Faced with so many watching eyes—and with two unhelpful companions at his side—Felix couldn't help but feel his face heating up.
All these powerful figures had witnessed the scene just now. Felix knew that while he might be the one blushing at the moment, Wei Yenwu would probably be the one facing questions later.
After all, the two women beside him were far from ordinary. If anyone mistook them for his attendants or companions, that would be a serious misunderstanding.
Fortunately, he hadn't actually embraced them, and their posture hadn't been inappropriate. Thanks to Felix's smooth talking, the two women had a chance to introduce themselves properly. Given their age and charm, many unmarried families in the room were already tempted—Lungmen was a massive prize, after all, and every family dreamed of claiming a share of it. Marriage alliances weren't out of the question.
But one glance at Felix, standing between the two women like a guardian deity, made those thoughts quickly fade. Perhaps, they thought, these two were already deeply attached to him.
Those who recognized Ch'en Hui-chieh and Lin Yühsia's true identities were even more astonished, casting Felix a few curious looks. This young man had managed to win over both the white and black sides of Lungmen's world. Could it be that Wei Yenwu and Lin—the two old foxes—were really placing all their hopes on an outsider from Sankta?
Even if Felix had built his business from scratch, it hardly seemed reason enough for Wei Yenwu to treat him with such favor. After all, Wei Yenwu feared neither heaven nor earth.
The elder figures exchanged knowing glances. Though they had their own guesses about Felix's background, information was still too scarce. Quietly, they signaled to the younger generation beside them.
One by one, the young nobles stepped forward, clasping their fists in greeting, hoping to strike up a conversation with Felix and the two women.
Felix received them all with polite ease. Since he now carried the identity of a Lungmen citizen, he decided to set other matters aside and focus on dealing with these peers and juniors.
Compared to him, Ch'en Hui-chieh seemed a bit less accustomed to such social interactions. She wasn't as naturally poised as Lin Yühsia. While Lin Yühsia greeted the young nobles with grace and practiced courtesy, Ch'en Hui-chieh—accustomed to the disciplined and rigid atmosphere of the Guard Bureau—had little experience with such gatherings. She rarely attended social events like this, and it showed.
Noticing Ch'en's more serious demeanor, the guests shifted their attention toward Felix and Lin Yühsia instead. Felix's composure needed no explanation, and Lin Yühsia, having spent years navigating the grey zones of society alongside the Rat King, had seen all kinds of people. Under her father's guidance, she'd attended countless banquets and negotiations—experience had made her adept at handling such situations.
"Miss Ch'en, Miss Lin—it's a pleasure to meet you both here."
The polite greeting was followed by a subtle shift in the atmosphere. A few of the surrounding youths paled slightly, and even the nearby elders furrowed their brows, glancing toward several richly dressed middle-aged men not far away.
The young nobles quickly stepped aside, forming a clear path. Two young men in crimson ceremonial robes strode forward. Their attire and demeanor immediately set them apart from the rest—clearly of a higher social standing.
"Who are they?" someone whispered.
"Shh… they're from the He family of Kou-wu City."
"Damn. I'm out of here."
In an instant, several of the younger onlookers who had been circling Felix's group quietly slipped away.
"It's been far too long," one of the He brothers said with a smirk, opening a folding fan with deliberate grace. His gaze lingered on Ch'en Hui-chieh, filled with admiration. "Miss Ch'en, your beauty stuns the crowd—it truly leaves me—"
"Sorry, Young Master He," Ch'en cut in, her tone cool. "I'm not interested."
"No matter," he replied smoothly. "Affection takes time to grow."
Meanwhile, his companion attempted to flirt with Lin Yühsia, only to be met with an equally blunt rejection.
Felix watched the two He brothers with a bemused look. Really? Is this one of those ridiculous 'young master' encounters straight out of a novel? Are they actually going to force me into some kind of face-slapping scene next?
It certainly felt like it. If this were a novel, the protagonist would probably trade barbed words with them, escalate the conflict, and end up in an all-out brawl.
But Felix wasn't that kind of protagonist. He glanced at their goodwill levels—zero. Not hostile, but definitely not friendly either. Their levels were barely in the fifties; a few capable players could probably take them down with ease.
