Black Diamond Membership Card

Shen Qian knew his mental state just now had been somewhat abnormal. He did not know whether extracting the system's combat memories, especially the battle with the Iron Eater Beast, had affected his subconscious.

When he had stared at Zhao Xin just now, his mind had been filled with brutal thoughts.

"You just came back from outside?" Shen Qian glanced at Xiao Xuan's casual outfit and the bag slung over her shoulder.

"Yeah. I wasn't supposed to be working today, but luckily I told Xiao Yu at the front desk to notify me if you came... so I rushed right over."

Xiao Xuan's cheeks were flushed. As her breathing gradually steadied after the hard run, she continued, "I've already notified Brother Zhao and General Manager Zhu. They'll be here any moment!"

Shen Qian was rather confused. If Xiao Xuan had specifically rushed over for him, he could barely convince himself it was something like a young girl having a crush, but the fact that some General Manager Zhu was coming as well left him completely baffled.

At that moment, Zhao Xin finally broke free from his inexplicable fear. His face alternated between pale and red as he remembered how he had been so frightened that he could not even speak. A furious rage began brewing within him.

"Shen Qian!"

Zhao Xin roared, his hoarse voice startling even Manager Zheng beside him.

Then he sprang out of the crowd, clenched his fist, and lunged at Shen Qian.

Unsteady footwork, a move riddled with openings... Shen Qian's gaze sharpened. Just as he was about to counterattack, another figure moved faster than he did.

Bang!

After a dull impact, Zhao Xin let out a miserable cry and flew backward. He slammed heavily into the wall, bounced onto the floor, and began groaning while clutching his chest.

Standing in front of Shen Qian was a middle-aged man in a suit, though Shen Qian did not recognize him.

"Brother Zhao, you're here?" Xiao Xuan called out.

The man in the suit turned around with a polite smile across his face. He took the initiative to extend his hand to Shen Qian. "You must be Student Shen Qian. Hello, hello. My name is Zhao Li, and I'm from the equipment maintenance department at the South City Store."

Shen Qian did not understand what was going on, but since the other man had helped him, he nodded with a smile and shook his hand.

Manager Zheng ran over to help Zhao Xin up, staring at Zhao Li in shock and anger. "Zhao Li, what are you doing? Why did you attack a customer?"

"He was the one who tried to make a move first. Protecting our customers' personal safety and maintaining the normal order of the martial arts hall are also our responsibilities, aren't they?" Zhao Li shrugged.

"How can that be the same?" Manager Zheng snapped. "Do you know Zhao Xin is currently ranked third among the trainees? Let's see how you explain this to General Manager Zhu!"

"There's no need to explain." A somewhat bold voice drew closer. The crowd parted as a burly middle-aged man in a well-tailored suit walked in. "I think Zhao Li did very well."

"General Manager Zhu..." Manager Zheng froze as soon as he heard this, the delight on his face freezing as well. He asked again uncertainly, "What did you say, General Manager Zhu?"

Zhao Xin, supported by Manager Zheng, also looked up in confusion.

But Zhu Deyong ignored them. Instead, he put on the same polite smile Zhao Li had worn and walked up to Shen Qian.

"My name is Zhu Deyong, the general manager of the Jiuzhou Martial Arts Hall South City Store... Student Shen Qian, are you all right? I'm truly sorry something like this happened. Please don't take it to heart!"

By now, Shen Qian had more or less caught on. Both Zhu Deyong and Zhao Li seemed to value him highly, though he could not yet guess why.

"You're too kind, General Manager Zhu. I'm fine." Shen Qian smiled slightly, not rushing to ask any questions.

"Xiao Xuan, have you prepared the card?" Zhu Deyong asked, looking at Xiao Xuan.

"I've had it with me all along." Xiao Xuan nodded repeatedly, then pulled a black card set with diamonds from her bag and handed it to Shen Qian with both hands.

"This is..."

