Li He smiled faintly and indicated that he was fine.
"Thank you for your concern, Mr. Jin. My injuries have fully healed."
"Haha, 'Mr. Jin' sounds too formal. If you don't mind, just call me Uncle Jin. I'll take the liberty of calling you my nephew." Jin Wancai beamed, treating him with great warmth. He didn't ask how Li He had recovered so quickly. Being as shrewd as he was, he understood that some things were better left unprobed.
He turned and called toward the door, "Yousheng, come on in."
As soon as he spoke,
a chubby, fair-skinned face peered through the crack in the door.
It was Jin Yongsheng.
"Senior Brother Li, I'm so glad to see you're safe and sound."
His face wore the same friendly smile as his father's.
"Senior Brother Li, you really opened my eyes this time. Sun Jiaoyang was so arrogant and overbearing, but what happened in the end? You beat him so badly he lost all face and swagger. You really gave us a chance to vent our frustration!"
As he spoke, he snapped his fingers, and a bodyguard behind him brought over a jade box.
"Senior Brother Li, you were so badly injured this time. I feel your pain, but there isn't much I can do to help. This is just a small token of my appreciation."
Inside the jade box was an entire ham, cured from the leg of a second-tier Blazing Fire Pig Beast.
Watching from the side, Jin Wancai chimed in at just the right moment. "Nephew, Yongsheng genuinely admires you. Please accept it. It's a small gesture from us, and Yongsheng will be counting on you to look after him at the martial arts school."
Li He didn't refuse. He reached for the jade box.
"I'll remember your kindness, Uncle Jin, and yours too, Junior Brother Yongsheng."
"Senior Brother Li, you're too kind." Jin Yongsheng's smile widened. "Get some good rest. Once you've completely recovered, I'll have to ask you for some pointers."
"All right, Yongsheng. Don't disturb your senior brother while he's resting." Jin Wancai smiled as he cut his son off, then bade Li He farewell. "Nephew, rest easy. Everyone at our Wancai Shop is your friend."
After the two left,
the hospital room fell quiet again.
Looking at the jade box in his hands, Li He began to consider the matter. Jin Wancai was a businessman. He'd given a modest gift and no more; there was surely a deeper motive behind it.
Every company had martial artists in its employ to handle trouble and guard its territory. Companies connected to the Abyss, in particular, all had their own martial artist teams.
Jin Wancai had probably come because he saw Li He's potential and wanted to establish a connection early.
As his strength increased, so would his need for resources. He would inevitably have to deal with businessmen like this, and he needed to think carefully about how to handle those relationships in the future.
This brief spell of peace didn't last long.
Knock, knock, knock.
The next knock came with a steady, weighty rhythm.
Li He's eyes narrowed slightly as he put the jade box away.
"Come in."
The door opened.
A figure walked in.
The visitor was tall, with a composed face and deep-set eyes. He carried the authority and ease of someone long accustomed to being in charge. He was Sun Jiaoyang's father, Sun Zhenhai, head of Zhenhai Catering Group.
Two bodyguards followed behind him, their auras as deep as the abyss.
Sun Zhenhai's gaze paused for a moment on the fully healed wound on Li He's chest, and a flicker of surprise passed through his eyes.
"Li He... I remember your name. You've recovered well."
"Thank you for your concern, Mr. Sun. I'm fine now."
Li He's voice was calm, but his body tensed almost imperceptibly.
He didn't think Sun Zhenhai had come simply to check on him. His son had been beaten that badly; surely any father would feel some anger.
Sun Zhenhai seemed to see what Li He was thinking. He walked over to the window, clasped his hands behind his back, and looked out at the bustling city.
"Young people are full of fire. Competing and trading blows, with either side winning, is perfectly normal." His tone was casual. "Jiaoyang is proud and aloof. He could have gone to university, but instead chose to join the company's hunting team and venture into the Abyss. He got used to striking without knowing when to hold back. Losing to you this time may well be a good thing for him."
"But you, Li He—you have fifth-grade bone aptitude and humble origins, yet you defeated a stronger opponent in front of everyone."
"That spirit, that perseverance, that ruthless determination to fight your way back from the brink of death."
The faintest hint of a smile tugged at Sun Zhenhai's lips.
"According to Federation records, the greatest achiever with fifth-grade bone aptitude was Iron Arm Zhou Tong, who stalled at the peak of the third tier."
"And you might break that record."
Such praise, coming from a business magnate and martial arts powerhouse, carried considerable weight.
Li He felt a slight stir of unease. "You flatter me, Mr. Sun."
"Flatter you?" Sun Zhenhai shook his head lightly. "I don't praise people lightly. When I look at someone, I look at their value. Li He, my hunting team needs young people like you."
"On the Abyss Frontline, surrounded by monsters, humanity's martial artists must set aside their differences and unite. Only then can we carve out a chance to survive in this apocalyptic world."
"I, Sun Zhenhai, have always valued talent. If you agree to join the hunting team and become one of my people,"
"I can promise you the finest cultivation resources, the very best martial arts legacy, and a generous reward—enough to secure a stable life for you and your family in these turbulent times."
"What do you say?"
Sun Zhenhai got straight to the point, without any of Jin Wancai's observation and probing.
Li He fell silent for a moment, then asked, "What's the price?"
"The price?" Sun Zhenhai was taken aback, then laughed. "Your way of thinking is a little old-fashioned. You work for me, and I pay you. I provide you with a platform and resources. It's a win-win. Where's the price in that?"
"Working for someone and not only failing to earn anything, but having to pay a price—that's how things were in the old days."
Li He frowned.
He still didn't quite understand.
Although he had defeated Sun Jiaoyang, he shouldn't be important enough for someone at Sun Zhenhai's level to come see him in person. Even Jin Wancai, whose company was much smaller than Zhenhai Group, had only placed a tentative bet on him.
"Are you wondering what it is about you that caught my eye?"
Li He was startled and looked at Sun Zhenhai. The other man was staring straight at him.
"You may not understand what your potential means," Sun Zhenhai said.
"You have a handsome, well-proportioned face and a distinctive presence. You carry the natural aura of a grassroots hero, along with a wild charm."
"If I'm not mistaken, you won the hearts of quite a few girls when you were in school, didn't you? Even some rich girls—did they look down on you because your aptitude was poor? No. They'd only have been more interested in you."
Li He thought of Su Yutong and said nothing.
"Just think about it."
Sun Zhenhai's voice rose slightly.
"If you really broke the Federation's record and became the first person with fifth-grade bone aptitude to reach the pinnacle of martial arts, what would that look like?"
"Everyone's eyes on you, shining brighter than anyone else."
"You wouldn't just be a powerful martial artist. You'd become a symbol, a spiritual icon inspiring countless martial artists from humble backgrounds."
"Your name, your image, your story—all of them would be worth more than you could imagine."
"Then you'd be the perfect spokesperson for Zhenhai Group, our brightest brand, drawing countless eyes."
"Resources, legacies, wealth, status—all of them would be within easy reach."
"That's where your potential lies."
Li He was deeply shaken.
Until now, he had been so absorbed in the path of martial arts that he had never considered any of this.
He knew only that the entertainment industry in this world was highly developed and that holographic games kept countless young people hooked. He hadn't realized that the idol industry was just as developed.
In fact, the National Martial Arts League was itself a breeding ground for idols.
Just as Li He's thoughts were in turmoil, Sun Zhenhai suddenly changed the subject. "By the way, your father, Li Jianguo, is helping with electrical repairs in Safe Zone 34, right? At Star Iron Gorge?"
Before you continue