Chapter 284: Chapter 248: The Money Still Needs to Be Paid

Liou Wenxin cross-referenced the data from the River Fish Monster’s corpse and its extract with information from the database, performing a detailed comparison and analysis.

A moment later, she presented the results of her analysis to Su Ze.

Su Ze looked at the information on the tablet computer:

[Unnamed River Fish Monster Extract]

Rank: Fifth-rank, B-Class 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Obtainable Skills: Expansion, Sharp Needle Poison Thorn, Riding the Tide

Liou Wenxin explained, "The database has no information on fifth-rank River Fish Monsters. These skill names are all taken from lower-ranked ones. For instance, ’Expansion’ is a skill that even first-rank River Fish Monsters have. It’s an innate ability for this type of beast, but a fifth-rank ’Expansion’ skill is undoubtedly worlds stronger than a first-rank one."

"Among these three, ’Sharp Needle Poison Thorn’ and ’Riding the Tide’ are considered relatively weak for fifth-rank skills. The main reason this River Fish Monster was classified as fifth-rank is because its ’Expansion’ skill is incredibly powerful. Not only does it allow the user to grow in size, but it also boosts all of their attributes. It can even make your other skills scale with your new size, indirectly strengthening them."

"For example, your ’Furious Waves’ has a range of about ten meters around you. But while you’re in an enlarged state, the skill’s effective range would expand along with your size."

"Based on your description, this River Fish Monster’s combat prowess doesn’t seem particularly outstanding for a fifth-rank beast. This is partly because, as an Aquatic Beast, its power is naturally diminished when fighting in the air or on land. The other reason is that its other skills aren’t very synergistic with ’Expansion’."

"This is where beasts are at a disadvantage compared to humans. Humans can freely build around a core skill, combining it with others as they see fit. Beasts, on the other hand, are stuck with their few innate skills, which puts a hard cap on their potential."

Su Ze nodded thoughtfully, completely agreeing with Liou Wenxin. He recalled that the only skills the River Fish Monster had used in their fight with any real synergy were ’Air Cannon’ and ’Expansion’.

However, the list of absorbable skills from the River Fish Monster’s extract didn’t include ’Air Cannon’, which indicated it wasn’t a fifth-rank skill.

’If its ’Air Cannon’ skill had also been fifth-rank, the River Fish Monster’s combat power would have been on another level entirely.’

"Sis, can you check the fourth-rank skills in this River Fish Monster extract for me? Is ’Air Cannon’ one of them?" Su Ze asked.

Liou Wenxin tilted her head slightly. "Are you thinking of using a Skill Suppression Potion?"

She instantly understood his plan. He wanted to use a Skill Suppression Potion to free up his next skill slot, then absorb both the ’Expansion’ and ’Air Cannon’ skills from the River Fish Monster extract at the same time.

Su Ze smiled. "I’m just gathering information. If the ’Air Cannon’ skill isn’t powerful enough, I won’t bother."

"First, the skill isn’t called ’Air Cannon.’ It’s called ’Impact Cannon’," Liou Wenxin corrected. "Second, just like human Venerable Powerhouses, fifth-rank beasts can only complete their fifth evolution if none of their skills are below the fourth rank. So, that’s correct—’Impact Cannon’ is a fourth-rank skill."

Once human evolvers reach the Saint-rank Overlord stage, they need to absorb a vial of a fifth-rank extract to act as a "ladder" for their fifth evolution, but they also have to upgrade all their other skills to the fourth rank. It seemed beasts followed the same rule.

The lowest-ranked skills on a fifth-rank beast were fourth-rank, which meant the weakest skills on a sixth-rank beast would have to be fifth-rank.

"So how strong is ’Impact Cannon’ really?" Su Ze asked.

"The skill’s true effect is to gather ambient energy or matter and fire it as a projectile by applying immense pressure. So it can be an ’Air Cannon,’ but it could also be a ’Water Jet Cannon,’ a ’Flame Cannon,’ a ’Laser Cannon,’ or an ’Electromagnetic Cannon’... Its power is undeniable, and its potential is extremely high. It all depends on what kind of energy or matter you manage to collect."

’That’s the one!’

Su Ze’s heart raced the moment he heard Liou Wenxin’s description. The skill was incredibly versatile and full of possibilities.

’And it would pair perfectly with my "Strongest Punch" skill!’

’If I gather flames, my "Strongest Punch" could have a burning effect. If I gather frost, it could have a freezing effect. If I gather toxins, I could use Poison Attachment...’

’In short, anything was possible. It all depended on how he used it!’

"Sis, can you get me a Skill Suppression Potion?" Su Ze said.

"Here you go." Liou Wenxin reached into her storage artifact and pulled out a transparent vial. "Don’t forget, I was the one who invented the formula."

’Of course. Liou Wenxin invented the formula, so how could she not have any on hand?’

Su Ze took the potion, and the next steps of his plan became crystal clear.

All he needed now was a vial of any fourth-rank, S-class extract. The specific skills or type didn’t matter.

That lowered the difficulty considerably.

Su Ze immediately pulled out his phone and sent a message to Xu Sheng: "I want to purchase a vial of a fourth-rank, S-class extract. I don’t have any specific requirements, as long as it’s fourth-rank, S-class. How many points would that cost?"

