Chapter 97: Contract Established

The panic in Silas Jennings’s eyes did not escape Lily Rhodes. She had only intended to bluff him, but it turned out he really was lying. Though shocked, she kept a perfectly straight face.

Silas recalled the character traits his future self had shared regarding Lily. Although highly powerful, she was extremely low-profile and rarely made a move. At the same time, she was the only one among all the top experts who hadn’t established her own faction. That fact alone spoke volumes.

"I’m not lying," Silas said. "I admit I’ve hidden some things, but my desire to cooperate with you is genuine. As for the terms, if you aren’t satisfied, we can adjust them to your liking."

Hearing this, Lily panicked slightly inside. Her previous remark had truly just been a probe. She hadn’t expected him to surrender immediately without a hint of struggle. However, she truly sensed no malice from him. Of course, it was also possible his acting skills were just too good for her to notice.

"I’ll believe you for now, but empty words mean nothing," Lily said.

"I can swear an oath," Silas offered.

Lily rolled her eyes. "If oaths worked, we wouldn’t need laws."

She returned to the cabin and retrieved the Advanced Custom Item Treasure Chest she had been rewarded earlier. It paid to be prepared. Now it was coming in handy. Opening the Treasure Chest, she navigated to the special items category. Within that section was a subcategory for contracts, which contained exactly one item: the Contract of Commitment. Once both parties voluntarily signed it, the terms would be forcibly executed. So far, she hadn’t seen this type of item anywhere outside the Advanced Custom Item Treasure Chest. Otherwise, such contracts would be incredibly useful for business.

Lily exchanged for the contract without hesitation, took out a pen, and drafted a series of conditions. She stepped back out of the cabin and handed the document and pen to Silas. "Sign this, and we have a deal."

Silas stared at the offered contract, his expression contorting through a colorful array of emotions.

"I have to give you two-thirds of all rewards I earn from this event for free? This is exorbitant. And why do the penalties for failure only apply to me? Don’t you have to follow any rules?" Silas demanded, looking grim. He had expected to lose a chunk of his profits, but he never thought she would demand an arm and a leg. Furthermore, the contract’s wording indicated she had no intention of a one-time buyout. She planned to milk him long-term.

If he actually agreed to this, he would have to hand over two-thirds of all Special Fish and Golden Fish he caught in the future, completely free of charge, and she would get first pick. He was basically selling himself into servitude just for a single reward. Had she seen through him? Did Lily know the true importance of the first-place prize in this competition? No, if she really knew, her reaction wouldn’t be like this.

"Are you going to sign it or not?" Lily asked.

While he deliberated, she carefully observed his expression. She clearly saw hesitation and struggle in his eyes, but no sign of backing down or giving up. That meant even with her taking two-thirds and slapping on a pile of harsh conditions, Silas still refused to abandon the partnership. At most, he just felt the pinch of her steep price. This suggested he knew something she didn’t, and that information was highly likely tied to securing first place in this event. If that was the case, why shouldn’t she just take first place for herself?

Just then, Silas noticed the shift in Lily’s gaze. Realizing something, his eyes went wide. Without another moment of hesitation, he cleanly and decisively signed his name on the contract.

Seeing this, a flash of disappointment crossed Lily’s eyes. She figured it didn’t matter. Whether he succeeded or not, she would get two-thirds of his rewards without having to lift a finger. Calculated out, it wasn’t a bad deal for her. She could just consider the remaining third as his salary.

"All right. How exactly do you want to collaborate?" Lily asked as she tucked the contract away.

"I know you have bait capable of attracting schools of fish. I need it," Silas said bluntly. After paying such a massive price, he would truly be taken to the cleaners if he continued to act politely.

"I have it, and I can give it to you. But I want to know—if I provide this bait, how confident are you in securing first place?" Lily asked.

Silas’s expression turned serious. "You probably wouldn’t believe me if I said I was a hundred percent certain. But I have a ninety-nine percent guarantee, as long as you provide enough bait."

Lily nodded. She didn’t doubt his claim. They were in the same boat now, and lying to her would do him no good.

"I have rice," Lily said. "You can take it all."

"Rice isn’t enough. I know you brought fruit too, and I need that as well. They are premium bait capable of reeling in much more valuable fish. You probably don’t know this yet, but all the fruits, vegetables, and grains you sell can be used as bait. The word hasn’t spread yet, so very few people are aware of it."

Lily wasn’t overly surprised by his explanation, having just tested the theory herself. "Fine."

She returned to the cabin. A moment later, she emerged carrying a Bronze Treasure Chest packed with various fruits and vegetables.

Silas took the Treasure Chest and turned to leave. The event had a strict time limit, and he had already wasted half a day tracking her down. He had to hurry and catch up on Points.

Lily watched his retreating back before finally looking away. The exclusive information he possessed was most likely related to his Talent. A Talent was everyone’s ultimate trump card, a secret kept even from their closest confidants.

Although she was helping Silas secure first place, Lily had no intention of completely slacking off. If nothing else, the fish here were quite beautiful. She just wondered how they tasted.

Lily picked up her fishing rod to resume angling. This time, to prevent a repeat of her previous thrilling mishap, she didn’t use an excessive amount of chum. Instead, she baited her hook with a single grain of rice. Silas had mentioned that her crops made excellent bait, a fact she had already experienced firsthand. Now, she wanted to test exactly how potent this bait was, and gauge the specific attraction levels each type of produce held for the fish.

The calm, tranquil waters here made for a rare and perfect testing ground.