Transactions are a matter of one willing to strike, and one willing to take a hit.
If Anderson had turned his head and stated that the Super Warfare Department had no interest in these potions, then Xin Huo would have had no recourse.
But the allure of these potions was too great, too immense!
No one could resist the temptation of these marvelous potions, especially when they could be procured in such large quantities.
If they didn't buy, the people of the Sunken Kingdom might buy them instead.
The people of Dong Huang might have already bought them.
Not buying meant falling behind the times.
What's more,
Energy recovery potions, purification potions, calming potions… setting aside the competition between nations, he himself couldn't resist these miraculous concoctions.
With a single physical enhancement secret medicine, he could still haggle and negotiate. But with so many types laid out at once, it was like he had thrown down a pair of kings, and the opponent immediately tossed out four twos and two jokers. How could he negotiate? Compared to this, their Super Warfare Department's bargaining chips were truly too few, too few.
The single 'Guijing', mysterious materials, and 'Guaiwu' within the department could only stir up ripples when thrown out.
After a brief discussion with Katrina and the others, Anderson could only grit his teeth and bring out more chips.
Modern weapons, land, information, certain promises, and so on.
After a round of negotiations, Anderson was drenched in sweat, but he still managed a smile.
This result was not bad!
Not being utterly annihilated was a great victory!
However, this seemed to be not just due to his superb negotiation skills, but because Mr. Pei had intentionally relented?
Compared to Anderson, who was dry-mouthed and mentally strained, Pei Hongjing, who had maintained control of the initiative throughout, was much more at ease.
He picked up his cup and took a sip of tea, leaning back in his chair. His gaze swept over the members of the Super Warfare Department, his calm demeanor like that of a magnate controlling the fortunes and lives of countless people.
Indeed, he was.
Pei Hongjing's rank within the organization might not be very high, but externally, his strength alone placed him at the pinnacle of the world. Furthermore, business negotiations were often led by him. With Xin Huo holding a significant advantage, as long as he wished, he could utterly defeat Anderson and the others representing the Super Warfare Department and the Surging Waves Kingdom.
A single word could determine the rise and fall of a nation.
Of course, this was because he had the backing of the ancient and great Xin Huo.
And he had indeed intentionally gone easy on them; otherwise, he could have extracted more from the Surging Waves Kingdom.
His mentor's initial requirements were simply to sell potions and equipment while having the Surging Waves Kingdom agree to a few conditions.
Among these were assisting them in establishing a Xin Huo branch and agreeing to recruit talented individuals within the Surging Waves Kingdom.
These two conditions were interspersed within the recent negotiations.
They were the second of many conditions.
The benefits Pei Hongjing fought for far exceeded the basic requirements of the mission. He merely considered that there was no need to bleed the Surging Waves Kingdom dry; one had to think of sustainable "leek harvesting."
On the other hand, they did have a common enemy.
The Surging Waves Kingdom was also one of Xin Huo's allies… although Pei Hongjing didn't think much of it, he still reined himself in.
He didn't take away everything the Surging Waves Kingdom possessed.
In addition to the two conditions mentioned above, the mentor had another important instruction: to have the Super Warfare Department rely on the 'Detection Map' to clear out the 'Guixie' within the borders of the Surging Waves Kingdom.
Pei Hongjing did not bring this up.
The mentor thought for the good of all humanity, but Pei Hongjing understood human nature better.
To proactively propose it might not be taken seriously by the Super Warfare Department, and like the disaster of the Red Moon Cult previously, it would put Xin Huo at a disadvantage during negotiations.
Pei Hongjing remained silent on the matter.
However, he had already had people investigate the current situation of the Surging Waves Kingdom, which could be described as being in dire straits both internally and externally.
Internally, the populace was in turmoil, and officials blamed each other.
Externally, 'Guixie' were frequently emerging, and cultists still lurked in the shadows.
With the potion trade concluded, Anderson and the other busy core members of the Super Warfare Department showed no signs of leaving, engaging in desultory conversation.
Pei Hongjing accompanied them, chatting along.
He remained as steady as a rock.
As expected, it was the people from the Super Warfare Department who couldn't hold out any longer. Looking at the leisurely Mr. Pei and the other Xin Huo personnel, they always felt that these Xin Huo people could sit here and drink tea or slack off all day without any issue.
They couldn't.
If this dragged on any longer, the council above would likely start urging them.
A Super Warfare Department expert, representing a certain faction, couldn't help but inquire about the Dong Huang's 'Sky Net' early warning system.
"Dong Huang's Sky Net early warning system for 'Guixie'…"
Upon hearing this, Pei Hongjing leaned back slightly.
He had been waiting for someone from the Super Warfare Department to ask. Since someone had finally inquired, he stopped playing coy, "That's right, it was provided by our Xin Huo."
"!!!"
"???"
Initially, Anderson, upon hearing the person beside him probing without authorization, felt a sense of dread.
Revealing one's ultimate objective during negotiations was tantamount to seeking death.
He had already imagined that the more he asked, the more Pei Hongjing would beat around the bush. Their objective had been exposed, and they would have no room to maneuver.
But,
Huh? He admitted it just like that?!
For a moment, Anderson, Katrina, and even the Super Warfare Department higher-up who couldn't resist asking, were all stunned.
It was that easy?
With Pei Hongjing laying his cards on the table, Anderson no longer beat around the bush.
Since the Super Warfare Department didn't have many bargaining chips, they decided to give up and directly asked, "If our Surging Waves Kingdom wishes to acquire such a system, what price would we need to pay?"
Pei Hongjing countered, "Mr. Anderson, you can first think carefully about what else the Surging Waves Kingdom can afford to pay."
