Profits

Zhang Erdan at the office stared blankly as Wang Yu, who had only just returned, hurried out again with Master and the other two.

"What happened? Why the rush?"

Zhang Erdan felt that even finding money on the ground would not have made him this frantic.

He even had the faint feeling that Master looked rather jubilant.

This was the first time he had seen Master like this since joining the school.

Meanwhile, the three of them did not delay for a moment. Before long, they arrived once more at Meng Lao Er's farmland behind his house in Nan Shan Ling.

"It really is a Purple Coal Vein. How strange!" Sun Chengshan exclaimed in delight.

"Still, since the government failed to discover it when reclaiming the wilderness before, it must only be a tiny vein."

Meng Lao Er nodded. "There was a mountain collapse here years ago. Thinking about it now, perhaps that was what exposed this small buried vein."

"Brother Meng, you have all the property deeds and land deeds, right?" Sun Chengshan asked, already intending to move the cooperation forward.

"I have them all. This land and the low hill beside it are both mine. Back then, this place was far from the town center and full of useless hills and ridges. I bought it early, when mountain land was dirt cheap."

Meng Lao Er smiled, his whole face glowing red.

Perhaps this had been the wisest decision of his life.

As he spoke, he took out the property deeds and land deeds he carried with him.

After briefly checking them and confirming that everything was in order, Sun Chengshan and Meng Lao Er began discussing the contract on the spot.

Meng Lao Er's role was mainly to provide the property and land deeds, granting the mining rights.

Sun Chengshan, meanwhile, would contact a mining crew and take responsibility for all subsequent safety matters.

He would also fund all of the initial mining costs.

Then came the question of how to divide the profits.

Since Sun Chengshan was putting up both money and effort, he naturally deserved the larger share.

Meng Lao Er did not need to do anything. After handing over the deeds, he could simply wait to collect his money.

In the end, they tentatively agreed that Sun Chengshan would receive seventy percent of the total mining profits, while Meng Lao Er would receive thirty percent.

In truth, taking only seventy percent of the profits already made Sun Chengshan rather conscientious.

Perhaps Wang Yu's presence had also played a part.

If Meng Lao Er had sought cooperation from some other wealthy and influential person, then even if he had not been trapped and ruthlessly kicked aside afterward, he would likely have been stripped layer upon layer, nowhere near as straightforward as Sun Chengshan.

"Are you satisfied with this arrangement?" Sun Chengshan asked.

Meng Lao Er immediately nodded like a pecking chicken. "Satisfied, satisfied. Master Sun is truly kindhearted."

Meng Lao Er would have been satisfied with even ten percent of the profits. Now that he had received thirty percent, he was already grinning from ear to ear.

After rejoicing for a while, he looked at Wang Yu beside him and, after some thought, said, "How about this? I'll give Little Yu ten percent of my share.

"If he hadn't helped in the middle, this vein would have been snatched away long ago. I might even have suffered retaliation and ended up with my arms and legs broken.

"Little Yu, Uncle truly thanks you. You must accept this small token of gratitude. Don't refuse."

Meng Lao Er spoke sincerely, his heart full of gratitude toward Wang Yu.

It was clear that he was someone who knew contentment.

That he was willing to give up a share of the benefits at such a time was enough to show his simple and honest nature.

Wang Yu had originally wanted to say something, but seeing Meng Lao Er's firm attitude, he did not put on airs. He thanked him and accepted the ten percent share.

He had been dirt poor to begin with, and the path of cultivation had far too many places where money was needed.

Ten percent of the vein's profits was no small sum, enough for him to make a fortune as well.

Seeing Meng Lao Er's generosity, Sun Chengshan hesitated slightly before speaking.

"Brother Meng is right. Little Yu deserves great credit this time. How about this? I'll also give you five percent of the profits.

"Don't think it is too little. Once mining begins, your Master will have to keep investing funds. The senior brothers and junior brothers called in will need wages as well. The expenses are enormous."

"How could this disciple think what Master gives is too little?" Wang Yu said with a smile.

He did not stand on ceremony with Sun Chengshan at all.

After all, Sun Chengshan was going to make a huge profit this time largely because of him.

