Chapter 231
Chu Feng walked into the office. “Sis, you were looking for me?”
Zhuang Feixue lifted the invitation in her hand. “An invite from the Marriott gathering. They want you to come.”
“Those high-society types still like throwing parties like before?” Before the mutation, the Capital’s wealthy loved hosting all kinds of gatherings to network. Now, even after the world had drastically changed, they still liked doing this.
“You don’t like it?” Zhuang Cheng asked.
“I used to,” Chu Feng admitted. “Going to banquets meant free food and drinks.”
“That’s your only motivation?” Zhuang Cheng said helplessly.
Chu Feng narrowed his eyes. “I don’t really care about that now. Nowadays, gatherings often have ability-users present. There are many mercenary groups out there now, and people discuss deals at these events. They’re still useful,” Zhuang Feixue explained.
“Then you go in my place, Sis.”
Zhuang Cheng looked over. “You’re already on the guest list. My sister was named one of the ‘Top Ten Outstanding Young Entrepreneurs’ by Business Opportunity magazine this year.”
“Oh? Top ten new stars? Sis, that’s amazing!” Chu Feng said, surprised.
Business Opportunity was a respected name in the industry; those on the list had all achieved notable business success.
Zhuang Feixue rolled her eyes. “What kind of ‘new star’ am I? The judges are just giving you face.”
Her feelings were complicated. Zhuang Feixu had also been on that list before. In the male-dominated business world, there were usually no more than three women among the ten. When Feilei made the list, many elders congratulated her. Zhuang Feixue hadn’t expected to make it herself—her business acumen was average at best. But the Crescent Group’s products practically sold themselves; without much advertising, they were snatched up instantly.
Chu Feng shook his head. “If you made the list, it means you have ability, Sis! It’s because your products are good.”
“No,” Chu Feng corrected himself with a grin. “It’s because I have a keen eye for talent. I saw you were a business genius right away.”
Zhuang Feixue was a little embarrassed by the praise.
“This gathering might have rare treasures appearing,” Chu Feng added. “Bring more money—if you see something good, just buy it.”
She shook her head. “Such treasures aren’t things money can necessarily buy.”
“Huh? You can’t buy them with money?”
“Very possible,” Zhuang Feixue nodded. “Since ability-users appeared, the value of top-grade gems, jade, and ancient paintings has dropped sharply. What’s valuable now is witch stones. They might even become the currency of the high-end market in the future.”
“Oh,” Chu Feng replied thoughtfully.
Zhuang Feixue blinked. “By the way, you have witch stones, right?”
“Of course,” Chu Feng said.
After the earthquake, witch stones weren’t as rare as before. Most capable ability-users had a few in private. As a top expert, how could he not?
“Do you have a hundred?” Zhuang Feixue asked curiously.
“Yes,” Chu Feng said simply. She was underestimating him—he hadn’t been idle lately. Working with Illya had left him with several thousand witch stones.
“Impressive! Keep them safe,” she said.
“Don’t worry,” Chu Feng assured her. He had wrapped them in green silkworm thread and hidden them in multiple secret spots, both in this world and the otherworld—very secure.
*
As they were talking, Delice and Gray rushed in.
“Brother Feng, Sister Feixue, what are you talking about?” Gray asked.
“About the gathering,” Feixue replied, waving the invitation.
“A gathering? The kind with lots of good food?” Delice asked excitedly.
“More or less.”
“I want to go too!” Delice said. Gray didn’t speak, but his sparkling eyes said it all.
“Then go, but be careful,” Chu Feng said. “And don’t say anything stupid.”
“Stupid? When have I ever—”
“Just… talk less,” Chu Feng said.
Delice, the pretty but clueless one, had no idea how much trouble she’d stirred online before.
She gave Chu Feng a disdainful look. “If I talk less, how will I practice my skills?”
“Well… that’s true,” Chu Feng admitted.
“Just think before you speak,” he warned. “Say something you shouldn’t, and you might end up on a dissecting table.”
At that, Delice quickly covered her mouth in alarm.
“Alright, go have fun,” Chu Feng said.
*
The Marriott Group’s gathering was grand, attended by the wealthy and influential. Zhuang Feixue’s group of over ten people drew much attention. Many approached her as soon as she entered.
Meanwhile, Delice and Gray slipped off to a corner to raid the buffet.
Qian Jiajia glanced at them. “Those two kids are way too beautiful.” She had already seen Delice’s photos before, but in person, the impact was even stronger.
Mu Linlang shrugged. “I heard they’re relatives from Illya’s side. That place often produces absolute beauties. These two are gorgeous, but compared to Jocelyn we saw last time, they’re just a bit less striking.”
In the corner.
“This cake tastes pretty good.” Gray took a piece of cake, stuffed it into his mouth, and even handed one to Delice.
