Chapter 56: Molotov Cocktail

At Fang Zhen’s question, the motorcycle shop owner instantly perked up, his attention clearly more focused.

"You want to buy a high-performance motorcycle? Are you planning to go off-roading, or what will you be using it for?" the motorcycle shop owner asked.

"I need it for both trails and general off-roading. I’m open to either an off-road or a trail bike, but I’m leaning more toward off-road," Fang Zhen said.

Fang Zhen knew a thing or two about motorcycles and was aware of the niche category of off-road bikes.

Off-road motorcycles are very different from street bikes; they aren’t meant for paved roads but are designed for forest trails, open country, rallies, and stunt arenas.

These bikes are characterized by being lighter with better handling and having high suspension to adapt to complex terrain. Another typical feature is a smaller fuel tank.

Within the off-road category, they can be further subdivided into several types, such as trail bikes, pure motocross bikes, and rally bikes.

"Ah, you know your stuff," the motorcycle shop owner said. Realizing from Fang Zhen’s words that he was a serious buyer, the owner instantly became animated and much more enthusiastic.

Fang Zhen took it all in and smiled faintly.

Off-road motorcycle shops get more lookers than buyers.

Clearly, the shop owner now saw Fang Zhen as a customer who was actually prepared to spend money.

"You can call me Xiaohu. What’s your name, brother?" Boss Hu asked.

"Fang Zhen."

"Brother Fang, if you’re serious about buying and money is no object, then I recommend this KTM 450 EXC-F. This one right here," Boss Hu had become extremely enthusiastic, walking ahead and pointing out a motorcycle to Fang Zhen, "is the crown jewel of my shop."

Fang Zhen looked over. Boss Hu was pointing at a motorcycle with a blue seat, red and white paintwork, and off-road tires. It had a lean, aggressive look and was quite handsome.

"This is the KTM 450 EXC-F. Single-cylinder, four-stroke, 450cc displacement, electronic fuel injection, and an 8.5-liter fuel tank."

"This bike has a fantastic reputation. Since you ride, you must know KTM. There are only a handful of manufacturers in this scene. This bike can handle both off-road and trails. It’s the highest-performance off-road bike in my shop."

Fang Zhen studied it for a moment.

Never mind the specs—he really liked its looks.

"Is it considered a trail or motocross bike? And is it street-legal?" Fang Zhen asked.

"I don’t think so. The KTM 450 EXC-F is good for both trails and motocross, so its classification isn’t that clear-cut. But if you had to force a category, it’d be considered a motocross bike," Boss Hu hesitated for a second. "Besides, brother, you’re buying a dedicated off-road bike. Do you really care if it’s street-legal?"

Fang Zhen chuckled.

He knew some off-road bikes couldn’t be made street-legal because they lacked an instrument panel and rearview mirrors. The people who bought them were all dirt riders who had no intention of riding in the city anyway.

He’d only asked to let Boss Hu know he was knowledgeable and shouldn’t be overcharged.

"How much for the bike?" Fang Zhen asked.

"The official MSRP is 106,800 yuan. I’m pretty much selling it at that price; there’s not much of a discount," Boss Hu said. "You probably know this already, but there isn’t much room to negotiate on these kinds of bikes."

"But since you’re a serious buyer, brother, I can throw in some dedicated accessories—like hand guards, a skid plate, that sort of thing. And I’ll include one free customization."

Fang Zhen thought for a moment.

106,800 yuan. It wasn’t an exorbitant amount, and it matched the market price Fang Zhen had researched before coming.

Fang Zhen had a real-world application and a genuine need for it. A little over 100,000 yuan, almost 110,000... he could accept that price. ’In a pay-to-win game, a top-tier mount can cost tens of thousands, can’t it?’

"Alright, I’ll take it. Get the contract," Fang Zhen said.

Fang Zhen was so quick to decide that Boss Hu was taken aback for a moment, freezing up before he remembered to respond.

"You really don’t mess around! Alright, I’ll go get the contract for you right now." Boss Hu’s enthusiasm instantly doubled.

It wasn’t just him. The beautiful woman in the riding suit had also been listening from nearby. When she heard Fang Zhen decide in a matter of seconds to buy a bike worth over 100,000 yuan—and actually prepare to sign the contract—she whipped her head around, staring at him in astonishment for several long seconds.

From his time in the instances, Fang Zhen had developed a habit of keeping track of his surroundings. Though he didn’t appear to look away, he caught the change in the beautiful woman’s expression perfectly.

