The price for these white-grub cores was simply too ridiculous. A hundred thousand points—ten million dollars! Wasn't this supposed to be a core from a low-grade lifeform? Why was it comparable in price to superior-grade crafting materials?!
The hunters simply couldn't imagine paying so much for these low-grade cores.
"Yes, that's the price. If you still intend to buy the cores, get your points ready. Otherwise, scram!" Yang Ze shouted decisively. At the very least, that was the cheapest price any of them would pay; several clans would have it much worse.
Rather than quelling the crowd, however, Yang Ze's shout only seemed to agitate it.
"What? That's daylight robbery!"
"Right! This is a low-grade material, and Zhang Lie was just lucky to have discovered it early!"
Yang Ze refused to back down. "That's the listed price. If you don't think these cores are worth that much, you're free to leave. No one's forcing you to purchase them. And if you're not purchasing the cores, leave the inn and make space for others!"
The detractors immediately went silent. Not purchasing these cores? No, that wasn't an option. Zhang Lie had monopolized the stock of white-grub cores, and if they didn't buy any from him, where would they acquire any?
"Well, you there? Are you going to buy the cores or not? If not, make way!"
"I—I'll buy them! I'll buy it!" the hunter first in line shouted out, clenching his teeth.
"Good, that's the spirit. I'll tell you now: a hundred?thousand points per core is the best deal anyone here is getting!" Yang Ze exclaimed. After the hunter bought a hundred cores, he quietly moved to the side and watched the other buyers.
Indeed, the other buyers were all given a similar price.
Chu Feng and Yun Bing, standing by the back of the line, smiled bitterly at each other. To think they had complained about buying the cores for ten thousand points apiece!
The transactions gradually grew faster as the buyers further back in the line prepared the necessary funds ahead of time. Quickly, it was time for the representatives from the Starshine and Dragon's Ascent dojos.
"I'd like to purchase a hundred cores. That'll be ten million points, correct?" one representative asked, preparing to pay.
"I'm sorry, but it'll cost you five hundred?thousand points apiece," Yang Ze corrected him.
The representative recoiled in shock. "What? They've all paid a hundred?thousand points each. Why do we have to pay five times more?!"
"Because you're not like those other hunters, of course. Have you all forgotten something?" Yang Ze smiled coldly. These dojos had challenged Zhang Lie during the opening ceremony with the express intent of causing trouble, and this was Zhang Lie's retaliation.
"Fine, then we'll take fifty cores!" The representative gritted his teeth, but regardless of how upset he was, it was imperative that the dojo procure a stock of these cores.
Others who had provoked Zhang Lie in the past quickly reacted to the unwelcome news: Zhang Lie didn't intend to be magnanimous at all!
The representatives from the Zhou, He, and Qian clans suddenly turned uneasy. Who knew how much extra they would have to pay? Those from the Qin, Wang, and Li clans were even more uncomfortable. Instead of a price hike, Zhang Lie might choose not to sell to them altogether!
"Five hundred?thousand points apiece for the Zhou, He, and Qian clans from the capital," Yang Ze said, when their representatives stepped forward.
"What? Five times the baseline as well?!" the Zhou representative cried out.
"I've confirmed the price with the dojo leader," Yang Ze replied blandly. It was obvious why they were being charged extra. The representatives from the three clans hesitated; they didn't usually have the authority to handle such large transactions.
"Purchase them. After all, we've already been told to acquire these cores no matter the price," one of the representatives whispered to the others. Though they winced, they made the purchase, spending over thirty million points for just sixty cores.
The Qin, Wang, and Li representatives barely avoided trembling. If this was the treatment afforded to three of the major clans of the capital, just how much would it be for them?
As the line grew shorter, they quickly moved forward in line.
"Ah, the Qin clan..." Yang Ze stared at the representative in front as he dragged out the tension.
The Qin representative swallowed.
"The Qin clan's price will be a million?points apiece," Yang Ze announced.
The gathered hunters went silent. The first few hunters who had purchased these cores for a hundred?thousand points apiece were smirking as they pretended to cough; compared to Zhang Lie's enemies, they at least received far better treatment.
"What? Aren't you deliberately targeting the Qin clan?!" the Qin representative shouted. A tenfold increase was ridiculously expensive; no one else had received such a shocking markup.
