567 Give or Take

As soon as Anna heard these words, she left the President’s Office to invite President Henry over.

After watching Anna leave, Shi Feng examined the documents on the table.

These documents were the business listings of the Starstreak Trading Firm’s purchases, shipments, and other such dealings. However, all of these dealings had been organized by Anna herself.

Anna was an NPC who possessed 91 Intelligence. Such NPCs were extremely rare in God’s Domain. If she became a guard, her potential would be nearly limitless.

Hence, Shi Feng wished to negotiate with Henry.

The quests that NPCs commissioned were not without room for change. It only depended on whether or not the player involved possessed the strength to make such changes.

Previously, the reward they had agreed upon was a Tier 4 magic scroll that would allow him to reach the Dark Den easily and obtain the Bible of Darkness.

However, Shi Feng felt that something was amiss.

No matter how one looked at it, the task of managing the Starstreak Trading Firm was one part of an Epic Quest. The reward for completing it should not be limited to just the tool required to proceed to the next phase. If it were so, what’s the difference between obtaining a reward and not obtaining one?

Thus, Shi Feng felt that he could fight for more as there might be some mysteries hidden within.

It was especially true for the assistant, Anna.

After the battle with the Dragon-Phoenix Pavilion, the various large Guilds in God’s Domain had begun thinking of ways to obtain powerful NPC guards.

However, how could powerful guards possibly be that easy to find?

Take Anna for example. She was an extremely powerful guard. However, who would possibly believe that a weak and delicate young lady like her could become a guard with vast potential?

If Shi Feng had not accidentally looked at Anna’s Attributes, he, too, would not have realized that she was so capable.

If he allowed Anna to become an Adventurer, with her Intelligence, she could reach astonishing heights. Although she would not be as powerful as Kite, she might still become a Fine-Gold ranked guard.

Dark-Gold ranked guards were legends in God’s Domain. Based on Shi Feng’s understanding, only a few people had managed to recruit Dark-Gold ranked guards in the past. The guards owned by the majority of the players in the game were Bronze or Mysterious-Iron rank. Even finding a Secret-Silver ranked guard was considered lucky, not to mention Fine-Gold rank.

Although a Fine-Gold ranked guard was not invincible against enemies of the same Tier and Level, it was still significantly stronger than monsters of the same Tier. Fighting players of the same Tier and Level would be even easier. Furthermore, Anna was a magical class.

The majority of the NPCs in God’s Domain were physical classes; magical classes were very rare.

Magical classes were different from physical classes. They could not be used against Bosses and could only attack from the rear line.

To a Guild, however, a magical class’s value far surpassed a physical class.

Magical class NPCs knew plenty of AOE spells and possessed strategic-level large-scale destruction spells. In a Guild War or against Field Bosses, these NPCs were frightening existences. Hence, the various large Guilds would usually prioritize magical class NPCs as their Personal Guards.

Because of this, on the market, the value of a Bronze ranked magical guard could rival even that of a Mysterious-Iron ranked physical guard.

If Anna were a Fine-Gold ranked magical guard, she would be no less valuable than Kite.

“No matter what, I must obtain Anna.” Shi Feng grew excited just thinking about it.

As a Viscount, he only had two slots for Personal Guards. If he could fill those slots with a Dark-Gold ranked physical guard and a Fine-Gold ranked magical guard… A combination like that would have scared people to death in his past life.

With the presence of these two Personal Guards, defeating a Field Boss of the same Tier would be an effortless task.

After Shi Feng had waited in the magnificent and grand President’s Office for some time, the dignified and elegant President Henry entered the room.

However, behind President Henry was a Level 180 Tier 3 Berserker.

Shi Feng could not help but frown slightly.

Whether it was among players or NPCs, a Tier 3 class was considered a big shot. In White River City, such an NPC would be at the same level as an overlord.

Although the Starstreak Trading Firm was one of White River City’s top trading firms, it definitely could not afford to hire a Level 180 Berserker King as a guard.

