Choice

"Haha, those are some generous offers!"

Zhuge Tao smiled, then turned to Yang Wu. "Yang Wu, after the Quasi-Warrior Assessment, we failed to recognize your talent. I admit that was a mistake on the part of my Extreme Martial Arts Hall. But please believe me when I say that our sincerity is second to none."

"As for the villa and Special Training Contract, there's not much difference between what our Extreme Martial Arts Hall and the Thunder Dojo can offer. As for the start-up funds..." He glanced at Wang Heng with a smile, then continued, "My Extreme Martial Arts Hall can offer you 50 million in start-up funds, as well as any manuals you want, up to a total value of 100 million!"

After hearing Zhuge Tao's offer, Hou Zhen and the other two were all taken aback.

"Zhuge, what are you..." Wang Heng said with some displeasure. "If you make an offer like that, aren't you worried the higher-ups at the Hall won't approve it?"

Wang Heng knew the benefits the Extreme Martial Arts Hall offered talented warriors very well: 20 million in start-up funds and a selection of manuals worth up to 50 million. Zhuge Tao's offer was more than double that.

The Extreme Martial Arts Hall had strict rules regarding the recruitment of talented warriors. Even as a director, Zhuge Tao had no authority to change them.

"Heh!" Zhuge Tao smiled. "I'll cover anything beyond the standard offer myself!"

Zhuge Tao had always placed great importance on talent. He had invested in plenty of gifted people. Some investments had failed, but a few had since become War God-level powerhouses and one of his supporters. Overall, he had gained more than he had spent.

"You'll cover it?" Wang Heng frowned slightly.

"Enough! Let's not get into that now." Zhuge Tao ignored Wang Heng and smiled at Yang Wu. "Yang Wu, you've heard all our offers. What have you decided?"

After hearing what the others had offered, Yang Wu fell silent for a moment. At last, he made his choice.

"Thank you for your kindness, seniors! However, my instructor and most of my senior fellow disciples joined the Extreme Martial Arts Hall. So I've decided to join it as well." Yang Wu spoke with a hint of apology.

Though he envied the security of the Military residential district, Yang Wu chose the Extreme Martial Arts Hall so he could have more freedom.

Besides, the Extreme Martial Arts Hall had more treasures to offer. As long as Yang Wu continued to rise through its ranks, obtaining them wouldn't be difficult.

"Haha, good!" Zhuge Tao said with a laugh. "Yang Wu, I'll call someone over to help you sign the contract!"

Wang Heng and the other two felt a little regretful that Yang Wu had chosen the Extreme Martial Arts Hall, but they didn't say anything. They couldn't offer terms like Zhuge Tao's—or rather, they weren't willing to.

Before long, Wu Tong, the chief instructor of the Extreme Martial Arts Hall in Yangzhou City, appeared in the room.

"Director!" Wu Tong greeted him respectfully.

"Wu Tong, you're finally here." Zhuge Tao smiled. "Draw up a contract for recruiting a talented warrior with Yang Wu, following the usual rules... But change the start-up funds to 50 million and raise the price limit for manuals to 100 million. I'll cover anything beyond that!"

"Uh..." Zhuge Tao's offer left Wu Tong completely stunned.

Even for Luo Feng, Zhuge Tao had only raised the price limit for manuals. But for Yang Wu, he'd added another 30 million to the start-up funds. Luo Feng was only eighteen, while Yang Wu was already twenty-four.

Wu Tong couldn't help wondering if he'd heard wrong.

"What are you standing there for?" Zhuge Tao said with a laugh. "Wu Tong, you'd better watch yourself. Yang Wu's strength is no less than yours now!"

"What?" Wu Tong looked at Yang Wu in surprise, but didn't dare say anything more.

Wu Tong was a War General-level warrior, after all!

Just then, Wu Tong suddenly remembered a question Luo Feng had asked him before the assessment.

Could Yang Wu really have gained eight thousand kilograms of strength the first time he practiced Genetic Origin Energy? No, no—that's impossible! Wu Tong thought to himself.

Zhuge Tao turned to Yang Wu. "Yang Wu, go with Wu Tong and sign the contract. As for the Basic Training Camp, think it over first. If you decide to go, let me know and I'll apply for you right away!"

"Yes, Director!"

Yang Wu answered respectfully, then followed Wu Tong out of the room.

"Zhuge, 80 million Huaxia Currency. That's quite a bold move!" Wang Heng exclaimed after the two had left.

"What, it's such a small sum. You make it sound like none of you could afford it," Zhuge Tao said with a laugh.

Though 80 million Huaxia Currency was no small amount, the four men in the room were all powerful bigwigs with influence in their own spheres. Each of them had the strength of an Advanced War General.

To the four of them, 80 million Huaxia Currency really was just a drop in the bucket.

"Eighty million Huaxia Currency isn't much, but without getting into the War God Preparatory Camp, Yang Wu has little chance of reaching the War God Level before thirty. After thirty, his strength will surely grow more slowly. He might end up stuck at the Advanced War General level, just like the rest of us!" Wang Heng said sourly.

They had known each other for years, and Wang Heng knew Zhuge Tao enjoyed investing in talented people. Wang Heng also did his best to cultivate promising warriors, but he wouldn't spend as much as Zhuge Tao had.

Even when they recruited Luo Feng in the original story, the Martial Arts Hall had been the one to pay the 300-million penalty.

First, investing in talented warriors was risky. Unless the person they invested in reached the War God Level, even an Advanced War General wouldn't be of much help to people like them.

Second, these investments were gifts; the recipients didn't have to pay anything back. Even if they reached the War God Level, they might not be willing to help, in which case the investors gained nothing.

So investing in talent was like gambling. They might gain a War God-level supporter in the future, but failure was far more likely.

After hearing Wang Heng's words, Liu Dong and Hou Zhen nodded in agreement.

Eighty million Huaxia Currency wasn't much, but they still wouldn't be willing to spend their own money to recruit a talented warrior.

"Haha, it's just a little experiment," Zhuge Tao said casually.

Before this, Zhuge Tao had already thoroughly investigated Yang Wu, including the fact that Yang Wu had worked at a tavern owned by a collateral member of the Wang Family.

He had only greatly increased the Extreme Martial Arts Hall's offer after confirming that Yang Wu wasn't the sort of person who forgot those who had helped him.

As for whether Yang Wu could reach the War God Level, Zhuge Tao thought there was a good chance!

"By the way, Old Wang, what do you think? Will Wan Dong, the little genius from your Thunder Dojo, kill more monsters in this assessment than Luo Feng from my Extreme Martial Arts Hall? Want to make a bet?" Zhuge Tao asked casually.

He had just recruited Yang Wu into the Extreme Martial Arts Hall, and he was in a pretty good mood.

"Go on, get out of here... Who's got time to bet with you?" Wang Heng wasn't in the best of moods. "Come on, leave. I still have drinks to finish!"