Shen Qian recognized it at once as a Jiuzhou Martial Arts Hall membership card, but its material was vastly different from his Gold Membership Card, and it exuded a low-key sense of luxury.

"This is a Diamond-tier membership card. Each store is limited to ten, and only General Manager Zhu has the authority to issue them!" Xiao Xuan explained proactively.

"But why me?" Shen Qian asked in surprise.

His performance in the last physical assessment had only been average. It was not bad, but it had not been particularly good either.

"As for that, if Mr. Shen Qian is willing to take another physical assessment, perhaps you'll have your answer."

With an expression that said, Stop pretending, Zhu Deyong gestured toward the Simulation Machine.

"What a joke!"

At that moment, Zhao Xin suddenly shook off Manager Zheng and raged, "How could a piece of trash from the South City slums become some peerless genius in your eyes? How dare you treat me like this? Do you know my uncle—"

Zhao Xin's furious, vicious roar came to an abrupt halt again. Shen Qian had rubbed his brow and pulled a badge from his clothes.

How could this be? How could this be possible...

Zhao Xin recognized it at a glance. It was a Martial Arts Emblem, symbolizing the identity of a martial artist. His mind went blank, and he neither dared nor wished to accept this fact.

"I don't think there's any need to test again."

Shen Qian did not look at Zhao Xin. He merely spoke to Zhu Deyong.

He was now certain that Zhu Deyong seemed to know something about his true strength. Though he did not know how the man had learned of it, Shen Qian did not mind revealing a little.

Zhu Deyong burst into laughter, the weight in his heart finally lifting. "Enough. It's indeed more than enough!"

A seventeen-year-old Beginner Martial Artist would be a top-tier genius even at the North City Store, fully qualified to make the overall rankings.

"This card already has an initial balance of one hundred thousand. It's a gift from General Manager Zhu. In addition, all your future spending at our store will be seventy percent off, while all other stores will offer fifty percent off. However, the one hundred thousand you recharge can only be used at the South City Store."

Xiao Xuan added with a smile.

The customers drawn over by the commotion all gasped upon hearing this. A direct gift of one hundred thousand, plus seventy percent off all spending...

How was that any different from giving it away for free?

But what puzzled Xiao Xuan was that Shen Qian did not take the card.

"Does Student Shen Qian have any other concerns?" Zhu Deyong asked curiously.

"I don't want to be in the same store as trash like this anymore." Shen Qian glanced at Zhao Xin and stated his thoughts directly.

"A small matter. He happens to have violated store rules as well. Xiao Xuan, cancel his membership later and refund him the remaining balance." Zhu Deyong agreed readily.

"And I don't want to see this person again either." Shen Qian glanced at Manager Zheng.

"Fine... Zheng Hao, go settle your pay with HR. I'll calculate an extra month for you. Let's part on good terms." Zhu Deyong spoke indifferently to Manager Zheng.

"I..."

Manager Zheng hesitated, as though he wanted to struggle, but when he met Zhu Deyong's cold gaze, he ultimately could not say anything.

Zhao Xin turned and left in a daze. Feeling the people around him pointing and whispering, he lowered his head, his expression venomous, yet in the end he did not have the courage to turn back and utter another threat.

"Oh, right."

Shen Qian suddenly strode forward and blocked Zhao Xin's path.

"You... what else do you want?"

Zhao Xin instinctively took a step back. His body trembled as he gritted his teeth and spoke.

"Remember to return the twenty thousand. You'd better not make me ask for it a second time, or you'll definitely regret it."

After saying that, Shen Qian ignored Zhao Xin. He accepted the Black Diamond Membership Card Zhu Deyong handed him and followed Xiao Xuan upstairs.

At that moment, the "Potential Index Rankings" on the electronic screen quietly changed as well.

Shen Qian's Potential Index was reevaluated at 89, sending him straight to the top of the South City Store rankings. On the overall rankings, he also rose directly to sixteenth place, just ahead of Zhou Xiaoguang, the highest-ranked student from No.7 High School.