The first tier really was a little too poor.
Wait!
Zhu Zhuqing thought, then silently grumbled to herself:
Since when had she started thinking a level-95 Titled Douluo was poor?
This shop was far too strange. Somehow, it had actually turned her thinking around.
Still, in this shop, the first tier really was the worst.
Zhu Zhuqing looked at the packages, deeply tempted by the Demon King Guard and the Obsidian Guard, but she knew that even with loans and installment payments, their astronomical prices were far beyond what she could afford.
Never mind those two-she might not even be able to afford the other two.
After thinking for a long time, Zhu Zhuqing cautiously asked Lin Yan:
"Boss, do I have to buy the whole thing outright? I really can't afford more than a decade all at once. Could I renew it one year at a time? Buy the escort service annually?"
Hearing her words, Lin Yan's eyes immediately lit up:
"You even know how to draw further conclusions from one example? Of course you can. This shop never forces purchases or pressures customers into orders. You can choose however you like. That itself is an exclusive benefit this shop offers its customers."
"An exclusive benefit?"
"Yes. Take the lowest-tier Frost Guard, for example. The total price is three million for twelve years of protection. That works out to an original price of just 250,000 Gold Soul Coins a year.
"A level-95 Titled Douluo serving elsewhere receives an annual stipend more than ten times that amount. Here, the system matches you with top-tier fighting strength and year-round personal protection. It's a sure gain with no loss."
With that affirmative answer, the stone hanging over Zhu Zhuqing's heart finally dropped. She breathed a sigh of relief, then felt an even stronger desire for this protection.
But Zhu Zhuqing noticed a catch.
"Boss, what do you mean by an original price of 250,000?"
At her question, a crafty smile immediately appeared on Lin Yan's face.
"You didn't think the all-inclusive package and annual purchases would cost the same, did you?
"You can buy the years separately, but each year costs fifty percent more than the discounted rate. For instance, the first tier works out to a discounted annual price of 250,000 with the full package. If you buy it annually, it's 375,000 a year."
"Huh?"
Why did everything cost money?
The penniless Zhu Zhuqing instantly looked like a little bitter melon.
But no matter how bitter things got, the child must not suffer.
After a moment's consideration, Zhu Zhuqing's gaze grew firm, and she solemnly said:
"Boss, I've decided. I'll choose the second-tier Blazing Flame Guard. But I'd still like to confirm exactly how strong the Blazing Flame Guard really is."
"A level-93 Blazing Flame Guard is invincible against anyone below level 97 and can fight a level-97 Super Douluo to a draw.
"It's inconvenient to say much more about the specifics. You'll know when you buy one.
"The total price of a Blazing Flame Guard is nine million Gold Soul Coins, covering the child until adulthood at eighteen. With twelve years left, that works out to around 750,000 Gold Soul Coins a year. Add the fifty-percent premium, and it's about 1.1 million.
"An ordinary level-97 Super Douluo in a top-tier major faction, especially the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, receives at least one million Gold Soul Coins a year, not counting various benefits. And not just anyone can hire one.
"Most importantly, they can't arrive instantly at the most dangerous moment. Even Bone Douluo Gu Rong faces restrictions in many situations, and he can only travel freely to places he's already visited.
"But my escort service is different. A spiritual imprint forms between the guard and your child. The instant the child encounters danger, the guard teleports to their side. That's far better than guarding them day and night, and it's absolutely safe."
"Gasp!"
Everyone immediately sucked in a breath of cold air after hearing Lin Yan's words.
"That's far too heaven-defying!
"That means every guard comes with a spatial ability that allows instantaneous movement.
"Why is Bone Douluo renowned across the continent? Because his consummate mastery of his spatial attribute makes his enemies tremble at the mere mention of him.
"But now this shop can actually wholesale such a heaven-defying ability. Unbeatable."
After hearing Lin Yan's explanation, Zhu Zhuqing was also extremely satisfied:
"Boss, I'll choose the Blazing Flame Guard. Put the whole thing on installments, and use loans to cover the first few payments."
Zhu Zhuqing did not have that much money now, so her payment method was a combination of installments and loans.
