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*****
"Standard rules: limit of three per person."
After the routine greeting, Fini began business. At this moment, Skye didn't have time to ask about what happened at school. Fini was responsible for making the food, while she was in charge of collecting the money and handing out the ingredients.
Manhattan's Upper East Side is the heart of New York's wealthiest residents. Stark Tower, which Fini had seen earlier, was also in this district.
Therefore, even though he had priced a single Sumire Karaage Roll at the exorbitant price of ten dollars, the buyers didn't even blink. Many even tried to buy more.
"Hey, Fini, look, we've known each other for so long. Give me two more, will you?"
A man in his thirties, dressed in a sharp suit, spoke with a smiling face, trying to play the friendship card as he watched Fini skillfully prepare a chicken roll.
"Mr. Wright, you're a big boss, so you understand the importance of integrity best."
Fini first gave a helpless shrug and then said, "Besides, you can see there are only so many ingredients. If I start a precedent for you, the people behind you will definitely make demands too. In the end, a lot of people won't be able to buy any. If they get angry and trash my little shop, you won't be able to eat these ever again."
"Fine, fine. Three it is, then."
Seeing the glares from the people waiting in line behind him, the man named Wright gave an embarrassed laugh and quickly paid. He walked to the side, found a place to sit, and took a bite of the intensely fragrant chicken roll. A look of pure intoxication crossed his face—anyone who didn't know better would wonder if Fini was selling something more than just fried chicken.
It wasn't until the sky had completely darkened that Fini saw off the last of the customers.
After hanging the 'Irregular Business Hours' sign back on the door, Fini returned to the shop to start cleaning up. Seeing Skye happily counting the money, he couldn't help but smile and offer a reminder: "Don't get happy too early. You only get to keep a tenth of that."
The smile on Skye's face froze instantly. When she turned her head, she had transformed into a piteous, aggrieved soul, wiping away non-existent tears as she said to Fini in a syrupy voice, "I'm your sister. I worked so hard for you; do you really have the heart to only let me take a tenth!?"
"Then... a twentieth?"
Fini played dumb in response.
"Hmph!"
Skye's expression snapped back to normal. She gave Fini a fierce glare and then went back to happily counting the money.
Although Fini always said he'd only give her a tenth, he never hesitated whenever she actually needed money. In reality, there wasn't much difference between his money and hers.
Seeing this, Fini just smiled. After tidying up the trash and changing his clothes, he walked over to Skye, intending to tease her some more.
Just then, two men suddenly entered the shop. Just as Fini turned around to tell them they were closed, his eyes narrowed and his heart couldn't help but tighten.
"Don't move. Hand over the money."
Skye, who was still counting money, looked at the scene in a daze. In all her years, this was the first time she had been pointed at with a gun at such close range. Panic welled up in her heart, and she hurriedly looked at Fini, only to find him giving her a reassuring look.
Fini hadn't expected to run into this. This was the Upper East Side, a gathering place for the wealthy and the business elite. Gang affiliations here were complex; low-level thugs usually knew the rules and wouldn't come here to cause trouble.
As for high-level assassins, they wouldn't look twice at a tiny shop like this. Besides, his shop location wasn't great and his hours were irregular, so he wasn't exactly a commercial competitor to anyone.
Therefore, in these two years, this was the first time he had encountered a robbery—or rather, a shakedown.
Fini raised his hands, making no sudden movements. While quietly shifting his footing, he spoke to the two masked robbers, "The money is all here. Please don't hurt us."
"You, bag the money up." One of the robbers spoke viciously to Skye, then pointed his pistol at Fini, snarling, "You stay still. Don't try any tricks with me."
Seeing Fini's nod and comforting gaze, Skye's hands shook slightly as she found a backpack and began stuffing the money inside.
"Hurry up!"
The other robber urged impatiently.
Watching the two, Fini frowned in thought. If it were just him, he could likely subdue them both with his abilities, but with Skye right beside him, he didn't want to take the risk.
