Chapter 114: The Investor [Fifth Update]
After putting away the "Twenty-Four Chapters of Feng Shui Mysticism," Fang Nian opened his mission panel with satisfaction. As expected, all missions had been updated.
Commoner Difficulty: Successfully craft and sell an E-grade hunting ground prop with a profit margin of over 50%.
Mortal Difficulty: Unlock any achievement.
Hell Difficulty: Obtain over ten million in investment for a project in any field and establish your own commercial brand.
Nightmare Difficulty: Not yet unlocked (requires a Demon Key).
Looking at the list, Fang Nian understood the fourth option—it required his only Demon Key. However, the difficulty of the other three had increased significantly. He couldn't quite fathom why the Commoner-level mission, which used to be completed simply by reading a book, now required the crafting and selling of an E-grade prop.
"Xiao Xi, Xiao Xi, why does it seem like the missions have become so much harder?"
The system's voice echoed in his mind. "The system is also capable of upgrading. Now that the host's level allows for the operation of an intermediate system, the difficulty of the missions naturally increases."
Fang Nian was taken aback. "The system can upgrade? Why wasn't that reflected in the menu?"
"The system menu had hidden the level function; it is now active, and you can view it through the menu."
Fang Nian checked the menu and found a new entry beneath his name:
System Level: Intermediate (Mission difficulty increased threefold compared to the primary level).
Fang Nian was speechless. The system upgrade seemed to do nothing but increase the difficulty. However, the system immediately retorted, "The increased difficulty also leads to a marked improvement in the host's cultivation; the growth of all data points is a qualitative leap."
Fang Nian raised an eyebrow, realizing the system had a point. There were pros and cons, and one couldn't expect gains without effort. He let it go.
He turned his attention back to the missions. The Nightmare mission offered substantial rewards but was too perilous, especially with the increased difficulty. The Hell-level mission required negotiating a multi-million dollar deal—a feat beyond his current capacity and capital. "It looks like I'll have to choose between Commoner or Mortal for now."
Although he was confident in the Commoner mission, he felt a bit lazy. He shifted his focus to the Mortal difficulty.
***
He had often noticed the "Achievements" tab in the system menu, but he had never completed a single one. Intrigued, he asked the system, "Xiao Xi, I understand what achievements are, but how do I see which ones I can complete? Why haven't I finished any after all this time?"
"Simply tap the achievement list to view them."
Fang Nian tapped the word "Achievements," and a long list of over a dozen items popped up. He felt a bit foolish for not checking sooner. He scrolled through the progress:
1. Complete 10 hunts in E-grade or higher hunting grounds. (100 achievement points)
2. Obtain an S-grade rating in a D-grade or higher hunting ground. (500 achievement points)
3. Independently construct a D-grade or higher hunting ground. (800 achievement points)
...
The more he read, the colder he felt. In online games, achievements often came in batches, but these were increasingly difficult. Passing a D-grade hunting ground was already a struggle he hadn't yet attempted, let alone achieving an S-grade rating. Just as he was about to give up, he saw the fifteenth achievement:
15. Create an original, unrestricted item that receives ten thousand likes.
Fang Nian's eyes lit up. While not exactly simple, it seemed plausible. It was just about getting likes, right? He could do that. He decisively accepted the mission, determined to break his zero-achievement streak today.
***
When Fang Nian arrived at the Hunting Cloud Pavilion, Fatty and Tan Hong were waiting for him.
Fang Nian greeted Tan Hong and then scolded Fatty, "Fatty, how could you let President Tan wait outside? That’s so impolite. Don't you know she’s our benefactor? If not for her bidding at the auction last time, we wouldn't have had the money for that donation."
Fatty knew Fang Nian was just putting on a show and didn't expose him. He ushered Fang Nian into a Baolong car, where Tan Hong sat in the back with them. Once inside, Fatty began to grumble.
"Old Fang, is your phone just for show? I called all day and you didn't answer once. If you're not going to use it, just throw it away; phone bills aren't cheap these days."
Fang Nian smiled sheepishly. "My apologies, Fatty."
Seeing Fang Nian’s submissive act, Tan Hong couldn't help but chuckle. "Alright, President Feng, let's get down to business."
She turned to Fang Nian and tapped her 3D electronic watch, projecting several sets of data. In the center was a photo of a man in his forties. Even in a static image, the man’s stern expression exuded the authority of someone in a high position.
"President Fang, this is Lu Xiao, the second son of the Lu family from District 10."
Fang Nian frowned. "District 10? The Lu family? What does that have to do with us?"
Tan Hong’s expression turned serious. "When you proposed our cooperation, I was entirely on board. However, given our combined strength, it would be an uphill battle to defeat the Xiao family, who have dominated this cutthroat market for years."
"But now, an opportunity has arisen. Lu Xiao is the person in charge of investments for the Lu family. He’s here in District 16 specifically to scout projects, and he’s brought a massive amount of capital—rumored to be in the hundreds of millions."
"Many companies are rushing to meet him today, the Xiao family included. That’s why we’re in such a hurry; we need to secure this investment before they do."
Fang Nian nodded, studying the data. "What is he looking to invest in? Does he have specific projects in mind?"
Tan Hong pointed to a line of text on the projection: *Investment targets: Hunting ground camps, internet communications, and real estate development.*
Fang Nian sighed, glancing at Lu Xiao’s photo again. "Looks like he’s truly loaded."