162: What is your relationship with the owner of the Sky Chamber of Commerce?

Duzhi Division headquarters, reception room.

Outside, heavy snow was falling, but the reception room was as warm as spring.

Watching Lu Yuan turn around to leave again, Zou Xinrong spoke in a cold tone.

He was not threatening Lu Yuan; he was stating facts!

Mining for weapon-refining material deposits required vast amounts of manpower and resources.

It was important that Lu Yuan possessed the map, but without the ability to develop it, it was no different from scrap paper.

Only the Duzhi Division could help Lu Yuan, and both parties reaching a cooperation would achieve a win-win situation!

The atmosphere dropped to the freezing point. Tian Zhishang, with his amiable smile and stout figure, did not dare to speak.

"I knew it would be like this."

Tian Zhishang's expression was helpless.

The reason Grand Elder of the Department of Finance Zou Xinrong said so much was merely to gain an advantage in the negotiation.

This was a very common tactic, and clearly, Lu Yuan saw through it too.

Both men were playing a game of wits, betting that the other would cave!

Zou Xinrong was betting that Lu Yuan would not give up the heaven-breaking wealth, and Lu Yuan was doing the same.

Lao Qiyuan, who had returned from the Crimson Flame Alliance, keenly sensed that something was wrong and silently stood beside Lu Yuan.

In fact, he had not given Lu Yuan any advice; everything was Lu Yuan maneuvering against Zou Xinrong himself.

"Besides the Duzhi Division, no one can mine such large-scale weapon-refining deposits?" Lu Yuan looked directly at Zou Xinrong.

"That's right!"

Zou Xinrong replied with a firm tone.

The next second, his pupils dilated as he looked at the entrance of the reception room.

Knock, knock, knock—

"Apologies for being late."

Fu Dechang, who was around fifty years old and wearing a suit, smiled.

The Vice President of the Cangqiong Chamber of Commerce!

Zou Xinrong cursed inwardly, looking first at Fu Dechang, then focusing his gaze on Lu Yuan.

"Good afternoon, Elder Zou, Elder Tian, and also Senior Lao, Principal Lu." Fu Dechang greeted them one by one and opened his briefcase to hand a thick stack of documents to Lu Yuan.

"Principal Lu, this is the development cost calculated by our Cangqiong Chamber of Commerce. If you are willing to cooperate, we will only discuss profit sharing."

Fu Dechang got straight to the point.

Hearing Fu Dechang's words, Lu Yuan looked at Zou Xinrong with a smile on his face.

"I still have choices." Lu Yuan said.

The Cangqiong Chamber of Commerce, the number one chamber of commerce on Blue Star!

Every country, large or small, on Blue Star had a branch of the Cangqiong Chamber of Commerce!

This was an organization that only cared about making money, and it was wealthy enough to rival a nation!

Zou Xinrong's expression froze, and in a flash, he considered countless possibilities.

"Hahaha, Principal Lu, it was my presumption earlier. Zhishang, go and get my treasured tea leaves and snacks."

"They are in the third drawer on the left in my office. This was a gift brought by the visiting Mist Country for the Supreme Alliance Leader. The Supreme Alliance Leader knew I liked tea, so I asked (begged) the Supreme Alliance Leader to give them to me."

Zou Xinrong explained the origin of the tea and snacks, and with a kind smile, took Lu Yuan's hand.

"Sit, don't be in such a hurry to leave."

"Elder Zou, I still prefer your previous attitude." Lu Yuan said.

"Hahaha." Zou Xinrong laughed it off, not feeling the slightest bit awkward.

He had encountered too many such awkward situations; his skin was as thick as a city wall.

The situation changed in an instant!

Lu Yuan sat in the middle.

On his left and right sat the Vice President of the Cangqiong Chamber of Commerce, Fu Dechang, and the Grand Elder of the Department of Finance, Zou Xinrong, respectively.

"I won't say anything else." Lu Yuan took out a thick map and placed it on the table.

"Let's see if the conditions proposed by the two of you can move me!"

"Now Lu Yuan truly holds the initiative." Lao Qiyuan crossed his arms.

He hadn't expected Lu Yuan to contact the Cangqiong Chamber of Commerce.

Now, whether it was Zou Xinrong or Fu Dechang, both were eager to cooperate with Lu Yuan.

"Forty percent, the Duzhi Division is willing to offer forty percent of the profits!" Zou Xinrong gritted his teeth.

