A Deal with the Southern Rare Earth Group

"Buzz!"

As the gravity field descended, instantly, golden V-shaped lines appeared beneath the feet of all players within a 100x100 yard radius, causing a significant reduction in movement speed. Moreover, not only was their movement speed reduced, but their attack speed was also decreased by 80%!

"Kill them all!"

With my Power Sword lowered, I charged into the crowd first, unleashing a barrage of attacks— Battle Roar, Consecutive Slashes, and Blade Storm—instantly maximizing my damage output.

At the same time, Zhang Ruolin spread her Left Hand, and lightning flashed between her fingers. Suddenly, a Maya Lightning Array was pulled down from the sky and raged through the crowd.

The pure elemental attack left no way out. The group of opponents seemed to have forgotten how to use their guns, panicking and turning pale.

"Withdraw!"

In the crowd, Rags, a level 59 Light Priest, shouted in English and immediately activated his invincibility, crushing a Phase Teleportation Core!

With Rags gone, the remaining players lost all fighting spirit. Nearly half of them used their invincible teleportation abilities, while the rest, lacking teleportation cores, had no choice but to use a resurrection scroll.

In less than a minute, the enemy's position of 30+ people was quickly crushed.

"The artillery positions are over there, follow me!"

Gun Like a Dragon Power Gun in his hand pointed southeast. He gave the order and led his men to attack.

My gaze was fixed on the jungle to my left. For a brief moment, I seemed to have seen the glint of a Power Weapon in the forest. In the National Server, only Ruolin, Gun Like a Dragon, and I currently possess Power Weapon, and we're all here, so that person must be a player from the foreign server.

He is most likely the mastermind behind this sneak attack.

Could it be Moon Soil?!

The mere thought of Moon Soil ignited a murderous intent within me!

"Whoosh!"

We split into two groups; they went to the right and I went to the left. I crouched low and darted into the forest, then activated my Bio-Optical Invisibility, instantly disappearing completely into the night sky and the woodland.

"Shh... shh..."

The forest floor was covered with fallen leaves, and the sound of footsteps rustling through them was deafening. Just as the Bio-Optical Invisibility effect was about to disappear, the gleam of Power Sword appeared in the forest ahead.

"Boom!"

With Explosive Charge and closed the distance in an instant, then unleashed a fluid and powerful sword strike!

"Ah!?"

The opponent let out a cry of surprise, and hurriedly turned his body, raising both hands to the hilt of his sword in a blocking stance!

"Clang~~~"

Sparks flew as the two Power Sword clashed!

In the firelight, I could see her face clearly.

She's incredibly beautiful, with a face that exudes exotic charm: a high nose, large eyes, fair skin, cherry lips, and short hair that swirls wildly. Combined with the spirited air between her brows, she's practically the most beautiful female player I've ever seen since entering <Star Abyss>!

"Ding Han!?"

She looked at me just the same way, and called out my name in surprise, speaking in standard Mandarin.

"Elizabeth?"

I was also taken aback, but the force was already irreversible. The heavy fire pressed down, creating a small shockwave between the two of us!

"Boom~~"

Elizabeth's strength was slightly inferior; her body trembled and she slid back nearly two meters. She managed to regain her balance by spreading her long legs apart.

"Ding Han, I meant no harm."

With a gentle flick of her wrist, she dispersed the force field of the Power Sword in her hand and withdrew her energy. Instantly, the cool Power Sword named "Radiance" turned gray.

"Um."

I, too, extinguished the light of the torch, and so the two of us stood in the dark forest, barely visible to those outside.

As for the equipment's luster, experienced players have long since turned it off. It's practically useless except for showing off, and almost everyone turns it off.

Of course, things are different when you go back to the Player Black Market. At first glance, it's all colorful and incredibly cool.

"Elizabeth, the Holy Grail Dragoons attacked the Chinese players' King of Glory City, what are you doing here?"

Actually, although Elizabeth is a royal name, when I say those four words, the image that comes to mind is that hairy old man from the anime Gintama.

This image is so striking to the image of this short-haired beauty!

Moreover, for someone like me who has played Azur Lane before, the name Elizabeth easily evokes the phrase "Elisabeth is naive and innocent," which sounds very silly and naive.