Mu Linglang watched Delice and Gray gobbling down food, took a deep breath, and said, “With appetites like that, you must be Illya’s relatives without a doubt.”
Mu Linglang noticed that a few people seemed eager to strike up a conversation with the two, but seeing how happily they were eating, they hesitated, afraid to ruin their enjoyment.
Zhuang Feilei stood in the corner holding a wine glass, feeling somewhat lonely. She used to be the center of attention at gatherings, but now, surrounded by a crowd of beautiful female ability-users, she seemed much more ordinary.
She looked at Zhuang Feixue, who was surrounded by people, and felt stifled.
Zhuang Feilei had always believed she was no worse than Zhuang Feixue, but at this moment she felt a strong sense of disparity. So she really was just a fake—could she never measure up to the real heiress?
“Miss Feixue, that Crescent No. 6 wine from before was amazing! But only three hundred bottles? That’s way too few. I tried to get my hands on some but couldn’t. In the next batch, are you going to expand production? Maybe we could collaborate.”
“Miss Feixue, is Chu Feng not coming today either?”
Zhuang Feixue was surrounded in multiple layers by all sorts of influential people from the business world, the National Bureau of Paranormal Abilities, and mercenary groups, all trying to cozy up to her.
Zhou Ting stood in a corner, looking at Zhuang Feixue from afar with a complicated expression. Zhuang Feilei noticed him and felt a pang of disappointment.
She had been at the banquet for quite some time, yet Zhou Ting hadn’t come over to say a single word to her. Her mood darkened.
The banquet auction finally began, and only then was Zhuang Feixue able to slip away. It wasn’t a formal auction, but it was still quite grand.
The lights on the stage suddenly came on.
Several hostesses pushed a small cart covered with a red cloth onto the stage. When the cloth was lifted, it revealed a blue-and-white cloisonné enamel vase—an exquisite antique. Before the mutation era, it would have easily sold for over a hundred million.
However, after the mutations, with countless rare materials appearing, people’s enthusiasm for antiques had waned considerably.
“A cloisonné vase—what a rare treasure,” Zhuang Feixue said.
Jin Jie glanced at her. “Miss Zhuang, are you interested?”
Zhuang Feixue shook her head. “No.”
In the end, the vase sold for forty million. Zhuang Feixue shook her head again. “A bit low.”
Soon, the second item was brought to the stage. When the red cloth was removed, it revealed a bluish fruit that resembled a grape, but much larger. It sold for twenty million.
Delice clasped her hands behind her back, looking at the buyer with a hint of sympathy in her eyes.
“Delice.”
Mu Linglang walked over. Delice glanced at her. “Oh, it’s you.”
They had met before when Delice visited the National Bureau of Paranormal Abilities.
“Is there something wrong with that fruit?” Mu Linglang asked.
Lately, many unknown fruit species had been discovered deep in the mountains. The National Bureau of Paranormal Abilities could usually only determine whether they were poisonous, but their special effects—if any—were harder to assess.
Buying these fruits was like buying a lottery ticket: some people ate one and were cured of all illnesses, while others—perfectly healthy before—fell gravely ill after eating them. Even if lab tests showed no toxins, a mismatch between the fruit’s properties and the consumer’s constitution could still cause severe problems.
For example, someone had once found a semi-transparent, ice-cold fruit deep in the mountains. One person who ate it awakened ice abilities; another suffered slowed blood flow and nearly died.
There were plenty of good things in the mountains, but not everyone had the fortune to enjoy them.
Delice tilted her head. “It’s not poisonous—just sour.”
“Salro fruit isn’t just sour—it’s teeth-achingly sour,” Gray chimed in.
Delice frowned. “Then why spend so much on such a sour fruit?”
Mu Linglang shrugged. “Obviously, the buyer didn’t know.”
Delice blinked. “We have Salro fruit back home too. If he likes it, I could pick some for him and sell it cheaper.”
Mu Linglang said, “A loss like that is usually only made once.”
A variety of other items were brought to the stage. One was a flower spider sealed in a glass jar.
“That spider’s poisonous, isn’t it?” Delice asked.
Mu Linglang nodded. “Yes.”
Delice frowned. “And they can auction off something that toxic?”
Mu Linglang shrugged again. “Probably for research.”
Sometimes, poisons could be turned into great profit. Recently, researchers had extracted a potent sedative from a plant found deep in the mountains—a drug capable of knocking out an elephant instantly. They were working on weaponizing it to fight the dangerous beasts there.
The earlier auction items could be bought with money, but the later ones were different.
A snow-white lotus was brought to the stage and bought for three witch stones.
Gray puffed out his cheeks. “That lotus is nice—looks like a snow lotus.”
Delice nodded. “Mm. Probably tastes great in porridge.”
