Ning Zhuo abruptly stood up, his voice even louder, drowning out Yuan Er’s: “Cease this reckless slander! How did we assassinate you, how did we plot against your monkey pets? Do you have any proof?”

“Can you provide evidence?!”

Yuan Er was taken aback, his eyes bloodshot, even more enraged. He pointed a finger at Ning Zhuo, his eyes glinting with malice, a murderous aura leaking out: “Bah, you little thief, daring to come to my home. You deserve death, you deserve death!”

Ning Zhuo raised his chin, directly stepping forward, going around the desk, approaching Yuan Er, shouting as he did so: “Come, come, come! This humble one’s good head is right here, please, Head Yuan, feel free to take it.”

He approached step by step. Yuan Er, overwhelmed by his aura, wanted to retreat, but was blocked by the chair and plopped down.

He, a dignified Foundation Establishment cultivator, was being forced into such a state by a Qi Refining stage young man. If outsiders were to see this, his prestige would be utterly ruined.

Seeing this, Ning Zhuo laughed heartily, not continuing to press, but instead retreating a few steps, his voice becoming gentler: “Head Yuan, you are a clever man.”

“Since I was ordered here to recruit you, I naturally have means to protect myself, let’s not mention that for now.”

“But if I were to be slightly injured here, what do you think Lord Fei Si would think? What would my Ning family do? How would the Flying Disc Workshop retaliate?”

Yuan Er was intimidated. He gritted his teeth, clenching his fists so tightly that his fingernails dug into his flesh, drawing blood.

However, this pain was nothing compared to the humiliation he felt at this moment, the anger and hatred in his heart!

Ning Zhuo seemed completely relaxed, however. He clasped his hands behind his back, pacing within the small study.

If Yuan Er were to become enraged and lash out, a Foundation Establishment cultivator’s furious strike would certainly end Ning Zhuo’s life. But he walked with a leisurely air, because he knew that the more composed and confident he appeared, the more he would intimidate his opponent.

Ning Zhuo raised his head, speaking eloquently, beginning to recount the life experiences of Yuan Yi and Yuan Dasheng, describing the Monkey Head Gang’s rise to power, with the key battles described in exhaustive detail.

This feeling of being known inside and out sent a chill down Yuan Er’s spine.

Even though his opponent was merely a Qi Refining third level cultivator, Yuan Er felt as if Ning Zhuo were a giant beast opening its maw, about to devour him, the entire Monkey Head Gang!

Ning Zhuo once again walked in front of Yuan Er, his gaze so sharp it seemed to pierce to the bottom of his heart: “Head Yuan, your father and your monkey uncle fought with their lives for an entire lifetime, barely scraping together this foundation. Will it be ruined in your hands?”

“Are you willing to let that happen? Can you face your father, face your monkey uncle?”

Yuan Er glared: “I’ve fallen into this state, all because of you people!”

“No, you are wrong!” Ning Zhuo waved his hand, “Even if it wasn’t us, it would be someone else! This world is a jungle where the strong prey on the weak. If you are weak, you will naturally become food for the strong.”

“Otherwise, how did your father and your monkey uncle rise to power? How was the Monkey Head Gang formed?”

“Your current thoughts, are they not the same as the thoughts of those failures you trampled underfoot?”

“Stop blaming fate, Head Yuan.”

“Such thoughts are too cowardly, leave some dignity for your father, for your monkey uncle!”

Yuan Er continued to glare, but was unable to speak.

He came from a gang background, and deep down believed in the law of the jungle, leaving him no room to refute.

Ning Zhuo raised his head, returning to the topic: “Join us, and we can help you, only we will step in to help you.”

Yuan Er took a deep breath: “How will you help me?”

Ning Zhuo turned around, clasping his hands behind his back, taking a few steps, leaving only his back to Yuan Er. His tone was soft: “Are you aware of the relationship between the Flying Disc Workshop and Lord Fei Si?”

“Let me tell you a secret, forty percent of the profits from the sale of mechanical monkeys goes to Lord Fei Si.”

“Although Lord Fei Si would never admit it openly, with just a little bit of care, your life would be completely different.”

“This relationship alone is enough for you to intimidate those ambitious elders.”

Yuan Er took another deep breath.

