Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
After seeing of Liu Zhaoyu and her friends, Gao Peng went back to his office and took out the latest issue of a science magazine.
Usually, when there were no customers around, Gao Peng would order a few magazines to read. This way he could kill time and learn new knowledge at the same time, since the two were not mutually exclusive anyway.
One of the articles caught Gao Peng’s attention. Its author was Ming Gandan, a rather well known writer in academia who often published articles in various famous magazines.
The article mentioned, “Wood generates fire, being warm by nature… Based on the nature of heaven and earth, majority triumphs over minority; hence water triumphs over fire. Proficiency triumphs over toughness, hence fire triumphs over metal… In conclusion, wood feeds fire, fire creates earth, earth bears metal, metal collects water, water nourishes wood. Metal cuts wood, wood parts earth, earth absorbs water, water quenches fire, fire melts metal.”
These things that Ming Gandan mentioned were things that he had found from ancient works. He then brought up other kinds of ideas that people had already understood since ancient times and made more references to ancient works.
Gao Peng relished in his readings. He largely agreed with what was being written, but there were quite a few problems as well.
Based on the information that Gao Peng could see from monsters that he met in real life, most followed the interactions of the Five Elements.
But there were quite a few exceptions as well. In the first place, life was formed to give birth to miracles. Not all lifeforms followed the rules of the interactions between the Five Elements. There were uncommon monsters that did not follow these laws and even behaved in the reverse.
Just take the Mint Cat that he worked on earlier as an example. Water was supposed to nourish wood. According to the norm, water-type attacks on the Mint Cat would have the damage greatly reduced; but its weakness was water instead. Just the exact opposite of what was expected.
Gao Peng thought that he would have no more business that afternoon, but as he was reading, a few people entered the studio.
Within these few people, there was a familiar face: Big Money Ma. No, that’s not right, it’s Ma Jian.
In Gao Peng’s mind, he secretly made an apology to Ma Jian for his presumptuous name-calling.
“Mr. Gao, I’m here to trouble you again,” said Ma Jian, laughing heartily revealing his easy-going nature.
Behind Ma Jian were two people, a man and a woman. They were around the same age and, from the way they interacting with each other, seemed to be a couple.
However, what caught Gao Peng’s attention was not the couple, but the rainbow-colored jellyfish that was floating quietly in mid-air next to the woman.
This jellyfish was octahedral. Below its body were many short and stubby tentacles that swayed gently. The most fascinating thing about the jellyfish was that instead of floating in water, it floated in air!
To think that there was such a fascinating life form that could move through the air as though it were the sea.
Gao Peng was deeply moved on the inside.
But the jellyfish was not the one that needed to be promoted. It was the Familiar that was lying on the side, that looked both like both a domesticated cat and a tiger at the same time.
It was not very large; only a four and a half feet in length. Its entire body was black as though it were covered in matte.
Gao Peng recognized this Familiar as a Tiger Cat. It was originally a cat, but the cataclysm it had awakened the tiger blood within it, giving rise to a monster with the agility of a cat and the tremendous power of a tiger.
Gao Peng looked at the monster. He was surprised to find that the Tiger Cat was only of normal grade. But that should be expected. After all, it did not make sense to find that many excellent and perfect grade monsters.
“My Tiger Cat here is at the excellent grade. I am here today hoping that you can help me raise it to a perfect grade,” said the man. He spoke in a gentle manner and his mandarin was good.
Excellent grade?
Gao Peng showed a look of confusion. He took another look. It was indeed a level 18 normal grade Tiger Cat.
He opened his mouth wanting to say something, but he could not bear to say it out.
Talking too much can breed enmity.
Gao Peng did not know whether or not he should tell the man the truth. But he felt that he was not familiar with the man anyway and that it could be presumptuous of him to point it out.
“Mm, I’ll charge you 60 Alliance Credits for this Tiger Cat then,” replied Gao Peng with a nod.
The man was surprised and gave Ma Jian an uncertain look.
Ma Jian himself was stunned too. He immediately told Gao Peng, “Mr. Gao, I have already informed my cousin about your customs and your fees. He has no problems with them so you can charge your fees as per normal.” After that, Ma Jian coughed and laughed sheepishly before continuing, “I know that you’re a practical man Mr. Gao, but it’s really alright. Please don’t give a discount because of our close relationship. I know that doing business can’t be that easy for you as well.”
