Free Web NovelChapter 118: Chapter 115: Cooperation
After Yao Ying left, Feng Hao couldn’t help but look at Xiong Tianfang with a strange expression. "Brother Xiong, you know Yao Ying?"
"Sigh, what can I do? Your Brother Xiong here might be a master at Artifact Refining, but my sense of aesthetics is severely lacking. And that woman is a top-tier designer. If I don’t work with her, I can’t sell a damn thing." Xiong Tianfang said with deep resentment. "And what’s with people these days? They don’t want top-quality equipment, they just like all those flashy, gaudy designs!"
"..." Feng Hao nodded in stunned silence, roughly understanding what Xiong Tianfang meant.
Putting everything else aside, one could tell from his appearance alone that he wasn’t someone who cared about details. It was perfectly normal that he couldn’t craft good-looking equipment. Unfortunately, the young people these days were all about appearances. If equipment wasn’t good-looking, they wouldn’t even give it a second glance, no matter how good the stats were.
Xiong Tianfang continued to complain, "The most hateful thing is, that woman Yao Ying is viciously greedy. Relying on her popularity, she takes a forty percent cut of my profits! Other designers take thirty percent at most."
"Uh, then why do you still work with her?" Feng Hao asked, confused.
"Can’t be helped. That slut has tons of idiotic followers. The equipment she designs usually sells for a good price." Xiong Tianfang shook his head with a bitter sigh and tossed the design sketches in his hand onto a nearby desk.
Feng Hao chuckled, at a loss for words, and decided to give him a hand. Although he had never studied design, he could pull out any of the insanely cool game equipment designs from Earth and they would be enough to blind those looks-obsessed people.
"Why don’t you work with me, Brother Xiong? I’ll provide the designs, you make the equipment, and I’ll only take a thirty percent cut," Feng Hao proposed.
Xiong Tianfang froze, looking at Feng Hao with a strange expression. "You little thief, you know design too?"
"That’s right. And I guarantee you’ll be satisfied," Feng Hao said with a confident smile.
Xiong Tianfang hesitated for a long time before nodding in agreement. "Alright then. You draw up a few designs first. If they’re any good, we’ll work together from now on."
"No problem. Brother Xiong, you can finish up my daggers first. I’ve got nothing better to do, so I’ll just sketch a few drafts for you to look at."
"Okay. There are drawing tools right over there."
Xiong Tianfang laughed heartily and started preparing for the Artifact Refining on his own. He didn’t have high expectations for Feng Hao. After all, in the eyes of someone as aesthetically challenged as him, appearance design was an insurmountable mountain.
Seeing Xiong Tianfang begin the Artifact Refining process with great enthusiasm, Feng Hao chuckled and walked over to the desk.
He picked up Yao Ying’s design sketches and flipped through them, a look of contempt on his face. ’This is the work of a top-tier designer? What a joke. Women will be women, only caring about looking pretty, not about looking grand.’
To be honest, the quality of Yao Ying’s designs couldn’t even compare to the trashy browser games on Earth.
’It’s time to change this world’s equipment aesthetics!’
Feng Hao grinned mischievously, grabbed a pen and paper, and began to draw with wild, fluid strokes. All sorts of cool equipment designs flashed through his mind. Drawing them was effortless, and he grew more and more excited as he worked.
Before long, a few cool-looking designs for male equipment had appeared on the draft paper. As for female equipment, that was a bit more difficult.
It couldn’t be helped. Most female equipment in games from Earth was quite revealing. It looked good, sure, but it clearly wouldn’t work in reality. Just exposing a thigh could turn it into a target for the enemy.
Fortunately, he still remembered a lot of more practical equipment designs. Otherwise, he really wouldn’t have been able to draw any decent female equipment.
After a flurry of sketching, a few designs for heroic and elegant female equipment were complete, but Xiong Tianfang’s Artifact Refining still wasn’t finished.
Out of boredom, he drew a few more revealing sets of female equipment. He had to admit, the revealing sets were very good-looking, even if they weren’t very suitable as combat gear.