"Of course, there's no hurry. First, allow me to introduce this system of ours to you – the Sky Eye System."
"This system can pierce through illusions and accurately capture the location of 'Guixie'."
"To avoid mere talk without proof, just like with the potions before, we've provided an experience service."
Pei Hongjing produced a tablet computer.
After some operations, the tablet screen displayed a map of Snow City.
He continued, "Our Sky Eye System requires a great deal of expense to deploy. One unit can monitor a city. By tracking the unique 'filth aura' of 'Guixie', it can obtain their real-time locations, accurate to within several meters."
Anderson looked.
The map of Snow City was presented to him in a miniaturized form, no different from an ordinary satellite map, except for the addition of several conspicuous red markers.
Scattered sparsely in the suburbs of Snow City.
This number…
"There are very few 'Guixie' in the city."
"It seems Snow City is doing a good job, and there aren't as many disasters as the public claims. The environment is quite safe."
A Super Warfare Department elite mumbled.
Anderson nodded slightly, then suddenly felt something was amiss as he nodded.
Did he not know the capabilities of the Super Warfare Department branch in a small city like Snow City? How could they have cleared out all the 'Guixie' within the city?
"Is it you?"
He looked at Pei Hongjing and the others.
Pei Hongjing smiled without answering.
Beside him, Sun Hao, who had been in the Surging Waves Kingdom for some time, spoke up, "We were just idle, so we occasionally went out on missions and helped your Surging Waves Kingdom clear out some 'Guixie'."
This!
The face of the Super Warfare Department elite who had spoken with pride earlier turned red with shame.
Pei Hongjing seemed to realize this as well, "It's not very suitable to experience our Sky Eye System with so few 'Guixie' in Snow City now, but it's alright. We also installed a Sky Eye System in another city before."
He lightly touched the tablet and switched the map.
Anderson saw that in addition to Snow City, there was indeed another city – Windhelm City.
It was located right next to Snow City.
As Pei Hongjing opened the 'Sky Eye Detection Map' of Windhelm City, a map that was not entirely unfamiliar to the Super Warfare Department elites slowly appeared before them.
But at the same time, there were densely packed, countless blood-red markers superimposed on the map!
These all represented the 'Guixie' active within Windhelm City.
"My heavens, how can there be so many?"
"Is this real? This is impossible! There can't be so many 'Guixie'!"
A Super Warfare Department elite murmured.
He couldn't believe it at all and raised a counter-argument, "If there were really this many 'Guixie', Windhelm City would be in complete chaos, but it still has order now."
Pei Hongjing smiled and shook his head, " 'Guixie' are adept at hiding. Their absence doesn't mean they don't exist. Often, 'Guixie' consume humans, become active, and only then are they discovered by you."
"But no matter how much is said, it's not as good as experiencing it firsthand, is it?"
Anderson nodded with difficulty.
Windhelm City was only a little over a hundred kilometers from Snow City. Soon, they drove to this ancient city. Compared to Snow City, the atmosphere in Windhelm City was a bit more somber, as if a cold wind was blowing as they walked.
The group from the Super Warfare Department did not hesitate, following the closest 'Guixie' location on the tablet map.
This was a powerful two-star 'Guixie', located in an abandoned park.
Anderson did not make a move.
A few Super Warfare Department elites went into action and killed this 'Guixie' in a few moves.
"This is a large-scale 'Guixie'. The Windhelm City branch actually has a record of it, but its impact was not significant, so it hasn't been eliminated yet."
A high-ranking official in charge of the Windhelm City area spoke.
Hmm, that's right, discovering this 'Guixie' wasn't the main point. This 'Guixie' was in a very conspicuous location, and their Super Warfare Department had also discovered it!
What they truly cared about was whether there were really so many 'Guixie' in the entirety of Windhelm City.
Logically, there shouldn't be.
Their Super Warfare Department branches in various locations also eliminated many 'Guixie' every day.
This time, Anderson no longer chose a nearby target but marked a 'Guixie' located in a busy commercial district.
A 'Guixie' within the bustling commercial district of Windhelm City!
Such places have a high density of people, and the probability of 'Guixie' appearing there is very low. Even if one did appear, it would be discovered and eliminated quickly.
How could it exist!
And on this Sky Eye map, there were as many as three 'Guixie' marked in the commercial district.
Fake, this is impossible!
They drove there and quickly arrived at the first target location – the second-floor women's restroom of a supermarket.
A group of burly men in black rushed in, surrounding the sixth toilet stall, their eyes fixed on it.
Bang—
The toilet door was kicked open.
A Super Warfare Department elite sprinkled a special powder, "As expected, there's nothing here… huh?"
There was nothing on the floor or walls, but green smoke wafted from the toilet bowl.
The Super Warfare Department elite froze. A group of people unleashed their abilities, smashing the toilet bowl to pieces.
They then rushed to the second target location without delay.
Lifting the lid of the trash can, they found one 'Guixie'!
Rushing to the third location, a ventilation duct opening, they found one 'Guixie'!
The fourth,
The fifth,
The sixth!
After a whole day, the Super Warfare Department personnel rushed back and forth, eliminating over twenty 'Guixie' without a single error!
Anderson even saw the information of the target 'Guixie' on the tablet map.
One-star, two-star, three-star!
Representing ordinary, large, and colossal! And not a single mistake!
They could even detect the strength of 'Guixie'!
Anderson's expression was complicated.
Pei Hongjing smiled and said, "What do you gentlemen think of our Sky Eye technology?"
…
ps: 3/3 tens of thousands of words updated! Cough, cough, this is to make up for last month's monthly ticket bonus. I won't ask for monthly tickets this month as they won't reach three thousand, but I'll reserve the guaranteed monthly tickets for tomorrow, sob sob sob~!