Chapter 94

Chapter 94

Luo Ci was oblivious to the dangers of Spirits, finding only pure joy in playing with them. This was because even the most formidable Spirits, like griffins and grizzly bears, instinctively reined in their claws and fangs in the presence of the little snowball, careful not to startle the fragile cub.

Seeing that A Jin couldn’t recall his meerkats, another guild leader attempted to do the same, seemingly to set an example. Yet, his own Spirit completely ignored him, too engrossed in enthusiastically chasing after the little snowball.

The guild leader broke into a sweat as his Spirit didn't even spare him a glance: "..."

Everyone present was a leader of an A-grade Guild, formidable figures in their own right. Yet, they were now flustered by their own Spirits. After all, Spirits were an extension of themselves, and no matter how frustrated they became, they couldn't possibly lash out at them.

The bearded man slammed the table, glaring. At this rate, would all these Spirits run away from home?

"It seems my little snowball is quite fond of them," Chen Wang remarked, arms crossed, his gaze never leaving the small, cotton-like figure. He chuckled, "Perhaps we should put the plan to annex HMC on the agenda. That way, we’ll all be one family, with no distinctions between us."

"Bang!" The bearded man exploded in fury. "Listen! You all heard that! Tansapa clearly hasn’t forgotten about swallowing HMC!"

No one around him uttered a word. Under his furious gaze, they looked everywhere but at him, feigning deafness.

After all, Tansapa’s overwhelming strength had been fully displayed during the recent conquest of the Core Gate. Compared to them, the other guilds were far too weak, and no one wanted to offend Chen Wang, lest they become the next HMC.

"Ahem," only Zhuo Jian, the leader of the Great Sword Guild, spoke up. "As someone who’s been through this, let me say a few words..."

"Honestly, if your own strength is lacking, aligning with Tansapa is an excellent choice. After handing over control to Tansapa, I truly felt a weight lifted. Take our Great Sword Guild, for example. Before, we couldn’t even recruit enough members. But now, under Tansapa, Sentinels who can’t make it into the headquarters but are on the reserve list prioritize us. And the medical expenses for Sentinels—I used to worry about them every month. Now, there’s no pressure. Great Sword enjoys Tansapa’s welfare subsidies and medical coverage..." Zhuo Jian’s cheeks, noticeably plumper from good living lately, stretched into a smile. "Great Sword is thriving far more than before."

At the words "your own strength is lacking," the bearded man’s face flushed red with anger, barely registering the rest of the speech. Zhuo Jian, this fellow, had once begged him for help in dire times—how dare he lecture him now!

Yet, his younger brother, Aikote, was looking interested. As the one handling the guild’s finances and transactions, Aikote knew all too well how much Sentinel medical expenses ate into their budget.

Aside from private guilds, recruited Sentinels were essentially working for the guild—they’d flock wherever the benefits and medical coverage were best. Medical care was especially crucial; no one wanted to risk their life on a mission. This had always been a major challenge for HMC.

Before Aikote could inquire further, others who were similarly tempted couldn't help but ask, "You get access to Tansapa’s medical care too?"

"Of course," Zhuo Jian said, grabbing a handful of nuts from the coffee table and munching as he spoke. "The two globally renowned hospital chains—Black Mamba and Rutzov. Black Mamba was founded by President Chen Wang, and Rutzov has a partnership with Tansapa. Once we joined, Great Sword members receive free treatment."

It came as a shock that Chen Wang was the owner of Black Mamba Hospital.

Even Ao Qi was surprised. Chen Wang had always been secretive and mysterious, with agents handling public affairs. Black Mamba and Rutzov had a global presence, which explained why Tansapa’s medical resources were so advanced.

Black Mamba had been famous for decades—had Chen Wang foreseen the booming Sentinel medical industry back then?

Ao Qi’s gaze deepened.

In truth, Chen Wang hadn't deliberately invested in healthcare. He’d founded Black Mamba to research SS-class Soothing Liquid. When that proved ineffective, he converted the research facility into a hospital.

Tired from playing with the Spirits, Luo Ci toddled over, his small hands clutching Chen Wang’s leg as he clumsily tried to climb up. Chen Wang lifted the cub into his arms, gently brushing aside the sweaty hair.

Such a delicate and pampered little snowball.

Just a short play session with the Spirits had left him too exhausted to move.

"Thirsty," Luo Ci tugged at his sleeve.

He could easily get his own water, but he simply wanted Chen Wang to hold and feed him.

Chen Wang indulged the cub’s whims, pouring a cup of water and holding it to his lips. The little one cupped the cup with both hands, drinking greedily, his plump cheeks puffing in and out.

