Raine

"My requirements—you've seen them, right? First of all, let me make this clear: I won't compromise on salary!" After the two stared each other down for a while, Zanda Anlier finally broke the silence. His first sentence was already a declaration of his bottom line.

Xi Ye had no intention of bargaining at all. He nodded and said, "That won't be a problem. I understand your concerns about a new power. It's only natural that you'd ask for a higher salary. I've read your information. You're looking for a stable job and a place to settle down. Perhaps my planet can't yet be considered an ideal place to live, but believe me, it has limitless potential!"

Zanda shook his head. "Every lord says that. I'm not some inexperienced brat fresh out of school. Empty promises won't work on me. You'd better tell me something practical."

Xi Ye paused, then decided to drop the fancy talk and directly state the best terms he could offer.

"I can fully meet your requested annual salary and raises. I'll also purchase Level Four Insurance and a Housing Provident Fund for you immediately. During your employment, you'll only be responsible for teaching and guidance. You won't need to participate in dangerous activities such as exploring star regions. If outside invaders appear, you may also choose to withdraw from this lord's planet immediately. Is there anything else you'd like to add?"

Zanda opened and closed his mouth. The conditions offered by the other party left him unable to find fault with anything. The salary and nature of the work had both met his expectations almost perfectly, and Xi Ye's attitude was sincere. Unlike the Arena Boss, he hadn't engaged in endless probing and haggling. Though he was a newcomer, he possessed quite the bearing of a Great Lord.

The only drawback was probably the instability of being a new power.

"May I ask an impertinent question? The information from the headhunter listed your surname as Aierdia. Are you from the Aierdia Family of the Thunder Lineage?"

"Yes!" Xi Ye nodded, his tone filled with confidence in his family's glory.

Zanda nodded as well, and his expression softened considerably. People born into warrior families identified with other warrior clans far more strongly than with other families. The Aierdia Family had always enjoyed an excellent reputation in the Federation. Over the past several million years, there had been very few negative reports about them, which showed how exemplary their family traditions were. A Celestial God Lord from such a family shouldn't be some wastrel, right?

With that thought, he still asked doubtfully, "May I ask one more impertinent question? Why do you want to cultivate Green Titans? To be honest, although I also possess the Green Titan Bloodline, I know that our bloodline offers very poor value for money. If you have the funds, why not try cultivating your family's Thunder Bloodline instead?"

Hearing this, Xi Ye's lips twitched slightly beneath his helmet. What a joke... Back then, I was so poor that I could barely afford to install a Compression Cannon. Where would I have found the money to buy the Thunder Clan's genes? As one of the finest warrior races, the Thunder Clan's genes were prized for their extremely high cost-effectiveness. In the Federation's gene database, they were even more expensive than ordinary High Elves, all right?

With the freakish capacity of those players in my base, should I buy Thunder genes that cost tens of thousands of God Coins each, or Green Titan genes that cost five coins apiece? Even an idiot could figure that out!

Naturally, he couldn't reveal his greatest trump card. Even after hiring these people, Xi Ye intended to conceal the data within the base.

Thus, Xi Ye smiled and said, "You'll naturally understand once you come to my place. It's a commercial secret, so forgive me for not revealing more."

Zanda froze for a moment, then asked bluntly, "Have you found natives with an excellent compatibility with Green Titans?"

Xi Ye's expression stiffened. This man hadn't guessed completely correctly, but he had gotten half of it right. Had Xi Ye been insufficiently cautious? How had even such a straightforward Green Titan managed to figure out his situation?

Seeing Xi Ye's expression, Zanda revealed a look of sudden realization. If that's the case, then the lord's seemingly wasteful behavior makes perfect sense!

The universe was vast and infinite. There were indeed some natives with inexplicably high compatibility with certain ancient genes. His own Anlier Family was an example. Their family had extremely high compatibility with Titan-type bloodlines, with the most outstanding individuals reaching as high as twenty percent!

Their extraordinarily high Titan compatibility had once made them a trump family under the former Third Lord of the Federation, Vox Hanjue. However, several epochs ago, the rise of Blood Lord: Cang Yue directly destroyed Hanjue's power. His own clan had also suffered heavy losses in that world-shaking war. Later, the surviving forces of their race banded together for warmth and, led by the Anlier Family, established the Four Titan Alliance in the Federation.

