Sun Zhenhai Visits

Li He smiled slightly, signaling that he was fine.

"Thank you for your concern, Boss Jin. My injuries have already fully healed."

"Haha, why call me Boss Jin? That's too formal. If you don't mind, just call me Uncle Jin. I'll be bold enough to call you my nephew." Jin Wancai was all smiles, appearing very intimate. He didn't press Li He on how he had recovered so quickly; shrewd as he was, he naturally understood that some things were better left unexamined.

He turned his head and shouted toward the door: "Yousheng, come in quickly."

No sooner had the words left his mouth.

A chubby, fair-skinned face poked through the crack in the door.

It was none other than Jin Yongsheng.

"Senior Brother Li, it is truly great to see you safe and sound."

His face wore the same amiable smile as his father's.

"Senior Brother Li, you really opened my eyes this time. Sun Jiaoyang was so arrogant and domineering, but what happened? He was beaten by you until he lost all face and prestige. You really vented our frustrations for us!"

As he spoke, he snapped his fingers, and the bodyguard behind him presented a jade box.

"Senior Brother Li, you were so severely injured this time that I felt your pain as if it were my own. I couldn't do much to help, so this is just a small token of my sincerity."

Inside the jade box was a whole ham, cured from the leg of a second-tier exotic beast, the Blazing Fire Pig Beast.

Jin Wancai watched from the side and chimed in at the right moment: "Nephew, Yongsheng here truly admires you from the bottom of his heart! You should accept it; it's just a small gesture from us. In the future at the martial arts academy, Yongsheng will have to rely on you, his senior brother, for guidance."

Li He did not refuse and reached out to take the jade box.

"I will keep Uncle Jin and Junior Brother Yongsheng's kindness in mind."

"Senior Brother Li is too polite." Jin Yongsheng's smile grew even wider. "You should rest well. Once you have fully recovered, I will definitely come to seek your guidance."

"Alright, Yongsheng, don't disturb your Senior Brother Li's rest." Jin Wancai laughed, interrupting his son, and bid farewell to Li He. "Nephew, rest easy. Our Wancai Shop will always be your friend."

After the two left.

The hospital room returned to silence.

Li He looked at the jade box in his hand and began to calculate. Jin Wancai was a businessman; this gift-giving was done with restraint, and there was certainly a deeper motive behind it.

Every company had martial artist retainers responsible for handling trouble and holding down the fort, especially companies with ties to the Abyss, which all possessed their own martial artist squads.

Jin Wancai's visit today was likely because he saw potential in him and wanted to build a rapport in advance.

As his strength increased, his need for resources would grow, and contact with such businessmen would be inevitable. How to handle these relationships in the future required careful consideration.

This brief moment of peace did not last long.

Knock, knock, knock.

The sound of knocking echoed again, this time with a steady and heavy rhythm.

Li He's eyes narrowed slightly as he put the jade box away.

"Please come in."

The door was pushed open.

A figure walked in.

The visitor was tall, with a steady face and deep eyes, carrying the dignity and composure of someone who had long held a position of power. It was none other than Sun Jiaoyang's father, the helmsman of the Zhenhai Catering Group, Sun Zhenhai.

Behind him were two bodyguards whose auras were as deep as an abyss.

Sun Zhenhai's gaze lingered for a moment on the fully healed wound on Li He's chest, a flash of surprise crossing his eyes.

"Li He... I remember your name. You've recovered well."

"Thank you for your concern, Mr. Sun. It is no longer a problem."

Li He's voice was calm, though his body quietly tensed up.

He did not believe that Sun Zhenhai had come simply to check on him; no matter what, a father would feel some anger after his son had been beaten like that.

Sun Zhenhai seemed to see through Li He's thoughts. He walked to the window, stood with his hands behind his back, and cast his gaze toward the bustling city scene outside.

