My Professions Have Too Much Personality - Chapter 72: A Great Haul, First Meeting Xia Hanshi
Chapter 72: Chapter 72: A Great Haul, First Meeting Xia Hanshi
It turned out this Lord City Lord could change his tune just as fast as Old Sun.
Su Chen was quite surprised. ’Did he realize my potential and decide he wants to get on my good side?’
He narrowed his eyes. ’I’m not letting this go so easily.’
Yang Yan, standing to the side, let out a soft chuckle. ’He catches on quick.’
There were different degrees of settling scores. Zhang Hongbo wasn’t without his own backing, but if Su Chen decided to hold a grudge, he could make life very difficult for the City Lord.
Zhang Hongbo pretended not to notice their reactions. He just smiled warmly at Su Chen and added, “Don’t be shy. Tell me what you need. As long as it’s within my power, I’ll do my best to help.”
“In that case…” Su Chen considered for a moment. Since the man was prepared to pay a hefty price, he felt no need to be polite. “I want the information for a Tier Two Upper-Level Mental Profession.”
’Zhang Hongbo is clearly a High-level Spiritual Professional; he definitely has access to that.’
’I thought my Secret Scholar class wouldn’t be able to evolve until I reached Ying Feng,’ Su Chen mused. ’I never expected that, by a strange twist of fate, its progress would far outpace my Gale Hunter class.’
“You…” Zhang Hongbo’s brow twitched. He couldn’t stop himself from asking, “You’re already a Second-tier Spiritual Professional. Do you still need that?”
A faint, barely-there smile touched Yang Yan’s lips. ’He really does seek revenge for the smallest slight.’
“That’s exactly what I need,” Su Chen emphasized.
Seeing Su Chen’s solemn expression, Zhang Hongbo understood. Su Chen was deliberately making things difficult for him.
Leaking information about a Tier Two profession in secret was one thing, but with members of the Judicial Court present, doing so openly would certainly go on his record.
But once he understood this, he actually felt a sense of relief. The more Su Chen retaliated now, the less resentment he would hold later.
“Alright…” He feigned reluctance, hoping to make Su Chen feel more satisfied. “As it happens, my own Tier Two profession is a Superior one on the Spiritual Side, called the Telekinesis Manipulator.”
Zhang Hongbo began to explain, “The conditions to take on this profession are…”
Su Chen’s expression shifted slightly, because a notification had already popped up on his panel.
[Discovered Tier Two Superior Profession—Telekinesis Manipulator. Fulfill the conditions to advance.]
[Condition 1: Endure the “Telekinesis Trial” for three hours.]
[Condition 2: Raise three F-level Meditation Techniques to Master Level.]
[The Secret Scholar, influenced by the Deceitful God’s Power, has discovered the Telekinesis Manipulator and immediately launched an assault. The Telekinesis Manipulator is resisting to the death…]
The Secret Scholar, steeped in the Deceitful God’s Power, truly couldn’t wait a single moment. It had pounced at the first opportunity, but the outcome was still pending.
’They’re both Superior Tier Two professions, so they’ll probably be locked in combat for a while.’
Su Chen expected a transformation to occur soon. Based on his experience, the physical reaction would be significant. It would be a huge problem if he suddenly started clutching his head and howling in pain.
“Take this down,” Yang Yan said coolly from the side. “Zhang Hongbo has leaked information on a Superior Tier Two profession without authorization.”
Gu Bing had already opened a virtual screen and was making a detailed note.
Zhang Hongbo didn’t seem to care. Seeing the slight change in Su Chen’s expression, he wondered, ’Is he regretting it?’
’That makes sense,’ he thought. ’The profession is useless to him. If he tried to sell it on the black market, he’d have to worry about being traced.’
Su Chen’s voice grew a little hurried. “I also need some Tier Two spiritual potions to assist with meditation.”
A flicker of understanding passed through Zhang Hongbo’s eyes. He hadn’t really expected to placate Su Chen with a single Tier Two profession that was useless to him. After pondering for a moment, he spoke again.
“The Inspectorate doesn’t have any Tier Two Meditation Assistance Potions. How about this: I’ll personally give you ten vials of Illusion Essence. The effect is quite good.”