Deeply familiar with his family's history, he understood exactly what a group of highly compatible natives meant to a Celestial God Lord. Back then, when Hanjue had become the Third Lord, his Titan Legion had unquestionably contributed most of the credit. Unfortunately... he had encountered Cang Yue, now universally acknowledged as the God of War!

At that thought, he looked at Xi Ye expectantly. If that was truly the situation, then as long as nothing unexpected happened to this lord, following him seemed to offer a very promising future.

Xi Ye saw the expectation in the other man's eyes and thought, He's already guessed it anyway. I might as well admit it and gain another bargaining chip for recruitment. He answered ambiguously, "Something like that..."

"How high is the compatibility?" Zanda asked excitedly. "Five percent? Seven percent?" Those were already relatively high expectations in his mind.

"Sorry, I can't reveal that." Xi Ye shook his head.

But Zanda still caught a trace of disdain in the other man's eyes. He was stunned. "Could it be over ten percent?"

My God!

That kid from the Aierdia Family has struck a treasure trove!

With that thought, he finally made up his mind. He stood and performed a warrior's salute. "Zanda Anlier is willing to serve you!"

Before coming here, he had only been thirty percent willing. By now, he was almost completely satisfied. Faced with such a promising lord, he naturally wouldn't hesitate.

As for the risks? Where could one pledge allegiance without risk? Even the Federation's Third Lord could fall. Which lord would dare claim that their power would last for all eternity?

As long as the benefits were great enough, many people were willing to bear some necessary risks!

A person had to take a gamble once or twice in life, right?

Seeing that the other party had agreed, Xi Ye also rose with a smile. "Welcome aboard. Believe me, this decision will definitely be the most correct choice you make in your entire life!"

While Xi Ye wandered around here and there, in some part of Ziyao Star, a group of people were discussing his return.

Most of the Family Disciples weren't delighted when they heard the news. Instead, their faces were full of disdain!

After all, Xi Ye's tuition fees had placed enormous pressure on the family back then, causing many Family Disciples to miss out on the resources they should have received. Naturally, they had no good feelings toward Xi Ye now.

Moreover, Raine was developing rapidly and providing the family's disciples with many military positions offering excellent value for money. As a result, both the older and younger generations had a much higher opinion of Raine and were clearly displeased with the Celestial God who had suddenly appeared!

"Do you think that guy will come back to the family to recruit people?"

"Recruit people? Who'd go with him?" The surrounding people immediately sneered. "A lousy Level 8 Planet? You go!"

"I'm not going..."

The crowd burst into laughter. At that moment, a rather thin child silently walked past them. He seemed to have inherited the traits of the Thunder Clan, but his body was unusually frail. He also wore a pair of thick glasses and didn't look like a youngster who intended to follow the warrior path.

When they saw him, all the Aierdia Family disciples who had been chatting moments before wore mocking expressions. One of them deliberately raised his voice. "What if he rises later? If you go over now, you'll become one of his core members. Once he rises, if you go over and suck up to him, he might not even want you anymore!"

"Exactly!" The people around him immediately joined in. "How about we flatter our little young master, then?"

The little boy lowered his head even further as he listened to the voices around him. His hands, buried in his pockets, clenched tightly, his fingernails digging deep into his flesh!

"Hey, little young master, don't leave!" Several people blocked his path, not giving him a chance to slip away. "Why are you walking so fast? We're discussing how to curry favor with you. Surely the young master looks down on collateral family members like us?"

"Move!" the little boy said coldly.

"Oh, how scary!" The leader raised his eyebrows. "What if I don't?"

The atmosphere instantly became tense. Not one person nearby stepped forward to mediate; they all wore expressions of anticipation as they watched the spectacle. A cold glint flashed through the little boy's eyes, and just as he was about to act, a deep voice suddenly rang out. "What are you doing?"

Everyone froze. The moment they heard that voice, the mocking expressions vanished from their faces. They reflexively saluted in that direction. "Greetings, sir!"

The newcomer was an extremely imposing Thunder Warrior. No one would mistake his profession, because that heavy, commanding aura was something no other occupation could cultivate!

"I've told you, at home, call me brother!" the man said sternly.

The crowd immediately broke into smiles. Their smiles were so genuine that they contained not the slightest trace of falseness. In the younger generation of the Aierdia Family, the only person who commanded such prestige was Raine!

"Yo, Xiao Chen, done with school?" Raine asked, turning toward the child who had just been targeted. His smile was as warm as that of a big brother next door.