Ya Fei's Investment

Miteer Auction House, top-floor secret chamber.

In the center of the room floated a rhombic crystal the size of a human head, its surface shimmering with a mercury-like luster.

This was the highest-grade long-distance communication crystal of the Miteer Chamber of Commerce; every time it was activated, it consumed enough energy to keep an ordinary family wealthy for a lifetime.

Ya Fei stood silently before the crystal, her fiery red qipao outlining her exquisite, curvaceous figure to perfection.

She had just finished the final report regarding this auction.

"One million five hundred thousand gold coins..."

An aged and majestic voice drifted from the other side of the crystal, carrying a hint of satisfied reflection.

"Ya Fei, you have done well this time. This figure has broken the single-item record for the Wutan City branch over the last decade; the elders in the Imperial Capital are very pleased."

"Serving the family is Ya Fei's duty."

Ya Fei bowed slightly, her voice soft and alluring, yet neither servile nor overbearing.

The crystal's light flickered, and that voice sounded once more, now tinged with a condescending scrutiny.

"Speak. You used your highest authority to urgently convene this meeting of elders; surely it wasn't just to report good news."

Ya Fei raised her head, those enchanting peach-blossom eyes gazing calmly at the communication crystal before her.

"Reporting to the Third Elder, that mysterious supplier has refused the one million three hundred and fifty thousand gold coins from this auction."

As these words fell, the other side of the crystal plunged into a brief silence.

A moment later, a sharper voice cut in, filled with skepticism.

"What? Refused? What does he mean? Does he think our commission is too high? That is simply a joke!"

"Ya Fei, are you mistaken? Is there anyone in this world who would turn away money?"

Another deep, resonant voice chimed in, carrying obvious displeasure.

Ya Fei ignored these noisy interrogations; her voice remained steady, clearly reaching the ears of everyone present.

"He does not want the money."

"He wishes to use this sum, along with the profits from all our future collaborations, to trade with the Miteer Family for two things."

"First, the right to use the most comprehensive intelligence network within the empire."

"Second, absolute secure trade routes covering the entire empire."

Dead silence.

This time, it was a long, dead silence.

Even the light of the communication crystal seemed to freeze.

A few breaths later, a suppressed fury erupted from the other side of the crystal!

"Absurd!"

The sharp voice that had spoken first now became incredibly grating.

"This is nothing but a fantasy! Who does he think he is? The Imperial Royal Family?! He opens his mouth and demands the core lifeblood of our Miteer Family!"

"Ya Fei! Have you been blinded by this success? To think you would actually bring such a preposterous request to the meeting of elders!"

"Over a million gold coins—that is tangible profit! Intelligence and routes are bottomless pits that require us to invest countless manpower and resources to maintain! He wants to use our money to buy our services! Where in the world is there such a good deal?"

"This person has sinister intentions! I believe he is trying to use this to pry into our chamber's internal secrets!"

The questioning and rebukes crashed against Ya Fei like a tidal wave through the communication crystal.

They were like a school of sharks that had caught the scent of blood, attempting to tear apart this audacious proposal with the most malicious speculations.

Ya Fei listened quietly.

She offered no defense, nor did she show any anger.

On that charming, beautiful face, there was not even a trace of unnecessary expression.

Not until all the voices had gradually subsided due to her silence did she finally move.

She slowly raised her hand, a slender jade finger tapping lightly against the sandalwood tabletop before her.

Tap.

A soft sound, not loud, yet it clearly suppressed the lingering hum within the crystal.

"Elders, are you finished?"

Her voice remained soft and alluring, yet it carried a hint of unquestionable coldness.

"If you are finished, then it is my turn."

The people on the other side of the crystal seemed slightly stunned by her sudden display of dominance.

Ya Fei leaned forward slightly, her peach-blossom eyes seemingly piercing through the barrier of space to see the faces—astonished, angry, or disdainful—in that secret chamber in the Imperial Capital.

"First."

Her voice became clear and sharp, like a sword unsheathed.

"You all see only the 1.35 million gold coins, but you fail to see what lies behind this sum."

"It represents the fact that this gentleman possesses mysterious techniques regarding fire that we have never even heard of."

"Today, he can produce a 'stone' capable of sensing Strange Fire."

"Then tomorrow, could he not produce something a hundred times more precious than this stone?"

"And the day after?"

"He might even, quite possibly, produce... actual Strange Fire!"

This sentence struck everyone's heart like a heavy hammer.

On the other side of the crystal, breathing grew noticeably heavier.

Ya Fei did not give them time to think, continuing immediately.

