76: Chapter 76 Giving you one percent is a reward

The door to the private booth was pushed open, and a scent mixed with the smell of blood and the cold night wind rushed in first, instantly diluting the expensive incense that had originally permeated the room.

Qin Ji stepped inside, the hem of his long black trench coat swaying slightly; the drop of dark red blood on the corner of his clothes looked particularly piercing under the warm yellow light. He did not take off his hood, revealing only a pale and sharp jawline. His entire being radiated a chilling aura, as if he had just crawled out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.

Qi Yun, following behind him, shrunk his neck like a frightened quail, clearly not yet recovered from the one-sided slaughter that had just occurred.

"Snow... Snow Emperor Great God?"

Richest Under Heaven, who had been waiting for a long time, suddenly stood up. This future helmsman of the Divine Realm's commercial Empire watched the ID above Qin Ji's head—so red it was purple, even bordering on black—and his eyelids twitched uncontrollably.

With a PK value high enough to reach this level, just how many people had this man killed?

What alarmed him even more was the faint sense of oppression emanating from Qin Ji. It wasn't the numerical pressure brought by equipment, but a kind of indifference that disregarded life—like a butcher who had just finished slaughtering a pen of livestock and sat down at the dining table before even having time to wash his hands.

"Sit."

Qin Ji's voice wasn't loud, yet he took control of the room as if he were the host. He casually pulled out a red sandalwood chair and sat down. His gaze swept over the table full of delicacies without a flicker of emotion, as if he were merely facing a pile of data code.

Richest Under Heaven was stunned for a moment, then quickly adjusted his state, his face piling up a professional smile: "The Great God truly is a man of quick words. Although this Wind and Flower Restaurant isn't top-tier, this 'Hundred Birds Facing the Phoenix' feast can increase temporary attributes. Why don't you try some?"

As he spoke, he diligently poured wine, attempting to use these service-oriented actions to grasp the rhythm of the conversation.

Qin Ji picked up the wine glass, took a light sip, and did not touch the chopsticks.

"I don't like beating around the bush."

Qin Ji set down the wine glass, his fingertips lightly tapping on the tabletop with a rhythmic 'thump, thump.' Each sound felt like it was tapping on Richest Under Heaven's heart. "You said you wanted to talk business. I'll give you three minutes."

The smile on Richest Under Heaven's face stiffened slightly, but he quickly returned to normal. He sat up straight, putting away his merchant's slickness, his eyes flashing with a shrewd light.

"Fine, since the Great God is straightforward, I'll speak plainly."

Richest Under Heaven took a deep breath and placed his crossed hands on the table. "I know your strength is peerless, and achieving the First Clear of the Purgatory Dungeon has proven your potential. However, Divine Realm is not just about fighting and killing; it also requires the operation of resources."

"I intend to establish the largest chamber of commerce in the entire server. I will provide the money and the channels, and be responsible for all operations and public relations. You only need to be the figurehead, occasionally providing some high-end guides or equipment support."

At this point, Richest Under Heaven held up five fingers and said with great ambition, "A fifty-fifty split of the shares! You won't have to do anything and can just enjoy the fruits of success. With my commercial talent combined with your fame, we can definitely monopolize the market in Fengling City and even the entire Divine Realm!"

Qi Yun, listening from the side, had his eyes go wide. Fifty-fifty? This was Richest Under Heaven! The future God of Wealth! This was simply a pie falling from the sky!

However, Qin Ji's expression remained as calm as water.

He looked at Richest Under Heaven's face, which was written all over with ambition, and a playful arc suddenly curved at the corner of his mouth as he lightly shook his head.

"Forget about a partnership."

Richest Under Heaven frowned slightly, thinking Qin Ji wanted to bargain: "If the Great God feels the ratio is inappropriate, we can talk further. Sixty-forty? Or... thirty-seventy? You get seventy, I get thirty; that is my bottom line."

"You've misunderstood."

Qin Ji leaned back against the chair, his deep eyes staring straight at Richest Under Heaven, his tone as flat as if he were stating a universal truth:

"I don't need a partner. I only need an agent."

"Or to put it more bluntly—I need a dog that knows how to bite and how to manage accounts."

The air in the private booth instantly froze.

Richest Under Heaven's face instantly turned the color of pig liver, and the veins on his temples throbbed. He was a merchant, and pursuing profit was his nature, but that didn't mean he had no dignity! To be told he would be a dog right off the bat? Even if he was the number one player in the server, this was too arrogant!

"Snow Emperor, aren't you going a bit too far?"