He felt resentment welling up again in his heart.

“So, the Flying Disc Workshop is so powerful because it has a business relationship with Fei Si, because Fei Si is supporting it from behind.”

“How ugly, how truly ugly and corrupt!”

“No wonder I, my Monkey Head Gang, am being bullied so miserably.”

“With a Golden Core cultivator supporting them from behind, and the ruthless Fei Si, how can we win?!”

The more Yuan Er thought about it, the more grief-stricken he became, unable to muster any more courage.

Ning Zhuo had been paying attention to every change in Yuan Er’s expression. He spoke again: “Not only that, but we will also sell a large number of mechanical monkeys to you.”

“From now on, you must abandon monkey pets and switch to using mechanical fire-blast monkeys.”

Yuan Er was stunned upon hearing this, and then said: “That’s impossible! If I announce such an order, I’ll be overthrown immediately, they will never obey such an absurd order.”

Ning Zhuo laughed heartily, having long been prepared, and immediately replied: “Of course I won’t let you lose your position as gang leader.”

“You only need to tell them that the Flying Disc Workshop won’t touch the future fire-persimmon picking business, it will all be yours, the Monkey Head Gang’s!”

“The only prerequisite is that you must use mechanical fire-blast monkeys, abandoning all monkey pets.”

Yuan Er was incredulous: “What did you say?”

Ning Zhuo chuckled: “You didn’t think we, the Flying Disc Workshop, wanted to snatch your business, did you?”

“You’re thinking too small, your vision is too narrow.”

“We have a close relationship with Lord Fei Si, with intertwined interests. If we were to seize the business of picking fire-persimmons, wouldn’t that be competing with the people for profit? That would be extremely detrimental to Lord Fei Si’s reputation, he would never do that.”

“We only sell mechanical fire-blast monkeys, reducing the risk of picking fire-persimmons, reducing personnel casualties, benefiting the country and the people, that’s what makes a good story.”

Yuan Er’s face turned pale, and for a moment he felt incredibly absurd!

All along, he had thought that the other party wanted to seize the Monkey Head Gang’s foundation for survival, so he had fought with all his might, never expecting that the other party’s ambitions were not here.

Then why were they so nervous before, as if facing a great enemy, making all sorts of moves? What was it all for?

Ning Zhuo seemed to be able to read minds: “Head Yuan, don’t overthink it.”

“If you continue to use monkey pets, you are our enemy. If you use mechanical fire-blast monkeys, you are our guests!”

“The difference between an enemy and a guest, even a child knows it, right?”

“According to Lord Fei Si’s meaning, the future Fire-Persimmon City no longer needs such outdated picking methods as monkey pets.”

“Every monkey is a living life, how can you be so cruel?”

“Mechanical monkeys are so much better, they are not afraid of death, and their efficiency is extremely high.”

“I guarantee you that as long as you join us, we will secretly sell special models of mechanical monkeys to you. These monkeys will be superior to regular models in all aspects.”

“This alone is enough for your Monkey Head Gang to establish a significant advantage in the matter of picking fire-persimmons.”

Yuan Er’s heart sank to the bottom. He was very clear that if he agreed to this condition, from then on, he would have to rely on others for everything. The supply and maintenance of mechanical monkeys would depend on the Flying Disc Workshop. The entire Monkey Head Gang would have its lifeline strangled.

The Flying Disc Workshop, on the other hand, would be able to greatly increase its influence on the entire market through them.

The Monkey Head Gang still had to guard against competitors snatching their business, while the Flying Disc Workshop would sit back and collect money, watching the tigers fight from the mountain, without staining a single drop of blood.

“What a calculation, what a truly brilliant calculation!” Yuan Er cried out in despair, no longer having any fighting spirit.

A glint flashed in Ning Zhuo’s eyes: “Head Yuan, have you figured it out?”

Yuan Er’s heart was filled with sorrow. Now that things had come to this, did he still have a choice?

From the moment of the explosion in the Thousand-Year Fire-Persimmon Forest, he had completely lost, he had no choice at all!

Therefore, Yuan Er went around the desk and stood in front of Ning Zhuo.

He took a deep breath, enduring the grief and anger in his heart, bowed and saluted, his voice trembling: “Yuan Er, pays respects to Mister Ning!”