"Mission Completion Condition: Within three days, raise the studio’s valuation to over 100 million Alliance Coins."

"Mission Reward: One full set of materials required for a Super Soft Armor, including the crafting blueprint. (The quality will be no lower than the one Fang Tangtang is wearing!)"

"Mission Penalty: A negative balance of 100 million Alliance Coins. P.S. The system will forcibly liquidate all of the host’s assets until the 100 million Alliance Coin debt is paid off."

"..." Gao Neng was a little stunned.

’This damn system...’

’It’s just something else!’

He never would have imagined that the damn system would pull a stunt with the studio’s valuation. And for a hundred million, no less!

’Am I supposed to rob a bank?!’

’Where the hell am I supposed to get a hundred million?’

’Besides, the main thing is, I’m just opening a studio. Do studios even have a concept like ’valuation’? Isn’t that something only companies have?’

’Don’t companies only get valued when they go public?’

Gao Neng didn’t get it. His high school curriculum... definitely hadn’t covered this.

’What do I do? The penalty for failure is a negative balance of 100 million Alliance Coins?! How am I supposed to live after that?’ Gao Neng’s face wasn’t just dark; it was practically green.

’Right, there’s a hint...’

’Where’s the hint?!’

’Damn system, if you dare to screw me out of my hint, I’ll bash my head against a wall and die!’

"Mission Hint: Across a thousand mountains and rivers, there’s always a bond. So how about calling a loli cute? Would that be okay?"

"That’s it?" Gao Neng’s eyes widened.

’What the hell kind of hint is that?!’

Although he had long since been mentally prepared and had been through many storms and setbacks, this time, he just couldn’t take it anymore.

’Across a thousand mountains and rivers, there’s always a bond, is that it?’

’In that case, how about I just call you a damn idiot? How’s that?’

’Wait!’

’A cute loli?!’

’Right, that Fang Tangtang girl is loaded. She’s a true tycoon. And most importantly, her family seems to be in the business of selling things.’

As this thought struck him, Gao Neng rolled over, threw on his clothes, and strode out the door.

The lights were on upstairs.

That meant Fang Tangtang was there.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

"Who... is it?" Fang Tangtang’s lazy voice came from inside.

"It’s me, Gao Neng!"

CREAK.

The door opened.

Fang Tangtang appeared before Gao Neng, wearing a green frog onesie. Her big eyes blinked, full of confusion.

"Wow, Tangtang, you’re so cute!" Gao Neng immediately praised her loudly.

"???" Fang Tangtang.

"I said you’re... really super-duper cute!" Seeing no reaction from Fang Tangtang, Gao Neng remembered the mission hint and said it again.

"Gao Neng, you’re not... thinking of..." Fang Tangtang finally reacted, instinctively taking a step back, her face filled with terror.

"Thinking of what? I just said you’re super-duper cute!" Gao Neng was a little confused.

"Ah, Gao Neng, this is too sudden... I... I, Death God Fang Tangtang, can’t possibly accept you! Besides, you already have Sister Ning’Er. I can’t be the other woman! If Sister Ning’Er finds out... she definitely won’t be friends with me anymore! Even though you’re handsome, I, Death God Fang Tangtang, am loyal to my friends! You know I could never do anything to betray Sister Ning’Er..."

"..." Gao Neng.

"Gao Neng, just give up! I, Death God Fang Tangtang, won’t accept your confession so easily! Unless... you declare your love for me for 999 consecutive days, and write a diary entry for me every day. Each entry must be over 1,000 words long to express the sincerity of your feelings..."

"Write a diary my ass!" Gao Neng was truly speechless.

’What in the world is going on inside this girl’s head?’

’A damn diary, of all things!’

"Huh? You don’t like writing diaries? Then you can make me breakfast instead. Make me breakfast every day for 999 days, and it has to be something different each time. No repeats..."

"Shut up! I’m not here to confess!"

"Not confessing? Then why were you declaring your love for me just now?"

"When did I declare my love? I just said you were cute! What the hell does that have to do with declaring love?" Gao Neng had to hold himself back, barely resisting the urge to grab Fang Tangtang and spank her again.

