Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The giant beast hidden beneath the sea was more than a million square feet in size. Although no one knew what the monster was, they were all but certain that it was a living creature.
Having such a huge beast lurking offshore so close to Yang Cheng, anyone in Yang Cheng would be frantic with worry.
Furthermore, according to the results of an earlier investigation, this mysterious beast was constantly summoning nearby marine monsters, and it wasn’t just for fun. Given the previous wave of monster attacks, the citizens of Yang Cheng could tell that a full-on war was just around the corner.
An atmosphere of tension suffused the whole city. The ocean was a special environment that limited most of mankind’s existing scientific and technological weapons. Therefore, trainers would be the main force in the fight against monsters. This time, in order to invite the best trainers, the Yang Cheng and Peng Cheng militaries combined their resources and spent it all to recruit the best.
After all, fighting monsters was dangerous. Trainers wouldn’t risk their lives for just anything.
“Did the one in Southern Sky agree to come?” The mayor of Yang Cheng Base City pinched the bridge of his nose wearily.
“That guy has no heart. Everyone else has agreed to come, but he chose to sit this one out!” said a man in his forties next to the mayor rather nastily. Everything about the man’s face was sharp, from his jawline to his eyebrows.
“Chief Di, that’s not exactly true. After all, he did help us out with the situation at Peach Bay.” A portly man next to them laughed gently.
Di Nei sulked. “Peach Bay was so close to his company! Of course he would tell us what he found! He’s just using us to get rid of a threat to him. This guy won’t do anything that doesn’t benefit him in some way. I’m calling bullsh*t on his excuse. ‘Too weak’ my *ss.”
The mayor shook his head when he heard this. “All right. Stop arguing. Our cake is only so big. If we control ourselves a little bit, we can make an even bigger cake and have as many pieces as we want. Don’t forget how Yang Cheng developed in the early days. Tell him that Southern Sky will be tax-exempt for the first three years, and they’ll be taxed at 50% for the two years after. We’ve already shown him our sincerity, now let’s see what he can do.”
As the head of commerce, Di Nei felt an acute sense of loss. Southern Sky would have been a great source of tax revenue.
“Don’t look so upset. Lower taxes means that they’ll have more money to spend, which they’ll most likely reinvest in our local economy. It might seem like we’re getting the short end here, but it’ll work out in the long run. Trust me,” the portly man explained calmly.
Di Nei rolled his eyes. Of course, he already knew that. He just didn’t like the brat’s attitude.
“Don’t get too chummy with them. I know your brother works there, but remember where your loyalty lies.” Di Nei shot him a cold look.
“Of course. I wouldn’t have it any other way.” The portly man seemed unflappable. He had a kind smile on his face as he tried to explain himself.
…
Even though Yang Cheng had spent a king’s ransom on bringing in familiars from all over the world, most of the strongest ones were still from the Huaxia region.
There were more flights than usual coming into Yang Cheng that day since trainers from all over the world were flying in.
The Ming Zhu Building was the newest landmark in Yang Cheng. At 780 feet tall, it looked like a giant torch from afar.
There was a huge swimming pool on the rooftop, but Gao Peng had converted it into a pond of sorts, breeding a couple of dozen fish-type creatures. There were even lily pads and reeds, giving it the appearance of an extremely well-kept fishing pond.
Lounging on a beach chair, Gao Peng cast his line in a perfect arc that landed in the pond with a soft plop.
Moments later, he felt a tug on his line. Whatever fish was on the hook wasn’t going down without a fight, putting up a titanic struggle that stretched the line all the way to the other side of the pond.
Gao Peng held onto the pole with an iron grip, barely seeming flustered. “Not too shabby, right?” he said to Flamy.
Flamy stood crouched by him, nodding enthusiastically. “That was amazing, Gao Peng!”
With a satisfied smile on his face and a light flick of his arm, he reeled in a 7-foot-long Green-tailed Phoenix Fish that landed on the deck with a loud slap.
Flamy gulped.
“You can’t eat it though. We’re going to let it go and continue fishing,” Gao Peng said slowly.
Flamy was mad. What the hell was the point of it sitting there all this time then?
“Master Gao, there’s someone outside the gates who wishes to challenge you,” said a guard while entering the room.
“Again?” Gao Peng was at a loss for words. These people sure were persistent. How many nights in a row had it been? This wasn’t a movie, for crying out loud. One didn’t win based on effort alone.
He was just about to turn them down when he changed his mind. He wasn’t super busy anyway, and it would be nice to make some quick cash.
“Go hang a sign by the gates. Let everyone know that I’m open to friendly challenges. Two thousand credits per challenge. This is non-negotiable.”
The guard was just about to relay the message when Gao Peng stopped him. “Hold up. Make sure the contestants know that if they pay an extra 3,000 credits, I’ll throw the fight. Be subtle about it.”
“Ah?” The guard couldn’t believe his ears.
“You heard me. What are you still standing around for?” Gao Peng waved his hand in front of him.
As he watched the guard descend the stairs, he shook his head. “Silly man.”
When he turned around, the fish was half gone, it’s pearly bones clearly visible.
Flamy was wiping the corners of its mouth with a single wing, its eyes looking about shiftily when it made eye contact with Gao Peng. Its wing froze in the air mid-wipe.
Did Gao Peng see me?
What do I do?
