40: Chapter 40: Red Collectibles, interested?

"..."

Chu Hong frowned slightly, one hand resting on the hilt of the [lost knights relic longsword], looking at Song Jiaojiao in front of him, who was so excited she looked as if she had just seen her own biological father.

Even if he used his toes to think, he could imagine what had happened in the camp during the one hour when he and Wang Suming had entered the mystic realm once more.

At this moment, perhaps finally realizing how rash her behavior was, Song Jiaojiao hurriedly took two steps back, her face flushed with excitement.

"Classmate Chu Hong, I hope to talk with you..."

Perhaps worried that Chu Hong would refuse immediately, she hurriedly added, "It's fine if you are not willing to sell this source energy weapon; we can chat about selling or consigning other collectibles instead. You must know the commercial reputation of my family."

Her beautiful eyes were filled with starry anticipation.

However.

Having seen the other's true side as a businesswoman, Chu Hong would not be fooled by this superficial little-girl act of idol worship, his gaze calmly sweeping past her.

He looked at the several figures walking over from behind Song Jiaojiao.

He had actually seen the person leading them before—or rather, he had seen him back when he was studying at Source Energy No. 1 High School, where the person had even awarded him a scholarship at a ceremony.

The suit-wearing, bearded burly man walked forward with a smile and extended his hand toward Chu Hong.

"Classmate Chu Hong, this shouldn't be our first time meeting, right?"

Chu Hong smiled: "Yes, Director Huang, you once came to the high school to award me a scholarship twice."

Director Huang Miao smiled and shook hands with Chu Hong.

Naturally, he wouldn't have such a deep impression of such a trivial matter; it was simply that within this past hour, through the recorded information of the Pioneers Guild and combined with the files from Source Energy No. 1 High School,

he had found a good entry point for communication between the two parties.

Director Huang Miao smiled faintly, casting a meaningful glance at the panting Wang Suming beside them.

"Not only that, oh. The procedures for both of you and Classmate Song Jiaojiao applying to Longming Sacred Academy were also handled by me, but obviously..."

He took a deep breath, a somewhat headache-induced bitter smile appearing on his face.

"Compared to applying for Longming Sacred Academy, you and Classmate Chu Hong truly startled everyone with a single brilliant feat today."

While the two were talking, another two people walked over.

One of them was a bewitching and gorgeous mature woman whose waist and hips swayed like a charming water snake as she walked. She smiled sweetly and ambiguously at Chu Hong, presenting a business card in front of him.

A fragrant breeze swirled past, causing the fat man Wang Suming nearby to swallow hard.

"Classmate Chu Hong, big sister here is Hu Jiaojiao, the manager of the Crossing-River-Dragon Chamber of Commerce. You must have heard of the Crossing-River-Dragon Pioneer Squad, Classmate Chu Hong. Would it be convenient to have a detailed chat with big sister about the collectible business? Whether it's me or the Crossing-River-Dragon Chamber of Commerce, our sincerity will definitely be absolute..."

Chu Hong tilted his head back slightly, and judging by the opponent's distinct fullness, her sincerity was indeed very large.

At the very least, that dead fatty Wang Suming had a flushed face and was almost about to spray nosebleeds.

One foot quietly stepped onto this fellow's instep, twisting slightly.

Chu Hong's gaze, however, shifted to another person who was walking over.

This was a middle-aged man who clearly carried a military temperament. Though called middle-aged, the vicissitudes on his face made him look more like a veteran retired from the battlefield.

As soon as this person came up, he gave a rigid salute to Chu Hong.

"Classmate Chu Hong, I am the Director of the Armed Forces Department of our base city, and my name is Wang Qinghai. I heard that Classmate Chu Hong collected a gold-quality source energy weapon in the mystic realm. I wonder if you can sell it to the Armed Forces Department? You can name the price, Classmate Chu Hong. In addition... we can guarantee your admission into Iron Wall University."

Talk about cutting straight to the point.

Right in front of so many people, he directly stated his purpose and conditions.

Chu Hong mentally complained.

However, he still respected Director Wang before him, who was clearly no good-for-nothing parasite.

Not to mention anything else, the fact that the number of monsters in the wilderness outside Huangshan Base City hadn't affected the operation of the base city already spoke volumes about the silent contributions of the Armed Forces Department behind the scenes.

