pjbooks Chapter 1 Li Wei's New Life Plan
Chapter 1 Li Wei's New Life Plan
"Mr. Li Wei, regarding the following conversation, please..."
"I'm going to die, aren't I?"
"Hmm...that's true, but..."
"How much time do I have left?"
"You seem surprised..."
Are you prepared to waste the limited time a terminally ill patient has left?
"Sorry, one month."
"Okay, thank you very much."
When Li Wei left the consultation room, he politely closed the door behind him.
Then, he silently went to the small garden at St. Mary's Hospital, a place for patients to relax, and sat on a bench... in a daze.
Yes, it was pure blank staring, without thinking about how to prolong life or how to make the most of the little time left.
Essentially, he was wasting what little time he had left.
But Li Wei didn't think it was a big deal, because it was his own time, and he could choose to waste it.
The reason he refused to let the doctor waste his time was the same.
Why should that bastard waste my time?
That's how double standards they are.
But Li Wei still didn't think it was a big deal.
Having lived a "plain and humble" life for twenty-five years, he had been wasting his time on others. Now it was time for him to squander it.
However, Li Wei soon realized a problem.
Sitting around waiting to die like this is not only inefficient, but also extremely boring.
He needs to find something to do.
So, a new question arose—what to do?
Extreme sports?
It's too safe.
Jump off the building?
It's not good value for money.
To become a "volunteer police officer" and uphold justice?
That's something only a lunatic would do. He just has a tumor in his brain that's pressing on his nerves; he's not really a lunatic.
Li Wei pondered quietly for ten minutes, but rejected one idea after another.
But it cannot be said that nothing was gained.
He had a direction—to make money.
No matter what you want to do, money is always the most indispensable tool on this land called America.
If you don't have money, you have to wait in line even to go to the crematorium, because the American funeral system implements the most thorough "pay-first-served" system.
If you have the money, you can use the VIP channel and be cremated and departed on the same day. You can even choose a "private cremation time" where only one person is cremated, maximizing the sense of ritual. Afterwards, the ashes will be placed in a mahogany urn and accompanied by a poem.
If you don't have money, you can only go through the "public cremation" system, where multiple bodies line up to go into the same incinerator, and the ashes are mixed together and a symbolic portion is given to the family. Of course, this is on the premise that there are still family members.
And Florida, where Li Wei is located, is known worldwide for its "outrageous" activities, and it has done something truly remarkable in this regard.
Those funeral service workers actually let bodies line up in cold storage, waiting for government funding or charities to "collect enough for one furnace".
Li Wei disliked having his time wasted, so he decided to adopt an efficient and convenient way to make money—robbing banks.
It is more efficient than earning money through honest work and more convenient than fraudulent methods.
Moreover, a very good thing is that there is a bank right across from St. Mary's Hospital, making it convenient for families and patients to withdraw cash to pay the still suffocating out-of-pocket expenses even after insurance reimbursement.
Li Wei wasn't a very proactive person before, but now he is.
So he got up and left the small garden, heading straight for "Old Hank's Gun Shop" next to St. Mary's Hospital.
Like the bank across from the hospital, this is a kind of "convenience service" designed to help patients or their families find alternative solutions. As for whether the shooting is directed at others or at oneself, that depends on the specific needs.
"jingle!"
The wind chimes rang, and the boss, dressed like a cowboy from the West, greeted Li Wei very warmly.
"Welcome, sir. How can I help you?"
"I need a cheap and effective weapon."
Li Wei accurately summarized his needs.
The boss took a black handgun with a label hanging on it directly from the counter.
"Glock 17, a common model for police officers. Its advantages are its large magazine capacity of 17 rounds, which reduces the need for frequent magazine changes. The disadvantage is its moderate recoil, which may take some getting used to for beginners. Price: 499, includes a spare magazine."
Although Li Wei's savings were impressive by American standards, they were actually only $200, so he shook his head immediately.
"Give me something cheaper."
Without saying a word, the boss put away the Glock 17 and took out a similar-looking pistol next to it.
"The Smith & Wesson SD9 is also 9mm, 16 rounds. Its performance is similar to the Glock, but it's over a hundred cheaper. A brand new one is 380, this used one... I'll give it to you for 300."
Li Wei still didn't have enough money, so he refused again.
"Something cheaper."
The boss's gaze sharpened.
"Hey! Dude! Tell me the truth, were you sent by that bitch Vida next door to cause trouble?"
"I'm sorry, I've maxed out my credit cards to pay for my terminal illness treatment, and I only have $200 in cash on hand. So, could you please help me choose one?"