Coincidentally, according to the Alliance Leader Long's description, Elizabeth firmly opposes player civil war. In this context of player chaos, she does indeed seem a bit naive and innocent, which is quite fitting!

"The Holy Grail Dragoons are planning to attack the King of Glory City. I Gun Like a Dragon to this news. I couldn't dissuade them, so I could only secretly follow them here to see if I could do anything."

She bit her lip, her beautiful eyes looking at me. "In the end, a fight still broke out, and the losses were so huge."

I sighed.

Isn't it tiring for this woman to live under such circumstances?

"It seems you also deeply abhor player-versus-player warfare."

Elizabeth misunderstood my sigh and said, "Ding Han, you are one of the most well-known players in the Crimson Dragon Country faction. I hope we will have the opportunity to cooperate in the future."

As she spoke, she looked warily into the distance, where shadowy figures could be seen approaching, suggesting that other players were coming.

"It's too late!"

She took out her phone and said, "Let's add each other on WeChat, it'll be safer then. Scan my QR code."

I took out my phone, scanned the QR code, and added her as a friend.

Elizabeth's portrait is her own, with short hair, smiling sweetly in the wind.

This is so naive and innocent!

"They're gone!"

I drew my sword and retreated.

"Um!"

Elizabeth retreated as well, calling out in the darkness, "Ding Han, take care!"

A deafening roar came from afar, and streaks of flame shot into the sky.

The enemy's artillery vehicle was destroyed.

After a while, Zhang Ruolin returned and joined me, and the group returned to the King of Glory City.

"Drop!"

A message came from Elizabeth, whom she had just added as a friend, "Ding Han, don't let your guard down. This is just a disturbance by Moon Soil. He and Blood and Sand are planning something else big."

"What important matter?"

"Blow up the King of Glory City?"

"What?"

I sent a surprised emoji.

"It's true."

Elizabeth said, "I have friends in the Holy Grail Dragoons guild. I have confirmed that they are planning this, and they're even working on a large-scale bomb. I can't get any more information right now, but you all need to be careful."

"Okay, thank you."

I replied, "Elizabeth, you are our friend, Xie Xie you."

"It's not just because of friends, but more importantly..."

She paused, then replied, "I want to go home."

I Wu Yan.

Of those living in the Star Abyss, how many wouldn't want to go home?

The King of Glory City, Temporary Council Chamber.

The fluorescent lights were a bit dazzling as I walked side by side with Gun Like a Dragon into the not-too-large conference hall.

There was only one person inside, none other than the Guide, Zhou Jihuan.

"They've arrived?"

The Guide placed a tray with three cups of coffee on the table and said, "Current conditions don't allow for instant coffee, so please don't mind."

"Old Zhou."

After I sat down, I said, "I just saw Elizabeth outside."

"Elizabeth?"

The Guide showed a surprised expression. "The leader of the Gilded Rose Guild the European Server?"

"Um."

I nodded. "She told me that today's artillery bombardment was just an appetizer. People from other servers have their eyes on King of Glory City. Moon Soil and Blood and Sand are plotting to blow it up."

"Damn it... what I feared most has come to pass."

"I knew that the King of Glory City would be a tempting target for surrounding forces, but I didn't expect the people from the European Server and American servers to act so hastily," Gun Like a Dragon.

"Snort..."

The Guide smiled faintly, "It's alright. Blowing up the entire King of Glory City isn't that simple. It's a massive project. By the time they're ready, we'll have a countermeasure in place. Don't worry, there's nothing to worry about."

"That's good."

I looked at Gun Like a Dragon and said, "There's one more thing I don't understand. Elizabeth just added me on WeChat, Alliance Leader Long. Didn't she already have your contact information? Why did she still insist on contacting me?"

"Cough cough..."

Gun Like a Dragon was a little embarrassed. "It's a bit embarrassing to say, but you know, Europeans value strength the most, so Elizabeth subconsciously wanted to talk to the strongest player among us National Server players. Although we have connections, in her eyes, the person who truly carries weight on our side should be you."

"I see."

I nodded and smiled, then fell silent.

"Speaking of which, Elizabeth is quite an interesting woman."

Gun Like a Dragon laughed, "She's naive and foolish. She's a woman living in her own way of thinking, completely out of step with the ideas of most players on the European Server and American servers. Logically, she should have been banished long ago, but she's just too strong. She's one of the top players on the entire European Server, and her Gilded Rose Guild, is equally powerful. So, everyone on the European Server both hates and fears her."

