The Programmer Cultivator

Chapter 44: Chapter 42: Resources Department

Zuo Jiagu kept smiling, but his eyes held a dark glint as he continued,

”As for the verbal option, once we’ve gathered the intel, we’ll deliver it to you in person. During that meeting, we won’t give you anything that could trace back to us as the source.

There will be no record of the transaction afterward.

Even if you come back and ask about it later, we’ll deny everything.

This is a precaution against any potential trouble.

By the way, I should remind you that even for the exact same information, the price is significantly higher if you choose the verbal delivery option.”

Zhang Deming looked at Zuo Jiagu. The man was smiling faintly.

As someone who had lived two lives, Zhang Deming instantly understood the difference between the two methods.

’They’re offering different services based entirely on the client’s motive.’

’The first option is for personal background checks, just for getting to know someone. The second is basically an intelligence report. Heh, who knows what someone would use that for?’

’Whoever came up with this distinction is a business genius.’

After a moment of contemplation, Zhang Deming said, ”Let’s start with the prices for Lu Ze. What are the two options?”

Zuo Jiagu heard the question and replied, ”Senior Brother Lu Ze is a prominent figure in Little Hui Peak’s Close Combat Department. He’s also on close terms with several disciples who are about to enter the Inner Sect.

Based on that, his personal profile would cost somewhere between one and three Spirit Stones.

If you want the other type of information, Senior Brother Zhang, we would have to conduct our investigation before we could give you a price.

If you decide to go with that option, you’ll need to pay a deposit upfront.”

”How much is the deposit?” Zhang Deming asked.

For the first time, Zuo Jiagu’s wide smile vanished. ”Two Spirit Stones,” he said. ”And once we have the information, you can’t cancel the deal without a valid reason, Senior Brother Zhang.

Of course, if the cost of the information turns out to be excessively high, we will inform you beforehand. It will be up to you to decide whether we should proceed.

We won’t suddenly show up with a pile of intel and demand you pay eight or ten Spirit Stones. We don’t run scams like that.”

Zhang Deming considered this for a moment. ”Do you accept payment in goods?”

Zuo Jiagu was taken aback by the sudden question. He nodded and said, ”We only accept goods related to the Resources Department, and we value them at the current market rate.”

Zhang Deming nodded. He took out the Spirit Rice he had just received, set aside one pound for himself, and tossed the remaining four pounds to the portly young man. ”Here,” he said. ”This should cover the deposit, right?”

One Spirit Stone for two pounds of Spirit Rice was a stable, well-known price.

Zuo Jiagu caught the Spirit Rice, looking a bit stunned. ”No problem,” he said.

Seeing this, Zhang Deming gathered his other belongings. ”I’ll be waiting for your good news, then.”

With that said, he turned and went straight back inside.

’So is this mysterious Senior Brother Zhang a hidden master, just as I suspected? Or is he just a reckless fool who doesn’t know any better?’

Zuo Jiagu stood there for a long time, holding the Spirit Rice and watching Zhang Deming’s silhouette disappear into the loft. The thoughts swirled in his mind.

Based on what he knew so far, the fact that Zhang Deming was buying verbal intel to investigate someone right after being hassled twice fit the profile of a hidden master.

’But the way he just paid the deposit... why does that make him seem like a completely reckless amateur?’

His mind wandered for a moment before he shook his head, casting another glance at the distant loft. He stopped overthinking it. ’In any case, it has nothing to do with me.’

With the Spirit Rice in hand, he turned and left Qingyou Pool.

「...」

Early the next morning, Zhang Deming finished his daily casting practice.

After tidying up, he went out again.

He had been on Little Hui Peak for almost a month, and today was the first time he was leaving it.

When he reached the base of Little Hui Peak, the Light Wings at his heels began to vibrate faintly. In the next instant, Zhang Deming shot forward like an arrow.

As he sprinted, he drew envious looks from many of the unfamiliar disciples he passed.

After running for a moment, Zhang Deming’s expression flickered, and he looked up at the surrounding trees.

Slightly bending his legs, he leaped up with a single bound. The trembling of the Light Wings at his heels sped up considerably.

Zhang Deming immediately felt lighter, more agile. He began to leap swiftly from treetop to treetop.

The gentle breeze caressed his face as he ran and leaped across the treetops, facing the morning sun.

It felt exhilarating, like a hero from the stories flying with Qinggong, full of unrestrained spirit.

”WOO... HOO...”

Giving in to the moment, Zhang Deming spread his arms and couldn’t help but let out a few whoops of joy.

”What are you howling for? You got a death wish this early in the morning?”

Zhang Deming followed the sound with his eyes. Down in the forest below, he could vaguely make out a Law Enforcement Team squad, also running at high speed.

They moved in a swift, orderly formation, clearly on patrol in the mountains.

Just then, one of them looked up, his gaze meeting Zhang Deming’s.

”Ah, the Sect is just so beautiful. I couldn’t help but express my feelings,” Zhang Deming said with a smile.

”...”

At his words, several other members of the Law Enforcement Team turned to look at him.

”Interesting kid. Got a sense of humor,” the one who had first yelled at him muttered.

Before Zhang Deming could say anything else, the squad abruptly changed direction and ran off, their patrol route clearly taking them elsewhere.

Zhang Deming shook his head. He could feel that running on the treetops like he was using Qinggong required his Light Wings to vibrate constantly to lighten his body, which multiplied his Spiritual Qi consumption several times over.

With a light leap, he jumped down and started running on the ground again, more sensibly this time.

A brief experience in the treetops was enough. After all, the Agility Technique was no Swift Technique—a Tier Two, Secret Level Mid Grade Skill.

Leaping around like that was still a bit too taxing for him at his current level.

He ran hard for a long time, and the surrounding mountains began to give way to lower elevations.

A short while later, Zhang Deming arrived back at the Outer Sect Headquarters, on that same bustling little mountain peak.

He went to the main office of the Resources Department and fished out the last three Spirit Stones from his pocket.

Zhang Deming walked up to a window for resource-to-Contribution Point exchanges. Since it was early, there was no line.

Zhang Deming went straight to the window and looked at the slightly chubby disciple inside, feeling a bit curious.

’Does the Resources Department have that many perks?’

’Why is everyone who works here chubby?’

He suppressed the strange thought, knocked on the window, and roused the dazed, chubby young man.

”I’m here to turn in resources for Contribution Points,” Zhang Deming said after the young man slid the window open.

The youth replied in a practiced, monotonous tone, ”What resources are you submitting for Contribution Points?”

”Spirit Stones,” Zhang Deming said.

”The exchange rate for Spirit Stones is fixed at one Contribution Point per stone. However, Outer Disciples have an annual limit. You can only exchange for a maximum of ten Contribution Points per year using Spirit Stones.

Please swipe your card. I need to check your exchange history,” the drowsy-eyed youth said, still in that same monotonous voice.

Zhang Deming swiped his card as requested.

The clerk glanced at the record. ”Hmm... you haven’t made any exchanges this year, so you have the full ten-point quota available. How many are you exchanging, Junior Brother?”

Zhang Deming tossed the only three Spirit Stones he had onto the counter—which was precisely why he had to barter with his rice earlier. He said:

”Three! And exchange those Contribution Points directly for an Entry Order to the Scripture Pavilion.”