in Canada or Alaska for Lumis, right?"

"Yes, I'm just curious," Mahya replied with a smile, reaching out to take the list from me.

·         Germany, Black Forest, Shimoor, mana 17

·         Germany, Frankfurt, Shimoor, mana 17

·         Alaska, Anchorage, Chugach State Park, Lumis, mana 32

·         Canada, Great Bear Lake, Lumis, mana 32, only floatplane

·         Canada, Mount Rundle, Lumis, mana 32

·         French Guiana, Guiana Amazonian Park, Nerathis, mana 0, Tech medium

·         Suriname, Kabalebo, Nerathis, mana 0, Tech medium

·         Guyana, Kaieteur National Park, Nerathis, mana 0, Tech medium

·         Uruguay, La Paloma, Astrion, mana 0, Tech medium-low

·         Argentina, Córdoba, Astrion, mana 0, Tech medium-low

·         Argentina, General Pico, Astrion, mana 0, Tech medium-low

·         All the UK, Tír na nÓg, mana 89, lethal, crazy time skip

·         Russia, Siberia, Tomsk, Payan, mana 24

·         Russia, Siberia, Irkutsk, Payan, mana 24

·         Russia, Kirishi, Payan, mana 24

·         Finland, Lapland, Rovaniemi, Tuonela, mana 61

·         Sweden, Gällivare, Asgard, mana 76

·         Sweden, Stockholm, Asgard, mana 76

·         Romania, Brasov, Království Krve, mana 52, vamps

·         Portugal, Lisbon, Stinojopheleshawizhnzarnoshwitly, mana 46, Genomey. God, this name is ridiculous!!

·         Spain, Toledo, Stinojopheleshawizhnzarnoshwitly, mana 46, Genomey

·         Spain, Congost de Mont-rebel Nature Preserve, Stinojopheleshawizhnzarnoshwitly, mana 46, Genomey

·         Italy, Naples, Zelphia, mana 0, Tech Medium

·         Italy, Milan, Murinabla, mana 59, Magitech medium

·         France, Lyon, Murinabla, mana 59, Magitech medium

·         France, Marseille, Nahun, mana 33, another option for us?

·         Austria, Johnsbach, Muslar, mana 22, Gate changed destination. Might disappear?

·         China, Beijing, parallel Earth, mana 27

·         China, Xi'an, Thaloria, mana 69

·         China, Sichuan, Thaloria, mana 69

·         China, Hunan, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Solaruno, mana 42

·         China, Guilin, Zenthara, mana 63

·         China, Yangshuo, Buramnaofliaixious, mana 87, Dragons, oh my! I hope Lis is having fun.

·         China, Wu Gorge, Limira, mana 30, shit place - war and famine

·         China, Shanghai, Dayu Village, Trastom, mana 43

·         China, Suzhou, Trastom, mana 43

·         China, Hangzhou, Trastom, mana 43, rat island

·         Guam, Leylos, mana 50, another Gate that changed destination, also might change back to something else

She scanned the list, her brow furrowing in concentration. "I'm still curious about the parallel Earth. I've never heard of parallel worlds from my parents or other Travelers, so I want to see one. Earth is perfect for this because I traveled it extensively, so the differences will be obvious. I understand you want to travel to a different world, and I'm all for it. But maybe after Lumis, we can cross back to Earth and go to the Gate that leads to the parallel Earth?"

"By then," I said, "they'll already be in the middle of integration. I'm not sure I want to be here when that happens. Besides, the Gate is in China. We'll have to cross the sea again. I don't know what will happen at sea during integration. There are many scary legends on Earth about sea monsters. I'm not sure I'd want to sail in those conditions."

She paused, thoughtful, then nodded slowly. "Yes, I see what you're saying. Anyway, it doesn't matter now. Keep the list; after Lumis, we'll decide what's next. Perhaps we'll discover an interesting Gate there, so this conversation will be moot."

Rabban and Sonak left later that day. They might have decided to visit the Genomey world, but I wasn't sure. They spoke a foreign language, and I only caught that word. Rabban hugged the three of us, thanked us repeatedly, and promised that we only had to ask, and he would come to our aid from the other end of the cosmos. Sonak was more subdued. He shook all three of our hands, even mine, said goodbye, and they left.

Since we no longer needed all five bedrooms, we moved to a three-room suite at the Bellagio. Al still wanted to gamble because, in his opinion, he hadn't made enough money yet. We told him about the lounge for high rollers, and he got enthusiastic.

Mahya and I didn't feel like gambling, so instead, we went to a paintball shootout in the desert. By the end of the fight, Rue, our referee, had more paint on him than either of us. We couldn't figure out how this happened, and when I asked him, his only answer was, "Paint fun!"

My mana was still relatively low. Although my regeneration had improved to one unit per minute, instead of a minute and a half, I was still at 3000 mana, which I almost drained to clean the three of us from the paint. This paint got into places where paint shouldn't be.

