Chapter 81

Chapter 82: Qian Qi: Asking Too Many Questions Isn’t Good For You

Qian Qi folded her arms and looked at Li Hong Sheng with a playful smile, saying: “You look kind of regretful.”

Li Hong Sheng straightened up in a hurry and waved it off, then studied her face while guessing why she came today, asking: “I’m not, I didn’t, don’t talk nonsense. Ahem, so what brings you to the institute today?”

She strode up and gripped his wrists with strong hands, her rough little face showing the look of someone who had just survived a disaster, saying: “Of course I’m here for the common progress of humans!”

She painted the scene with feeling, saying: “Dean, you don’t know what happened the day before yesterday. I was so scared. I almost died.”

Hearing this, Li Hong Sheng fell into thought. The Principal had told him that Su Ang took her to Song City to work in the combat zone. A B grade magibeast appeared there that night. Su Ang happened to be nearby, held it back in time, and kept the fighting from spreading to the civilian area. Putting that together, she must have been on the scene. [So she saw how bad it was for the Awakeners on the battlefield and finally decided to share the potion?]

While he was thinking, Qian Qi went on, saying: “You won’t believe it. Yesterday the person selling the potions contacted me. I got so excited and, remembering your reminder, I asked if she would sell me the recipe. Guess what happened?”

She widened her eyes like it had been a narrow escape, saying: “She said she’d find someone to kill me, then she blocked me!”

Talking about it made her grit her teeth, saying: “Kill me if you want, fine, but why block me? That’s so disrespectful.”

She huffed, saying: “I only wanted the recipe for free. Doesn’t she have any sense of the bigger picture? This is about helping humans and saving the world. Why couldn’t she just give it to me? Hmph. Cold and heartless person.”

Li Hong Sheng fell silent. [Huh? Is she throwing shade at somebody right now?]

Qian Qi snorted, then lifted her chin, saying: “She even threatened to kill me? Do I look like someone who gets scared by threats? I hacked her Light Brain, cracked her top password, deleted all her contacts and notes, and found the hidden potion recipe.”

She patted her chest, proud as could be, saying: “Awesome, right?”

Li Hong Sheng stared. [Amazing. Too amazing. Even my bragging can’t top hers.]

She flicked a glance at Wei Zhen, then said softly: “About the recipe…”

Wei Zhen understood at once and slipped out, saying: “Dean, you two talk. I’ll go handle the Silverwood Fruit.”

After he left, Qian Qi covered her mouth and lowered her voice, saying: “I can give you the potion recipe, but this stays between us. Heaven knows, earth knows, you know, I know.”

She gave him a meaningful look, saying: “Principal and Su Ang can’t know.”

She leaned in and set the terms, saying: “We make the trade in secret. After that, you honestly start making the Hemostatic Potion. When you’re ready to sell it, tell me first, okay?”

Li Hong Sheng frowned, asking: “Why can’t they know?”

She waved him off, saying: “Just say yes or no. Don’t ask too many questions or it won’t be good for you. As long as you keep it from those two, you can get the recipe without paying.”

Hearing the words “without paying,” Li Hong Sheng agreed at once, saying: “Deal.”

He thought it over. This wouldn’t really delay anything. Once the institute sold the Hemostatic Potion, those two would find out sooner or later. It was only a matter of time.

Qian Qi nodded with satisfaction, then smiled, saying: “Next, we need to talk about other costs that aren’t money.”

Li Hong Sheng blinked. [What?]

She clapped him on the shoulder with deep meaning, saying: “The recipe can be free, but you still have to trade me something that isn’t money. I heard you have a friend who makes defensive armor.”

Li Hong Sheng froze. [How does she know about that?]

She raised her messy little eyebrows and named her price, saying: “I don’t want much. Three sets of D grade defensive armor and one set of C grade. Also, from now on, you’ll supply me with magiplant seeds of B grade and below for free. In return, I’ll share some priceless information with you.”

She flashed him a bright grin, saying: “How about it, Dean? Are you tempted? If you are, act on it. Sign this contract, and the next billionaire remembered by history will be you.”

She pulled a contract from the back of her waistband and laid it out in front of him for all to see.

Li Hong Sheng stared at the paper. [She’s only nineteen. How is she sneakier than a man in his seventies?] But he had to admit her one-two combo was tempting. He had thick skin. He could ask his friend for a couple sets of low grade armor. As for magiplant seeds… knowledge is always worth more than seeds. If she could feed the institute magiplant info, this was a fair trade.

He kept his guard up and tested her value, asking: “How can you guarantee you’ll actually give us useful information?”

Qian Qi smiled and held up three fingers, saying: “Three magiplants. I’ll answer three of your toughest questions.”

She added a limit, saying: “Only about magiplants already in your institute.”

Li Hong Sheng’s heart slammed in his chest. He took a long moment to steady his voice, then stared at her and asked: “Even S grade?”

She smiled lightly, saying: “Yes, as long as you think it’s worth it.”

She had barely finished when Li Hong Sheng rushed out the door, calling back: “Wait here for me. I’ll go get the files.”

Only he had the clearance for S grade magiplant data. He ran to the basement, grabbed the documents, and hurried back with the energy of a man far younger than his seventy-plus years. He slapped the files onto the conference table and raised his voice to summon the institute, saying: “A grade researchers, report to the conference room at once. Class is in session. Everyone, full focus.”

An A grade researcher had passed the A grade magiplant exam, could already master D grade cultivation, skillfully handle C grade, and had the right to enter dungeons to study B grade magiplants. In the institute, they were second only to Li Hong Sheng himself. That included the teachers of the Magiplant course for Wei Zhen, Mo Yin Qiu, and Qian Qi. Looking around, Qian Qi realized most people from the last meeting were here. They were all A grade. No wonder they could steer the institute’s future.

She sidled up to Mo Yin Qiu and laid it on thick, saying: “Instructor Mo~”

Mo Yin Qiu’s expression did not move, saying: “Get lost.”

From the side, Wei Zhen watched Qian Qi with a sour look. Now he understood why Researcher Mo noticed Qian Qi. This kid really had skills and a bigger heart than his own. He truly matched Researcher Mo. Even so, Wei Zhen lifted his chin and spoke up, saying: “Classmate Qian Qi, I can admit defeat in academics, but I will never give up in love. I’ll work hard to surpass you and stand beside Researcher Mo with honor.”

Researcher Mo had said she didn’t have a boyfriend. He would go past this pretty-faced rival and become her real boyfriend.

Qian Qi blinked. [Huh?]

Mo Yin Qiu covered her face. [I can’t with this.]

The Magiplant teachers who knew Qian Qi bent their heads, shoulders shaking as they stifled laughs, and even Li Hong Sheng, who overheard him, grabbed the stack of files and thumped Wei Zhen on the head, saying: “Are you stupid from studying? Qian Qi is, like Researcher Mo, a young woman.”

Wei Zhen froze, looked at Qian Qi, then at Mo Yin Qiu, and saw Mo Yin Qiu’s speechless facepalm. Shame blasted through him like a spring bursting through ice, soaking him from head to toe. [Qian Qi is a girl? I’ve been jealous for days over a girl? I want to crawl into a hole.]