Chapter 514 - Is That So?

"Is that so?" Reacting to that claim, deeply gazing into Blaze's eyes in some interest, that was all Virus had to say.

"Hahaha, yes. That doesn't offend you, does it, my friend?" Locking eyes with him in return, Blaze inquired out of curiosity. Since debauchery was his greatest merit and the source of his pride in life, Blaze truly meant what he said and was now looking forward to the day of enjoying and savoring this beauty in front of him. 

"Well, as long as you get the opportunity, go for it! You'll just have to see how things progress from thereon." Virus was just finished stating that sentence expressionlessly when, with no warning whatsoever, Blaze pushed the woman beside him forward as she was forced on four legs with her buttocks facing him. 

Ripping her clothes to shreds next, Blaze pulled down his own pants and slid his already rock-hard rod into her right in front of Virus and the pale-faced Aily.

"Ah…" A yelp of surprise followed by intensifying moans resounded within the private room next.

"Well, since we're done talking for the night, we'll take our leave since I'm not really comfortable watching or doing that in front of other people." Standing up, Virus grabbed the ashen-faced Aily's hand and dragged her out of the private VIP space.

"Ah, that's such a pity, and here I was hoping to watch you handle that newbie bitch first-hand, hahaha." Catching the reverberating sound of laughter behind him, Virus paid him no need and proceeded to his own reserved space.

When he was back, looking at Aily's corpse-like countenance, patting her head gently, Virus reassured her, "Don't worry, as long as I'm around, I wouldn't let him touch a single hair on you or he'll see what's coming for him."

"Yes." Influenced by his warm reassurance, a shade of red returned to Aily's profile as she directed his adoring eyes at him.

"Alright, I'm going back home." Standing up all of a sudden, Virus announced.

"Ah, is that so?" Feeling downcast due to the news of his departure, she disappointedly murmured.

"See you again tomorrow."

…

Going back to Cultivation Trust, Virus was about to enter when a panicking Archibald rushed out. "Boss! Bad news! Grave news! Someone copied all of our techniques, opened a shop in the best location of Ricando, and is now selling them at half the price of ours! What do we do?"

Reacting to this news, a deep frown covered Virus' profile while his mind jumped back to the earlier event of Archibald notifying him regarding the good news of someone buying a copy of every single book in the shop. 'So, my suspicion turned out to be correct.'

"I bet it was that guy who bought a copy of everything before, isn't that right?" A glint of seriousness passed through Virus' pupils as he questioned.

"Ah, how did you know that, boss? After learning about the rumors, I left Luca in the store and personally went to confirm and get behind the matter." With a brief pause, Archibald picked up the rest of his elaboration. "When I got there, imagine my shock when I noticed that same guy sitting behind the counter."

"Did you go talk to him?"

"You bet I did! I went over and started cursing that shameless guy for stealing our hard work and unscrupulously putting it under his name. I was even about to pull and pluck every strand of hair on his nearly bald head. Woefully, it was then when a few guards threw me outside." Letting out a sigh that seemed to materialize the saying 'It's such a pity!', Archibald explained.

"And what did the guy say in his own defense?"

"That's the most infuriating part, boss! That creep said, is there some kind of law stopping or incriminating him from doing what he did?" His eyes bloodshot, Archibald was so infuriated he was about to pluck his nonexistent hair out of its roots and elevate himself to a new level of baldness if possible.

In response, deeply furrowing his brows, Virus sunk into a session of contemplation.

Indeed, just as that person had claimed, plagiarism wasn't a thing on this planet. 

All that stopped others from stealing and copying other people's hard-earned or developed techniques in broad daylight was the fear of retaliation by the owners themselves or their strong backing.

Other than that, no one really cared.

And now, seeing how the other person had dared to do just that, it meant that guy feared none of those two cases stated above, and that once more, denoted the possibility of him having a strong backer.

That instantly pushed his mind back to how there had been guards protecting the shop who had stepped forward to throw Archibald outside. 'Hmm, so there is someone else behind the matter, most likely someone with a powerful organization backing them up… or an individual that is strong himself.'

"Alright, I understand the situation." 

"What should we do now, boss? No one is willing to buy anything from us now! Ever since the rumors circulated throughout the city, we haven't had a single purchase!" Archibald pronounced another piece of unwanted news.

Deliberating on the topic more, Virus tried coming up with possible solutions, however, it was clear to him that none of it was completely bulletproof as there were ways to bypass them again when all things were considered.

Shaking his head in the end, Virus remarked, "Call everyone over, I wanna hear all of your suggestions and opinions."

"Yes, boss."

…

A while later, Luna, Luca, Augustus, and Archibald were present in the shop while Virus sat on the chair behind the counter.

"And that's what happened.. Do any of you have something that could help us?" Since Virus' database in the current Cultivation Multiverse of Qi was everything but perfect, Virus decided to consult his minions that may or may not be able to think outside the box or even provide him with an essential piece of information that could resolve the issue altogether.