"Fortunately, according to my contract with Limit Martial Arts Hall, the first purchase allows me to bypass the contribution point restrictions and acquire items at the optimal price." Luo Feng felt his heart pounding rapidly; he couldn't help it. This was a staggering one hundred million Huaxia Dollars! Buying Zhang Haobai's row house would be a simple feat.
Moreover, Luo Feng's family background had always been modest. To spend a hundred million at once—one could only imagine his state of mind!
"Good thing it's not my money," Luo Feng grinned wryly.
The secret manual purchase was successful. The next steps... acquiring weapons, combat suits, and so on.
"I have twenty million in seed money; I should save wherever I can." Luo Feng clicked open the weapons list page and quickly located the 'Blood Shadow Battle Blade No. 2' series.
Blood Shadow Battle Blade No. 2 Series, Model A1—Price: 100,000 Huaxia Dollars (Full Price) 50,000 Huaxia Dollars (Half Price, Requirement: 1 Contribution Point)
Blood Shadow Battle Blade No. 2 Series, Model A2—Price: 500,000 Huaxia Dollars (Full Price) 250,000 Huaxia Dollars (Half Price, Requirement: 1 Contribution Point)
……
…………Series No. 2, Model A5—Price: 6,000,000 Huaxia Dollars (Full Price), 3,000,000 Huaxia Dollars (Half Price, Requirement: One-Star Contribution Point)
……
Luo Feng carefully examined the descriptions of the various weapon models, unable to suppress a frown. "My strength is improving so quickly now; I believe it won't be long before my physical fitness hits the limit of an Advanced Warrior. When buying weapons, I naturally need to get something better." If he were an ordinary Beginner Warrior martial artist,
Generally, purchasing A2 or A3 would suffice. Here, 1 Contribution Point only required a donation of ten thousand yuan!
In fact, the so-called 1 Contribution Point served to differentiate internal martial artists from those outside the hall. After all, Limit Martial Arts Hall had an internal network—the 'Net Mall' of Limit Home—but they also maintained a physical martial artist marketplace. Martial artists from other factions could purchase items, but they would have to pay the full price!
"Given my rate of improvement, I must buy at least a Model A5 or A6 Blood Shadow Battle Blade," Luo Feng shook his head. "But this model of battle blade requires One-Star Contribution Points!"
"One-Star means ten thousand Contribution Points!"
He recalled that when he bought the secret manual, he could bypass the contribution point requirement for the best price. That discount was exclusive to the very first manual purchase.
But now, buying weapons, combat suits, and other gear offered no such concession.
"The Blood Shadow Battle Blade Model A6 costs 20 million at full price. The A5 model is 6 million at full price." Luo Feng shook his head. The A5 model was capable of fighting most 'Intermediate Beast Generals' monsters without worrying about the weapon breaking. A Model A6 weapon could contend with most 'Advanced Beast Generals' monsters without fear of breakage.
Given how fast he was advancing, lower-tier weapons were clearly unsuitable.
"Buying at full price? Too expensive," Luo Feng murmured.
"Let's look at shields."
Luo Feng opened the shield page again and observed that the shield prices were significantly lower than the battle blades. Model B5, which could withstand an 'Intermediate Beast General,' was 3 million Huaxia Dollars full price, 1.5 million half price—but the contribution point requirement was also One-Star!
"Backpacks."
Survival in the wilderness and fighting monsters demanded backpacks made of specialized equipment. Firstly, the quality of the backpack itself had to be high; secondly, when worn, it must not hinder the martial artist’s movements during skirmishes with monsters.
"Backpacks are the cheapest, requiring only 1 Contribution Point. Getting a decent one only costs a hundred thousand," Luo Feng managed a faint smile.
"The combat communication watch, with satellite positioning, time, calling, and numerous other functions. The price is acceptable too, also around one hundred thousand." In reality, those functions weren't inherently valuable; a few hundred yuan mobile phone on the market today included calling, time display, and satellite positioning. The reason the communication watch cost one hundred thousand lay in the expense of its material!
Fighting a monster, a claw might easily strike the communication watch! For the watch to be sturdy enough to withstand a monster's attack, how could the price be low?
"I've checked the battle blade, shield, watch, and backpack. Only one thing remains... the complete combat suit, including boots." Luo Feng had long heard that a full combat suit was typically the most expensive piece of equipment a martial artist owned! This was because the suit not only needed excellent defense but also required comfort, ensuring it didn't impede the martial artist's swift evasions and movements.
Luo Feng clicked to open the category…
"Heavens!"
"So expensive!"
Luo Feng was utterly dumbfounded. "Even the Model D5 combat suit, capable of resisting Intermediate Beast Generals, complete with arm guards and boots, costs 18 million Huaxia Dollars full price, or 9 million half price. The full price for D6 is an astounding 80 million Huaxia Dollars." He knew combat suits were pricey, but he hadn't expected a Tier 5 suit to be three times more expensive than a battle blade of the same tier!
Now, let's calculate…
Using a uniform Tier 5 configuration—full combat suit 18 million, Blood Shadow Battle Blade 6 million, shield 3 million, totaling 27 million! If he possessed One-Star Contribution Points, it would only cost 13.5 million.