He had originally intended to use this opportunity to gain some benefits from Sun Chengshan.

He simply had not expected Meng Lao Er to give him even more in the end.

Once the three had reached an agreement, their faces all glowed as though they were floating on air.

"Once we return and draft the contract, then sign it at the government notary office, I'll immediately find people and begin work!" Sun Chengshan was already growing impatient.

"Master Sun, I've dealt with several mining crews in town. I know perfectly well who works efficiently and who is honest and reliable," Meng Lao Er said happily.

"Excellent. Then I'll have to trouble you to hire people with me when the time comes, haha!" Unable to restrain his delight any longer, Sun Chengshan burst into laughter.

The more he looked at Meng Lao Er and his disciple Wang Yu, the more pleasing they seemed.

"Of course. I may not say much else, but I didn't spend those years in the mine tunnels for nothing." Meng Lao Er was no longer as restrained as when he first met Sun Chengshan, thumping his chest with loud bangs.

Only Wang Yu had not forgotten the important matter. He reminded them, "Master, behind the group of hooligans I drove off before was an outsider Martial Artist. He also knows about this vein and may not be willing to give it up so easily."

The smile on Sun Chengshan's face faded slightly. "What is his cultivation?"

"I forced an answer out of them. He is a Martial Artist at the Body Tempering Second Layer," Wang Yu answered truthfully.

Upon hearing that his cultivation was so low, Sun Chengshan immediately looked unconcerned.

"Hmph. If he lacks the sense to come cause trouble again, I'll break his arms and legs to make an example of him!" Sun Chengshan snorted.

Seeing Sun Chengshan act so forcefully, Meng Lao Er felt much more at ease.

Wang Yu said nothing more.

Meng Lao Er tidied up his home, taking away everything of even slight value, and the three returned to town.

As an exception, Sun Chengshan allowed Meng Lao Er's family of three to stay in the martial arts school that night, and drafted the contract terms overnight.

The next day, they headed straight to the notary office. The three signed it together, and the contract officially took effect until the mining of the vein was completed.

Sun Chengshan also became much busier. He rarely appeared at the martial arts school each day, leaving early and returning late, spending most of his time pushing forward the matters concerning the vein.

Song Hezheng generally took charge of the martial arts school, supervising every disciple's daily fist practice.

As word spread, the disciples of the martial arts school soon learned about the vein as well.

"I never thought a backwater like Nan Shan Ling would actually have a vein worth mining. Master is really going to make a killing this time."

At noon, Zhao Dagou chatted as he ate in the small restaurant across from the martial arts school.

"I heard the preliminary survey has already ended. It's a tiny Purple Coal Vein, only discovered now because of the mountain collapse a few years ago."

Tiezhu sat across from him, speaking as he picked up pieces of steamed meat from the large platter on the table.

As Martial Artists cultivated, their bodily functions became increasingly powerful, and their need for nutritional replenishment correspondingly grew greater.

Meat, especially meat high in nutrients and energy, became particularly important as an ordinary food supplement when they could not afford precious materials.

"Our Master secured first place and claimed this Purple Coal Vein. Maybe we'll get to bask in his glory and receive a few benefits too," Liu Mei said with a giggle.

"Haha, since we joined Master's school, this is naturally a good thing. At the very least, when we go guard the vein, Master certainly won't be stingy with our rewards," Zhao Dagou said with a laugh.

According to the information the disciples had received, the principal beneficiaries of the vein's mining were none other than Sun Chengshan and Meng Lao Er.

As for Wang Yu, the disciple, nothing about his involvement had been publicized.

Thus, he was still able to remain in the martial arts school and continue practicing his fists without anyone disturbing him.

Only Zhang Erdan, who had been on duty at the office that day, seemed to have noticed something. He occasionally came over and curiously asked Wang Yu about the vein, but Wang Yu brushed him off with a few words.

As for the whole of Island Town, the mining of this tiny vein did not stir up much excitement.

Most ordinary people who noticed the news merely treated it as casual gossip over tea and after meals.

In their eyes, Meng Lao Er was like a lucky man who had won the lottery and become rich overnight.

Such things were not common, but they did happen from time to time and appeared in the news.