The Strongest Businessman

Chapter 3 3: First Obstacle to Greatness

Feeling like a hero, Dylan stood on the top of the counter and put both of his hands on his waist with his chin held up high and a typical comical hero smile. Realizing that he was doing something silly, he carefully got down of the counter and mumbled to himself " What the heck am I doing with my life, if I combine the years I have spent living on both lives, I am already a six decade old man." Then, a sound suddenly caught his ears.

*Ring* *Ring* *Ring*

The bells by the swayed as a plump middle-age man entered the door. He wore an aristocratic robe that is gray in color and wore various accessories on his almost non-visible neck, huge baby arms, and his two piglet like ears. Dylan recognized this man, he was the landlord of his previous self, Robert Bobman, otherwise known as Sire Bobman, he was like an real-estate owner and his past self was his tenant. Beside him, he had four personal guards each one of them had bulky and big stature. The plump man walked slowly but heavily. Every stomp... err... step he did made some of the pots containing herbs to wiggle violently, a few of them fell from their shelves. Dylan had a foreboding feeling that if this man were to jump within his store it might cause it to collapse. If the floor were alive, he would feel pity on it.

*Step* *Step* *Step*

"Well, well, well" Sire Bobman lazily said to Dylan as his guards followed him from behind.

"Peasant Dylan Ford, we have something to discu... whoa!" Sire Bobman was walking towards him when a wooden plank on the floor could not hold on any longer until it broke and *Crash!*.

Sire Bobman fell and his right foot was stuck on the broken plank on the floor. He could not get up no matter what he did.

With his flabby arms, how could he?

Dylan tried his best to hold back his laughter while maintaining his faint smile on the surface. It was hard not to laugh at a fat guy acting like this. But in truth, he was laughing in his heart so much that tears can be faintly seen on the edge of his eyes. He immediately wiped it as fast as he can and quickly went near to Sire Bobman.

"Pfft, HAHAHAHA!!!" one of the guards laughed.

The four guards, however, could not hold it back anymore and laughed. No one knew who started but once the first started the others could not hold themselves back any longer as they burst laughing from behind. Even Dylan had the urge to do so but he held back. He knelt on his right knee and offered his help to the fat man who was stuck.

Sire Bobman was so embarrassed about what happened to him. 'Its all because of this accursed broken-down place' he thought grudgingly in his mind. When he heard the laughing of the guards, he exploded. "You four... Don`t even think about asking for this month`s pay!" he roared and reprimanded the guards. The guards paled as they heard the words of their employer. They immediately realized what they had done.

" Why are you standing there for? Are you not~". Before he could even continue, a hand was offered to him as it`s owner simultaneously said. " May I help you, sir?" the voice sounded so calm and pleasant. He involuntarily nodded and the hand helped him to get up after having a hard time. " It`s you..?" He was shocked when the young man who was normally scared of him was standing there calmly with a warm and faint smile hanging on his face and even helped him of his own accord.

Before Sire Bobman could even say something, Dylan`s voice resounded, "I`m deeply ashamed of what has happened here, Sire Bobman. I apologize for the momentary inconvenience that I have caused you. Allow me to repay you with a cup of tea. Here are some comfortable chairs. They might not appear grand but it is of decent quality. I assure you. Here have a sit as well kind sir. Give me a moment as I prepare some tea". They all involuntarily obeyed his commands as they behaved themselves like obedient pups.

Then they thought to themselves, `Is this some kind of magic?`.

Magic? No, it wasn't.

It was Dylan`s natural demeanor. He may no longer posses his original handsome appearance but his disposition is something no one could retort to. It was his innate charisma that allowed him to easily converse with others. By encountering various important personalities and attending grand occasions. His charisma was further honed to the extent, you would feel like in a trance.

His talent when it came to socializing was all summarized by his opponent`s in one word: Terrifying. That was the reason why many people chose to follow him and it was also the reason why he was able to create the Omega Trading Corporation.