Watching the little snowball cling to Chen Wang and be pampered, the Sentinels present couldn’t help but envy him. The sight of the obedient cub sipping water, his big blue eyes blinking sweetly, melted even the roughest Sentinels’ hearts. How had such an adorable little one ended up in Tansapa’s hands?

"...Ahem." Ao Qi steered the conversation back on track. "About the toxic miasma and antidote I mentioned earlier..."

The toxic miasma around the underground city might not affect Tansapa, given Chen Wang’s own toxic abilities. But for other guilds, entering would be tough going. Even with protective suits, the miasma could dissolve them. The best solution was to use antidotes to clear the fog before exploration.

Currently, they only knew the outskirts were shrouded in extensive toxic miasma—no one had ventured inside yet. There might be more miasma within, requiring massive amounts of antidote.

But Tansapa’s asking price far exceeded Ao Qi’s expectations.

"Tansapa’s meticulously crafted antidotes are expensive—the ingredients are hard to source. But as long as the price is met, we’re happy to supply them," Chen Wang shrugged.

Ao Qi sighed. "The cost is too high..."

Expensive?

Luo Ci tilted his head in confusion. Didn’t the top floor spray antidote daily?

Chen Wang lounged lazily, an arm draped over the sofa. "We can also sell the antidote with filters. I’ll even cut you a deal."

"That’s still—"

"If Linhaishi or any guilds are willing to merge with Tansapa, everything will be provided free of charge."

Ao Qi: "..."

Aikote muttered under his breath, "Sounds like a good deal..."

The bearded man beside him looked ready to explode.

Ao Qi massaged his temples, not about to hand over the reins to Chen Wang. He stood. "I’ll discuss this with my guild."

"Ahem." Kruger, the normally quiet director of the Guide Association, cleared his throat. "The underground city is serious business. As President Ao Qi said, its energy, monsters, structure, and possible decay factors require careful deliberation. Tansapa is a key player. But in focusing on the underground city, you might overlook the little Guide’s needs. Perhaps the Guide Association could look after him temporarily during this period. What do you think, President Chen Wang?"

Those about to leave paused, listening intently, silently applauding Kruger’s boldness. If the little snowball remained with Tansapa, he’d put down roots and likely never join another guild.

But if he went to the Guide Association, they’d still have a chance!

Still, it was audacious to make such a request outright.

Chen Wang had been gently stroking the cub’s head. At Kruger’s words, his hand stilled. He glanced over. "Are you trying to steal him away right in front of me?"

His tone was casual, yet the atmosphere instantly tensed.

Ao Qi frowned. While he privately wished for the little snowball to go to the Guide Association, spelling it out like that to Chen Wang was too risky.

"I’m only considering the little Guide’s well-being," Kruger held his ground. "Don’t forget, President Chen Wang, you promised the child could decide for himself."

"Kruger, I care more about the little snowball’s wishes than you do."

Chen Wang narrowed his eyes. "But some bite off more than they can chew. Right now, only Tansapa can provide the little snowball with the best protection."

A Jin, freshly cleaned, had just arrived when he heard Kruger’s attempt to whisk the cub away. He came charging over like a whirlwind. "Exactly! Your facilities are nowhere near good enough."

Kruger scowled. "How is the Guide Association shabby? Every Guide has their own rooms. We have the most extensive Guide library, the world’s most advanced Guide chambers, steady paychecks, and bonuses for providing guidance to Sentinels..."

"And what of it? The little snowball loves building snowmen indoors and playing hide-and-seek. Do you have space for that?"

"If I recall correctly, your association has a communal cafeteria. But our little snowball has a personal nutritionist and chef."

"Salaries and bonuses? The entire Snowbird City Forest Shopping Center belongs to Tansapa. Anything our little snowball wants is delivered within five minutes. Can your Guide Association compete with that?"

Kruger was a bit stunned by A Jin's words. A Jin lifted his chin and said, "If you want to take our little snowball away, at least build something more luxurious."

The Guide Association had always been renowned for its preferential treatment of Guides and had never lost when it came to comparing conditions.

But what A Jin mentioned was something they currently couldn't achieve. Kruger could only leave resentfully with the others.

From the moment Kruger suggested taking him away, the cub hid his face behind Chen Wang, his ears drooping and his tail tightly curled up, perfectly embodying the image of a little ostrich—as if not hearing meant nothing would happen.

Only after everyone had left did he raise his tiny paw and lift half an ear to listen, confirming they were gone before letting out a sigh of relief.

Noticing the little snowball's reaction, A Jin grinned happily, scooping him up and giving him two quick kisses on his cheeks. "Our little snowball doesn’t want to leave A Jin either, right?"

