Cultivating a martial artist, even at the lowest realm of acquired body tempering, requires immense resources from a family.
Much less, with the Shi family's background, most martial artists are at least at the acquired Ming Jin level.
A hundred acquired Ming Jin martial artists, even without modification, could be considered a formidable force if simply deployed.
Yet, on the side of the Dark Shadow organization, they expect to lose half of them!
The Shi family head's heart began to pound.
Was collaborating with the Dark Shadow organization truly reliable?
Dark Shadow naturally noticed the Shi family head's hesitation but merely chuckled, remaining silent.
He quietly waited for the Shi family head to consider it himself.
After a moment.
Shi Lifeng, seeing that the Shi family head had not agreed for a long time, grew anxious.
It's just a hundred martial artists, is it?
As the saying goes, pain is not felt until it's your own!
Although the Zhang family only provided thirty martial artists back then.
Shi Lifeng still felt that a hundred martial artists from the Shi family was not a big deal.
So, she began to persuade him.
"Brother, you know the capabilities of the Qi martial artists."
"If the modification is successful, it's not simply one plus one equals two; their strength will leap forward!"
"One hundred martial artists is not too many!"
Shi Lifeng knew that the Shi family, including its collateral branches, had at least over ninety martial artists.
By adding a few more Shi family members, wouldn't that be enough?
Why is the Shi family head in such a difficult position!
The Shi family head glanced at Shi Lifeng without speaking. Instead, he looked up at Dark Shadow and asked, "Then what benefits will the Shi family receive?"
Dark Shadow applauded, his voice hoarse like fingernails scraping on frosted glass.
Grating!
"Well said. The Dark Shadow organization, in addition to the forty modified Qi martial artists, will also dispatch fifty Qi martial artists to assist the Shi family. Is that sufficient?"
"However, let's be clear: after the Xie family is dealt with, you must give us sixty percent of the profits."
Dark Shadow's words indeed made the Shi family head's heart stir.
After all, with their combined forces, it would be over a hundred Qi martial artists!
Such a power, anywhere, would be considered a hegemon.
As for the sixty percent profit from the Xie family, the Shi family head felt it was acceptable.
After all, the Dark Shadow organization was contributing more effort!
But soon, Dark Shadow's next words made the Shi family head feel as disgusted as if he had eaten a fly!
"If you are still not satisfied with this, then the Dark Shadow organization is not necessarily bound to cooperate with the Shi family."
"After all, being able to modify forty Qi martial artists for you is already an act of extreme benevolence!"
"If it weren't for the past friendship with Madam Zhang..."
Dark Shadow understood human psychology.
Normal people would resent losses.
Naturally, their focus would shift to the sixty martial artists who were lost.
But if their gains were emphasized, it could reignite desire!
As for Dark Shadow's friendship with Shi Lifeng?
Don't be ridiculous.
The one who had been collaborating with the Dark Shadow organization all along was Zhang Deshuang.
And Zhang Deshuang was the one who appeared.
Before this, Dark Shadow and Shi Lifeng had never even met!
Where did this friendship come from?
Yet, the words were spoken flawlessly, causing the Shi family head to truly hesitate.
After a moment.
The Shi family head gritted his teeth, "Alright, give me three days. I will gather the people."
"Three days?" Dark Shadow expressed dissatisfaction. "You have at most one day. The modification also takes time. Don't let it drag on until the fight with the Xie family and the Qi martial artists are still not modified."
The Shi family head could not refute this.
After considering it for a moment, he could only brace himself and agree!
After they discussed the details of the cooperation for a while.
The Shi family head then quietly left with Shi Lifeng.
From beginning to end, neither of them mentioned anything about the Zhang family.
So, once they got into the car.
Shi Lifeng said to the Shi family head with considerable dissatisfaction.
"Brother, why didn't you mention Deshuang and the others?"
"They are still imprisoned in the Dragon Group, waiting to be rescued!"
According to Shi Lifeng's original plan.
They should have rescued Zhang Deshuang and Zhang Shaohua first, and then the Shi family, along with the Zhang family and the Dark Shadow organization, would have jointly dealt with the Xie family.
Now, look.
The Shi family head didn't even mention it?
This was truly disappointing!
The Shi family head had no intention of rescuing Zhang Deshuang.
He was merely using Shi Lifeng to get in touch with the Dark Shadow organization.
Hearing this now, he frowned slightly, showing a hint of displeasure.
What was this tone of interrogation?
Was it Shi Lifeng's place to order him around!
However, the Shi family head still needed Shi Lifeng, so he suppressed his urge to scold her and took a deep breath.
"Lifeng, you are too impatient!"
"If we mention the Zhang family now, will the Dark Shadow organization help? They are a group that only acts when there are profits!"
"Only after we have dealt with the Xie family, divided the profits, and strengthened ourselves, can we go and rescue Zhang Deshuang and his son."
The Shi family head's words were indeed logical.
If Old Master Xie were here, hearing this, he would have spat at him.
Unfortunately, Shi Lifeng was the one present.
Her mind wasn't particularly sharp to begin with, and having been a housewife for too long, her thinking abilities had dulled.
Hearing the Shi family head's words at first, she felt they made sense and didn't delve any deeper.
"Alright, then we must be quick. Deshuang and Shaohua, who knows what torture they might be enduring."
The Shi family head naturally gave a perfunctory agreement and then closed his eyes to rest.
Seeing this, Shi Lifeng didn't say anything more.
In the following few days.
The Shi family successively gathered a hundred martial artists and provided them to Dark Shadow himself.
As the Shi family struggled to gather a hundred, they also borrowed many of the remaining martial artists from the Zhang family.
Regarding this, the Shi family head's explanation was:
They must cooperate with the Dark Shadow organization as soon as possible to rescue Zhang Deshuang.
This made Shi Lifeng obediently hand over the people.
Of course, while the Shi family was hastily gathering martial artists, they did not forget to make a move against the Xie family.
In terms of business.
The Shi family had already launched multiple attacks on the Xie family's industries.
However, these were all preliminary probes and minor skirmishes.
They had not yet caused any serious damage to the Xie family.
But this had already sent a message to various levels of Jiangnan City.
That is, the Shi family was about to make a move against the Xie family!
The Xie family was not to be trifled with either.
In the following days, Zhou Yu repeatedly led Xie Yu to negotiate.
Preliminary agreements had been reached.
Today was the day when the Xie family head personally visited to finalize the cooperation!
The Xie family head dressed himself neatly at noon, preparing to go out.
"Dad, can you take me along this time?" Xie Shishi pleaded.
Previously, it was inconvenient to bring Xie Shishi along as the matter was not yet settled, lest Xie Shishi say something that would displease the Zhu family.
Now, with the cooperation basically finalized, it should be fine to bring someone along!
Xie Shishi was just curious and wanted to go for fun!
The Xie family head looked at Zhou Yu with a helpless expression and said, "Divine Doctor Zhou, Shishi's request..."