"What business?" Xu Mo was sowhat intrigued.
One hundred million Federation coins, though not comparable to Stark’s wealth and not enough to afford a large flat in Future City,
but at least, from then on, one could live without worrying about daily expenses.
"Do you know about Sha Day?" Stark asked.
"Yes." Xu Mo nodded. The first lesson at Noah Academy was about Sha Day. That lesson had left a deep impression on him.
It wasn’t hatred, but surprise at the terrifying strength humanity was capable of unleashing.
However, hundreds of years have passed since then, enough ti for many generations. It’s likely that people’s mories of that ti are vague now, relying on repeated propaganda to recall the war that erupted on Sha Day.
"Hundreds of years after Sha Day, Byron Star has been silently developing. Today, the city cluster centered around the capital has gained a certain amount of power, but according to estimates from those above, if Byron Star encounters an invasion of the sa level as back then, the outco would still be the sa."
Stark continued, "Therefore, on Byron Star, so of the upper echelons have already prepared their escape routes, migrating to other planets, obtaining citizenship or residence rights on other worlds, but only a minority."
"No one knows when interstellar warfare will engulf the planet again, the Federation Governnt can only develop with all its might. Therefore, on Byron Star, the first is the reverence for technology, and the second is personal combat power. Technology is the foundation; all weapons are inseparable from the advancent of technology. The reverence for individual combat power stems from the superpower individual on Sha Day. The Federation’s people hope that Byron Star can also produce such an existence."
"To this day on Byron Star, a group of superpower individuals has erged. They are now totems in the eyes of the public, those at the top of the pyramid, whose status in the hearts of the people surpass everything, even the Federation President. Moreover, they are also nurturing successors, relentlessly striving from generation to generation to prepare for future wars that may arise."
"To nurture the next generation, with their push as well as the governnt’s, the Federation Governnt holds the Transcendent Combat Tournant every year. Centered around the capital Chuanxing City, all Extraordinary Academies and major forces participate. If you manage to take first place, the Federation rewards one hundred million Federation coins. Additionally, you can enter a mysterious force above the Extraordinary Academy, to be cultivated as Byron Star’s future."
"One hundred million Federation coins as a prize." Xu Mo was sowhat tempted. Indeed, the Federation Governnt needed so incentives to nurture Transcendents.
"Of course, in reality, one hundred million Federation coins is not much. The endorsent fee and ticket sales for the Transcendent Combat Tournant can bring in enormous profits. If you really can take first place, Federation coins will beco less important. It’s about status, prestige. Do you understand what I’m saying?" Stark looked at Xu Mo.
"Do you think I’m stupid?" Xu Mo asked.
"A little." Stark continued, "The Stark Group will also send representatives to fight. If you can represent the Stark Group, it’s akin to being an endorser. You’ll need to use the equipnt and weapons of the Stark Group. Basic endorsent fee: ten million Federation coins. If you can get into the top one hundred, for every ten spots you advance, add ten million. If you make it into the top ten, there’s more."
"How much would I get if I take first place?" Xu Mo had already started calculating in his mind.
"First place?" Stark glanced at Xu Mo, "Forget it, it would be good enough if you make it into the top one hundred."
Xu Mo looked at Stark, who had been beaten by him many tis, and yet Stark was so distrustful of him?
"Your Source Power Level has reached B class, and even if you can rank first or second in the B class Super God Arena, don’t forget that there are B class peak figures. Additionally, many top experts haven’t entered the Super God Arena. If your Source Power Level reaches B , perhaps you can contend for the top ten. The reason I say you have hope for the top one hundred is that you can use all B class level weapons and Armor to enhance your Combat Power; otherwise, even the top one hundred would be challenging," Stark explained as he looked at Xu Mo.
Xu Mo nodded; this analysis seed to make sense indeed.
"Of course, as for the top ten being hopeless, it’s because the participants are not just native Transcendents from Byron Star." Stark looked at Xu Mo and continued, "The Transcendent Combat Tournant’s top three have been monopolized by Alien Races for many years. Even breaking into the top ten is very difficult for us. If soone from Byron Star can enter the top ten, they would achieve imnse prestige. If they defeat those Alien Races and enter the top three, they could practically do as they please on Byron Star. The Federation President might even personally receive them."
Entering the top three ant sothing entirely different.
It ant breaking the monopoly of the Alien Race.
"So, it seems that even on Byron Star, we’re facing suppression from Alien Races?" Xu Mo said, interpreting the monopoly as a form of suppression indeed.
"Yes," Stark nodded.
"If you think my potential is probably in the top hundred, why offer an endorsent fee of ten million basic Federation dollars?" Xu Mo asked. He felt uneasy accepting money that Stark seed to insist on giving.
"With your strength, you should not suffer a loss," Stark said.
"Then I’ll consider it," Xu Mo replied.
"Good," Stark nodded.
......
In Chuanxing City, among the high-rise buildings, there hid a lush green area seamlessly integrated with the city.
In this district stood a castle, appearing as an ancient relic left by the city.
Inside the castle, Zero stood quietly, bowing her head.
"Do you like him?" Zero’s mother asked, standing in front of her.
Zero did not speak.
Her mother looked at her.
For years, she had been strict with Zero, raising her from a young age, laying a solid foundation for her cultivation so that she could go further in the future.
Now that Zero had co of age, her mother had only just begun to let her experience the outside world.
However, it seed she had neglected Zero’s emotions.
Emotions, the greatest killer of a woman.
She did not oppose Zero interacting with the outside world or making friends, but she did not wish for Zero to fall into the throes of emotion. The slightest carelessness could destroy all the efforts of the past.
