"The Association doesn’t prohibit its investigators from developing personal businesses."

Eleanor’s answer was crisp and direct, as if she’d prepared it in advance.

"In fact, we encourage it."

Her finger swiped across the light screen, and the fourth clause of the agreement appeared.

"A successful enterprise is, in itself, the best proof of a Wizard’s ability to mobilize resources. Especially for you Alchemy Wizards—"

She gave a faint smile. "You always have some business of your own."

Allen remained silent, waiting for her to continue.

The right to conduct personal business was one of his core demands for this negotiation. The blueprint for Weisren Heavy Industry could not be restricted by the agreement.

"There are only two small restrictions."

Eleanor held up two fingers. "First, you must not directly conflict with the Association’s core interests. For example, you can’t sell arms to an enemy faction the Association is currently at war with. Second, the Association has the priority right to be informed of any technology you acquire while on a mission."

She paused for a beat, then added in a near-joking tone, "Other than that, make money however you want."

Allen’s brow twitched almost imperceptibly.

’These terms... they’re almost too generous.’

Neither of these restrictions affected the core business plan for Weisren Heavy Industry.

The priority right to be informed wasn’t the right of first refusal, let alone exclusive rights. He could accept that.

She leaned forward slightly, dropping a bombshell that made it impossible for even Allen to remain completely calm.

"The Association will even allow you... to access the Association’s internal supply chain and sales channels."

In that instant, Allen’s pupils constricted to the size of a pinprick.

"The more you earn, the more your commercial network will rely on the Association’s transport network, intelligence channels, and military protection."

Eleanor hit the nail on the head. "It’s a win-win."

"You can use your internal pricing and rank privileges to purchase strategic-grade materials from the restricted list. Your products can be sold through the Association’s commercial network, which spans hundreds of planes—sell war-grade Mechanical Bodies to Wizard legions fighting Plane Wars, basic Engineering Golems to mining planes in need of cheap labor, or even standardized Defense Arrays to indigenous civilizations that crave transcendent power."

She leaned forward slightly, speaking one word at a time.

"Logistics, channel promotion—the Association provides it all. In return, we take thirty percent of the total sales as a channel service fee."

Allen said nothing.

’Thirty percent. That’s a steep cut.’

But he knew all too well the barriers to entry for inter-planar trade. The fees for using the transport network, the public relations costs for planar access, the legal risks of multi-civilizational markets... added together, the cost of operating independently would be far more than thirty percent.

For the price of thirty percent, the Association was packaging up the inter-planar commercial infrastructure that a lone Wizard could never hope to build and delivering it right to his doorstep.

His original plan had been to spend five to ten years after joining the Association carefully using its internal resources to slowly build his own commercial network.

But now, that path had been shortened to the very moment he signed his name.

Of course, the price was also clear: the larger your business network grew, the deeper your reliance on the Association’s transport network and channels would become. This wasn’t support; it was symbiosis.

Allen put down his teacup.

"Continue."

A slight smile touched the corners of Eleanor’s mouth as her finger swiped to the next clause of the agreement.

"Fifth, Level 2 access to the knowledge and resource repositories."

"Resource Repository: Standard materials can be purchased at the Association’s internal price, which is three to five percent lower than the market price. Some special resources must be purchased with ’Credit Points’."

"Knowledge Repository: Level 2 access grants you entry to about sixty percent of the content. Cutting-edge research and advanced technology entries require higher clearance or must be unlocked by spending Credit Points."

She stressed the words "Credit Points." Then, she stopped.

The office was silent for a few seconds. Outside the window, the sea shimmered with the golden-red afterglow of the sunset.

"Credit Points," Eleanor repeated, her tone subtly different now. Before, she had been introducing the "benefits," but from this moment on, she was revealing the "real rules of the game."

"You acquire them by completing Association missions. One Credit Point can be exchanged for one hundred Mid-Level Magic Stones. But..."

Her gaze locked onto Allen’s.

"Magic Stones cannot be exchanged back into Credit Points, and Credit Points cannot be transferred or gifted."

Allen instantly grasped the essence of this system.

’Magic Stones are the universal currency of the external market, while Credit Points are the closed currency of the Association’s interior.’

’This means that no matter how many Magic Stones you earn outside, no matter how large your business empire becomes, your wealth is meaningless when it comes to the Association’s core resources.’

’The only hard currency is the labor and loyalty you give to the Association.’