When an installment came due and she had no money to pay it, she would use a loan to cover it first. Loans did not have the time limits installments did; the more she owed, the greater the interest.
But this was the only option for someone like Zhu Zhuqing, who had no one to rely on. Lin Yan, however, was not worried that she would fail to repay it.
With such a heaven-defying child, even working for someone as a guard in the future could earn around a million a year. That would be more than enough to repay the money.
All Zhu Zhuqing was doing was maximizing her losses. She might end up working for him for the rest of her life.
But he was not the one who would suffer, and this was Zhu Zhuqing's own choice. He respected it.
He was only wholesaling children and helping the natives of the Douluo Continent live off their offspring.
Just thinking about it made it rather hard to keep a straight face.
"That's fine. But I still have to remind you that this fee is only for protection. The guard will only step in promptly when there's danger."
"Of course, that doesn't mean they can never take action otherwise."
Lin Yan added, "Your exclusive guard can accept parent-child Soul Hunting missions, charged at an internal family rate.
"Beyond that, there won't be any other services.
"If you want the guard to deal with human Soul Masters, participate in conflicts between people, or fight over resources, this shop accepts none of those requests and provides no such services."
Excitement immediately appeared on Zhu Zhuqing's face when she heard that:
"There are even additional services? That's wonderful!"
What she needed most right now was someone to help hunt Soul Beasts and obtain Soul Rings, as well as a dedicated guard to ensure her safety.
Though it would mean another expense, as the saying went, once you had enough debts, they stopped weighing you down. She already owed so much that owing a little more was no big deal.
"Can it take effect today, then? Will the guard arrive as soon as I place the order?"
Zhu Zhuqing asked urgently, because her need was pressing right now-the people around her were all jackals and wolves eyeing her hungrily. She had to have someone protecting her.
"No, that won't work.
"All protection packages will only officially launch tomorrow. Today is just a presale. These are new packages, after all.
"The formal binding can take place tomorrow, and the protection will take effect then."
At those words, panic instantly appeared on Zhu Zhuqing's face. She instinctively hugged her daughter tighter, her eyes filled with worry:
"But boss, I don't dare go outside now. What should I do? Countless people out there have their eyes on my daughter. I don't dare step out of this shop at all."
Looking at her wary, uneasy expression, Lin Yan said calmly:
"That's all right.
"Because of the earlier mistake, you can stay here for one night. Tomorrow, once the protection package takes effect, we'll formally sign the contract. With the guard in place, you can leave with peace of mind."
With that, Lin Yan swept his gaze over the crowd outside, which had only grown rather than dwindled, and said:
"Everyone, that's all for business today. This shop is preparing to close."
The moment he finished speaking, the crowd erupted into an uproar.
"Don't, boss! Stay open a little longer!"
"Exactly! We haven't seen enough yet. You're calling it quits after just two sales? Come on, boss, get going!"
"Just two sales today? You make it sound so easy!
"Those two sales brought this boss a full thirty million Gold Soul Coins. That's worth over a decade of tax revenue from one of the empire's major cities."
"True. The boss has earned enough. With a few sales a day, of course he can open and close whenever he likes."
"Wait!"
The middle-aged man looked at Lin Yan.
"Weren't you going to verify my funds? Weren't you going to let me choose a package? Why are you suddenly closing now?"
"A customer came in. I couldn't leave her hanging just to attend to you lot, could I?
"Come early tomorrow. As long as you have the money, I'll give you whatever package you want, still at twenty percent off. Even if you get the max-level package, I'll give you twenty percent off.
"But judging by the look of you, I don't think you can afford it. Heh."
"Young boss, you're judging people by their looks."
"Come early tomorrow."
Lin Yan could not be bothered with all that anymore. It was not that he did not want to do business, but that he had no money left. The entire loan allowance had gone to Zhu Zhuqing. His heart was willing, but his strength was lacking, so he might as well close.
With that, Lin Yan immediately shut the shop door.
Yet the people outside lingered for a long time, the place still bustling.
And the bizarre events that had happened here today would immediately spread throughout the whole Douluo Continent.
Before you continue