Chapter 115: Chapter 115: Love and Strife
The Dungeon Association finally decided to collaborate with IKD.
With this news, the property prices near the Chuyun Mountain Dungeon skyrocketed. Qian Qi sold the houses he had previously bought and instantly became a millionaire.
"It’s simply unbelievable." Sitting on the sofa in the president’s office of IKD, Qian Qi clasped his hands, deep in thought. "A few months ago, I was merely an agricultural student toiling away in school fields, and now, I’m suddenly a millionaire!"
Of course, I have to thank Chen Tong a lot, for his initial investments allowed me to buy quite a few more properties and earn a lot of money.
"Here~ a reward for you~" Qian Qi patted the system and generously transferred 5,000 bucks to it via Light Brain, "I’m so awesome; follow me, and you won’t go hungry!"
System: ???
Seriously, 5,000? Who are you trying to fool?
Shouldn’t you just throw a few million at me?
Just as the system was contemplating throwing the 5,000 bucks back in Qian Qi’s face to express disinterest, Sheng Qinghong briskly walked into the president’s office.
"Hope I didn’t keep you waiting?" Sheng Qinghong greeted, his handsome face adorned with a smile. Obviously, with IKD stabilizing its position and starting to profit, he was in a great mood.
He personally poured a cup of tea for Qian Qi, "Where do you plan to go next?"
"I want to ask you something." Instead of answering Sheng Qinghong’s question, Qian Qi asked, "Your Flying Group manufactures hovercars able to withstand Magic Beast attacks, right? The materials must be quite expensive?"
"Yes," Sheng Qinghong nodded, "But the profit from hovercars is high; the cost isn’t as high as you might think. Perhaps that’s why IKD has been under pressure from those two companies."
If IKD followed the crowd, it wouldn’t face much pressure and would ultimately become just another mediocre flying company like the others.
But to become the third top choice next to the two major flying groups, IKD must withstand pressure and fight a price battle to the end.
Business competition is always brutal; if IKD loses, it can only admit defeat.
"Can you do me a favor?" Qian Qi let go of her hands, her expression slightly serious, "Do you take other orders? For example, help me build a secure basement that even a B-level Magic Beast couldn’t breach."
"It doesn’t need to be large, about 40 square meters is fine."
"Are you thinking of building a safe bunker at your place?" Sheng Qinghong instantly understood Qian Qi’s intention.
Qian Qi chuckled, "Yes."
She wanted to leave a safe place for the Bright Orphanage so that if one day she suddenly passed away like in her previous life, she wouldn’t leave "family" with nothing.
At least this time, she wanted to be prepared, so she could feel more at ease when away from home in the future.
"No problem." Sheng Qinghong nodded, "I will hire a reliable architect to help you build the bunker."
"Then you can calculate the cost for me."
With Sheng Qinghong’s promise, Qian Qi sighed in relief, leaning back on the sofa.
With this issue resolved, her purpose of coming to Xia City and approaching IKD was fully achieved.
Sheng Qinghong did the math and finally said, "I’ll give you the cost price, which is 330 million."
Qian Qi: ...
Qian Qi: ???
How much???
Qian Qi looked incredulously at the expenses Sheng Qinghong calculated on paper, then at her Light Brain account, which had exactly 330 million left...
One moment she was a millionaire, and the next she was broke with zero?
"What’s wrong? Is this fee a bit hard to swallow?" Sheng Qinghong asked nervously, clearly concerned about Qian Qi’s reaction despite being the cheapest offer.
"I’m... okay." Qian Qi replied painfully, "Let’s make it 330 million then. I’ll send you the address and hope you find someone reliable to supervise."
"No problem!" Sheng Qinghong agreed.
After leaving IKD, Qian Qi looked at her account balance of 3.74, squatted by the street, and sighed deeply.
She looked pitifully at the system, "Tongzi, can we discuss something?"
[What?]
"Hehe..." Qian Qi laughed shamelessly, "Can the 5,000 bucks I gave you as a reward when I walked in be returned to me?"
System: ???
The system put on a smiley face: [Qian Qi is so awesome, following you, I surely won’t go hungry.]
[So, Qian Qi certainly won’t dig out the already digested poop from my stomach, right? ＾＿＾]
Qian Qi: "I will, now give it back."
System: ...
The system underestimated Qian Qi’s shamelessness. It spat out 200 bucks, expressionless, and said: [Taking a bus back only costs 200 bucks.]
[Keep it up, Qian Qi~ Continue showing off your stingy attributes~ ＾＿＾]
Qian Qi: ...
Damn it, shouldn’t she, a penny-pincher, be bound to a Rich Uncle System? Why is she stuck with a stingy system of similar attributes!!!
Holding the humiliating 200 bucks tightly, Qian Qi embarked on her journey home...
——
Sheng Qinghong was quite efficient. In just a few days, the underground bunker for the Bright Kindergarten was under construction.
Qian Qi spent her days grinding in dungeons and supervising construction, living a delightful and carefree life. Of course, the pain of being broke always loomed around her like a shadow.
Within the dungeon, Qian Qi wiped her sweat, leaning on her hoe.
The plains’ soil in the Vegetable Garden Dungeon was very fertile; plants grew rapidly. Now the tomato seedlings sprouted, the scallions were thriving, and some magic plants had already been harvested twice.
"Let me see, what other E-level Magic Plants does the new potion require..."
Qian Qi, wearing a straw hat and a blade of grass in her mouth, stood by the field. Her small hand swiped through the system panel, jotting down the last few names of E-level Magic Plants before sending them to Li Hongsheng.
[I am your uncle]: Send seeds of these magic plants to the Bright Orphanage.
[Studying for the Rise of Magic Plants]: Have you developed a new potion formula?
[I am your uncle]: Don’t ask questions you shouldn’t, or beware of a sore bum ＾＿＾.
[Studying for the Rise of Magic Plants]: ???
After sending the message, Qian Qi turned off the Light Brain, shoulder her long blade, and headed into the Black Forest.
Over the past month, she had completed the Vegetable Garden Dungeon 14 times, exploring much of the Black Forest along the way to make full use of the Decoding Technique, collecting many new magic plants.
"After collecting all the E-level Magic Plants for the Frenzy Potion Formula, I still need Sikong Wang’s mother’s medicine. Afterward, I have to wait until my Power Level reaches C-level to plant the spiritual healing potion’s C-level Magic Plants. Meanwhile, I might as well produce some Hemostatic Medicine and Defense Fruits..."
Qian Qi muttered as she swiftly eliminated a Three-headed Demon Electric Lion she passed by. Her adept actions showed she was well accustomed to such tasks. She continued to search for new magic plants, analyzing, collecting seeds, and preparing to plant them back on the plains.
When afternoon came, Qian Qi returned to the plains full of harvest, ready to continue cultivating her small field. Suddenly, she spotted something and was instantly horrified.
"Who—" Her voice trembled, as if she had seen her young wife being violated, and she roared in fury, "Which bastard ate all my scallions!"