Li Wei chose to resolve meaningless disputes with honesty.
The boss's gaze immediately filled with sympathy.
"Sorry, buddy, I didn't mean to. Okay, I'll find you a companion."
The shopkeeper looked down at the dazzling array of goods on the counter and finally chose a handgun that looked incredibly ugly.
"Hi-Point C9, 9mm, 8 rounds. Brand new 150, if you want it... take it for 130. And I have to remind you, I can only guarantee this piece of junk is cheap, but I can't guarantee it will work well."
This time, Li Wei was satisfied and directly took out two hundred-yuan bills that he always carried with him and handed them to the boss.
"Thank you, please replace the rest with magazines and bullets."
The shop owner couldn't hide his surprise as he took the money.
"Dude, aren't you afraid of getting robbed if you carry so much cash with you?"
"This was originally my 'incineration fee,' but I've decided to use it to do something meaningful."
The boss was taken aback, but quickly understood what Li Wei meant.
"Alright, good luck. Also, don't even think about messing with me; I used to be an excellent ranger."
Li Wei smiled and nodded.
"Thank you for your kindness. Also, could you please help me reload the magazine? It's getting late, and I'm worried the bank might close."
A few minutes later, the boss loaded four magazines with a loader and handed them to Li Wei.
"One original magazine, three spare magazines, and thirty-two rounds of ammunition should be enough to deal with the bank security guards. But I think when you pull out your gun, that sixty-seven-year-old guy will be the first to drop to the ground and cover his head."
This time it was Li Wei's turn to be surprised.
"With security measures like this... won't they get robbed frequently?"
The boss just shrugged.
"Buddy, you need to understand, robbing a bank is never the hard part. The hard part is how to get out safely with the money."
Such professional-sounding advice made Li Wei a little doubtful.
"Boss, were you really a ranger before?"
"certainly."
As the boss spoke, he rolled up his sleeves, revealing his Ranger tattoo.
However, the boss then subtly mentioned it.
"However, I didn't open this gun shop immediately after retiring from the military. I was 'self-employed' for a period of time, then went on 'vacation' on the island for a few years before opening this gun shop."
This time it was Li Wei's turn to realize—he had met a senior.
However, Li Wei did not ask for practical experience, but instead asked a question that seemed to be the least important.
"What was your initial motivation for starting your own business?"
"For my daughter's leukemia medical expenses."
As the boss spoke, he pointed to a desk behind him, on which was a group photo.
The boss stood there, his face serious.
Beside him sat a girl in a wheelchair, bald, but with a bright smile.
"How is she now?"
As Li Wei spoke, he skillfully pushed the original magazine into the gun and, while pulling the bolt to chamber the round, checked whether the feeding was smooth.
"It's been three years since she passed away, and I haven't even been able to take her to Disneyland—that was her last wish. Because at that time, I was on 'vacation' on the island."
The boss was surprisingly calm when he said this.
Li Wei's smooth movements of engaging the safety and tucking the gun to his waist suddenly stopped.
But then he secured the gun and placed the three spare magazines in their places.
Two were tucked into their belts and covered by their coats.
One is tucked into the outer pocket at the thigh of the tactical pants.
The boss raised an eyebrow as he watched Li Wei's actions.
"Marine Corps?"
"Just like you."
Li Wei's answer seemed completely irrelevant, but the boss still saluted him.
"Good luck, I really mean it, although I may not like your past."
Li Wei, having finished tidying up, returned the greeting.
"Thank you for your advice. I will cherish every second of the rest of my life. And, actually, I don't really like your past."
When Li Wei closed the gun shop door and looked at the bank diagonally opposite, he smiled.
He's now getting ready to go to his own "Disney".
However, just as he stepped down the stairs, a sudden voice rang in his mind.
[The villain system has been activated.]
After twenty-five years, you're finally starting to do what you're supposed to do.
[Mission: Use your professional skills to pull off a textbook bank robbery.]
[Reward: 1 hour of base health, with bonuses based on mission completion rating.]
A system, a standard feature for time travelers.
But Li Wei didn't like it.
He felt that this so-called system was insulting his new understanding of life—that what matters in life is not the length of time, but using every minute and second to do what you want to do.
And now, this idiot is trying to control his own life?
"idiot."
After giving a brief and disdainful review of the system, Li Weimai put his other foot down and began walking towards the bank.
The bank was still going to be robbed, but Li Wei decided to ignore the idiot's voice in his head and go at his own pace.