Who wants to become a god? Aren't you all forcing me?

#496 - Chapter 495: Several Billions

"Okay, thank you," Li Chenqiu responded politely, moving the teacup in front of him.

"You're welcome."

Zhao Long grinned, bent down and sat back in his seat, saying boldly: "Brother, just ask whatever you want. As long as I know it, I'll tell you everything!"

Li Chenqiu interlaced his fingers on the table: "It's like this, I need to go to the Sand Sea to find something, but due to some reasons, I don't have much time left to find it.

So I want to rent a very fast boat, and also find someone who is very familiar with the Sand Sea to be my guide. Strength doesn't matter, as long as they are familiar with the Sand Sea. It would be even better if they know how to sail, that's all."

Zhao Long nodded, looked at Li Chenqiu and said: "Brother, boats that can enter the Sand Sea and not sink are very expensive to build. Renting a very fast boat will cost a lot. How much money can you offer at most?"

Li Chenqiu replied honestly: "Tens of billions should be enough."

"Tens of billions should be... Wait! How much did you say?" Zhao Long's voice suddenly rose, and he almost stood up, supporting himself on the table with both hands.

The loud noise startled the people sitting around him.

"Hey, hey, can't you have some manners!"

"Can't you even shut your mouth while eating? Do you like yelling that much!"

"Eat if you can, get out if you can't, alright?"

Several angry scoldings came from the side. Zhao Long, realizing his mistake, quickly bent over and apologized: "Sorry, sorry, I lost control of my emotions for a moment. It won't happen again."

As the saying goes, one doesn't hit a smiling face. Seeing Zhao Long's sincere apology, the few people who were originally angry turned their heads away and stopped pursuing the matter.

Zhao Long turned his gaze back, and asked in as calm a tone as possible: "Brother... you weren't kidding me just now, were you?"

"I wouldn't joke about this kind of thing. Is this money enough to rent the best boat?" Li Chenqiu asked in a serious tone.

As soon as these words came out, Zhao Long's eyes suddenly lit up, and he nodded his head like a chick pecking rice, lowering his voice and saying: "Of course it is, Brother Bai. If you need it, I can lead the way for you!"

In order to hide his identity, when Zhao Long asked Li Chenqiu's name earlier, he did not reveal his real name, but called himself Bai Dong.

Li Chenqiu's face bloomed with a smile: "Then I'll have to trouble you. I won't let you work for nothing. Do you have any recommendations for a guide?"

"Yes, yes! The person I want to recommend to you has very rich sailing... sand-sailing experience, and he knows the terrain and landforms of the Sand Sea like the back of his hand. He is very suitable to be your guide!"

Listening to this familiar spiel, Li Chenqiu suddenly remembered the scene of Li Xuanyou bragging about himself, and Xiang Nanzhi, who crowned himself the "Master of Erudition."

He paused, and asked with some suspicion: "The person you're talking about, doesn't fit the condition of being far away in the horizon, yet close at hand, does he!"

Zhao Long smiled: "This person is not me. My skin isn't thick enough to praise myself to that extent."

"I misunderstood. Who are you talking about?"

"It's my dad, Zhao Jiacheng!"

The air fell silent. After a few seconds, Li Chenqiu spoke to break the silence.

"Besides your dad."

"My brother is actually not bad either. He learned a lot from my dad."

Li Chenqiu suppressed the urge to slap him, and said as calmly as possible: "Do you think I look like a pig ready to be fleeced?"

Zhao Long was stunned for a moment, then immediately reacted, and explained with a wrinkled face: "I'm wronged, Brother Bai! I really didn't lie to you. My dad came here when he was in his early twenties, and it's been almost forty years now.

In my heart... no, no, in most people's hearts, he is one of the best captains here. If you don't believe me, you can just ask the nearby shopkeepers to see if I'm right!"

Li Chenqiu curled his lips: "If it's really as you said, your family should be very wealthy. But why would you be squatting on the side of the road selling a sand pearl that only has one seal?"

Hearing this, Zhao Long's face gradually turned ugly. After hesitating for a while, he said: "My family was indeed very wealthy some time ago, but that was all in the past.

My dad offended someone and had his legs broken. In order to survive, he gave up almost everything, whether it was boats or money. Originally, with his experience, it wouldn't be difficult to join some top teams, but...

But the people in those teams were afraid of offending the person who broke my dad's legs, and they didn't dare to accept him, so it has become like this now. I'm really not lying to you!"

"Since you can't make a living here, why doesn't your family go back to the city?"

Zhao Long replied truthfully: "My brother and I want to earn enough money, and then take my dad and my sister back to City 145 to live. There is a chance to make big money in the Sand Sea. If we leave here... there will be no more opportunities."

Li Chenqiu's eyes narrowed slightly, staring at Zhao Long for a while. Seeing that the other party's expression didn't seem fake, the coldness in his eyes gradually dissipated.

"You sit here and wait for me for a while."

"Okay."

Li Chenqiu left the restaurant and asked some people nearby about Zhao Jiacheng. The answers he got were basically the same as what Zhao Long said, mostly words of praise or regret.

"Being crippled doesn't affect anything. As long as he can sail and knows the way, that's enough."

Not wanting to waste too much time on finding a guide, Li Chenqiu directly made a decision, returned to the restaurant, and told Zhao Long his decision.

"Don't worry, Brother Bai! With my dad's help, you will definitely be able to find what you want quickly!"

"Let's eat first. After eating, take me to see your dad."

"Alright!"

...

It was a low-rise house far away from the settlement.

Knock knock knock!

"Dad, I'm back!" Zhao Long knocked on the door excitedly.

"Xiaoyue, go open the door for your brother." A deep but undeniably vicissitudinous voice came from inside the door.

Accompanied by a series of unhurried footsteps, the rusty iron door opened from the inside, and a simply dressed girl appeared behind the door.

The girl looked about sixteen or seventeen years old, with fragmented bangs and a few pimples on her face. Coupled with her bright smile, she looked very youthful and energetic.

"Second brother, you bought me something to eat again..."

The girl's voice paused, her gaze falling on Li Chenqiu standing behind Zhao Long, her clear and bright eyes full of curiosity.

Zhao Long gestured: "Brother Bai, this is my little sister, Zhao Yue."

"Okay."

Li Chenqiu responded indifferently.

"Little sister, this is Brother Bai Dong, a distinguished guest of our family!" Zhao Long emphasized the last two words.

Zhao Yue understood and hurriedly stepped aside: "Hello, Brother Bai, please come in."

Li Chenqiu didn't stand on ceremony, nodded to Zhao Yue, and strode into the flat.

Looking around, the room was not big, and you could see everything at a glance. Bunk beds, tables, sofas, televisions... everything was very ordinary.

Zhao Jiacheng, who was sitting in a wheelchair and waving a spatula, heard the movement behind him, turned his head to look, and met Li Chenqiu's gaze directly.

"You are Captain Zhao Jiacheng, right!"

Zhao Jiacheng nodded blankly: "Uh... it's me, you are?"