"Have you finished?" Liu Xiaojiang asked, his expression blank as he stared at Shen Chong, not believing a word of his righteous-sounding drivel. After all, in recent times, through his extensive research using online tools, he had gained a thorough understanding of this world and was well aware that extraordinary individuals were merely a small, special subset of humanity. Given this, how could such beings still claim to be the protagonists of the world? No matter how powerful their abilities were... could they possibly surpass the power of ordinary humans' planes and artillery? Although Liu Xiaojiang was confident in his own strength—his body was likely resistant enough to withstand even regular gunfire—he did not believe for a second that he could endure missiles or similar advanced weaponry. After all, missiles weren't even humanity's most powerful weapons... In a world where ordinary humans made up the overwhelming majority, while the existence of extraordinary beings might be a reality, the necessity for them to remain low-key was a condition for their survival.
"...Finished." Shen Chong noticed that Liu Xiaojiang remained unmoved, his expression one of surprise. He had not expected that the harsh reality of their lives had not yet pushed Liu Xiaojiang to his limits. This calm demeanor... Shen Chong suddenly had a thought and, with a smile, turned to Liu Xiaojiang. "Mr. Liu, while we regret that you don't wish to join the Quansheng, we understand that everyone has their own path to follow. We cannot force anyone to do something they don't want to."
"In that case, let me raise another matter. Mr. Liu, while your abilities are certainly formidable, upon closer inspection, I noticed that the qi within you is not particularly strong. As an extraordinary being... Would you like to rapidly enhance your power?" Hearing this, Liu Xiaojiang feigned confusion and looked at Shen Chong. "What do you mean?"
"What you don't know, Mr. Liu," Shen Chong continued, "is that as one of the Four Madmen of Quansheng, my abilities are quite unique. I can rapidly enhance the abilities of other extraordinary beings, though, of course... I would require something in return." As he spoke about his abilities, pride glinted in his eyes—clearly satisfied with what he had developed.
"Go on," Liu Xiaojiang said, feigning interest.
"To be frank," Shen Chong said slowly, "those who sign a contract with me can increase their abilities by killing other extraordinary beings and forcibly absorbing their qi. The price... is only a small portion of their qi being taken by me." A sly smile crept onto his face. "Killing other extraordinary beings will give you all of their qi, much faster than cultivating it on your own. And the price is merely a fraction of their qi. It's a deal that seems to guarantee profit with no loss."
"Moreover, the killings between extraordinary beings have nothing to do with ordinary people. There's no risk of conflict between extraordinary beings and ordinary humans. So, even if you were to kill the disciples of prestigious sects, they would only seek revenge through extraordinary means. Would you be afraid of this, Mr. Liu?"
"I see," Liu Xiaojiang said, thoughtfully stroking his chin. "So, as the price grows heavier, those who have signed contracts with you will eventually fall into a murderous frenzy, leading to their eventual collapse and death... am I right?"
"..."
Shen Chong fell silent, caught off guard. He hadn't explicitly mentioned this, yet Liu Xiaojiang had guessed it almost perfectly, and he had never encountered a client so difficult to read.
"Mr. Liu, you mustn't say it like that. Although I don't know where you got this information, I can only say... the fate of those individuals is a result of their own lack of reason."
"Reason? What's the use of reason?" Liu Xiaojiang smirked, his gaze sharp as he fixed it on Shen Chong. "Who knows if you only take a cut when people are killed, or if you take your cut at any time and in any place. It seems likely that anyone who signs a contract with you will merely become a tool for you to gather qi."
"So what?" Shen Chong retorted, adjusting his glasses. "If I don't take a cut lightly, what's the harm?"
"Heh." Liu Xiaojiang gave a sarcastic smile. "Is that so? How many extraordinary beings within Quansheng have signed contracts with you?"
"Have the other three of the Four Madmen signed such contracts?"
"..."
Shen Chong fell silent once again, slowly wiping the smile from his face. He now looked at Liu Xiaojiang with a serious expression. "Mr. Liu, it seems our conversation has reached an impasse. It's unlikely you will become my client."
"Not long ago, I joined the company," Liu Xiaojiang replied bluntly, a subtle mockery in his words.
"..."
Shen Chong immediately realized he had been played for a fool. His once-polished demeanor quickly darkened.
"Mr. Liu, since you've already joined the company, how do you intend to deal with someone like me, an extraordinary being of Quansheng?" Shen Chong's voice held a hint of challenge.
Liu Xiaojiang, somewhat surprised, glanced at Shen Chong. He hadn't expected the man to retain such composure. "Oh, though I've joined the company, I'm still a newcomer. There's no need to desperately serve the company, so I don't plan to do anything."
Shen Chong stared at him, taken aback. He instinctively adjusted his glasses, shaking his head in disbelief. "Mr. Liu, you really are hard to read."
"Is that so?" Liu Xiaojiang smiled, his expression unreadable. "To be honest, while the company would like me to capture you alive, given the current situation, I don't want to make enemies unnecessarily. So... you may leave with peace of mind."
"Don't want to?" Shen Chong looked at Liu Xiaojiang again, scanning him carefully. He found it hard to believe that someone with such a small qi flow could have the potential to capture him. Yet, Shen Chong made his decision in an instant, his fists silently clenching behind his back as he began to channel his qi.
"Mr. Liu, I must say, I bear no ill will toward you. In fact, I think you'd be an excellent addition to Quansheng, but... I can't let this go." His words barely finished before he swung his fist—charged with blue qi—straight toward Liu Xiaojiang's chest. It was a full-powered strike, leaving no room for the other to think or react.
Boom! The punch shattered the door, slamming into Liu Xiaojiang's chest with such force that the surrounding walls cracked and crumbled from the impact.