"Oh? It wasn’t a declaration of love? You scared me, Death God Fang Tangtang, half to death! So, why did you come looking for me?" Fang Tangtang let out a sigh of relief and patted her flat chest.

"Do you... have money?" Gao Neng hesitated for a moment before finally asking.

"Money? Of course I do! I, Death God Fang Tangtang, am nothing but money! Are you so broke you have to sell your Merit Points? Fine, name your price! I, Death God Fang Tangtang, will buy them all!"

"One hundred million?"

SLAM!

The door slammed shut.

"Fang Tangtang, get back here!"

"Gao Neng, you’re trying to extort me! I’m telling you, no way!"

"I’m not extorting you, and I’m not selling Merit Points! I just want to ask a question, is that okay?" Gao Neng felt truly exhausted. If he hadn’t been forced into this corner, he would never in a million years have come to Fang Tangtang.

"What question?" Fang Tangtang opened the door again.

"Do you know how a studio’s valuation is calculated?"

"Studio valuation? Why are you suddenly asking about that?" Fang Tangtang gave Gao Neng a strange look.

"Just tell me if you know or not."

"Of course I know. A studio is different from a company. It doesn’t require registered capital, so there’s no capital verification process. But in other ways, it’s the same as a company; it can have a corporate account. If you want to get a valuation... it’s actually harder than for a company. Because a studio can’t go public, its valuation is generally based on patented product technology or on its capital!" Fang Tangtang explained.

"Patented product technology?" Gao Neng’s brow furrowed. He didn’t have anything like that. Besides, applying for a patent wasn’t something you could get done in a day or two. "How is a capital-based valuation calculated?"

"A capital-based valuation means if you have a hundred million in your studio’s account, then your studio is valued at a hundred million. Isn’t that simple?"

"!!!" Gao Neng.

’So damn simple!’

’But isn’t that just stating the obvious? If you have a hundred million in the account, of course it’s valued at a hundred million. The problem is, what if you don’t?’

Gao Neng suppressed his frustration and asked again, "If the account doesn’t have a hundred million, is it impossible to get a valuation of a hundred million?"

"You don’t have a hundred million? Then it can’t be a solo studio. It would have to be a partnership. For example: you, as one of the studio’s shareholders, contribute 50 million and hold 50% of the shares, while another person contributes technology in exchange for their stake. That way, even though the studio account doesn’t have 100 million, it could, in a sense, be considered to have a valuation of a hundred million," Fang Tangtang said after a moment’s thought.

’That’s not too far off...’ Gao Neng fell silent for a moment.

He figured he could forget about the first option, the solo studio model.

Getting a hundred million into an account in three days... he’d love to, but the problem was that it was completely impossible, wasn’t it? Where on earth was he supposed to get a hundred million?

In that case...

’It seems like the partnership model is the only option left, then?’

’A partnership?!’

Gao Neng’s gaze fell on Fang Tangtang again. He seemed to be getting what the system meant. It wanted him to open a studio in partnership with Fang Tangtang, right?

"My dear, cute Tangtang, have you ever thought about opening a studio?" Gao Neng put on a smile, trying his best to keep it pure of any other intentions.

"Why would I open a studio? My grandpa is the chairman of the Celestial King Group. My family has more money than we could ever burn. What would I open a studio for? Am I bored and looking for trouble?"

"To start your own business! It’s great, you can earn lots of money!" Gao Neng encouraged.

"No, earning money is my last resort. My grandpa said that if I can’t stay at the military academy for the full four years, he’ll make me go back and inherit his trillion-dollar family fortune. Do you have any idea how tragic that would be?" As she spoke, a bleak and terrified expression appeared on Fang Tangtang’s face.

"..." Gao Neng.

’That truly is tragic!’

’My dear classmate, Fang Tangtang!’

(Author’s Note: The update is late due to some issues, and I can’t stay up to write another Chapter... because it’s already 3 a.m. This Chapter is 4,000 characters, and the last one was 5,000, which is 9,000 characters combined. But I’m not going to count this as three Chapters’ worth. I’ll still consider myself one Chapter behind for today... I’ll make it up before the end of the month. No objections, right?)