Chapter Thirty-Six: The Capitalist

Letting a phoenix work in a steel mill... actually sounds like a great idea!

The more Ding Xuewen and the others thought about it, the more promising it seemed.

The phoenix is a renowned extraordinary beast of the fire element, a natural master of flames with unparalleled control over fire. While having it manage a massive steel plant producing tens of thousands of tons daily might be too much, building a smaller factory around it—one producing dozens or hundreds of tons a day—would surely be no problem!

“In fact, the fields where a phoenix could be employed extend far beyond metallurgy!” The capitalist’s soul burned bright within the black dragon as he spoke excitedly. “It’s an excellent flier and has strong self-preservation abilities, so it could work in logistics or express delivery overseas.”

“It’s adept at destructive fire magic, and its claws are tough and sharp enough for excavation and demolition—ideal for infrastructure projects.”

“It’s also perfect for tourism—a phoenix is elegant and beautiful, with an illustrious reputation and deep historical significance. Tourists would be drawn to it naturally. It could even use its fire to heat water for a hot spring, turning the site into a wellness resort that would attract crowds of visitors...”

“So, if you ask me, a phoenix is truly the perfect worker!”

“...”

“Brilliant!”

“Mr. Huang is absolutely right—a phoenix is exceptional labor!”

“If we used a phoenix properly, it could generate billions in value for our country every year!”

“We actually let a bird worth billions escape!”

“Why don’t you go catch it again tomorrow, Mr. Huang?”

“I think we’d better go now... what if it hasn’t returned to its nest but runs off into the night?”

“...”

Even the professional researchers, swept up in the black dragon’s impassioned vision, joined in the lively discussion.

Fortunately, Researcher Yu Xiaomin kept a cool head and pointed out a key issue—

“Even with all these benefits, isn’t everyone overlooking one thing? Would a phoenix even be willing to work for us?”

“Why wouldn’t it—” the black dragon started to retort, but then caught himself.

First, a phoenix is not a sentient being; it can’t communicate in human language. Second, it doesn’t possess the soul of a diligent worker, the kind who would quietly endure endless labor. Getting it to be an obedient, uncomplaining laborer would indeed be difficult...

“...Though phoenixes, as extraordinary creatures, are not unintelligent, and with proper training, they might be able to do some simple tasks,” Yu Xiaomin continued. “But let’s not forget, birds are notoriously temperamental. If they’re unhappy, they may even starve themselves to death!”

“What’s more, the phoenix is a noble, extraordinary creature—a king among birds. Its nature must be even prouder and fiercer. Expecting it to meekly work for us is simply unrealistic!”

“...Proud and fierce?” The black dragon was puzzled. “I didn’t get that impression. That phoenix seemed quite docile. It was fierce at first, but after I bit it, it became very obedient, didn’t struggle or make a fuss.”

“Perhaps your situation is rather special, Mr. Huang,” Ding Xuewen explained. “We’ve found this odd as well.”

Phoenixes and dragons have been archrivals since ancient times, battling for supremacy of the skies. Whenever they meet, it’s a fight to the death. Rarely does one get captured—especially a phoenix, which would rather self-immolate than beg for mercy at a dragon’s claws. Their pride and tenacity are legendary.

Yet this particular phoenix behaved completely unexpectedly. In the face of the black dragon’s fangs, it was remarkably compliant, almost entirely giving up resistance.

The only explanation was that the black dragon, with his human-like cunning, exuded some mysterious aura that made the phoenix feel safe and at ease, realizing that not struggling or making a fuss was the wisest choice.

Of course, it’s also possible that this adolescent phoenix, having grown up alone without parental guidance or affection, suffered some genetic mutation or psychological disorder—perhaps even Stockholm syndrome.

“...Alright then.” The black dragon, hearing this, didn’t dwell on the specific reasons. He simply realized that his dream of becoming a capitalist might be dashed, and said listlessly,

“Sigh, I was hoping to catch more extraordinary creatures in the future, train them, and start a labor company—be the boss, the contractor... That would certainly be lucrative!”

“...”

Ding Xuewen was at a loss for words. His feelings were mixed. The black dragon’s obsession with money was becoming increasingly obvious. Still, for now, it didn’t seem to cross any moral or legal boundaries—he simply wanted to use his abilities and intelligence to earn wealth, which could even be beneficial to the country. There was really nothing to criticize.

“Don’t lose heart, Mr. Huang. Your idea is still very constructive,” Yu Xiaomin suddenly said with a smile. “Even if the phoenix won’t work for you, plenty of other extraordinary beings might!”

“Don’t forget, many powerful extraordinary creatures are intelligent—their intellect rivals or even surpasses humans, they can communicate, and they understand self-interest and danger. Faced with overwhelming profit or peril, they’ll surely work obediently!”

“For example, the Elemental Lords of the subdimension—those are truly top-tier workers. They’re smart, communicative, and willing to bind themselves by contract. Their control over their respective elements is phenomenal!”

“The Earth Elemental Lord can turn sand to stone and stone to soil. Excavating tens of thousands of cubic meters daily is a breeze.”

“The Fire Elemental Lord is the true master of flame, with a core temperature of perhaps millions of degrees. That’s professional-level steelmaking!”

“The Water Elemental Lord is a leviathan, capable of both absorbing and releasing vast quantities of water. Employing one in hydraulic engineering would be tremendously efficient...”

“That’s right! Why didn’t I think of that?” The black dragon was overjoyed, his gaze toward Yu Xiaomin warming with enthusiasm. “Brother, we’re kindred spirits! We must exchange ideas more often in the future!”

“As long as you don’t mind, Mr. Huang, I’d be more than happy,” Yu Xiaomin replied warmly. He truly wished to build a good relationship with the black dragon; after all, many of his ideas and projects required the dragon’s active cooperation and support to be realized.