Immortal Realm’s Smuggling Kingpin

Chapter 10: The Immortals Will Manifest (1)

Translator: Atlas Studios

Editor: Atlas Studios

Luo Qian made a trip to the Human Realm and realized that the errand Du Lengning had entrusted to him was not going well. The initial plan was to send in 50,000 votes to clinch the champion title, but he did not expect the highest ranking contestant to push harder in the final month.

Luo Qian’s plan was to flood the votes evenly over four weeks. After throwing in 12,500 votes in the first week, according to Luo Qian’s calculations, number 35 should catch up by 10,000 votes after subtracting about 2,500 votes that the first place contestant could possibly gain, closing the gap between them to 20,000 votes. However, when the weekly ranking was published, number 35 had fallen behind number one by 35,000 votes! Not only was the gap not closed, it was widened!

Luo Qian promptly returned to his stronghold. The people he had hired were all working here. Luo Qian immediately reassigned their tasks, increased the investment, and expanded the original plan by a good two-fold. They would purchase 75,000 magazines while beginning to vote online continuously at the same time. In addition, they would give up on the aim of voting steadily. Within a week, all votes were to be thrown in; depending on the situation, they would decide what to do next week.

Luo Qian fiercely stamped out a cigarette stub. “Damn it; the war has begun!”

He returned to the Immortal Realm and told Du Lengning about the situation.

Du Lengning was slightly flustered. “Old Luo, how is it? Are you confident?”

Luo Qian chuckled and said with elaborate nonchalance, “Isn’t it just a shady deal? It’s all things I’ve grown tired of playing with. This bunch of bastards, when an Immortal employs a shady deal, and you join in the fun, aren’t you asking for death!”

Du Lengning reassured, “Old Luo, don’t worry. I will definitely make up for all the extra money spent.”

Yet Luo Qian shook his head. “This loss was caused by my insufficient estimation. I cannot let you pay the bill. A mistake should be borne by whoever made it. Although I’m merely a smuggler, I have a great aspiration in my heart too. I will bear the losses this time myself.”

Du Lengning was greatly touched. “Old Luo…” The two pairs of hands were clasped tightly together! If Du Lengning learned that Luo Qian’s so-called great aspiration was to become the Immortal Realm’s number one smuggling kingpin, how would Young Master Du—who was currently gazing at him with tearful eyes—feel?

A week went by very quickly. Luo Qian arrived in the Human Realm and waited outside a newsstand. Seeing that the magazines were delivered, he bought one at once.

He flipped to the page of the rankings, and as he’d expected, the opponent’s mastermind had clearly realized that somebody was rigging the competition behind the scenes. Hence, both sides had worked harder this week. However, they didn’t expect Luo Qian to be so extreme. With 150,000 votes, he pushed number 35 to the top spot, leading the second place—which was also the previous number one—by 30,000 votes.

Other than the two of them, major changes had also occurred to the rankings of a few others behind. One contestant who originally hadn’t even entered the top 20 charged into the top three at one go!

Luo Qian shook his head. It seemed like he’d erred terribly in his estimations this time! “The Human Realm is really becoming increasingly brazen…” When Luo Qian made this comment, he was completely unaware that he was also committing these ‘brazen acts’ too and was even more extreme than the people in the Human Realm.

He went to the bank and withdrew 50,000 yuan. Back at his stronghold, 50,000 yuan slammed down on the table like a brick. Luo Qian announced loudly. “Everyone, pretty good job this week. This is everyone’s reward. We will continue next week. My plan is to buy 10,000 issues and continue flooding!”

Everyone cheered and pounced towards that red brick.

An emperor would not starve his soldiers during war; Luo Qian understood this. The 50,000 yuan reward was necessary. He wouldn’t be here keeping an eye on things and still needed to rely on these people to work hard for him.

He also brought some items back with him upon returning from the Human Realm. The disc that Ling Xiaose wanted, Human Realm snacks that several gluttonous Immortals wanted, and also other bits and bobs. Luo Qian’s line of business was covertly going to the Human Realm and making money through scraps.

Those popular items in the Human Realm rarely had a market in the Immortal Realm. Take those luxury goods, sports cars, and mansions for example; Immortals had no need for them at all. Even for a loser Tribulation Immortal like Luo Qian, a casual incantation would have them flying faster than a sports car, not to mention the others.

