Chapter 109

Chapter 110: A phone number worth 5 bucks

IKD is somewhat known among E grade Awakeners because it makes affordable aircraft. Even though two old Aviation Groups keep suppressing it, the company still stands thanks to Chairwoman Sheng Qiang. Her son, Sheng Qing Hong, often appears on finance news with her, so Awakeners recognize him.

A few Awakeners spotted Sheng Qing Hong and at once believed Qian Qi’s pitch; they paid while asking with bright eyes: “Whoa, little bro, your connections are wild, how did you pull this off?”

Qian Qi laughed and waved it off: “Haha, just luck.” She handed them return tickets one by one and reminded them: “After you enter the Dungeon, memorize the spot below the exit. We’ll stay in the Dungeon for 48 hours and leave 30 minutes before the boss refresh.”

She added in a caring tone: “This way you can keep hunting Magibeasts and come back loaded with loot.”

They cupped their fists with grins and said: “Then we’ll borrow your good luck!” They looked like straight talking folks of the trade. After pocketing their tickets, they shouldered their parachutes and ran toward the Dungeon.

Qian Qi sat on a small stool, picked up a fan, and kept fanning herself as she calmly studied the nearby Awakeners.

Inside the flashy helicopter behind her, Sheng Qing Hong watched Qian Qi through the window. Their “connection” wasn’t chance at all; Qian Qi had approached him first.

As a new player in flight, IKD’s good quality at low price drew customers, but the two old Aviation Groups teamed up to crush it. The company kept losing money. If Chairwoman Sheng Qiang hadn’t been hunting Monsters in C grade Dungeons to subsidize operations, IKD might already have been eaten alive by those two old giants. Worse, Sheng Qiang was injured by a Magibeast not long ago. A competitor also played a dirty trick. Cash flow snapped, suppliers bailed, and IKD fell into a dead end.

Right then, his Light-Brain rang. It was Qian Qi. He had no idea how she got his number. She proposed a business meeting. It sounded profitable, so he agreed.

How did she get the number? That’s a story.

After deciding to boost housing prices around First Cloud Mountain Dungeon, she planned to rent a helicopter and charge Awakeners for return rides. She checked several flight companies, but they were too high end and didn’t care about such small profits. So she looked for a smaller firm and found IKD, which was being pushed down by the two old companies.

She read IKD’s news and instantly chose it. It was deep in trouble and bad press, which was perfect for her: because they were desperate, she could lead the deal and maximize her gains.

She contacted IKD, but the front desk didn’t have Sheng Qing Hong’s Light-Brain number. So she summoned the System.

The talk went like this: Qian Qi asked with a straight face: “System, since you know everything, do you know Sheng Qing Hong’s Light-Brain number?”

The System answered, cool and fast: “Sheng Qing Hong? The IKD Aviation Group heir, right? His number costs 6000.”

Qian Qi shook her head hard and pointed at Sheng Qing Hong’s photo on the Light-Brain: “What heir of IKD, so expensive! I don’t want the heir. I just want this handsome guy’s number.”

The System paused, then said with sudden understanding: “Oh, you want your crush’s Light-Brain number, 5 bucks.”

Understanding her springtime heart, the considerate System decided to back her love career. Qian Qi paid a massive 5 bucks and got Sheng Qing Hong’s number, then set up an online business chat.

Oh, and yes, it was a very proper, serious business deal.

She gave Sheng Qing Hong three plans and told him to rush preparations within two days. Which plan they used would depend on the on-site situation. Now, studying the growing crowd, Qian Qi chose Plan C.

She glanced back at Sheng Qing Hong and met his eyes. The original pilot was supposed to be an experienced middle aged flyer, but when she saw how handsome and well built Sheng Qing Hong was, she instantly thought up Plan C to save IKD. The middle aged pilot was swapped out on the spot. The new “pilot” was Sheng Qing Hong.

Qian Qi waved toward the cockpit and called with a grin: “Little Sheng, we’re doing Plan C. Come out quick, don’t be shy.”

In the cabin, Sheng Qing Hong touched his forehead with mild helplessness. He was four years older than Qian Qi, yet she kept calling him Little Sheng. He couldn’t get used to it. Thinking about the ideas she gave him yesterday, he felt a bit… [Uh…]

Qian Qi assumed he was shy and encouraged him warmly: “Little Sheng, think about your company on the edge of collapse! Who promised he’d do anything to save it?”

He had to step down from the helicopter. Standing behind Qian Qi, he asked, still stiff: “Will this really work?”

“Since you’re here, you have to try,” Qian Qi said, crossing her arms as she looked him up and down. “Hurry and take off the jacket. What are you waiting for? Money doesn’t fall from the sky without effort.”

Even she had to pay the price of losing face to earn money; how could he chicken out now?

He hesitated. He wasn’t scared of crowds. He had seen big stages with his mother. His will was fine. But he had never done something this absurd. Normally, a professional team handed him a marketing plan, and he followed every step. Qian Qi’s plan felt casual and left too much to luck, which made him uneasy.

He hardened his heart and decided to go all in. He took off his well pressed suit jacket.

Under it, his tight, strong build showed at once. He was the type who looked slim in clothes and strong without them. A black fitted sleeveless top hugged his eight pack, showing clean, even lines. Because it was sleeveless, his full arms were bare. The biceps rose in a neat curve. His wheat colored skin made the muscle lines even nicer to look at, almost blinding Qian Qi.

“Not bad,” Qian Qi said with a sincere thumbs up, then admitted, “I’m jealous of that body.”

“You can train for it too,” he said politely, noticing how his partner seemed a little hungry for muscles. “Once we save IKD, I can coach you myself. I’ll help you build the chest and abs every man envies.”

He took pride in training. If Qian Qi was ready to work hard, he was confident he could help Qian Qi build a body like his.

Qian Qi glanced away and said with a dry cough: “Thanks, I think I’ll pass.”

The System chuckled off to the side: “Hahaha.”

Sheng Qing Hong didn’t know Qian Qi’s gender. She blurred her identity on purpose in front of him, so it wasn’t strange he thought she was a guy.

Wiping her face, Qian Qi steadied her eyes and promised: “Relax. I’ll make you IKD’s best living signboard.”

She dragged a speaker and a microphone from the helicopter, then checked on the workers she had hired in the distance. Looking at the hesitant Awakeners near the First Cloud Mountain Dungeon entrance, she cleared her throat and shouted:

“Ladies who are Awakeners, are you still unsure about entering the Dungeon? If you can’t decide, come over and take a look!”

Her bright voice carried more than a hundred meters: “Maybe IKD can solve your problem right now!”

Awakeners nearby turned to look. She had called for the ladies, but both women and men were curious about what solution she had. A big crowd came over to see what she was selling.

Seeing the crowd form, Qian Qi had half her goal. She lowered her voice and called out with feeling: “Awakeners on the road to saving the world, are you stuck because you can’t get out of First Cloud Mountain Dungeon, and lost your confidence to move forward?”

“Do you feel there is no way home, yet you refuse to give up a great chance to level up?”

“Are you tired of dull, dangerous Dungeons and longing for a moment of comfort and peace?”

“Then choose IKD Helicopter Rental. IKD custom designs a return trip just for women, giving you the most elegant exit after a hard Dungeon run!”

She pulled the handsome, lightly bared Sheng Qing Hong to her side and shouted at full strength: “Order now and enjoy a handsome pilot’s company to make your way home even sweeter!”

The crowd of female Awakeners stared at Sheng Qing Hong’s hot, strong body and went: !!!