Reincarnated With The Degenerate System-Chapter 209: CH:

Soon after Mr. Hans left, I turned my focus to the remaining company representatives.

None of them managed to secure a sponsorship.

In fact, most of them cursed me for being too greedy and for thinking too highly of myself.

"Is there anything else?" I asked my assistant and legal team.

"No, Guild Master. That’s it for today. The others backed out after hearing your asking price."

I smiled. "That’s fine. This saves time. Their offers were beneath me anyway They should be grateful I even wasted my saliva on them."

My comment drew a round of light chuckles. They trusted that, in the end, my decision would be the right one.

"By the way, now that we have the funds, I want to procure the new nano suits from Artemis. Have they given me a price yet for the custom models?"

A man in his twenties raised his hand. "Yes, Guild Master. They quoted one billion each for the custom models."

The price was steep, but it made sense. These were state‑of‑the‑art suits, forged from rare materials, developed with the most advanced nanotechnology, and built to handle nearly any terrain.

How reliable?

Well, it could filter poisonous substances, endure extreme heat, and counter harsh environments that would normally cut a fighter’s combat ability in half.

Equipping them would raise the survival rate of Alexa and the others by a wide margin. That alone made the cost acceptable.

No matter how strong I am, I was only one person—I would not be able protect everyone all the time.

"Have you heard if any guild has already bought them?" I asked.

"In our city? None so far. It’s too expensive because it’s new technology. We also think spending this much is overkill, Guild Master." one of them spoke.

"Guild Master, we could procure them from other companies," another suggested. "Although their technology isn’t as advanced, at least the price is reasonable."

"Yes, Guild Master. Artemis is a new company, and they’re basically inflating the price of their equipment to fund the development of their next generation. We should just wait for the mass-produced units."

They all got valid points. But I wasn’t about to wait another year for nanotechnology suit to be mainstream.

I wanted my guild to be the first to conquer a Tower—a feat no one had ever accomplished before.

When that happened, forget one billion per suit. The fame and wealth that would follow would be immense—I could probably cover this entire city in cash.

"Listen. I know some of you might think my choice isn’t the most practical. But there’s no such thing as too expensive when it comes to a life."

"Being a Seeker is already dangerous, and it’s my duty as Guild Master to do everything I can—even just a little—to improve everyone’s chances of coming home."

The room went quiet for a moment. I could see it in their eyes—the respect, the realization that I valued lives over money.

They knew I wasn’t just a leader who chased profit. I was a leader who would rather lose gold than lose a single member of my guild.

"We apologize, Guild Master," they said in unison.

I just gave them a small smile and moved on to the next topic.

"And what about the suits for our A Ranks?"

"Guild Master, Hammer Technology quoted 100 million for the premium units—called the Omega Suit, Version Ten. Currently, they have the best track record for reliability with conventional tech."

Such amount was already too expensive for an A Rank.

Normally, guilds only subsidized equipment by 10 to 30%, depending on how much they valued their members. Most Seekers, as a result, usually opted for the cheaper versions.

But I intended to cover the full cost for the expedition team I was building—after all, I wasn’t exactly the type to pinch pennies when it came to my people.

Still, I couldn’t deny feeling pressured from the sheer amount it was going to cost.

At a minimum, I needed to outfit 100 A Ranks—that alone would be 10 billion, nearly all of my money.

And that was just for the suits. What about the healing serums, the supplies? The weapons? The support gear and everything else?

Damn. I thought I was already rich, but the costs were stacking up faster than I imagined.

Just as I was thinking of ways to raise more funds without leaning on sponsorships, it hit me—tonight’s dinner.

That’s right, I would be meeting the executives from JP Harrison.

And who else could help me with money if not the largest investment bank in the country.

"I’ll give you my answer tomorrow regarding the procurement of the equipment," I said, ending the meeting.

With that settled, I spent the rest of my time handling other matters.

Around three in the afternoon, I stuck to my usual routine and shared a light meal with my girls. I wasn’t the type to ignore them after making them mine.

