Aiden said flatly, "Same as last time. You'll get two hundred million after it's done." "Two hundred million..." Merrick's voice wavered. The hell... can he not do this? It feels like he's throwing free money at people. Who can handle that kind of hit? After thinking it over, Merrick still refused. "Honestly, Nighthale, the offer's tempting, but I just fought the Holy Judgment Dragon. I'm completely spent, and going now would be way too risky. All right. Let me recover for a month. After that, I'll go with you, and we'll try the Dragon Mountain Range. You don't have to pay that much. One hundred million marks will do." "A month…" Aiden frowned. He did not want to wait that long. "If you want me, fine. If you don't, there's nothing I can do." Merrick's chest ached as if it might break. That's a full two hundred million! "I can still add another three hundred million!" Aiden said with a resolute tone.Honestly, three hundred million marks isn't exactly pocket change for me. But it's worth it! "I… I…" Merrick's mind was about to snap, his thoughts a jumble of shiny marks. That much money could fund a whole army with serious firepower. "I really can't do it…" But… Merrick still gritted his teeth and refused. That kind of mark was a huge temptation, no doubt about it, but it wasn't enough to make him throw caution to the wind. The reward was massive, but so was the risk. "I see…" Aiden let out a soft sigh. Merrick's situation was worse than he'd expected. Money wasn't going to sway him. Still, Aiden had other ways. He paused for a moment, then said, "What if I could give you information on the Fountain of Holy Spirits?" The next moment, Merrick's voice shook as he spoke, "Fountain of Holy Spirits? How do you know about that?" Even from who knew how far away, Aiden could feel Merrick's breathing getting heavier, rougher with each passing second. As expected, this thing holds a deadly allure for a top-ranked powerhouse. "Don't even ask. I already know where the Fountain of Holy Spirits is," Aiden said calmly. "Where?" Merrick pressed, practically bouncing with impatience. Aiden just gave a faint smile and stayed silent. Merrick went quiet for a moment, then his voice dropped, low and serious. "Nighthale, if you can really give me info on the Fountain of Holy Spirits, I'd throw my life on the line to help you grab whatever's in the Dragon Mountain Range. But how do I know I can trust you?" Aiden exhaled slowly, letting the words fall. "The Lost Lands" This time, Merrick stayed silent for a long moment, as if weighing something heavy. Aiden didn't rush. He knew Merrick's experience would let him grasp the weight of those words. Sure enough, a few minutes later, Merrick let out a heavy sigh. "Do you know the exact coordinates?""Not exactly. But I know the general area and direction," Aiden replied with a small smile. "Then that drops the value a bit." Merrick mused. After a pause, he added, "But throw in one hundred million marks and I'll risk my life to go through the Dragon Mountain Range with you." "Deal." Aiden let out a long breath. In truth, he actually knew the location of three Fountains of Holy Spirits. The one in the Lost Lands was nearly dry, but for Merrick, that was more than enough. "Good. When do we leave?" Merrick's tone had lightened considerably. From this deal alone, both sides felt they'd come out ahead. "Now," Aiden said. "Now?" Merrick froze. "Isn't that a little… rushed? Shouldn't we wait?" "No time to wait. Otherwise, forget it. I'll go find someone else," Aiden said, firm as stone, not budging an inch. "This…" Merrick hesitated, then shook his head. "Fine." A top-ranked powerhouse from the Hall of Supremes, and here a Level 12 rookie was completely controlling him. Anyone else would call that impossible, but the Fountain of Holy Spirits mattered too much to Merrick. As for forcibly taking it, that was never on Merrick's radar. This was one of the rare perks of NPCs. As long as a player didn't cross them, they wouldn't be attacked—a built-in protection mechanism. After setting the meeting point, Aiden cut the call, and his expression relaxed. Done. "Nighthale, you seriously blew my mind," Sienna said, her eyes gleaming with unhidden admiration. Even without knowing precisely who they are, anyone in the Hall of Supremes qualified to issue such a token is high-ranking. Most likely, they're a top-ranked powerhouse. Their status and influence could easily rival my Uncle Steven. Yet it's this kind of powerhouse that Nighthale not only knows but can actually call on. Sure, part of it comes down to his wealth, but really, having money is a kind of skill too. Power and wealth—that's what makes a man stand out.