Wouldn't That Mean Begging on Your Knees? Even Then, So Many People Want to Kneel but Never Get the Chance

"Qing Ye, what happened? Didn't Mu She dote on his son? This..."

Ling'er stared at Mu Li, who had been kicked five meters away by Mu She. She could hardly believe Mu She would lay hands on his own son—no, strike him that viciously.

"That kick was already light. After all, Mu Li had just rejected an Alchemist's offer to join them. An Alchemist!"

Qing Ye's gaze swept over Mu Li. Seeing how miserable he looked, she had never imagined there would come a day when she felt sorry for him.

"Qing Ye, what exactly is an Alchemist? How could it make Mu She kick him that hard? That kick just now looked like it was meant to kill Mu Li."

Ling'er whispered into Qing Ye's ear. Everyone across the Dou Qi Continent knew that Alchemists were highly esteemed, but as for exactly how esteemed they were, even Xiao Yan had only gained a clear understanding from Xun'er when he was sixteen in the original story.

For Ling'er, whose background was poorer than Xiao Yan's and who was not yet sixteen, she knew Alchemists were prestigious, but she truly had no concrete idea of just how prestigious they were.

"Let me put it this way. You know about those Da Dou Shi families, right?"

"I do." Ling'er nodded, her eyes filled with longing.

In a force where a Dou Master could serve as the leader, Da Dou Shi were practically unreachable figures. Even Mu Lan, whom Ling'er had always admired, did not seem qualified to reach the level of Da Dou Shi in her eyes.

After all, Da Dou Shi were simply too distant to them. Figures at that level were no longer something Qingshan Town could possess. Even in neighboring Wutan City, a Da Dou Shi would hold an extremely high status.

As for Da Dou Shi families—places that might have several Da Dou Shi—if they wanted to wipe out the Blood War Mercenary Group, they would only need to say the word. Their Dou Master subordinates would naturally handle it.

"Normally, anyone who can come into contact with an Alchemist has to be from at least a Da Dou Shi family—and not one with just a single Da Dou Shi."

"But do you know how those Da Dou Shi families wait on Alchemists?"

Ling'er shook her head. "No."

"If a Da Dou Shi family wants to hire an Alchemist, they first have to find a way to build a relationship with that Alchemist. Then they have to ask the Alchemist to reside in their family and cover every expense the Alchemist incurs while staying there."

"At that point, if the Alchemist is satisfied, the Da Dou Shi family can go around purchasing medicinal ingredients."

"Once they have bought the ingredients, they have to wait and see when the Alchemist is in a good mood. When the Alchemist is feeling good, they might help refine a batch of medicine for them."

"Afterward, the Da Dou Shi family provides the marketplace and starts selling it, splitting the profits seventy-thirty."

"Why do they only get seventy percent? That's a Da Dou Shi family, and they do all that work. Not only do they have to feed and house the Alchemist and cover all their expenses, they also have to buy the medicinal ingredients themselves and use their own marketplace."

As soon as Ling'er finished speaking, she noticed that Qing Ye was looking at her strangely.

"What is it, Qing Ye?"

"The seventy percent belongs to the Alchemist."

"What?"

"Even for that thirty percent, they still have to watch the Alchemist's expression."

"Qing Ye, are you saying that if you want to hire an Alchemist, you first have to build a relationship with them?"

"That's right."

"And you have to invite the Alchemist into your family, treat them well, and cover all their expenses."

"That's right."

"Then you have to buy the medicinal ingredients yourself and provide your own marketplace for them to sell medicine."

"That's right."

"And you still have to split the profits seventy-thirty."

"That's right."

"And that thirty percent still depends on the Alchemist's mood."

"That's right."

"Wouldn't that mean begging on your knees?"

Qing Ye thought for a moment. "Put that way, it really is begging on your knees."

"Even then, so many people want to kneel and never get the chance."

"But Qing Ye, those are Da Dou Shi families."

"To us, Da Dou Shi families are indeed unreachable existences. But to Alchemists, they... heh."

Qing Ye shook her head with a bitter smile. How could she not yearn for Da Dou Shi herself?

Yet even Da Dou Shi were nothing special before Alchemists.

"My lord, my son is young and ignorant. If you are willing to join the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, the Wolf Head Mercenary Group will follow your lead in all things."

Mu She lowered his head and cupped his hands toward Su Luo, while Mu Li felt as though the sky had collapsed.

If Mu She was no longer the leader of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, then what right would he have to remain its Young Leader?

Should he kneel before Su Luo and say, "I heard you don't have a son. My father doesn't treat me well either, so I hope to care for you in your old age"?

Never mind the impression he had just left on Su Luo. Even if he wanted to acknowledge a godfather, Su Luo was far too young!

"I'm not interested in any mercenary group. I came here because I ran into a bit of trouble. I'm destined to leave this place, so I can't become any mercenary group's leader. Besides, I've already taken the Blood War Mercenary Group's money."

Su Luo casually tossed the money pouch in his hand, making it clear that he had no interest in the Wolf Head Mercenary Group.

"My lord, I know the rules for Alchemists. But a mercenary group like ours is reaching too high for you. Ten percent for us is enough; the remaining ninety percent will all be yours."

"No need. Seventy-thirty. I already accepted a deposit earlier, after all."

Su Luo casually took out a gold coin and played with it, making Mu She's heart twitch.

A force led by Dou Masters could still receive thirty percent for working for an Alchemist—Mu She had never even dared dream of something like that.

Especially when he saw Mu Li howling on the ground, Mu She's anger surged uncontrollably.

"You little bastard! Look at what you've done!"

Mu She hauled Mu Li away. It was obvious that Mu Li could not escape another brutal beating.

After Mu She left, Kagan stepped forward.

"My lord, if you think ninety-ten is no good, how about eighty-twenty instead? We really don't deserve thirty percent."

"I said seventy-thirty, so seventy-thirty. I don't like owing people favors, and I wasn't planning to make much money selling medicine here anyway."

Su Luo spoke casually. Selling medicine was only a way for him to earn some emergency funds for the moment and give himself a plausible explanation for where his money came from. Compared to painstakingly refining low-grade pills to earn an extra twenty percent, the million-level gold coins on the cliff were Su Luo's true target.

"Um... I'm sorry about earlier. I didn't mean it. I'll do anything you ask—please don't be angry."

Ling'er stepped forward. Seeing Mu Li's fate, she was genuinely frightened. Mu Li was at least Mu She's biological son and the Young Leader of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, yet he had still suffered that kind of beating. She, someone utterly dispensable in the Blood War Mercenary Group, could easily be driven out if Su Luo became dissatisfied because of what she had said earlier.

Su Luo looked Ling'er up and down. "You can really do anything?"

Feeling Su Luo's scrutinizing gaze travel over her, Ling'er seemed to think of something. Her face instantly turned bright red, and she nodded shyly.

"Mm."

"Perfect. The weather's getting cold, and my Mother needs a maid to warm her feet. Since you can do anything, you'll do nicely."

"Huh?"

PS: I'm not very good at writing jokes, so just bear with it.