Chapter 214: We are the champions (III)
After Gao Yingjie’s explanation, everyone only nodded their heads. Now they had some idea about their possibilities. But listening to the last point Gao Yingjie talked about, the seven members of the 1st soldier graded Demon Hunt Squad were instantly lit like magical stones.
What was the thing the 1st soldier graded Demon Hunt Squad lacked the most? First of all, it was secret skills. Sima Xian had just broken through to the fifth step, and although usual skills could be learned at the Priest Temple of Holy City, the fifth step for a priest included a few important secret offensive skills. If he could learn them, his strength would increase tremendously.
At the same time, after the 1st graded Demon Hunt Squad obtained the Soul Linking Chains, a piece of equipment at the epic tier, their deficiency of healing abilities became even more evident, and they would need Han Yu to make up for it.
Although as a whole, their team was lacking equipment, their shortage of secret skills was even more important. If they could compensate on this area, they would be able to temporarily ignore the deficiency of their equipment. This was the first benefit their Soul Linking Chains brought them.
Long Haochen originally prefered the second path. Investing 8,000 contribution points to increase his companions’ strength, and then completing missions without sparing any effort sounded to be a good choice. But hearing Gao Yingjie’s talk, they obviously made up their mind.
After a simple discussion, the 1st soldier graded Demon Hunt Squad came to the consensus to first raise the grade of their Demon Hunt Squad!
As for the privilege of learning six secret skills, Long Haochen considered the situation as a whole. In the end he decided to give Sima Xian three of them, so as to boost his force, two to Han Yu, and one to Wang Yuanyuan. Long Haochen, Cai’er, Lin Xin and Chen Ying’er were not in real need for secret skills at the moment.
This was the good point of their team that put emphasis on individual needs. This time Long Haochen obtained the Light Elemental Fairy, as well as the secret skill Raise Flowers into Trees. Furthermore, he had already passed it on to Cai’er, so their strength had already increased sufficiently. As for Lin Xin, he didn’t need support in the field of defensive fire type magic, while Chen Ying’er couldn’t learn any secret skills. This repartition was thus the most reasonable one.
As for their shortage of 1,500 contribution points, after discussing it and refusing Lin Xin’s suggestion of selling drugs, they decided to borrow them.
It was true that selling their pills could get them contribution points in exchange, but everyone agreed that those pills could very possibly be a life assurance for the team in crucial situations.
Therefore, Long Haochen’s first choice was to go look for the 4th soldier grade Demon Hunt Squad. They couldn’t wait any longer out of fear that they already used their contribution points up. Under circumstances where the upgrade to the general grade was not an option yet, increasing their fighting strength was the most important.
Aside from themselves, who ended up as champions, the 4th soldier graded Demon Hunt Squad was the wealthiest other squad they were familiar with. Because of their ranking as second, they had just obtained a reward of 3,000 contribution points. Added up to their original amount, they already possessed over 5,000 contribution points.
In another white villa, Long Haochen saw Luc Xi and Li Xin. The fact Long Haochen went to them first was also greatly related to Li Xin’s presence.
Seeing Long Haochen come to see them, Luc Xi and Li Xin were surprised. After learning Long Haochen’s purpose for coming, Luc Xi got sank into deep contemplation, and Li Xin called the other members of their team.
1,500 contribution points were at the present time no small number for these Demon Hunt Squads of soldier grade. Therefore, this request was not something their vice-captain could take the initiative to decide about.
“Captain Long, please wait. We need to discuss it first.” Luc Xi said to Long Haochen.
Long Haochen nodded with a smile and did an inviting gesture. After coming here, he had been frank and direct as he expressed his purpose, without concealing anything. Of course, the 4th soldier graded Demon Hunt Squad wasn’t his only option, so if he wasn’t successful there, he could still go look for someone else.
Luc Xi led the other five members of his Demon Hunt Squad to a comparatively large room.
“Before everyone expresses their respective opinions on this request, I will give a fast analysis.” Luc Xi said openly, “First, about the 1st Demon Hunt Squad’s strength. Since they want to apply to become a general graded Demon Hunt Squad, it means that the entirety of their team already reached the fifth step at least. Next, do you remember what Gao Yingjie said? When they joined up, Long Haochen and Cai’er managed to slaughter a Bloodthirsty Beta of the seventh step. Although they also ended up seriously wounded, if we were in their stead, would we have been able to display this kind of strength? This time, no one should forget that Long Haochen who ultimately took the first position of the individual competition, also got a Light Elemental Spiritual Stove. If our teams were to compete with each other, although we are also powerful, we can almost not compare with them at all.
Of course, I am not belittling ourselves at all. In terms of potential, we are not necessarily weaker than them. The second point we have to keep in mind is the status of these seven of the 1st Demon Hunt Squad. Among them, I am not clear about Long Haochen’s status, but since he has obtained the protection of the Alliance, one can imagine his importance to the Knight Temple. Cai’er’s great-grandfather is the leader of the Assassin Temple, and from what I know, the mage who cannot attack in their team is the grandson of the Mage Temple’s auxiliary hall master, Lin Chen. Building a good relationship with the 1st Demon Hunt Squad would be a very wise choice to us. Now, everyone may express his own point of view.”