Fini could tell these two were just street thugs; it was questionable if they even belonged to a gang. Otherwise, they wouldn't dream of robbing a place here—it was a violation of the local "code."
He didn't care much about losing a day's revenue, and facing a gun, he wasn't a hundred percent certain he could subdue them perfectly.
But things often go against one's wishes.
The robber acting as the lookout at the door suddenly had a lapse in judgment. When he turned back to look at Skye, he said sleazily, "Boss, this chick is pretty hot!"
Skye's face turned slightly pale with fear, causing Fini's brow to furrow even deeper.
"Shut up! Get the money and let's get out of here!"
The robber pointing the gun at Fini clearly didn't want extra trouble. He scolded his partner harshly and ordered him to prepare for the exit.
"Hehe, alright!"
The man let out a weird laugh and started walking toward Skye with obvious ill intent.
Fini took a deep breath, his focus narrowing. It would have been fine if these two had just taken the money and left quietly, but they insisted on seeking death. Although he didn't want to expose himself, he could not accept his family being harmed.
In eight years, the only thing he had improved wasn't just his chicken rolls.
"Now, look behind you."
As the man was about to walk past Skye, 'Ars Magna' activated. The two robbers were manipulated by this force and were compelled to turn their heads back.
Moving like a flash of wind.
The moment they turned their heads, Fini instantly lunged toward the robber with the gun.
Using some combat techniques he had learned online, he snatched the gun from the robber's hand and knocked him to the ground.
However, before he could breathe a sigh of relief, he looked back at the other robber and saw the man's hand instinctively reaching into his jacket.
He has a gun too!
The thought flashed through Fini's mind instantly, followed by:
I can't let him draw it.
At this moment, the distance between them was about three meters. Although the robber beside him was on the ground, he wasn't fully incapacitated. If he used 'Ars Magna' to command the man not to pull the gun, he might face strong mental resistance, which could lead to failure.
If he fired first at such close range, even though it was his first time, the chance of hitting was very high.
In a split second, Fini made a decision. To ensure safety, while he fired the gun, he instinctively used his most familiar skill.
Three steaming hot Sumire Karaage Rolls appeared instantly, smacking right into the face of the robber who was about to draw his gun.
In the heat of the moment, the 'Sumire Karaage Roll' skill had actually broken through—he could now summon three at once. Truly worth celebrating.
"Bang!"
The gunshot rang out. To Fini's surprise, he actually missed at such a close range. He had aimed for the man's thigh, but the bullet only grazed the man's trousers.
Fortunately, the gunshot stunned the robber. After the chicken rolls fell to the ground, he didn't dare continue reaching for his weapon.
"Don't move! If you move, I'll shoot you dead."
Seeing this, Fini immediately barked a warning. Perhaps because of the shot just now, the robber was terrified and stood perfectly still.
Fini then quickly looked at the robber on the ground. He delivered a follow-up kick to the man's stomach to ensure he couldn't get up before shouting to Skye:
"Skye, call the police!"
It all happened too fast. The two robbers were subdued in the blink of an eye. Skye stared blankly at everything; she hadn't quite registered what had occurred.
It wasn't until Fini's call that she snapped out of it and took out her phone to call the police.
"Bro, bro, we were wrong! Don't call the police!"
Hearing that Fini intended to call the cops, the robbers panicked and began to beg for mercy. Fini, who had intended to ignore them, suddenly paused when he saw the fried chicken rolls on the ground.
"Skye, wait a second."
The number was already keyed in. Skye was startled as she was about to press dial, but seeing Fini frowning in thought, she obediently put the phone down.
Seeing that Fini actually agreed to wait, the two robbers were also surprised, but they immediately looked grateful: "Thank you, thank you!"
Fini was now deeply regretting instinctively using the Sumire Karaage Rolls to hit the man's face. If the police came and wanted to check the shop's surveillance, it would be a bit troublesome.
As for "silencing" them, Fini never even considered it. It would be less trouble just to hand them over to the police.
(End of Chapter)