Luo Ning spread his hands with a look of disappointment. "Then I'm sorry, but I still prefer using my own strength to face various challenges."
Milia did not like this kind of pure martial artist or battle maniac. However, she had to admit that only someone so pure could complement her abilities to pull off the kind of underdog victories that caught everyone off guard. And only those kinds of victories could maximize her profits.
She had been observing and evaluating Luo Ning since he first began to make a name for himself in Heavens Arena. She was quite confident in her judgment that Luo Ning was an Enhancer. It was for these reasons that she had stopped him today, just as he gained the qualification to ascend to the 200th floor. She needed Luo Ning, but he wasn't indispensable; it was just as she said—their cooperation would be a win-win.
"Mr. Luo Ning, don't be so quick to refuse me." Milia calmed her mind. "While I may not be of much help in terms of increasing your raw strength, I can play a huge role in making money, gathering intelligence on opponents, and blocking outside interference. With my help, you can devote more energy to your cultivation, thereby increasing your strength even faster."
What Milia said was indeed the truth. Although Luo Ning wanted to be like Gon and Killua and ignore everything else, the simplest way for him to increase his strength was still to collect the Scarlet Eyes. A gold-tier manager like Milia had connections and channels. If he could establish a good relationship with her, especially as a partner, could he get her to keep an eye out for the Scarlet Eyes for him?
Milia saw Luo Ning's hesitation, and her eyes brightened as she continued, "Among the challengers on the 200th floor and above, some don't earn a penny from a single match and only gain a bit of fame. Others walk away with both fame and fortune. That is the difference between having a manager and not having one. For the same effort, why not let yourself receive a more generous reward?"
"You've successfully convinced me. So, what is it that you want?" Luo Ning relented.
He had to admit that he wasn't good at negotiating. For an engineer who spent his time on drawings and inspections in a workshop, trying to keep the upper hand in a negotiation was a bit too difficult. Therefore, rather than continuing to feign indifference, it was better to ask about the specifics of the cooperation while the iron was hot.
"Money." This time, Milia's answer was very short.
But Luo Ning could see a strong desire in Milia's dark eyes; she wasn't lying. She was doing this for the money!
"How will it be split?" Luo Ning asked the key question. He needed money too. If Milia made an exorbitant demand, he would have no choice but to refuse.
"Fifty-fifty. I will handle everything for you outside of your cultivation. You only need to take some time occasionally to participate in necessary activities. Even if you lose on the stage, I can guarantee you will receive a handsome reward." Milia's face overflowed with absolute confidence.
Luo Ning not only had strength but also possessed the temperament and face perfectly suited for becoming a star.
"One last question. I need some intelligence—information unrelated to the arena. Can you get it?" Luo Ning asked again.
This was the crucial point.
"For example?" Milia did not agree immediately.
Luo Ning thought for a moment before slowly speaking. "For example, certain unique collection hobbies."
"Be specific!"
"Human organs," Luo Ning said without hiding anything.
Milia pushed the glasses on the bridge of her nose, her gaze toward Luo Ning becoming somewhat surprised. After a moment of silence, she nodded. "I can keep an eye out for you, and I can even help you purchase them if necessary, but you will need to pay an additional fee."
"Deal." Luo Ning agreed just as readily. He stood up and extended his hand toward Milia. "Then here's to a happy partnership."
Milia also stood up. She looked at Luo Ning's well-defined hand before slowly reaching out to shake it lightly. Luo Ning's gaze lingered on Milia's hand for a moment because he thought it was very beautiful. Her long, fair fingers were coated in pink nail polish and lacked any visible hair. When he touched them, he could feel that her skin was smooth and delicate; the light grip felt cool and soft, as if she had no bones.
It was truly a pair of jade-like hands, even more beautiful than she was.
There was clear admiration in Luo Ning's eyes, but to Milia, this look made a chill run down her spine.
'This guy... he couldn't have taken a liking to my hands and want to add them to his collection, could he?'
She pulled her hand back quickly and inconspicuously, but her defensive movement was still seen by Luo Ning.
'Does she have a germophobia?' Such a thought popped into Luo Ning's mind.
The rest was simple. Luo Ning followed Milia to her office, and the two signed a formal contract. The revenue split was fifty-fifty as discussed, and what Luo Ning needed to do was cooperate with Milia for some photos when necessary. Milia, on the other hand, would secretly help Luo Ning monitor transactions involving organ collections. However, most of her energy would still be invested in Luo Ning's personal image and the screening of his opponents.
Milia's office was on the 192nd floor of Heavens Arena. There was a large office area here with many companies, ranging from management agencies and advertising firms to personal studios. Luo Ning was not surprised by this at all, as he knew that there were also clubs, hot springs, and other leisure facilities on the 195th floor. It could be said that Heavens Arena was all-encompassing; anything appearing here was quickly accepted.
"Most of the Nen users in Heavens Arena are unrefined hacks," Milia said as she pushed a folder of documents directly in front of Luo Ning. At the same time, she looked at him seriously.
"I have a bit of an understanding." Luo Ning flipped open the file, which contained information on various contestants on the 200th floor.
"Good. That makes it easier. Otherwise, I would have to slowly introduce you to things like the six major categories. After all, many people in Heavens Arena don't even have the concept of categories. After luckily surviving a forced Nen awakening, they don't bother to learn more and just recklessly develop their Nen based on their own whims."
Milia's tone carried a hint of mockery. "They seem to treat Nen as a superpower. What kind of superpower they awaken depends entirely on their thoughts rather than whether it suits them. This kind of behavior is stupid."
Luo Ning nodded in agreement. He had classic examples in his mind, whether it was the Newbie Crusher trio who treated Gon as a pushover, or Kastro who fought against Hisoka; they all had a half-baked understanding of Nen. This caused the abilities they cultivated to either have many drawbacks or simply waste their natural talent.
To truly have a complete understanding of Nen, Luo Ning felt the best way was still to take the Professional Hunter Exam. Once you obtained a license, the Hunter Association would dispatch professionals to guide the license holder. Only by passing that test could one thoroughly understand the entirety of Nen.
What Luo Ning was curious about now was which of the six categories Milia belonged to, and whether she was also a Professional Hunter.