Apocalypse Gachapon Chapter 1923: Prize

As Order Leader Cheng Liujin reached the Star-Eye Clan, Aslan finally let out a deep breath of relief.

In the two days following the end of the Novice battlefield, she had been genuinely terrified that some force might swoop in and slaughter everyone without any explanation.

Cheng Liujin's initial action after arriving involved checking on White Robe, who had just woken up inside the treatment pod. They dismissed all others present. Nobody had a clue about their discussion. Only after a solid two hours did Cheng Liujin emerge.

To everyone's surprise, he skipped meeting Ye Zhongming straight away.

All present understood Ye Zhongming's crucial role in the Star-Eye Clan at this point. Wouldn't a key leader like Cheng Liujin want to connect with him without delay?

Luckily, Cheng Liujin sat down with Ye Zhongming the very next day after his chat with White Robe.

"Don't hold the oversight against me. Your achievements were simply outstanding, leaving the clan struggling to settle on appropriate rewards."

Ye Zhongming gazed at Cheng Liujin, yet his mind wandered to the tales surrounding this Gold Order Leader, picked up from fellow Star-Eye Clan members during the two days of bonding after the Novice battlefield wrapped up.

Evidently, while not matching White Robe's renown, he stood as a legend in his own right.

Beyond various exploits like combat feats, certain Star-Eye Clan folks whispered to Ye Zhongming in hushed tones that Cheng Liujin, scores of cosmic years back, supposedly took part in a massive heist, seizing a transport fleet from a powerful clan carrying Moonspan Gold.

Ye Zhongming's curiosity spiked intensely, prompting him to press for more, yet responses stayed elusive. The info came secondhand through rumors. In any case, Cheng Liujin vanished briefly then, returning to recover for an extended stretch. Remarkably, during that era, the Star-Eye Clan—teetering on the brink of ruin—suddenly gained a surge of resources and pulled through the dire straits.

Ye Zhongming harbored doubts about the story's truth.

Should the tale hold water, would that dominant clan simply overlook it? Even if they couldn't strike at individuals, couldn't they target the Star-Eye Clan?

Alright, supposing they valued reputation or lacked proof under regulations to strike openly, still, occasional harassment or obstacles—could the Star-Eye Clan endure such pressure across dozens of cosmic years?

That said, upon facing Cheng Liujin and catching that indefinable glint in his gaze, Ye Zhongming briefly believed the man had indeed pulled off the theft.

"I'll start by outlining the clan's expectations. This will help you evaluate our offerings more clearly when I describe them."

Ye Zhongming gave a nod of assent.

He wasn't one to ignore favors. The intent behind Cheng Liujin's statement registered with him. Stretched further, it could shape the bond between them.

What Cheng Liujin—or rather, the Star-Eye Clan—implied was: 'You've brought value to us, and we'll extract certain gains from you too. But I won't wait for your bid. I'll propose terms upfront. Check if they suit you. If not, negotiation follows.'

In equal standings, this approach worked well. Yet despite Ye Zhongming's top Novice spot, and the Star-Eye Clan's near-demise, the group overshadowed him by leagues.

For the moment, at least, Ye Zhongming as a lone individual couldn't rival any cosmic race, not even one as weakened as the Star-Eye Clan.

Take the Changxu Water Race: a tiny group of barely a few dozen non-combatants, all support roles—versus the Star-Eye Clan with its standalone outpost and three elite fighting squads. That's like pitting a fragile shell against a boulder.

Thus, the talks between Ye Zhongming and Cheng Liujin rested on Ye Zhongming's inferior position.

Yet here, the dominant side adopted a stance more fitting the underdog; Ye Zhongming picked up on it right away.

Gratitude swelled within Ye Zhongming too.

Prior to grasping the full scope of personal Novice battlefield prizes, group-level awards, point-based exchange values, and similar details, any price he might suggest could overshoot or undersell wildly.

The Star-Eye Clan now signaled: Skip setting your terms; let me lead with mine. Before that, I'll lay out your worth to us.

This setup dodged the pitfalls of overreaching or undervaluing, shielding Ye Zhongming from pitfalls born of his knowledge gap against the Star-Eye Clan's edge.

Credit where due: that single line boosted Ye Zhongming's view of the Star-Eye Clan immensely.

He caught the underlying message they sent: they desperately required his involvement.

"Personal rewards stay entirely with you—no clan interference, despite our aid in your efforts."

Yet another praiseworthy choice.

Ye Zhongming grasped this nuance thanks to companions like Helsky and Ji Ruiguang from his circle. He knew groups such as the Luther People often locked in deals beforehand, skimming portions of individual gains to cover gear, meds, allies, even transit fees.

Set against those, the Star-Eye Clan—beyond standard expenses—dispatched their prized asset, White Robe, into the fray, essentially rescuing Ye Zhongming's life. Refraining from touching personal spoils? They'd handled it with grace.

As for claims that White Robe's descent stemmed from broader shifts and yielded him massive upsides, entertaining such notions would reveal not just pettiness, but flawed integrity in Ye Zhongming.

"Your efforts propelled the Star-Eye Clan to overall first place. Normally, prizes follow a set pattern. But this round, everything shifted notably. Key among changes: ten spokesperson slots plus five passes for the upcoming Novice battlefield."

First prize yields ten spokesperson numbers? Along with five entry tickets?

The Cloud Peak King instantly recalled his Cloud Peak base.

Here above, Helsky, Jie Kui, and the rest performed solidly. Ji Ruiguang could manage independently too. He even counted as a promising key aide. Still... their tenure alongside Ye Zhongming felt brief, lacking the seamless coordination of Cloud Peak veterans. Seizing this chance to elevate a handful from the villa would prove advantageous.

"On top of that, a one-cosmic-year trading discount applies, lasting right up to the next Novice battlefield's start."

Cheng Liujin's golden mask hid any facial cues from Ye Zhongming, but his voice hinted at a... tangled sentiment toward this perk?

Noticing Ye Zhongming's puzzled look, Cheng Liujin added, "Other races might value this discount above spokesperson allocations, given their wealth and high-volume dealings. A full cosmic year could slash their costs hugely. Yet for the Star-Eye Clan..."

Cheng Liujin shook his head, trailing off, and Ye Zhongming got the picture.

The Star-Eye Clan... these days scraped by just to afford spokesperson spots or tickets, hoarding Moonspan Gold for core survival. They teetered on collapse anyway. Spare funds for trading? Scarce. No trades meant the discount rang hollow.

"Furthermore, topping the rankings grants the privilege to establish a planetary hunting ground."