I Can Control Resources

Gao Neng didn’t go straight home. Instead, he first went to find Xu Zilan at her workplace and briefly told her he had to go on a trip.

His excuse was that he was going traveling with some classmates.

Xu Zilan didn’t ask too many questions, only reminding him to be careful.

When he got back home, the car meant to pick him up hadn’t arrived yet. Gao Xiaomeng was still in bed, looking drowsy and half-asleep.

Gao Neng nudged Gao Xiaomeng a few times.

"What do you want?" Gao Xiaomeng glanced at Gao Neng lazily.

"I’m going to be away for a while. I need you to help look after my mom. If anything happens to her, I swear I won’t let you off easy. Got it?" Gao Neng said, his tone completely serious.

"Oh... got it." Surprisingly, Gao Xiaomeng didn’t argue. She just closed her eyes and went back to sleep. It seemed the toll from that other day had been severe indeed.

Gao Neng furrowed his brows.

He felt Gao Xiaomeng had been a bit strange for the past couple of days. He’d honestly feel more relieved if she had jumped up to start a fight, he had pinned her down and given her a sound thrashing, and she had finally been forced to submit. That he would have found reassuring.

But this current behavior...

’Forget it!’

All he could do now was hope Gao Xiaomeng would be reliable for once.

Gao Neng didn’t dwell on it, because he could already hear a car pulling up to the door.

As expected, the person who came to pick him up was Chen Bai.

Gao Neng quickly packed a few things and got in the car.

Chen Bai didn’t waste words, either. He floored it, and about half an hour later, they arrived at their destination: the very same military training base Gao Neng had been to for his college entrance exam.

"This place again?" Gao Neng wasn’t actually surprised, but he feigned it anyway.

"Where else would it be? A hotel?" Chen Bai tilted his head back, Gao Neng’s reaction finally allowing him to reclaim a sliver of confidence.

"Heh heh." Gao Neng gave a dry laugh.

Once Chen Bai found his confidence, his attitude warmed up a bit. At least he was no longer wearing that dead-fish expression, instead making some small talk with Gao Neng about whether he’d gotten his family affairs in order.

Soon, under Chen Bai’s lead, Gao Neng met Shen Ning’Er.

Shen Ning’Er seemed to have just finished training. Her workout clothes were covered in a fine sheen of sweat, her face was flushed, and she exuded a vibrant, youthful energy.

A daring thought popped into Gao Neng’s head.

However, when his gaze unintentionally swept over the numbers on a nearby training machine, he temporarily shelved that thought.

’Shen Ning’Er is doing this on purpose, isn’t she?’

’What a coincidence, for her to be in the middle of physical training right when I arrive.’

"Where’s the money?" Shen Ning’Er was remarkably direct. Her very first words were about payment.

"Pay up before the service has even started?" Gao Neng was cautious. He always felt like he was one misstep away from falling into a trap when dealing with Shen Ning’Er.

"No money, no service," Shen Ning’Er continued, wiping the sweat from her face with a towel.

"Can you really help me break through?" Gao Neng stopped beating around the bush.

"I can," Shen Ning’Er affirmed.

"Then... fine." Gao Neng gritted his teeth. Since he had a definite answer, spending fifty thousand Alliance Coins was still worth it.

Gao Neng quickly took out the money.

Chen Bai took the money and walked right out, closing the door behind him.

This made Gao Neng’s heart tighten. He had a feeling... he’d just walked into a trap. He just couldn’t figure out what kind of trap it was yet.

"So, can I start my breakthrough now...? Where’s the isolation pod? Are all the energy materials ready?" Gao Neng asked again.

"I had everything prepared before you even arrived. I’m going to take a shower first. There’s a contract on the table. Take a look, and if there are no problems, sign it." After saying this, Shen Ning’Er walked into the shower room.

"A contract? What contract...?" Gao Neng glanced at the table. There really was a contract there.

After a moment’s hesitation, Gao Neng picked up the contract and took a look.

That one look...

...was all it took for his world to turn dark.

Because, at the very top of the contract, were written two words...

Slave Contract!

A literal Slave Contract!

Shen Ning’Er didn’t even bother to hide her nefarious intentions, brazenly writing those two words right on the contract, which was followed by a long string of clauses.

The part that made Gao Neng want to curse the most was a number also indicated on it.

Two million Alliance Coins!

This was the price for selling himself...

’Freaking hell, am I only worth two million Alliance Coins?’

Wait.

’The key question is, why would I sign this kind of unequal treaty?’

"I’m not signing!" Gao Neng yelled. He had to protest. This was fraud! This was coercion! He, Gao Neng, was not that kind of person. He wouldn’t sign it even if it killed him.

"Then I’ll have Chen Bai escort you back," Shen Ning’Er’s voice came from the shower room.

"Fine! Give me back my fifty thousand Alliance Coins!"

CREAK.

The sound of water stopped.

Soon, Shen Ning’Er walked out of the shower room, changed. Her hair was still dripping wet, and she was once again wearing a black military uniform.

"The full service has already been rendered. How can I give a refund?" Shen Ning’Er smiled and sat down on the sofa.

"What ’full service’? When did I ever receive any service!" Gao Neng was furious.

