Artifact Report

Chapter 56: The Contract with the Fu Tailan Morgan Family

For the average student, this school, which they would never come to if they could avoid it, is the closest thing to a vacation that Fu Tailan has.

He was still leaning lazily in his seat, and everyone from the previous class had left.

He didn't know where the classroom for the next class was because he had no idea what the next class was.

This winter is particularly long. It is almost March, and the trees outside the window, some pale and some pitch black, are still stretching out branches covered with thin snow towards the gray sky.

He could remain silent and watch the lonely colors of the world for the entire morning. Even when the next class started, no one would rush him.

The whole school knew that he was just a spectator on the shore, standing outside the rules, schoolwork and conventions. The ringing of the bell might shatter his reflection in the pool of water.

He was already in eleventh grade, but he didn't have to worry about his GPA and hadn't looked at any university's information.

It was optional for him to attend classes or not; his father had already informed the school, so if he wanted to, he could stand up and leave at any time without anyone asking any questions.

Fu Tailan had never asked how the greeting was done, nor was he interested in knowing.

Even completing the required graduation credits was something he decided to do on a whim; if Fu Tailan decided not to come to school again, his father would have no objection at all - in fact, he would be even happier.

What did he say?

Oh, yes.

"The world has its preferences. Some people are born with talents that ordinary people could never achieve even with their entire lives of hard work," his father had advised him more than once. "Tai Lan, you're one of those lucky ones. No, you're the best of the lucky ones. You should spend your time and energy on things that will pay off the most, so that your talents aren't wasted."

Fu Tailan was too lazy to finish today's classes, but as if as a protest, he still insisted on spending the whole day in school.

He followed the crowd of people leaving school down the main entrance steps. Not surprisingly, he saw the familiar SUV again and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

"Tai Lan, is your dad here to pick you up again? Why is he so worried about you?" A girl smiled and waved at him, saying, "Bye, you must come to school tomorrow."

There were less than three people in the whole school that Fu Tailan could name by name. But that didn't stop people from noticing him and talking to him; he just had to be polite, nod, and say "hello" or "bye".

It's not that he's arrogant.

After visiting the nest so many times, when I return to the human world, the human world seems increasingly thin and sparse, and even the colors are gray.

Especially when he first came back, people not associated with the nest had almost no facial features to him, and he couldn't even remember them; no matter what happened, it was far away from him. It seemed as if this place shouldn't be called "reality" because everything felt vague and unreal.

He sometimes felt that the center of his life was the nest, and the nest was a black hole.

Generally speaking, as long as you stay in the human world for a while, normal feelings will gradually return.

But although his feelings returned, the psychological habits he had developed could not be changed. Even if he could see colors and recognize faces again, it had nothing to do with him.

Fu Tailan walked around to the right side of the car, opened the back door, and threw an empty schoolbag in.

"How was your day?" His father turned and smiled at him. "Are you happy at school?"

He had a square, solemn face, which might not have been unattractive in his youth, but as he approached middle age, his jawline drooped, giving him a frail, frivolous look that finally made his appearance seem out of place.

Fortunately, he doesn't look like his father.

"Drive," Fu Tailan got in the car, not bothering to answer him, and raised her chin towards the front. "Why did you come to pick me up again?"

He actually guessed the answer before his father answered.

"I received two new offers today."

As Fu Han drove, he explained earnestly, "You haven't been to the lair in almost half a year. I didn't understand why at first, but Dad understands now. The largest clans in Blackmore City are not only short of talent themselves, but they're also even more afraid that someone like you would fall into the hands of their competitors... They're all vying for you. Without you, they don't know what to do.

"I think the price is right now. Why don't you pick one you like and take it? If you don't, what if the other person gets discouraged? You'll miss out on a huge opportunity..."

Fu Tailan took out a cigarette, and with a click of his lighter, he lit it and took a deep puff.

His father considerately opened the window a crack for him, and the cool March air rushed in - he liked cold air, the colder the better.

Fu Tailan waited until the gentle warmth smoothed out the wrinkles in his spirit and freed his thoughts. Only then did he ask blankly, "...Who is it this time? What contract?"

"There's a contract based on the number of times. Dad knows you like this. It's more free."

"Don't speak half-heartedly," Fu Tailan's voice became softer and more ambiguous, making the content seem less offensive. "Be brief and clear."

"Well, kid, you're just impatient. I've read the contract carefully. While the pay is decent, there's nothing else besides the pay. No share of the artifacts, no travel guarantees, no pension—of course, Dad knows you'll be safe, so these don't matter. As for benefits, subsidies, or shares, forget it. It's practically the same as hiring a lone hunter."

