Chapter 105

Chapter 106: Developing Sustainable Income

Qian Qi felt numb. She knew she had farted in front of Chen Miao Miao and often got forced into shameless, messy things, but her true goal had always been to be an elegant, pure, gentle top student. So poisoning people with farts? That was way too low class for her style.

She wanted strength. She wanted to be strong. She wanted the kind of strong where one drop-sit could crush ten people.

Standing by the window, she let out a thin, empty sigh and muttered like she had lost all hope: “I will never run this dungeon a second time.”

The System teased her: “Even if this colorless, odorless poison gas comes out of your mouth and you can control it?”

Qian Qi blinked, then flared up: “Are you saying my mouth is a butt?”

The System sang it out: “If you insist on taking it that way, there’s nothing I can do.”

Qian Qi yanked the window open with a clatter and tossed the System out.

She paused, then frowned: “Wait, I was poisoned back then. Why am I fine now?”

The System answered: “Because you gained the Poison Miasma trait. It has merged with you. You can basically ignore E+ level and lower Shijia Magic Vine poison miasma. If you kill more poisonous magiplants and magibeast bosses later, you might fuse stronger miasma and better immunity.”

She brightened: “I see.” She flopped back on the bed, rolled around a few times, then sprang up with a donkey kick roll. “Almost forgot, my windfall!”

She opened Li Hai Sheng’s light-brain, sent Chen Tong her own “death photo,” studied Li Hai Sheng’s tone, and typed on his account: Sea King Great Sage said: “Mission complete. Send the money.”

Chen Tong replied fast: Chen Tong (Not Grieving) said: “!!!”

Chen Tong (Not Grieving) said: “So fast?”

Chen Tong (Not Grieving) said: “Did you figure out why she entered the dungeon?”

Sea King Great Sage said: “Yeah. She found a new magibeast species called the Three-headed Thunder Lion. The Lightning Horns on their heads can be used for a new potion recipe. She said a single horn sells for at least 3 million.”

Chen Tong (Not Grieving) said: “!!!”

Chen Tong (Not Grieving) said: “What about the new recipe? Did you get it?”

Sea King Great Sage said: “Found it in the light-brain. Do you want it?”

Chen Tong (Not Grieving) said: “Of course. Send it now. And those Lightning Horns, bring them all back.”

Sea King Great Sage said with a sly smile: “I can give it to you, but the price…”

The System stared, speechless: “You fleeced Li Hai Sheng, and now you plan to fleece Chen Tong? You want his family to go broke?”

Qian Qi rubbed her hands with an innocent look: “How could I? His family business is doing fine. If he keeps making money, Chen Tong can keep making offerings to me.”

The System sputtered: “I’ve seen people kill the chicken for the egg, but you’re raising a pig to have more piglets first. That’s some sustainable, humanized robbery.”

While they were talking, a new message popped up.

Chen Tong (Not Grieving) said: “I already offered forty million, including that info. And you’re still asking for more?”

Qian Qi clicked the keys and sighed, playful and scolding: “Tsk, since when did our good boy get this stingy?” Then she typed: Sea King Great Sage said: “Take it or leave it. If not, I’ll sell to someone else. I also have many Lightning Horns. Together they’re worth more than your forty million.”

On his end, Chen Tong gritted his teeth: “How much do you want?”

Qian Qi grinned at the screen: Sea King Great Sage said: “Thirty million for the recipe, plus thirty million for Qian Qi’s life. Sixty million total. The Lightning Horns cost extra.”

Chen Tong almost choked. He did not want to pay more, but he knew a new formula would be worth far more later. Face dark, he transferred his family’s working cash to “Li Hai Sheng.” He played it safe and only sent half, planning to send the other half after he confirmed the recipe was real.

“It’s fine. I can earn this back,” Chen Tong told himself. “When my parents come back from their trip, my Hemostatic Potion will be ready. I’ll make up the money then.”

On the other side, Qian Qi received forty-five million. She didn’t complain. She quickly moved all the funds in Li Hai Sheng’s account into her burner account, and thanks to this chaotic age and chaotic tech, she messed with a few settings and even changed Li Hai Sheng’s password.

After she sent the “recipe,” Chen Tong asked how many Lightning Horns she had.

Qian Qi checked her bag. Six plus seven. Thirteen horns total. As for the extra seven, she smiled to herself with a small wicked look.

Sea King Great Sage said: “I have thirteen. Want them?”

Chen Tong (Not Grieving) said: “No.”

He wasn’t stupid. He had already heard that First Cloud Mountain Dungeon was cleared. Before anyone knew the real value of the horns, he could just hire people to hunt the thunder lions. That would cost less than buying from “Li Hai Sheng.”

Sea King Great Sage said: “Planning to get them yourself? Heh. If you can find them, I’ll admit defeat.”

Chen Tong (Not Grieving) said: “What do you mean?”

Qian Qi was about to spin a tale, then froze. “Oh no.” She logged into the official Dungeon Forum on her own light-brain. When she saw the public notice that First Cloud Mountain Dungeon had been cleared, she slammed a fist into the bed. “Dang it, I should have been more careful.”

The System asked: “What’s wrong?”

“I hope no one goes in,” she said, frowning as she registered a new account. Then she used her burner to make another account and posted under the official First Cloud Mountain thread: My Ex Took the Cash and Ran said: “Folks, please remember to buy a parachute before entering First Cloud Mountain Dungeon!”

She bumped it three times. Finally, someone noticed it in the giant stream of posts.

A user wrote: “Huh? Why bring a parachute? Is there a big cliff inside for base jumping?”

Another snapped: “Are you poisoned in the head? Who goes into a dungeon to base jump?”

A third said: “Parachute… wait a second. Is it what I think?”

Another guessed: “Could it be… the reason you can enter but not leave is because the exit point is high in the sky?”

Someone shivered: “Creepy if you think about it.”

Another murmured: “So those people all fell to their deaths…”

A final comment read: “If that’s true, thank the poster for saving lives. Otherwise we’d die the moment we went in.”

Seeing people pick up the dungeon’s special rule, Qian Qi finally relaxed. She closed the light-brain and was about to keep working Chen Tong when she noticed the System “staring” at her.

She kept a straight face: “What?”

The System said softly: “I feel like you’re pretty kind.”

She put her hands on her hips with pride: “Of course. I’m super kind, gentle, pure, loving, and friendly.”

The System floated in a circle, not sure if it was looking at the room or at her. After a moment, it said, calm and flat: “I killed Li Hai Sheng.”