Chapter 345: Cannot Be Stopped
In the end, the sparring session did not happen.
When five hundred broken-star superhumans decided to watch the fight, the boss of the compet.i.tor company suddenly remembered that the horrible tradition of deciding who was right with fists was something left from the era when zombies wracked their lands and order was lost.
Even the people thousands of years ago on Earth knew that a country could only be strong when its people fought bravely for the country but avoided private fights. They were now in a new era, so how could they be monkeys who love fighting and abide by the law of the jungle just because they awakened to a bit of superpowers?
The elite at the peak of Earth Realm cordially hugged the two broken-star superhuman bosses and said earnestly, “We’re all superhumans. We should be working together to contribute more to human civilization.
“The Survival Committee has been formed for years, and they have always promoted the fact that normal people and superhumans should all understand the law and obey it. We’re supposed to treat the law as sharp swords hanging above our heads so that we always remember that regardless of superpowers or killing moves, we’re nothing in the face of law.
“Besides, we’re all businessmen. Since we’re doing business, we should prioritize harmony. Fighting is something we should avoid. We can discuss everything, like the projects, deals, and cooperation agreements!”
In the end, the two broken-star superhumans defended their lawful rights, and the elite at the peak of Earth Realm also managed to get a pretty good cooperation agreement.
When this news returned to the headquarters of the Broken Star Club, Meng Chao forked out his own money to treat the five hundred broken-star superhumans, who went to help out that day and wanted to fight to their hearts’ content, with proper food containing the richest spirit energy.
Then, he ordered more than five hundred commemorative shirts with unique designs. There was the logo of the Broken Star Club on the chest area and boldly written words “Attack when you should”. He then gave them to the ones who volunteered to help in the fight.
This was also something he had learned from the courses in the Ghost Tribe’s training camp.
After a victory, the leader had to give all sorts of medals so that people would remember their achievements.
This would boost the unity of an organization and make everyone’s hearts gather together. It was also the method that provided the most benefits but cost the least.
With the Broken Star Club’s status, giving commemorative medals would be going overboard, but the logic behind the commemorative shirts was the same.
And things happened just as Meng Chao expected, once word got out, it shocked many broken-star superhumans.
Those who had wanted to help in the fight wore the commemorative shirts and swaggered about the headquarters of the club, which attracted many respectful and longing gazes.
The broken-star superhumans were suppressed too much in the past. This time, they managed to win the spar without even fighting, and it put them in high spirits.
The most direct result of the incident was that the overall number of members in the Broken Star Club went straight over one hundred thousand very.
The donations, sponsorts, and investments from various parts of the society also increased day by day.
The investments brought by Gu Jianbo, Li Yingzi, Luo Wu, Ning Shewo, Yan Organization, and the other leaders were not surprising.
What surprised Meng Chao was that Qin Hu had also managed to get a major donation with no conditions attached to it. When Meng Chao saw the string of zeros in the donation, he was shocked for a full half a minute.
Now that there were one hundred thousand members in the Broken Star Club, it could already be considered to be on the right track. The nineteen people who formed the board of directors were in charge of the daily operations of the club. Qin Hu was also the donor of the headquarters, so it was only right for him to be the chairperson of the board of directors. He was the one in charge of the real operations of the Broken Star Club.
Qin Hu was far from being Xie Xiaolei and taking charge of a company’s business, where he had to wrack his brains to think of new ways to earn money.
Otherwise, he would not have handed over Prosperous to his brother-in-law, which created a foul atmosphere in the workplace and left it at the verge of bankruptcy.
But he had two major strengths.
First, he was skilled in forming bonds with people from all places. He could drink with anyone, and after a few cups, they could hug each other and cry. The only thing missing was for them to kowtow on the ground and declare each other brothers.
Perhaps that was what it meant to be someone who adhered to the code of brotherhood.
Second, he was skilled at adapting to situations. He could switch between different sides and stances. He could speak in other people’s way without any problem.
Meng Chao used Qin Hu’s abilities to the fullest by asking him to be in charge of the daily operations of the Broken Star Club.
Besides, Qin Hu did gain some benefits after he was baptized by both the Red Radiance Jades and Blue Origin Crystals under Raging Waves that day.
Even though he had not recovered his power yet, perhaps it was because his body was now filled with spirit energy from the Blue Origin Crystals, he gained a... sincere, level-headed, friendly, and trustworthy presence.
It was not as if they could do anything about it. Blue Origin Crystals were known as Life Stones. They could change a person’s vitality magnetic field and had amazing properties such as promoting the healing of wounds and increasing metabolism.
Right then, Qin Hu was like a human-shaped Blue Origin Crystal. When anyone stayed by him, they felt as if there was a spring breeze blowing against them and experienced a sense of comfort that could not be put to words.
Even so, Meng Chao could not understand how Qin Hu managed to scam so much money.
Half of his wealth was spent to build the headquarters of the Broken Star Club, and the other was in Superstar.
Recently, Superstar was busy trying to take in the high-quality a.s.sets released by Spirit Creation Creatures, so there was no extra money to donate to the Broken Star Club.
Qin Hu said that the money came from superhumans like him, who were in the same situation and sympathized with him because they also fell from grace after they were injured.
The path of cultivation was like swimming against the current. If they did not continue moving forward, they would be taken back.
Besides, the battlefield was a dangerous place. Regardless of whether it was spirit energy magnetic field interference, spirit energy deviation, monsters tearing limbs away, poison, or corrosion of organs and neural networks, all of them could send a mighty person at the peak of Earth Realm or a high-and-mighty Heaven Realm fighter to unfortunately down from their pedestal. They would not have a single bit of their fighting strength left and might even end up like Qin Hu without the ability to summon a bit of their spirit energy.
