S-Class Contract?

Manager Zhou wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and guessed,

"President Fu, Li Qingshan mentioned before that he had no plans to sign with a company. Maybe he really doesn't intend to sign?"

"How could that be?" Fu Wen rejected the idea without a second thought.

"Without sufficient resources supporting the path of martial arts, it's impossible to keep going. Especially for someone with Li Qingshan's background."

"Unless he's an idiot, or..."

Fu Wen's expression gradually darkened, his fingers beginning to tap against the desk.

"Someone poached Yinghai's prospect!"

"President Fu, that's impossible." Manager Zhou looked nervous and hurriedly said,

"Following your instructions, I did my best to blur the news from last night. Aside from the first batch of local companies that received the information, there's no way it could have spread very far."

"Those small local companies don't even understand contract tiers. They couldn't possibly offer better terms than us."

"Don't rush to explain yourself. I haven't decided to make you give up your position yet."

Fu Wen sneered and slightly raised his eyelids.

"Whether someone poached him or not, won't we find out if we test it?"

Manager Zhou had just breathed a sigh of relief when he froze at those words.

"How do we test it?"

Fu Wen waved a hand and said decisively,

"Send Li Qingshan a C-Class contract directly. Even if someone has poached him, they can't possibly offer more than a C-Class contract!"

Manager Zhou immediately lowered his head and complied. After sending out the contract, he flattered him,

"President Fu is wise. A C-Class contract will definitely make Li Qingshan change his mind. Once he comes to Yinghai, and faces an upgraded B-Class contract..."

"B-Class?" Fu Wen interrupted with a sneer, glancing at Manager Zhou.

"Who said I was going to raise it to B-Class?"

"This... according to the previous plan..." Manager Zhou stammered.

He had originally assumed Fu Wen would still follow the old plan. Even if the contract was raised a tier, the deal would remain worthwhile.

But clearly, he had guessed wrong.

"If I sign Li Qingshan with a B-Class contract, what would be the difference between me and those mediocre fools outside?"

"Signing someone requires not only sincerity, but also momentum!"

Fu Wen slammed a hand onto the desk and stared at Manager Zhou.

"Contact Li Qingshan immediately. I'll speak with him personally!"

"Y-Yes..."

Manager Zhou did not dare delay. He hurriedly found Li Qingshan in his contacts and called him.

A light screen unfolded, revealing Li Qingshan's figure.

"Manager Zhou, there's no need to discuss the contract anymore. I truly have no intention of signing."

Li Qingshan frowned slightly, his voice carrying a trace of impatience.

After all, this was already the third time he had refused Yinghai.

As he spoke, Li Qingshan walked over to the wall and picked up the long blade he had tossed aside earlier.

Clang!

The long blade slid back into its sheath.

Manager Zhou looked awkward and could only force a laugh.

"Qingshan, don't be hasty. We didn't consider things carefully enough with the previous contract. I've sent you a new C-Class contract. Every benefit in it has more than doubled."

Li Qingshan's frown deepened as he prepared to refuse again.

On the other side of the screen, the bald middle-aged man's face was shoved aside.

A long-haired young man appeared in the upper half of the screen. Because of the angle, he looked as though he were gazing down from above.

"You're Li Qingshan, right? I'm Fu Wen, the general manager of Yinghai. Not just anyone can sign a C-Class contract, especially not one from me, Fu Wen. Getting this contract from me isn't some easy matter..."

Fu Wen looked down his nose at him, his words dripping with condescension as if he were bestowing charity.

"Psychopath!"

With those three words, Li Qingshan vanished from the screen and ended the call.

Fu Wen's confident expression froze on his face, and for a long while, he could not react.

Sweat seeped from Manager Zhou's forehead as he quietly prompted him.

"President Fu?"

"How dare he! How dare he do that!"

Fu Wen suddenly snapped back to his senses and slapped the desk repeatedly.

Manager Zhou trembled in fright and backed away again and again.

Bang!

The solid wooden desk could no longer bear the force and split in half down the middle.

Fu Wen took a deep breath and finally suppressed the rage in his heart.

