C16 A Skyhigh Contract Fee

Sara was concerned that Everett might be fabricating the truth. It was a significant gamble for her to switch companies alongside her supervisor. If Everett was deceiving them, they'd be in a real bind.

"Absolutely!"

Having a beautiful woman to chat with in the vast desert was a dream come true!

Once Sara initiated the video call, Everett pointed his phone towards the sand dunes. Standing atop a towering dune, the landscape was dotted with spiraling mounds of sand. Despite the afternoon sun's lingering heat, they could hear the whisper of the wind through the reeds. Peering through the phone, they beheld a vast crescent-shaped valley.

The desert valley extended to the base of a distant megadune, where a swath of pentagonal reeds danced in the breeze. It wasn't just the reeds; a lush expanse of grass beside them shifted from light to dark green with the wind's caress. The verdant hue was so vibrant it almost sweetened the heart.

"Wow, it's miraculous!"

Even the usually stoic Sara exclaimed, her smile breaking through her icy demeanor, captivating in its rarity.

"Can we get a closer look?"

The camera then captured a man in his forties, dressed in a suit, with a round head and a hint of a beard, exuding an air of competence.

"Of course!"

Everett was like their personal tour guide, broadcasting live as he descended the megadune to the edge of the grass. Despite the preciousness of the grass, Everett, driven by the prospect of higher earnings, plucked a blade and held it up to the camera.

"See this? This is real grass, not artificial. I'll prove it."

He popped the grass into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully. Surprisingly, the grass was cool and quite pleasant to the taste. It might even be worth trying cooked.

"It really is!"

Meyer remarked, as Everett moved closer to the reeds, bending one for a detailed inspection. Both Meyer and Sara were mesmerized by the sight. The authenticity was undeniable, and for them, as live streamers looking to make a profit, it was more than enough.

After a while, Meyer spoke up, "Excellent. Thank you, Mr. Thomas, for sharing such astonishing scenes with us. I'd like to know, besides these, could you possibly share more about sandstorms and other desert phenomena?"

"Absolutely, but there's no sandstorm at the moment. When one hits, I'll be sure to live stream the real deal!"

After Everett finished, Meyer nodded in agreement. He glanced at Sara, who also nodded, prompting Meyer to say, "We'll need to touch base with Wilber from Chili Live. Do you have any other conditions?"

Everett nodded, thinking there was no better time to make demands.

"Yes, I want a signing fee of 20 million, and I'll take 60% of the gifts. You need to feature me across the entire platform for at least a month. I need an answer by this evening, or I'll start negotiating with other platforms."

Checking his phone, Everett saw it was five o'clock, the late afternoon in the desert, which meant it was already evening rush hour in Hangzhou. He had given them ample time to deliberate.

"Okay, we'll get back to you by seven," Meyer confirmed.

The call ended, and Everett lay back on the megadune, mulling over his farming plans. With the 20 million, he'd allocate over 10 million to Crescent Bay and use the remainder to buy a car. Then, he'd plant a desert pillar cactus route to Limesvilles, ensuring Marian and her group would never fear getting lost again.

Lying on the grass, inhaling its fresh scent, Everett's mind wandered to the moment he would meet his goddess, and before he knew it, he drifted off to sleep.

He wasn't sure how long he slept, but his phone's ringtone jolted him awake.

"The vast expanse of the sky is my love..."

Blinking against the soft sunlight of the evening, he saw no fiery clouds, just the red glow of the sunset painting the sky.

"Hey, Everett, it's Sara. Can we video chat now?"

He hesitated, tempted to decline, but the thought of the multimillion-dollar deal made him reconsider. Caution seemed reasonable. He accepted the call, and soon Sara appeared on the screen.

They weren't at the office; it was already night in Hang City.

Sara was in a villa, where a crystal chandelier cast a bright light over the hall. The redwood furniture gave the room an authentic Shaoland feel.

Three individuals were seated on a mahogany sofa. Sara was at one end, with Meyer beside her. On the other side sat a slightly portly man with a long face. His eyes were small but piercing, and he was dressed in a suit, appearing to be around Meyer's age.

"Allow me to introduce Mr. Wilber, the chairman of Chili Live. We're currently in his home. Mr. Wilber will soon make the final decision on your matter and cast his vote."

Typically, even top influencers have difficulty meeting the head honchos of live streaming platforms, so it's clear just how seriously Chili Live takes Everett.

"Hello, Mr. Wilber, I'm Everett. I specialize in desert tours and outdoor live streaming. Is there anything you'd like to ask?"

Everett recognized this as a golden opportunity. If he could hitch a ride on Chili Live's rapid growth, he'd earn enough to develop a scenic area. Once that was accomplished and tourists began to flock in, he'd be able to unlock the building materials mall.

"Hello, young man, you're asking for quite a hefty sum. Even seasoned streamers with a couple of years under their belt and hundreds of thousands of followers only command a signing fee of ten million. You've been at it for half a day and you're asking for twenty million. That's rather bold," Wilber said, always with a smile, making it difficult for anyone to want to contradict him.

"Mr. Wilber, as you mentioned, they have only a few hundred thousand fans. I'm different; I have tens of millions. I believe I've already surpassed three million subscriptions on Cat's Tooth in just half a day. You get what you pay for, and as a businessman, you understand that," Everett replied.

Sitting on the grass, Everett struck up a casual conversation with Wilber, who glanced behind him at the setting sun, which hung like a fiery orb amidst the reeds, casting a red hue across the sky. Such beautiful weather had become a rarity in Shaoland over the past decade, due to the desert's expansion.

"You make a good point. Price reflects quality. Desert-themed live streams are rare and highly sought after, and you've got the right look for the job. Go ahead and give me a two-minute live stream. It'll give me some time to think," Wilber suggested.

Although Chili Live is currently ranked second, they're certainly not strapped for cash. Talking about 20 million is one thing, but Wilber wouldn't even blink at shelling out 50 million. On Wilber's website, there are already seven or eight individuals with contracts exceeding 100 million yuan, and more than a dozen over 50 million. By those standards, Everett's contract would be considered modest at best.

However, what Wilber is really contemplating is whether to launch a full-scale promotional campaign for Everett across the entire website, essentially deciding whether to initiate a "making of a legend" project for him.

After Wilber finished speaking, Everett nodded in agreement. Indeed, he was ready to prove himself.