"If you reach the Qiong Shi realm, I will not oppose anything you wish to do, but for now, you still need to devote all your energy to cultivation, and nothing else can occupy your ti," her mother said.
Zero’s mother spoke, "Go to the Cultivation Tower; co out after one hour. If you still want to see him in the future, I won’t oppose, but for every eting, you must spend one hour in the Cultivation Tower."
Zero glanced at her mother, then turned and walked towards a direction.
Watching Zero’s retreating figure, the woman was montarily stunned.
It seems that she has finally grown up.
She used to dread entering the Cultivation Tower.
The dark Cultivation Tower, like a massive instrunt.
Zero entered, standing quietly as, in an instant, tendrils like those of a monster locked onto her body, connecting to her brain.
"Boom…" A terrifying sensation hit her, and Zero felt she had fallen into endless darkness. Her consciousness was pulled into a vast starry sky, where there existed spiritual suppressions of extre strength.
A giant like an ancient god stood before her, a terrifying spiritual suppression descending upon her consciousness; a Star Sky Giant Beast opened its gaping maw towards her;
Inside the Cultivation Tower, Zero’s body trembled slightly, as if she were experiencing extre fear.
Her palm clenched tightly. In the palm of her right hand was a toy, a gift from Xu Mo. He had said that she was like a princess ready for battle!
The fear within Zero seed to dissipate sowhat, her body’s trembling lessened, and gradually she regained her calm.
A tear trickled from the corner of her eye. She had to be strong.
......
Stek Group.
Photo shoot hall.
Ye Qingdie was in the middle of a photo shoot, donning different styles of Battle Armor or Armor, her weapons constantly changing as she posed under the guidance of the photographer.
"Cos!"
Xu Mo found that even clad in Armor, Ye Qingdie still managed to accentuate her fiery figure, her heroic posture striking.
The photographer was continuously directing, his eyes glued to the scene.
Xu Mo, watching from the side, grew restless, almost wishing he could thrash the photographer.
Stark was also there, watching Ye Qingdie change outfits, his glance shifting towards Xu Mo from ti to ti.
Beast!
"What are you looking at?" Xu Mo noticed Stark’s odd gaze.
"Jealous." Stark patted Xu Mo’s shoulder, saying all that needed to be said without words.
"Isn’t your group a tech company? Why do you need this kind of endorsent too?" Xu Mo asked.
"Tech companies also need to sell products. Not only does a product need to feel technological, but for the female demographic, it needs to combine with aesthetics too. Without making money, where’s the profit to fund research and developnt?" Stark explained.
"They’re all no good," Xu Mo cursed. Capitalists, huh.
"You don’t understand," Stark continued. "The bigger the company, the greater the danger. If we don’t develop outstanding products, we could be eliminated by the market at any ti. Take chas, for example. Aside from the strength level of the weapons, the synchronization ti between the cha and the pilot’s reactions must approach zero as closely as possible, and the margin of operational errors must be infinitely reduced. In the showdown between top fighters, a slight error can be the key to victory or defeat."
"But you wouldn’t understand."
"Can you pilot a cha?" Xu Mo looked at Stark.
"Not really," Stark admitted.
"Then why are you teaching ?" Xu Mo shot back.
Stark: "......"
"Alright, that’s it." At this mont, the shoot wrapped up, and the photographer addressed Ye Qingdie: "Miss Ye, would you mind exchanging contact information? It’d be convenient for arranging the next shoot."
"It’s not very convenient." Before Ye Qingdie could speak up, Xu Mo interjected, "Just have Stark arrange it."
He really didn’t like the look in that photographer’s eyes.
Hearing Xu Mo’s words, Ye Qingdie smiled at him playfully.
"I’ll do it," Stark told the photographer, who left, looking disappointed.
"So much jealousy. What will you do if she becos famous?" Stark looked at Xu Mo. "With the promotional power of the Stek Group and Sister Butterfly’s qualifications, it would be easy for her to beco popular."
"Resign..."
Xu Mo spoke up and then walked towards Ye Qingdie: "Let’s head back."
Ye Qingdie smiled and nodded, changing back into her own clothes before the pair headed straight for the exit, Xu Mo waving at Stark behind his back.
Once in the car, Ye Qingdie kept smiling at Xu Mo.
"Sister Butterfly, maybe you should just quit?" Xu Mo suggested.
Seeing the ambiguous smile on Ye Qingdie’s face, he added, "I’m just really annoyed by that photographer’s look."
"Are you going to support if I quit?" Ye Qingdie retorted with a smile.
"It’s not out of the question," Xu Mo replied.
"I think you’re more suited to being a kept man," Ye Qingdie teased: "How’s your little girlfriend doing?"
"Zero." Xu Mo had sent Mia and Elsa off to school yesterday and had been busy all day.
He took so ti to visit the Stek Group today and hadn’t contacted Zero yet.
She hadn’t reached out to him?
"She’s probably studying," Xu Mo said.
"Is that an admission?" Ye Qingdie teased with an insinuating smile.
"Uh…" Xu Mo felt as if he’d been tricked, though he had grown used to Ye Qingdie’s teasing.
"If Zero is the little girlfriend, then Sister Butterfly would be the main girlfriend," Xu Mo countered as Ye Qingdie teased him.
"Main girlfriend?" Ye Qingdie looked at him.
"Yeah." Xu Mo nodded seriously, his eyes again drifting to places they shouldn’t.
Ye Qingdie reached out and pinched him hard at the waist.
"Sister Butterfly is driving," Xu Mo protested.
Reviews
All reviews (0)