"Hey, handsome. Is Brother Howard Zhou inside the KTV right now?"
Rowan stepped forward and asked casually.
The two blonde punks who had been smoking turned their heads toward him at the sound of his voice.
"What do you want with Brother Zhou?"
One of them, dressed in a leather jacket, asked with a neutral tone.
Can't blame them. Rowan had called them "handsome" and referred to Zhou as "Brother," which made them feel respected.
"Looks like these two really are Howard Zhou's guys," Rowan thought, smiling slightly.
"I'm here to sell Brother Zhou something premium, and I've got a favor to ask."
He flashed a relaxed smile, his eyes calm and confident.
The two punks gave Rowan a once-over.
He had a tall frame and a face with hints of Western heritage. His simple black shorts and white T-shirt didn't look cheap at all, and his presence definitely didn't give off a broke vibe.
They exchanged glances, silently tagging him as "valuable."
"Alright. Wait here. I'll go ask Brother Zhou for you."
The one in the leather jacket stepped off his bike, nodded, and walked into the Golden Ocean KTV.
"Smoke?"
The other punk in a skull hoodie pulled out a pack of cigarettes and offered one.
"Sure."
Rowan took the cigarette with a grin and lit it using the lighter handed to him.
He wasn't much of a smoker, especially after he crossed over. Hill wouldn't let him touch the stuff.
But sometimes, when you need something from someone, accepting a cigarette can help build rapport.
Rejecting it would've just made things awkward.
After about half a cigarette's time, the guy in the leather jacket came back and motioned to Rowan.
"Come on. Brother Zhou wants to see you."
"Got it."
Rowan stubbed out his cigarette and followed him inside.
Soon, they reached a private room.
The leather-jacketed punk pushed open the door. Inside, a young man wearing glasses was wailing into a karaoke mic while holding a girl in his arms.
"Brother Zhou, the guy's here."
"Oh?"
Howard Zhou stopped singing and looked over at Rowan.
"Hello, Brother Zhou," Rowan greeted with a smile.
Howard nodded. "Heard you've got something good to sell me?"
"Yes," Rowan replied, but didn't elaborate further.
Howard instantly understood and pushed the girl off his lap, gesturing to his men. "You two, out."
The leather-jacket punk and the young woman both obediently left the room.
"Come, sit," Howard said, patting the couch beside him.
Rowan sat down and unfastened the black Casio Deep Ocean wristwatch on his left hand.
This particular model, released back in 2008, fetched a price comparable to a Rolex Submariner around 100,000 yuan.
That was back in the Marvel world.
Here in the world of Swallowed Star, it was already 2055.
This Casio was now a pre-Great Nirvana antique, and a perfectly preserved one at that.
Howard Zhou, coming from the Zhou family of Yangzhou, clearly had an eye for valuable goods. The moment Rowan handed him the watch, he recognized it immediately.
"Is this the Casio Deep Ocean from before the Great Nirvana? That was released in 2008!"
Howard gasped with admiration as he examined the watch.
"Damn! How is a forty-year-old watch this well preserved? No wonder you called it premium, brother!"
He turned it over and over in his hands, clearly impressed.
Men loved mechanical watches, even after the Great Nirvana. Among non-warrior elites, it was still common to wear one to show off status.
A vintage mechanical watch in such pristine condition would absolutely earn favor from certain influential old-timers.
"Just good family storage," Rowan said with a light smile, keeping things vague.
He didn't want Howard getting any ideas about robbing him.
But hearing that only made Howard's mind race with possibilities.
This young man had Western blood, a luxury timepiece, and a refined presence no way he came from an ordinary background.
"You sure you want to sell this? Your family won't come asking questions?"
Howard trailed off.
Clearly, he was concerned about trouble down the road if Rowan wasn't the legal owner.
"Don't worry, Brother Zhou. It was a birthday gift. I have full rights to it."
Rowan's tone was calm and assured.
Seeing no hesitation in his gaze, Howard broke into a smile.
This watch was his now.
It was rare to find such a well-preserved piece. It would be perfect as a gift to curry favor with older, powerful figures.
"How much are you asking for it?"
"Eight hundred thousand yuan."
"Done!"
Howard beamed and grew even warmer toward Rowan.
Back before the Great Nirvana, this kind of watch already went for over 100,000. Thirty years and a civilization reset later, 800,000 wasn't expensive at all.
"So, what else can I help you with, brother? Heard you need a favor."
"Yes, Brother Zhou. I need a fake identity."
Howard looked stunned.
He hadn't expected that.
Immediately, a thousand scenarios began playing out in his mind.
But he quickly cut off the speculation.
In their line of work, confidentiality was everything.
"Sure. That's not too hard."
He nodded without hesitation.
"Brother Zhou, I need the identity to be airtight. I mean truly undetectable."
Rowan's tone turned serious.
A solid identity was critical. It meant survival.
In a world like Swallowed Star, full of powerful individuals, even a tiny slip-up in his background could bring massive trouble.
"Airtight... That's a bit tougher, but not impossible."
Howard furrowed his brow and muttered.
"How about this, Brother Zhou give me 600,000, and the remaining 200,000 goes toward the identity. Sound fair?"
"You've got yourself a deal!"
Howard slapped his thigh and agreed instantly.
For him, setting up a fake identity was a trivial matter. Making it untraceable would take some work, sure but it was doable.
Rowan practically handed him 200,000 in exchange for a few favors. Easy money.
Howard warmly poured Rowan a few drinks, and the two even sang a karaoke duet.
"Rowan, my man, come back here in two days and I'll have your identity package ready. You can count on me."
As Rowan left, Howard personally walked him to the front of Golden Ocean KTV, his arm slung over his shoulder. The two blonde punks outside stared in disbelief.
"Thanks again, Brother Zhou."
"Don't mention it!"
Rowan waved goodbye, a black travel bag slung over his shoulder, and strolled off into the night.