Fu Han patted the steering wheel, looking displeased. "Don't they know who they're talking to? How rude."

Fu Tailan smiled silently. "How much does it cost to enter the lair once?"

Fu Han hesitated, then admitted, "The price isn't too bad... five hundred thousand a time."

"How many times?" "Four times."

“Is there a time limit?”

"……No."

this is the key of the problem.

The family that signed Fu Tailan up would never send him to do tasks that an ordinary hunter could also do.

Only when they get accurate information about a rare pseudo-image and are not sure of getting it on their own, will they send Fu Tailan into the nest - the opportunity to fish in troubled waters is naturally rare.

My father knew very well that if Fu Tailan accepted these four contracts, he would never enter the nest even once more before the end of the contract.

In other words, if the other party takes five years to use up the four chances, then Fu Tailan will not make a penny of profit other than two million in the next five years.

“Although artifacts appear endlessly, there are very few truly rare and powerful ones.”

His father, who had never entered the nest in his life, was explaining the current situation to him.

"While you're away, these artifacts could be discovered and taken away by other hunters... Signing contracts on a per-use basis isn't a waste of your talent? It's fine if those with less talent than you can take the artifacts and make money, but it gives them a reputation, as if they can compete with you!"

Fu Tailan held out half of the cigarette to the front, and his father, who was talking, handed him an ashtray.

He didn't take it, but just crushed the spark in the ashtray, pressing Fu Han's hand so hard that it felt heavier.

"What about the other contract?"

"It's the Morgans." In the rearview mirror, his father's face brightened. "The terms they offered are truly excellent. Looking across Blackmore City, I can honestly say no hunter has ever secured such an offer before. As your agent, Dad is truly proud to have negotiated this for you..."

In fact, this kind of conversation between father and son was not the first time.

Fu Tailan had long known where these conversations would ultimately end, and was actually quite impatient with this kind of push-and-pull. But Fu Tailan refused to let Fu Han easily obtain the outcome he wanted. Even when she didn't mind entering the lair once, she would still say, "No."

"You kid, you haven't heard their conditions yet—"

"The family faction is not free."

This time, my father was not anxious, but smiled wisely.

"You're wrong. This contract is different. They signed you up as Hunter Chief. Besides reporting to the board of directors, you command all the hunters in the clan. You have the final say on how a mission is conducted... The so-called CEO, who's in charge of operations, carries no weight in front of the Hunter Chief. If that's not freedom, what is?"

After a pause, he added, "You are still young, you don't understand. Only power can bring freedom."

Occasionally he would say something that would surprise Fu Tailan.

"What's more, you don't know the annual salary they offer."

Even Fu Tailan was stunned when he heard the number his father said next - the number was so exaggerated that he thought for a moment that he had said it wrong.

"No, that's the number,"

Fu Han said in a voice that almost made him float off the driver's seat, "This is just the annual salary, the most basic thing. There are also various incentive mechanisms, dividend shares, and other conditions... After this ten-year contract is over, both father and son can retire!"

Fu Tailan felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her. "How many years?"

"I know, ten years sounds like a long time. But if you don't sign this contract and just do ordinary work, you might still be running back to the nest ten years later."

Having said that, my father suddenly let out a long sigh.

"How can I feel at ease watching my child go into such dangerous places again and again? When you were in the lair, I didn't sleep well for a single day. It was so tormenting, I wished I could go in your place. After ten years, we'll never do it again. Your mother is gone, and we're the only ones left in this world, father and son... Dad doesn't want to see his son die young."

Fu Tailan was silent for a while in the back seat.

"...Their conditions are too good to be true."

After a while, he whispered, "I'm not superhuman, nor am I a superman. If all I want is to enter the lair and find the artifact, no hunter in the world is worth this price. The Morgan family must have other intentions."

"Besides the contract, what else did they say?"

Fu Han seemed to be planning to refute him, but was suddenly stunned when he heard the last part.

"They did say that if you're interested in accepting the contract, they'll have to discuss it with you privately. The discussion will definitely be kept confidential... I didn't think much of it at the time. Why don't you talk to them?"

Even if he is his biological father, the family will still only reveal some matters involving hunters to Fu Tailan.

Fu Tailan thought about it.

"Make an appointment with Carter Morgan," he instructed his father. "Have him tell me in person what is not allowed in the contract."

　When the timelines of the four people are unified, the main storyline will emerge.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)