Chapter 419 18: Transaction

As twilight descended, another side of the Safe City quietly stirred to life.

Amidst a hazy drizzle, neon signs flickered with multicolored light. Heavy metal music blasted through the streets, thick with the scent of alcohol and hormones—this was the unique domain of the nightclub scene.

As an important vessel of futuristic tech culture, the nightclub scene had long since transcended simple entertainment, becoming a vital window into social psychology and group behavior.

Simply put.

People,

need to vent!

This was especially true for genetically enhanced warriors, who desperately needed an outlet for their emotions after life-and-death battles.

The nightclub scene.

was undoubtedly the best choice.

BOOM-CHIK… BOOM-CHIK…

The infrasound waves from the subwoofers induced resonance in the human body, making it easier to release suppressed emotions.

White fog from dry-ice machines mingled with laser lights, and random bursts of cold pyrotechnics created a psychedelic effect, blurring the line between the virtual and the real.

Zhu Ju squeezed through the throng of people. His vision blurred for a moment as a burly figure blocked his path.

"Hey handsome, want a tube of Nine Heavens?"

The figure was burly, but the voice was surprisingly sweet, and their features were delicate, creating a peculiar contrast.

Nine Heavens.

A special hallucinogen.

Even a Martial Artist could experience ultimate bliss from it, as if entering the Illusion Realm of the nine heavens.

"No, thanks."

Zhu Ju shook his head. Just as he was about to step past, his right hand shot backward, grabbing a slender arm.

"Three hands?"

Here, "three hands" wasn't just a metaphor for a pickpocket.

The burly woman in front of him literally had a third hand, which she was using to steal his wallet while he was distracted.

With the advancement of genetic technology, many things that were once unimaginable had become reality.

Never mind three hands.

If you wanted it,

Genetic Modification Technology could even give someone a second head!

"Sorry."

Despite being caught red-handed, the woman showed little fear. She shrugged and said,

"I thought it was…"

"AH!"

Before she could finish, a sharp pain shot through her third hand. She screamed and collapsed to her knees.

"My hand… you crippled my hand!"

Zhu Ju dropped the third hand, its Tendon and Bone now shattered. With a cold snort, he pushed the woman aside and walked on.

"Brother Wangg."

He arrived at a booth, shooed away the woman sitting there, and grumbled to the man across from him,

"Next time, can we meet somewhere else? These low-class nightclubs have no standards. It's too chaotic to have any real fun."

"Heh heh…" Wangg Xiuzhu had a cigar clamped in his mouth, the smoke making him squint. He heard the complaint, chuckled, and nodded.

"Alright, we'll go to Yeying next time."

"Forget Yeying." Zhu Ju's lip twitched.

"I can't afford a place like that."

"Haha…" Wangg Xiuzhu roared with laughter.

"What? Still feeling the sting? I heard you treated everyone at Yeying last time and spent nearly a hundred thousand Credit Points."

"Don't bring it up." Zhu Ju waved his hand dismissively.

"It hurts just thinking about it."

"A hundred thousand isn't a small sum, but for you right now, it shouldn't be a big deal." Wangg Xiuzhu tapped his cigar and grinned.

"I heard you've struck it rich several times recently. Never mind the company bonus; you squeezed quite a lot out of your daughter alone."

Zhu Ju grinned.

He completely missed the disdain in the other man's eyes.

His own daughter had been seriously injured, yet he didn't seem to care. Instead, he'd used the incident to blackmail her school for a massive compensation package. The story had spread online, and even his colleagues at the Celestial Wealth Commerce Association knew all about it.

Most of the Commerce Association's security personnel lived on the edge of life and death, and few were good people in the traditional sense. But exploiting one's own child like this was still considered despicable. Then again, it was perfectly in character for Wuh Tian.

"I sought you out today for business."

Wangg Xiuzhu reined in his thoughts and spoke slowly,

"I want your purchase quota for the Advanced Gene Enhancement Potion. Name your price."

"Oh?" Zhu Ju raised an eyebrow.

"Brother Wangg, you're already a Martial Artist. What do you need it for?"

The Celestial Wealth Commerce Association had three security managers, but that didn't mean there were only three Martial Artists.

On the contrary,

there were quite a few Martial Artists.

Wangg Xiuzhu was one of them.

"An Advanced Gene Enhancement Potion can not only help a Martial Artist advance to the next level, but it can also make an existing Martial Artist even stronger."

"Of course…"

He pursed his lips.

"I'm not getting it for myself. I have other uses for it."

"Brother Wangg," Zhu Ju said, feigning hesitation.