I nodded.

The saying goes, "When the end times come, kill the Holy Mother first," and there's certainly some truth to that.

But what if this Holy Mother is the pinnacle of combat power?

That would probably mean that "what the Virgin Mary said makes some sense."

"Oh, right, since you two are both here, I have something to say to you."

The Guide lifted his hood, revealing a rather youthful face.

"Old Zhou, what are you saying?"

"Currently, the construction of our King of Glory City is about 30% complete. The good news is that everything is progressing quite smoothly, but the bad news is that we're almost out of money."

"So?"

"So the first thing we need to do now is to make money!"

The Guide looked out the window and said, "These mineral veins have quite rich reserves, and we must mine them quickly to turn the resources into cash. However, we don't have the technology to purify crystal ore here, so the most urgent task is to build a Crystal Refinery immediately. I don't have any connections in this area, so I'll have to rely on the two of you to handle it."

He smirked. "The task is given to both of you; whoever completes it first gets the reward."

The next second, a ringtone echoed in my ears.

[You have triggered the Main Quest "Crystal Refinery" (SS-rank)! Issued by: The Guide, Quest Content: The King of Glory City urgently needs to build a new Crystal Refinery and get it operational as soon as possible to provide a continuous source of funding for the entire city. Please resolve this issue! Quest Rewards: "Utopia Ring" (Quality: Pink), "Seventy-Two Extreme Slashes" (SS-rank Skill Tome)!]

Holy crap!!!

Is this reward for real?

An SS-class Main Quest actually rewards SSS-rank Skill?!

Since entering <Star Abyss>, the best skill I've ever had is SS-rank; I've never even heard of an SSS-rank Skill!

"I'm saying, Brother Huan..."

Looking at the Guide, Zhou Jihuan, I exclaimed in surprise, "You've even released a 3S skill book? Did you pawn your underwear?"

"That's really true..."

Zhou Jihuan said sullenly, "To be honest with you two, I've used all the world contribution points I've earned these past few days, including the Insect Abyss quest, the King of Glory City branch quest, and so on, to exchange for these two rewards."

As he spoke, he gave us a deep look and said, "Old Chen, Ding Han, you two are my right-hand men. As the saying goes, 'Don't let the good stuff go to outsiders,' so I've only given this task to the two of you. As for who can get the resources for a Crystal Refinery ahead of time, that's up to you two. I'm very fair and impartial."

"Clear."

The Gun Like a Dragon, gave him a knowing smile.

And I knew perfectly well that this was definitely not impartial, because it was obvious that Gun Like a Dragon's connections were much wider than mine; he was a big boss to begin with.

As for my connections... they're all with Lin Qingying, Lu Xiaobei, and Cheng Shuang.

At that moment, a little black figure appeared in my mind, pointing at my conscience and cursing me.

"Ding Han, is relying on women all you can do? You good-for-nothing, don't you feel ashamed?!"

Then a Xiao Bai man appeared and retorted, "Being popular with women is a kind of strength, you don't know anything."

As the two villains exchanged insults, I got up and left the King of Glory City, teleporting back to Huaining City.

This task definitely needs to be tackled quickly and with all our might, since SSS-rank Skill books aren't something you can get anytime.

Furthermore, according to the Guide, the items in the World Contribution Shop are refreshed daily, and it was only by luck that I managed to get this SSS-rank Skill book. These kinds of things are purely based on fate, and you might not get them next time.

It was very late when they got home, and Lin Qingying was already asleep.

I quickly washed up and went back to my room. I lay down and gave Su Wei a voice message.

"Waaah..."

Su Wei, who seemed to have just been sleeping, asked, "Ding Han, what's wrong?"

"Excuse me, Su Wei, I'm sorry to disturb your sleep. I just have something I'd like to ask you."

"Okay, you go ahead."

"We players have occupied a crystal mine in the wilderness and want to build a Crystal Refinery, but we don't have any connections or experience in this area. So we'd like to ask you for advice. Your army is stationed in the Jiangning Province Area, so you must know a lot about this, right?"

"This...?"

Su Wei thought for a moment and said, "To be honest, the crystal refining business in Jiangning Province is basically outsourced. And coincidentally, the largest crystal refiner in Jiangning Province is from your Huaining City, named Fan Changgui. That's all I know."