"Young people are hot-blooded. Sparring and competing, with wins and losses on both sides, is perfectly normal." His tone was flat. "Jiaoyang has an arrogant nature. He could have gone to university for further studies, but he chose to follow the company's hunting team into the Abyss to train, developing a habit of not knowing his own strength. Falling into your hands this time may not necessarily be a bad thing for him."

"As for you, Li He, a fifth-grade talent from a humble background, yet you were able to overcome the strong with the weak and defeat my son in front of everyone."

"This temperament, this perseverance, and this ruthlessness to fight for survival from the jaws of death."

A faint curve appeared at the corner of Sun Zhenhai's mouth.

"Since the Federation began keeping records, the highest achiever with a fifth-grade talent was Iron Arm Zhou Tong, who stopped at the peak of the third tier."

"And you, perhaps, could break that record."

Coming from a business tycoon and a martial arts powerhouse, this assessment carried immense weight.

Li He felt a chill in his heart: "Mr. Sun, you flatter me."

"Flatter?" Sun Zhenhai shook his head slightly. "I don't praise people lightly. When I look at people, I only look at value. Li He, the hunting team under my command needs young people like you."

"On the front lines of the Abyss, surrounded by monsters, human martial artists must cast aside sectarian prejudices and unite as one to carve out a sliver of hope in this apocalyptic world."

"I, Sun Zhenhai, have always cherished talent. As long as you nod, you can join the hunting team and become a member of my ranks."

"I can promise you the best cultivation resources, top-tier martial arts legacies, and generous rewards sufficient for you and your family to settle down and live securely in these chaotic times."

"How about it?"

Sun Zhenhai got straight to the point, completely unlike the observation and probing tactics used by Jin Wancai.

Li He was silent for a moment before asking, "And the price?"

"The price?" Sun Zhenhai was slightly taken aback, then laughed. "Your thinking is a bit old-fashioned. You work for me, I pay you, and I provide you with a platform and resources. This is a win-win situation; where does the talk of a price come from?"

"In the old days, you might have had to pay a price just to find work, let alone earn a reward."

Li He frowned.

He still didn't quite understand.

Although he had defeated Sun Jiaoyang, he shouldn't be worth a personal visit from a CEO of this caliber. Even Jin Wancai, whose company was far smaller than Zhenhai Group, had only been making a tentative bet on him.

"Are you wondering exactly what it is I see in you?"

Li He was suddenly startled. He looked at Sun Zhenhai and realized the man was staring straight at him.

"You may not understand what your potential truly signifies."

Sun Zhenhai said.

"You have a decent appearance, a unique temperament, and carry a natural aura of a grassroots hero, along with a wild charm."

"If I'm not mistaken, you must have captured the hearts of many girls back in school. Even some wealthy young ladies—did they ever discriminate against you because of your lack of aptitude? No, they only cared about you more."

Li He thought of Su Yutong and remained silent.

"Think about it."

Sun Zhenhai's voice rose slightly.

"If you truly break the Federation's record and become the first person with Grade 5 Root Bone to reach the pinnacle of martial arts, what kind of scene would that be?"

"The focus of millions, radiating brilliance."

"You wouldn't just be a powerful martial artist; you would become a symbol, a spiritual idol inspiring countless martial artists at the bottom of society."

"Your name, your image, and your story would all possess immeasurable value."

"At that point, you would be the best spokesperson for my Zhenhai Group. You would become the brightest signboard of our group, attracting countless gazes."

"Resources, legacies, wealth, status—all of these would be within your reach."

"That is where your true potential lies."

Li He's heart was shaken.

In the past, he had been obsessed with the path of martial arts and had never considered these things.

He only knew that the entertainment industry in this world was highly developed and that holographic games kept countless young people addicted, but he hadn't realized that the idol industry in this world was just as advanced.

In fact, the National Martial Arts League itself was a breeding ground for idols.

Just as Li He's mind was reeling, Sun Zhenhai suddenly changed the subject: "By the way, your father, Li Jianguo, is performing circuit maintenance assistance in Safety Zone No. 34, right? That is, Star Iron Gorge?"