The Price, Wild Joy

Stepping out of the elevator, they entered a massive lounge. The lounge alone spanned nearly three to four hundred square meters, lined with long sofas where several people were waiting to be received by Manager Fang. Yet, they watched as a squad of Warriors, without any wait, walked directly towards Manager Fang's office. “Manager Fang is inside, please,” Miss Liu said, leading Luo Feng and his team directly into Manager Fang’s office. Inside the office, Luo Feng glanced around. The decor was crystal clear, with tempered glass flooring. Beneath the glass, a stream flowed, teeming with fish. Standing on the glass, he could see many fish swimming below his feet. “Truly extravagant,” Luo Feng thought to himself. “Gao Feng, it seems you’ve made a killing this time,” a bald, round-faced elder said, rising from his seat and walking over with a smile. “Come, sit over here.” The group sat opposite each other on a sofa in one corner of the office. “What goods do you have this time?” the round-faced elder asked with a smile. “Let’s have a look.” “Old Fang, I’m about to give you a sight to behold,” Gao Feng chuckled. “While you, a big manager, deal with many Warrior Squads, this particular item is something you rarely get to see. Luo Feng, bring it out.” “Oh?” Manager Fang was surprised, his eyes lighting up. Luo Feng smiled at Manager Fang, placed his backpack at his feet, and then pulled out the most valuable item—the Silvermoon Wolf’s pelt. He spread the entire pelt on the floor, making it look like a flattened Silvermoon Wolf, its ferocious and domineering aura still faintly visible. “A Hunter!” Manager Fang exclaimed, involuntarily standing up. “Good heavens!” Manager Fang couldn’t help but exclaim in his local dialect. “Old Gao, this is quite a haul! A Hunter of this size must be a high-level General-level beast. Given the Silvermoon Wolf’s speed, even a Wargod-level expert would find it hard to catch and kill it.” The Silvermoon Wolf’s speed was indeed astonishing. Even when severely injured, it could burst to supersonic speeds! Imagine its velocity! “Tsk tsk, this pelt is incredibly intact,” Manager Fang observed carefully. “It seems the cuts were made precisely along the wounds. Its completeness is truly remarkable.” Manager Fang’s eyes gleamed. The Silvermoon Wolf’s fur was indeed considered a top-tier material for clothing among the world’s upper echelons. While the pelt had other uses, some influential figures in the world were willing to pay exorbitant prices for it to be made into clothing. “Wait for me,” Manager Fang immediately rushed to his desk. He quickly retrieved a briefcase from the bookshelf behind his desk and hurried back with it. “Gao Feng, don’t dawdle. Bring out the other materials from the Hunter,” Manager Fang urged with a smile, simultaneously opening the briefcase. Inside, a set of precision instruments was carefully arranged. As he activated the device, a red beam of light immediately shot out from its top. Luo Feng took out items one by one from his backpack: The peculiar eyeballs, sharp claws, fangs, and leg bones… “A complete collection,” Manager Fang’s eyes shone as the instrument’s red light scanned the pelt, then the eyeballs, claws, fangs, and so on. A series of data flashed across the instrument’s small screen. Manager Fang stared at the data with a serious expression, simultaneously inputting information via a virtual keyboard. Moments later— “Hmm.” “These materials are indeed from the same Hunter. And this Hunter is certainly a high-level General-level beast!” As Manager Fang finished speaking, Gao Feng chuckled, “It should be a high-level General-level beast, close to the Lord-level!” There was a significant difference even within the high-level General-level. A beast that had just entered the high-level General-level could differ several times in strength from one nearing the Lord-level. Naturally, their prices would also vary greatly. “Heh heh, yes, I can’t hide that from you,” Manager Fang chuckled. “Alright, name your price.” The Fire Hammer Squad members exchanged glances, and Gao Feng gestured to Luo Feng with his eyes. Luo Feng smiled and said, “Manager Fang, what price do you think is appropriate?” Luo Feng was quite clear about the market value of this Hunter, having seen many quotes on the Extreme Martial Arts Dojo’s trading platform and the HR Alliance online mall. Selling a high-level General-level monster to the Extreme Martial Arts Dojo would yield less cash but more contribution points. For the HR Alliance Mall, a high-level General-level monster typically sold for between 50 million and 500 million Huaxia coins. Of course, this Hunter’s inherent strength, its extreme rarity, and its status as a royal wolf species meant its price would exceed the usual upper limit. “How about this, these materials are indeed excellent. Six hundred million Huaxia coins!” Manager Fang took a deep breath and stated the price directly. Even for him, deals of this magnitude were rare. Some beginner Lord-level monster carcasses and materials usually fetched around this price. Gao Feng, Luo Feng, and the others exchanged glances. Before coming, Luo Feng and the team had discussed the price and had a figure in mind. Luo Feng had seen on a Warrior forum that a medium-level General-level Hunter in South America had sold for about 50 million Earth coins. Fifty million Earth coins was equivalent to 175 million Huaxia coins. If a medium-level General-level Hunter could sell for that much, their