144: Seventy percent of it belongs to others!

"Sounds pretty good," Cheng Zhen nodded. "But let's talk about what you were discussing before you changed the subject."

"Oh, Guangzi Ge, you're a bit too perceptive, aren't you...?"

Xiao Jiao shrugged, feigning helplessness: "Alright, I'll try to be concise."

"About a month ago, that 'big client' hired a lot of people to find out who the 'advertising space for rent' that suddenly appeared on the New Talent Rankings was. It wasn't just him; many other guilds were looking too."

"But, we compared the recent list of awakened individuals, and neither the Fifth-Tier nor Fourth-Tier skill users matched anyone. Below that, there are countless Third-Tier and Second-Tier skill users, and it's too much trouble for just a meager profit, so we declined."

"We don't need to talk about what happened next; they went looking for skill users on the 'Grey List' and targeted you."

Xiao Jiao smiled at this point: "That skill user offended a lot of people, and many clients were looking for him. So, while we were helping clients find people, we also learned about him and you."

"Later, several major university admissions offices went to your high school to find people, which happened to coincide with your dungeon run. That's when we confirmed that the dark horse shining brightly on the rankings was actually a First-Tier skill user. No wonder we couldn't find him no matter how hard we looked back then."

"Because Guangzi Ge, your speed in ranking up was truly astonishing, many people wanted to inquire about your situation. The combined intelligence fees for this were truly tempting."

"It just so happened that you wanted to trade a staff, and I just received a pie from the sky, didn't I?"

After Xiao Jiao finished speaking, he nervously flattered: "Guangzi Ge, honestly, I just purely wanted to witness your abilities; I never thought of tricking or harming you!"

Cheng Zhen raised an eyebrow: "So you've been on the sidelines, just observing, because you wanted to know my combat power and skills, right?"

"Hehe..." Xiao Jiao showed an awkward yet polite smile. "Guangzi Ge is indeed the biggest dark horse this year; his combat power truly impresses me!"

He was sincere in saying this. Cheng Zhen kept saying his combat power wasn't obvious... what kind of unobvious combat power could hammer a BOSS? Even if that BOSS was weak, it shouldn't be beaten like this by a newcomer from three dungeons!

Cheng Zhen chuckled, "It must have been hard for you to pretend to be weak. By utilizing the NPCs and dungeon mechanics, you should have been able to easily deal with Wei Si and the others, right?"

Xiao Jiao gave a dry laugh: "Guangzi Ge worked even harder. He could have cleared the dungeon quickly but cautiously dragged it out for a long time. It seems he was holding back because of me..."

The two 'black sesame tangyuan' looked at each other, their faces full of unspoken understanding.

The scene fell silent for a moment, both sides deep in thought.

"So... how much is my information worth?"

Cheng Zhen spoke first, and his question surprised Xiao Jiao.

Xiao Jiao thought for a moment, then honestly said: "To be honest, brother, besides finding you to be meticulous and having impressive combat power, I truly don't understand your other abilities."

"Your combat power isn't something built up with potions; I'd believe you if you said you'd studied martial arts for years. But in your past records, your combat practice scores in high school..."

He didn't finish the sentence, saving Cheng Zhen some face.

"Not only that, you also seem to have the ability to control slot machines and dice. Even with the [Inventory] disabled, you could use items to briefly stop Wei Si, and in the final battle, you could control NPCs to help you man a machine gun..."

Xiao Jiao regretfully spread his hands: "From my shallow experience to date, there is no title that possesses such a variety of abilities. And Guangzi Ge's awakened skill... unless you can fake an awakened skill, but we all know that's impossible."

"So, in the end, I can only conclude that I simply cannot see through you. Neither your skills, title, nor equipment can be analyzed."

"If I were to put a price on your information... I'd want to set a high price, but if I hand over such a jumbled mess, I think the buyer would curse me as a liar."

Cheng Zhen understood.

It seems this guy's information trading is mainly tied to accuracy.

So, he put on a 'nuclear-level pleasant' expression, and 'uranium-kindly' patted Xiao Jiao's shoulder, "How about I give you some information?"

Xiao Jiao: ?

"You don't need to thank me too much. If you share some money with me, I'm not entirely unwilling to accept it," Cheng Zhen added with a smile.

Xiao Jiao: (☉_☉)!