Clearly, his actions had caught her attention.

Boss Hu was making his first big sale of the day. He’d make a tidy profit even without any extras, so he was thrilled, turning to head into the back room for the contract.

After watching Fang Zhen for a moment, the woman in the riding suit approached him of her own accord.

"Hey, you ride too? There aren’t many dirt riders in Xiahai, so the scene is pretty small. I haven’t seen you around before," the woman in the riding suit said, approaching Fang Zhen without any shyness.

Fang Zhen chuckled. "I just ride on my own."

"On your own? How boring," the woman in the riding suit said, moving closer. At this distance, Fang Zhen could feel her fragrant breath and sense her natural allure.

"I’m Xia Siwei, and I love to ride. Why don’t we add each other on WeChat?" Xia Siwei said. "There’s a WeChat group for dirt riders here in Xiahai. Most of the people in it have money and free time. You seem pretty cool. It’s a lot more fun to join a group of fellow enthusiasts for rides and meetups. Come join us."

Fang Zhen considered it for a moment, then said, "Alright."

He certainly wasn’t opposed to the beautiful woman before him.

"Great. I’ll scan your QR code," Xia Siwei said, taking out her phone.

Having met all sorts of people, Fang Zhen could tell when someone was interested in him.

Clearly, the woman in the riding suit was interested.

’The decisive way I just spent money was probably a factor,’ he thought. ’But that’s nothing to be surprised about. Financial power is a form of social currency, just like men are naturally drawn to young, attractive women. It’s just how it is.’

’Then again, that’s just one factor. Maybe Xia Siwei isn’t short on money herself and genuinely just wants to find other enthusiasts.’

Fang Zhen and Xia Siwei added each other on WeChat.

Xia Siwei glanced at the smartwatch on her wrist. "Oh, look at the time. I’ve got to go."

"Let’s chat on WeChat when we have time. I’ll message you about any rider meetups in Xiahai."

Fang Zhen nodded.

Xia Siwei waved to Fang Zhen, then departed.

Fang Zhen smiled.

’Since getting this "Instance Life Game," my life has definitely gotten more interesting. At the very least, so many more possibilities have opened up.’

But Fang Zhen didn’t dwell on Xia Siwei. Clearing the next instance was what mattered most.

Boss Hu emerged from the back room with the contract and handed it to Fang Zhen.

Fang Zhen glanced over it. There were no major issues.

"I’ll sign this now, but you mentioned one free customization?"

"I need you to make some modifications for me."

Fang Zhen already had an idea in mind and laid out his modification plan.

"What? Brother, what are you planning to do? Why would you modify an off-road bike like that?" Boss Hu was completely dumbfounded after hearing Fang Zhen’s plan.

"Just tell me if you can do it or not," Fang Zhen said, offering no explanation.

"Yes, yes, it can be done," Boss Hu said, afraid of losing the sale. "Brother, you’re the one paying the bills. Whatever you say, goes."

"Still, modified like that... I just can’t imagine what you’re planning to do with it," Boss Hu said, completely bewildered.

"Trade secret," Fang Zhen said with a chuckle.

Fang Zhen gave Boss Hu the modification plan, and they agreed on a delivery time of seven o’clock that same evening.

The modifications weren’t extensive and could be finished by that evening. But since the bike wasn’t street-legal, it would need to be delivered by tow truck.

Fang Zhen told Boss Hu to fill up the tank and also get two canisters of spare fuel from a gas station he trusted. Everything was to be delivered to Fang Zhen’s home, with the towing fee and fuel costs to be paid upon delivery.

After finalizing the arrangements with Boss Hu, Fang Zhen left in a car for the next stop on his shopping list.

...

「That evening, just after eight o’clock.」

「Fang Zhen’s living room.」

Fang Zhen had been busy all day and had bought everything on his list.

The motorcycle had been delivered a little after six o’clock.

The off-road bike was relatively compact, almost like a large mountain bike. The elevator in Fang Zhen’s apartment building was spacious, so with a bit of maneuvering, he managed to get it inside and bring it up to his floor.

His living room was now cluttered. Besides the off-road motorcycle, there were two small metal canisters of spare gasoline, a pair of night-vision goggles, and a thermal imager.

And now, sitting before Fang Zhen, were several square glass bottles.

"Molotov Cocktails," Fang Zhen said to himself with a grin, looking at the equipment before him. "Time to play bartender."