No. I made sure they knew they always felt like they mattered.

In a way, I was sure I sat in the top one percent when it came to actually being a good partner, which was kind of paradoxical.

"Sir," my female assistant approached me again.

"What is it?"

"We got news that the association will be opening bids for the new Tower again tomorrow."

The time finally came. I had been waiting patiently for the Phoenix and the Nebula guilds to reach their limit.

"What floor did they stop at?" I asked.

"On the fifteenth floor. They suffered a major loss. Three of their S Ranks nearly died, so they decided not to renew the contract for now."

"Fifteenth floor?" I raised an eyebrow. That was too low, considering two of the strongest guilds in the city had led the expedition.

That meant the boss on the fifteenth floor had spiked in difficulty so much that killing it was no longer worth the risk.

Normally, that kind of thing happens on the twentieth floor.

"Thank you for the information. Give me the exact time and location tomorrow. I’ll go there myself."

"Yes, sir." She bowed her head and took her leave.

I went back to spending time Ellie and the rest. I listened to their stories, small and trivial as they were, and let them bicker over pointless things.

It was simple, but it was entertaining in its own way.

Of course, I didn’t bring up guild matters. There was no need. That weight was mine to carry, not theirs.

All they had to do was be here. I would handle the rest and make sure they never lacked anything.

Eventually, the small talks came to an end, and the soft laughter faded into the quiet of the evening. I glanced at the clock and knew it was time to prepare.

Sliding into my coat, I left the room and made my way to my SUV, followed by five convoys trailing closely behind.

VROOOOM!

The city lights stretched past like a river of gold and neon, and I let myself sink into the rhythm of the evening.

By the time we pulled up to the hotel, the glow from its windows spilled onto the sidewalk, warm and inviting.

I stepped out.

My dark coat hugged my shoulders as I adjusted it, taking a brief moment to survey the building.

The staff moved quickly, guiding me to the restaurant on one of the higher floors.

When I arrived, the space was nearly empty—only the Blackwoods were there, along with a few unfamiliar faces.

Rich people really loved renting out an entire place just because they could.

Lea was the first to approach. She moved with more grace than usual. But I didn’t need words to see the excitement shining in her eyes.

It wasn’t really new nor surprising . She had a crush on me for some time, and that admiration only deepened recently.

She stopped a step away from me, her hands folded neatly in front.

"It’s been a while," she said softly.

I inclined my head slightly, letting her feel the acknowledgment without saying too much.

"Sorry, I’ve been occupied with a lot of stuff,"

Her smile brightened. "It’s okay. I know you’ve been busy, especially after your most recent announcement. I’m really impressed by everything you’ve achieved, Brother Ace."

I gave her a small nod "I appreciate it. It’s been hectic, but nothing I couldn’t handle."

She didn’t say anything more. We walked toward the large circular table where the food was already set.

Everything remained perfectly clean—the staffs were attentive, clearing plates and pouring champagne as soon as they were needed.

"Good evening, Mr. Blackwood, Mrs. Blackwood," I said, bowing my head slightly to show my respect.

Then I turned my attention to the three middle-aged men sitting beside them, each accompanied by young, beautiful women who were clearly here for the money.

How did I know?

Well, their smiles were forced, stiff and unnatural. The men were all touchy, treating them like an item to brag—which was obvious to anyone who paid attention.

Not that I had any right to tell them off, considering my own history.

"Ace, please, take a seat," Jonas Blackwood gestured toward the chairs around the table. "These gentlemen are the representatives of JP Harrison."

I nodded, sliding into my seat as he continued.

Jonas continued.

"This is Mr. Richard Hamilton. He’s a senior manager in their operations division."

"Mr. Allen Carter," he added, indicating the next man. "He handles logistics and project coordination."

"Lastly, Mr. David Collins. He’s the vice president of their finance department—responsible for funding businesses and approving investment. He’s someone you’ll want to pay attention to tonight."