high-level General-level one, nearing the Lord-level, should command a much higher price. “Old Fang, you’re lowballing us,” Gao Feng frowned. “In South America, a medium-level General-level Hunter sells for 175 million Huaxia coins. For ours, asking for nine hundred million or a billion shouldn’t be a problem.” “Gao Feng, don’t play games with me. Nine hundred million or a billion, it’s impossible to reach that price,” Manager Fang said with a wry smile. Luo Feng smiled inwardly at the sight. During their team discussion, they had estimated this Hunter could sell for 700 to 800 million, which would be a fair price. Captain Gao Feng was just trying to intimidate Manager Fang. “We nearly lost my brother’s arm trying to kill this Silvermoon Wolf,” Gao Feng said, his expression darkening. “I won’t haggle with you any further… Eight hundred million Huaxia coins, take it or leave it! If you agree, the deal is done. Otherwise, I’ll have to find someone else. I came straight to you, Old Fang, without approaching anyone else, purely out of respect for our long-standing relationship.” Manager Fang glanced at Zhang Ke; indeed… Zhang Ke’s arm was broken. “It seems Manager Fang can’t afford this price. Let’s go,” Gao Feng stood up, and Luo Feng immediately began collecting the Silvermoon Wolf’s pelt and other items. “Seven hundred and fifty million, that’s my limit,” Manager Fang said, frowning. Gao Feng remained silent, and Luo Feng finished packing everything. “Let’s go,” Gao Feng said, heading for the door. “Gao Feng, seven hundred and fifty million is a good offer!” Manager Fang, exasperated, watched as Gao Feng and the others opened the door and started to leave, then shouted, “Come back! I’ll agree to your price!” Luo Feng, Gao Feng, and Chen Gu exchanged smiles at the doorway. There were over a dozen managers responsible for acquiring monster materials at the HR Alliance Mall. The HR Alliance Mall operated on a last-place elimination system; if someone had the worst performance in a year, they would be stripped of their manager title, with new blood taking their place. Under such immense pressure… Each manager naturally sought ways to acquire monster materials from Warriors. Back in the office. “You Warriors are all too ruthless these days,” Manager Fang lamented while processing the transfer. “Managers from various regions, agents, and even some Warriors themselves are all buying monster materials from Warriors. With such competition, prices have become transparent, and our profits are shrinking. Seeing you earn eight hundred million in one go, even I, Old Fang, want to venture into the wilderness to hunt monsters. Unfortunately, my old bones probably couldn’t even handle a Soldier-level beast.” As he spoke, Manager Fang completed the various transfer procedures. “Manager Fang, you’ve been in this business for so many years; your personal assets probably aren’t less than mine,” Gao Feng chuckled. “Luck, occasionally landing a big deal, and earning a commission,” Manager Fang replied with a faint smile. Gao Feng grinned, “You’re making at least eight figures on this deal.” “Not that much,” Manager Fang shook his head. “Alright, it’s done. Eight hundred million Huaxia coins have been transferred to your Warrior Squad’s account.” Gao Feng and Chen Gu, the captain and vice-captain, both received balance change notifications on their communication watches, confirming an increase of eight hundred million Huaxia coins in their account. “Old Fang, that was quick,” Gao Feng chuckled. “Next time you have such a big deal, you must remember me,” Manager Fang said with a smile. “Currently, we managers are under a lot of pressure. If I could become a Base City regional supervisor, I’d be much more relaxed.” “Indeed,” Gao Feng nodded. “But powerful monsters are tough to deal with; my brother even lost an arm.” “Yes, a broken arm…” Manager Fang sighed, shaking his head. “Although there are treasures in the world that can regenerate severed limbs, their price is astronomical, beyond the imagination of ordinary Warriors.” “Regenerate severed limbs?” Luo Feng’s mind went blank. When he first became a Warrior, Luo Feng had searched for peculiar medicines in online malls, but he never found any that could regrow severed arms or legs. He had always thought… such medicine didn’t exist. “There’s such medicine?” Gao Feng also exclaimed in surprise. “Manager Fang, what is it? Can severed legs also regenerate?” Luo Feng eagerly pressed, his voice filled with urgency. Oh, heavens. His brother had been disabled for so many years. If he could make his brother stand again, he would risk everything. “Yes, it’s the legendary ‘Water of Life.’ Not to mention severed arms or legs, it can even regrow half a body,” Manager Fang explained with emotion. “However, this item is created using the essence of an existence beyond the Lord-level—the invincible King-level beast, the Earth Dragon King—as its primary material. How many Earth Dragon Kings are there in the entire world? Therefore, every dose of the Water of Life is astronomically expensive! And it’s incredibly rare; it’s not sold in online malls. Our Alliance doesn’t even have any in stock. The price has now reached thirty billion Huaxia coins per dose, and it has a price but no market.” “Thirty billion per dose? Has a price but no market?” Luo Feng’s heart pounded. Recalling his brother sitting in his wheelchair, silently gazing out the window, Luo Feng clenched his fists: “No matter what… I will make my brother stand again! I will!”