Father Gao Shanhe

"Whew... Little brother, don't shout that again. People could die. But you only guessed half right. That sword just now was called Just a Moment, while the last sword wasn't Stop."

Bai Ye wore a strange expression, a vague suspicion forming in his heart. "Then what was it called?"

Xiao Yi smiled mysteriously and spoke three words. "I Was Wrong."

Bai Ye: "..."

Those three words stunned him for a long while before he finally recovered and gave Xiao Yi a thumbs-up. "Badass!"

Xiao Yi accepted the praise calmly. "Wait, Just a Moment, Stop—if the enemy still isn't dead after those three swords, then all I can do is admit my mistake. That's why it's called I Was Wrong."

"How much longer are you people going to chat?!" Black Leopard roared after catching his breath. He felt like he was being blatantly ignored.

Xiao Yi turned his head toward him. "Still want to fight?"

Though Black Leopard looked wary, he still refused to back down verbally. "You only got me earlier because you caught me off guard. If we really fought, I might not lose! I'm a genetically enhanced human who's injected three doses of serum!"

"Oh." Xiao Yi put on a look of surprise. "A powerhouse of the three-injection realm? Hiss!"

"I'll kill you!!"

"Everyone, please... calm down. Give me some face and let this matter go. We all came to Black Mountain to make money; there's no need to risk our lives here." Gao Bancheng stepped forward with the air of a peacemaker.

Black Leopard's expression darkened. "Give you face? Who the hell are you?"

Gao Bancheng did not get angry, merely smiling. "I am Gao Bancheng."

"Gao Bancheng? Never heard of—"

"My father is Gao Shanhe."

"What!? Gao Shanhe, president of the Fortune Commerce Association and the richest man in North Mang, is your father!?" Black Leopard and the others' expressions changed drastically. The name struck them like thunder.

Gao Bancheng smiled and nodded, taking out a token forged from pure gold. Mountains and rivers were carved upon it. It was clearly the work of a master artisan, every detail lifelike.

"The Mountain-River Token of the Fortune Commerce Association!?" Black Leopard cried out. He clearly recognized its worth.

"Would you gentlemen be willing to give me some face?" Gao Bancheng repeated his earlier question, but this time the answer was entirely different.

Black Leopard studied him for a long while before pausing. "Since Boss Gao is here in person, I, Black Leopard, naturally have to give you face. But..."

His tone shifted as he glared viciously at Xiao Yi. "He took my ginseng. We found it together, so by rights, he should give me half!"

"If this ginseng is cut apart, its value will plummet. Don't even think about it. Boss Gao, you'd best stay out of this." Xiao Yi said flatly.

Gao Bancheng smiled faintly and walked straight between the two groups. Then he took out a stack of checks and a pen, writing with composed confidence.

"This ginseng is worth around 1.5 million. I'll round it off and call it 2 million."

Rip.

Gao Bancheng tore off two checks and handed one each to Xiao Yi and Black Leopard.

The two looked down at the checks in their hands and froze instantly.

Xiao Yi raised a brow. "2 million?"

"You got 2 million too?" Black Leopard asked in astonishment.

2 million each? They had assumed Gao Bancheng would give them 1 million apiece. That was what splitting it evenly meant.

The two exchanged glances, then looked at Gao Bancheng's smiling face.

"I'll pay double the price to buy this ginseng from you both. Consider it a gesture of friendship. How about it?"

At that moment, neither of them could quite open their eyes. They had been dazzled by the golden radiance of money emanating from Gao Bancheng.

What did it mean to be obscenely rich?

Now they knew.

So this was how rich people defined splitting something evenly: paying double.

"As expected of President Gao's son. You're truly generous. I, Xiao Yi, am definitely making you my friend!"

"Me too," Black Leopard hurriedly echoed.

After taking the mutated ginseng, Gao Bancheng turned and walked over to Li You. Gratefully, he said, "Earlier, I was fortunate enough to receive Mr. Li's life-saving aid. I know you do not care for vulgar things like money, so I specially purchased a century-old mutated ginseng for you. Please accept it."

Li You stared blankly at the ginseng before him. G-Giving it to me!? He was still reeling from Gao Bancheng's purchase of the ginseng at double price, only for it to be handed over to him the next moment?? Was this the world of the rich?

This maneuver stunned not only Li You, but Bai Ye as well. The power of money truly was shocking. Of course, what truly shocked him was Gao Bancheng's method.

A ginseng worth 1.5 million—just to make friends, he first rounded it up to 2 million, then paid double so both sides were satisfied, and finally gave it to Li You so smoothly...

Bai Ye only had one thing to say about that: I'm definitely making you my friend too.

He swiftly snatched the ginseng and tucked it into his clothes. "Just give it to me. I'll hold onto it for Mr. Li."

After making a small display of the allure of money, Gao Bancheng naturally invited Xiao Yi and the others to join his team.

Without the slightest surprise, both sides agreed, not hesitating for even a second.

"Hmph. Bending to money is not the conduct of the strong." Li Xiao, who had never thought much of Xiao Yi the swordbearer, looked even more disdainful now.

Bai Ye, standing nearby, heard this and could not help asking, "Didn't you take Fat Gao's money too?"

Li Xiao shot him a sidelong glance and said coldly, "I'm different from them. They came here to seek wealth, while I came for Yang Jie, the Tyrant, one of the Ten Kings. Earning a little travel money on the side is all. What's wrong with that?"

Bai Ye had only one response. "Nice!"

I was stupid to even talk to you. Every sentence is about the Ten Kings. When it comes to double standards, no one beats you.

He realized that Li Xiao and Gao Bancheng really were a match made in heaven. One opened his mouth with "My father is Gao Shanhe," while the other opened his mouth with "the Ten Kings." No wonder the two had ended up together.

With Xiao Yi and the others joining them, Bai Ye became increasingly relaxed. Sometimes, in order to increase his vitality and blood, he even had to fight for the chance to use [Breath of Bones], or there would not be enough mutated beasts to go around.

Watching Gao Bancheng constantly build rapport with everyone, Bai Ye even suspected that this fat man had not come to Black Mountain for the shelter at all, but to recruit people here.

By noon, the group arrived near the entrance to Shelter 189 without any real danger.

"Pass through this forest, and the entrance to Shelter 189 will be ahead." Li Baitian pulled out a map of Black Mountain from somewhere and pointed to a red circle on it.

"Why is there a mountain drawn inside the red circle?" Bai Ye asked curiously.

Li Baitian smiled. "Brother Bai, you may not know this, but Shelter 189 is beneath the mountain. I have no idea how the people of the old era managed to build a shelter in a place like this."

"We're finally here." Xiao Yi perked up and took the lead at the front of the group.

"Brother Xiao, did you also come because of the rumors about the Pangu Project?" Gao Bancheng asked.