Chapter 93: The Demon-Suppressing Tower Trembles Violently!
An annual salary of a hundred million!
Hearing the figure that Huo Yuanqi named, Zhang Chu felt a suffocating pressure.
Damn!
Is the Martial God Academy really this rich?
Or has money in this world become as worthless as the Zimbabwean dollar?
A drug-testing specialist offered a hundred million a year—doesn’t that mean the dean is earning ten billion annually?
In this world, money truly is the least valuable thing!
“Of course, you can refuse. That’s your right,” Huo Yuanqi said, seeing Zhang Chu stunned and preparing to retract the badge.
“I’m willing to contribute my humble efforts to the cause of martial arts!” Zhang Chu quickly took the badge.
He scanned through the contract in ten seconds.
The contract’s content was simple: cooperate with the Martial God Academy’s Pill Center to evaluate new medicines—work quite similar to what he did at the Kewei Research Institute.
No compulsory work hours, no KPI assessments, no punitive clauses.
The key point—
Recently, Qin Zaiye had secured a long-term strategic partnership with the Academy’s Pill Center, making it one of the thirty authorized pill research centers on the continent.
Zhang Chu’s usual work location would still be at the Kewei Research Institute.
He swiftly signed and stamped the contract.
He didn’t hesitate for a moment.
Even without that stinking hundred million, just being recognized by the Martial God Academy would let him walk with his head held high in Binzhou.
That’s something money can’t buy!
Besides, Qin Zaiye was Huo Yuanqi’s father-in-law—there was no need to worry about being scammed. “Captain Huo, I’ll be relying on your guidance from now on.”
“Happy to help.”
“This year, among Binzhou’s Martial God Academy entrance candidates, I’ll personally recommend you.”
With Huo Yuanqi’s promise, Zhang Chu was more than satisfied. “Captain Huo, tonight’s on me!”
He had no regrets about signing what amounted to a contract of servitude.
With a hundred million annual salary, access to high-end drug-testing projects at the Martial God Academy—
He had money, confidence, and a golden ticket to the Academy.
He could even enhance his mental and martial power by testing drugs.
It was simply too delightful.
Buying dinner was the least he could do.
At the dinner that night, Huo Yuanqi, as the leader of the inspection team sent from above, was the center of repeated toasts.
No matter how formidable a spiritual realm martial artist, even they would be drunk under the table by liquor made exclusively for warriors.
Luo Zhidong had arranged a car in advance, instructing Zhang Chu to personally see Huo Yuanqi back to the hotel.
The next day.
Zhang Chu was awakened by a series of knocks on the door.
“Iron Egg” dashed into the bedroom and automatically projected a rights display: two uniformed people were at the door.
Zhang Chu didn’t recognize the uniforms, but it was clear they were government officials.
“Who are you looking for?” Zhang Chu sized up the two middle-aged men at the door—one fat, one thin. Their armbands bore the character “Depot.”
“Professor Zhang Chu, hello. We are staff from the Binzhou Warriors’ Depot Bureau,” the fat one said. “We’ve just received an order from above, appointing you as a special consulting pharmacist for the Binzhou Depot Bureau. The relevant documents are in this folder.”
He handed over the folder with both hands.
Before Zhang Chu could react, the two of them drove away in the bureau’s official car.
Binzhou Depot Bureau?
Special consulting pharmacist?
Watching the taillights recede, Zhang Chu was still bewildered.
Carrying the folder into the house, his phone rang—it was Qin Zaiye. “Xiao Chu, the depot bureau staff should have already visited you, right? To cooperate with the Martial God Academy’s Pill Center projects, our Kewei Research Institute has been given access rights to the depot’s pharmaceutical supplies. Yuanqi personally issued a red-letter directive assigning you this task.”
“Director Qin, isn’t this a bit much?” Zhang Chu said modestly, though inside he was nearly shouting with excitement.
“This was a collective decision by the Pill Center. When I get back, I’ll take you to the depot to get familiarized, so research work will go smoothly in the future,” Qin Zaiye replied with a laugh.
“In that case, Director Qin, I’ll gladly accept!”
After hanging up, Zhang Chu jumped up on the spot.
Huo Yuanqi was like a second cheat code in his life.
There were 999 major depots across the continent—all directly overseen by the Martial God Academy.
In recent years, for easier management, they’d been handed over to the Martial Administration Bureau.
The depot was essentially a city’s resource vault—medicines, equipment, everything warriors used was supplied regularly by the depot.
Becoming a special consulting pharmacist for the depot was like holding a pass for free entry and exit.
Just thinking about the depot’s store of star beast cores and pills that enhanced mental power made Zhang Chu’s eyes sparkle. “It’s a pity I have to head to Canglong Mountain today with the team—otherwise, I’d raid the depot for a few hundred beast cores first.”
Suppressing his excitement, Zhang Chu packed his things to get ready.
At exactly noon, the Martial Arts Research Institute would send a “Martial God Jet” to take the special operations squad to the outskirts of Canglong Mountain.
There were two and a half hours left before departure.
Zhang Chu planned to visit the Boundary Monument Hall first.
Last night, his hundred million salary had already arrived. He wanted to buy some essentials before heading to Canglong Mountain.
Not long after, Zhou Xiaoyu personally saw Zhang Chu out, her eyes burning with intensity.
It was the first time she’d seen the card of a four-star dual-power warrior with a hundred million on it.
This, she thought, was her destined soulmate!
Zhang Chu only bought martial power pills, focus pills, and stamina supplements.
Plus the reward for his dual-power warrior certification.
He now had a hundred martial power pills and a hundred and twenty focus pills—all four-star quality.
“Ding—detected host has consumed one four-star martial power pill. Martial power +20.”
“Ding—detected host has consumed one four-star focus pill. Mental power +20.”
On his way to the Martial Arts Academy, Zhang Chu tested two pills.
“A single four-star pill adds twenty points,” he noted.
He didn’t hurry to take them all—he’d save the rest for emergencies at Canglong Mountain.
Soon, Zhang Chu arrived at the administrative building of the Martial Arts Research Institute.
As he got out of the car, he spotted Zhang Xueying in a tight-fitting jumpsuit, her hair in a ponytail, two swords strapped to her back. She looked dazzlingly heroic, with a unique charm.
“Sister Xueying, new outfit today?” Zhang Chu teased.
“Professor Xiao Chu, now’s not the time for jokes—something serious has happened. The dean and Director Fan from the Martial Administration Bureau are in the office. Everyone’s here, just waiting for you,” Zhang Xueying answered gravely.
Zhang Chu’s smile faded at her serious tone.
They entered Luo Zhidong’s office.
All the Academy’s top leaders were present. Fan Tianlei was furrowing his brow and smoking heavily. The atmosphere was tense.
“What happened? Why is everyone so on edge?” Zhang Chu asked, glancing around and noticing that Fan Dayong, Huang Lili, and the others seemed downcast.
“Xiao Chu, Director Fan just reported that a level-eight earthquake hit the high-level forbidden zone of Canglong Mountain,” Wang Peng said.
Wang Peng, recruited as special talent by the Research Institute, was reporting for his first day—and had run into a major incident.
“Aren’t earthquakes common?” Zhang Chu asked with a smile.
“Young man, this isn’t an ordinary earthquake,” Fan Tianlei said, looking up at Zhang Chu, his face grave. “According to energy fluctuation data from our Martial Administration Bureau and your Research Institute, the quake in the high-level forbidden zone of Canglong Mountain was triggered by an anomaly in the Demon-Suppressing Tower!”
“The Demon-Suppressing Tower!”
“There are demons in this world?”