“Your Excellency Ye Feng, you have truly surprised me. I did not expect that you would actually complete this quest so quickly!” Henry chuckled. “Here, allow me to introduce you. This man beside me is the Berserker King Schneider. He is an expert our trading firm has invited from Star-Moon City to annihilate the Black Scorpion Corps.”

“Greetings, Your Majesty Schneider, I am Ye Feng, an Adventurer,” Shi Feng introduced himself.

In response, however, Schneider only glanced at Shi Feng without saying a word. He showed no signs of being interested in Shi Feng’s acquaintance.

However, Shi Feng was not bothered by Schneider’s reaction. In truth, NPCs in God’s Domain were largely similar to real humans. A Tier 3 Berserker King NPC like Schneider was considered a powerful force in a city like White River City. On the other hand, Shi Feng was only a Tier 1 player. In Schneider’s eyes, he was no different than an ant.

Humans would not speak to ants. Schneider’s attitude towards Shi Feng was normal.

In the past, while Shi Feng had been working on a quest, even though he was a Tier 3 Sword King, a Tier 4 NPC had robbed him. One could say that Shi Feng had long since grown accustomed to such behavior.

Of course, if Shi Feng were currently a Tier 3 player, Schneider would not be treating him so coldly.

In the past virtual reality games, NPCs had always felt distant, detached. It felt as if NPCs and players lived in two different worlds. However, the NPCs of God’s Domain were different; they were extremely lifelike. If a player treated these NPCs as stupid and useless objects, then these NPCs would grant said player the full experience of passing through hell.

“May I know what Your Excellency wishes to discuss with me?” Henry asked, not paying any heed to Shi Feng and Schneider’s exchange.

“I want to make a deal with you,” Shi Feng stated. Laughing, he continued, “While I have been responsible for managing the Starstreak Trading Firm, Anna has helped me significantly. It was only because of her that I have lived up to your expectations and reached the goal of earning 30,000 Gold. Hence, I now wish to recruit Miss Anna as my personal assistant. Naturally, I am willing to pay the appropriate price.

“Aside from the 30,000 Gold you have requested, I am willing to offer an additional 3,000 Gold. May I know what you think of this offer?”

Anna, who stood beside Shi Feng, was stunned, her delicate mouth parting as she stared at Shi Feng in disbelief. The advanced NPCs working at the trading firm only made a monthly salary of several Gold. Yet, Shi Feng had offered 3,000 Gold to poach her.

Anna wasn’t the only person who was shocked. Even Schneider, who had paid Shi Feng no mind, was awestruck.

As a Tier 3 Berserker King, he had only been offered 1,000 Gold to deal with the Black Scorpion Corps. That was enough to allow him to purchase an Epic item to increase his strength. Naturally, if he could recover the Starstreak Trading Firm’s stolen merchandise, he could earn a bonus. Even then, however, he would not earn as much as 3,000 Gold.

At this moment, Schneider no longer looked at Shi Feng as if he were an ant; his gaze towards the layer had softened.

Henry squinted his eyes as he evaluated Shi Feng carefully.

After a short moment, he sighed, smiling as he said, “Your Excellency Ye Feng, it is not that I do not wish to let Anna go, but our Starstreak Trading Firm simply cannot do without Anna. Just like how Your Excellency has taken a liking to Anna’s talent, it is only because of her that the Starstreak Trading Firm has its position today. Please forgive me for refusing your offer.”

“Five thousand Gold!” Shi Feng made a new offer without hesitation.

To NPCs, this was an astronomical price.

Such an amount of money was sufficient for the Starstreak Trading Firm to hire several hundred advanced NPCs.

“This… won’t do. As you can see, Anna is responsible for so much daily profit. For the sake of the trading firm, I am afraid I cannot accept your offer,” Henry said, his expression revealing his struggle.

Merchants were all about profits!

This held true in both the real world and the virtual world.

“Six thousand Gold. I won’t go any higher. If you still refuse my offer, I can only choose to hire Mister Schneider beside you and have him take Anna’s contract for me by force,” Shi Feng said as he looked at Schneider, grinning.