Book 2 Chapter 2.3 - Profit
Su answered seriously. "Protecting subordinates is the duty and responsibility of a dragonrider. Attacking a subordinate is no different from attacking a dragonrider. There is a detailed explanation here, you two can take a look."
Su brought out a booklet and handed it to Li. Li quickly gave it a few looks and muttered 'so it's a slave contract' before tossing it to Li Gaolei. Li Gaolei, however, carefully looked it over.
Li stretched her body and then laid on the ground, gazing into the starless and moonless night sky. "Alright, being a slave is also fine! However, we have to discuss a price, right? Alright, speak, how much money did you prepare for us? The soldiers under me have to be brought along as well. As for the compensation towards Roxland, you have to settle it. Lastly, how long will it be before you go to bed with me again?"
Even though the tactical mask was covering his face, his bright expression could still be seen. He released a sound of approval before saying, "Your fixed reward for now is 100 yuan per month for now, which will increase slowly in the future. It is because right now, I am extremely poor…"
"Have you even paid me?!" Li interrupted Su without any traces of politeness. She thought about that coin that flipped through the air before.
Towards that sharp question, Su sank into a state of silence before saying honestly, "I have not, but I am even poorer now. I owe someone else an extremely large amount of money."
"Are you asking us to throw our lives away in your place to help you return money?" Li sharply asked.
Su became silent again. When he heard her words, he realized that this really was how the situation was.
"Alright, throwing our lives away is fine, but what about my men?" Li once again gave Su a question he couldn't resolve.
"I can't do anything for them. They can only be treated as your hired army. Not everyone can become a subordinate…"
When Su was midway through his sentence, he was interrupted by Li again. "I know! There is that registration fee or whatever for subordinates, and you can't pay that, right?"
"Correct." This matter wasn't something Su was going to hide. "The registration fee for each subordinate is ten thousand, so right now, I have only prepared enough for you and Li Gaolei."
"Wait, Li is Li, and I am myself. Me and her aren't connected, and the price between us has to be discussed separately!" Li Gaolei hurriedly spoke.
At this time, Su's tactical tablet suddenly lit up. He pressed down on the edge of the tactical tablet, and the screen brightened. There was a message saying that the Black Dragonriders attached great importance to Blue Scorpion. For the sake of information regarding their invasion, the corpses of nine Blue Scorpion soldiers, as well as any captured equipment, they valued it to be 110 thousand, and they transferred 80 thousand to Su's account in advance. If the corpses and equipment can provide even more valuable information, the reward can be increased. When Su transferred these items back to headquarters, he can receive the remainder of the reward.
Based on the customs of the wilderness, Su seemed to have won this battlefield alone, so most of the spoils should be distributed to him. This time, Su didn't act too politely, and Li Gaolei as well as Li were rather straightforward. Roxland only needed the corpse of one soldier and one of each type of equipment for research purposes. As for everything else, it was all given to Su. Due to ammunition for these advanced weapons being limited, taking too much wouldn't be useful to them anyway.
Su never thought that this unexpected mission would provide such great rewards. It seemed like for the Black Dragonriders, Blue Scorpion was a newly discovered enemy, and that was the most valuable portion. As for the soldiers' corpses and equipment, their reference value was much greater than their inherent value. The headquarter specialist could detect the level of evolution through their flesh, and from their equipment, the Blue Scorpion's level of technology and combat philosophy can be deduced. From then on, they can work out the relevant tactics and produce even newer models of equipment.
From where Li was sitting, she was just able to sneak a look at the screen's contents. She immediately released a snort and said with a sneer, "What is that? It seems like you just received eighty thousand yuan, yet you are only willing to pay me 100 yuan a month?"
Su returned a confirmation message and patiently explained, "All of a subordinate's equipment and promotional costs are all under the dragonrider's responsibility. This means that not only you, the equipment of the soldiers under you has to be prepared by me. You might think that eighty thousand is a lot. It is, it really is a lot, because the Black Dragonriders' currency is much more valuable than the coins of the wilderness. However, I need to prepare a complete set of combat equipment for you all, and I also need to include your well-being and medical supplies. In addition, in order to deal with the next Blue Scorpion attack, we need something that can deal with their tanks. The price of this thing will be unexpectedly expensive. This is why the money this time will be all used for additional equipment."
Li released a few cold laughs and was about to say something when Li Gaolei who was earnestly reading the subordinates manual suddenly roared with laughter. He interrupted the negotiations between Li and Su that was turning more and more sour and said, "Alright, alright, subordinates are pretty much the same as slaves that had sold themselves! That's why if we become subordinates, we don't have the qualifications to criticize how our masters distribute funds at all. Of course, I believe Su will take care of everything quite well."
"Come, Su, let's have a good discussion now. You know that a person like me doesn't have many requirements. Money, authority, pretty girls, and safety. As long as all of these are satisfied, I am yours!" While speaking he walked over and lead Su over to a distant place before quietly discussing a few things.
Li strained her ears, but she was just slightly off from hearing their conversation, making her so angry she furiously clawed at her hair, in the end causing her to groan in pain from her own movements. Helpless, she could only hatefully stare into the night sky where nothing could be seen.
Less than five minutes later, Li Gaolei had a big smile on his face as he returned with Su.
"From today forth, Second Lieutenant Su is our master!" Li Gaolei announced. Li immediately bounced up from the floor and shouted, "Explain the word 'our'!"
"The word 'our' means me and you." Li Gaolei gave a concise and comprehensive explanation.
"But…" Li wanted to protest, but it seemed like she wasn't angry enough.
"There are no buts. This matter has already been decided. When have you ever negotiated properly without partially ruining things?" Li Gaolei ruthlessly exposed Li.
"But…" Li's voice became much softer, and in the end, she became silent.
Su released a breath of relief. Right when he was about to give up, he never thought that things would change so quickly. Li Gaolei sighed and cursed in a low voice, "It seems like as long as these two idiots are together, all discussion goes to shit!"
Before the sky brightened, the fleet that departed from Pendulum City finally arrived in the mountains. Su placed all of the spoils of war onto the heavy transport truck before bidding Li and Li Gaolei farewell. Before leaving, he left the Glock pistol with forty or so rounds left with Li Gaolei and taught him how to use it. This Glock pistol Su had was remodeled, and the bullets it carried used special gunpowder, making it 30% more powerful than an ordinary Glock pistol. The price of great power was that after Li Gaolei fired three times continuously, with only two levels of strengthened ability, his wrist would most likely fracture.
After a simple goodbye, Su hurriedly wanted to leave. He wanted to return to Dragon City with the highest speed possible to turn in the mission and gather supplies.
While waiting, Kane already sent a message saying that Penny was already in Persephone's private hospital, and she was already experiencing pre-surgery preparations. Kane had already completed all of the subordinate registration procedures on his own, and he had handed over the corresponding costs. This left the young woman who was in charge of subordinate registration quite shocked. During the entire process of registration, she continuously tried to inquire about Kane's background. It was because in all of her time here, she had never seen a subordinate personally come to complete the registration procedure and pay the fees. In addition, from what Kane said, this amount was paid out of his own pockets.
The ten thousand registration fee was a small number for a Black Dragonrider, but for ordinary people, this was an astronomical figure. It was because the most convenient and fast way of earning money was by completing missions, and even though these missions were possible for Black Dragonriders, for small companies or even some larger companies, these were missions were basically missions to death.
Before Su left, Li suddenly walked to his side, using a forcefully suppressed and stiff voice to say, "Thank you. This time, you didn't kill my men."
Su laughed. He then got into the transport vehicle and departed.