Chapter 3: Blood-Energy Strengthening Potion

"What the hell is wrong with you, barging in like this?" Scarlett Luet snatched Kyle Luet by the wrist. Her expression hardened, and she flung him off to the side. "I…" Kyle's mouth opened and closed. Then, with a face full of disgust, he jabbed a finger at Ethan Letherdale. "Why is he here?" "I'm buying some Potion from Ethan," Scarlett said coolly. "Buying Potion?" Kyle froze, and a bit of relief slipped into his eyes. It lasted all of a second before his brows knitted again. "Mom, don't buy Potion from him." Scarlett gave a short laugh. "Weren't you the one who mentioned Ethan before? Said he was your old classmate." "That was before. Things are different!" Kyle's voice rose. "He's trash. Why let him make money off you? Mom, hurry up and cancel it!" "My business isn't yours to point fingers at." Scarlett snorted, then turned to Ethan. "Ethan, head back for today. I'll treat you to dinner another day. When that time comes, you can help me recover properly." "Sure, Scarlett." Ethan nodded, tucked the contract away, and left without looking back. "Pah. Trash." Kyle spat after him, then swung back toward Scarlett. "Mom, give me some money." "You disappear for ten days, half a month, and the moment you come back you want cash. How much this time?" "One million." "One million, just like that?" Scarlett's voice turned sharp. "Do you have any idea I risked my life to earn that money? I tell you to cultivate properly, and all you do is drink and party. How many resources have I poured into you…" "Three hundred thousand isn't enough!" "That's all you're getting! Not a cent more!" … Their shouting followed Ethan down the hall. A cold smile tugged at his mouth. Asking his own mother for a million the second he walked in. Kyle really was garbage. Ethan shoved the thought aside and hugged his document bag tighter, excitement thudding in his chest. This was a ten-million-dollar order. Early the next morning, he arrived at the company ahead of everyone else and submitted the contract immediately. "Ethan, beautiful work. I knew you had it in you!" Jason Zorn strode over the moment the paperwork went in, practically glowing. "When I hired you, I knew you'd deliver! Quiet for two months, and then on the very last day of the month you land a ten-million deal!" "Heh. Thanks for the support, supervisor." Ethan's tone stayed flat, neither warm nor hostile. "I'm your supervisor. Helping you is my job." Jason chuckled, taking it as gratitude, then lowered his voice. "Hold tight to Scarlett Luet. With a backer like that, you'll never be short on orders. Don't waste the chance." "Ethan, after signing something that big, you've got to treat us," Wendy Looske chimed in from the side, smiling. The jealousy hidden in her eyes was harder to miss than she probably thought. She'd been with the department for over two years. Forget ten-million deals, even orders over a million were rare for her. Those male Martial Artist clients were stingy as hell. "Alright," Ethan said with a grin. "When we get paid next month, dinner's on me." In the workplace, you couldn't ignore the social dance. Near the end of the day, Jason came out of his office again. "Everyone." He clapped his hands for attention and smiled. "You've all worked hard this month. The performance rankings are in. Sales Division Three hit a total of $3,476,000, ranking first in the Serene Peace District!" "And Ethan Letherdale, with $1,000,000 in sales, earned this month's Serene Peace District Top Sales title! According to this month's rewards policy, on top of commission, Ethan will receive an extra prize: one Latest Blood-Energy Strengthening Potion developed by our company!" He finished. No one applauded. Jason let out an awkward laugh and retreated back into his office. "The Latest Blood-Energy Strengthening Potion…" "It's priced at $66,000!" "And the real problem is it's sold out everywhere. Even if you have the money, you can't get one. I heard the black market's pushed it past $100,000 a shot!" The office buzzed. People kept glancing at Ethan, envy and jealousy written all over their faces. A million-dollar Potion contract meant five percent commission. That was $50,000. Add the Potion reward on top, and Ethan had cleared over $100,000 in one go. "Ethan, give that Blood-Energy Strengthening Potion to your sister," Wendy said, leaning over again as if it were the most reasonable thing in the world. "I've got a client offering $80,000!" "Our company's price is only $66,000. You'd pocket an extra $14,000." "No need to trouble yourself, Wendy," Ethan replied blandly. Inside, he sneered. That Potion was already going for over $100,000 outside. Wendy offering $80,000 meant she planned to flip it and skim twenty or thirty grand off him. Did she think he was an idiot? "What trouble? We're coworkers. When it arrives, don't forget to hand it over." "I'm not planning to sell it," Ethan said, cutting her off before she could keep pestering him. "I'm using it myself." "Yourself?" Wendy's eyes widened. She stared at him like he'd lost his mind. A Blood-Energy Strengthening Potion did exactly what it said. It strengthened and increased a person's Blood-Energy. Ten times a normal person's Blood-Energy, one thousand points, was the prerequisite for Meridian Opening and the foundation of becoming a Martial Artist. But ten times Blood-Energy did not come easily. Those Martial Artist who stood above the masses, aside from a rare few geniuses, how many of them hadn't relied on drugs to climb? The problem was the price. The poor studied, the rich trained martial arts. Ordinary families could never afford this. As far as Wendy knew, Ethan's Blood-Energy sat around three or four hundred. Even with one Strengthening Potion, he might gain two hundred points at most. He'd still be far from a Martial Artist. If you couldn't become one, if you couldn't break the one-thousand barrier, then having a bit more or a bit less Blood-Energy barely mattered. You were still just another regular person. "Ethan! Think this through. That's $80,000!" "Sorry, Wendy. I've made up my mind." "Tch. Not everyone gets to become a Martial Artist." Wendy huffed like she'd personally lost twenty or thirty grand, her voice edged with mockery. "Wendy, maybe I will become a Martial Artist," Ethan said, lifting his chin slightly. His smile didn't reach his eyes. "Stop daydreaming." Wendy sneered, enunciating every word. "If you can become a Martial Artist, I'll let you sleep with me for free." "Deal," Ethan said lightly. "When that day comes, I'll fuck you senseless." "Fuck me senseless?" Wendy snorted. "Do you even have what it takes? Tch. We'll talk when it happens." She turned away and started calling a client. Ethan didn't say anything else. He packed up and left work. The next morning, the first rest day of the month, he was still asleep when someone knocked on his door. The Blood-Energy Strengthening Potion he'd applied for had arrived. "That fast?" He opened his safe. Inside lay a syringe that glowed with a harsh, blood-red light. Ethan stared, stunned. Then he picked up the instructions and read them through. Understanding hit him in an instant. Damn it. Near-expiration stock. No wonder they issued it so quickly. Twenty more days and it would be "expired," my ass. Still, Potion were like food in that way. The expiration date was more like the best-use window. It didn't become useless the moment it passed, but the risks went up. It was near the date, but it was still within the valid period. It counted as a Potion that could be used normally. "A Potion worth over a hundred grand…" Ethan stared at it, his blood heating. Only twenty days left. He had to sell it fast. As for "using it himself," that had just been something to shut Wendy up. After Candace Scurr's betrayal, Ethan understood something with brutal clarity. Money was everything. Hummm. The heat was oppressive. Alone at home, Ethan went shirtless. Then, without warning, a Complex Black Line Pattern surfaced on his chest, about the size of a bowl's mouth, twisting like a labyrinth.