Diane's eyes narrowed with disdain as she tossed the manufacturing notes to her subordinate. Without waiting, she strode off down the stairs.
"Bai Bai, let's discuss our business in your shop!" she called over her shoulder.
The loud statement snapped Bai Yi from his daze. He glanced over at Sabo, pondering the unexpected appeal of his product: a tonic that promised indestructible vitality—though it came with the unfortunate side effect of baldness. For many of the wealthy, though, it seemed a small price to pay. As a result, a good number of business moguls had remained seated, now visibly intrigued. Meanwhile, the parliament families were filing out, clearly uninterested in such a "small" business.
Diane approached, snapping Bai Yi from his thoughts. She gave him a curious glance. "What's on your mind?"
Bai Yi paused, then sighed. "Wait for me here. I need to handle something first."
He made his way to the city lord's lounge, where Eric, the city lord, awaited with a wise and knowing smile.
"Impressive work," Eric said. "But remember, taking bold actions also requires caution. The Will family, for instance—they may not be wealthy, but they're formidable warriors. Sometimes, saving face is worth more than a handful of gold."
Bai Yi nodded gratefully, bowing slightly as he presented a Dawn Badge. "Thank you, City Lord. I appreciate your guidance and your presence here today."
Eric accepted the badge with a slight nod, his expression thoughtful. "Just be careful. Sometimes, a little restraint can go a long way." He gestured for his commanders, Mossen, Badu, and Eddie, to maintain order as he departed, the elves and orcs slipping out silently behind him.
Watching Eric leave, Bai Yi felt a sudden pang of reflection. In a world fractured and haunted by vanishing gods and lurking evils, there was a strange purity to the chaos. In this era, talent alone could be one's path to survival, unhindered by the gods or oppressive traditions. While this brought with it a wild, almost anarchic energy, it also held a spark of hope.
After placing the Dawn Badge into his ring, Bai Yi returned to the auction room. The event had left him with nearly 90 million gold coins—a fortune that would enable him to invest freely in his ambitions. With his resources secure, the pursuit of rare alchemical materials, particularly soul crystal cores, now became his primary goal.
Meanwhile, Sabo was on stage, displaying a strange relic.
"The next item, ladies and gentlemen, is a piece of absolute filth," he declared dramatically. "This peculiar artifact has only one function—to corrupt elemental energy itself. With enough of these, one might even dismantle ancient divine seals! Its only drawback is that it can't be removed from its case. But surely some of you have a use for that…?"
The intensity of Sabo's pitch was matched only by the baffled expressions of the remaining bidders. Bai Yi turned to Irene, who was seated nearby.
"Irene, let's go," he said.
"Right away, boss!" Irene replied, hurriedly gathering her things. Diane, however, paused to look back at Sabo with a thoughtful frown.
"That dwarf… He's intriguing, but why do all his products have such strange side effects?"
Bai Yi shrugged. "It's a quirk of his craft. Comes with the territory."
The trio stepped out of the auction house, and Bai Yi's mind turned to the impressive numbers from the auction. His legendary rating had climbed to 76, and the growing reputation could soon push him to 80. But his musings were interrupted by Diane's voice.
"I need to see the Soul Lantern's effect first. And don't forget—it's exclusive to me! I've practically made you a fortune."
Bai Yi considered her words for a moment. "Alright, I don't need a cut from this one. If you provide me with a top-tier soul lantern, I'll give you the manufacturing process—for free."
Diane's eyes widened, taken aback. "Are you serious? You were stingy enough back in school to make me carry your meals!"
Irene's eyes sparkled with interest as she listened quietly, clearly eager to pick up on any gossip between her boss and Diane.
Bai Yi chuckled, a little exasperated. "Consider it a return on your past investments."
Diane looked skeptical, narrowing her eyes. "Really? You're that generous?"
"When have I ever lied to you?" he replied with a smirk.
At that moment, they passed the enormous aircraft belonging to the Koman family, which was now launching into the sky. The ship, carrying crucial network equipment, was bound to accelerate the family's influence across the Federation. Each departing guest left in similar splendor, particularly the investor who had purchased the railgun—a powerful figure eager to leverage this rare technology.
Diane shot him an amused look. "Don't tell me you've developed a sudden interest in philanthropy? Or are you just trying to marry into our family?"
Bai Yi shook his head. "Can't it just be because I'm paying you back for all those times you had my back?"
"Not buying it!" she replied, shaking her head firmly. "You'd sooner sell me this lantern for every last coin in my vault than give anything away for free."
Beside them, Irene whispered in agreement. "He even deducts my pay for every gold coin… I'm telling you, he's a capitalist through and through!"
Exasperated, Bai Yi pulled a thick stack of papers from his bag. "Here's the blueprint for the Soul Lantern. Just take it already!"
Diane stared, dumbfounded, then carefully leafed through the notes. Her surprise melted into understanding when she saw the first item on the materials list: *Source of Legend.*
"Ah… Now I understand," she muttered, giving him a wry smile. The required *Source of Legend* was exceedingly rare, practically beyond anyone's reach except perhaps in fragments from god-level souls.
Bai Yi stretched, looking out over the bustling street. "Let's head back."
Snow was beginning to melt, the first signs of spring softening the harsh winter landscape. This auction would undoubtedly ripple through the world, changing the course of history in ways he could only imagine.
"Boss," Irene said suddenly, eyes alight with enthusiasm, "since you're so rich now… how about that raise?"
Bai Yi halted in his tracks, stunned, the shock written across his face.
"Boss? Did you hear me?" Irene's tone grew tentative, wondering if she'd overstepped.
Bai Yi blinked, then finally spoke, his voice distant. "Irene, what did you just say?"
For a moment, she hesitated, wondering if her mention of a raise had truly shocked him so much.
But Bai Yi's gaze had shifted, falling on the panel in his hand. The message there was too monumental to ignore:
**[The course of history has been altered. Beta launch countdown: 9 days, 23 hours, and 59 minutes.]**
**[Game forums are now open! Players, join the discussion.]**
A new world was about to be born.