Richest Under Heaven suppressed his anger, his voice turning cold. "Even if a deal isn't made, the friendship remains. By insulting me like this, do you really think you're the only expert in Divine Realm?"

"Don't be in a hurry. Listen to my offer."

Qin Ji acted as if he didn't see the other's anger, raising a long index finger and wagging it in the air.

"One percent."

"What did you say?!"

Richest Under Heaven laughed out of extreme anger and slammed the table as he stood up. "You want me to work for you, be your dog, and in the end, you only give me one percent of the profit? Are you crazy, or am I?!"

Even Qi Yun, who was nearby, was so scared he shrunk under the table, thinking to himself, 'Big brother, you're too ruthless; this is simply insulting someone to death.'

Qin Ji did not speak.

He wiped his palm through the air, and a fist-sized, purple-black meatball that was still slightly pulsating appeared out of thin air on the table.

"Thud."

The moment the meatball landed on the table, a blood Qi so thick it was suffocating instantly exploded. The delicacies on the table instantly became tasteless in the face of this aura, as if fine food had turned into chaff.

Richest Under Heaven's gaze was deathly attracted to it, his pupils shrinking violently.

[Abyssal Dragon Gall (Epic Material)]

[Source: Black Water Lake · Purgatory Level]

[Use: Main material for refining the Rank 8 'Dragon Blood Potion,' which has a very high probability of increasing the user's Physique and Aptitude.]

"This... this is..." Richest Under Heaven's voice began to tremble. As a top merchant, he knew the value of this item all too well. At this stage, players hadn't even reached Rank 2, and a Rank 8 material had already appeared? This was a strategic resource on the level of a nuclear weapon!

"I have plenty more of this kind of trash in my warehouse."

Qin Ji's voice rang out at the right time, carrying a sort of nonchalant laziness. "Besides me, no one in the server can solo a Purgatory-level dungeon. In other words, I am the sole source for the output of this type of top-tier resource."

"I hold the highest-end monopoly power in Divine Realm."

Qin Ji leaned forward, his pitch-black eyes staring at Richest Under Heaven like an abyss, his voice low and full of temptation:

"Ordinary gold coins and equipment are for commoners to play with. What I want to do is set the rules."

"One percent of the profit sounds like very little. But what if it's one percent of the total turnover of all high-end resources in the entire Divine Realm?"

"Richest Under Heaven, you are a smart man. Do you want to cling to your so-called dignity to earn a pile of scrap metal, or do you want to kneel down, catch this overwhelming fortune, and become the true god who manages wealth in Divine Realm?"

Boom!

These words exploded in Richest Under Heaven's mind like a thunderclap.

Monopoly!

The sole source of goods!

His previous business blueprint was like child's play compared to the future Qin Ji described. If Qin Ji could truly continue to produce treasures of this level, then even just a tiny bit of grease leaking from between his fingers would be enough to make Richest Under Heaven surpass all financial groups!

One percent...

This wasn't an insult; this was clearly an admission ticket to the altar of gods!

Richest Under Heaven's breathing became rapid, and his chest heaved violently. He looked at the dragon gall on the table, which radiated an enticing luster, and then at the indifferent man in front of him.

A long time passed.

Richest Under Heaven slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air, and his originally straight back slowly bent down.

He picked up the wine pot with both hands and respectfully filled Qin Ji's empty cup, his movements as standard as an old butler who had served for many years.

"Boss, in the future, I will settle the bills for this Wind and Flower Restaurant."

The corner of Qin Ji's mouth curled up slightly, and he drained the wine glass in one gulp.

"Happy cooperating."

...

Ten minutes later, Qin Ji walked out of the Wind and Flower Restaurant with Qi Yun.

As soon as they stepped out, the originally noisy street was eerily quiet.

Countless players were gathered around the restaurant entrance, pointing at Qin Ji with eyes full of schadenfreude. In the center of the crowd, a squad of NPC City Guards, wearing silver armor and holding long spears, was already standing ready.

"It's him! That red-name madman!"

"Tsk tsk, he killed so many people that his red name has turned black. Now he's blocked by the City Guard."

"He deserves it. Killing people near the main city, does he really think the NPCs are just decorations?"

The City Guard captain took a step forward, his long spear thudding heavily onto the ground, producing a crisp metallic sound.

"Adventurer Snow Emperor, you have committed excessive slaughter, and your sin value has violated the laws of Fengling City! We are ordered to expel you from the territory. If you dare to resist, you will be executed on the spot!"

Clang!

Dozens of guards raised their spears simultaneously, and a murderous aura rushed towards them.

