pjbooks Chapter 205 The Game? This woman doesn't play by the rules.
Chapter 205 The Game? This woman doesn't play by the rules.
"game?"
Chen Yifan pondered the word, his eyes calm.
The "game" that Mu Wanqing could talk about could not be simple.
He did not continue the conversation.
Wang Fugui, standing to the side, looked completely bewildered.
headquarters?
game?
He felt as if his brain had been forcibly crammed into a set of books beyond his syllabus.
I recognize each character individually, but I don't understand them at all when they're put together.
Mu Wanqing didn't keep them in suspense and immediately revealed the follow-up.
"The Black Gold Guild holds an 'Ash Auction' at its headquarters every three years."
"What's being auctioned isn't ordinary equipment or props, but things that will never be considered high-class."
Her voice paused, each word carrying a bloody undertone.
"Core intelligence of a certain hostile force, the sole pass to a forbidden instance, and even..."
"A living example of a certain S-rank talent possessor."
Wang Fugui felt a tightness in his chest, as if he had been punched, and a chill ran from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.
A living...living body?
Good heavens, they can auction off living people like commodities?
This Black Gold Chamber of Commerce is ten thousand times more sinister than he imagined!
"However, there is an unwritten tradition before this formal auction begins."
Mu Wanqing's fingertips lightly traced across the smooth, mirror-like obsidian tabletop.
"The successor candidates from each branch will engage in a 'preliminary battle'."
"This qualifying round is what I mean by 'the game'."
"The game content is different every year, but there is only one core element - in the 'Cage of the Winners' at headquarters, you must obtain a special item called 'Void Chip' by any means necessary."
Ultimately, only the top three holders of the most chips will be eligible to enter the real Ashes Auction.
Mu Wanqing's gaze, like two scalpels, landed precisely on Chen Yifan.
"This is not just about saving face; it's directly related to my influence at headquarters and the resources I can mobilize over the next three years."
Chen Yifan understood.
A succession war within the Black Gold Merchant Guild disguised as a "game".
Cruel and bloody.
No rules are followed.
"Why me?"
Chen Yifan asked the most crucial question.
"The Jiangcheng branch of the Black Gold Chamber of Commerce is full of experts; I think they're all higher level than me, so they'll be very useful!"
"them?"
Mu Wanqing's lips curled into a smile, but it wasn't a smile; it was pure contempt.
"A high rank doesn't necessarily mean you're smart. Strong strength doesn't guarantee you'll survive to the end."
"The Cage of the Winners is a lawless zone specially created by headquarters, where official laws are as worthless as scraps of paper. Violence is merely the lowest form of tactic."
Her gaze suddenly sharpened.
"The person I need is not a roaring tiger, but a venomous snake."
"A venomous snake that excels at hiding, is adept at scheming, and can find the slightest opening in the most chaotic situation before delivering a fatal blow."
She looked at Chen Yifan and spoke slowly and deliberately, her voice not loud, but like a heavy hammer striking everyone's heart.
"You and I both know exactly what I mean by that!"
Chen Yifan, however, did not show any smugness on his face.
He simply asked calmly:
"That sounds like a high risk."
"High risk, high reward."
Mu Wanqing pushed a pure black metal card in front of Chen Yifan.
"This is the deposit."
The card contained no numbers, only a complex and luxurious golden emblem composed of countless runes.
"There are fifty million in here."
"In addition, with this card, you can choose any three items from the warehouse of the Jiangcheng branch of the Black Gold Chamber of Commerce without any conditions."
Wang Fugui's breathing suddenly became heavy.
Fifty million!
Choose any three items from the warehouse!
Is this the fucking payment?
This is like stuffing a mountain of gold into your arms!
His Adam's apple bobbed, and he almost couldn't help but shout out "I'll do it!" for Fanzi.
However, Chen Yifan's gaze lingered on that black and gold card, which was enough to drive any professional crazy, for only one second.
Then, he shook his head.
"not enough."
