Li Xiaofei crossed his arms as he leaned back on his seat. "Last time, a so-called ‘invincible within the tenth stage’ experienced adventurer team said the exact same thing to me. The grass on their graves is now half a meter high."
The buzz-cut leader paused, then sneered. "Haha, you think you can scare me? You’re just a high school student. Sure, you’ve done well in the league, but don’t try to show off in front of me, or you’ll get your legs broken."
Li Xiaofei crooked a finger at him. "Go ahead and try. Let's see whose legs break first."
The buzz-cut leader was now furious, but he didn’t dare make a move. He knew from the information package he had received that this high school student really did have the strength to instantly take down someone at the tenth stage of the Qi Refining Realm. He wasn’t confident he could win in a fight.
"Kid, do you think you're tough?" The buzz-cut leader snarled. "Being tough is useless. You need power and influence to survive in this world."
"What influence do you have?" Li Xiaofei asked.
He had figured it out. The guy didn’t know anything. He was just a complete idiot.
The buzz-cut leader smiled smugly, "Our Golden Eagle Guild has three hundred and forty-six streamers, four hundred and four full-time employees, and a security team of a hundred and thirty members, all of whom are high school graduates and trained fighters. Our boss, Zhao Bufan, mingles with high society and has extensive connections... "
Li Xiaofei cut him off, unimpressed, "So, you're just small-time crooks."
"You... " The buzz-cut leader was furious.
At that moment, a nearby business car door opened and a chubby man in a white suit and overcoat, with slicked-back hair and a big cigar in his mouth, stepped out.
"Haha, staying calm under pressure, as expected of the MVP student of the High School War God League for two consecutive rounds." The chubby man clapped and laughed, "Let me introduce myself. I'm Zhao Bufan, the founder and president of the Golden Eagle Guild. I'm here today with a generous offer for you."
Li Xiaofei smirked, "Generous offer? Let's hear it."
Zhao Bufan exhaled a long stream of smoke, "Our Golden Eagle Guild wants to collaborate with you to start a live streaming channel. If you can spend just three to four hours a day streaming for us, you'll earn a minimum monthly salary of 5,000 star coins. Additionally, we can manage all your business negotiations and contracts for free and only take a small commission. How does that sound?"
He waited confidently for a positive response.
A high school student from the slum, what could he have seen in life? A salary of 5,000 star coins must have made him too excited to speak.
Zhao Bufan had noticed Li Xiaofei after the first round of the league and believed the newcomer had signing potential. He had already started secretly investigating Li Xiaofei's background. When he discovered that Li Xiaofei was from the slum, Zhao Bufan had been overjoyed. A boy who had suffered the hardships of poverty would be easier to sway with money. After watching the second round of the competition, he decided to sign the young man to his streaming guild on the spot. If the kid was handled properly, he could make a significant profit. So, he came to the slum entrance in the middle of the night to catch him. He was very confident in his offer.
However, Li Xiaofei shook his head and said, "Not interested."
"Haha, okay, let's sign... What? Not interested?" Zhao Bufan thought he had misheard, "You don't want to?"
Li Xiaofei said, "You can leave now."
The smile on Zhao Bufan's face gradually faded as he said, "Think about it again, my friend. If it's about the signing bonus, we can discuss it some more. I'll add another 500 star coins. How about that?"
Li Xiaofei found it amusing that the principal's warning was so spot-on. The second round of the competition had just ended, and bloodsuckers were already swarming around him. The offer was practically treating him like a pig to be slaughtered.
"It's not about the money," Li Xiaofei said straightforwardly. "I'm not interested in streaming, Mr. Zhao. Goodbye."
"Hey, hey, hey... " Zhao Bufan quickly blocked his way. "You might have just come out of the slum and don't yet understand the benefits of money. I'm sincerely looking out for you. You could make a fortune with your current popularity on the light-network. If you're lucky, you can even buy a house outside the rule-of-law district."
Li Xiaofei sighed inwardly at the man's persistence but remained firm. He replied, "I appreciate your concern, Mr. Zhao, but my answer is still no. Streaming isn't my path. Now, please step aside."
Li Xiaofei couldn't help but feel a bit of pity for Zhao Bufan's desperation, but he knew better than to compromise on his principles for a quick buck.
Li Xiaofei was done with the conversation. He twisted the throttle.
The modified motorcycle growled like a beast, ready to take off.
"Wait." Zhao Bufan placed a hand on the motorcycle's handlebar, his expression turning dark. "Kid, are you really going to disrespect your brother Zhao ?"
Li Xiaofei's eyes turned sharp. "Let go."
Zhao Bufan chuckled coldly. "Kid, I suggest you don't refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit. The Golden Eagle Guild has never had anyone dare to say no to us. You might look popular now, but how many true fans do you have? Believe me, I can easily manipulate the online narrative, and by tomorrow, you'll be a rat everyone wants to beat."
"Are you threatening me?" Li Xiaofei asked.
Zhao Bufan smirked. "No, it's just a friendly reminder."
Li Xiaofei laughed. "Then let me give you a friendly reminder. Get lost, or I won't hesitate to show you what happens when you mess with someone from the slum."
Zhao Bufan glanced at the entrance to the slum nearby. He felt a bit apprehensive. He didn't want to get into a conflict with the wild and crazy people from the slum.
"Kid, do you think you alone can represent the slum?" Zhao Bufan let go of the handlebar and stepped back. "I'll give you one night to think it over, considering your youthful ignorance. If I don't get a positive answer from you by 8 a.m. tomorrow, I promise you'll regret it."
He gestured to his bodyguards as they all left in their cars. Li Xiaofei couldn't help but laugh.
Where did these fools come from?
They had intercepted him outside the slum without even knowing his true identity. They thought he was just a powerless small fry from the slum. Such a low-tier guild probably only managed to scare people who didn’t have any support. For a moment, Li Xiaofei considered dealing with these idiots then and there, but he restrained himself.
Now that I’m a legitimate citizen, the entire slum is on a fast track to becoming legitimate. Unless there’s a deep-seated vendetta, there is no need to resort to violence at the slightest provocation. One should learn to behave civilly in a civilized society.
Li Xiaofei smiled in satisfaction. He had finally acted maturely.
At that moment, he heard hurried footsteps. It was the chubby Yang Cheng, leading a group of loyal followers.
"Boss, are you okay?" The chubby guy asked nervously, "I heard some clueless guys were blocking you, trying to cause trouble. Huh? Where are they? Did I arrive late again, Boss?"
Li Xiaofei was speechless.
When have you ever not been late? Is this chubby guy doing it on purpose? Rebellious?
He couldn't be bothered to argue and said, "Go notify Hall Master Chu to select a hundred capable brothers to accompany me to the city wall and assist our troops in defending the city."
"Defend the city?" Yang Cheng was momentarily stunned, then excitedly said, "Yes, Boss, I'll go right away."
Li Xiaofei stood there, lost in thought.
Defending the city. The idea had struck him at a whim when he saw Yang Cheng and his group. It was a chance to see the city walls up close and broaden his horizons. Secondly, he genuinely wanted to contribute to the city's defense.
A short while later, Chu Yuntian arrived with a hundred martial artists from the Cloudy Sky Gang.