Chapter 395: The Center Sends Congratulations

Beep-beep, beep-beep!

For the first time, the 《spirit realm》 Dedicated Communicator started ringing on its own.

Wangchuan frowned slightly when he heard the urgent alert by his ear.

Although he did not know what pressing matter the 《spirit realm》 Online Guidance Center had, he still decided to log out and check at once. So he said to Ye Baiyi, “《Snake Control Art》 really can help us build a live-combat training ground. It can help our people gain experience faster and cultivate all kinds of martial arts more quickly. When you go back, pick a few reliable ones and first teach them how to deal with snakes. Once the time is right, I’ll grant them 《Snake Control Art》 and do my best to get the ‘Snake Den’ established.”

“Yes!”

Joy flashed across Ye Baiyi’s eyes.

He knew that, from this moment on, he finally had a place for himself in Sanjiang Studio and in Sanhe Commandery Hall.

After Ye Baiyi withdrew, Wangchuan returned to his room and logged out.

Beep-beep, beep-beep!

The faint sound continued to come from the small Bluetooth earpiece.

Wangchuan got out of bed and accepted the connection.

A screen projected into the air.

Inside the square projection was Director Wang, Wang Song, whom he had met once before at the 《spirit realm》 Online Guidance Center.

“Director Wang.”

“A distinguished guest comes calling. What guidance do you have for me?”

Wangchuan asked with a smile.

He had always been polite to official personnel.

Director Wang was smiling as well. He cupped his fists in a very Jianghu manner and said, “Li Na reported that Brother Wangchuan has been promoted to Acting Hall Master of Sanhe Commandery. On behalf of the Center, I offer my congratulations. Brother Wangchuan, your future is full of promise!”

Wangchuan returned the salute with a chuckle.

“You are too polite, Director Wang. It is only a small matter, hardly worth a special transmission from you.”

Director Wang immediately got to the point.

“It’s like this.”

“The Center’s leadership learned that Brother Wangchuan is now in command of an entire Hall, so they specifically instructed me to contact you and see whether we might cooperate. We hope you can help train players from other studios within 《spirit realm》.”

Wangchuan reacted at once, but pretended not to understand.

“I don’t follow...”

“As everyone knows, every Hall of the Caobang possesses quite a few martial arts master copies. Now that Brother Wangchuan commands an entire Hall, the martial arts master copies in your hands are a tremendous source of income.”

“But a gang’s martial manuals cannot be opened up to outsiders at will. Order cannot be thrown into chaos. Rules cannot be broken!”

Wangchuan put away his smile and spoke with force.

“On that point, the Center’s leadership ought to understand better than I do.”

“Of course, we would never put Brother Wangchuan in a difficult position. Hahaha...”

Director Wang let out a dry laugh and explained, “We understand that the Caobang often recruits all sorts of capable fighters from the Jianghu. As long as Brother Wangchuan is willing to help, we actually can make this matter happen without leaving a trace.”

Wangchuan frowned and asked, “Director Wang, I’m curious. Before me, the 《spirit realm》 Online Guidance Center surely already had more than one player in control of a Hall. Xiao He of the Five Poisons Sect sub-branch also had martial arts master copies in his possession. And among those who entered 《spirit realm》 earlier than I did, there should be quite a few in high-ranking positions as well.”

“Have all of them cooperated with the 《spirit realm》 Online Guidance Center?”

The question was sharp.

If the purpose really was to help all the major studios...

Then why had someone like him, back when he was still in Warring States Game Studio, never received any help from the 《spirit realm》 Online Guidance Center?

Was this “cooperation” only for certain chosen beneficiaries?

Or something else altogether?

Director Wang immediately answered with great patience.

“Before Brother Wangchuan, there really were quite a few players who had already entered gang Halls and famous sects, and some of them also possessed martial arts master copies.”

“But those sects all lacked a certain degree of openness!”

He continued in a serious tone, “The famous sects keep strict watch over every act of copying their martial manuals. Even the people responsible for the work are not allowed to decide matters on their own. Every copy must be supervised by several people at once. There is simply no chance to leak their manuals.”

“As for the small sects and minor factions, the Center has no real interest in the martial arts master copies they possess.”

Wangchuan was briefly taken aback.

Then, in the next instant, he seemed to realize something and blurted out, “What the Center really cares about is Niche Cultivation Methods?”

Director Wang looked slightly embarrassed, but nodded.

“That’s right. We have indeed received word that the Caobang Halls hold quite a few Niche Cultivation Methods...”

“Although the number of martial manuals circulating on the market has increased somewhat, the population of martial artists is growing faster and faster. Demand is surging, and the shortage of manuals is enormous, especially when it comes to Niche Cultivation Methods. Their market price has already been bid up to a minimum of one thousand taels of gold.”

At that point, Director Wang let out a very helpless sigh.

“At present, the Center has only counted a little over thirty million players. In the future, we estimate there may be another two-hundredfold increase.”

“The shortage of martial manuals is immense.”

“And because of that... gangs like the Caobang, which are relatively open and also possess large numbers of martial arts master copies, are almost unheard of. Especially someone like you, Wangchuan, who has reached such a high position and now commands an entire Hall of a major gang—you are absolutely one of a kind!”

“Our leadership has issued a direct order. We must cooperate with you.”

Wangchuan fell silent.

He had not expected that among the many studios inside 《spirit realm》, his position as Acting Hall Master would make him such a prized target.

The official side had already set its sights on the master copies of Niche Cultivation Methods under his control.

“Brother Wangchuan, do not worry. Whatever money should go to you, not a single bit will be missing.”

“We can purchase them at market price.”

“And beyond that, we can also support you by trading equipment and martial manuals from our own stock.”

Director Wang laid out the terms.

Wangchuan was slightly moved.

But he immediately realized that everything the Center could offer him, he could obtain elsewhere as well.

“I need access at a higher level. I need more intelligence.”

“I want to know what exactly 《spirit realm》 is.”

“I want to know how many players we currently have in 《spirit realm》, what the highest cultivation level is, the situation of the major sects, and the situation of all the studios.”

The moment he heard that, Director Wang practically went numb.

Inside the screen projection, he scratched at himself in agitation, completely at a loss.

“Brother Wangchuan, I don’t know any of that! Th-that doesn’t conform to regulations!”

“Then go ask your leadership. Tell them those are my conditions...”

Wangchuan originally wanted to add, I do not want to be nothing more than a puppet on strings, but in the end, he swallowed those words.

Not yet.

It was not yet time to lay his cards on the table.

What he needed to do now was consolidate his authority as Acting Hall Master, expand it, strengthen it, and let its influence continue to ferment. Then he could build on that and widen his influence even further.

Wangchuan removed the Bluetooth earpiece and ended the conversation with Director Wang.

After thinking it over for a moment, he immediately placed a call to Su Wan and contacted the person in charge of Warring States Game Studio.