Chapter Fifty-Nine: Wang Bao, the Ambitious Hunter

Chapter Fifty-Nine: Wang Bao, the Hunter with Ambition

Bai Weiwei suddenly realized that things were not as simple as she had imagined. Shen An possessed something that took her completely by surprise.

“One of my pharmaceutical factories was destroyed. I hope those above can help cover up a few things. The reason, specifically, has to do with this powder,” Shen An said openly, recounting the incident at one of the subsidiary factories.

This caused Bai Weiwei’s expression to change completely. “Are you talking about the factory mentioned in the news?” Her eyes widened. “Wasn’t it said that it wasn’t part of Longhai Group?” Her voice rose sharply. Had it not been for the professional soundproofing in the room, the farmer-looking man drinking tea outside would have overheard.

“It’s indeed not Longhai Group,” Shen An replied with a slow smile. “Longhai Group has already been renamed Future Group.” Seeing Bai Weiwei’s apprehension, Shen An continued, “That factory was only nominally under a small company within the group. They won’t find us, but if they dig deeper, it could cause unnecessary panic. You must understand, quite a few people were burned to death there; I cleaned up afterwards, but there’s no such thing as a wall the wind can’t penetrate. Every event leaves traces.”

Bai Weiwei regained her composure. “What about the families of those people? How did you handle them?”

“I sent people to each household to take care of it. Rest assured, we compensated them at the highest standard. And their children—I’ve arranged jobs for them,” Shen An replied earnestly.

With Shen An speaking so seriously, Bai Weiwei said no more. “I’ll need to report this when I get back. My authority isn’t as great as you think.”

Bai Weiwei left the private room and glanced at the farmer-looking man drinking tea.

“Hey, miss, you must be very skilled to get in there,” the man said, looking at her with envy.

Bai Weiwei said nothing and turned to leave.

Shen An exited the private room. He already knew the man disguised as a farmer.

“Hello, I’m the owner here,” Shen An said, seeing the man’s admiring expression.

“The owner?” The farmer immediately stood up. “Wow, first time here and I meet the boss! You must be very strong. Can I spar with you?” He was utterly unreserved, the type who became familiar instantly.

Shen An chuckled. “Certainly.”

The farmer grinned.

A few minutes later, with a bruised nose and swollen face, the farmer returned to his seat and sipped his tea. “You’re amazing—stronger than a bear in the mountains. I’m no match for you.” He looked at Shen An with a hint of wariness.

“I just started training before you did,” Shen An replied, observing him. He knew the man’s name: Wang Bao, a hunter from a mountain village. Shen An had heard of him before on forums.

“Wang Bao, I heard you awakened after eating a fruit. Do you remember where you found it?” This was one of Shen An’s objectives.

Wang Bao shook his head firmly. “No way. That was my discovery—I can’t tell you.”

Shen An remained calm. “I can meet your conditions. Anything you want, as long as it’s within my power.”

Wang Bao’s eyes suddenly sparkled. “Anything at all?”

“Yes. If I can manage it,” Shen An nodded.

“Alright, then I want to eat here like everyone else,” Wang Bao said, excitement written all over his face.

Shen An pressed his forehead, asking, “Are you sure?”

That condition was far too simple. Shen An had prepared for a tricky demand, but was met with this answer instead.

“Of course! In the mountains, I’ve never seen so much good food. You seem to have wild beast meat here—I tried it once, but it’s hard to find now. Some beasts I can’t defeat. Your place is better,” Wang Bao said, drooling unconsciously.

Shen An interrupted his daydreams, “Alright, I promise you—everything here is free for you, for life.”

He eyed Wang Bao up and down, noting his robust build. “Wang Bao, I can offer you a job at Future Group—a monthly salary of one million. Besides this Imperial Hotel, I have many other venues. You just need to drop by each day.”

Shen An intended to use him as an enforcer. With more awakeners appearing, trouble was inevitable. Having Wang Bao show up at each location would serve as a warning to others.

“No need. There’s plenty of food here, and I get to eat for free every day. The million isn’t useful to me—I refuse,” Wang Bao replied, leaving Shen An speechless. This Wang Bao truly had character.

Shen An shook his head and didn’t press the matter.

Wang Bao said, “I’ll draw you a map, so you can find it yourself. I won’t go with you. I’ll stay here and eat and laze about.”

He was a man with ambition, someone who’d transcended base desires. Shen An couldn’t take away his right to his chosen lifestyle, and he’d already agreed to his request.

Soon after, Shen An held a map scribbled with crooked lines, looking at Wang Bao and wondering if it was deliberate. With the map drawn, Wang Bao cheerfully began placing his order.

While Shen An and Wang Bao were conversing, Mu Linqiu, who was hiding, had already made arrangements. Wang Bao’s information was entered into the Imperial Hotel system. He was now, aside from Shen An, the first person entitled to all free food.

Of course, Mu Linqiu and her associates weren’t included.

“He really is a unique person,” Mu Linqiu observed as Wang Bao ordered with enthusiasm.

“Yes, he’s very pure,” Shen An nodded. “The purer someone is, the more likely they are to achieve something.”

Mu Linqiu asked, “You have high hopes for him?”

“Certainly. A hunter surviving in the deep mountains is no easy feat. When I sparred with him, his physical strength was impressive. Although he awakened to strength, I can tell his real talent lies in archery. Haven’t you heard? He’s killed monsters and fought others, escaping unscathed more than once.”

Mu Linqiu nodded thoughtfully. Normally, monsters were stronger than ordinary awakeners. Encounters between monsters and humans typically ended in a fight to the death. Unless one side was exceptionally powerful, monsters wouldn’t let humans go.

But Wang Bao claimed to have fought with monsters—more than one.

From Shen An’s words, Wang Bao was worth cultivating.

Mu Linqiu kept this idea in mind.

In the afternoon, Shen An received a call from Bai Weiwei.

“The factory matter is being handled. The powder is under examination. As for the shared documents, I suggest you come to my place—someone wishes to meet you.”