"Indeed, the dojo leader's intention is to target the Qin clan. If you're not interested, feel free to leave," Yang Ze replied.
The Qin representative visibly deflated.
Everyone knew very well that these white-grub cores were necessary for the foundational breakthrough, and since Zhang Lie alone possessed these cores, they had no choice but to purchase them from him, even if they were being deliberately targeted.
Qin Zongming had emphasized just that.
"Fine! I'll buy it! Give me a hundred cores!" the Qin representative shouted.
"A hundred cores?! That would cost a hundred million points!"
"The Qin clan's really staking everything on this, aren't they?"
The crowd began to discuss the Qin clan's expenditure as the Qin representative hurriedly made payment. The Wang representative, which followed right after the Qin, received similar treatment. The two clans had lost almost half their accumulated points within the first realm of the dimensional world, a severe financial burden, all for just a few white-grub cores!
The Li representative swallowed, ready to suffer the same fate as the Wang and Qin, but when he stepped forward and reported the name of his clan, Yang Ze fell silent.
The Li representative trembled. Was Zhang Lie going to charge the Li clan a million points per core?
"I'm sorry, but the Li clan isn't on the list of eligible buyers. I can't sell you any cores," Yang Ze said, then waved a hand at him in dismissal.
The Li representative was stunned. Had he lined up for a whole day and night for nothing?! "What do you mean, we're not on the list?!"
"Haven't I been clear? Your clan isn't listed here, so you can't buy these cores." Yang Ze was getting a little impatient.
"Ridiculous! We're the Li clan, one of the major clans of Ning! Don't you—" Genetic energy burst from the Li representative, as though he were so enraged that he was about to attack Yang Ze.
"Of course I do. You're the clan whose two young masters fell to Zhang Lie! Are you going to leave, or not? You're in the Blacksteel settlement. Are you really going to make a move here?" contemporary romance
Yang Ze didn't spare the Li representative any face.
"You truly aren't going to sell the white-grub cores to the Li clan, no matter the price?" the Li representative asked again, hoping this was just a cruel joke.
"I've said it already: we won't sell to the Li clan," Yang Ze reiterated.
"Won't you leave if you aren't buying anything?
We're still in a rush."
"Hurry up!"
Those hunters waiting in line behind the Li representative all urged him along, giving him no choice but to leave the line. He glared at Yang Ze from the crowd, then hurriedly rushed out to report the news to the Li clan.
"Does Zhang Lie think the Li clan will suffer this indignity?!" Li Mo howled, punching the holographic screen displaying Zhang Lie's face right in front of him. With the expulsion of his genetic energy, the holographic display turned staticky, then vanished altogether.
Even so, Li Mo was still furious. His eyes turned dark, and he entertained the notion of rushing to the Zenith Dojo and killing Zhang Lie on the spot.
"Head, please calm down! The most important thing at present is to find a means of acquiring these white-grub cores," the Li clan's first elder, Li Tian, hurriedly said.
Li Mo took a few deep breaths.
"Yes, Head, the clan's future is far more important than the lives of your two sons," a few elders emphasized stonily, most of them having been in fervent support of developing a good relationship with Zhang Lie.
They seemed to be telling Li Mo that, if he had listened to their suggestions, the Li clan would surely have been able to acquire these white-grub cores more easily, and Li Xin wouldn't have died.
Li Mo's face twitched, and imposing genetic energy flared from his body. "There's nothing we can do about the past now. Don't worry. I'll think of a solution regarding these cores," Li Mo spat out coldly, then ended the meeting.
Afterwards, he quickly contacted the Qin and Wang clans.
Although the Li clan wasn't able to purchase any cores, the Wang and Qin clans could; if he had no other choice, he would buy them from the two clans instead. However, both clans refused him, claiming that they simply had no cores to spare, and that they had spent far too much to acquire the cores just for themselves.
He asked a few other clans, but to no avail. In the end, he looked toward the Zenith Dojo with a malicious glint in his eyes. Not only had he lost his two sons, even his position in the clan was getting shakier by the minute. Furthermore, if he weren't able to acquire the white-grub cores as he promised, the leadership of the clan would surely pass to another hunter.
"I swear I'll kill you." His killing intent seemed to flood the room.
After he calmed down once more, he contacted the Chu clan.
done.co
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