"Am I seeing this right? The additional material extraction fee is 30%? Isn't that three times ours?!"
"Look, the validity period of the temporary residence permit is actually ten years!"
"Wow, if I had known this earlier, I would have studied and trained like crazy without eating or sleeping for these three years!"
Mekin, Shamu, and Zach exclaimed enviously.
Their shouts immediately attracted the attention of the other children around, who gathered around. When they saw the welfare clauses on the contract, they were envious and a little jealous, secretly regretting that they hadn't worked hard enough during the three years of special training.
Norie beside them saw Dudian and frowned slightly. "He actually chose the Mellon Consortium. Does this little guy know something?"
Rollian, who was standing behind her, felt a bit uncomfortable when he heard Mekin and the others' words. He said to Norie, "Why are the contract benefits for him so high? My endurance score was second, and my comprehensive knowledge score was third. It's not much different from his."
Norie turned around and gave him a sweet smile. "It's always been like this. The first place always gets preferential treatment."
Rollian's face darkened. During the three years of special training, the top five of them had competed with each other and regarded each other as rivals. Therefore, seeing Dudian receive such preferential treatment, he inevitably felt a bit of dissatisfaction and jealousy in his heart. The fact that the material extraction fee was 10% higher than his wasn't the main issue. What really made him envious was that ten-year temporary residence permit in the commercial district.
"Boy, don't be unconvinced. Although your grades are excellent, this little guy named Dudian has performed extremely well in every major exam. What really matters to us is the score in the practical major exam. Rote memorization and endurance alone are useless. If you can't apply what you've learned in practice, it's all in vain," the previous man said with a faint smile.
Hearing his words, Rollian's face became even uglier.
Norie snorted coldly. "You'd better worry about yourself. Don't fail to recruit even a top-five finisher. See how you'll explain it to your superior when you go back."
The man frowned, turned his head away, and didn't argue with the woman.
"Are you satisfied with this contract?" The elegant man from the Mellon Consortium looked at the people who had gathered around, a hint of joy in his eyes, and asked Dudian gently.
Dudian quickly scanned through the clauses of the contract. After pondering for a moment, he said, "It says that I have to obey the consortium's arrangements and go on a 'scavenging' trip once every three months. Besides that, I have to stay in the consortium for special training during the rest of the time. Can this be modified?"
The elegant man was taken aback. He didn't expect that Dudian, faced with such generous benefits, didn't immediately give in but started negotiating instead. He was curious in his heart but still maintained a smile on his face. "If you think once every three months is too frequent, it can be once every four months. That's the limit."
Dudian shook his head. "Once every three months is fine. What I mean is, can I have the freedom to allocate the remaining time myself?"
The elegant man was stunned for a moment and hesitated. "Well, I need to ask the higher-ups. Generally speaking, special training is necessary, especially for someone like you who is a key cultivation target..."
"Hey, little guy, if the Mellon Consortium doesn't agree, our Huasheng Consortium can," a burly middle-aged man laughed at this time.
The elegant man's face changed slightly, and he said angrily, "Boton, this is against the rules!"
"Why don't I think so?" Another mature woman smiled. "Our Green Consortium can also accept Mr. Du's condition."
The elegant man's face changed. He gritted his teeth and said to Dudian, "Fine, I promise you!"
Dudian let out a sigh of relief and secretly thanked the two of them in his heart.
"We'll revise a new contract for you when we get back to the consortium," the elegant man said to Dudian. "I don't have the blessing of the gods with me. I'll give it to you together when we return to the consortium. You stand behind me for now and come with me later."
Dudian nodded slightly.
Seeing that the matter was settled, the other consortiums could only give up regretfully. But the previous burly middle-aged man still refused to give up. "Little guy, if they break the contract when they go back, you can come to our Huasheng Consortium. My offer is always valid!"
The elegant man looked at him angrily. "Boton, this is slander!"
The burly middle-aged man shrugged, turned around, and continued to try to recruit other students.
The elegant man snorted coldly. His gaze fell on Mekin and the others, and his expression softened. "You're all together, right?"
Mekin nodded repeatedly. "Yes... Can you improve our benefits a bit?"
The elegant man was at a loss for words and said helplessly, "I really can't modify it. This is all according to the rules."
Mekin looked up and saw that there were no other consortiums competing to drive up their value, so he couldn't help but feel disappointed. "All right."
The elegant man couldn't help but be amused by his reaction.
Soon, everyone was divided among the seven consortiums and the military department. Each consortium led the students they had recruited and took the exclusive carriages of their respective consortiums outside the drill ground to the consortium headquarters.
Dudian and the others lifted the carriage curtain and looked at the drill ground that was getting farther and farther behind. They felt a bit sad and reluctant. The sweat they had shed here over the past three years and the experiences of falling and getting up again and again were like scenes in a miniature, forever imprinted in their memories.
"Goodbye..."
The carriage galloped away and arrived at a prosperous area. The pedestrians on the road saw the flags on these carriages and quickly moved aside, afraid of blocking their way.
A moment later, several carriages of the Mellon Consortium stopped in front of a prosperous street. The elegant man jumped out of the carriage first and entered a huge building on the side of the road. After a while, seven or eight young girls came out of the building and walked to the carriage. They opened the door and said crisply to the people inside, "Please come out, sirs and madams."
The children in the carriage looked at these fair and tender girls and were a bit at a loss for what to do for a moment.
Dudian got out of the carriage. The elegant man rushed over immediately, with a big smile on his face. "Come with me. I'll take you to go through the identity formalities." With that, he turned around and led the way.
Dudian immediately followed. Seeing this, Mekin and the others followed behind Dudian.
The people in the other carriages were led by those girls and followed behind.
"After you claim your identity, you'll be members of the Mellon Consortium. From now on, you'll enjoy the benefits of the Mellon Consortium and also abide by its rules," the elegant man said as he led the way. "Dian, you're the key cultivation target of this session. There's a noble gathering tonight, and you can attend it to meet the upper-class celebrities in the commercial district. These people are also from various families within our Mellon Consortium and can be considered our superiors."
Dudian was taken aback and asked, "Can I not go?"
The elegant man turned around in surprise. "Why?"
"I want to go back and see my parents first," Dudian said.
The elegant man suddenly understood and there was a hint of admiration in his eyes. "I can understand that. But it won't be too late to see your parents. This is a rare opportunity. Others can't attend even if they want to. Besides meeting those nobles, there will also be 'Hunters' present. If you can get the favor of a Hunter, I believe your future will be limitless."
"Hunters?" Dudian was stunned and immediately thought of Fino and the other person three years ago. The fact that he was taken to the Hunter Detection Ancient Castle should be a secret and hadn't been spread. However, it seemed that although the identity of the Hunters was secretive, it was only so for ordinary people and guards. For scavengers, it wasn't a secret.
"All right," Dudian agreed.
Mekin, Shamu, and Zach said enviously, "You little guy, how come all the good things fall on you? I'm so jealous."
"No way. You must treat us later, Dian!" Zach suggested.
"Agreed!" Shamu immediately seconded.
Dudian rolled his eyes and ignored them.
"By the way, what are Hunters?" Mekin asked curiously.
The elegant man smiled slightly. "You'll find out later. All right, you can register here." They came to the counter in the hall, and a beautiful woman greeted them. He said to Dudian, "Come with me." With that, he led Dudian away alone.