"Oh... Fan Changgui..."

I nodded. "That's all? Just knowing the name isn't enough; I need to cooperate with him..."

Su Wei laughed and said, "Just kidding. Actually, there's another important piece of information. Fan Changgui is the boss of Southern Rare Earth Group, a leading domestic crystal refining company. He and Yue Ning Energy have been cooperating for many years. So... isn't your girlfriend Lin Qingying the boss of Yue Ning Energy? Getting her to make the connection and have a meal with Fan Changgui shouldn't be a problem. As for whether it will be successful, that depends on you."

"Clear!"

My heart leaped with joy. "Thank you so much, Su Wei! Go to sleep now!"

Goodnight, my darling!

She whimpered, seemingly burrowing back under the covers, then her voice came through. "I forgot to hang up the voice call, you can hang up now."

So I turned off the voice recording.

The next morning, I got up early to wash and get ready.

In May, as the weather warmed up, Lin Qingying finally decided to ditch her trousers and switch to a work outfit consisting of a top and skirt. With her name tag on, this office lady style was absolutely captivating.

"Xiaoying, you look so beautiful today!" I exclaimed sincerely on the stairwell.

"Hmph~~"

She glanced at me, smiled, and said nothing.

Once downstairs, the two ate breakfast together.

Eat more.

I handed her a steamer of xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) and said, "You seem to have lost weight recently."

"Ding Han, do you remember what I said?"

Lin Qingying looked at me with a speechless smile, "Offering kindness for no reason, what's the next line again?"

"Cough cough..."

I touched my nose, slightly embarrassed, and said, "We're already boyfriend and girlfriend. If there's something fishy going on, I can just say what I want directly. Why beat around the bush?"

"You said it yourself."

She smiled helplessly and said, "We're boyfriend and girlfriend, why beat around the bush? Just tell me what's on your mind, and I'll treat your problems as my top priority."

I gave her a thumbs up. "Comrade Xiaolin, you're truly a qualified girlfriend!"

It seems she wasn't asleep when I got home last night, so she heard my voice call with Su Wei. And given Lin Qingying's intelligence, it's not surprising that she guessed the details.

"It's like this..."

I quickly explained to the player that building a city in the wilderness required a Crystal Refinery, and that the rewards were very generous, which made me very interested.

"I desperately need to meet with Fan Changgui, but he's a multi-billionaire tycoon; he wouldn't possibly look at an unknown young man like me, so..."

I looked at her seriously. "Can you do me a favor? You just need to take the lead, and whether the deal goes through... that's up to me. How about it?"

She looked at me very seriously. "Fan Changgui is an important partner of our Yue Ning Energy. You can rest assured and leave this matter to me. Wait for my news!"

"Good!"

My heart leaped with joy; excellent, excellent!

That would allow us to get in touch, and perhaps the progress would be faster than with "Gun Like a Dragon"?

I hope so!

In the morning, at Feiyang Internet Cafe.

While writing the algorithm, a message popped up from Lin Qingying: "Ding Han, I've already arranged a dinner with Fan Changgui for you at 6 PM. Please leave work early and come pick me up so we can go together."

"Okay, thank you so much, Xiaoying!"

"You're welcome, I'll get back to work."

In an instant, my mood improved considerably.

As long as we can see Fan Changgui, that's enough. With his huge business empire, allocating some resources to build a refinery would be a piece of cake. Besides, from a business perspective, he'd be happy to see us share some of the benefits.

Moreover, Fan Changgui would definitely have to give face to the Yue Ning Group.

Lin Qingying personally organized this event, Fan Changgui must be well aware of its importance. If he helps me with this, it will be as if Lin Qingying owes him a favor.

Afternoon.

"Ding Han."

Zhao Yihang came to the manager's office and said, "The boss just called and asked Sister Xiaoman to go to the e-sports hotel after work this evening to check the accounts and stuff. Do you want to come with me?"

"I won't go, I have a dinner engagement tonight."

"Oh..."

Zhao Yihang, "Manager Lin going too?"

"I'll go too..."

"Um, brother..."

He suddenly grinned slyly. "Tell me the truth, did you manage to win her over?"

"What do you mean by 'take it down'?" I returned a sly smile.

"That is..."