"I gave you a chance just now. A man and a woman, alone in a room. Then, an eighteen-year-old girl takes a shower right in front of you. The invitation couldn’t have been more obvious, could it? You’re the one who didn’t come in. Is that my fault?" Shen Ning’Er said with a perfectly calm expression.

"..." Gao Neng was speechless.

’That counts?’

’So, I should have just boldly rushed in? And gotten you pregnant so you’d be taking maternity leave next year?’

’Bullshit!’

’You freaking showed off your physical training right in front of me. How could I possibly dare to rush in?!’

"Alright, the service has been rendered. Let’s formally discuss the contract now," Shen Ning’Er said with a faint smile.

"There’s nothing to discuss. I’m not signing!" Gao Neng wasn’t falling for it.

"Really not signing?"

"Not signing!"

"Alright then. We’ll switch to a different contract." As she spoke, Shen Ning’Er quickly pulled a second contract from under the table and tossed it in front of Gao Neng.

"..." Gao Neng was stunned speechless for a moment.

’You can do that?’

He thought Shen Ning’Er would definitely play hardball and threaten him by having Chen Bai send him away, or at least try to persuade him. He never expected her to just switch out the contract.

After being stunned for two seconds, Gao Neng once again picked up the contract on the table.

"Investment Proposal?"

"That’s right. I, Shen Ning’Er, will personally invest two million in you to buy fifty-one percent of your shares. I can demand dividends from you every year," Shen Ning’Er explained casually.

"How is that any different from the slave contract?" Gao Neng was at a loss for words.

"Of course there’s a difference. One is selling your body, the other is an investment. They’re very different."

"What if I don’t choose either?"

"Then I have a third contract here. A one-time buyout contract. Want to see it?" After saying this, Shen Ning’Er fished out yet another contract from the table.

Gao Neng didn’t even look this time.

’Only an idiot would sign any of these contracts.’

"Still not signing?" Shen Ning’Er asked again.

"Not signing!" Gao Neng refused sternly.

"Then you tell me, why should I spend two million Alliance Coins on you to help you break through? If I’m spending this money, I should get some benefit out of it, right?" Shen Ning’Er took a sip of tea, seeming completely unsurprised.

"Two million? Wasn’t it five hundred thousand?"

"Did Li Qingping tell you that?"

"Yes!"

"The price he quoted doesn’t apply to you. Generally speaking, for one Human Limit breakthrough, the body can absorb about five hundred thousand worth of energy materials. For two, it can reach a million. For three, one and a half million. You can do the math for four," Shen Ning’Er explained.

"There’s a rule like that? I don’t believe it!" Gao Neng, naturally, was unconvinced.

"Believe it or not, it’s up to you. You can calculate the time yourself. Someone breaking through one Human Limit stays in the isolation pod for about a week, while someone with the Fourth Human Limit will basically stay for about a month. Besides, the higher one’s hidden talents, the greater the need for energy materials. Do you think the consumption for both would be the same?"

"The higher the hidden talents, the greater the need for energy materials?" Gao Neng quickly latched onto the key point.

"Of course. If I remember correctly, you have eight hidden talents above 80%, right? So, two million can only be considered the cost price. Therefore, you have to at least give me a reason to invest in you, don’t you?"

"Any reason will do?"

"Yes, any reason will do!" Shen Ning’Er nodded.

"..." Gao Neng didn’t speak immediately. Instead, he subconsciously glanced at his own hidden talents.

Hidden Talents: Iron 100%, Copper 100%, Tin 100%, Silver 100%, Gold 100%, Phosphorus 100%, Sulfur 100%, Silicon 100%...

’Just how much in energy materials will this take?’

’If Shen Ning’Er is telling the truth, then for me to successfully break through, the cost of the energy materials will be astronomical!’

’Am I really going to sign a slave contract?’

’Impossible. How can a dignified man sell himself?’

’Absolutely not signing!’

"Have you thought of anything? You have a total of three chances to persuade me. If all three fail, then besides signing a contract, I really can’t think of any other way," Shen Ning’Er made no effort to hide her scheming, her smile exceptionally brilliant as she looked at Gao Neng.

Gao Neng took a serious look at Shen Ning’Er.

His subconscious told him not to believe Shen Ning’Er’s nonsense. This whole story about astronomical energy material consumption was probably just something she made up.

But for some reason...

He also felt that Shen Ning’Er wasn’t lying.

So, that brought up the question.

What kind of reason could possibly convince Shen Ning’Er to spare no expense and invest an astronomical sum in materials for him?

"I’m handsome. Does that count as a reason?" Gao Neng gritted his teeth and threw a Hail Mary.

"It counts, but that reason only works under the condition that you belong to me. So, if you sign the slave contract, that reason becomes valid," Shen Ning’Er nodded very seriously.

"..." Gao Neng was speechless.

’She kind of has a point!’

’But aren’t we just back where we started?’

"You still have two more chances, you know. I, Shen Ning’Er, have always been fair and just. As long as you can truly convince me, I will definitely help you break through, and I won’t even charge you a single cent, you know." Shen Ning’Er leaned back leisurely on the sofa, looking completely confident.

(It’s the last day of 2018! Here’s one more Chapter for you all. Wishing everyone a Happy New Year in advance!)