Chapter 87: This Is Called Sunk Cost |
Regarding this question, the old principal nodded.
“In theory, yes. But a Class granted by a god is not something you can simply refuse if you don’t want it.”
“As long as you remain alive, your sister will forever only be a Hero Candidate.”
“What the hell, so this thing’s latched onto me now?”
Hearing the old principal’s words, Jiang Chen also found it rather ridiculous.
After all, even if he killed that NPC, he still would not obtain the Hero Class.
In other words, killing that NPC would provide absolutely no benefit for him.
“Forget it. As long as she doesn’t come provoke me, I can’t be bothered making a move. Anyone willing to do something with negative returns and additional risks is an idiot.”
At the end of the day, it was only game plot.
If the story setting insisted on making him fight that NPC, then fine—but if he simply avoided looking for her, wouldn’t everything be solved?
After all, no quest had been triggered.
Jiang Chen was not bored enough to deliberately seek trouble for himself.
“Wait....”
Jiang Chen suddenly seemed to realize something.
“Hold on... if I remember correctly, didn’t this old principal mention earlier that the Violet Family already made a move against me?”
Thinking this, Jiang Chen immediately began asking about the situation.
“The Violet Family’s actions are related to the matter I’ve recently been investigating.”
“Related to what you’ve been investigating recently?”
The old principal nodded. “Do you still remember the rumors in Silvermoon City?”
“This matter is related to Vivian’s family?” Before Vivian could speak, Lilith jumped out first and asked.
“That’s right.”
The old principal did not hide anything and looked toward Vivian.
“Coren Violet can be considered your older brother. He is also a second-year student at the academy.”
As he spoke, the old principal added another sentence.
“For the time being, while you remain inside the academy, you don’t need to worry about him harming you.”
After learning the truth, both Vivian and Lilith struggled to process it.
Even Jiang Chen had not reacted yet.
Of course, Jiang Chen did not care about this so-called truth at all.
What he cared about was....
【The Person Spreading Rumors (Identity Confirmed) Progress 100%】
【Reward Paid: 2 Gold Coins 90 Silver Coins】
【Current Evaluation: E】
Beginning reward calculation....
【Congratulations Player, you received 10 freely allocatable Skill Points!】
Seeing this, Jiang Chen froze in shock.
“No.... is this seriously okay?”
“So one of the two quests I posted got completed in such an absurd way, and the key point is I didn’t even have time to farm the evaluation score!”
Originally, Jiang Chen’s plan had been to find ways to improve the evaluation score while the Goblins were investigating.
Yet before he even had the chance to act, the quest was already completed.
This infuriated Jiang Chen quite a bit.
This damn principal, I swear!
Letting out a sigh, Jiang Chen opened the quest interface.
【NPC Quest: Gather Intelligence】
【Intelligence Obtained. First Stage: The Mastermind Behind the Black-Robed Figures (Verified). Second Stage: Crush Connor’s Conspiracy. Completion Progress 30%】
【Reward Paid - 306 Gold Coins 10 Silver Coins】
【Current Evaluation: C+】
“This quest directly rewards freely allocatable attribute points. Even the minimum evaluation gives ten points. If I can push this to S-rank evaluation, who knows how many attribute points it’ll reward.”
“The last remaining lead absolutely cannot be completed in such a muddled way. The Goblins need to find Connor as soon as possible.”
Jiang Chen had already made up his mind.
However, the more he thought about it, the more irritated he became.
Originally, the two quests together could have earned him dozens or even hundreds of attribute points, yet because of this principal’s meddling, half the rewards were gone immediately.
No!
I absolutely need to squeeze more benefits out of this principal somehow.
Thus, on the old principal’s side—
He suddenly noticed something wrong with the way Vivian was looking at him.
The old principal instinctively realized the situation seemed rather dangerous.
Suddenly, the old principal thought of something.
“Vivian, I warn you not to do anything reckless.”
“Whatever grievances exist between you all, I won’t interfere once you leave the academy, but inside the academy absolutely no fighting is allowed.”
Clearly, the old principal had misunderstood something.
“Don’t worry, Principal. I won’t cause trouble inside the academy.”
“I mainly wanted to discuss the Eternal Tower matter with you.”
“After all, our previous deal still stands, and I also want to finish challenging the Eternal Tower as soon as possible so I can retrieve the item you need.”
Hearing Vivian’s words, the old principal looked highly suspicious.
“You’d really be this kindhearted?”
“What kind of thing is that to say? I also have a sense of contractual integrity, alright?”
“But well, although I really do want to help you, Principal, the skills I currently possess are honestly a little inadequate.”
Hearing this, the old principal immediately understood what Vivian wanted.
“Impossible! Absolutely impossible.”
“And I already paid you before.”
The principal truly had not expected Vivian to be this shameless. He had already paid her once, and now she actually wanted more.
“Well, I’m only trying to help you get this matter settled faster.”
As she spoke, Vivian waved her hand. “But if the Principal isn’t in a hurry, that’s fine too.”
“Don’t worry, Principal. I’m an honest person. I’ll definitely help you complete the task I promised.”
“At worst, it’ll just take a little longer. Nothing serious. Maybe only several decades or a hundred years longer.”
“Once you’re old, dead, buried underground, and grass is growing on your grave, I’ll definitely bring the item back for you.”
Hearing Vivian’s words, the old principal pointed at her for a long time without managing to say a single sentence.
“How can anyone ask for payment twice?!”
“There’s no problem though.” Vivian looked innocent. “I’ll definitely handle the matter properly for you, so don’t worry.”
After a long while....
The old principal darkly took out a contract.
“I can give you the magic books, but you must sign a contract stating that you’ll retrieve the item for me within one year!”
In the end, the old principal compromised.
Lord Evil God’s actions completely stunned Vivian.
What confused Vivian the most was why the old principal agreed at all.
Lord Evil God was obviously extorting him.
However, Lord Evil God’s muttering quickly allowed Vivian to understand everything.
“So this was Lord Evil God’s plan from the very beginning. Lord Evil God already won a full 5000 Gold Coins from those bets with the students.”
“The reward from the old principal’s commission was beneath Lord Evil God’s notice from the start. The reason he agreed was specifically to squeeze out even more benefits later.”
“And today, after displaying his strength, plus whatever the old principal did that caused Lord Evil God to suffer losses, Lord Evil God naturally wanted compensation.”
“And Lord Evil God wasn’t worried the old principal would refuse at all, because the rewards the old principal had already paid were what Lord Evil God called sunk cost.”
“The old principal already invested sunk cost, so now he’s trapped. And the deeper he sinks, the more trapped he becomes. Every time Lord Evil God asks for more benefits, the old principal will comfort himself by thinking, ‘I’ve already paid this much, just a little more and it’ll finally be done.’”
“Lord Evil God is way too evil!”
Just as Vivian was still shocked by Lord Evil God’s outrageous manipulation—
Lord Evil God had already signed a contract full of loopholes with the principal.
Perhaps because the contract was signed, the old principal became slightly more generous this time.
.....