The forty percent he mentioned referred to the net profit after deducting mining costs; originally, he had intended to give Lu Yuan twenty percent.

Because of the Cangqiong Chamber of Commerce, he could only add another twenty percent!

"Fifty percent." Fu Dechang crossed his legs, not intimidated by Zou Xinrong's status.

Zou Xinrong rubbed his temples.

"Lu Yuan, compared to the Cangqiong Chamber of Commerce, the Duzhi Division has one obvious advantage, and I think it's necessary to clarify it in advance." Zou Xinrong took a sip of tea.

He panicked, fearing that Lu Yuan would choose the Cangqiong Chamber of Commerce.

"If you cooperate with the Duzhi Division, you don't have to worry about anything; just hand over the map and sit back and enjoy the results. The Cangqiong Chamber of Commerce is, after all, a non-governmental organization, and various unexpected situations might occur during cooperation."

"That makes sense." Lu Yuan looked at Fu Dechang.

"Sixty percent!"

Fu Dechang did not speak but simply continued to increase the stakes.

"Principal Lu, Elder Zou is right, I admit that." Fu Dechang changed his tone.

"But our advantage over the Duzhi Division is that we can pay all the money at once. Can Elder Zou do that?"

Zou Xinrong shook his head with an embarrassed expression.

He had to wait until the weapon-refining materials were mined and then sold before he could pay Lu Yuan, and it would likely be in installments.

"Seventy percent, this is the Cangqiong Chamber of Commerce's final offer!" Seeing Zou Xinrong hesitate, Fu Dechang directly stated his position.

"You..."

Zou Xinrong stared at Fu Dechang in disbelief.

"You are crazy. Your boss will definitely not agree to this. Who does business like this!" Zou Xinrong crushed the thermos cup in his hand.

Seventy percent to Lu Yuan, thirty percent for themselves?

Even if it was net profit, it was too crazy!

"Don't bother worrying about it, Elder Zou." Fu Dechang said.

"Deal!"

Seeing that Zou Xinrong had not spoken for a long time, Lu Yuan made his decision.

"Principal Lu, shall we find a quiet place to talk?" Fu Dechang suggested, not wanting to reveal the details of the cooperation in front of Zou Xinrong.

"Elder Zou, let's cooperate again if there's a chance."

Lu Yuan stood up and, in passing, ate a piece of the snack that had just been served.

It tasted quite good, melting in his mouth.

"Hmm." Zou Xinrong was still marveling at whether the Cangqiong Chamber of Commerce had gone crazy.

After Lu Yuan and the others left, he hurriedly drank the tea that had been served and gathered the tea leaves on the table.

"Grand Elder, the tea has already been used." Tian Zhishang reminded.

"Dry it out and keep it; I can still drink it."

Zou Xinrong displayed his exclusive stinginess technique, feeling heartache over the crushed water cup.

He had used this water cup for many years, and now he would have to spend over ten yuan to buy a new one.

Tian Zhishang: "..."

You stingy old man!

"What is your relationship with the boss of the Cangqiong Chamber of Commerce?"

At the entrance of the Duzhi Division, while Fu Dechang was on the phone, Lao Qiyuan asked.

"I don't know the boss of the Cangqiong Chamber of Commerce." Lu Yuan admitted honestly.

However, after the Martial Examination ended, the Cangqiong Chamber of Commerce had gifted him a black gold membership card.

When Tang Jinghui was critically ill, Fu Dechang had been ordered to bring a high-grade heaven and earth spirit treasure.

"If you don't know them, why are they willing to give you seventy percent of the profits?" Lao Qiyuan asked in a puzzled tone.

Similar to Zou Xinrong's thinking, he also believed that fifty percent was the limit.

However, the Cangqiong Chamber of Commerce was willing to give Lu Yuan seventy percent of the profits!

This was something Lao Qiyuan had not expected.

"Maybe they are short on money too?"

"Perhaps. It is rumored that the boss of the Cangqiong Chamber of Commerce possesses a top-grade spirit artifact." Lao Qiyuan recalled.

"The effect of this top-grade spirit artifact is very special; it seems to be related to money. The more money earned, the stronger the effect!"

"There is such a spirit artifact?"

Lu Yuan expressed that his eyes had been opened.

Lu Yuan was not surprised that the boss of the Cangqiong Chamber of Commerce had a spirit artifact of this level.

But when this top-grade spirit artifact was mentioned, the Ji Mie he was wearing suddenly emitted a faint, almost imperceptible glow!