"Classmate Chu Hong..." Song Jiaojiao pleaded in a somewhat weak voice.

Chu Hong smiled slightly.

He looked at the crowd, as well as the various Pioneer Squads behind them who wanted to step forward but hesitated out of deference to the expressions of those few people.

"Director Huang, Manager Hu, Director Wang, the [lost knights relic longsword] is very handy for me to use, and I don't plan to sell it for now..."

At these words, a trace of disappointment was clearly visible in the eyes of Director Huang and Hu Jiaojiao.

It was Wang Qinghai instead who nodded rigidly: "Indeed, having a gold-quality source energy weapon in the early stage can make your Longming Sacred Academy assessment much smoother."

He did not try to persuade him with things like "Although Iron Wall University is not as good as Longming Sacred Academy, it is still one of the top source energy institutions in Daxia," nor did he say things like "Behind us is the Daxia military."

After nodding to show his understanding, he prepared to leave.

Chu Hong spoke up again at this moment.

"Director Wang, there's no need to rush..." He smiled slightly, his smile mysterious and full of the arrogance and confidence a young man should have.

"I am indeed unwilling to sell this gold-quality collectible, but... we can chat about other things! For example, a red-quality collectible. I wonder... are you interested?"

"Whoa!"

"What? A red-quality collectible?!"

The [Thunder-Horned Lizardman Tribe] mystic realm camp instantly exploded into an uproar.

Chu Hong's voice did not deliberately avoid anyone.

The moment he spoke, not only did the waiting Pioneers around them freeze in place, but even Wang Qinghai—who looked like a stern and unsmiling person among the three in front of him—

also experienced his pupils abruptly contracting in an instant.

Looking at Chu Hong in disbelief.

His brow furrowed, his face full of astonishment and solemnity: "Classmate Chu Hong, what did you just say... You have a red-quality collectible?"

Beside them, Director Huang Miao and Hu Jiaojiao also stared fixedly at Chu Hong.

Their excited expressions also carried tension and disbelief.

Chu Hong nodded.

"Yes!"

Swish!

Hearing Chu Hong confirm it again, the Pioneers in the entire camp instantly erupted into a massive commotion.

"Classmate Chu Hong, our Hellcat Collectibles Chamber of Commerce has absolute sincerity! We are willing to acquire that red-quality collectible in your hands at a price 30% higher than market value!"

"Get lost! Classmate Chu Hong, our Shazhou Chamber of Commerce offers 50% higher than market value!"

"Double! Classmate Chu Hong, we'll add another fold on top of market price! Please be sure to sell this red collectible to us!"

"..."

The Pioneers, who had previously waited behind very restrainedly due to the identities of Director Huang Miao and the other two,

upon hearing that Chu Hong actually possessed a red-quality collectible, all of their eyes instantly turned red, resembling a pack of excited and stirred-up beasts.

They frantically surged toward Chu Hong's side, only to be instantly blocked by several elite Pioneers standing beside Director Huang Miao and the other two.

"Step back!!!"

Amidst a stern shout,

behind Director Huang Miao, a muscular giant whose build was as bulky as a shield mountain suddenly erupted with a terrifying source energy fluctuation. Moreover, the armor on his body—clearly a collectible—burst forth with a halo resembling the special effects of a deity.

Chu Hong's pupils constricted.

Energy Gathering Realm!

Hu Jiaojiao's charming face also abruptly turned cold.

With a "swish," a light purple folding fan appeared in her hand at some point. The fan surface featured a fox pattern in the Daxia national style, which surged as source energy flowed through her body.

In an instant, a three-tailed demon fox standing as tall as three meters condensed and manifested behind her.

"Scram!"

The flirtatious demeanor she had displayed earlier while talking with Chu Hong—where she looked as if she would gladly offer herself in bed the moment Chu Hong nodded—had vanished. The aura emanating from Hu Jiaojiao made Wang Suming, standing behind Chu Hong, shudder violently.

"I, holy crap... This woman is actually also a Pioneer of the Energy Gathering Realm?!"

Wang Qinghai stepped forward.

"Classmate Chu Hong, for your safety, let's return to the base city and find another place to discuss this in detail..."