We made another round of pawnshops and bought the new jewelry people had pawned. In one shop, Mahya spotted an elaborate microscope. She bought it immediately and told me to add microscopes, telescopes, binoculars, magnifying glasses, and loupes to our shopping list. It turned out that optics weren't very common in fantasy worlds.

This gave me the idea that we should sit down and list things we wanted to buy from Earth for our own use. We had purchased a lot of stuff to sell, but I thought it would be a good idea to list all the things we might need personally, which would be hard to find in fantasy worlds.

The three of us worked on it for hours, and our list looked like this:

Mahya

Tools and Equipment for Magitech:

• Toolkit: Specialized tools for working with and maintaining Magitech devices.

• Metal Wires: A variety of metal wires of different thicknesses, including copper, gold, steel, and various alloys.

• Portable Forges: Gas-powered portable forges for glass blowing and metalwork—various sizes with many spares.

• Insulation Materials: Heat-resistant materials for handling and working with high temperatures.

• Conductive Materials: Various conductive metals for creating and modifying circuits.

• Gems and semi-precious stones—apparently, sometimes, they are more compatible than mana crystals.

• A lot more engraving pens.

Woodworking Tools and Supplies:

• Carving Knives and Chisels: A few sets of high-quality carving tools for detailed work.

• Saws and Planes: For cutting and shaping wood.

• Sandpaper and files: For smoothing and finishing wood pieces.

• Wood Glue and Clamps: For assembling projects.

• Finishing Supplies: Stains, varnishes, and brushes for final touches.

• Portable Workbenches: Collapsible workbenches in various sizes for flexibility in the workspace.

Mosaic Tools and Supplies:

• Tile Cutters and Nippers: For shaping mosaic pieces.

• Adhesives and Grout: For assembling mosaics.

• Glass and Tile Pieces: Various colored and textured pieces for creating designs.

• Design Templates and Patterns: For planning and executing mosaic artwork.

• Protective Gear: Safety glasses and gloves for handling sharp pieces.

Personal Items:

• Sketchbooks and Art Supplies: For designing new projects and recording ideas.

• Books: Including technical manuals and novels for relaxation.

• Comfortable Clothing: Modern clothes for personal comfort and practicality.

• Armor

• Bullets, bullets, bullets. She decided to keep ALL the guns from the base. We had over 50 M4 carbines.

• an extensive stock of spare parts for the motorcycles and the ATV.

• We planned to buy a jeep instead of renting, so more spare parts for the jeep.

• Spare parts, furniture, and equipment for the boat.

• A lot of fabric for the balloon and thin gold wires to embroider runes on the balloon.

Al

Tools and Equipment:

1.      Heavy-Duty Tools: For maintaining armor and weapons.

2.      Specialized Alchemy Tools: Including advanced scales and precise measuring instruments.

3.      Beakers: Various sizes for mixing and measuring liquids.

4.      Flasks: Including Erlenmeyer flasks, volumetric flasks, and round-bottom flasks.

5.      Test Tubes: Different sizes for conducting experiments.

6.      Graduated Cylinders: For precise measurement of liquid volumes.

7.      Pipettes and Pipette Tips: For transferring small volumes of liquids accurately.

8.      Burettes and Burette Stands: For titration experiments.

9.      Measuring Spoons and spatulas: For handling powders and small quantities of chemicals.

10. Funnels: Various sizes for pouring liquids without spilling.

11. Mortar and Pestle: For grinding and mixing solids.

12. Balances and Scales: For measuring mass accurately.

13. Stirring Rods: Glass or plastic rods for stirring solutions.

14. Dropper Bottles: For dispensing small amounts of liquids.

15. Bunsen Burners: For heating substances.

16. Gas cooktop + an enormous supply of gas.

17. Thermometers: For measuring temperature.

18. pH Meters and pH Strips: For measuring the acidity or alkalinity of solutions.

19. Microscopes: For observing small details and microorganisms.

20. Glass Slides and Cover Slips: For microscope sample preparation.

21. Petri Dishes: For culturing microorganisms.

22. Alcohol: For sterilizing lab equipment.

23. a significant supply of herbs, especially valerian.

24. Glass potion bottles of all sizes.

Safety Equipment:

• Safety Goggles: To protect eyes from chemical splashes.

• Gloves: Nitrile or latex gloves for handling chemicals.

• Fume Hood: For conducting experiments that release hazardous fumes.

• Fire Extinguisher: For emergency fire situations.

Storage and Organization:

• Lab Shelving and Cabinets: For storing chemicals and equipment.

• Labeling Supplies: Labels, markers, and tape for organizing samples.

• Chemical Storage Containers: For safe storage of hazardous substances.

• Sample Vials and containers: For storing and transporting samples.

Personal Items:

• Training Equipment: Portable weights and resistance bands for maintaining strength.

• Books on Alchemy and Combat: For continued learning and strategy development.

• Comfortable Clothing: Practical, durable clothing for everyday use.

• A large stock of condoms. He was enthusiastic about the idea, not for health reasons, but for cleanliness.

John

Tools and Equipment:

• Portable Trading Stands: For setting up shop quickly in various locations.

• Specialized Medical Supplies: Advanced tools for performing complex healing.