"You need to understand," Eleanor’s voice was as calm as if stating a law of physics, "that the things an organization truly values will never circulate freely on the market."

"Do you want to be promoted to a Morning Star Wizard?"

The moment she said this, the air in the office seemed to freeze for half a beat.

"The core knowledge to touch the Laws, the rare materials to construct a demi-plane, the miraculous cultivation artifacts to stabilize one’s soul... they’re all in the Credit Point store. As long as you contribute enough, the Association will pave the road to immortality for you."

She leaned back in her chair, folding her hands, her gaze filled with a sense of certainty.

"Now, Mr. Wesren, do you still find the ’unconditional conscription’ clause unacceptable?"

Allen didn’t answer immediately.

He was processing the complete logical chain of this system.

The Association didn’t need a contract to lock down your body. It took the things you desired most—power, knowledge, advancement—and put a price on them that could only be paid with "contribution."

You would start running on your own, willingly, because at the end of the track lay the future you’ve always dreamed of.

’A golden cage. Brilliant.’

Eleanor seemed to see through his silence. She didn’t press him, but instead offered one last thought.

"I won’t give you empty platitudes like ’you definitely won’t regret joining the Association.’ I’ll just state a fact."

Her voice was steady, without a trace of a sales pitch.

"Of the Association’s seventeen active Morning Star Wizards, fourteen signed a permanent contract before their promotion. It’s not because they were tied down, but because leaving the Association means losing everything this platform provides—information, channels, security, knowledge. These are things that no individual Wizard, no matter how powerful, can easily obtain."

Allen was silent for three seconds.

[DSeek analysis complete: Agreement terms are fair and reasonable. Compensation is superior to the market standard for this level. The Credit Point system is the core binding mechanism; risk is manageable. Recommendation: Accept. Long-term strategy: Utilize the Association’s platform to complete initial market research and initial technology accumulation for Weisren Heavy Industry. Re-evaluate renewal value in twenty years.]

He looked up.

"I accept."

---

The signing process was simple and efficient.

A silver gleam of Magic Power emerged from the Scroll, forming a complex Rune brand that split in two.

When the designation "EX-2071, Allen Wesren," resonated with his soul, a Contractual Power, deeper than the one from twenty years ago, settled into his Sea of Consciousness.

Eleanor put away the Scroll and handed him a silver badge inlaid with a blue gem. At the center of the badge, the emblem of a probe and a star-ring rotated in the faint light.

"Welcome aboard, Investigator."

She stood up and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window. The setting sun had dyed the sea a golden-red.

"Your residence is in the Azure Abode, Building E-071. The temporary property deed and access credentials have been synchronized with your identification badge."

She didn’t turn around.

"And one last thing—something that isn’t in the contract."

"After you’ve settled in at the Association, don’t be in a rush to take on missions. Spend a few days and go have a look at the knowledge and resource repositories."

She paused for a moment.

"The Association has existed for nearly ten thousand years, and not a single official member has ever wanted to leave of their own accord."

Allen picked up the badge, rose to his feet with a nod, and turned to leave.

The heavy wooden door closed silently behind him. The corridor was quiet, and the blue glow of a levitation Array carried him smoothly back down to the first-floor hall.

He walked out of the Association’s headquarters.

It was dusk outside.

The sunset glow on the sea’s surface burned the sky and ocean a blood-red. In the distance, a cluster of floating islands hung silently in the twilight.

Allen stood on the steps, looking down at the cool silver badge in his hand. Under the fading light, the blue gem glinted with a profound glow.

[Identity Verified: Investigator EX-2071, Allen Wesren.]

[Clearance Level: Level 2.]

[Associated Assets: Grand Library Plane, Azure Abode, Building E-071 Property Deed (Validity: 20 years).]

[Current Credit Points: 0.]

He slipped the badge into his pocket.

Looking up, the silhouette of the distant floating archipelago, set ablaze by the sunset, was breathtakingly beautiful.

’No matter how good the Association is, it’s not a place where I call the shots.’

Weisren Heavy Industry, inter-planar arms dealing.

He would never give up on that plan.

Allen started walking toward the Azure Abode.

The sea breeze swept past the hem of his clothes, the salty air mingled with the scent of ancient scrolls. Behind him, at the top of the Association’s headquarters, the probe and star-ring emblem slowly lit up with a blue glow in the twilight, like an eye that never closed.