HR Alliance Mall

On the morning of the 28th, Luo Zhe finished his breakfast early and arrived at Luo Feng's home to wait.

Before long, Chen Gu, carrying two large iron cases, and a man carrying an iron spear appeared fully armed at Luo Feng's doorstep, tossing a brand-new A6 Model Blood Shadow Battle Blade to Luo Zhe as they arrived.

"Let's go, you two kids. The four of us are heading to the HR Alliance Mall to meet up with the captain and the others before we set off for the Wilderness Zone." When it came to entering the Wilderness Zone, Chen Gu was remarkably efficient and decisive, shedding his usual image of a nagging busybody. He took the lead, walked straight to the Extreme Martial Arts Hall's dedicated vehicle, and sat in the passenger seat.

Luo Zhe, Luo Feng, and the man with the iron spear tactfully pulled open the rear doors, took their seats, and the vehicle departed immediately.

Jiangnan Base City, one of the six major base cities of the Huaxia Nation, was extremely wealthy. In its main urban district stood an 88-story skyscraper with the eye-catching letters "HR" emblazoned on its walls. Surrounding the ground floor of the skyscraper were a beautiful plaza and the largest fountain in all of Jiangnan Base City. The perimeter of the plaza was patrolled by over a thousand soldiers armed with live ammunition, strictly forbidding any outsiders from stepping inside.

Passersby would always look at this skyscraper with curiosity and envy.

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

"Beep!"

An electronic sound rang out.

The standing guards and patrolling soldiers immediately stepped aside as a military off-road vehicle marked with the "Extreme Martial Arts Hall" logo drove in and stopped at the entrance of the skyscraper's lobby. The doors opened, and four fully armed martial artists stepped out, some carrying iron spears, others with battle blades and shields, or, in one case, two large iron cases.

"Gentlemen, please enter," the doorman at the lobby entrance said with a respectful bow.

The four martial artists walked directly into the skyscraper.

Chen Gu scanned the area, turned to the three men beside him, and smiled, "Let's go. We'll sit at the bar nearby and wait for the captain and the others to arrive."

"Whatever you say. Luo Feng and I haven't met the captain yet, so we don't know what to expect," Luo Zhe said, rubbing his nose. Luo Feng, standing beside him, shrugged with a smile, signaling his agreement.

On the way to the bar, Luo Zhe carefully observed the HR Alliance Mall. As the headquarters for the underground alliance formed by the world's various super-families and financial groups, the entire building was the epitome of luxury.

The lobby floor was polished to a mirror finish, and even the simplest decorations were extraordinary.

The waiters in the lobby—handsome men and graceful women—each wore a smile that felt like a spring breeze, making one feel close to them without being overwhelmed by excessive enthusiasm. It was clear they had undergone rigorous professional training.

Upon reaching the bar, Luo Zhe and Luo Feng sat on a sofa, while Chen Gu and the other team member, Zhang Ke, sat on the opposite sofa with a relaxed, imposing air. For a moment, the four members, both old and new, sat there staring at each other in silence.

"Four gentlemen, what would you like to drink?" A warm waiter broke the stalemate, bowing slightly as he asked with a smile.

"Tieguanyin!"

"Pu-erh tea, with a hint of jasmine!"

Chen Gu and Zhang Ke, the veteran members, spoke first, then turned their gazes toward Luo Zhe and the other.

Luo Zhe looked at the menu in the waiter's hand, seemingly deep in thought about what to order. Zhang Ke, whose arms were thick and muscular like those of a gibbon, seemed to notice Luo Zhe's hesitation and smiled, recommending, "The Pu-erh here is quite good. Would you like to have a cup?"

Taking Zhang Ke's advice, Luo Zhe nodded readily. After checking with Luo Feng, he smiled at the waiter and said, "Bring us both a cup of Pu-erh as well."

After the waiter brought the tea, the group gradually began to chat, especially since all four were martial artists from the Bright Moon Residential Area, giving them plenty of common ground.

At this moment, Chen Gu was pointing around, introducing the place to the two newcomers: "The first floor is for welcoming guests and resting. From the second floor up, it's where the mall sells its goods. We don't have time today, but after we return from the Wilderness Zone, you can find time to come back and look around. The prices here at the underground alliance mall are generally lower than the full prices at the 'Home of Extremes,' and there are no contribution point requirements."

"Of course, they are still much higher than our half-price discounts."

"The biggest advantage of this underground alliance mall is... we can sell the materials we harvest from the monsters we kill in the Wilderness Zone to them at a high price," Chen Gu explained. "Usually, if we sell monster materials to the Martial Arts Hall, the price is relatively low, but the Hall gives us a certain amount of contribution points. Selling to this underground alliance mall offers a higher price but no contribution points. As for how to choose, that's entirely up to you."

Luo Zhe and Luo Feng had already read posts about these basics on the Martial Artist Forum and were well aware of them.

For Luo Zhe, in the early stages when he needed money, he could sell to the underground alliance mall first. Once he was no longer short on cash, he could sell the materials to the Martial Arts Hall to earn contribution points.

The fourth level of the Nine-Fold Thunder Blade required a two-star contribution level for a half-price discount, and the fifth level required a three-star level. Furthermore, the full price for the fifth level was a staggering two billion!

A half-price discount meant saving a full billion!

Moreover, once he achieved a three-star contribution level, he wouldn't just enjoy half-price discounts on secret manuals; he could even order equipment like his Blood Shadow Battle Blade directly through the Home of Extremes without needing Chen Gu to buy it for him.

"Brother Wang, you've been up for most of the night. Get some rest. Leave this to me."

Suddenly, a crisp, gentle voice rang out from behind. Luo Feng, who had been holding his teacup, turned his head sharply as if struck by lightning.

Luo Zhe, who had nearly been splashed with tea by Luo Feng's sudden movement, turned his head in annoyance, only to find Luo Feng staring intently at the bar. Following Luo Feng's gaze, he saw a young woman in a white shirt and black suit trousers behind the nearby bar, changing shifts with another manager.

Luo Zhe turned back, feigned indifference as he took a sip of tea, exchanged glances with Chen Gu and Zhang Ke, and flashed a mischievous grin.

Yep, confirmed by the look in his eyes—it's Luo Feng's little sweetheart!

Chen Gu: 'That's definitely Luo Feng's little sweetheart, isn't it? He hid that well.'

Zhang Ke: 'She looks quite young, and she's a bar manager in the HR Alliance lobby. Luo Feng's got game, he's got moves!'

Luo Zhe: 'What are you guys talking about?'

When Luo Feng turned back, he saw the three of them blinking incessantly, looking as if their eyes were twitching, and asked curiously, "What's wrong with you guys? Why do you look like your eyes are spasming?"

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