The doorbell at Heart of Woods's gate rang. Half a day passed, but not only did no one open the door, there wasn't even a footstep to be heard from within the compound.
A middle-aged man stood under the scorching sun before the motionless gate, occasionally catching a foul whiff from the yard, which made him grimace.
What on earth was this young master doing at home?
The visitor was none other than Manager Guan from the neighboring Yun Tian Pet Beast Training Center. The day before, his chairman had sent him to invite this young master over to discuss renting their Forest Wolves. Yet, Manager Guan had been standing at the gate all morning, assailed by nothing but strange odors drifting from the base, without a glimpse of anyone.
Before the chairwoman's arrival, his life had been comfortable; he could even drop by to chat and shoot the breeze with Su Anyong when he was free. But ever since this "queen" had arrived, Manager Guan dared not show a hint of negligence. Even though he'd been standing there all morning, as long as he was sure Su Ping was home, he couldn't return empty-handed. He knew the chairman's temper all too well.
Thus, Manager Guan stood there, ringing the doorbell for three solid hours. He'd had no lunch, not even a sip of water. Finally, as Manager Guan stared with mounting anticipation, hurried footsteps at last approached from the other side of the gate.
The gate, a seeming barrier between two worlds, finally swung open for Manager Guan.
However, before Manager Guan, eyes welling with tears, could look at this young master whom he had seen a few times, a wave of stench so overpowering washed over him that he instinctively recoiled several steps. Braving the eye-watering odor, Manager Guan looked at a somewhat sheepish Su Ping.
Why wear a gas mask on such a hot day? What on earth have you been concocting in there, kid? Could it be some kind of biochemical weapon? Well, the smell is certainly potent enough.
"Uncle Guan? What brings you here?"
"What have you been up to, lad?" Manager Guan couldn't help but complain. "You took so long to open the door; I was about to call your dad."
Su Ping scratched his head. What else could he be doing? Of course, he was continuing his work on the Magic Potion. After seeing Xiao Qing's growth and improvement, as well as Little Ones' efforts, Su Ping, as their master, naturally couldn't slack off, could he?
The weakest Little Forest Wolf was named Little Ones.
Now, after toiling away for a good part of the day, he had just placed three new vials of Heart of Woods Magic Potion into the cooling box. He hadn't even removed his protective gear when he finally noticed the doorbell.
"Is there something you need?"
Given the overwhelming stench, Manager Guan had no desire to step inside for a proper chat with Su Ping and got straight to the point, "Lately, the training field is running short on training beasts. How are your Forest Wolves? The price is negotiable!"
As soon as business was mentioned, Manager Guan's expression turned serious.
"Uncle Guan, are you looking to rent or to buy?"
Su Ping trusted Manager Guan's words. The Dragon Country Beastmaster Association and official authorities had clear regulations: Beast Tamers were not permitted to engage in Pet Beast battles in public areas except under special circumstances. Damaging public facilities or the natural environment could lead to detention for 7-15 days, depending on the severity. If the circumstances were serious, the penalties could be increased accordingly. Battling at one's own home was an option, but Pet Beast battle Skills were incredibly varied and often destructive, so most ordinary people lacked the proper facilities. Consequently, Pet Beast training and battlegrounds were a fairly lucrative business, naturally requiring a supply of Pet Beasts for paid sparring sessions.
Manager Guan thought for a moment and said, "We're primarily looking to rent. Of course, if you have some of good quality, we could consider buying a few. Also, I don't know if your father mentioned it, but we at Yun Tian are interested in this piece of land..."
But Su Ping interjected directly, "Uncle Guan, I'm aware of that. However, such a significant matter can't be settled quickly. Let's discuss it another time. As for the Pet Beasts, renting is fine, but selling them probably isn't an option."
"Ah..." Manager Guan looked troubled. "Little Su, we are truly sincere. In this suburban area, besides Yun Tian, there are absolutely no other buyers who would offer such a large sum for this vacant land."
Su Ping merely smiled.
Looking at the young man before him, Manager Guan felt a sense of helplessness. Why did this kid seem even harder to deal with than his wily old father?
"Alright, when you have some free time, let's sit down and discuss this properly. Yun Tian is genuinely sincere. For now, let's talk about renting the Forest Wolves. Your father has worked with us before. For an Ordinary Level Forest Wolf, the rental fee is 300 yuan per day. For them to participate in a Pet Beast battle, it's 500 yuan per battle, win or lose. As for Elite Level Forest Wolves, the minimum rental is 1,000 yuan a day, and the Pet Beast battle price is the same. Of course, every Forest Wolf will be insured..."
However, before Manager Guan could finish, Su Ping cut in again, "Uncle Guan, I'm truly busy today. How about this: in a couple of days, if you haven't sought me out, I'll come find you for such a good deal. I'll visit in person, how does that sound?"
Looking at Su Ping's smiling face, then at his fully equipped state, and smelling the persistent stench emanating from Heart of Woods, Manager Guan, who had waited for over three hours, could only nod.
Having wasted the entire morning and achieved nothing, Manager Guan could already imagine his chairman's fury upon his return.
However, Su Ping really didn't have the leisure to worry about others. After closing the gate, he returned to the living room, took a shower, and then, while stroking Xiao Qing, sank into thought.
Earning money! That was indeed the most pressing issue.
The reason was simple: Heart of Woods did have some resources. There were a few leftover materials for making Magic Potions, but only enough for four doses. He had used them all up today. To continue producing the Heart of Woods Magic Potion, he needed to find a way to earn money.
Lao Guan had certainly been fair. The offered price was quite good. There was high demand for Ordinary and Elite Level sparring Pet Beasts, so the rates were decent. Su Ping was quite satisfied; after all, he needed to engage his Forest Wolves in Pet Beast battles to properly train them and solidify their foundations. Others paying to use his Pet Beasts meant he could get sparring partners for free and even earn money—no one would refuse such a good deal.
But it still wasn't enough!
The materials for a single dose of Heart of Woods Magic Potion, even at cost, would add up to at least two hundred thousand. If he relied solely on renting out Pet Beasts, it would take a very long time to gather enough for Magic Potions for the twenty-plus Forest Wolves he now had.
However, thinking of the Myriad Spirit Beast Atlas in his mind, Su Ping clearly couldn't, and wouldn't, wait that long.
The issue was, how could he get his hands on such a large sum of money?
Indeed, the saying 'poverty for scholars, wealth for warriors' holds true. And in this world, when it comes to Controlling Beasts, every aspect involves spending money! To cultivate outstanding Pet Beasts, countless resources were needed, flowing away like water.
How to get the money? Su Ping fell into deep thought.