All surrounding sounds seemed to be stripped away.
He quickly deconstructed the actual value of these two systemic feedback mechanisms in his mind.
The first, exclusive-level Blessing: Woodland's Call.
It soothes nerves and reduces mental strain.
To the average person, these words might simply represent the function of high-end aromatherapy.
But in Su Wei's plan, this was the ultimate weapon to solve the pain points of the core customer group.
The target clientele of the Northern Throne Club are people like Charles and Laurent who stand at the top of the wealth pyramid.
They face huge cash flows, business betrayals, and family pressure every day.
High stress, insomnia, and neurasthenia are labels that cannot be removed from that circle.
As soon as they step into the exhibition hall and enter the 500-meter radius, the supernatural aura of raw wood will forcibly sever the overactive anxiety nerves in their brains.
That sense of tranquility that surges from the depths of the soul is something that even the world's top psychologists and miracle drugs cannot provide.
When Charles sat on the leather sofa beneath the antlers of the Deer King, enjoying the most peaceful relaxation he had in decades, those old money folks would have written checks without hesitation, even if the club's membership fee had increased tenfold.
These antlers are not only an exhibit, but also one of the core treasures of the museum.
His gaze shifted downwards.
The second Hidden Attribute: The Crown of the Years.
Bone density increased by 30%.
This means that even if it is struck directly by a blunt object, the antlers will not break easily.
The core of the claim lies in the second half: it ignores oxidation and high-intensity ultraviolet radiation, never fading and never cracking.
For top-tier biological specimens, the greatest enemy is not humans, but time.
No matter how sophisticated the protective measures are, sunlight and air will eventually cause bones to turn yellow and the patina to dry and crack.
To maintain these top-tier collections, the wealthy need to pay hefty maintenance fees every year and install sophisticated temperature and humidity control systems.
This entry directly imposes a time constraint on this artifact.
It has become a truly timeless work of art.
No maintenance or need to be kept out of direct sunlight; just hang it in the most conspicuous place where the sun is brightest.
Its value will surpass that of any jewelry over time.
Su Wei closed the system panel.
The dark golden light dissipated from view.
He took off his rubber gloves and threw them into the medical waste bin next to him.
Old Hope's voice came from beside me.
"This thing."
He crossed his arms and stared intently at the artwork.
"At any annual North America taxidermists' exhibition, this would sweep the gold medals."
Old Hope pointed to the antlers of the Deer King on the display stand.
"You really do have a talent for this."
In this abandoned processing plant, this was the highest level of recognition Old Hope could offer.
Buzz €€€€ Buzz €€€€ Buzz €€€€
A strong, high-frequency vibration came from the inside pocket of the jacket, clearly transmitted to the skin of my chest.
It's a weekday morning.
Su Wei unzipped his collar, reached into his inner pocket with his right hand, and took out his cell phone.
The letters "Harris" lit up on the screen.
He swiped his finger across the screen and answered the call.
Harris spoke before Su Wei could.
"Boss."
He spoke twice as fast as usual, with the rustling of documents turning and rapid keyboard typing in the background.
"Something big has happened."
"The IRS blocked our expedited approval process and even transferred our registration sequence to the anomaly monitoring team."
IRS, the America Internal Revenue Service.
This organization wields immense power, so much so that it can forcibly convict and imprison Mafia bosses.
Su Wei's expression remained unchanged.
He calmly gazed at the antlers of the Deer King directly in front of him.
What are they investigating?
"The source of funds is unusual, and there are also questions about the club's classification as a high-spending entity."
Harris grabbed a document on the other end of the phone and slammed it on the table.
"The $5,000 deposit you transferred to me last night was processed through the company's corporate account pre-approval channel."
"This in itself is not a problem, but the system detected two large unusual transactions while tracking your personal account transactions."
"A huge cash flow of $200,000 and $300,000, totaling $500,000, suddenly appeared under the name of a registered hunter in a remote area of Alaska, without any supporting commercial contracts."
"The IRS's review commissioner doesn't believe that a hunter in the wilderness could receive a legal donation of $500,000 overnight."
Harris swallowed hard, his voice slightly strained.
"Furthermore, the business scope we listed on our registration documents was a limited-membership, top-tier experience club."
"They sent someone to verify the address of that so-called club."
"That place is now just a snowfield and an unfinished wooden frame!"
"How can a run-down place without even a roof attract a top-tier membership fee of half a million US dollars?"
"From the IRS's perspective, this perfectly fits all the characteristics of interstate money laundering, or wealthy individuals using shell companies to evade estate taxes!"
Harris's heavy breathing came from the other end of the phone.
"Boss, this is a very tricky situation. Once they officially launch their anti-money laundering investigation, all funds under your name will be frozen within 24 hours."
Funds frozen.
Su Wei was well aware of the consequences.
If that $570,000 in cash flow is blocked, the final payment for the museum's construction cannot be settled.
Matt's construction team will immediately stop work and leave the site.
Off-grid power generation systems airlifted from the port of Seattle are intercepted en route.
The newly built 1,000-square-meter miniature ecosystem will completely collapse due to a lack of funds to maintain it.
Charles and Laurent have paid the money, and if they find the club embroiled in a tax scandal and forced to shut down, they will not hesitate to demand a refund and will use any means necessary to completely eliminate Su Wei from the industry.
This is a devastating chain reaction.
Su Wei gave instructions into the microphone, his tone calm and composed, without any sign of panic.
"First, calm the specialist in charge of the review down; don't say anything more."
Give me ten minutes while I get back to my car.
He pressed the mute button, moved the phone away from his ear, and stuffed it into the side pocket of his jacket.
He turned to look at Old Hope.
"I have some unexpected business trouble to deal with, so I can only stop here for today."
Old Hope snorted heavily through his nose.
The old man turned around and threw the dirty rag he was holding onto the stainless steel countertop.
"Let's go, there's nothing more for you here. I'll keep an eye on the rest as it air-dries."
Old Hope pointed to the antlers of the elk king on the display stand and the brown bear skeleton outside.
"Hurry up and fix up that dilapidated, unfinished exhibition hall of yours. Once it's done, hire a heavy truck with shock absorbers and haul these monsters away from here!"
I'll arrange a car to come over in a few days.
Su Wei took two steps, then suddenly stopped and turned around.
But there is one thing that must be made clear.
His gaze was fixed on Old Hope.
"The final step in the glass eyepiece inlay of that bear king specimen."
I want to do it myself.