“I’d like you to join me on an expedition to an S-rank dungeon,” Li Jia stated, “to retrieve a specific fruit.”
“Very well,” Aya Tone replied.
Aya Tone agreed without the slightest hesitation.
“You’re agreeing just like that? Aren’t you going to inquire about the compensation first?” Li Jia asked, a hint of surprise in her voice.
She wasn’t referring to a common dungeon, but an S-rank one, after all.
The level of peril was entirely incomparable.
She was keenly aware that the man before her wouldn’t lift a finger unless there was a clear benefit.
Aya Tone settled his stance, tugging at a wrinkle in his clothes. “In that case, what exactly is the compensation?”
Indeed, the thought of compensation hadn’t crossed his mind until that moment.
While his usual demeanor often resembled that of a miser, that was solely due to his perpetually empty pockets.
Now, with a stable monthly income in the millions, his financial pressures had drastically diminished.
Besides, as he’d noted previously, Li Jia was one of his rare true friends.
When a friend sought his assistance, it simply wasn’t in his nature to refuse.
At least, not when it fell within the scope of his abilities.
“Compensation? How about me?” Li Jia teased, a playful glint in her eyes.
“No, thank you.”
Aya Tone pursed his lips, then a flicker of curiosity crossed his face.
“Isn’t your family quite wealthy? Why risk venturing into an S-rank dungeon yourself when you could simply purchase one from an auction house?”
When he’d attended the Huo Clan Assembly last time, he’d personally met Li Jia’s parents.
As esteemed business magnates of Yan’an City, it seemed improbable they couldn’t acquire an S-rank energy fruit.
S-rank energy fruits served a singular purpose: to elevate one’s ability level.
With a stroke of luck, they could even accelerate the consumer’s growth rate within a brief period.
Naturally!
This effect, however, varied from individual to individual, intrinsically linked to the fruit’s energy grade and its compatibility with the user.
The S-rank dungeons Aya Tone had previously cleared had also yielded such fruits; their taste was acceptable, and they left a pleasant warmth throughout the body.
And then…
There was nothing more to it.
As a dessert fruit, it could truly be considered a divine delicacy.
The only drawback was their exorbitant price; the base cost for a single fruit was a ‘small target,’ with no upper ceiling.
For someone from a humble background like himself, such a luxury remained impossibly distant.
At the mention of auctions, Li Jia let out a soft sigh.
“You know my ability, don’t you? If it were a common elemental type, there’d be no issue. But space-element energy fruits are inherently rare, with demand far outstripping supply, let alone an S-rank one.”
“Ah, I suppose so.” Aya Tone mused, falling into thought for a moment.
Consuming too many fruits diminished their efficacy, with the initial dose yielding the most profound results. Thus, it was crucial for the first fruit ingested to perfectly align with one’s innate attributes.
The problem was…
S-rank energy fruits were already exceedingly rare to begin with.
Space-attribute energy fruits, however, were hundreds of times rarer still, having reportedly appeared fewer than a dozen times across the entirety of Z Nation.
Each emergence had sparked immense commotion, inevitably drawing in numerous foreign spies.
Yet, there hadn’t been any recent news concerning S-rank space energy fruits, had there?
‘Li Jia’s predicament… seemed rather troublesome.’
Sensing Aya Tone’s thoughts, Li Jia clarified, “Fire Finch informed me. She mentioned that the dungeon in Modu, guarded by the Azure Dragon Guild Master, has been exhibiting frequent spatial fluctuations lately, which could be a sign that a fruit is maturing.”
An S-rank space-attribute energy fruit was an invaluable treasure, one that was nearly impossible to acquire. Even a mere glimmer of hope was enough for her to pursue it relentlessly.
After all, this was her greatest reliance in her quest to catch up to Aya Tone!
“The Guild Master said so?” ‘That certainly warrants further investigation,’ he thought.
“So, when were you planning to go? I’ll need to check my schedule. You know, I’m part of the system now, and I also have a daughter to look after…”
“Next Saturday. Bring Aya Jiu along, and we’ll stay for a day. I’ll cover all the expenses for the trip.” Before Aya Tone could finish his sentence, Li Jia interjected, laying out her meticulous plan.
