Within the Steam Furnace's illusory Quantum Space, pale green patterns of star energy flowed slowly across the ground, and the air was steeped in the faint warmth of metal and energy mingling.
"Crunch, crunch."
Danika hugged a bulging bag of potato chips. Like a little squirrel clutching nuts, she sat atop a massive gear, her feet swinging idly.
As she ate, she occasionally lifted her head to glance at the twelve Gear Guardians standing motionless in the distance like wooden dolls.
After a while, she set down her chips and looked toward Tiandao not far away.
"Mr. Tiandao, isn't setting the Star Energy Crystal share of the forging fee at thirty percent a little too high?"
Danika asked indistinctly, tiny chip crumbs still clinging to the corner of her mouth.
Tiandao, meanwhile, waited for the person who would soon arrive in the Steam Furnace's Quantum Space.
At the same time, he calmly gave his answer.
"Danika, many things in this world cannot be measured by price."
"What they care about is never the price, but whether, after paying a sufficient cost, they can get what they want."
"As for the process... it isn't important."
Danika tilted her head, clearly not quite understanding what he meant.
And Tiandao had never expected her to understand.
Not long after Tiandao finished speaking, a piercing shriek tore through the air!
At the entrance to the Steam Furnace, Liam arrived alone.
He looked at Tiandao in the distance and said in a deep voice, "Speak. You specifically had me come in alone—what exactly are you plotting?"
Facing Liam's dark expression and forceful attitude, Tiandao smiled indifferently, then raised three fingers.
"Thirty percent. So long as the Steam Branch vouches for me, your Steam Branch can take thirty percent of every Steam Furnace forging fee from