Both Dong Mingsong and Su Yanying were agape after hearing the response.
No??
This was THE Phoenix Peak Academy. Countless people would pay with their lives to be admitted. The Vice Principal directly invited Su Ping and provided many bonuses, but he actually refused? And he didn’t hesitate in the least!
“You… think again, please,” Dong Mingsong tried.
Su Ping shook his head. He did consider accepting Luo Guxue’s suggestion, though he had yet to reach a solid decision. As for becoming a student? Definitely not.
Dong Mingsong’s eyelids twitched at the absurd playout of events. Not even Ye Hao, the top ranker in the academy, enjoyed such privileges. He had already gone over the line by presenting those generous offers; he might have needed to talk with the president later to seek approval later, otherwise, he’d be paying the expenses himself.
He never thought his offer would be rejected like this.
A bulky man stepped ahead. “All right, Mister Vice Principal, you shouldn’t force the guy since he said no. As far as I can see, an outstanding young man like this already has a dependable teacher. He doesn’t need the academy. Heck, what he did back there was better than what your best graduate can do.”
Dong Mingsong knew he didn’t have a say on this so he stepped aside.
“What’s your name, my friend?” the big man asked directly.
“How about you go first?”
“HA! You’re funny. The name’s Fang Baili. As in the fang of ferocious beasts!”
“I’m Su Ping. Though my life is hardly peaceful1.”
Fang Baili bellowed with laughter. “I like you, man.”
“Can’t say the same. I’m not interested in dudes.”
Fang Baili choked on his laughter and stared at Su Ping.
The others chuckled upon seeing their companion getting stumped like this.
The red-haired woman spoke again, “Baili, dear, you already have Su Yanying on your side, how about leaving Su Ping to us? Mister Su, I’m Ji Rongying. Or just call me Ying for short. I represent a Class A settler team working for the base city. By joining us, you’ll receive—”
Another young man beside her didn’t let her finish. “Chill out already. We’re all Class A teams, aren’t we? Besides, your team focuses on missions in Class A barren areas where six out of ten advanced battle pet warriors return in body bags. Are you seriously telling Mister Su to go to that kind of place, huh? Come on. My team is the best for settler recruits as we have multiple bases established around Class B areas. If you want safer jobs, Mister Su, we can train you in Class C areas as well. There will be teammates protecting you. I don’t know about anything else, but we can make sure you stay alive while exploring.”
“Can you now?” Another middle-aged settler smirked. “If someone tells you about being absolutely safe in the barrens, you’re talking either to a legendary battle pet warrior who can kick Beast Kings’ as**s, or an amateur who doesn’t know what he’s talking about. I mean, we all know that Beast Kings sometimes show up in Class C areas. How can you fully protect anyone?”
“Nonsense! How often do you run into Beast Kings in a Class C barren land? Once in several decades? And there are so many Class C areas out there. If you’re afraid of that kind of stuff, you might as well stay home for the rest of your life!”
“Nothing is impossible. Besides, my team can do all that too.” The middle-aged man threw Su Ping a friendly look. “If you join us, Mister Su, you get an advanced demon-type Astral Pet trained to its adulthood. You don’t let another man protect you, you take care of yourself! Capiche?”
Su Ping didn’t have the chance to speak as yet another settler was already chipping in. “Humph! You made it as if that’s something rare. Demon-type pets come in a large variety, including strong ones and squishy ones. I would step back if you promised, like, a dragon-type pet instead. That would guarantee a useful result.”
“You talk as if you can afford one!”
“Of course we can. If Mister Su comes with me, I’ll raise enough funds to get him a dragon-type pet within a year.”
“A year, huh? So he works for you for a year before getting paid. What a smart plan you got there!”
“It’s better than your stupid demon anyway!”
The settlers started arguing without letting Su Ping speak at all.
Su Yanying felt more and more defeated after hearing all those insane offers presented to Su Ping. She didn’t get to enjoy these things by joining Fang Baili’s team. An adult demon-type? That would cost at least millions! Even more, if it had good potential!
She began to wonder whether she had made the right choice.
Several days earlier, Fang Baili invited her to a café to talk over their future plans, during which she was too excited to decline any of the man’s conditions. She thought it was glorious enough to be chosen by a first-class settler team. There was no point in bargaining.
“Hey, hey, guys.” Su Ping tried making himself heard among the quarreling folks. “It’s good and all, but you know, I’ve never intended to become a settler.”
The heated discussion was instantly silenced.
“You, you don’t?” Fang Baili stuttered. “Even with that kind of skill??”
Su Ping’s response just reminded them of something they already had in mind. There was probably someone way more powerful acting as Su Ping’s backup. He didn’t need to risk his life gaining fortune and fame as a settler at all.
“I’m just not interested in this line of work. Sorry.”
If it was for improving himself, he could simply use cultivation planes without worrying about dying for real. If it was for money, he had his shop to help with that. All the recent income was enough to sustain his life, unless he needed a larger budget to buy a powerful pet.
And even if he did need a powerful pet, he could use the Incubation Pool in his shop and perhaps produce a Beast King if he was lucky. He had no reason to join dangerous expeditions with settlers when he could play it safe at home.