Wang Zhan had simply given him a chance, but Ku Zhu had directly given Wang Zhan a surprise.

One should know that none of those characters were simple; strength was useless against their heartlessness and ruthlessness. Now that these wicked individuals could actually obey commands, Ku Zhu must have paid a significant price.

This was, without a doubt, many times more useful than Yang Qi, the Grandmaster bodyguard from the Yang family whom Yang Zecheng had given him. That young man had faced the Yang family's retaliation after choosing to abandon Wang Zhan. Yet, the Yang family had still allowed Wang Zhan to take in Yang Qi, even granting him the power to decide Yang Qi's fate. But how would Yang Qi know that some opportunities only come once in a long lifetime?

Since Wang Zhan was satisfied, he naturally had to show his appreciation. He laughed and said, "I know you're probably not comfortable working under me. How about this: just one year. When the year is up, you can stay or leave as you please. I won't stop you. I'll return your freedom. What do you say?"

Wang Zhan said softly, seemingly oblivious to the significance of his offer. A self-assured light gleamed in his eyes!

This time limit made a bright light flash in Ku Zhu's eyes, and a hint of astonishment appeared on his face. "Young Master, you really only want me to stay by your side for a year?"

One must understand: he had been sent directly to serve Wang Zhan by Shi Zhongming. Unless Wang Zhan decreed otherwise, his very life and death were in Wang Zhan's hands. Moreover, he was not merely a Grandmaster, nor even a Grandmaster of a higher order, but an actual Martial King—someone who would be considered an upper-echelon figure anywhere. But now, a glint of desire flickered in the middle-aged man's eyes. It was as if he could smell an intoxicating, captivating fragrance between his nostrils. That fragrance was called—Freedom!

"HAHAHAHA..." Wang Zhan laughed heartily. "I, Wang Zhan, always stand by my word. If you don't believe me, well, a year isn't very long. Why not wait and see what happens after a year?"

Of course, Wang Zhan hadn't decided Ku Zhu's future on a whim based on mere words. One shouldn't assume his days were leisurely. Although there was constant strife and intrigue, it lacked the imminent, life-or-death peril of his past, making him appear somewhat nonchalant. The real reason was that, from the very beginning, a Sword of Damocles had been hanging over his head! And the one wielding this sharp sword was none other than Headmaster Edward of the Royal Martial Arts Academy—one of the Federation's Big Four, a name that could make the entire Federation tremble!

Wang Zhan himself had almost forgotten the name of the semi-Grandmaster prodigy who had died at his hands; he only vaguely recalled the surname Li. But Wang Zhan never doubted, nor dared to hope, that the old man standing at the pinnacle of the Federation's Martial Artist Pyramid had forgotten what transpired. He was surely watching Wang Zhan, definitely watching him!

Once their agreed-upon year was up, Wang Zhan would immediately face his Fate: to battle on the Star War Battlefield and truly claim the spot reserved for that exceptional genius.

Having experienced the Star War Battlefield and knowing its complexities, Wang Zhan had long understood. A spot that required at least a Grandmaster to inherit was exceedingly rare. Simultaneously, the bits of information he'd gleaned from Qin Ying, both before and after, constantly reinforced this understanding. This was undoubtedly a perilous path with only a slim chance of survival, leaving no room for luck. Therefore, the only thing Wang Zhan could do was to rapidly build his foundations, completing missions at all costs to become stronger! Because even though Wang Zhan could now slay Martial Kings, he absolutely could not afford to rest on his laurels. Instead, he would very likely be influenced and manipulated by that old fellow Edward's ideas, used like a tool to the extreme, until he had no value left! And all of this was solely for the honor of the Royal Martial Arts Academy!

Unbeknownst to others, lost in thought, Wang Zhan naturally fell silent, his eyes narrowing slightly as if recalling some unpleasant memories.

Ku Zhu had originally wanted to respond to Wang Zhan. But after seeing Wang Zhan's expression, he immediately understood. The gravity on this young man's face was comparable to the burdens Ku Zhu himself concealed deep within his heart. This wasn't the melancholy of a simple youth, but a mixture of awe, helplessness, and that faint, weakened courage to resist. Unfortunately, Ku Zhu too had once walked this path.

So, even though nearly half a lifetime separated their ages, at this moment, after Ku Zhu glimpsed some of Wang Zhan's distress, they found themselves remarkably and swiftly aligned on the same precise point of a shared scale. That point was labeled—life's tribulations.

Therefore, Ku Zhu managed a difficult smile, his facial expression contorting as if pulled by puppet strings, yet conveying a degree of sincerity as he said to Wang Zhan, "Good! If so, I believe you!"

