?Outside the Shadow Hunter Outpost:
Maximus was with Silas and Andrew as they watched the stronghold slowly rise from the ground.
*Creak~*
The hard ground began to crack as if a huge monster were coming out.
*Rumble~*
Finally, the stronghold began to float.
“It’s worked!” Andrew muttered excitedly.
Almost a century of work, and they had made such a massive city fly up!
“Hmmm, it seems that there is no problem…” Silas also nodded in satisfaction.
After coming to the abyss realm, he had also worked around this stronghold.
Seeing it rise from the ground was like seeing the child he carried finally emerge.
“Good work, you two,” Maximus praised, patting the two.
Looking at his mobile home, Maximus couldn’t be more satisfied.
Just the stronghold alone, without furnishings like weapons, auxiliary tools, special architectures, etc., had already cost him over a quintillion.
As for the Stronghold defense and weapon system, it was 2 quintillion.
The training facilities were 2 quintillions.
The whole stronghold costs over 15 quintillion if all of it is included.
Over the five years that he was trading resources in the myriad world mall, he had only earned about 25 quintillion.
After the blowout in the beginning, earning him over 20 quintillion.
In the following years, the business was hectic as he only earned 5 quintillion.
The accumulation of the top powers in the abyss realm should have been exhausted after the first transaction.
More importantly, they still hadn’t finished the resources they bought from him.
The outpost was still being built, and the knowledge was still being studied.
The apex sovereigns still didn’t have enough money to buy their desired weapon.
With nothing to spend on, his earnings slowed down.
Maximus estimated his income would blow up after the tier 6 individuals arrived in the abyss realm.
As for the abyss source, he already had the equivalent of 5 trillion system points daily.
The frenzy of beings of the Etherium realm made the abyss source more available.
5 trillion system points made the creation of the tier 8 ‘origin’ manual even faster.
Now, just a year or two, he could successfully conclude his study of tier 8 skills, cultivation techniques, and such.
Moreover, he can finally sell tier 8 knowledge in his shop in the Myriad World Mall.
By then, money would flow faster to him, making his 10 quadrillions yearly income skyrocket to an unknown magnitude.
Just imagining this doused his excitement for the newly built stronghold.
“By the way, how is the poaching of the people in the stronghold?” Maximus asked.
Those ten million construction workers would be the core point of his voyage into the depths of the abyss.
Thus, even if he offended others by doing so, Maximus didn’t care.
“It should be happening now…” Andrew smiled mysteriously.
…
In the Shadow Hunter Outpost:
Ten million people hired by the Shadow Hunter Guild jumped in celebration as they saw the stronghold rise from the ground.
The decades of unrelenting efforts came to fruition.
They can finally rest peacefully without thinking of what to do the next day.
One of them in particular, Kelvin, sighed.
“I can finally leave this damn black guild!” Kelvin screamed inwardly.
After decades without a rest, the seemingly eternal work was finally finished.
Planning to rest, he hurriedly returned to his residence.
As for celebrating or whatsoever, it’s not as important as rest.
After all, this black guild forced them to work all year round, with only a day of rest.
Although there was no violence involved to let them work all day long.
It was more lethal than violence; it was money.
That damn money that corrupted their hearts and forced them to work.
Looking at their growing balance, how could they still rest?
That damn money was like a curse, making them a puppet to work.
Fortunately, all that was finished.
Looking at his residence, “It was really damn luxurious!” Kelvin muttered.
This was the first time he carefully looked at his residence, where he rested for a few minutes he had for the day.
Although Shadow Hunter Guild is black, Kelvin still had to praise their generosity.
This is the abyss where every inch of land is like gold.
Yet looking at his residence, which was more luxurious than what he had in the Etherium realm, Kelvin could only sigh.
“It’s really good to have money…”
As he closed his eyes on his comfortable bed, Kelvin couldn’t help but think of joining the guild.
However, as soon as he woke up the following day, beads of sweat began to form on his forehead as he dreamt of working for eternity like a puppet.
“Damn, I’ll collect my salary and leave this place quickly!” Kelvin muttered in anger.
