Steam-powered martial arts: My virginity cultivation technique has been broken.

Young Master Liu greatly admired Ku Ning; his response at the gate earlier and his current agreement with Ku Ning's analysis and reply were both very intelligent.

He liked to work with smart people. He originally thought that the group of menacing brutes would only be useful, but he was surprised to find that they were actually a goldmine.

Seeing that he seemed ready to continue, Ku Ning didn't pause: "Safety, stability, and effectiveness—that's what you require of a security escort agency. The Liu family is in the business of big companies, so naturally they won't be stingy or haggle over mere escort fees. Ensuring the safe delivery of goods, minimizing losses, and establishing long-term cooperation are what truly benefit us."

Young Master Liu nodded in agreement: "You're right, but all of this is based on your having sufficient strength. I know you have a seventh-rank martial artist and a seventh-rank sorcerer, as well as some eighth and ninth-rank ones. This might be considered a significant figure in Shannan City, but it's not enough in the entire province or the country. Our Liu family certainly doesn't care about that escort fee, but we're not fools either. Give me a reason to make a concession."

Ku Ning immediately said, "Our Changkong Escort Agency aims to become the number one escort agency in Shannan, Taizhou, and even the whole country. By cooperating with us, your Liu family's goods will reach all corners of the world."

Young Master Liu was strategically sipping his tea when he heard this and nearly choked: "You have quite the nerve. Even our Liu family wouldn't dare dream of doing business all over the world. Who gave you the audacity?"

Ku Ning countered, "With our strength, is it difficult to establish a foothold in Shannan?"

Young Master Liu replied, "It's not difficult. In fact, as long as you open for business, you can easily become one of the top escort agencies in Shannan City. However, you will also offend quite a few people."

He was telling the truth. They had indeed swindled so many resources from the major families, so they were certainly qualified to establish themselves in Shannan. But that was the problem. Their path to rise was too barbaric and bloody, and they had already offended the families behind the Three Mountains. Even other mountain factions and their families were watching them closely.

The Liu family patriarch and the prefect did not actually think highly of them, so they exploited them to the fullest extent of their power, trying to make as much money as possible.

Liu Yu, however, had a different idea. These people were quite capable, able to quell internal strife and subdue the Three Mountains in such a short time. The young man was right; the most valuable people in this world were those with ability, so he was willing to take the gamble.

The second son, that good-for-nothing, couldn't understand this point and even sent the old steward to intimidate people.

His position in the Liu family was also awkward. Although he was the nominal heir and the eldest son, his father favored his concubine over his wife and valued the second and third sons far more than him. Fortunately, the Liu family wasn't entirely ruled by his father, otherwise he would have been sent to the countryside to collect grain long ago.

Seeing his tone soften, Ku Ning pressed his advantage: "Offended people? Just some cowardly chickens and dogs. We can easily suppress the Three Mountains, so what right do the other mountains have to oppose us? The young master's refusal to compromise shows that he values ​​us and believes we have potential. If we were truly worthless, the young master could easily make empty promises, and once we leave this room, who would even recognize us?"

"But young master, a true investment should make both parties happy. How can you do business with peace of mind if the person doing the work feels like they're losing out? Doing business also involves interpersonal relationships. Once a rift forms between people, it's hard to mend it, and any disagreement in the future will escalate."

"How about this? We'll give the Prefect two hundred thousand silver dollars in one lump sum, and you'll receive the due tribute for every festival and holiday. We'll also give you a 10% private share, making you a shareholder from now on. The Liu family's escort fees will be calculated at 70% of our price. What do you say?"

Liu Yu narrowed his eyes. Two hundred thousand silver dollars was no small sum. The key to this matter was whether it could feed that prefect, who was only known as a jackal. This man's thinking was indeed clear. The Liu family's demand for a 30% stake was simply outrageous; if it worked out, great, but if not, it didn't matter. Unexpectedly, this man was even willing to give him 10%, clearly trying to recruit him.

From their conversation, Ku Ning also realized that Liu Yu wasn't a fool; otherwise, they would have definitely jumped ship from the Liu family's boat. A clever person's thousand schemes are no match for a fool's quick wit, which can ruin everything.

After a moment's thought, Liu Yu took out the paperwork and receipts and handed them to Ku Ning: "Your sincerity has moved me. It's a pleasure to cooperate with you."

The group left the reception room in high spirits. When Ku Ning handed the voucher to Liu Mazi, tears streamed down his face. From then on, he would never have to depend on others again.

On their way out of the mansion, they saw Old Steward Liu standing under the eaves in the distance, looking at his son with a complicated expression.

Liu Mazi gripped the voucher tightly, bowed to it, and turned to leave without hesitation.

No one is born a slave or inferior. He is not a remnant of the old era; he was born into the mechanical revolution, and daring to fight and struggle is their defining characteristic.

In the central area of ​​Donghe County, Shannan City, there was a three-courtyard house, about 1,200 square meters in size, only 100 meters away from the Donghe County government office. Liu Mazi reluctantly paid 100,000 silver dollars to buy the land and the house. He originally only intended to rent it out, since it's rare for someone to buy a house before their business has taken off.

Ku Ning suggested buying it, as renting would just mean working for someone else. Donghe County was underdeveloped, and land prices were cheap; the price of a mid-grade human-level mechanical leg could be obtained. He had his eye on a few small houses near the entrance, which could be used to open a restaurant, so that the brothers would have a place to eat.

"Third brother, we only have 150,000 left, and that's only after Young Master Liu waived all the miscellaneous bribes. If we buy some carriages, weapons, costumes, and other equipment, we won't have much money left."

Liu Mazi had already taken on the role of the accountant and was heartbroken.

Ku Ning also realized that he had gone a bit too far. He knew that he was not cut out for business. In his previous life, he was a laborer, and in this life, he was a monk in a temple. He had never actually run a business.

Fortunately, he was optimistic: "Brother, don't worry. Once the escort agency opens, I'll personally lead the team to secure a few big deals, and you'll definitely earn it back in two or three months."

Liu Mazi was puzzled, wondering where there could be so many big orders. But then he thought, at least the real estate was there, so it wasn't a loss.

Another half month passed, and people arrived one after another to clean, renovate, and purchase equipment. Thanks to the high-ranking sorcerer Vacuum, many weapons and equipment were made with his help, saving a lot of money. Vacuum's rank had dropped to the fifth rank that year, but he quickly rebuilt it and returned to the third rank in less than five years.

When Ku Ning found out, he joked, "The mind is closely related to the body. If a person's body is not good, his spirit will definitely decline. Senior Brother has practiced martial arts for many years, so he is physically strong and has a good spirit. His mind is naturally strong, which makes his cultivation of the sorcerer twice as effective."

What was initially just a string of random thoughts sparked a deep reflection in Vacuum, who unexpectedly found it to be true. Because the true energy of magic constitutes a relatively small percentage of one's power, sorcerers often neglect physical factors. His ability to quickly rebuild his cultivation might very well be due to this very reason.