Chapter 7: The CEO of "Monster Hunts Inc."
"Location? Prime. Atmosphere? Dangerous. Pricing? Competitive," Ye Chen said, slapping a hand-painted wooden sign onto a tree near the entrance of the Spirit Hunting Forest.
The sign read: SUPERMAN'S SPIRIT SOLUTIONS: WE FIND IT, YOU KILL IT, WE ALL GO HOME HAPPY. (DISCOUNTS FOR GROUPS OF 5 OR MORE).
Tang San looked at the sign, then at Ye Chen. "You're actually doing this? You're charging people to help them get Spirit Rings? Ye Chen, the Spirit Hall does this for free for certain ranks."
"San, the Spirit Hall is a bureaucracy. They make you fill out forms. They give you 'standard' beasts. Me? I'm a specialist," Ye Chen said, buffing his nails on his shirt. "I'm providing a luxury experience. Besides, have you seen the price of those premium carrots Xiao Ling likes? I'm a provider now, San. I've got overhead!"
Xiao Wu laughed, jumping onto a rock. "I like it! As long as I get a cut for being the 'Official Scout,' I'm in!"
Xiao Ling just shook her head, though a playful smile tugged at her lips. "And what am I? The muscle?"
"You? You're the face of the company, Ling-Ling. You stand there, look mysterious, and make people feel safe enough to open their wallets," Ye Chen winked.
The Mystery from the Heavens
Their first client was a nervous merchant's son who wanted a 'Century-old' Wind-Wolf ring. Ye Chen had just finished "subduing" the wolf—which mostly involved him holding the beast by its tail while the client poked it with a spear—when the sky suddenly turned a strange, shimmering violet.
"Whoa, is that a weather effect? Did I trigger a cutscene?" Ye Chen looked up, squinting.
A streak of light, faster than a falling star, screamed through the atmosphere. It didn't crash; it decelerated with impossible precision, hovering for a moment before dropping right into Ye Chen's open hand.
It was a ring, but not a Spirit Ring. It was a band of strange, white metal etched with runes that seemed to shift like liquid.
"A Soul Guide?" Tang San whispered, stepping closer. "But the craftsmanship... I've never seen anything like it. Even the high-tier storage belts only hold a few cubic meters."
Ye Chen slipped it on his finger. Instantly, his mind was flooded with a mental map. His jaw dropped. His 40% Kevin Hart persona broke for a full five seconds.
"San... Ling-Ling... you won't believe this," Ye Chen stammered. "This isn't a closet. This is... this is a province. I've got mountains in here. I've got lakes. I could put the entire Holy Spirit Village in this ring and still have room for a guest house!"
"A small country?" Xiao Ling gasped. "How is that possible?"
"I don't know, but I'm calling it 'The Fortress'," Ye Chen said, his eyes gleaming with dollar signs. "Do you realize what this means? No more backpacks! No more 'Where did I put my extra socks?' I can store an entire mountain of gold in here! I'm not just a hunter anymore... I'm a landlord!"
The Business Expands
With the "Fortress" ring solving their storage issues, Ye Chen officially brought the "Shrek Four" (as he called them) into the fold.
"Alright, team huddle!" Ye Chen shouted back at the academy dorms. "Business is booming. We've got the power, we've got the space, and we've got the charm. San, you're Head of Research and Poison Control. Xiao Wu, you're the Hype-Man. Xiao Ling..."
He stepped closer to her, his voice softening but the wit still sharp. "You're my Partner. You keep me from spending all our money on golden statues of myself. Together, we're gonna be so rich, the Spirit Hall is gonna ask us for a loan."
Xiao Ling rolled her eyes but stepped closer, her hand brushing against his. "Fine. But if we're going to be 'business partners,' you're buying me dinner first. A real dinner. No cafeteria cabbage."
"Ling-Ling, I have a country in my pocket. I'll buy you the whole restaurant!"
As the sun set over Nuoding, Ye Chen felt his solar reserves peaking. He had the strength of a god, a twin-sister love interest who could actually keep up with him, and a storage ring that defied the laws of physics.
"Next stop," Ye Chen declared, pointing toward the horizon. "Level 20. I'm tired of walking. I need that Super Speed, baby! I've got places to be and money to make!"