“Wow! A sugar mommy!” Aya Tone exclaimed, barely suppressing his delight and the urge to pounce on Li Jia.
He absolutely adored being taken out by someone who covered all the costs.
He had only ever seen Modu in videos; he’d never visited in person. He’d heard its ACG culture was remarkably vibrant.
Even the larger shopping malls boasted extensive sections dedicated to collectible figures.
‘That’s truly, utterly fantastic!’
‘I wonder if this ‘Rich Woman Li’ would also cover my personal shopping expenses,’ he mused.
‘Hmm… why do I feel like I’m being kept?’
Aya Tone inwardly chided himself, acknowledging that such behavior was improper, yet he found himself utterly unable to resist the allure of being pampered.
‘Ugh… this is so frustrating.’
Shrouded in the night, with only faint light to guide them, Li Jia failed to notice the kaleidoscope of expressions flitting across Aya Tone’s face.
“I’ll go report our intentions these next few days. Once everything is prepared, I’ll come for you.”
“Ah, alright.”
****
Each S-rank dungeon was classified as a critical national confinement zone, strictly off-limits to outsiders.
Even during harvest periods, participants were rigorously vetted by the guardians, not only to ensure their formidable strength but also to prevent any foreign spies from infiltrating.
Furthermore, since the harvest season had long passed, gaining entry now would be an immensely difficult feat.
Of course, every rule had its exceptions.
Should an active S-rank powerhouse secure the approval of more than half of the Four Symbols Guild Masters, they could be granted exceptional entry.
‘Such simple conditions.’
Aside from the sheer difficulty of fulfilling them, the conditions themselves were indeed straightforward.
Firstly, ‘active S-rank powerhouses’ referred specifically to those national guardians who had been decorated and appointed by the state, a group numbering barely a hundred across all of Z Nation.
Moreover, burdened by their official duties, they couldn’t abandon their posts for extended periods. Who among them would have such ample time?
Aya Tone: ‘Huh?’
Obtaining the consent of two Four Symbols Guild Masters was an even greater hurdle. Without kinship or significant mutual benefit, who would possibly agree?
Aya Tone: ‘Huh, huh?’
‘…’
‘Every single point…’
This, then, was precisely why Li Jia had sought out Aya Tone’s help. For, truly, across the entire Z Nation, there was no other S-rank powerhouse quite so “available” and… who also maintained such strong connections with two of the Four Symbols Guild Masters.
‘The application process needs to be expedited,’ Li Jia thought to herself. She mused inwardly.
If they delayed until the Azure Dragon Guild Master harvested that S-rank space energy fruit, the Li Group, despite its standing, would struggle immensely to distinguish itself among the array of powerful figures vying for it.
Even if they were fortunate enough to win, the requisite cost would be something the corporation simply couldn’t bear.
After all, her family was merely a mercantile enterprise.
“Alright, business concluded. Time to head home!” Li Jia declared, leaping off the swing and dusting the lingering grime from her backside.
Before her, a magic array shimmered into existence, emanating faint silver undulations.
“Goodbye,” Aya Tone said with a smile, relieved to finally be heading home.
Having been out for so long, it was nearly nine o’clock. He figured he’d just activate a teleportation array to get back.
“Goodbye, what goodbye? I’ll take you.”
With that, Li Jia casually scooped up Aya Tone by his slender waist and strode towards the teleportation array.
“Wait, we’re not going to the same place, hey!”
Aya Tone attempted a futile struggle, but a shimmering silver light instantly enveloped his entire body. By the time he opened his eyes again, he found himself in a house remarkably similar in layout to his own apartment.
Guided by the soft, warm glow of the lamps, Aya Tone’s gaze immediately fell upon a figure in the corner of the room.
“Guild Master?”
‘Had Li Jia brought him back to his apartment? And directly to the Guild Master’s house, which was right across the hall?’
‘No, wait, what was the point of his half-hour walk just now?’