Level 1 to Infinity: My Bloodline Is the Ultimate Cheat - Chapter 82

Chapter 82: Sealing the Deal

Beneath the black cloak was, of course, Ethan. On his way back, he had stopped by a tailor’s shop and picked out the largest hooded robe he could find.

For now, he wasn’t ready to reveal that he was the owner behind all three major stores.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, he and NoPaperOnTheBigOne exited the Auction House and headed straight for All-You-Need Potions.

Soon, a notice was posted:

Hiring alchemists. Buying herbs.

Minutes later, a similar announcement went up at All-You-Need Engineering:

Hiring engineers. Buying minerals and various materials.

Ethan left alone this time. The future Mad Engineer was staying behind, now entrusted with managing both the potion and engineering stores.

To get him started, Ethan handed him 1,000 gold in funds and granted him administrative access to both shops. His primary task? Hiring staff.

As for material purchases, Ethan had already set the prices and hired NPCs to handle transactions.

Players would only need to craft items and put them up for sale, NPCs would manage everything else.

And the auction house? That required even less effort. With the fee structure in place, the system handled everything automatically, eliminating any risk of scams or corruption. No need to worry about shady operators skimming off consigned gear.

Opening a shop in the game was easy, as long as you had money.

With everything set, Ethan said his goodbyes to the still-dazed NoPaperOnTheBigOne.

Everything was in order, and he had a manager in place.

Did it matter whether this guy was truly loyal? Not really. Ethan had the contract. No one was running away from a signed deal.

Even Ethan winced a little reading over the contract details, this poor guy had no idea what he had just agreed to.

Completely overwhelmed by Ethan’s financial display, the future Mad Engineer had absentmindedly signed a 200-year contract.

The key terms?

1. Everything he crafted belonged to Ethan.

2. He would receive 15% of the profit from any sales.

3. Ethan would supply all the materials needed.

Additionally, as acting manager of the potion and engineering stores, he would earn 0.5% of the net profits from both. However, Ethan reserved the right to replace him at any time, no questions asked.

Honestly, aside from the ridiculous more than a lifetime employment clause, the profit split was incredibly generous.

Most guilds capped commissions at 10%, some as low as 5%.

Here, he was getting 15%.

So, when NoPaperOnTheBigOne read the contract, his eyes went wide with shock.

“You’re seriously letting me sign this?” he asked, still in disbelief.

“Yeah. Any problems?”

“You… might not know this, but I suck at crafting. Half the time, I lose money making stuff. And even when I do manage to sell something, I barely break even. That’s why I got kicked from my old guild. If I end up losing you money, don’t blame me.”

Despite his words, his hands were shaking slightly as he gripped the contract.

He wanted this deal. Badly.

Ethan just smirked.

“You think I’m short on funds? Even if I take a loss, I’ll live. Besides…” He crossed his arms. “I have a good eye for people. I trust you.”

Ethan’s words hit deep.

The future Mad Engineer felt a wave of emotions surge inside him. It wasn’t about money. It wasn’t about opportunity.

It was about recognition.

When a person was at their lowest, they didn’t need pity or charity. They needed someone to believe in them.

Sometimes, all it took was a single sentence. Ethan’s casual remark shattered his defenses, cutting straight to his core.

With trembling hands, he hesitated at the signature line. Then, after a pause, he looked up at Ethan.

“Fifteen percent feels a little too high. Most crafting players in guilds only get ten percent, and that’s considered generous.”

“Quit complaining and sign it. You’re worth it!” Ethan snapped, pretending to be annoyed. But to the Mad Engineer, those words felt incredibly warm.

As soon as his name was signed, Ethan grinned.

“Alright, you’re mine now. And by the way, your name sucks. From now on, you’re just Mad Engineer. Keep an eye on the shop. I’ve got things to do.”

Before the guy could respond, Ethan had already left the Engineering Store.

—

The plaza was as busy as ever, though much quieter than before. The scattered player-run stalls were gone.

Across from him, the Auction House had a steady stream of players coming and going. Next door, the Potion Store was just as active, with customers trading herbs and potions with NPCs.

Ethan stood there, taking it all in.

Three stores. All his.

He had no doubt, money would never be a problem again.

Sure, the initial investment had been huge—4,000 gold, but in time, these businesses would become unstoppable money machines.

The game’s real-money trading system wouldn’t go live for another six months. That was when players could officially buy and sell in-game assets for real-world currency. When that happened, plots of land, stores, even auction houses would finally be up for sale.

But Ethan had beaten everyone to it.

By the time the rest of the world caught up, his stores would already be established. Players would be used to shopping at his stores.

Latecomers? They’d be picking up scraps.

And once corporations and investors started flooding into the game? If they wanted a piece of his business, they’d pay through the nose for it.

If he had more gold, he would’ve already expanded into the two other cities. But right now, he had 10,000 gold left, and he needed it for something else, the guild.

Currently, Renegade Alliance was only a Level 2 Guild, capped at 1,000 members. The roster had been full for a while now. He would’ve upgraded it sooner, but being red-named had kept him from entering the city.

Now that he was back? It was time.

A Level 4 Guild could hold 10,000 members, but it would cost 6,000 gold.

Expensive? Yes.

Necessary? Absolutely.

If he wanted power, he needed his own force.

Ethan strode into the Guild Hall, didn’t waste a second, and slammed down 6,000 gold. Renegade Alliance instantly became the second Level 4 Guild in Harmony City.

With all his business handled, it was time for gear upgrades.

His current equipment were garbage. And he wasn’t about to waste the Wishbound Relic on trash-tier gear.

A quick glance through the Guild Vault revealed nothing worth taking. So, he turned around and headed straight for his own Auction House to browse the listings.

As he walked, something flickered in his peripheral vision.

A shadow. A figure.

Someone was watching him.