Having been a paparazzi for so long, Xiao Jiao considered himself well-informed.

But this was the first time he had encountered someone who directly offered to sell himself for money...

"So, Guangzi Ge, you mean...?"

Xiao Jiao tentatively asked, and then heard Cheng Zhen wave his hand grandly: "The information I provide will be absolutely precise and accurate! A two-eight split of the intelligence fee will do."

"Two-eight split?" Xiao Jiao's eyes widened. "Guangzi Ge, the intelligence fees we give to informants are fixed; we can't directly give you twenty percent..."

"I didn't ask for twenty percent."

As Xiao Jiao breathed a sigh of relief, Cheng Zhen stated: "I want eighty percent."

Xiao Jiao: "...?"

"No, brother?" Xiao Jiao looked incredulous. "Do you think that's possible?"

Cheng Zhen shook his head helplessly: "If it's really not possible, I can reluctantly accept seventy percent."

Xiao Jiao nearly spat out a mouthful of blood, like Boss William trying to quit his card addiction.

"Guangzi Ge, no intelligence guild pays like that!"

Cheng Zhen righteously declared: "Rules are meant to be broken. It's not too late to start now!"

"That's not how it works..."

Xiao Jiao sighed: "Guangzi Ge, you are indeed excellent, but information about personal skills, titles, and equipment can't make us break the rules like this..."

"What if I have unique, special information?" Cheng Zhen immediately said, his expression serious.

Xiao Jiao instantly tensed up: "How... how special?"

"Actually..."

Cheng Zhen lowered his voice: "I have a System!"

"Huh???"

Xiao Jiao was full of questions.

Cheng Zhen continued: "Actually, I'm bound to the [Speechless System]! Every time someone hears my skills or is forcibly silenced by my words, I get stronger, eventually becoming invincible!"

Xiao Jiao: "..."

Cheng Zhen: "See, you're speechless, and I've gotten stronger again."

"Ha, ha, ha..." Xiao Jiao forced a smile.

Cheng Zhen struck while the iron was hot: "Such special information, isn't it appropriate to give a high price?"

"Brother, you don't actually think that if we just open and close our mouths, people will eagerly come knocking to give us money, do you?"

Xiao Jiao painfully clutched his head: "Every time we investigate information, we have to confirm its accuracy. We can't just make things up to cheat people out of their money!"

"Alright, I was just joking earlier. But..."

Cheng Zhen pointed to himself: "First-hand information is right in front of you. Can you get it as accurately by investigating elsewhere as I can tell you?"

Xiao Jiao chuckled dryly: "It's precisely because Guangzi Ge is saying it that I'm worried..."

Cheng Zhen: "..."

Xiao Jiao said with a wronged expression: "Brother, we usually have to maintain clients, chase hot topics, update old information, go undercover... cough, in short, being an intelligence guild is really not that easy. No guild can accept your price, Guangzi Ge!"

"Then a four-six split isn't possible either?"

"Brother, it's really not possible."

"How about five-five?"

"...You win." Xiao Jiao sighed.

He thought, just consider it a 'friendship fee.' Sharing some benefits and establishing a long-term connection with this ranking big shot didn't seem like a loss.

"Pleasure working with you."

Cheng Zhen smiled and shook Xiao Jiao's hand, then changed the subject: "So, if I want some information, can I directly deduct the cost from that?"

"So this is where you were waiting for me?"

Xiao Jiao's mouth twitched as he realized he had been tricked into an empty-handed transaction.

As for the information Cheng Zhen wanted, he knew what it was just by thinking about it.

Wuwuwu, the big shots on the rankings are indeed hard to deal with. This time he didn't earn much, and even lost money!

...

"Brother, all their family's information is in this folder. You can go back and decompress it. The password is six sixes. I have to go first, bye!"

Xiao Jiao finished transferring the file to Cheng Zhen via his smartwatch's Bluetooth and immediately slipped away. He looked like a laborer encountering a tyrannical landlord, so much so that even passing geese would lose a few feathers.

Cheng Zhen smiled and waved goodbye. He had gotten the staff he wanted and also received many unexpected surprises, which put him in a very good mood.

He looked at the business card in his hand and curled his lips: "An intelligence organization, huh? How interesting."

The embossed business card felt good to the touch, displaying the guild's name and Xiao Jiao's name—

Thousand Eye Tower, Jiao She.