Thinking about how Sire Bobman and company obeyed his orders so willingly, they felt chill down their spines how was this originally easy-to-scare kid able to do something like this. It feels like they were dealing with an entirely new person.

"How could I obey the orders of a mere peasant?!" Sire Bobman was enraged by this. Thinking about how he subconsciously did what that peasant told him to do drove him furious. Then suddenly, an aromatic fragrance filled the store.

When it entered the nose of the plump man, he felt his nerves completely calming down and making him feel more peaceful. Then he felt a tingle on his spine, "What is this? It feels so... refreshing". He looked at his four guards and felt shocked that they had pleasant expressions on their faces.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, kind sirs. Here is the tea I prepared." Dylan announced as he walked towards the group of Sire Bobman. He was confident in his tea-making skills because this was one of his favorite hobbies to do and one of his popular ways of entertaining guests back on Earth.

Although he was unfamiliar with the herbs back at the kitchen., Dylan used them accordingly to the smell of the herbs as such he was able to create such a fragrant smell earlier. He carried a tray with teapot and five teacups. He gave them one each and gently poured the tea. The tea he prepared was clear green in color. The group of five took a sip the tea he prepared as they involuntary said with peaceful expressions written on their faces, "Good Tea."

After they finished drinking the tea...

"I'm glad you like it, gentlemen. So may I ask what brings you to my humble store? Is it because of the monthly rent I have not paid for 3 months now? Rest assured sir, just give me 10 more days and I will be able to earn the amount. Can I beseech this to you, Sire Bobman?" Dylan negotiate with his Landlord.

"Hahaha, of course, Brother Dylan. It is of no hurry. You are my brother from today onwards, hahaha. You can just simply address me as Brother Robert, hahaha" Sire Bobman laughed as he patted Dylan`s back. He was clearly in a good mood after tasting the tea that Dylan prepared for them. Even from the words he had just spoken, one could notice the way he addressed Dylan from `Peasant` to `Brother`.

"Hahaha, Thank you, Brother Robert. Allow me to escort you out." Dylan offered.

" Hahaha, then I would thank, Brother Dylan for doing so. Farewell, hahaha", Sire Bobman accepted his offer and bid farewell to Dylan. "Come again, Brother" Dylan remarked.

As Sire Bobman was walking with his guards towards his house, one guard could not help but ask, "Master, since when have you recognized Dylan Ford as your brother? But I must say he does make a good tea."

"I agree, hahaha." another guard merrily agreed.

"Just today, hahaha. I second your statement about his tea." Sire Bobman answered.

Then, he suddenly remembered of something and shiver from his back followed. He was supposed to go and collect the overdue rent today. But instead, he left there with nothing at hand acknowledged Dylan as his brother? How terrifying was that man? He just discovered how his new found brother was terrifying.

With just several sentences he was able to make him as his brother. 'But can he really earn 1500 gold coins in ten days? But he said it so confidently, so he must have a way. What a formidable brother that I have found hahaha' he thought.

The sun has set while Dylan temporarily closed his store. He wanted to familiarize himself first with his body and his world while he studies the memories of his past self in this world. He discovered that he owed Robert a total of 1500 gold coins.

At first, he thought that it wasn't that bad but he thought wrongly because he discovered that he had only earned about 10000 copper coins which were equivalent 100 silver coins or 1 gold coin. He thought to his self, 'Are you kidding me? This is no different from starting from scratch! Hey, past me, you must be playing at me, right?'.

He could even imagine his past self, laughing at him from his grave thinking 'How do you like it in my body now?'. He nearly coughed blood from the stress. But then, he comforted himself, ' This is alright; I started from scratch and rose up to the top, didn't I? I could do it once. I could do it again."

As he consoled himself, he then tried to know what his cultivation level was. Judging by the age of his previous self, if he trained diligent at the very least he should be at the 5th level of the first cultivation realm, right? But he was shocked then again to discover that he was only at... the second level. 'The Heavens is playing on a joke on me right?' Just how did his past self train that he was only at the second level? Did he sleep all day instead of meditating?! He now discovered how low his starting point is.