It had to be said that Dragon City was quite nice to the superhumans who were heavily injured during battle and whose fighting strength plummeted to the ground.
They would be given money, glory, and easy jobs that could give them a stable salary to live out their retirement. They were also invited to schools regularly to give speeches and given fresh flowers, cheered upon, and hugged by students. They received all sorts of things courtesy of the government.
But Qin Hu and those superhumans who had fallen from grace did not want them.
“We don’t want to live out our retirement like this and gradually fade away like a fart that doesn’t even stink. We need strength. Even if it’s not our own strength, at the very least, it’s a strength that we can borrow. Meng Chao, you understand what I mean, right?”
Qin Hu told him that the injured and disabled superhumans had their own circle and gathered together regularly.
All of them were in a similar situation. They did not lack money, but money alone was not enough to placate their restless souls. Besides, without strength, as time pa.s.sed, they would not be able to defend their mountains of gold.
It would be better for them to invest in the Broken Star Club and form good ties with the broken-star superhumans.
When they donated that money, it did not mean that they wanted the five hundred broken-star superhumans to rush over to help them the moment they fired a signal. That was too much. However, they could still overwhelm others with their numbers, and at the end of the day, that was a form of a.s.surance.
Qin Hu shared the same thought with Lu Siya on this matter.
Right as Qin Hu brought the large donation, Lu Siya mentioned that the Broken Star Club was developing too quickly. It had just been a few months, but the headquarters, which had just been fully renovated, now seemed a little cramped. Besides, they were renting a warehouse in an industrial area. No matter what, it gave off a feeling that it was not a legit club.
She asked Meng Chao whether he was interested in looking for a proper office building in the central commercial area, and when she said that, she meant an office building with man-made spirit energy ley lines underneath and plenty of spirit energy underground. They would need to rent around twenty floors of the office building for a long period of time to upgrade the Broken Star Club.
If he wanted to, she would settle all the problems related to money and the office building.
“What’s going on? Do you have too much money and feel uneasy about it?” Meng Chao was stunned once more.
Lu Siya smiled coldly. “You’re right. I currently have so much money that I’m uneasy. I sold my mining rights for the Red Radiance Jade mine in a one-time buyout.”
“What?”
Meng Chao was puzzled. Some time ago, when Qin Hu sold off the mining rights in his hands, Lu Siya had laughed at him and said that he was short-sighted. The Red Radiance Jade mine could be mined for decades, and they had yet to find how deep the mine ran and how many crystals it had.
If the mine ran deep underground and had a lot of crystals with spirit energy which was not lost during the spirit energy tsunami, they would be rich.
With Lu Siya’s intelligence, how could she sell off this money-generating machine?
“I had no other choice. My father ran into a good chance and is hoping to jump up further in the organization.”
Lu Siya explained that regardless of whether it was the Lu family or a mega corporation like Sky Pillar Corporation, they placed an emphasis on balance. Mr. Lu, the head of the family, was still alive, and he did not want to see any of his descendants have any sort of monopoly of power.
Since Lu Siya discovered the Red Radiance Jade mine, she stood out like a sore thumb among the grandchildren.
If her father was also in possession of great power in Sky Pillar Corporation while she continued to be in possession of the Red Radiance Jade mine, their branch would have too much power.
To obtain the support of his siblings, her father had to use the Red Radiance Jade mine as a bargaining chip. The price he offered was reasonable, but it placed her far away from the core of the Lu family and Sky Pillar Corporation.
“In other words, someone stuffed a lot of cash into my pockets and kicked me out!” Lu Siya said. “Qin Hu is right. Money is only money when you use it. If you don’t use it, it’s just useless paper, which is even too tough to wipe your behind. I’ve decided to toss all of my wealth into the Broken Star Club because I’m gambling on the fact that you and the Broken Star Club have endless potential.
“Some day, when the Broken Star Club really grows to the point that no one can imagine and I have the chance to seize the highest seat of power in Sky Pillar Corporation, you will definitely lead hundreds of thousands of broken-star superhumans to stand behind me, right?”
Meng Chao thought about it and said, “The Broken Star Club is just a public welfare organization that drinks tea, eats food, does group purchases, and explores the development trends of the newest martial arts. Even though we have one hundred thousand members, they won’t listen to me... Broadcasting platforms also have millions of members on them, but they’re useless. It’s the same case for us.”
“Enough with it. Everyone knows that you have been teaching the broken-star superhumans the Ultimate Style, the upgraded version of the One Hundred Saber Techniques, and all sorts of strange martial arts every day to increase their fighting strength. That’s the only reason why they’ve become confident and decided to work together to defend their interests.
“Many of the broken-star superhumans treat you as their hero and idol. You’re actually the spokesperson of all the broken-star superhumans in the city, so don’t go telling me that you weren’t thinking about garnering their support and building up your own force of power!” Lu Siya said.
“Even if it’s too much of an exaggeration for you to gather hundreds of thousands of broken-star superhumans to rally behind you, right now, with just a simple cough, you could gather five thousand broken-star superhumans to help you fight.
“In a few years... Whew. No one will be able to fight against you. Tell me, why were you so certain that the Ultimate Style would definitely be successfully developed and could stimulate the potential of all the broken-star superhumans in the city? How did you know that you could gather them together to form a power that cannot be stopped?
“Ah, forget it. You’re the one with the most secrets among us. It’s a waste of my breath to ask you. Just one question. When the time comes, are you going to stand behind me?”
Meng Chao thought about it for a while before he said tentatively, “Well, if we’re just going to watch... I don’t mind standing behind you to cheer you on.”