Chapter 98: Facing Difficulty

The stout man fell into silence, pondering for a long while before finally looking at Fang Nian.

“So, what you mean is that Duan Lenghan sent you all to this hunting ground precisely because he knew about the presence of this insect, or because he had already discovered some changes in the hunting ground and arranged it this way?”

Fang Nian nodded slightly. Although this reasoning didn’t seem entirely plausible, given Duan Lenghan’s status and capabilities, if Fang Nian had uncovered this detail, then Duan Lenghan must have noticed it as well.

However, all of this was mere speculation. Whether Duan Lenghan knew or what he was thinking remained a mystery. If Fang Nian wanted to confirm, he would have to ask him directly. He had a feeling that even if he didn’t seek Duan Lenghan out, the latter would surely come to him. For now, all he could do was wait and watch.

At this moment, Duan Lenghan was on stage praising the hunters. Their recent performance in the hunting ground had been witnessed by everyone; it was truly impressive, with nearly all of them showing their full capabilities.

“Alright, that’s enough for now. I think everyone has heard enough, and I won’t bore you any longer. Finally, I want to commend one individual—Fang Nian, the representative of the Xia Hunting Ground, who just took the fifth position in the hunt. He is undoubtedly tonight’s MVP.”

Upon hearing Fang Nian’s name, the crowd erupted into enthusiastic applause and cheers. This was the most thunderous applause of the evening, with almost everyone standing up spontaneously and turning their gaze toward Fang Nian.

“Yes, well-deserved. This guy has completely redefined what I thought a hunter could be. How does he know everything? He can spin stories, understands machinery, solves codes, and his mastery of qigong is simply extraordinary—he’s an all-around ace.”

“Exactly. Beyond his impressive skills, his leadership is remarkable too. He managed to unite such a loosely organized team. And when he stepped forward at the end, showing such courage going against the tide—I’ll never forget that silhouette. Absolutely amazing, I’m in love.”

“Hey… what are you talking about? Fang Nian is my husband. None of you can compete with me. From now on, I’m determined to claim him—I will make him mine and have children with him.”

“Hey, hey, hey… calm down. He’s already married. His wife is Xia Moye, the number one beauty in District 16. With your looks, you don’t even deserve to carry his shoes, let alone marry him.”

“Hey… I don’t want to hear that. I may not be as beautiful as Xia Moye, but my family is wealthy. We’re the food tycoons of District 16. Everyone eats, and all the food factories here belong to us. Xia family’s fortune can’t compare to ours. I don’t believe Fang Nian doesn’t like money. Once he marries me, all the food in District 16 will be his—that would be a huge step up.”

“Uh… alright, enjoy your daydream. I can only watch silently.”

...

Fang Nian was suddenly singled out by Duan Lenghan and became the center of attention, feeling somewhat overwhelmed as almost everyone praised him. Yet, amid the cheers, a discordant voice rose.

Xiao Xuefeng, who had been scowling all along, suddenly stood and addressed the crowd.

“Haha, today we truly witnessed a legendary hunt. As the leader of District 16’s top enterprise, the Xiao family is proud to have such a hunter among us. Therefore, in recognition of Brother Fang Nian’s heroic performance, I, Xiao Xuefeng, hereby donate 100,000 Hope Coins on behalf of myself.”

At Xiao Xuefeng’s words, applause erupted once more. 100,000 Hope Coins was a hefty sum, a real grand gesture. Satisfied with the atmosphere, Xiao Xuefeng pressed down on the applause with his hand, took a wooden box from his sycophant, and slowly opened it to reveal a golden USB drive.

“This,” Xiao Xuefeng announced, “is the latest mechanical trap developed by the Xiao family. After thorough evaluation, it has been rated at an E+ value.”

The crowd erupted again. An E-level mechanism was already rare; an E+ was extraordinarily rare.

“So for this charity auction tonight, I’ve decided to put this item up for bidding. Fifty percent of the proceeds will be donated as charity.”

“Wow…”

The audience was stunned. No one expected Xiao Xuefeng to be so generous, offering such a valuable item and pledging half the proceeds. According to the rules, donations usually only required giving 5% of auction proceeds, with some going up to 10% or 20% at most.

But Xiao Xuefeng was pledging 50%, and from such a prized item. This device alone was conservatively worth over a million. Whether used in the hunting ground or resold, it was a precious asset.

Xiao Xuefeng wore a proud, almost arrogant expression, his eyes sparkling. As the applause gradually subsided, he turned to Fang Nian.

“Brother Fang, your performance today truly taught us a lesson and vividly demonstrated what it means to be a ‘reverse marcher.’”

Fang Nian was taken aback, suspecting that this guy was about to cause trouble again. But with so many people around, he replied politely.

“President Xiao, you flatter me. Compared to your style, I feel truly embarrassed.”

Xiao Xuefeng blushed slightly, recalling the recent incident with the hotel manager, but smiled nonetheless.

“Brother Fang, you’re too modest. Your performance today indeed helped us raise a great deal of charity funds. Now, I’m curious—what valuable items has the Xia family brought for auction? I imagine a rising family like yours must have something far more valuable than my little gadget.”

Those who knew of the tension between Xiao Xuefeng and Fang Nian understood this was a provocation, but those unaware were genuinely curious about what Fang Nian might reveal.

The Xia family, however, had not been informed beforehand that this was a charity banquet requiring donations for auction. Neither Fang Nian nor the Xia family had brought anything, and even Xiao Xuefeng was aware of this.

The stout man looked at Xiao Xuefeng, feeling both amused and annoyed.

“This Wang An really won’t let go of you, huh? Won’t let you lose face no matter what.”

Fang Nian smiled.

“Well, isn’t that the mark of a gentleman?”

The stout man sighed helplessly, then pulled out a ring and handed it to Fang Nian.

“I just scored this. It’s not as valuable as his item, but it’s worth something. Take it for emergencies.”

Fang Nian smiled, waved him off, then turned back to Xiao Xuefeng with a faint smile.

“No need. I have something even more valuable.”