HR Alliance Mall

Early on the morning of the 28th, Luo Zhe finished breakfast and headed to Luo Feng's home to wait.

He didn't have to wait long. Chen Gu arrived fully equipped, carrying two large iron cases, accompanied by a man with an iron spear on his back. He also tossed Luo Zhe a brand-new A6 Model Blood Shadow Battle Blade.

"Let's go, you two. The four of us are heading to the HR Alliance Mall to meet up with the captain and the others. Then we'll set off together for the Wilderness Zone." When it came to heading into the Wilderness Zone, Chen Gu was brisk and efficient, nothing like the nagging old aunt he usually seemed to be. He strode ahead, climbed straight into the Limit Dojo's vehicle, and took the front passenger seat.

Luo Zhe, Luo Feng, and the man with the iron spear obligingly opened the back door and took their seats. The vehicle soon set off.

Jiangnan Base City was one of the Six Great Base Cities of the Huaxia Nation and was extremely prosperous. In the main urban district stood an 88-story skyscraper, with the dazzling letters "HR" emblazoned on its walls. Around the building's first-floor entrance lay a beautiful plaza and the largest fountain in Jiangnan Base City. More than a thousand armed soldiers patrolled the plaza, forbidding outsiders from setting foot inside.

Passersby who walked past would look at the skyscraper with curiosity and envy.

The vast majority of people in Jiangnan City never set foot inside it in their entire lives.

"Beep!"

An electronic voice sounded.

At once, the soldiers on guard and on patrol stepped aside. A military off-road vehicle bearing the words "Extreme Martial Arts Hall" drove in and stopped at the skyscraper's entrance. The doors swung open, and four fully armed fighters climbed out, carrying iron spears, battle blades and shields, or two large iron cases.

"Welcome, sir." The doorman at the skyscraper's entrance bowed respectfully.

The four fighters walked straight into the skyscraper.

Chen Gu looked around, then turned to the other three with a smile. "Come on, let's sit at the bar over there and wait for the captain and the others."

"We'll leave it to you. Luo Feng and I haven't met the captain, so we don't know what he's like," Luo Zhe said, rubbing his nose. Luo Feng shrugged beside him, smiling as if to say he'd go along with whatever Chen Gu decided.

As they walked toward the bar, Luo Zhe carefully observed the HR Alliance Mall. The Underground Alliance was formed by the world's superfamilies and financial groups working together, and this building, their headquarters in Jiangnan Base City, was nothing short of extravagantly luxurious.

The floor gleamed like a mirror, and even the simplest decorations were extraordinary.

The servers were handsome men and graceful women. Each wore a warm smile that made them seem approachable without coming across as overly eager. They had clearly undergone rigorous professional training.

At the bar, Luo Zhe and Luo Feng sat together on a sofa, while Chen Gu and the other team member, Zhang Ke, settled into the sofa opposite them. For a moment, the four old and new team members stared at one another in silence.

"Gentlemen, what would you like to drink?" A friendly server came over, bowed slightly, and asked with a smile.

"Tieguanyin!"

"Pu'er tea, with a hint of jasmine!"

The veteran members, Chen Gu and Zhang Ke, spoke first, then looked toward Luo Zhe and Luo Feng.

Luo Zhe looked at the menu in the server's hand, seeming to ponder what to order. Zhang Ke, whose sturdy arms made him look like a gibbon, seemed to notice Luo Zhe's dilemma. "The Pu'er here is pretty good. Want a cup?"

Taking Zhang Ke's suggestion, Luo Zhe nodded. After asking Luo Feng what he wanted, he smiled at the server. "Bring us both a cup of Pu'er, too."

Once the server brought their tea, the four of them gradually struck up a conversation. All four were fighters from Bright Moon Residential Area, so they had plenty in common.

Chen Gu pointed around the room as he explained to the two newcomers, Luo Zhe and Luo Feng. "The first floor is for guests to relax while they wait. The mall's shops start on the second floor. We don't have time today, but once we're back from the Wilderness Zone, you can come browse whenever you like. The items here at the Underground Alliance Mall are generally cheaper than their full price at Home of Extremes, and you don't need contribution points to buy them."

"Of course, they're still much more expensive than the half-price deals we get."

"And the best thing about this Underground Alliance Mall is that we can sell them materials from the monsters we hunt in the Wilderness Zone for a high price," Chen Gu explained. "If we sell the materials from the monsters we hunt to the Dojo, the prices are lower, but the Dojo gives us contribution points. If we sell them to the Underground Alliance Mall, we get a higher price, but no contribution points. It's up to each of us to decide which we prefer."

Luo Zhe and Luo Feng had already read posts about these basics on the Martial Artist Forum and knew all about them.

For Luo Zhe, who needed money more at this early stage, it made sense to sell his materials to the Underground Alliance Mall first. Once he had enough money, he could sell them to the Dojo instead and earn contribution points.

The Fourth Layer of the Nine-Fold Thunder Blade required two-star contribution points for the half-price discount, while the Fifth Layer required three-star contribution points. And the full price of the Fifth Layer was a whopping two billion!

Half price meant saving a whole billion!

Moreover, earning three-star contribution points wouldn't just get him the half-price discount on the manual. He also wouldn't have to trouble Chen Gu to buy his Blood Shadow Battle Blade anymore. He could place an order himself at Home of Extremes.

"Brother Wang, you've been up half the night. Go get some rest. I'll take over here."

Suddenly, a clear, gentle voice sounded behind them. Luo Feng, who had been holding his teacup, jolted as if shocked and whipped around.

Luo Zhe nearly got splashed with tea by Luo Feng's sudden movement. He turned around in annoyance, only to see Luo Feng staring fixedly at the bar. Following his gaze, Luo Zhe spotted a young woman behind the nearby counter, dressed in a white shirt and black suit trousers, taking over from another manager.

Luo Zhe turned back, pretended nothing was amiss, and lifted his teacup for a sip. He exchanged glances with Chen Gu and Zhang Ke, then grinned mischievously.

Yep, that look said it all. She was Luo Feng's little sweetheart!

Chen Gu: "She's Luo Feng's little sweetheart, right? He's kept her well hidden."

Zhang Ke: "She looks pretty young, and she's a bar manager in the Underground Alliance's reception hall. Luo Feng's got game!"

Luo Zhe: "What are you two talking about?"

When Luo Feng turned back, he saw the three of them blinking rapidly, as if their eyes were twitching. He couldn't help asking, "What's wrong with you? Why do you look like you've got eye twitches?"

Luo Zhe covered his eye. Damn, I blinked too fast and my eyelid started twitching!