Ultragene Warlord

Chapter 76: Potion #1

Team Zenith joined the Chu and Yun parties entering the training ground.
Meanwhile, Zhang Lie, Yun Bing, and Chu Feng headed to a pavilion that had been constructed right outside.

“Zhang Lie, it looks as though you're quite confident in your subordinates' strength!” 

The moment they sat down, Chu Feng tried to pry some information from him, but Zhang Lie only gave him a placid smile.
“I said what I did solely to stress them and increase the chances of a breakthrough.”

Neither Chu Feng nor Yun Bing believed him.
They glanced at each other, both coming to the conclusion that Zhang Lie was trying to hoodwink them again.

After a brief pause, Chu Feng spoke up again, sincerely, “Zhang Lie, if you have some method for a guaranteed breakthrough, please make sure to sell it to us first! After all, we've worked together for quite a while already, and we'll certainly give you a price that will make you happy.”

“There's no such thing.
If it really existed, I would certainly have told you two about it already—who wouldn't want more points? I promise that there wasn't any deeper meaning behind those words.”

Given the firm negation, Chu Feng and Yun Bing certainly couldn't press the matter further, and they had to change the topic.

“We've reported the matter about the white-grub cores to our clans, and we'd like to purchase five thousand cores each.
Would you be willing to give a further discount given our bulk purchase?” Chu Feng tried to negotiate with Zhang Lie.

“No, I won't.
10,000 points per core is already a huge discount, and I assure you, I'll have no shortage of buyers at this price.” Zhang Lie held a monopoly on the white-grub cores, and he certainly didn't need to give a further discount.

“Ah, well, in that case, I'll thank you for the sale.” What else could Chu Feng do? It wasn't as though he had any bargaining chips handy.
They might have tried to threaten some other hunter, but certainly not Zhang Lie.

Both Yun Bing and Chu Feng had strongly recommended to their clans that they maintain a cordial relationship with Zhang Lie and not alienate him.
He was simply too threatening as an enemy.

At some point, they had begun to think of Zhang Lie as superior to even themselves.

Chu Feng didn't want to thank Zhang Lie for his 'generosity'; after all, from his perspective, Zhang Lie seemed to be selling what was supposed to be a low-grade resource for an insane price, but he had no choice but to put aside his pride and thank him just for the opportunity to purchase it!

Chu Feng changed the topic again.
“Zhang Lie, you mentioned another breakthrough the last time we talked.
Would you be willing to let our clans participate?”

Zhang Lie laughed.
“Given the authority your clans possess, I'm certainly happy to share the information with you, but there's nothing to participate in.
Just like before, it'll be another sale.”

“A sale? What do you mean?” It was Yun Bing's turn to speak up.
From his tone, it seemed as though Zhang Lie had monopolized yet another breakthrough.

“I won't beat around the bush any longer.
This second breakthrough is actually a potion that I concocted unintentionally, which I'm calling Potion #1.
Consuming it will allow you to increase your basic gene capacity once more!”

The two hunters gaped again.

'Unintentionally' concocting a potion that would allow a hunter to exceed their basic gene capacity again? What sort of devil was this hunter, to be able to devise such breakthroughs out of nowhere?

And since he was calling it Potion #1, surely that meant that there would be a Potion #2, and then a Potion #3, and then… Just how much information and knowledge did he possess?! If this potion really were to exist, then that meant that they could have more than even a hundred and ten basic gene fragments…

Chu Feng and Yun Bing's worldview seemed to have shattered.

They felt as though they were enmeshed in one of Zhang Lie's traps, and weren't sure whether to continue listening to his words or to leave before he could convince them to spend their hard-earned points on something fraudulent.

“Ah, Zhang Lie, how much of a boost will this supposed potion give?” In the end, Chu Feng couldn't resist the temptation to learn more about this potion.

“It'll increase your basic gene capacity by fifty gene fragments!”

“Fifty?! You're not joking around, are you?” Chu Feng cried out in shock, and even Yun Bing seemed quite flustered.

Zhang Lie continued to smile.
“Yes, fifty fragments.
Is it all that shocking?”

Chu Feng and Yun Bing were speechless, but as scions of two of the most influential clans of the Blacksteel settlement, they quickly recovered.

Chu Feng's voice had raised an octave in anticipation.
“Zhang Lie, will you be selling this potion? Will you be selling its recipe, too?”

It was a rather silly question.
Zhang Lie had emphasized that he was approaching them with a sale.
Would he sell the potion recipe and give away his monopoly on Potion #1? Of course not!

Zhang Lie pretended he hadn't asked anything.

Yun Bing thumped Chu Feng, beside her, on the back.
“Are you an idiot? What would you do in his position? The recipe would be priceless!”

Chu Feng quickly recovered from his momentary lapse in judgment.

Even if Zhang Lie were to sell such a priceless treasure, the entire accumulated wealth of the Chu clan wouldn't be sufficient to purchase it.

“I'm sorry, Zhang Lie, that was a stupid question.
Can I ask just how many of these potions you have, and how much you intend on selling them for?” Chu Feng didn't want to work with Zhang Lie any longer, but his wares were simply too enticing.
What a ridiculous boost—an increase of fifty basic gene fragments!

And because these were gene fragments beyond the usual capacity, they would be even more impactful than fifty standard mutated gene fragments.
Such a boost would generate a gap that couldn't be overcome.

Honestly, Chu Feng couldn't believe that such a ridiculous potion actually existed! After imbibing the potion, he would naturally be stronger than any other hunter. 

Despite his current strength, Chu Feng couldn't take this potion lightly.
Indeed, in order to maintain and advance his strength, he would have to purchase this potion at any cost.

Yun Bing felt the same way.
They had both gotten closer to Zhang Lie subconsciously, and were staring expectantly at him.

“The potion requires quite a few ingredients, and I don't have much supply.
All in all, I only have ten potions, and I intend on auctioning them off in the real world.
You understand the problem that would pose to a lone hunter like me, don't you?”

An auction? It was clear that Zhang Lie intended to milk this discovery for all it was worth!