Just as the air grew tense, an elderly man's arrival broke the moment. To the onlookers, it seemed like he was defusing potential conflict. Felix, however, noticed that the He brothers still hadn't spared him a second glance—their attention remained fixed entirely on the two women.
"Grand Tutor," several voices greeted in unison.
At once, the young nobles bowed respectfully, even the He brothers withdrawing their gazes and offering formal salutes.
Felix clasped his hands in a courteous gesture as well. From the whispers around him, he learned that this elder was not only a man of immense power but also considerable martial skill—a respected veteran whose name carried great honor among the people.
"The Great Yan welcomes all under heaven. It's a pleasure to meet a young man like you," the Grand Tutor said, his gaze fixed on Felix with a glimmer of curiosity and something unspoken behind his eyes.
"You flatter me, Grand Tutor," Felix replied calmly. "My small achievements are hardly worth mentioning."
The old man paused, momentarily speechless. He hadn't expected such modesty. Most young men of Felix's age, when praised by someone of his stature, would at least smile with pride or show some trace of excitement. Yet this Sankta youth looked genuinely embarrassed—he even shook his head slightly, as though uncomfortable with the compliment.
In that instant, the Grand Tutor's impression of Felix shifted—from a bold, ambitious entrepreneur to a composed and worldly "old hand" who knew when to advance and when to retreat.
"The future of Great Yan rests in the hands of the young," the Grand Tutor declared, his voice rising as he turned his gaze upon the gathered youths. His words seemed to ignite a spark in their hearts. "The Yangtze river's waves push ever forward—the younger generation must always surpass the old. Step forward with courage!"
With those words, he subtly defused the tension lingering in the air. Afterward, he excused himself to attend a meeting. Felix bowed respectfully, watching the elder's retreating figure.
Was that gesture a favor to Lungmen? Or… was he interested in me personally? Felix wondered. His eyes were a little too sharp for mere formality.
"Perhaps the Grand Tutor and Chief Wei are acquainted," Lin Yühsia said calmly as she took her seat again. She crossed her arms, sitting slightly closer to Felix. "With the Grand Tutor present, those He family brats won't dare to act recklessly."
"Don't count on it," Ch'en Hui-chieh muttered with displeasure. "Even if he stopped them this time, they'll be back. Two letters a month, all demanding a meeting—and even the messenger has started looking at me oddly. Honestly…"
"Then why not make it official?" Lin Yühsia said with a teasing smirk. She cast a sidelong glance at Felix, who was quietly watching the stage. "Of course, that would require Felix's cooperation. Everyone in Lungmen already knows where your heart lies, Ch'en. Why not make it public beyond Lungmen too?"
"I have no objections," Felix said evenly.
"But I do," Ch'en burst out, her face turning red. Under Felix's calm gaze, her lung tail twitched nervously. Normally so composed, she lowered her eyes. "Th-that would make it seem like we're… actually together."
"Coward," Lin Yühsia muttered under her breath, half-laughing as she mocked Ch'en's hesitation.
"Felix," Lin Yühsia said suddenly, her tone light but deliberate, "I want to introduce you to my father."
"You—why?" The question came not from Felix, but from Ch'en Hui-chieh.
Lin Yühsia gave her a cool glance. "I want to become friends with him. Bringing a friend to meet my father—isn't that normal? Or did you imagine something else?"
Ch'en's face flared crimson again, and she clenched her teeth. For a moment, Felix almost expected her to explode from embarrassment.
WARNING! WARNING!
REACTOR 4 HAS REACHED CRITICAL OVERLOAD. COOLING SYSTEM FAILURE. REACTOR TEMPERATURE IS RISING RAPIDLY.
"I actually wanted to meet your father as well," Felix said, accepting the invitation with a nod. Lin Yühsia hummed softly in satisfaction, her lips curving with the ease of someone who had just won a silent duel.
"…Felix, when we return, you're coming with me to see Wei Yenwu," Ch'en said gruffly.
"Why?"
