Published: February 11, 2025
“Before, this drink had no flavor, but to show off in front of friends, I specifically consulted a sommelier, wrote down what he said, and then boasted about it in front of others. I used to really enjoy that feeling,” Tong Steward remarked as he lifted his wine glass, gazing at the dark red liquid inside. “This situation continued until the apocalypse. I discovered that no one cared whether you could drink red wine or how profound your knowledge about it was. What mattered instead was whether you had evolved and what your evolution level was.”
“So, my pursuit changed; it became the pursuit of strength. If you think about it, the essence of everything remains the same—survival of the fittest, the law of the jungle. In the past, this saying was mostly just a cliché on many people's lips, without deep understanding. However, the apocalypse made those who didn't understand suddenly comprehend. Thus, everyone began to pursue strength, even at the risk of their lives.”
“Because if you don't take risks, you might lose your life as well.”
Tong Steward’s gaze shifted to the man across from him, admiringly stating, “I’m very curious, is the reward of the low-level adventure land so tempting for you? To the point where you gave up collaborating with the best people in this world to gain unimaginable benefits? Mr. Ye Zhongming, can you give me a reasonable explanation?”
Ye Zhongming smiled, “The rewards from the lord's chest are indeed quite good.”
Tong Steward’s expression changed slightly as he pondered before saying, “That’s because you don’t know the rewards of the high-level area. Did you know that in the past forty hours, someone has obtained a six-star evolution potion, and someone else has received golden equipment?”
Ye Zhongming shrugged and didn't respond verbally; instead, he casually took the half bottle of red wine that was left in front of Tong Steward and drank directly from the bottle, without using a glass.
Tong Steward stared at him, expressionless.
“It’s not as good as sour plum soup,” Ye Zhongming remarked, smacking his lips before setting the bottle back on the table.
“Do you know how much this bottle of wine cost before the apocalypse?” Tong Steward placed his hands on the table, leaning forward slightly.
“I don’t know; I’ve never had it. But I do know that this isn’t worth a bottle of one-star evolution potion to me.”
Tong Steward fell silent for a moment before suddenly laughing.
“I want to use this bottle of wine to express my determination to obtain the brightwater realm. Mr. Ye, what are you trying to express with such a crude manner?”
“I’m expressing that I can take it or leave it,” Ye Zhongming replied quickly, while Tong Steward grew increasingly serious, far from his previous composed demeanor. He realized that everything seemed different from his expectations; the boss of Cloud Summit Villa appeared to be very confident.
Tong Steward was unsure where this confidence came from. Was it because he knew the secret of the lord's chest? Or was it because he understood that the ownership of the brightwater realm was still unsettled?
“I hope to obtain your points; you can set a price.”
Faced with Ye Zhongming’s calm demeanor, Tong Steward felt a surge of irritation. He decided to speak plainly.
“Mr. Ye, let me ask you something first,” Ye Zhongming leaned back in his chair.
“Go ahead.”
“Is this lofty attitude you show when speaking to others a habit you developed when you pretended to know how to drink red wine?”
Ye Zhongming flipped his mood as quickly as turning a page in a book: “I don’t know where your confidence comes from. You sit there and expect me to make an offer? Do you think that just because I make an offer, you can afford it? When everyone thought the brightwater realm belonged to you, you might have had the qualification to say that, but now that I know the truth, you still maintain this attitude? Haha, Tong Steward, I must remind you that you can only represent one-fifth of the five rings society, while I represent an organization that stands on equal footing with the five rings society.”