"Second, alchemists. How much money does our Mite'er Family spend every year to patronize and win over those arrogant alchemists?"

"Yet, that gentleman's techniques possess a fatal attraction for any alchemist. This was made crystal clear by the almost uncharacteristic loss of composure shown by Master Otto today."

"To control him is to control a shortcut that can continuously attract high-level alchemists! Elders, do you truly believe that a mere million-plus gold coins could purchase such value?"

Inside the secret chamber, one could hear a pin drop.

Those elders who had been so aggressive moments ago were now plunged into silence.

Every word Ya Fei spoke pierced precisely into the points of interest they cared about most.

She slowly straightened her body, her fiery red qipao looking like a burning flame.

Her voice, too, climbed to a peak at this moment, filled with iron-clad determination!

"Third, and most importantly!"

"With money, we can only trade with him once, twice, ten times. Our relationship with him will forever remain a simple transaction. He can sell to us today, and sell to the Alchemist Guild or even the Imperial Capital Elder Council tomorrow!"

"However!"

"If we use our intelligence network and trade routes to deeply bind him to our Mite'er Family! Then all of his 'goods' will bear the mark of Mite'er! All of his value will become a strategic resource exclusive to our family!"

"This is a monopoly that money can never buy!"

"Elders, do you wish to make a quick profit, or do you wish to own a mine that can produce gold indefinitely?"

Her words were resonant and powerful.

She had dissected the essence of commerce to the bone, vivid and raw.

On the other side of the crystal, there was complete silence.

A long time passed.

The most authoritative voice, the one that had spoken first, finally sounded again, though this time, there was a hint of gravity in its tone.

"Ya Fei, your analysis is very reasonable."

"However, the risk is too great."

"We know nothing about him. To stake the family's core resources on a mysterious person of unknown origin is a massive gamble."

"If we lose this bet, our Mite'er Family will become the laughingstock of the entire empire."

Hearing this, Ya Fei smiled.

The smile was alluring and moving, yet it carried a sense of unyielding madness and confidence.

She stepped forward, walking right up to the communication crystal.

Her face, capable of toppling kingdoms, was almost pressed against the surface.

She spoke word by word, in a voice that shook the entire Imperial Capital Elder Council, laying down her final chip.

"I, Ya Fei, in my capacity as the Chief Auctioneer of the Mite'er Family!"

"With all of my future prospects within this family!"

"With everything I am, I offer it as collateral for this gamble!"

"I bet on him!"

"I bet that he will bring our Mite'er Family a brand new era—an era belonging to fire!"

Boom!

The entire secret chamber seemed to be ignited by her resolute aura.

The light of the crystal flickered violently, as if it could not withstand the astonishing force contained within her words.

A long time passed.

A very long time.

The light of the crystal finally began to stabilize.

That authoritative voice, carrying a distant and complex sigh, finally sounded.

"...Very well."

"Ya Fei, the clan will gamble on you this one time."

"From this moment on, you are granted full authority to handle all matters concerning this mysterious supplier. You may mobilize the resources of every branch within the Jia Ma Empire."

"Do not let the clan down."

"And more importantly, do not let yourself down."

As these words fell, the light of the communication crystal slowly dimmed until it finally extinguished completely.

Ya Fei's body swayed slightly.

She reached out to steady herself against the table in front of her, barely managing to remain standing.

The stray hairs at her temples had long since been soaked by cold sweat that had seeped out unnoticed, clinging tightly to her smooth forehead.

She slowly closed her eyes.

A wave of immense exhaustion surged over her like a tide.

Playing mind games with those old foxes in the clan consumed far more mental energy than presiding over a grand auction.

Yet, when she opened her eyes once more.

All traces of fatigue had vanished from those alluring peach-blossom eyes, leaving behind only an unprecedented, dazzling, and astonishing brilliance.

She had won.

For him, and for herself, she had won a future capable of shaking the entire empire.

The night was deep.

In that dilapidated courtyard in the south of the city.

Su Chen sat quietly by the window; on the table, a cup of tea that had long since gone cold remained untouched.

The courtyard gate was gently pushed open by a slender, delicate hand.

A fiery red figure appeared at the entrance, accompanied by an intoxicating fragrance.

Ya Fei looked at that lean back sitting in the darkness, but she did not step inside, choosing instead to lean against the doorframe.

Her voice carried a hint of hoarseness from the hard-fought battle, yet it was filled with an irrepressible excitement.

"Starting today."

"The Mittal clan's intelligence network and transport lines in the Jia Ma Empire."

"Are open to you."