As the sub-captain, Li Xin was naturally the first one to make her speech. After muttering to herself irresolutely, she declared, “Long Haochen is my younger brother, so to ensure impartiality, I will abstain from voicing my opinion.”
For having obtained the second position, the 4th Demon Hunt Squad was obviously quite strong as a team. Within the whole team, only Li Xin and Bai Xiaomo were still at the fourth step, but during these three months of tests, they showed abilities comparable to the fifth step. In particular, Li Xin, who possessed a Rose Unicorn, was of great importance to the team.
The mage of the fifth step of the team, Yi Jun was the next one to speak, “Helping the 1st Demon Hunt Squad will indeed improve our relationship with them greatly. But contribution points are equally important to us. Regardless of whether it is through secret skills or equipment, 1,500 contribution points can increase our strength, and make us more competitive for the following missions.”
Luc Xi revealed a smile, and said, “What if I told you that I have a method for us to gain corresponding benefits at the same time we hand over these 1,500 contribution points?”
Long Haochen had not waited for a long time, when Luc Xi, Li Xin, and the others came back.
“Captain Long, according to our team’s decision, we will lend you these contribution points.” Luc Xi said with a smile.
Long Haochen was pleased, and hurried to declare, “I want to thank everyone from the 4th Demon Hunt Squad on behalf of the 1st Demon Hunt Squad. Please rest at ease: as long as we can make it back alive from the missions, we will definitely return you twice this amount of contribution points together with our thanks.”
Luc Xi shook his head, and replied, “No, there’s no need to return the double of this amount to us. But I have a little suggestion, I wish that Captain Long will agree to it.”
“Mh?” Long Haochen was shaken, “Please speak, Captain Luc.”
Luc Xi smiled, “We wish to share the next mission of your Demon Hunt Squad with you, with the gains splitted in accordance with a 70-30% repartition. Out of these, you would take 70% of it, and we would have the leftover 30%.”
After being slightly startled, Long Haochen’s bright golden eyes took on a deep pondering expression, before he revealed a smile, “As expected, Captain Luc is quite intelligent. All right, I will stand for the 1st Demon Hunt Squad to give you my word.”
At the side of Luc Xi, Li Xin wrinkled her brows, “Haochen, don’t you have to discuss it with your teammates?”
Long Haochen shook his head with a smile, and replied, “Since it is beneficial for both parties, I believe I should be able to convince them.”
With this unwavering stance, this simple behaviour, Long Haochen already proved his authority and leading power within his team.
Luc Xi’s eyes lit up, and he said, “Since this is the case, I will now transmit the contribution points to you. I am waiting for Captain Long’s good news.”
Quickly, these two captains performed the exchange of contribution points and Long Haochen took his leave.
The words “beneficial for both parties” were absolutely not just hot air. Luc Xi was intelligent, but was he not? Since the 4th Demon Hunt Squad could win the second position of the team contest, overtaking Yang Wenzhao’s 2nd soldier grade Demon Hunt Squad, and Duan Yi’s 3rd soldier grade Demon Hunt Squad, their strength as a whole was already clear. And although Long Haochen’s group already had the qualifications to promote their Demon Hunt Squad to the general grade, without doubt, they were bound to be the weakest of the Demon Hunt Squads of general grade. Since the missions of general grade were definitely not easy, they would surely face quite a few challenges. If they shared their first mission of general grade with them, with everyone keeping watch and defending each other, it could definitely be regarded as beneficial for both parties. To say nothing of the fact that their 1st Demon Hunt Squad would still reap the gains of seven people.
In the same fashion, from the 4th Demon Hunt Squad’s point of view, Luc Xi’s choice was the most clever. Missions of general grade and missions of soldier grade were absolutely not of the same difficulty, and the final rewards would definitely be a lot richer. And he believed that Long Haochen would surely find a mission that would be well-rewarded enough for both of them to profit, or even a series of missions. Compared to the little missions of soldier grade they could take, this would be a much more effective shortcut to gain points. Maybe with a single mission, their distance to the general grade would be greatly reduced.
Gazing at Long Haochen’s leaving figure, Luc Xi turned around and sincerely bowed to the other members of his 4th Demon Hunt Squad, “Since Long Haochen’s group could do so, we should also be able to do it. How about we also divide our contribution points evenly, what does everyone think about it?”
Li Xin was immediately hit by a bright idea, “Or what about unifying our contribution points as a whole? The ones in need would be the ones to take them!”
The others’ eyes immediately lit up.
Luc Xi started, “This is a good idea. I have another suggestion. Li Xin, from today onwards, you will temporarily replace me as the captain.”
Li Xin blanked out, but quickly understood what he meant by that. And Luc Xi hurried to dissolve her doubts, “Don’t misunderstand, I don’t want to make use of the relationship between Long Haochen and yourself. I just feel that it will be easier for the two of you to communicate, as brother and sister, and also as fellow knights. This would make it easier to our both teams.”