Zhao Yihang, "It's about a man and a woman being together, achieving a union of body and soul, reaching a state of natural harmony..."

"Oh shit!"

I slammed my hand on the table and stood up. "Zhao Yihang, you've been reading too many erotic novels, haven't you? Where did you get so many cheesy words from? And as a man, you're so gossipy. Let me ask you, have you won over Xiao Hui yet?"

"We became one in body and soul on the very first day we were together..."

"..."

I was visibly shaken, and slowly sat back down in my chair, continuing to pretend to be focused on writing algorithms, "Get lost, don't disturb my work."

"Okay, bro..."

Zhao Yihang closed the door and left.

I felt like the sky was falling; I hadn't even been properly mocked by that kid Zhao Yihang.

It was 4:30 in the evening.

I finished work early and took a taxi to Yuening.

After waiting in the office for a while, Lin Qingying finished her meeting and left work on time.

"Should I bring a gift or something?" I asked.

"Need not."

Lin Qingying her head and smiled, "It's just a casual meal, no need to be so formal. Just relax."

"All right."

So, the two of them went downstairs together, and I drove away from Yuening.

Lin Qingying booked a place called "Tianyu Hotel," which is said to be one of the most upscale restaurants in the entire Huaining City, with an average cost of 5,000 yuan per person, which is a bit outrageous, but it seems that only a place like this is worthy of a big boss like Fan Changgui.

There's no way around it; you have to spend some money to ask someone to do something.

They arrived at the hotel early and strolled around the stalls outside with Lin Qingying for a while. They entered the hotel around 5:40, and Lin Qingying had already ordered the food.

"Don't worry, it's not too expensive. I kept it under 15,000."

As my girlfriend, she seems to know all too well how stingy I am.

"Ahem, it's okay if it's a little more expensive."

"It's unnecessary, too wasteful."

Just as we were chatting, the hotel's lobby manager personally led us in, and a middle-aged man around 40 years old, with slightly thinning hair but in excellent spirits, walked in.

Fan Changgui was a bit chubby, but his eyes were very bright and sharp, the kind that "sharply gleamed," and you could tell at a glance that he was a cunning old fox who had been in the business world for many years.

"Oh, Manager Lin, it's been a long time! It's rare to see Manager Lin inviting me to dinner!"

Fan Changgui began exchanging pleasantries after entering.

Lin Qingying nodded with a smile.

Who is this?

Fan Changgui's gaze finally fell on me.

"My name is Ding Han, Xiao Ying's boyfriend. Hello, Mr. Fan, it's a pleasure to meet you. Mr. Fan, you certainly exude an air of nobility."

Hahaha~~~

Fan Changgui extended his hand to shake mine, praising, "Young Brother Ding Han is truly a handsome man, and he and our Manager Lin are practically the legendary... what's that... right, a perfect match!"

I even felt a little embarrassed by his persuasion.

"Mr. Fan, we've already ordered the food. Would you like some drinks?" Lin Qingying asked.

"Let's skip the drinks. There's a second round. We can chat more and build rapport during this first round, right, Manager Lin?"

"That's right, Mr. Fan is right."

Soon after, the food was served.

After everyone had eaten and drunk tea instead of wine, and were about half full, Fan Changgui squinted at me and smiled, "Ding Han, you must have something to discuss with Manager Lin by inviting me to this gathering, right? Don't worry, our group and Yue Ning Energy have been partners for many years, and our cooperation is deeply intertwined. We're all family, so speak frankly."

"Since Mr. Fan puts it that way, then I shall humbly accept your offer."

I offered him a sip of tea and said, "My friend has established a base in the wilderness southwest of Creek City, occupying a mineral vein, and plans to do crystal refining business. However, he lacks equipment and technology, so he wants to cooperate with Mr. Fan. He hopes that Mr. Fan can provide the equipment and technology to build a new Crystal Refinery there. As for the commission, we can discuss it. I wonder what Mr. Fan thinks?"

"Build a new Crystal Refinery?"

Fan Changgui smiled slightly, "Ding Han, you may not know how complicated the crystal refining process is. The manpower and resources consumed by a Crystal Refinery are not simple. Besides, our Southern Rare Earth Group has never built a factory in the wilderness before. After all, the situation in the wilderness is complicated. If we are targeted by Dark Tide, alien species, or insect swarms, we will end up with nothing and lose our capital. Doesn't that make sense?"

