Chapter 936: Chapter 934: You Have to Work Hard
“Ten years? One-tenth of the energy? Enough to supply the growth of tens of thousands of trees?” Richard listened to Tin Wood’s words, pondering for a moment, then looked at Tin Wood and said, “I can agree to your cooperation, but the terms need to be modified.”
“How do you want to modify them?”
“I’m satisfied with the total amount of energy you are providing, but I can’t afford to wait ten years as I need a massive supply of energy right now,” Richard said, “How about this, you change the ten years to one year. During this time, supply nine-tenths of the energy to me and use one-tenth for your life transformation.
When the one-year period is up, you will have your freedom and can leave me anytime. If by then you feel your transformation is incomplete and lack protection, I can continue to protect you until your transformation succeeds, and then you can leave.”
Hearing Richard’s modified terms, Tin Wood showed a slightly surprised expression: “One year? In that case, it seems like you are at a disadvantage. The total energy I’m providing you is reduced by a full one-tenth.”
“I can accept that,” Richard said.
“But what do you need so much energy in such a short time for? Normally, it wouldn’t be needed at all; it would just be a waste,” Tin Wood was puzzled.
Actually, not only am I not afraid of wasting it, on the contrary, I feel it’s not enough… Richard thought to himself, but he didn’t explain to Tin Wood, he just said, “I naturally have my reasons, all you need to do now is tell me whether you agree or not.”
Silence, silence, Tin Wood fell into a long silence, seemingly trying hard to discern whether this was a trap.
After a long while, he finally spoke, “Very well, I agree to your cooperation terms. Now give me a week to grow, and after that, I can start providing energy for you.”
“Then… happy cooperation,” Richard said.
“Happy cooperation?” Tin Wood heard and shook his head, “To be honest, there’s nothing happy about collaborating with you. Were it not for the current situation, I’d never agree to your request. So, I’m not hoping for happy cooperation, just wishing you to stick to the agreement.”
“Alright,” Richard said, “then I will look forward to your performance in seven days, and let’s hope you won’t cause me any trouble during these seven days.”
“That would be best.”
After saying this, Richard stepped out.
Witch Demon Elder Ah Fu took a deep look at Tin Wood and followed him out.
Outside the door, Witch Demon Elder quickly caught up with Richard and asked, “Hey, kid, you can’t possibly trust that tree in the room so easily, right? That’s a Longevity Exotic Species, it’s been alive longer than I have, who knows what it’s thinking. You absolutely can’t easily trust it, you have to stay alert.”
Richard listened and chuckled softly, “Of course I don’t truly trust it. Despite its honest attitude earlier, I’m certain it didn’t speak the truth.”
“Didn’t speak the truth? Are you sure?”
“I’m sure,” Richard said, “Of the ten things it said, nine and a half are true, but there is still half a line that is false—this is a more advanced way of lying.”
“Is that so?” Witch Demon Elder asked, “Then what exactly is false about what it said?”
“The most crucial part—the amount of energy it can supply,” Richard said seriously, “According to some of my calculations, the energy it can provide definitely exceeds the level it mentioned.”
“So, it appears to be cooperating with you openly, but secretly has other motives? Presenting one face publicly, but another face in private?” Fınd the newest release on 𝗻𝗼𝘷𝗲𝗹•𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮•𝕟𝕖𝕥
“Then why didn’t you expose it earlier?”
“Why should I expose it?” Richard questioned Witch Demon Elder.
“Shouldn’t you?” Witch Demon Elder was puzzled.
Richard said slowly, “After all, it’s the other side that provides the energy. If it’s intent on hiding, it’s very hard to obtain evidence. Without evidence, exposing it would have no effect, it would only make it more cautious and hide more carefully. In that case, it’s better to pretend to imagine it on the surface, while quietly observing its actions.
If it has other plans, sooner or later it will expose itself one day. At that time, I can catch it in the act, leaving it unable to refute. Then, we can naturally renegotiate the cooperation terms and modify them a bit.
Since it made the first mistake, it’s completely reasonable to toughen the cooperation terms, like extending the cooperation time appropriately—right now, it’s only a year, which is really too short. By then, it could be changed to thirty years, fifty years, which would be more reasonable.”
After hearing Richard’s words, Witch Demon Elder’s eyes gradually widened, and he couldn’t help but shrink his neck and said, “You’re a bit scary, you know? That tree might be bad, but you seem even worse. I’m not sure whether to call the tree deserving of its fate or pitiable.”
“Whether deserving or pitiable, as long as it’s useful, it’s fine,” Richard said, “Of course, it could also be that I’m overthinking, and the tree isn’t hiding its energy. It might be that I miscalculated. But I always prefer to think more rather than less, to be well prepared, and reduce the occurrence of unforeseen events.”
Having said that, Richard headed to No. 2 Laboratory.
Witch Demon Elder stood frozen in place, mumbling Richard’s words several times: “Prefer to think more, not less, be well prepared?”
Then he thought of something, his eyes gradually widened, and he somewhat excitedly called out to Richard: “Hey, kid, wait!”
“What?” Richard stopped and looked at Witch Demon Elder.
Witch Demon Elder’s eyes glinted with a suspicious look and asked, “Speaking of, back when I occasionally discovered your corpse in your space items, and then was successfully resurrected, I’ve always felt it was an accident. Could it be that this too was deliberately designed by you?”
“You guess,” Richard said.
“I guess it was an accident,” Witch Demon Elder said.
“Guess again,” Richard said.
Witch Demon Elder: “I…” His expression suddenly changed oddly.
“Hey, hey, hey, kid, it wouldn’t really be, would it? My previous resurrection was really designed by you and not an accident?” Witch Demon Elder became rather unsettled, “That’s a bit too much, don’t you think?”
“Isn’t it?” Witch Demon Elder said with irritation, “I’ve helped you quite a bit, you know, and you treat me ?”
“But at that time, we didn’t know each other, right? You hadn’t helped me with anything,” Richard said, “The help you provided was all after the resurrection.”
“So, it really was deliberately designed by you?”
“It can’t be considered deliberately designed,” Richard shook his head and said seriously, “I just considered the possibility at the time. Although the probability wasn’t large, I had thought of ways to handle it. Then, slowly it came to this point.”
“You really are a bit scary,” Witch Demon Elder muttered, “Previously many people said that with me being a Witch Demon, my heart was black, evil even. But now, compared to you, I seem far off.”
Richard listened with an indifferent expression: “Then you should keep improving.”
Do you take this as a compliment… Witch Demon Elder listened and almost coughed up blood.