Qi Yun was so scared his legs were trembling, and he subconsciously grabbed the corner of Qin Ji's coat: "Big... Big brother, what do we do? Should we run?"

Qin Ji merely raised an eyebrow, not even lifting a hand.

Expulsion?

Just as expected.

But since he dared to enter the city so openly, he had naturally prepared a backhand long ago. However, before he could take out the special item that could waive his sin value, an old but majestic voice suddenly came from behind the crowd.

"Stand down."

The voice wasn't loud, but it carried an unquestionable authority of a superior.

The City Guard captain frowned and shouted sternly, "The City Guard is enforcing the law! Unrelated personnel, quickly... huh?!"

Before he could finish his sentence, the crowd automatically parted.

An old man wearing a purple-gold mage robe and holding a withered wood staff walked slowly. The badge on his chest, which featured a burning golden flame, shone brightly in the night.

The moment he saw this badge, the originally arrogant City Guard captain's face instantly turned deathly pale. His knees buckled, and he knelt directly on the ground with a loud 'thud,' the sound of armor hitting the ground clearly audible.

"Pay... Paying respects to Court Chief Grand Mage Klein!"

Crash.

The surrounding guards knelt in a row, not even daring to breathe loudly.

The spectating players were completely dumbfounded.

This plot isn't right!

Shouldn't he be killed on the spot or thrown into the dungeon? Why did an even more powerful big shot suddenly appear, and by the looks of it, he's here to protect him?

"I am taking this person away."

The old mage known as Klein didn't even look at the guards kneeling on the ground. He walked straight up to Qin Ji, a flash of sharpness appearing in his cloudy old eyes, and bowed slightly.

"Your Excellency Snow Emperor, His Majesty requests your presence."

Qin Ji's expression was as usual, as if all of this was within his control. He glanced sideways at the already stunned Richest Under Heaven and said calmly, "I'll leave the rest for you to handle."

After saying that, he followed Klein towards the palace at the very center of Fengling City, under the shocked, jealous, and confused gazes of countless players.

"Snow Emperor... just what kind of hidden quest did he trigger?"

"The City Guard kneeling, the court mage personally welcoming him... is this still playing a game? It's like he's returning to his own home!"

...

Deep within the palace, the lights were brightly lit.

Passing through layers of guards, Qin Ji was led to a side hall.

Before even entering the door, he heard the sound of clinking glasses from inside, mixed with a few hypocritical compliments.

"Princess Leona really made a name for herself this time, killing that devil Grelorlinssen and removing a great harm for the kingdom!"

"Yes, I didn't expect Her Highness the Princess to be so unassuming, to actually be able to get to know such a strong person."

Klein stopped his pace, looked back at Qin Ji, and said in a low voice: "Your Excellency Snow Emperor, you are a smart man. The situation inside is somewhat complicated. When you see the Princess and the Prime Minister in a moment, you should understand what to say."

"Understood."

Qin Ji nodded, a playful smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

The so-called complexity was nothing more than that crafty old Prime Minister not believing the Princess could kill the boss and wanting to take the opportunity to cause trouble.

He pushed the door and entered.

The side hall was magnificent, with long tables lined with richly dressed NPC nobles on both sides.

Sitting on the left side of the main seat was a blonde girl in silver battle armor; it was the Second Princess of Fengling City, Leona. At this moment, her face was tense, clearly enduring immense pressure.

Opposite her, a middle-aged man with a goatee and sinister eyes was holding a wine glass, saying with a fake smile:

"Princess Leona, since you say that the brave warrior who killed the devil is your friend, why are you so reluctant to reveal his identity? Could it be... this credit is falsely claimed?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire hall fell silent.

Leona's fingers holding the wine glass turned slightly white, and she was about to retort.

"Prime Minister, your words are quite interesting."

A cold voice suddenly came from the doorway, breaking the dead silence in the hall.

Qin Ji strode into the hall, ignoring the pairs of scrutinizing eyes around him, and walked straight to the empty seat beside Leona.

He propped one hand on the table and leaned forward slightly, his eyes like an abyss staring intently at Prime Minister Kesenluo opposite him, a highly arrogant sneer on his lips.

"I am the one who killed Grelorlinssen. Why, does the Prime Minister wish to personally test if my blade is sharp enough?"

The moment the words fell, the bloody Killing Intent on Qin Ji's body, which had not yet dissipated, was released without reservation.

The candlelight in the hall flickered wildly at this moment, stretching Qin Ji's shadow extremely long, like a demon god about to devour someone, coldly looking down at this group of pampered elites.