In that moment, everyone around could practically see the tail coming out of Ma Jian’s behind, wagging furiously.
“I know. I have no intention of giving a discount. It’s just that I can only accept this amount for the Tiger Cat, or else, it would be an insult to my reputation,” Gao Peng replied blandly.
“Eh? What does this mean?” Ma Jian did not understand immediately.
But his cousin, on the other hand, did. He squinted as he looked at the Tiger Cat by his side and then back at Gao Peng. A smile appeared on his face.
“Very well, it shall be as Mr. Gao says then.” With that, he took out his card and made payment without any delay at all.
A forthright man indeed!
Gao Peng loved doing business with such people the most.
Business was business and friendship was friendship. This was a good arrangement. After completing the deal, no one would owe each other anything!
After seeing Gao Peng take away his Tiger Cat, Ma Jian’s cousin took out a mobile phone from his pocket and made a call.
“Get Xu San to answer. Tell him Ma Yi is looking for him.”
There was surprise over on the other side of the line, followed by a pause.
“Master Ma, is anything the matter?”
“I got you to find me a Tiger Cat that was at least of excellent grade, did I not?” Ma Yi went straight to the point.
“…Yes, Master Ma. Are you unsatisfied with this Tiger Cat? If you’re unsatisfied I can-”
“Let me finish,” interrupted Ma Yi. “In the entire Chang’an City, you are not the only one in the Familiar trade. Cao Hu from City South, Li Laoer from City West; they are all dying to do business with me! Your older brother used to be my father’s subordinate. On his account, I am getting whatever Familiars my company usually needs from you. I trust you.”
There was silence on the other end of the line.
“My sister will be having her birthday in a week’s time. Her eighteenth birthday. She likes Tiger Cats, so I intend to give her a Tiger Cat of a high grade.
“But you! You gave me a normal grade Tiger Cat. What is the meaning of this?” Ma Yi’s eyes were narrowed, like a ferocious tiger waiting to pounce and do grievous harm. “Do I look like I’m easy to fool?”
Over the phone, Xu San was breaking out in a cold sweat. His right hand that was holding on to the phone shook uncontrollably.
“Master Ma, I really did not know. Even if I did know, I would never dare lie to you of all people,” pleaded Xu San. “When the Tiger Cat came I even arranged for someone to specially come over to examine it, and they said that it was of excellent grade.”
“Alright. I would rather believe that you did not know of this,” said Ma Yi. “We’ll leave this matter as it is. I will not pursue it at this time, but I hope that there will not be a next time.”
“Yesyesyes…” Xu San frantically agreed.
After seeing Ma Yi put down the phone, Ma Jian was absolutely confused. After making that phone call, nothing was done in the end. What was his cousin trying to do?
Ma Yi put the phone back in his pocket and looked around. Then he found a place to sit down.
He seemed to notice Ma Jian’s confusion.
Ma Yi’s stern face began to show a hint of gentleness as he spoke. “That Xu San has been a bit dishonest of late. I’m taking this opportunity to knock a bit of sense into him.”
“Brother, do you really trust Gao… Mr. Gao that much?” Ma Jian hesitated for a long while before asking the question that had been bugging him the whole time.
He himself naturally trusted Mr. Gao, but it was his cousin’s first time meeting him today.
“What I trust is not Mr. Gao, but my own two eyes,” replied Ma Yi plainly.
Finally, after two hours, the Tiger Cat was successfully promoted to excellent grade.
Ma Yi got up and expressed his thanks.
Gao Peng took the opportunity to ask, “Pardon me for asking, but may I know where you guys bought this jellyfish?”
Ma Jian immediately replied, “Is Mr. Gao interested in the Levitating Jellyfish as well? This Levitating Jellyfish is a specialty of Pengcheng. Recently, many vendors have imported quite a number of them over and are selling them at the Wuqu Square Commercial Street now. This jellyfish is actually just a pet I bought for fun. It basically functions as a tag-along wallet.”
With that, Ma Jian grabbed the Levitating Jellyfish, and then opened up the bottom of the jellyfish and tossed a bunch of keys into it. The keys simply vanished, as though they disappeared into another dimension.
Gao Peng saw this clearly. The keys were not swallowed into the body of the jellyfish but actually vanished right before his eyes, just like they were being swallowed into an unknown dimension.