Finally, with a loud laugh from Xiong Tianfang, the two Su Mu Daggers were successfully forged.
When Feng Hao saw what the two daggers looked like, he was completely dumbfounded. Before him lay two pitch-black daggers. They looked less like daggers and more like two sharpened wooden sticks. They were as ugly as ugly could be.
At that moment, he finally understood why Xiong Tianfang’s equipment didn’t sell. With an aesthetic sense as bizarre as his, it would be strange if anything *did* sell.
Luckily, Feng Hao wasn’t too focused on appearances, or he would have definitely demanded a refund. "Brother Xiong, are you sure these are daggers?"
"Heh heh, you know I’m not good at design," Xiong Tianfang said, scratching his head in embarrassment. Then, full of confidence, he added, "Quick, see how they feel in your hands."
Feng Hao nodded, picked up the two Su Mu Daggers, and gave them a few simple swings. A satisfied look appeared on his face. He then scanned them with his Divine Sense, and the satisfaction in his eyes deepened:
[Su Mu Dagger] (Tier 4)
Lethality: 120
Dark Energy Amplification: 45
Sharpness: 48
Weight: 30
Demon Pattern Resonance: Attack Speed +12%
He had to admit, Xiong Tianfang’s Artifact Refining skill was truly high. Although it had lost 10 points of quality, he had perfectly activated the Dark Energy Amplification effect and even reduced the weight to 30. They could absolutely be called top-grade items.
"A 12% attack speed bonus! Brother Xiong, you really are amazing." Feng Hao couldn’t help but exclaim as he felt the resonant vibrations from the two daggers.
Xiong Tianfang smiled faintly. "I can only say that a material like Su Mu has a great foundation. Plus, I had good luck today."
"Anyway, thanks a lot, Brother Xiong!" Feng Hao said, overjoyed as he played with the Su Mu Daggers. "By the way, I drew a few design sketches. Take a look and see if you like them. If not, I can change them."
"Oh?" Xiong Tianfang said, a little surprised. "Let me see, then."
With that, he walked to the desk and began flipping through Feng Hao’s design sketches. With just the first glance, Xiong Tianfang froze completely.
SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!
After looking through all the sketches in one go, Xiong Tianfang couldn’t help but gasp. He looked at Feng Hao in disbelief. "You little thief, you designed all of these?"
"What, you’re not satisfied, Brother Xiong?" Feng Hao asked with a frown.
"Satisfied? Satisfied?! I couldn’t be more satisfied!" Xiong Tianfang’s eyes lit up as he laughed boisterously. "Haha, to hell with Yao Ying! To hell with her forty percent cut! The best designer was right here beside me all along."
"So, does that mean you agree to the partnership, Brother Xiong?" Feng Hao asked with a smile.
"Of course I agree." Xiong Tianfang leaned in toward Feng Hao excitedly, looking through the designs as he spoke. "These designs of yours completely blow those so-called master designers out of the water. Especially these male armor designs, they’re unbelievably cool. And these female armor designs will definitely drive the combat-focused girls crazy. It’s just that these last few are a bit bizarre. Too many exposed parts, not suitable for combat."
Feng Hao nodded and chuckled. "Those last few were just for fun. If you’re interested in making regular clothing, Brother Xiong, you can give them a try."
"In any case, it’s settled. From now on, you just provide the designs, and I’ll handle production and sales. When the time comes, we’ll split the profits fifty-fifty," Xiong Tianfang said with a broad, happy smile.
"Isn’t it a seventy-thirty split?" Feng Hao asked, stunned.
Xiong Tianfang smiled faintly. "We’re brothers, of course I’m not going to sweat the small stuff when it comes to money. Just make sure you can keep the designs coming."
"Don’t worry, I’ve got as many as you need. I’m just afraid you won’t be able to keep up with production," Feng Hao said with a grin.
"Haha... Come on, I’ll take you out for a couple of drinks!"
Xiong Tianfang laughed heartily, slung an arm around Feng Hao’s shoulder, and started walking out.
