Two days passed quickly, and with Sunu's help, Bai Yi successfully upgraded the defense system of Dawn Pharmacy. However, despite the improvements, he had refrained from upgrading his manufacturing equipment, opting instead for the increased security.
Sunu's endorsement could wait until the auction. Bai Yi was keen on securing a fair share of the profits—after all, Saab had negotiated for a 20% cut, and Bai Yi didn't want the Koeman family to profit too freely from Sunu's involvement.
The expectation of profit, gold coins, and resources was clear in Bai Yi's mind, and he was resolute in his stance—there would be no negotiation.
Sunu returned to discuss the details with the Koeman family, and the atmosphere in Dongwu City grew more vibrant. Young, powerful figures could be seen strolling down Shengwu Street, their gazes often drawn to the pharmacy. Legion Commander Mossen, aware of their interest, noted the rising attention.
Meanwhile, Garrett and Magath, along with a few soldiers, kept watch near Dawn Pharmacy. With a "closed" sign placed on the door, no one disturbed Bai Yi during these days of preparation.
As Bai Yi admired the growing activity outside, he felt a strong gaze. Turning, he met the eyes of a girl, no older than seventeen or eighteen, dressed in a blue princess gown with long curly hair.
Beside her stood Kami, Ernado, and other well-dressed young figures, all of them looking toward the pharmacy. Bai Yi's thoughts began to race.
The Dawn Federation, made up of twenty-nine members, included twenty powerful families. The Difeng family, one of the top three, held the largest share of wealth, controlling over half of the federation's soul series resources.
Bai Yi, after arriving in this world, had pieced together fragments of his previous life. The original Bai Yi had a history of reckless behavior, including cheating the youngest daughter of the Difeng family, Diane. She had been naive, handing over her pocket money again and again, only to be deceived once more—this cycle continued for years.
Bai Yi, in his previous life, had eventually fled to Dongwu City to escape Diane's wrath, aware that if she ever sought revenge, he would have no chance of survival.
Now, seeing Diane in front of him again, Bai Yi felt a pang of guilt. Their eyes locked, and the anger in Diane's gaze was unmistakable. With a group of second-generation young people following her, she marched toward the pharmacy.
Bai Yi wasted no time. He swiftly locked the door, slapped a "closed" sign on the glass, and turned to leave. If only he hadn't stepped outside to see Sunu off. He should've just focused on his research.
"Bai Yi! Stop right there! Or I'll smash your shabby shop!" Diane's furious voice rang out.
Bai Yi quickened his pace, and with Irene's amused gaze following him, he hurried into the lab and closed the door behind him. Outside, the sound of arguing could be heard—likely a confrontation between Diane's group and the city's law enforcement.
With a sigh of frustration, Bai Yi rubbed his brows. He would have to resolve this hole in the future. But for now, his focus had to remain on the auction, and he had work to do.
The days passed quickly, and before he knew it, January 15th had arrived.
Bai Yi, fatigued, rubbed his tired eyes and glanced at his panel. The experience prompts flashed across the screen:
**[Your level has reached 38.]**
**[You created...]**
He had leveled up during the past few days, and Bai Yi marveled at the convenience of the system. With the panel's help, there were no bottlenecks—his progress was steady, and this tool was a true cheat.
"My friend, are you ready?" Sabo's voice broke his thoughts, and Bai Yi turned to look at the excited man. They stood in the venue, where a masked figure sat in the corner, even though the event hadn't officially started yet.
The venue was expansive, its architecture an ancient-style building that had been converted from a former casino. The structure spanned six floors, each with rows of opulent seats reserved for influential families, whose names were etched into the wooden doors behind them. The seating arrangements reflected the power hierarchy, with the strongest families at the top.
The first floor featured a stage, and behind it, a large screen awaited. In front of the stage were about two hundred seats, though the lights remained dim, and only a few guests had arrived so far.
"How many people did you invite this time?" Bai Yi asked, sipping a bottle of mental recovery potion. The past few days had been spent researching and creating, with no time for rest. Despite his strong mental capacity, he'd experienced a series of consecutive comas due to exhaustion.
Sabo grinned widely. "Sixteen of the twenty congressman families confirmed their attendance. I also invited the top three hundred merchants from the over six hundred cities in the federation. One hundred of them confirmed, though I doubt all will show up."
His excitement grew. "But don't worry! I've set up an online auction. As long as people pay the deposit, they can watch the event live on their video communicators and place bids."
He continued, lowering his voice, "I've arranged for the auction's screen to be projected onto smaller screens along the sides. I've even enhanced the sound. It's going to be packed."
Bai Yi frowned. "Make sure to keep an eye on those people. Don't let anything slip out of our control."
Sabo smirked. "I know their limits, don't worry. Those online and masked guests won't dare to challenge the congressman families."
Patting his pockets, Sabo added, "I've also got a few tricks up my sleeve to raise the prices. Once the event starts, no merchant will leave empty-handed."
Bai Yi raised an eyebrow but remained silent as Sabo spoke, clearly excited.
"Also," Sabo added with a sly grin, "I'm taking 20% of your items, and you'll get 20% of mine. After all, you came up with the idea!"
Bai Yi shook his head with a bemused smile. "Let's hope everything goes smoothly."
Just then, Irene entered from backstage with two glasses of milk. "Here's the milk you asked for, Mr. Sabo. This is yours."
Luo Ning, busy training her mental abilities, was absent. She'd shown great progress lately.
Suddenly, the door was kicked open, and a voice rang out, "White Plague, come out! Let's talk!"
Sabo glanced at Bai Yi, then at the door, recognizing the voice. "This guy," Sabo muttered, "isn't he the source of your infamous reputation in the capital?"