Tang Wanjing was furious.
Chu Xiao'ang, a dignified corps commander, would never conspire with a little brat like Qin Siyang.
Their price-raising maneuver had to be an improvised act.
It was definitely a test of his department's bottom line.
Tang Wanjing cursed Chu Xiao'ang in his heart for being a troublemaker.
'Completely the type to stir the pot just for fun!'
Chu Xiao'ang definitely knew there was an upper limit to the contribution points he could give Qin Siyang in this deal.
That was why he was raising the value of the Thunder Snow Wolf materials, squeezing the room for negotiating the Titan Foxtail Grass Inner Leaf Fragments.
Tang Wanjing understood.
Getting those Titan Foxtail Grass Inner Leaf Fragments for his department's Sequence Ability Research Hall was definitely a great achievement.
But if securing those fragments required giving Qin Siyang a massive amount of contribution points, thereby undermining the credibility of the contribution point system, then it wouldn't be a gain, but a major failure.
Inside the Safe Zone, contribution points didn't just represent one's ability to hunt gods. They also granted higher status.
The United Government had implemented numerous policies, openly and subtly, emphasizing the importance of contribution points to encourage people to leave the Safe Zone and hunt gods.
Especially when conflicts arose between Sequence Ability users, the government always sided with those who had more contribution points. This was an unspoken rule that everyone knew. [T/N: My foot, goverment sided with whoever has the strongest backing. Contribution points doesn't mean sh*t]
Countless Sequence Ability users craved more contribution points to climb higher in status and gain greater privileges.
As the head of the Management Department, Tang Wanjing ranked among the top three ministers precisely because his bureau had the authority to issue contribution point missions.
The United Government's legitimacy also rested on the fair distribution of contribution points.
Even if Sequence Potions and money were abundant, Tang Wanjing could never grant Qin Siyang a large number of contribution points.
The military didn't care much for contribution points because they had the authority to issue missions themselves.
Tang Wanjing's eyes suddenly turned cold.
He had already shown enough respect to the military.
Yet Chu Xiao'ang still had the nerve to trip him up so openly?
This was just straight-up thuggery.
Completely brazen.
A thug is like a spring—the weaker you are, the stronger they press.
If he swallowed his anger now, the military would only push harder next time.
The military was under the leadership of the United Government.
At least, on the surface, that was the case.
If his superiors found out that a Management Department minister was getting walked like a dog by the military, his political career would be over.
After the apocalypse arrived, Tang Wanjing had risen through the ranks like riding a rocket, not by wagging his tail and begging.
He adjusted his glasses.
An eye for an eye.
'Titan Foxtail Grass Inner Leaf Fragments, huh?'
If the Chu Legion didn't lose a few teeth, they shouldn't even think about getting their hands on them.
Tang Wanjing cracked his neck, "Little Qin, since the Thunder Snow Wolf matter is settled, let's talk about the Titan Foxtail Grass Inner Leaf Fragments."
Qin Siyang glanced at Tang Wanjing.
'Something feels… different about Minister Tang.'
'He is still smiling, but there is a sharp edge to it now.'
"Alright. Next, we'll discuss the Titan Foxtail Grass Inner Leaf Fragments."
Qin Siyang pulled out a sheet of paper from his backpack and slowly spread it out on the table.
Chu Xiao'ang frowned, "What's this?"
Qin Siyang smiled as he unfolded the paper. "This is a 1:1 scale printed photo of the Titan Foxtail Grass Inner Leaf Fragments."
"A photo? Why not just take out the actual pieces?"
Qin Siyang chuckled again, "They're too valuable. It's inconvenient to take them out."
Chu Xiao'ang sighed, "I'm a corps commander, and that guy's a United Government minister. You think we're going to rob you?"
"We all hold official positions or military ranks. If we stole from a kid, how would we show our faces in the Safe Zone?"
"I know neither of you would do that," Qin Siyang kept his smile.
"But… ever since I walked in, Senior Chu Baxing has been staring at my storage box. That makes me a little uneasy."
"I can't help but wonder, if Senior Chu Baxing really wants my Titan Foxtail Grass Inner Leaf Fragments and, in the struggle, accidentally kills me, what would Commander Chu do?"
"You wouldn't possibly execute your own son just for a small-time student like me, right?"
Qin Siyang shrugged and smiled at Chu Xiao'ang, "Commander Chu, trading my life for a rare material doesn't sound like a good deal. Don't you think?"
Qin Siyang didn't address Chu Baxing directly. Instead, he kept questioning Chu Xiao'ang.
Because he knew, when it came to making decisions, the father was in charge, not the son.
Chu Baxing, hearing Qin Siyang's words, immediately looked up.
His gaze met Qin Siyang's, sharp and taunting.
Qin Siyang had long disliked this guy.
The brat didn't even bother hiding his greed for Qin Siyang's storage box.
From the moment he entered, his eyes hadn't left it.
His body remained leaning forward, his weight barely touching the sofa. He hadn't actually sat down, ready to pounce at any moment.
If not for the special lock on the storage box, he probably would have made a move already.
Chu Xiao'ang glanced at Chu Baxing and let out an irritated huff.
Only then did Chu Baxing withdraw his gaze.
Leaning back at last, he sank into the sofa.
That was his way of saying he'd given up on grabbing the fragments by force.
Both Chu Xiao'ang and Tang Wanjing understood.
Qin Siyang had printed out this photo in advance, proving he never trusted them from the start.
And now, with his son acting so shamelessly, Chu Xiao'ang had lost the upper hand.
He couldn't even ask Qin Siyang to show the real thing anymore.
Chu Xiao'ang slowly rubbed the armrest of the sofa, deeply frustrated with his son.
All he knew was fighting, he had no sense of social maneuvering.
The kid had spent too much time battling mindless gods outside the Safe Zone. His brain had regressed.
Qin Siyang flattened the photo on the table.
"This photo contains all the Titan Foxtail Grass Inner Leaf Fragments I have. I've labeled them from 1 to 31, ordered by size."
"Whichever piece you like, name your price."
After speaking, he stepped aside, making room for the two men.
Chu Xiao'ang and Tang Wanjing both stood up, examining the photo closely.
Chu Xiao'ang even pulled a ruler from his pocket, carefully measuring each fragment. He seemed to have a very clear idea of how many he needed.
Chu Baxing, however, remained seated, calmly watching.
Qin Siyang maintained his smile.
He had completely abandoned the idea of showing them the real Titan Foxtail Grass Inner Leaf Fragments.
Commander? Minister?
Titles worthy of respect.
But…
It had only been ten years since the apocalypse, since the Safe Zones were built, since order and power were reshuffled.
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