Two words, light and airy.
But it instantly froze the lively atmosphere in the restaurant that had just become lively because of the exorbitant reward.
Wang Fugui's jaw froze.
not enough?
Is that not enough?
Has Fanzi gone mad?!
Mu Wanqing's gaze also turned cold.
What do you want?
"Money is just a number to me. Even the best S-rank items are just external things."
Chen Yifan met her icy gaze, his voice not loud, but incredibly clear.
"What I need is something that can truly solve my problem."
He held up one finger.
"First, the truth about that instance. What exactly is Liu Cang, or rather, the 'Outer God' behind him, plotting? I need all the information."
He then extended a second finger.
"Secondly, I want one more thing."
Its name is...
Chen Yifan slowed down his speech, each word like a nail driven into Mu Wanqing's ears.
"[The core crystallization of the Fountain of Life]".
When the last four words fell.
Mu Wanqing's face showed that, for the first time, she lost control.
Her hand, holding the wine glass, paused almost imperceptibly in mid-air.
"you……"
Her pupils contracted, and her voice revealed a kind of horror that she herself was unaware of.
"...How did you know about this?"
[The core essence of the Fountain of Life].
It is a mythical material that can reverse all curses, heal all wounds, and even bring withered trees back to life!
Because it is rare and precious, very few people know about it.
Not to mention the Jiangcheng branch, even the entire Black Gold Chamber of Commerce headquarters might not have one!
This guy.
Where did he get this information?!
Chen Yifan did not answer her question.
He simply looked at her calmly.
He learned about this from Luo Tian, his junior brother.
If in the near future he really needs to break his sister's heretical seal himself.
Just in case.
Now, an opportunity is presented to him.
He can't let this go.
A deathly silence fell over the dinner table.
Mu Wanqing's chest heaved with intense emotions.
She was having an internal struggle.
Chen Yifan's second condition has far exceeded the value of this "game" itself.
but……
She looked at the boy in front of her.
Deep within those calm eyes lay a flame that bordered on obsession.
Moreover, in the dungeon, there are various behaviors of the other party.
She suddenly realized that if she didn't agree, no matter how high the price she offered, this man would never be at her beck and call.
for a long time.
Mu Wanqing closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, all the struggle in her eyes had faded, leaving only a burning determination.
"it is good."
She squeezed out a single word through gritted teeth.
"I promise I'll tell you the secret of the copy as soon as I find it."
"As for the [Core Crystal of the Fountain of Life]... I can't guarantee I'll get it. But I can promise that if you can help me win first place in this qualifying round, I will use all my connections and authority at headquarters to help you find it."
She paused, her voice carrying an unprecedented solemnity.
"This is my promise to you, Mu Wanqing, as the future heir of the Black Gold Chamber of Commerce."
Chen Yifan was taken aback when he heard Mu Wanqing's promise.
This woman!
Not playing by the rules?
He originally thought that the other party would provide her with three "unconditional" and highest-priority assistance as promised in the original agreement.
He even had his explanation ready.
They even prepared their bottom line for bargaining.
But to my surprise, the other party didn't mention it at all, as if they had forgotten about it.
"make a deal."
He stretched out his hand.
Their hands clasped together again, and both revealed smiles, each with its own hidden thoughts.
Looking at the scene before him, Wang Fugui suddenly felt superfluous and insignificant.
He scratched his head and whispered to Lin Xiaoyu beside him:
"Xiaoyu, I have a feeling... that what Fanzi is plotting is... much, much bigger than we imagine?"
Lin Xiaoyu glanced at him but didn't say anything.
But when her gaze fell on Chen Yifan's calm profile, something seemed to melt away quietly in the depths of his cool eyes.
to be frank.
She didn't care what Chen Yifan was really after.
All she knew was that no matter what, she would stand firmly by his side and become his most reliable shadow.
because……
He showed her a different world and made her feel a respect that she had never experienced before, a respect that made her feel equal.
That's enough!