Tenfold support

The voices in the living room cut off abruptly.

Wei Cang's face immediately turned cold.

Shen Ce and Chen Jingshan exchanged a glance, each seeing gravity in the other's eyes.

Huang Keming's heart tightened, and his expression darkened.

"Yes, this is Lin Hao's home. Please... please come in." Li Xiulan had received too many shocks today, one after another, and had grown somewhat numb.

"Thank you!"

Yan Rusong smiled and entered the living room. His gaze swept over the people inside, without the slightest surprise on his face.

He smiled and extended a hand toward Wei Cang. "City Lord Wei, Deputy City Lord Shen, Commissioner Chen, Director Huang, what a coincidence. I didn't expect you all to be here too."

Wei Cang did not offer his hand, merely looking at him coldly. "You certainly are well-informed, Secretary-General Yan. We've barely arrived, and you've already followed us here."

"A genius like Lin Hao is naturally the focus of all six cities' attention." Yan Rusong withdrew his hand, not feeling embarrassed in the slightest.

He set the gift box beside the coffee table, his gaze sweeping over the list of terms on it.

Then he turned to Lin Rongshan and Li Xiulan with a warm smile. "I'll get straight to the point about why we're here today. We'd like to invite Lin Hao to pursue his future in Qingyang City."

He paused and glanced at everyone on the sofa, his tone calm yet brimming with confidence. "Jiang City should have already presented its terms. I won't beat around the bush either. Qingyang City is offering twice what Jiang City is."

"Twice?"

Lin Rongshan and Li Xiulan both froze.

Secretary-General Yan did not even know what Jiang City's terms were, yet he had opened with double?

Yan Rusong smiled, reached for the list of terms on the coffee table, and quickly scanned it.

After reading it, his smile widened a little more, and he passed the paper to the two people behind him.

He shook his head and said with a smile, "It seems I understated things just now. For a genius like Lin Hao, how could twice as much be enough?

"Qingyang City can offer ten times Jiang City's terms. In addition, we'll provide a dedicated potion laboratory and martial arts training room, with top-of-the-line equipment throughout.

"Qingyang City will do everything it can to meet any potion research needs Mr. Lin Hao has, with no budget ceiling."

Ten times!

Lin Rongshan felt his head buzzing, as though someone had struck it with a hammer.

Jiang City's offer had already felt like a dream, and now Qingyang City had multiplied it tenfold.

Huang Keming shot to his feet and stared fixedly at Yan Rusong. "Yan Rusong, don't go too far!"

"That's not quite right, Director Huang." Yan Rusong spread his hands, looking entirely innocent. "Talent moves freely and makes its own choices. A genius like Lin Hao should naturally go wherever offers him the best prospects.

"Everyone knows Jiang City's financial resources. Even if you poured everything into it, you couldn't offer terms like Qingyang City's. Why keep putting up a front?"

Huang Keming's face flushed scarlet. He wanted to say something, but although his mouth opened, no words came out.

He had to admit that Yan Rusong was telling the truth.

Just then, footsteps sounded at the door again.

Since Li Xiulan's head was now like a bowl of paste, she had forgotten to close the door.

A man in a black casual suit walked in with two assistants.

Seeing the gathering inside, he raised his eyebrows, then smiled and extended a hand to Lin Rongshan. "You must be Lin Hao's father. Hello, Mr. Lin. I'm Luo Jinglin, chairman of the Wansheng Potion Trading Company."

"Hello." Lin Rongshan hurriedly rose and shook his hand.

Wansheng Pharmaceuticals.

This was the most renowned potion trading company in the six cities.

Reportedly, it had already begun establishing operations beyond the six cities and was expanding at a tremendous pace.

But so many important figures had come today that he had already grown somewhat numb.

Luo Jinglin glanced at Wei Cang, Yan Rusong, and the others, then turned to Lin Rongshan and said sincerely, "Wansheng won't compete with the cities over his path into public office, nor will we require Lin Hao to remain in any particular city.

