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Chapter 46: Negotiations and the C-Rank Contract
Chapter 46: Negotiations and the C-Rank Contract (Request for Continued Reading)
Abyssal Maw Martial Arts Gym was one of Tianhai City’s three premier martial arts institutions.
The building’s streamlined design evoked a sleek blue warship ready to set sail.
Inside the central office level, an elegant blue-themed interior created the illusion of being submerged in an ocean. Dozens of workstations occupied the expansive floor, where over a dozen staff members in crisp blue-and-white uniforms bustled about. Dozens of holographic screens floated midair, streaming endless lines of data.
“Cheng Minghui from Tianhai No.3 High School—verified as a C-Rank genius. Send negotiators tomorrow!”
“Zou Jun from Tianhai No.8 High School—D-Rank Contract.”
Ding Liang, Deputy Head of the Contract Department, rechecked the reports submitted by junior staff before finalizing the decisions.
“Lin Qi… C-Rank Contract, but noted for B-Level potential?”
He frowned at the holographic file.
“Xiao Jiang!”
A young man at a nearby desk perked up and hurried over.
“You approved this?” the deputy demanded.
“Yes, sir.”
“I’ve reviewed Lin Qi’s records carefully. His innate talent is exceptional, and his growth trajectory is rapid.” Xiao Jiang leaned forward, his voice earnest. “Don’t be misled by his 288th place in Tianhai’s Monthly Assessment. His Scarlet List ranking is 50th—tremendous potential. I’d advocate for a B-Rank Contract.”
Ding Liang fell silent, scrolling through the details. Every martial arts gym meticulously compiled student profiles. Years of experience told him Lin Qi was a prodigy.
“Agreed. Let’s take the gamble—he deserves a B-Rank.” Ding rose decisively. “I’ll discuss this with Supervisor Gu immediately.”
In Abyssal Maw, only contracts of B-Rank or higher required executive approval.
The executive office, a lavish space simulating a sunlit beachscape, hosted Supervisor Gu reclining in a chair. Her meticulously made-up face turned toward Ding with languid disinterest.
“Deputy Ding, what is it?”
“I’ve forwarded Lin Qi’s file. He’s a genius worthy of a B-Rank Contract.”
She sipped coffee as the holographic report materialized before her.
After a pause, she replied coolly, “I’ve seen it, but I disagree. My uncle once said Scarlet Realm rankings are unreliable. School assessments remain the most credible metric. Lin Qi’s talent is solid, but a C-Rank Contract suffices. B is premature.”
Ding’s heart sank. “But—”
“Anything else?” she interrupted.
He hesitated, then sighed. “No.”
As he left, bitterness crept in. If I were supervisor…
Inside the office, Supervisor Gu muttered, “Poor Ding’s getting senile. Lin Qi’s rise is just beginner’s luck—his starting point was low. Giving him a C-Rank is generous. A B-Rank would be a liability. Why risk it?”
Meanwhile, at Crimson Vault Martial Arts Pavilion…
“Sun Supervisor!” a junior analyst called. “One A-Rank and nine B-Rank contracts secured. A few undecided.”
Sun nodded. “Focus on C and D-Ranks next. Verify every file—especially those nearing Star Rank status. No genius slips through.”
Three unresolved cases were projected before them. After a glance, Sun declared, “C-Ranks for the first two. For Lin Qi, consult Deputy Master first. This one’s tricky.”
At Black Radiance Martial Arts Gym, a portly contract supervisor skimmed reports.
“Lin Qi—C-Rank,” he grumbled. “Another ‘late bloomer.’ Every year, we get a batch. Their sudden rise in senior year fools people, but nine out of ten fizzle out. We’ve burned too many bonuses chasing ghosts—three in ‘21, four in ‘22. Let Crimson Heaven and Abyssal Maw waste resources on this one.”
Meanwhile, at Tianhai No.2 High School…
Lin Qi, Jiang Tao, and Chen Zichuan exited their office meeting as their phones chimed in unison:
Your Icbc account ending in xxx has received ¥800,000 Xia Kingdom Currency!
Lin Qi grinned at the notification. Even without the Special Genius Loan, he was satisfied—his balance now exceeded ¥1 million.
“Two million more!” Jiang laughed, checking his own windfall. “No rush on signing contracts.”
At lunch, Lin Qi transferred ¥300,000 to his mother via Weixun.
Fang Huiyi replied: Your father and Uncle Fang Zhe discussed it. We’ll use this to repay family loans first. Your father’s income will cover his own debts. Once household loans clear, we’ll repay Uncle slowly—don’t strain yourself.
Lin Qi exhaled, sipping soup. The family’s situation was stabilizing.
His phone buzzed—a new Weixun request:
[Abyssal Maw Martial Arts Gym] Dongfang Qi
So Abyssal Maw wants to discuss the contract…
He accepted. The conversation confirmed his guess. Ten minutes later, in a private booth at a nearby café, a sharply dressed woman in a black blazer greeted him.
“Lin Qi, we’ve evaluated your potential. Abyssal Maw is prepared to invest in your future,” Dongfang Qi stated plainly, presenting her credentials.
Lin Qi verified her identity via the gym’s official website before signaling agreement.
(End of Chapter)
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