"What Mr. Fan said makes sense, but there's no need to have such concerns."

"Oh?"

Fan Changgui squinted. "You seem very confident, young man. However, this matter is quite significant. How about we find a place another day and discuss it privately?"

"Mr. Fan."

Lin Qingying, observing the situation, immediately stood up and said with a smile, "You and Ding Han can chat for a while. I'll go out and buy you a pack of cigarettes. Ding Han, what do you want to smoke?"

"Liqun".

Where is General Manager Fan?

"Also, Liqun."

Fan Changgui smiled and said, "Then I'll have to Manager Lin."

Lin Qingying nodded and smiled, then went out.

"Mr. Fan, shall we continue our conversation?"

"Hey..."

Fan Changgui said, "Brother Ding is truly blessed! He even managed to snag such a wonderful woman Manager Lin. He's the envy of countless people, hahaha~~~"

I was a little embarrassed. "Mr. Fan, let's talk about the Crystal Refinery cooperation instead. We'll provide security and mineral resources, and you'll provide the refining technology. As for how much commission your group needs, we can discuss that."

"Ding Han, let's not beat around the bush. Is there any need to discuss this?"

Fan Changgui smiled meaningfully, "You should know that our Southern Rare Earth Group has never cooperated with players before. Have you considered the risks involved?"

He actually revealed my player identity directly.

He was indeed an old fox, instantly gaining the upper hand in terms of momentum.

"Players are people too, just like everyone else."

I forced myself to remain calm and didn't lose face, saying, "What difference does it make who we cooperate with? Besides, the profits in the wilderness are unimaginable, and since no one collects taxes, the profits are unbelievably high. As long as Mr. Fan is willing to cooperate, we are willing to offer as many concessions as possible."

Hahaha~~

Fan Changgui picked up his teacup, gently tapped it against the middle of mine, and said with a smile, "Drink tea, drink tea!"

"Alright, have some tea!"

I picked up my teacup, took a sip, and smiled.

Is this old fox testing my patience?

So I stopped mentioning the collaboration and just enjoyed my tea.

After a while, Fan Changgui couldn't hold back any longer and said, "It's rare for Manager Lin to take the lead today, so I can't refuse her face. Ding Han, we can indeed cooperate, but I need a different way of cooperating, not just a simple commission."

"Oh, Mr. Fan, please go ahead?"

"The equipment, manpower, and technology for a Crystal Refinery are not a big deal for our Southern Rare Earth Group; it's just a matter of a word from me. But I can't give you this plant for free; I need your help."

"What kind of help?"

"Haha, actually, our Southern Rare Earth Group also wants the resources in the wilderness. We've spent a lot of money hiring people to thoroughly explore all the mineral veins in the wilderness around Creek City. It's just that the dangers in the wilderness are too great, so we haven't started construction yet. I have a mineral vein here, which is currently occupied by an insect hive. The mercenaries we sent there were all eaten by the insects, a complete defeat."

Fan Changgui laughed and said, "Since Brother Ding Han is a player, could you use your connections to do me a favor and take down that insect hive? In exchange for this favor, I can provide the equipment and technology for a Crystal Refinery free of charge. You only need to pay for the labor costs. What do you think?"

I see.

It dawned on me that what I had thought Fan Changgui wanted was a transaction of interests, but in the end it turned out to be a transaction of interests and power.

For ordinary people, the insect hive is like a forbidden zone, invincible. Even companies like Southern Rare Earth Group are very wary of it.

After all, high-level insects are not to be trifled with; they can kill even Generation 3 Armor warriors without hesitation, let alone mercenaries and other scattered soldiers.

As for regular armies like the Great Wall Watch and the Crimson Dragon Legion...

For a private company to get these troops deployed is simply a pipe dream!

The situation is different for players. The insect hives that have appeared near the Crimson Dragon Country at this stage are just a piece of cake for us.

"Ding Han, what's your decision?"

Fan Changgui seemed a little worried. He only knew that I was a player, but he didn't know what level I was among the players, which is why he asked this question.

"We can cooperate."

I nodded. "Give me the location of the insect hive and the mineral vein, and I will ask my friends to help you completely eliminate the insect hive as soon as possible."

"Okay, it's a deal!"