"As you know, I'm a High-Level Martial Artist. An Advanced Gene Enhancement Potion is very important to me."

"Tch!" Wangg Xiuzhu looked at him with contempt.

"With your current strength, you couldn't become a Martial Artist even if you took the Advanced Gene Enhancement Potion."

"I'll be straight with you…"

"Zheng Feiyang is dead!"

"Ah!" Zhu Ju feigned shock.

"How could that be?"

"Manager Zheng was a Mid-Level Martial Artist, not to mention a son-in-law of the Hex Family! He was so young, how could he just die suddenly?"

Wangg Xiuzhu appeared nonchalant, but he was secretly watching Zhu Ju's expression closely.

It was a normal reaction.

The emotional fluctuation was just as he'd expected.

When a Golden Core Grandmaster proficient in Divine Soul Secret Techniques wanted to put on an act, it was nearly impossible for anyone to see through it.

"I don't know."

Wangg Xiuzhu leaned forward and lowered his voice.

"But I heard that before he died, Manager Zheng was handling your case. So, you might be in some trouble."

"Ah!" Zhu Ju's face went 'deathly pale'.

"What does Manager Zheng's death have to do with me?"

"Yes," Wangg Xiuzhu shrugged. "I don't think it's related to you, either. After all, Manager Zheng was a Martial Artist—and a powerful one. You're just a Martial Artist. But who can say for sure? If someone wants to cause you trouble, they'll always find an excuse."

"Brother Wangg," Zhu Ju grabbed the man's hand, his voice urgent. "You have to help me!"

"Of course. With our friendship, I can't just stand by and do nothing." Wangg Xiuzhu smiled faintly.

"So…"

"About that Advanced Gene Enhancement Potion?"

Zhu Ju's expression stiffened, and he slowly withdrew his hand.

"Relax."

Wangg Xiuzhu snorted.

"I'm not taking it for free. I'll trade you five hundred thousand worth of Source Crystals for it. I'm not taking advantage of you."

"Five hundred thousand? In Source Crystals?" Zhu Ju's eyes flickered.

"That, I can do!"

"Brother Wangg, with Manager Zheng gone, there's an opening among the three managers. Are you going to be promoted?"

"Maybe." Wangg Xiuzhu pursed his lips.

"That's why I need your purchase quota."

"Oh!" Zhu Ju said, as if in realization.

"Brother Wangg wants to use the purchase quota to grease some wheels. I get it, I get it. The proof of purchase is right here."

As he spoke,

he took a certificate-like object from his Storage Ring, but only pressed it to the table without handing it over.

"Heh…" Wangg Xiuzhu sneered, taking out a cloth bag and tossing it over.

The heavy bag emanated strong energy fluctuations; it was undoubtedly full of Source Crystals.

Compared to Credit Points or potions, the price of Source Crystals increased every year, making them a more cost-effective asset.

For large transactions,

Source Crystals were the preferred currency.

A smile spread across Zhu Ju's face. He let go of the certificate, opened the bag to look inside, and his expression changed.

"Why are they all black?"

"Are black Source Crystals not Source Crystals?" Wangg Xiuzhu's face darkened.

"Crystals that can increase Spiritual Power fetch an even higher price on the Black Market. You could say you're the one getting the better deal."

Zhu Ju's expression was stiff.

That might be true.

But typically, Blue Source Crystals were the most expensive, followed by white ones. Black Source Crystals had highly volatile prices and weren't generally used for trade.

"Fine!"

Shaking his head, he raised his glass.

"Brother Wangg, here's to you. I hope you become a security manager soon. Don't forget your brother when you do."

"Of course!" Wangg Xiuzhu raised his glass.

"Bottoms up."

After putting down his glass, he waved behind him, and several women with graceful figures immediately walked over.

Thanks to advances in Genetic Modification Technology,

if one desired,

it was impossible for a woman to be ugly.

The faces and skin of nightclub women were genetically tuned, often making them even more alluring.

However, people's thresholds for desire constantly grew, so conventional beauty was no longer enough to hold their attention. Transhumans, beast-kin, abhumans… all sorts of strange 'people' began appearing in the nightclubs.

It wasn't just the women.

The men were the same. Some were even modified to have two of… certain appendages, to satisfy particular tastes.

"Wuh Tian?"

A woman with a tail wrapped her arms around Zhu Ju's neck from behind and whispered in his ear,

"Boss Jiao is looking for you."

'Boss Jiao?'

Zhu Ju looked puzzled.

He knew of the man—an underworld boss who lived in the shadows—but 'Wuh Tian' had never had any dealings with him.

'What is with today? One person after another keeps looking for me.'