• Treatment tables, partitions, and some wheelchairs.

• Learn how to make photography paper and development chemicals and buy a big supply.

• Old mechanical cameras to last me a hundred years.

• Buy as much film, development paper, and chemicals as possible.

• Some more furniture for the day I could expand the house and spare sets of everything.

• A big metal container to store all the sand from the rat island. I hated how it sat in a big mound in the middle of my Storage. It annoyed me.

Personal Items:

• Musical Instruments: Personal favorites for relaxation and practice.

• Books and Journals: Including a personal journal and favorite novels.

• Cooking books and an extensive selection of cooking equipment for my use, not for selling.

• Comfortable Clothing: Modern attire for comfort and versatility.

• Movies and music—need another disc from Mahya.

• Armor.

• More melee weapons and an enormous stock of arrows of all sizes.

General for the group:

1.      Diving equipment with a lot of spare oxygen tanks.

2.      More gas – for cooking, various crafts, and the balloon.

3.      A lot of spare sail fabric for the boat.

4.      Spare tires for all the drivable equipment—enough for a hundred years.

5.      Climbing and rappelling equipment. And a lot of ropes in various thicknesses.

6.      Clean out a few DIY, hardware, building supplies, and home improvement stores. We never know what we might need.

7.       More aluminum. A lot more aluminum.

8.      Iron, steel, copper, and bronze.

9.      Mahya and Al said to buy any available old coins sold by the weight. Even if they aren't copper, they would be handy and have worth. Most business owners in medium mana worlds have either Identify, Appraise, or Analyze, so it won't be a problem.

10. A lot more parchment. It turns out that the parchment on Earth is much better than what's available elsewhere.

11. Printer paper. At least a ton. Yes, an actual ton.

12. Boxes and boxes of pens, pencils, and markers for our use.

13. a significant supply of all types of leather footwear. Turns out it's much better on Earth.

14. Umbrellas. A lot of umbrellas. Few places have rainy solutions.

15. A few more trampolines—they are handy.

16. Clean out the supply of every paintball shop on the way. We need millions, or better, even billions of them and another hundred paintball guns of various sizes for potions and fun.

17. Alcohol of every kind in existence. Bottles and barrels.

I wanted to visit my mother's and Sophie's graves one more time. My mother's grave was in Birmingham, Alabama, and Sophie's in Chicago, Illinois. Our eventual stop would be Calgary, Canada, before heading to the Gate near Mount Rundle.

We wanted to stop in major cities on the way to buy the list and stock up on food supplies and whatever else would catch our eyes. So our route looked like this:

USA

·         Las Vegas, NV

·         Phoenix, AZ

·         Albuquerque, NM

·         Dallas, TX

·         Birmingham, AL - My mother's grave

·         Nashville, TN

·         Louisville, KY

·         Indianapolis, IN

·         Chicago, IL - Sophie's grave

·         Detroit, MI

Canada

·         Toronto, ON, Canada

·         Sudbury, ON

·         Sault Ste. Marie, ON

·         Thunder Bay, ON

·         Winnipeg, MB

·         Regina, SK

·         Calgary, AB

It was time to check our financial situation. I sat on the hotel room floor, spreading out stacks of cash and a few reloadable Visa credit cards. Mahya joined me, cross-legged, with her collection of bills and cards.

"Alright, let's count this out," I said, sorting the bills into neat piles.

Mahya nodded, her fingers deftly flicking through the cash. "This feels surreal," she murmured, shaking her head slightly.

We spent the next hour meticulously counting and double-checking our math. Finally, I looked up at Mahya, a bit stunned.

"So, between us, we've got exactly $3,189,268," I said, still processing the number.

Mahya's eyes widened. "That's... a lot more than I expected," she admitted, a small laugh escaping her.

Al looked at the scene of cash spread across the floor.

"Whoa," he said, eyes widening. "You have achieved success. Is it acceptable if I take part in the counting party?"

I gestured to an empty spot on the floor. "Be our guest. We just finished tallying ours."

Al settled down and started counting his stash. After about twenty minutes, he looked up, a mix of pride and slight disappointment on his face.

"I have $632,890," he announced.

I glanced at Mahya, then back to Al. "You know," I began, "Mahya and I have been thinking. Since we plan to travel as a permanent group, why don't we pool all our money together? We could buy everything as a team and manage expenses together."

Mahya nodded enthusiastically. "It would make things a lot simpler," she added.

Al's brow furrowed slightly as he considered the proposal. "Are you certain?" he asked, looking between us. "This decision demonstrates a substantial leap forward."

I shrugged, offering a smile. "We're in this together, aren't we? Separate funds don't make much sense if we share everything else."

Al was quiet for a moment, then slowly nodded. "Yes, you are correct," he said, a grin spreading. "Let us do it."

"Great!" Mahya exclaimed, already gathering the cash into one large pile. "That brings our total to... $ 3,822,159. All in cash and reloadable cards."

I grinned, feeling a surge of excitement for our upcoming adventure. "Let's get to work on that shopping list."