"As long as Lin Hao is willing to join Wansheng as our honorary pharmacist, we'll give him a five-percent stake in the company, with annual dividends of no less than fifty million.

"For as long as Lin Hao remains with Wansheng, that five-percent stake will belong to him.

"We'll build him an independent potion research and development center, with priority access to all resources. He can brew whatever he wants. We won't interfere with his freedom.

"All we want are exclusive distribution rights to the potions he develops. Lin Hao will receive fifty percent of the sales profits."

Lin Rongshan and Li Xiulan stood where they were, looking at the roomful of important figures in immaculate suits, feeling as though their brains could no longer keep up.

A five-percent stake!

Fifty million in annual dividends!

An independent potion research and development center!

Their son, who had been dismissed from school and looked down on just days ago.

Now he had actually become a heaven's chosen whom all six cities were scrambling to recruit!

Then Luo Jinglin's gaze settled on Lin Rongshan's lower back, and he said, "Mr. Lin, besides discussing cooperation, I've come about something else. I had someone check your medical records: a compression fracture of the third lumbar vertebra, accompanied by spinal stenosis. It's gone untreated for eighteen years, and on rainy days, you can't even get out of bed.

"I've already made arrangements with the director of spinal surgery at the First Affiliated Hospital of Capital Medical University. His team has reviewed your scans.

"Next Wednesday, they'll come to Jiang City to perform your surgery. By their estimate, you'll be able to resume normal activities three months afterward."

Lin Rongshan was startled. He had not expected Luo Jinglin to have made such arrangements.

Li Xiulan's hand unconsciously rested against her husband's lower back. "Really? Then... then that's wonderful?"

Luo Jinglin smiled and said, "Please rest assured, both of you. This is a personal gesture of goodwill. Whatever the outcome of our discussion today, I'll make sure this surgery is properly arranged."

"Thank you for going to the trouble, Chairman Luo."

Lin Rongshan knew in his heart that despite what Luo Jinglin said, he surely still wanted something.

But since the other man had gone this far, he could hardly refuse.

He then added, "But as his parents, we can't make decisions about Xiao Hao's affairs. He has his own ideas. Once he gets back, let him decide for himself."

Luo Jinglin nodded with a smile. "Understood."

At this point, Yan Rusong said, "Mr. Lin, please believe me: anything Wansheng can provide, Qingyang City can provide too. We can meet all the terms Wansheng just offered.

"As for your back injury, we can also arrange for the best doctors in the Dragon Nation. Qingyang City also has a dedicated martial artist rehabilitation center that can better help with your postoperative recovery.

"At the same time, Qingyang City can also provide what Wansheng cannot.

"Lin Hao has exceptional martial arts talent. It would truly be a pity for him to be merely an honorary pharmacist and exercise only his talent in pharmacy. Qingyang City will also support his martial arts development. Becoming Qingyang City's deputy city lord in the future isn't out of the question."

Luo Jinglin frowned and opened his mouth to argue, but for a moment, he did not know what to say.

He had to admit that Yan Rusong was telling the truth.

Wansheng was a potion trading company. It could give Lin Hao the best potion-brewing resources, but it could not offer him support in martial arts, much less a platform to command troops, defend a city, and build a distinguished career.

Lin Rongshan and Li Xiulan fell silent.

The living room remained quiet for several seconds.

Just then, Wei Cang, who had been silent for some time, stood up.

He did not look at Yan Rusong, instead turning to Luo Jinglin. "Chairman Luo, since Wansheng won't restrict Lin Hao's freedom, why don't we cooperate?

"Jiang City will take responsibility for Lin Hao's martial arts training and his career in public office. Wansheng will handle his potion research and development, building him the best laboratory and providing the best team.

"And Jiang City's only condition is that you agree to build Lin Hao's dedicated potion research and development center in Jiang City."