Luo Ci raised his arms and tightly hugged A Jin, nodding his little head. A Jin was even happier now, hugging the little snowball and giving him another round of playful ruffles.

Sha Ni Lu glanced at Chen Wang, who seemed lost in thought. "What are you thinking about?"

"I'm considering whether to sign an exclusive contract with the little snowball."

To Kruger, the little snowball was a precious S-class Guide, but to Chen Wang, he was just the little snowball—his status as a Guide irrelevant. Yet, it couldn’t be denied that the little snowball's psychic soothing abilities brought invaluable contributions to Tansapa.

Kruger's words weren’t entirely useless; at least they reminded him that since the little snowball provided them with soothing, under the association's rules, Tansapa should sign a contract with him.

Sha Ni Lu nodded in agreement. "That’s a good idea."

"Huh?"

An exclusive contract?

Luo Ci looked completely baffled, not understanding what an exclusive contract meant. He tugged at Chen Wang’s sleeve, and Chen Wang lifted him from A Jin’s arms, explaining the meaning of the contract to him.

"An exclusive contract is essentially an agreement where a Guide provides soothing to a Sentinel, and the Sentinel is obligated to protect the Guide and offer fair compensation. It’s a formal document publicly declaring the little snowball as Tansapa’s Guide."

Luo Ci cupped his cheeks, thinking hard. Did this mean he could earn money now? He could save up and buy things for Chen Wang and the others later?

The little cub, who hadn’t even received his first paycheck yet, was already planning how to spend it.

Seeing the little snowball’s interest, Chen Wang had a staff member bring over a tablet with a standard contract template. Chen Wang made slight modifications to it.

"Huh? What’s this?" Still a young cub, Luo Ci could only understand spoken words and was utterly lost when faced with complex written terms. Chen Wang held him close, reading the contract to him line by line, patiently explaining anything he didn’t understand.

"Specifically, the duration of the exclusive contract lasts until your adulthood."

Luo Ci’s little ears shot straight up, his eyes going wide in surprise.

He thought it would be permanent.

Why was there a time limit?

Chen Wang had his own reasons.

As he had promised, he respected the little snowball’s choices more than Kruger did.

But not now. The little snowball was both fragile and precious, possessing S-class Guide abilities that made him a target. Only by keeping the cub under his protective watch, within his territory, could he truly feel at ease. But that didn’t mean he would use that as leverage to bind the little snowball to him forever.

Once adulthood came, whatever decision the little snowball made, he would do his best to respect it.

A Jin muttered under his breath, "The little snowball would never go to another guild. Their Guide rooms are all shabby and run-down. So crude."

Chen Wang tapped the document. "The exclusive contract is a basic protection. If anyone wants you to be their Guide in the future, they’ll have to sign a contract too."

Swinging his little legs, Luo Ci tilted his soft, childish face, his eyes full of anticipation. "But I can’t read contracts. Will you help me check them, gege?"

"Hahaha... cough..." A Jin was getting anxious, watching Sha Ni Lu laugh and cough at the same time, utterly baffled by what he and the guild leader were thinking.

Sha Ni Lu laughed because of Chen Wang’s expression. Chen Wang probably didn’t believe the little snowball would ever join another guild. If the little snowball were lured away, Chen Wang would have to personally deliver him, help review the contract...

He couldn’t even imagine that scene.

Chen Wang ignored Sha Ni Lu, who was doubled over laughing, and soothingly patted the cub’s head. "Of course."

But Luo Ci sulked again, wriggling his little bottom into Chen Wang’s embrace, wrapping his arms tightly around his neck. "But I don’t want to go to another guild. I don’t want to be anyone else’s Guide."

"Can I not?"

"Of course. The contract can be extended then," Chen Wang smiled. "Extended until you get tired of Tansapa."

Luo Ci immediately shook his head. "I’ll never get tired."

To prevent the cub from accidentally wriggling out of his hold, Chen Wang’s hands moved first, firmly supporting his back.

Luo Ci looked up with a grin, his whole little body leaning against Chen Wang’s chest, his chin resting on his shoulder. The sweet, warm breath of the little ball of fluff brushed lightly against his neck, sending a soft flutter to his heart—a subtle, deep satisfaction settling in his chest.

Once again, he realized just how important the little snowball was to him.

Chen Wang squinted slightly, raising a hand to cup a soft little ear in his leather glove, as if confirming that the little snowball was truly in his grasp.

He couldn't help wondering—if the little snowball truly decided to leave for another guild and provide soothing for other Sentinels...

Could he really allow that?