The next second, a ringtone sounded in my ear--

[You have triggered the Main Quest "Archi Basin Bug Nest" (S-rank)! Quest objective: Go to the Archi Basin and completely destroy the worm nest hidden in the mineral veins. This quest can be shared by up to 19 players. Upon completion, you will receive a very generous reward and establish a partnership with the Southern Rare Earth Group!]

"Ding Han, this is a gentleman's agreement!"

Fan Changgui said, "After you deal with that insect nest, I will immediately send someone to inspect it. Once the crisis is confirmed to be over, I will start preparing to help you build a Crystal Refinery as soon as possible."

"No problem, Mr. Fan, I trust your character!" I nodded and smiled.

He laughed heartily, "Honestly, now I finally understand why Manager Lin chose you. Not only are you handsome, but you also have real guts. Tell me, what woman wouldn't like a young man like you!"

He felt a mix of emotions, including a touch of bitterness.

After I sent the message, Lin Qingying went upstairs.

She took two packs of Liqun and gave one to me and one to Fan Changgui.

She's so thrifty; she didn't buy even a single extra pack.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Fan Changgui called his driver, and they drove off in a Cullinan.

"The deal's done?"

Lin Qingying asked with a smile.

"It's a deal!"

I took a deep breath and finally felt relieved.

Downstairs.

"Waiter, the bill, please."

"Sir, your girlfriend has already paid the bill."

"Ah?"

I was surprised and turned to look at Lin Qingying: "Why did you pay for my meal again?"

She also paid for my birthday celebration back then, and she still hasn't paid me back; the debt keeps growing.

Lin Qingying's gaze darted away, and she lowered her head, saying, "I don't really understand, but... I think it's only natural for a girlfriend to pay for her boyfriend's meal, isn't it?"

"Huh?"

I suddenly didn't know how to refute it, and then I thought of my original world, where it seemed like most of the time men paid for things, right?

People's hearts are no longer what they used to be.

Of course, the main reason is that Lin Qingying is too rich; otherwise, she would have discussed it with me.

On the way back.

"Ding Han, what do you think of Fan Changgui?"

"It's alright..."

No, you don't know him very well yet.

Lin Qingying glanced at me worriedly and said, "Fan Changgui is no ordinary person, and he's definitely not as simple as he seems. You must be very careful when dealing with him and make sure you have a backup plan."

"Yes, I know, you can rest assured about that!"

After getting home, I planned to finish the task as soon as possible.

"Xiaoying, my deal with President Fan triggered a mission, so I plan to work overtime to complete it first. To be honest, I didn't just take on the main mission alone; there's another big shot involved. I need to get there first and not let him steal the reward."

"Um."

Lin Qingying on her computer and said, "I'll work overtime for a bit and then go to sleep. Be careful."

"Don't worry, it's an easy task!"

"Good."

So I went downstairs alone and shared the quest directly in the Team Channel, saying, "Those who are free, get on board, accept the quest yourselves, and then meet up in the Player Black Market."

"Wow, an S-rank mission!"

Kou Mei was the first to accept the task.

Immediately afterwards, Cai Cai, Ruolin, Fatty, and the others all received their tasks, and all nine of them were present.

Sure enough, the allure of S-rank missions is so great that they can be set off fully staffed even in the dead of night.

But we only have nine people, so naturally, the more tasks we have, the better.

Then I remembered the Worldly Uncontested, and directly shared the quest with him, saying, "Old Yu, I've accepted a quest, S-rank. Can you spare 11 people to come and help?"

"Holy crap, Main Quest? Immediately!"

"Ding Han, don't look for anyone else. I'll take all 11 remaining spots!" said the Worldly Uncontested.

"Okay!"

He's so proactive because of his Charm Value.

S-class Main Quest always rewards 1 Charm Point. Although Charm Value is a somewhat mystical value, players who have tasted its benefits know how precious it is. Therefore, no one can resist the temptation when they hear about an S-rank quest.

It's late at night.

The Player Black Market remains bustling.

Ding Han Squad of nine quickly assembled, and a few minutes later, Worldly Uncontested also arrived with 10 players from the Old Day Royal Court, all of whom were high-level players of level 57-59.

"Let's go, let's finish this quickly!"

I teleported to Creek City first, and then led everyone, transforming into 20 Wilderness Knights, riding motorcycles across the wilderness towards the quest marker, Archi Basin!