143: Chapter 143 (Additional Notes)

As soon as Jiang Ruowei finished speaking, Wu Xuhang became displeased.

He set down his teacup, his voice calm and measured but carrying an undeniable weight. "Captain Jiang, this doesn't seem right, does it? How can you just add additional conditions? If that's the case, we can add to the fifth proposal as well. We can provide another escort team, either in name only or with actual personnel—both are fine."

Jiang Ruowei's brow furrowed, and she was just about to speak.

Zhao Junshan, however, waved his hand, his tone as flat as if he were stating something perfectly normal. "The fourth proposal can also be augmented. Let's add two more medicinal gardens."

Director Zhou pushed up his glasses, his smile remaining as kind as ever as he added, "The third proposal will also be increased by one Seven-Eyed Scorpion farm."

At this point, after Jiang Ruowei had exposed the nature of each party's proposals, everyone stopped pretending.

Qin Ce sat across the long table, watching these three big figures from different factions scramble to sweeten their deals. His heart, however, was cold.

Because these 'raised stakes' were all sacrifices of interest.

Who would be so desperate to give away benefits?

Unless the interests they stood to gain later were even greater.

In Qin Ce's mind, a thought became increasingly clear.

The privileges in these documents, while within their respective spheres of influence, originally belonged to the Federation.

To control the local lords and prevent excessive expansion, the Federation must have a strict asset management system.

Mines, factories, shops, and mountain passes—these things are nominally 'local resources,' but in reality, they are all registered on the Federation's asset ledger.

And this method of 'rewarding Qin Ce' happened to be the perfect opportunity to privatize Federation assets.

The five major factions were each taking out a portion of Federation assets, packaging them as 'privilege proposals,' and using him as a front to legitimately turn them into private property.

Behind every proposal stood a faction.

Whichever proposal Qin Ce chose, that faction would use the opportunity to seize a batch of Federation assets through indirect control.

The faction involved would naturally experience a massive surge in growth.

Furthermore, they were confident they could manipulate Qin Ce.

An eighteen-year-old youth with no foundation, no background, and not even a commoner from within their circles—it was impossible for him to see through their schemes.

Even if they gave him a mountain of gold, he wouldn't be able to keep it.

When the time came, the assets would naturally 'flow back' into their hands through various means.

They couldn't lose.

Only under such circumstances would they be so desperate to pile on the chips.

All for the chance of being chosen by Qin Ce.

Qin Ce's gaze swept across the three people behind the long table.

Zhao Junshan's face was impassive, Director Zhou's smile was kind, and Wu Xuhang's gaze was steady.

Three people, three faces, three expressions, but deep in their eyes was the same thing.

Lust!

Qin Ce then looked at Jiang Ruowei beside him.

She stood there with a straight back and a slight frown, still arguing with Wu Xuhang.

Her appearance, her warning, and her previous statement: "I'll help you build it, and the property will be yours."

Her purpose was indeed completely different from the other three.

The first privilege proposal used rights to future land as leverage and did not involve the privatization of Federation assets.

That land was still in the mouths of ferocious beasts; taking it would require fighting for it. When Jiang Ruowei said "I'll help you build it," she meant she would provide the money, people, and materials herself—a real investment of capital that carried the risk of loss.

Therefore, the City Lord's Manor's goal was not to gain immediate, massive profits.

Even if that land were developed, it was a distant solution that wouldn't solve immediate problems; its contribution to the growth of the City Lord's Manor's power would be negligible.

However, it would be incorrect to assume the City Lord's side was acting out of pure kindness.

Because while others wanted profit, they wanted the person.

Jiang Ruowei might not be scheming against Qin Ce, but the City Lord certainly was.

If the rights were for new land and the construction relied entirely on Jiang Ruowei, then once the faction was established, would its name be Qin or Jiang?

What could he use to tell the difference?

Furthermore, his housing eligibility was arranged for Villa No. 36 in the Heaven Tier—the core of the Inner City, right next to the City Lord's Manor. His mother and younger sister would be right under the City Lord's nose.

Was such a deliberate upgrade a reward, or was it surveillance?

Especially since the City Lord knew that before the beast tide, he had done everything possible to return to Yuntai Town to save his family.

It was quite possible that after his mother and sister moved into the villa, the City Lord's family would even pay them social visits.

Because the more they analyzed him, the more they felt Qin Ce's potential was extraordinary.

No vision, breaking illusions, finding the Raven King.

The spatial super-skill of Shadow Sight.

These were things even someone who had just entered the Starlight rank couldn't do.

So, what was wealth?

Qin Ce himself was the greatest wealth.

This vision, these methods—he truly lived up to being a scion of a great clan from the Capital. He was indeed incomparable to those petty families in Fengling City.

Therefore, if Qin Ce chose the first option, the City Lord's Manor's influence would penetrate his life too deeply.

So deep that he would have no independent space at all.

Of course, it wasn't that there was no way to turn passivity into initiative.

The only way was to grow his strength until the City Lord was sufficiently wary of him.

Only then would those investments based on controlling him truly turn into supportive angel investments.

And that strength had to be at least Star-Glow Rank.

In fact, under normal circumstances, Qin Ce felt the first privilege was the best choice.

With the protection of the City Lord's Manor and Jiang Ruowei's help, his growth would be smoother and his family safer.

But thinking of the opportunity to the North—the Mythic Ruin about to appear in three months—this choice was no longer a good one.

Because the City Lord's Manor would certainly not let him go into the Wang family's sphere of influence. Whether for his safety or to prevent the Wang family from recruiting him, they would find every way to keep him in the South.

Therefore, the best choice was actually the fifth one.

Not because the fifth privilege was the best.

On the contrary, that proposal was unnaturally generous; the traps within it were likely bigger than the other three combined.

But only by choosing the fifth one could he enter the North legitimately.

Moreover, just like with Jiang Ruowei's proposal, no matter how many schemes the Wang family in the North had, as long as he could break through to the Star-Glow Rank, all schemes would be easily resolved.

The Star-Glow Rank was the backbone of this city.

At that level, he wouldn't be a vassal to any power, but an existence capable of holding up his own piece of the sky.

Especially him, a genius who could fight above his level.

So in reality, it was the same no matter which one he chose.

Ultimately, it all depended on his own ability and his own level.

Qin Ce took a deep breath, suppressing his churning thoughts, his mind already made up.

However, he was in no hurry to speak, instead quietly watching this farce of 'raising the stakes' before him.

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