Xu Sheng took a while to reply. "Mr. Su, the market price for a fourth-rank, S-class extract is around twenty million points, but we have none in stock. It would have to be hunted. Given that you have no specific requirements, we can offer you a lower fee for the hunting service. For the extract and the service combined, you’d only need to pay thirty million points... This is a price I had to fight to get for you."

Thirty million points was equivalent to three hundred billion in Lin Hua Continent’s universal currency!

The price was certainly not cheap, but Su Ze knew he wouldn’t find a lower price anywhere else; other sellers would only charge more.

Su Ze figured he could probably scrape together thirty million points by selling off some of his possessions, but he didn’t commission Evolutionary Technology to start the hunt just yet.

He’d asked for the price mainly to get a baseline figure.

...

After leaving Liou Wenxin’s laboratory, Su Ze headed straight for the Limin Association Headquarters.

He needed to speak with Mr. Gu Chengguang.

Relying on his reputation and his current A-rank status, Su Ze had unimpeded access to most areas of the Limin Association Headquarters.

His current rank was already quite high. In Dongli, besides the handful of Guardian Gods and a few veteran scientists with exceptional contributions who held S-rank, most others, like Zhang Tai, were only A-rank.

Su Ze made a beeline for Gu Chengguang’s office. Everyone he passed greeted him warmly. Some of the younger members even became stiff and formal, as if they were in the presence of a high-ranking official.

To get to Gu Chengguang’s office, one had to pass through the office of his secretary, Zhang Tai.

The moment Su Ze saw Zhang Tai, he strode over and casually draped an arm over his shoulder. "Old Zhang, you’re looking well. It seems Dongli is about to welcome its sixth Guardian God!"

At the mention of this, a hint of delight appeared on Zhang Tai’s face. He was already at the Butterfly Stage and had absorbed three extracts. The reward he’d received from the first round of the Divine Dice had helped him completely digest them. In the second round, he’d received a Spiritual Power bonus, which laid a solid foundation for his breakthrough to the Saint rank.

He smiled. "I still need some time to consolidate everything. It’s a bit risky to push for the Saint rank right now, but it won’t be much longer."

A faint, smug look crossed Zhang Tai’s face. ’Once I become a Saint, we’ll see if you still dare to call me ’Old Zhang’ all day. I’ll make you go back to calling me ’Uncle Zhang’! Such a disrespectful brat!’

"Don’t get the wrong idea, Old Zhang. When I said we’re getting a sixth Guardian God, I wasn’t necessarily talking about you," Su Ze said, the corners of his mouth lifting in a slight smirk. "Mr. Ya and I are almost there, too."

In truth, Mr. Ya had only recently absorbed his third fourth-rank extract and had barely begun to digest it, while Su Ze himself still had two extracts left to absorb. But he just loved making these old-timers anxious, putting pressure on them to keep them on their toes.

Wasn’t that how he had prodded Mrs. Yun into becoming a Saint-rank?

Zhang Tai’s mouth twitched. "Why are you here today?"

"I’m here to see Mr. Gu about something."

"What about? You can come to me for most things." As the president’s secretary, it was Zhang Tai’s duty to screen unscheduled visitors.

"To discuss a deal worth hundreds of billions."

’This kid’s getting more and more audacious...’ Zhang Tai thought. He knew this was indeed out of his hands, so he had no choice but to call Gu Chengguang and report the visit.

"The President will see you," Zhang Tai said, hanging up the phone.

Su Ze walked past Zhang Tai’s desk, pushed open the door to Gu Chengguang’s office, and his entire demeanor changed in an instant. He called out with dutiful respect, "Mr. Gu."

"Come in, have a seat."

Seeing Su Ze, the scholarly Gu Chengguang broke into a warm smile.

Outside the door, Zhang Tai heard their exchange, pursed his lips, and muttered, "Sooner or later, he’ll be calling you ’Old Gu’!"

...

After sitting down, Su Ze didn’t beat around the bush. "Mr. Gu," he began, getting straight to the point, "I have A-rank clearance now. That means I can use contribution points to exchange for the services of one of Dongli’s Guardian Gods, correct?"

Gu Chengguang nodded. "That is your right as an A-rank member of the association. What is it you need us to do?"

"I want to hunt a fourth-rank, S-class beast. How many contribution points would that require?"

Gu Chengguang wasn’t surprised by Su Ze’s request; in fact, he had been expecting it. "How long have you been in Dongli now?"

Su Ze thought for a moment. "In a few more days, it’ll be six months."

"Has it only been six months..." Gu Chengguang said with a smile, shaking his head. "You’ve grown so quickly, it always feels like much more time has passed."

"In the past six months, you have done so much for Dongli. You won the Adjudication Battle, secured a dual championship at the Six Nations’ Top Academies Exchange Tournament, and placed first in the Divine Dice trial. You also helped Sun Xiayun complete her fourth evolution, giving Dongli another Guardian God, and brought a great talent like Yargha into our fold..."

"You have brought Dongli great honor and secured many tangible benefits for us, yet we old-timers have not been able to do much to help you in return. It is, frankly, shameful."

"Once you become a Saint-rank Overlord, we’ll be even less capable of assisting you. So, helping you hunt this fourth-rank, S-class beast might be the one significant thing we can do for you."

Su Ze was touched. "So, Mr. Gu, does that mean you plan to do it for free?"

"We still have to charge you."