"No, that's not right. Li Qingshan is just a poor student. Where does he get the nerve to be so arrogant?"

Fu Wen abruptly raised his head and stared at Manager Zhou, who had retreated into a corner.

"Come here! Pull up the recording of that call!"

Li Qingshan definitely had other cards up his sleeve, and Fu Wen had to find them.

"Coming, coming!"

Manager Zhou jogged over and quickly pulled up the recording of the earlier call.

The light screen lit up, and Li Qingshan appeared again.

"Manager Zhou..."

Fu Wen carefully observed Li Qingshan's expression, his brows gradually knitting together.

There was one thing he had to admit: he had indeed guessed wrong earlier. Judging from Li Qingshan's expression, he had left no room for negotiation. It truly seemed as though he had no intention of signing.

"Where did Li Qingshan get such confidence?"

As Fu Wen pondered,

Clang!

A flash of blade light, and the long blade returned to its sheath.

Fu Wen suddenly jolted, his eyes widening sharply.

"Stop!"

Manager Zhou jumped in fright and hurriedly paused the recording.

"President Fu, what is it? Is there something special about that blade?"

Fu Wen ignored Manager Zhou completely. His face nearly pressed against the screen as his gaze locked onto the black long blade.

"Is that really a Thunder-Pattern Blade? How does Li Qingshan have a Thunder-Pattern Blade?"

Fu Wen muttered to himself, looking lost.

Manager Zhou became extremely curious at his reaction and could not help asking again,

"President Fu, is that blade very expensive?"

"Expensive? It's far more than merely expensive!"

Fu Wen came back to his senses, disbelief still filling his eyes.

"Thunder-Pattern Blades are priceless and impossible to find. Even if you brought out a hundred million Star Coins, you couldn't buy one!"

"Ah!" Manager Zhou stared wide-eyed, his mind in a daze.

In just a single month, that poor student who had previously needed to work part-time at Yinghai to make ends meet was now using a combat blade worth a hundred million Star Coins?

This world was far too absurd!

"President Fu, do you think a major conglomerate might have already made a move and signed Li Qingshan?"

Manager Zhou snapped out of his daze and voiced the only possibility he could think of.

"A major conglomerate?"

Fu Wen repeated those words over and over.

The rational part of his mind agreed with the idea. After all, a Thunder-Pattern Blade was not something ordinary people in Luoying could obtain.

Yet instinctively, he was unwilling to accept it.

A Thunder-Pattern Blade was not something an A-Class contract could provide. At the very least, Li Qingshan must have signed an S-Class contract.

An S-Class contract was not something just anyone could offer.

Even his father, the regional director of all Yinghai operations in Martial Righteous Province, could only submit an application and wait for headquarters to send someone to evaluate the candidate.

More importantly, being the recipient of an S-Class contract was itself a symbol of status.

An S-Class contract meant someone destined to soar to great heights. No one was willing to offend such a person rashly.

A moment ago, Li Qingshan had still been a minor figure he could manipulate at will. Now, he had suddenly transformed into an important figure whom even his father would have to treat respectfully in person?

At that thought, Fu Wen's heart was filled with mixed emotions.

"President Fu, President Fu? What should we do now?"

Fu Wen snapped out of his daze and waved a hand.

"Contact Li Qingshan again!"

"Ah?" Manager Zhou's lips trembled, and he hesitated to move.

He might not have seen much of the world, but he was not an idiot.

Li Qingshan's status was clearly extraordinary now. How could he dare offend him to the point of no return again?

"Don't worry!"

Fu Wen saw through Manager Zhou's thoughts. He took a deep breath and suppressed the turmoil in his heart.

"This time, we'll apologize to him. My attitude earlier was indeed somewhat rash."

"Apologize?" Manager Zhou was stunned.

For the three days since taking office, Fu Wen had always been aloof and domineering. Now he was actually taking the initiative to lower his head?

Still, this was a good thing. Manager Zhou quickly dialed Li Qingshan's number.

Two pairs of eyes stared fixedly at the communicator.

After a brief series of beeps, the screen went dark.

He had been blocked...