“Ten vials a week? That’s barely acceptable…” Su Chen muttered to himself, glancing at his panel again.
Zhang Hongbo’s cheek twitched. ’Ten vials a week? This kid has some nerve!’
Due to the scarcity of Mental Type items, the price of Illusion Essence in Southwind City far exceeded that of the Fog Poison Potion, with each vial costing as much as 10,000 gold.
He considered it for a moment, the thought of it truly stinging, and forced a smile. “How about this: the same weekly quota as the Fog Poison Potion.”
Su Chen glanced worriedly at his panel, then said with hesitation, “So, five vials a week?”
’Isn’t the Fog Poison Potion quota three vials a week? Where did five come from?’
Zhang Hongbo wasn’t sure if someone in logistics had secretly raised Su Chen’s allowance, but questioning it now, after making a gesture to ease tensions, would just make him look petty.
’Forget it…’ Zhang Hongbo comforted himself. ’It’s better to take this hit sooner rather than later.’ His smile grew even more strained. “That’s right. Five vials.”
“I just remembered, I don’t have a corresponding E-level Meditation Technique yet…” Su Chen added.
Having already given so much, a Meditation Technique was nothing in comparison. Zhang Hongbo waved his hand magnanimously. “I’ll arrange it.”
“Thank you, City Lord.” Su Chen adopted an appropriately sincere attitude and prepared to leave.
“I’ll see you out. Oh, right, there’s one more thing…”
Zhang Hongbo came out from behind his desk and walked forward with a smile, but before he could finish, the office door was suddenly thrown open with a BANG.
Everyone’s eyes shot toward the sound. Su Chen discreetly took a step back. ’Who’s that aggressive? Daring to burst into the City Lord’s office?’
“Elder… Xia!” Zhang Hongbo’s heart lurched when he saw who it was.
The expressions on Yang Yan and Gu Bing’s faces were just as stark. Gu Bing even shot a subtle glance at Su Chen.
’Zhang Hongbo seems wary of him? No, it’s fear!’
Su Chen keenly sensed this. The person who walked in was an old man, his silver hair belying a sharp vigor. He had a gaunt frame, and his face was a mass of wrinkles, as if there was barely any flesh left on his bones.
“Everyone’s here?” Xia Hanshi’s gaze swept over the four of them, pausing on Su Chen for a moment before moving on. His tone was indifferent. “What sort of scheme are you all plotting?”
“Nothing at all,” Zhang Hongbo was the first to speak, his face unreadable. “We were just discussing recent events with the two special envoys.”
Anxiety churned within him. ’The refugee, the Red Gold Talent… If this Chief Judge finds out, who knows what kind of trouble he’ll cause.’
“Mm,” Yang Yan agreed, though his mind was racing. ’This promising kid has already been accepted as a student by Yuan Chenyang, which means he belongs to the Third Judge.’
’But if his Talent is exposed, Elder Xia will definitely try to snatch him away to pursue that impossible profession. The boy would be ruined.’
’If I volunteer the information, I won’t be able to answer to the Third Judge. What a mess…’
Yang Yan quickly made a decision: if Elder Xia asked about Su Chen, he would tell the truth. If he didn’t ask, he would feign ignorance.
The three of them had their own thoughts but maintained calm expressions.
Su Chen vaguely sensed the strange atmosphere, but right now, all he wanted was to leave as soon as possible. The Secret Scholar was on the verge of victory.
Xia Hanshi glanced around the room, then his gaze suddenly fell on Su Chen. His sinister stare was enough to make one’s skin crawl. “Who’s this kid?”
“Yuan Chenyang’s student, Su Chen. He’s the one who went undercover and recovered the Holy Word Stone,” Gu Bing spoke up first, offering a brief introduction. “He’s now a Deputy Section Chief in the Inspectorate, with a limitless future.”
Upon hearing this, Xia Hanshi looked away and shook his head almost imperceptibly. “Such a young Deputy Section Chief…”
Su Chen found the old man completely baffling.
Gu Bing added, “I’ll see him out.”
Su Chen followed Gu Bing out. They took the elevator, and only after they reached the ground floor did she glance upward and whisper, “Did you feel it? The atmosphere was strange, wasn’t it?”
“Yeah,” Su Chen nodded, then checked his panel again. There was still no result.