…
In the Shadow Hunter Guild Headquarters:
As Kelvin lined up to receive his last salary, he couldn’t help but notice the weird atmosphere in the room.
Each of them appeared resigned to their fate with a complex expression.
As doubts began to appear in his mind, it was finally his turn.
[Kelvin Garret…]
[Worked for 78 years…]
[Total Salary: 489,183,237,293 Crytas merits]
[Do you receive?]
[Yes/No]
Looking at his total salary, the smile on his lips couldn’t be contained.
489 billion!
This was a massive amount of wealth for him, who only needed a trillion to advance to tier 8.
Even if he worked conscientiously for thousands of years, he might not be able to earn that amount.
As he clicked ‘Yes,’ a pop-up appeared.
[Optional salary doubler clause…]
“Huh, double?”
Curious, Kelvin slowly read about it, but as time passed, the smile on his face faded. Follow current novels on o(v)elꜰre.et
“This black guild wants me to work to death!” Kelvin cursed under his breath.
The clause invites him to formally join the Shadow Hunter Guild and enjoy all of its privileges.
More importantly, his total salary would be doubled!
He can double his salary to nearly a trillion with just a click.
However, imagining endless work about to pound him, his greedy finger hurriedly stopped.
Now he understood, looking at the weird atmosphere in the room.
It should be that they were also struggling with this.
“What are you hesitating about?!” Suddenly, a voice broke out in silence.
“Filipe?” Kelvin muttered, looking at the one who spoke.
This guy was a lackey of the Shadow Hunter Guild.
Kelvin heard that even on the rest day, Filipe was working—truly a brainwashed hard-working person.
“Are you still hesitating until now?” Seeing the silence, Filipe became more confident.
“Look at the money in front of you. After moving your finger a few inches, it’s yours!”
The crowd frowned and fell into thought with Filipe’s words.
Just one click, and most of them can reach tier 8.
Unfortunately, with the clause, they needed to stay here for a thousand years and continue serving the guild.
However, thinking of their tormenting days without a light of life, they hesitated.
“Don’t you want money?!” Filipe urged.
“We want money!” They screamed inwardly.
However, they wanted freedom more!
“It seems that most of you are not satisfied with the treatment of the guild…” A formal Shadow Hunter Guild member, Yve, spoke up.
He was an old member, so he understood their feelings very much.
Any beings, even if they were paid generously, would sooner or later be tired of the slavery to working.
However, feeling his strength grow step by step without stopping, all his misconceptions vanished.
So what if he’s a slave to working? Isn’t training the same?
Hours, days, and years of comprehension and meditation just to train and advance.
How is it different than working with the Shadow Hunter Guild?
At least you can choose what to do, whether to craft, fight, or even invent things.
As for advancement?
The rewards for these works are enough for you to advance by leaps and bounds.
Thinking of his life previously, which was hopeless as wait for death and exhaustion of his lifespan.
Now, with hope, he was about to advance to tier 8, having billions of years more of life.
Looking at the crowd in front of him, who were on the bridge of faith.
Yve couldn’t help but intervene and give them a little support.
“Are you worried that your life would not be worth living after you joined the guild?” Yve asked.
The crowd unconsciously nodded.
“Then do you want death or life?”
The crowd panicked a little, thinking that Yve wanted to threaten them to join this black guild.
“What I mean is, after you’ve collected your money, where would you go?”
“Are you confident you can earn the rest of the crystal merits and still keep your life?”
“Thousands of years… this is a long time with many possibilities,” Yve said as he sighed.
Many didn’t know the difficulties of those at the bottom, but Yve had been there.
In the Etherium realm;
Just for a few magic crystals, he was willing to be beaten half to death.
Just for resources, he would risk his life and swim into hellfire to fight with others.
Just for a top cultivation manual, he would be willing to scheme with his friends and loved ones to get a glimpse of it.
Many things were sacrificed; many things were lost, yet he achieved nothing.
Now, as long as they work conscientiously, everything they want will be in their hands.
“Now, you only have a few seconds to decide your fate…” Yve said as a countdown appeared in front of them.