On the contrary, those inconspicuous and scrappy items appealed to Immortals a lot. Moreover, the capital needed for these items was small, but they earned him a lot.

…

“Brother Luo? Is Brother Luo there?” A familiar call came from the entrance of his cave abode. Luo Qian had changed into a royal blue suit today. His short hair had been tidied using frost-manifesting immortal arts, every strand standing upright. Such a hairstyle was very trendy in the Human Realm. He poked his head out from his CEO’s office. “Hey, Brother Ling, you’re here.”

Ling Xiaose sneaked in furtively. “Brother Luo, didn’t you get me to help you advertise your business…”

Luo Qian nodded. “Why? Did you get any results?”

Ling Xiaose nodded. “I have a cousin, he really likes that… disc too. Could you get him a computer and those batteries according to my setup?”

Luo Qian nodded. “Of course. It’s no problem, but where is he?” As he spoke, Luo Qian looked behind Ling Xiaose. There was only empty space behind him. There was no so-called cousin following him.

Ling Xiaose held him back. “He didn’t come; he asked me to help him with this.”

Luo Qian glanced at him and had some misgivings inwardly.

“That works too, but Young Master Ling, this problem with the price…” Luo Qian rubbed his fingers, pretending to give Ling Xiaose a nonchalant glance.

The latter patted his chest. “Don’t worry; I have the final say in everything.”

Luo Qian smiled. “That’s good. Back then, I sold your set of equipment to you for two pieces of Supreme Immortal Jade. Together with the batteries provided in addition, it cost three pieces of Supreme Immortal Jade in total. Young Master Ling, we’re already longtime acquaintances, so let’s be ethical about business and do away with the bargaining process in front. The market prices are no longer the same as those days. Everything in the Human Realm is suffering from price inflation. I’ll make it clear to you beforehand; this price can no longer buy that many items now.”

Ling Xiaose was a homebody; he didn’t know how to bargain in the first place. Even if Luo Qian had not said this, he would not bargain either. Now that he had put it this way, he could only agree obsequiously. “Alright then; state how much you want.”

“Five pieces of Supreme Immortal Jade and I’ll gift you ten top quality discs, how’s that?”

“So much?!” Ling Xiaose was astounded.

Luo Qian said, “Not much, not much. Prices are soaring. Haven’t you heard? Right now, humble families can no longer afford to eat pork.”

How could Ling Xiaose have heard about the happenings of the Human Realm? He looked at Luo Qian skeptically while Luo Qian went on, “If you can’t make the decision…”

Upon being provoked, a sense of pride burst out in Ling Xiaose all of a sudden. With a glare, he agreed. “Alright, five pieces it is. But you’ve got to make it fast. Recently that fellow has been taking my computer for his use all the time; I can’t even watch in peace now.”

Sending off Ling Xiaose, Luo Qian felt slightly curious about this cousin of his. However, he was a son of a noble family; they were all rather shy, unlike him. He was already at the topmost state where he cared about nothing.

Five pieces of Supreme Immortal Jade was quite a substantial deal. Luo Qian specially took a trip to the Human Realm. At the electronics mall, he purchased the equipment that Ling Xiaose needed and also bought a pile of discs. Homebody Ling wouldn’t know about something called discounts existing in the world.

However, he’d introduced a good customer to Luo Qian; thus, Luo Qian had to give him some benefits so that he would naturally work harder and be more expectant the next time he brought business to Luo Qian.

Since he was here, he decided to go back for a look. He didn’t expect to sense all the looks coming from the surrounding people to be not quite right upon arriving in the estate where his stronghold was at. The aunty collecting their utility fees watched him vigilantly. When Luo Qian and her crossed each other, the aunty pulled out a lanyard hanging from her neck immediately. The bottom of it was tied to an aged mobile phone. She quickly pressed three numbers.

“Hello, police? I’m making a report. That homeowner of mine who got into trouble is back…”

Even though the aunty had done her best to lower her voice, Luo Qian’s Immortal ears caught every word. Got into trouble? Luo Qian faltered and examined his surroundings, a hint of vigilance rising in his heart.

A seal was pasted on his door with a big red official seal of XX police station on it. Luo Qian’s heart sank. Upon breaking in, he was greeted with a scattered mess on the ground. There were also traces of flames and bloodstains in a corner and under the table. Luo Qian murmured a ‘no good’ inwardly. Right then, police whistles sounded in the distance. Luo Qian’s figure flashed and disappeared from the room.