As for the combat watch and backpack, compared to the suit and other gear, they were mere trifles!
"I still need to buy throwing knives, the kind controlled remotely by mental power! I need at least six or ten of them." Luo Feng opened the throwing knife page again. Throwing knives were small items, minute in volume and mass; naturally, their base price was much lower than the Blood Shadow Battle Blade.
Tier 5 throwing knives cost only 50,000 Huaxia Dollars full price.
Tier 6 throwing knives cost only 300,000 Huaxia Dollars full price.
Tier 7 throwing knives were an astonishing 3 million Huaxia Dollars full price, 1.5 million half price (Requirement: Two-Star Contribution Points)—a tenfold increase! Tier 7 throwing knives, if one possessed sufficient strength, could completely injure low-level Overlord-level monsters. The gap between a Beast General and an Overlord was vast, and the weapon prices reflected that difference.
"My mental power is strong, and it will grow rapidly. I intended to buy Tier 7 knives, but one costs 3 million, and the half-price requirement is Two-Star Contribution Points! If I bought five or six, that would be over ten million!"
"How can I afford this?"
"This money simply isn't enough." Luo Feng had initially thought twenty million in seed money was a lot, but now he realized the prices for martial artists' equipment were outrageously high.
In truth, Luo Feng didn't know that these prices weren't exorbitant!
Keep in mind, Overlord-level monsters could not be killed even by missiles! If a throwing knife could pierce such a creature, one could imagine the rigorous demands placed on the knife's material itself! A throwing knife costing 3 million Huaxia Dollars was within a reasonable range.
……
In reality, martial artists spent fortunes on weapons and gear, but in return, they earned immense wealth hunting powerful monsters later on.
Unfortunately, Luo Feng hadn't started earning yet.
※※※※※※※
Around 10 AM the next morning.
In the private garden of Luo Feng’s residence in Mingyue Community, a stranger arrived.
"Mr. Luo Feng, these are the secret manuals you purchased. You can open them using your fingerprint."
Luo Feng took the sealed alloy box handed to him, gliding his finger across the top surface. "Beep! Fingerprint verification passed." An electronic synthesized voice sounded, and the alloy box opened, revealing a book about one centimeter thick, accompanied by two CDs resting on top of it.
"Nine Heavens Thunder Blade," Luo Feng murmured upon reading the four characters on the cover.
"Mr. Luo Feng, please take a look. Once you confirm, please sign here." The delivery man smiled, though a flicker of envy was discernible in his gaze toward Luo Feng.
Nine Heavens Thunder Blade!
Most martial artists couldn't afford this.
"Mr. Luo Feng, I trust you know the prohibitions after purchasing a secret manual?" the delivery man continued with a smile. "According to procedure, I must reiterate... The copyright of the manual belongs to the creator. The purchaser of Nine Heavens Thunder Blade only obtains the right to study it, not the right to transmit it. Copying the manual, selling it privately, or teaching it is strictly forbidden. Should anyone violate this, they will be hunted down jointly by Limit Martial Arts Hall, Thunder God Martial Arts Hall, the Underground Alliance, and the government forces!"
Luo Feng nodded; he was certainly aware of these rules.
After confirming the delivery, the man left.
"Just this one manual, with two CDs, for one hundred million Huaxia Dollars," Luo Feng stood in his garden, sighing deeply. "Creating manuals is truly the most profitable venture. Take Thunder God, for instance; the more people who buy his Nine Heavens Thunder Blade, the more money he earns." A quick calculation made it easy to imagine the sheer wealth Thunder God had amassed.
However... for Thunder God, who founded the 'Thunder God Martial Arts Hall,' money likely held little significance.
×××××
Just as Luo Feng was about to take the manual inside, a voice called out, "Luo Feng."
Luo Feng turned to see the visitor was none other than Wu Tong, the Chief Instructor of the Limit Association Hall.
"Uncle Wu," Luo Feng smiled.
"I just saw the delivery personnel from headquarters. You bought something?" Wu Tong chuckled.
"Mmm," Luo Feng affirmed.
" Nine Heavens Thunder Blade?" Wu Tong spotted the four characters on the manual's cover in Luo Feng's hand, his expression shifting to shock. "You—you actually shelled out for this?" Secret manuals were strictly controlled by the world's major powers.
"It wasn't my money anyway," Luo Feng laughed, then sighed with genuine frustration. "But I have discovered that money is truly insufficient right now. Purchasing the battle blade, combat suit, and other items costs an exorbitant amount."
"Right, Luo Feng, I came mainly to tell you something," Chief Instructor Wu Tong said with a smile. "Not long ago, was there a young man named Zhang Haobai who offended you?"
Luo Feng started slightly. Zhang Haobai? He hadn't even had time to deal with him yet.
"Yes, he once hired people to break my limbs," Luo Feng confirmed.
"It’s like this. Zhang Haobai’s uncle, Zhang Zehu, is a martial artist from Thunder God Martial Arts Hall. He has asked the Chief Instructor of the Thunder God Martial Arts Hall branch here in Yangzhou City to mediate. They wish to settle this matter privately with you," Chief Instructor Wu Tong explained cheerfully. "Luo Feng, aren't you short on cash? This is an opportunity to make a fortune! You can seize this chance to earn a substantial sum!"