Wang Zhan returned to his senses and offered a slight smile. "Sorry, I was lost in thought. Let's get back to our current mission! As for the ten of you, don't wait any longer. Although they are Nameless, the sudden appearance of ten experts of unknown origin is a significant event in itself. I need you to infiltrate the Underground City immediately, appearing at staggered intervals so no one notices anything amiss or connects your appearances to suspect a relationship between you. Next, I'll tell you the results of my reconnaissance these past few days. Of course, I hope no one besides you learns of this… Although it will be difficult to completely bypass those 'gate gods,' this way, at least half of you can openly appear in the Black Market. No one will know our identities. As for you yourself, just walk right in!..."

Hearing this, Ku Zhu's smile might have been a bit strained, but it was undeniably genuine. This statement was not only a sharp, disdainful jab at those 'gate gods' but also an acknowledgment of his own strength. Even if he weren't a Martial King, what true Martial Artist doesn't enjoy hearing a bit of flattery now and then?

Regardless, from this moment on, Wang Zhan's image in Ku Zhu's heart began to transform completely. This was just a youth, yet he could so easily decide whether to grant a Martial King his freedom. Even if it was just to win loyalty, didn't such a person deserve respect? Especially from Wang Zhan's plan, Ku Zhu could tell. Wang Zhan had genuinely invested considerable effort, and the variables within his plan were considered with extreme thoroughness. Simply put, even if those death row inmates under them were all brainless idiots, as long as they could follow orders, there was a greater than ninety percent chance they could avoid unwanted attention. And once the big fish took the bait, what would happen when it was discovered that a Martial King and ten experts at or above the Grandmaster level were hidden in this small Black Market?

But Ku Zhu didn't know that Wang Zhan genuinely didn't look down on the Federation's low-level employees...

"...HAHAHA, come, let me introduce you. This is an uncle of mine. You can call him Ku Zhu."

Not long after, having made the subsequent arrangements, Ku Zhu, following Wang Zhan's instructions, strode into the Underground City Black Market with an imposing swagger, full of vigor and an awe-inspiring aura. Just like that, he casually appeared beside Wang Zhan, and in front of Boss Chen and Tian Qi.

After yesterday's incident where he was thoroughly suppressed by the 'gate gods,' nearly losing all face, Tian Qi no longer dared to slight or look down on Wang Zhan. Naturally, he was exceedingly enthusiastic, treating them with the utmost respect, as if they were his own providers.

Wang Zhan paid no mind to Tian Qi's thoughts and continued to introduce Ku Zhu, saying without a hint of embarrassment, "Hehe, don't judge my uncle by his appearance. His complexion might be terribly dark, but our family's fake medicines are all handled under his direction. This time, when he came over, he specifically brought me several cubic meters of elixirs. I think that should be enough for our 'alternate account' for some time!..."

Little did they know, upon hearing this, both Boss Chen and Tian Qi were completely stunned. Whose damn kid is this? Could he be any more insanely extravagant? Others count elixirs by the pill, but he? He's already learned to use cubic meters!

In that instant, both of them felt as if they were country bumpkins, like poor relatives who had never seen the world. How had things seemed fine when they arrived, only for the world to become completely unfamiliar in the blink of an eye? But whether they understood or not didn't matter; as long as Wang Zhan was happy, this deal was a success!

Thus, Boss Chen exclaimed, "HAHAHA, young brother is truly magnanimous! Come, come, esteemed brother, let me toast you first!"

Tian Qi chimed in, "With such an esteemed brother joining us, it'll be hard for us not to get rich. Come, come, drink up! We're not going home until we're drunk tonight!..."

Ku Zhu, following Wang Zhan's instructions, maintained his aloof demeanor throughout. Not a trace of a smile appeared on his face; his expression was as blank and cold as chilled iron. Even when the two flattered him, he merely lifted his cup slightly, took a delicate sip, then grunted an, "Mm," and that was the end of it. As for the rest of the conversation, it was left to Wang Zhan.

Anyway, according to Wang Zhan's script, Ku Zhu was simply someone sent by his family to support him. Other details weren't important; what mattered was maintaining his 'class'. Of course, the most crucial point was that Wang Zhan, this young man from a 'wealthy family,' was set to make a fortune!

Amidst the clinking of glasses, Wang Zhan, having lost count of how many cups he'd downed, waved his hand grandly and declared, "HAHAHA, come on, Uncle, let these two see if our elixirs are up to snuff! It's still the same principle: if it's fake, we compensate with a genuine one! Powerful strength is the foundation of our sincere cooperation, wouldn't you agree?"

Instantly, a bright gleam flashed in Ku Zhu's eyes, reflecting directly into Boss Chen's and Tian Qi's, causing their hearts to tighten.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.