An Ya felt a little guilty under Bai Fu's slightly strange gaze.
She tugged at her bleached hair and began to reflect.
"Boss, did I give those Outsiders too big a cut? Should we change it to ninety-ten? But I think we'd earn more that way, while those Outsiders might start getting other ideas, which could keep us from working together for long."
She cautiously offered her opinion.
With that earnest expression and adorable face, anyone who didn't know the full story might have thought she was doing some kind of good deed. In reality, she was thinking of something as ruthless as the slave trade.
Bai Fu rolled her eyes.
She called people "old fart" every other sentence, and whenever a bright idea struck her, it was the sort of scheme that could rival the depraved British Empire. That was what happened when you grew up at the Abandoned Cooling Plant!
Bai Fu figured that An Ya was only too weak to be anything more than a unit of measurement for combat strength. Otherwise, with her eyes fixed on money, she'd probably turn the Abandoned Cooling Plant into a Palworld factory, then "warmly" invite players over to play—as the Pals.
Kid, you're unstoppable.
Bai Fu couldn't help thinking, My little sister An Ya has what it takes to hang people from lampposts.
"An Ya, we can't do that. Our friendship with those Outsiders is as pure as white clouds. How could we let dirty money sully it?"
Bai Fu acted decisively.
She couldn't stand by and watch An Ya go astray.
An Ya met Bai Fu's gaze, felt the sincerity in it, and lowered her head in shame.
"Boss, I'm sorry. I'll never do that again—"
Bai Fu cut her off before she could finish.
"We can't give them a cut. Not ten percent—not even a single Credit Coin. If we do, they'll question our motives and doubt our character."
"Huh?"
An Ya was dumbfounded.
If they didn't pay, this wasn't a question of whether they had bad character. It meant they weren't even human.
Besides, no matter how useful those Outsiders were, they couldn't possibly keep coming back cheerfully if they were exploited like that.
Could they all have been born with an M streak, just loving it when Boss tormented them?
That would be seriously messed up!
Bai Fu said, "Of course we can't tell them outright that we're doing this to make money. We need to dress it up nicely and give them a different kind of satisfaction. Then they won't pay attention to the money."
An Ya was even more confused.
"Watch closely and learn. Oh, and don't tell any outsiders what I said today, got it?" Bai Fu reminded her.
She'd already thought of a plan.
She'd use the excuse of helping the players infiltrate the Wildfire Gang and investigate its secrets to send them over in batches.
That way, she'd make money, the players would enjoy the thrill of undercover investigation, and the Wildfire Gang's boss could vent his anger at being provoked by the players. A world where everyone won would be born!
"I really do love a win-win."
Bai Fu almost wanted to give herself a thumbs-up.
Seeing how relaxed Bai Fu looked, An Ya let out a long breath.
That had scared her. She'd thought Boss had mutated into a good person.
As expected of Boss. She looked like a decent person on the outside, but An Ya still had a lot to learn from her!
After the two returned home, Bai Fu left An Ya to cook and went to find Martin by herself.
An incident as big as Brother Dabiao getting mobbed by players would soon reach Martin's ears. She needed to get ahead of it.
"Something's happened!"
"What?"
Martin looked at Bai Fu as she hurried over.
Bai Fu said anxiously, "When I went to collect the debt, I saw a group of Outsiders attacking Brother Dabiao. He was no match for them. They beat him until he was running for his life with his arms over his head. At this rate, he probably won't survive."
Martin immediately sat up. "What about the money? Did you get it back?"
Bai Fu lined up twelve Credit Coins on the table. "By the time I got there, his place had already been ransacked. I searched the corners for ages and only found this much."
Martin flew into a rage.
Bang!
He slammed the table so hard that the water cup flew into the air.
That was his money, and those Outsiders had stolen it!
"Damn Outsiders! Damn bastards! I'll never forgive you!"
He shoved the money into his pocket and stormed out.
"You did well this time. Get some rest. I'll give you a new task when I get back."
Bai Fu curled her lip.
That's more like it. You promised me a five-percent cut and didn't pay up, but the first thing out of your mouth is that you'll give me a new task. Did you learn that from Ebenezer Scrooge?
Good thing she'd hidden over three hundred coins beforehand.
[You completed the Faction Quest [Pay Your Debts], and received 2000 experience points and 10 faction reputation]
The game notification rang out.
Just as Bai Fu had expected, even though she'd only handed over twelve coins, the game still considered the quest complete.
Current experience: 3871
After all that work, it was finally time to reap the rewards.
Bai Fu began leveling up.
[Spiritual Apprentice] increased to Lv. 2, Spirit +1, Inspiration +1, Attribute Points +2
[Spiritual Apprentice] increased to Lv. 5, Spirit +1, Inspiration +1, Attribute Points +2 [You unlocked the exclusive passive [Innate Spirituality] and [Basic Inspiration Specialization]]
When she completed the hidden quest [Order Iron Fist] earlier, Bai Fu had gained an extra attribute point. She'd put all her free attribute points into Constitution at once, bringing about a dramatic change in her stats.
[Template]: Ordinary [Experience]: 71 [Main Class]: Spiritual Apprentice Lv. 5 (0/3000), Unemployed Lv. 3 (0/1000) [Secondary Class]: None [Health]: 180/180 [Psychic Energy]: 45/45 [Attributes]: Strength 5, Agility 3, Constitution 18, Intelligence 3, Spirit 9, Inspiration 9 [Skills]: Frenzy Lv. 1, Hardening Lv. 1, Spiritual Vision Innate Spirituality Lv. 1 — Mind and body as one. You can spend 20 Health to temporarily restore 5 Psychic Energy. Basic Spiritual Energy Specialization — Spiritual Energy knowledge learning efficiency and active skill effects +10% [Talent]: None [Attribute Points]: 0 [Reputation]: 1 [Faction]: Wildfire Gang (Faction Reputation 10)
Her Spirit and Inspiration had each increased, and her Constitution had doubled outright. Now that was what it meant to surge in strength!
Just a day and a half ago, Bai Fu's Constitution had been only 5.
Getting help from players was indeed much faster than slowly leveling up by herself.
"Is this what it feels like to be safe?"
Bai Fu clenched her fist, looked at the back of her hand—which had barely changed in appearance but seemed smoother overall—and smiled.
Now, to keep getting stronger, she had to either save up experience and level up her main class or find a way to get more skill books.
The easiest place to get skill books and class books was the Wildfire Gang's library.
But with her current status, she wasn't qualified to enter the library. She had to rise through the ranks of the Wildfire Gang.
It was worth noting that every supervisory position in the Wildfire Gang had only one slot. A position had to open up before she could compete for it.
That made her next move clear.
Bai Fu looked at the chair Martin had been sitting in.
You old fart, I've put up with you long enough. Now I'll show you what a worker's wrath looks like!
Before you continue