Flustered by Lin Yühsia's teasing expression, Ch'en's face turned redder. In truth, it was the He brothers' fault—if they hadn't shown up, the conversation never would've taken this turn. Through clenched teeth, she muttered, "To report our work."
"...Understood."
Lin Yühsia chuckled quietly, clearly amused, while Ch'en's grinding teeth made an audible creak. Felix suspected that if the Grand Tutor weren't presiding over this gathering, the two women might have already started a dragon-versus-rat brawl.
Felix, outwardly patient, listened attentively through the rest of the meeting—every word, every discussion. By the time it ended, he handed over Lungmen's annual report and couldn't suppress a small yawn.
"Impressive," Lin Yühsia remarked as they exited the hall together, her arm casually hooked around his shoulder. "You actually listened all the way through. Most people your age—or even older—can't endure such long meetings."
"I found it quite enlightening," Felix replied thoughtfully. His mind wandered briefly to the footage he'd seen earlier—those "grave-digging brothers" from Kazdel, merrily unearthing ruins and somehow managing to dig up rare artifacts. They claimed they'd turn them in to Tomorrow's Development for contribution points.
That, Felix thought, was a wise choice. In fact, many players had adopted a similar strategy—turning in rare items that were of little immediate use. Weapons, though? Those were much rarer finds.
Kazdel was vast and resource-rich, and Felix had more than enough patience to wait and see what would come of it.
"Meeting the envoys from Yumen this time made the trip worthwhile," someone nearby remarked.
"I heard one of them is a general—surname Zuo. The young man beside him must be his son?"
"So young… though he looks a bit frail."
Felix's gaze shifted briefly toward the delegation. As the first day of meetings drew to a close, most of the envoys did not leave immediately. Instead, they lingered by the entrance, chatting with acquaintances and exchanging polite words. Before long, dinner plans had already been made.
His eyes passed over the stern-faced General Zuo. "Ch'en," he asked quietly, "how are we handling dinner tonight?"
"Let's leave for now," Ch'en Hui-chieh replied curtly.
There was no shortage of people eager to strike up a conversation with the Lungmen delegation, but Ch'en ignored every invitation. Instead, she looped her arm through Felix's, guiding both him and Lin Yühsia away.
Lungmen's reputation and influence ran deep—so much so that the three found the attention somewhat overwhelming.
After dinner, Felix decided to take a solitary walk to digest his meal. In Shangshu, he noticed, there wasn't a single overweight pedestrian in sight. Everyone he passed—men and women alike—had lean, well-toned physiques. Must be all the walking uphill, he mused.
The evening breeze was cool against his skin as he wandered to the riverside promenade in the city center. Leaning against the railing, he gazed at the wide artificial river that cut across nearly the entire mobile city, the shimmering water reflecting the lights of dusk.
"Have you no poetry tonight, young man?" a familiar voice teased.
"Only because I'm a bit tired," Felix replied, without looking away from the water. "My mind doesn't produce verses on command, you know."
He already knew who the speaker was. "Your sister, Nian, has complained about you quite a bit," he added, his tone casual. "To be honest, from what I've heard, your relationship sounds… complicated."
"Oh? Are you taking her side now?"
The blue-haired woman stepped into view, standing beside him with a faint smirk. Her tone carried both curiosity and warmth. "Still, it's good to hear she's found someone dependable."
"You're saying that in front of me?" Felix asked dryly.
She laughed, bold and unrestrained. "Don't take it to heart, young man."
Her eyes gleamed as she handed him a gourd-shaped flask. "Fate brought us together tonight. Care to share a drink?"
Felix accepted the flask and took a whiff. Even with his limited experience drinking, he could tell this was no ordinary liquor—the fragrance was rich, refined.
"Consider it a token of thanks," she said lightly. "For looking after Nian. She'll be heading to Lungmen soon, won't she?"
Her lips curved in a knowing smile. "I'm her older sister. You can call me… Ling."
"Your family only uses single-character names?"
Ling tilted her head thoughtfully. "Mm… yes. Most of my siblings do."
"You have siblings—plural?"
"Of course," she said proudly, her tone brightening. "I'm the eldest. There are twelve of us in total."
"Twelve children…" Felix echoed in surprise. That was no ordinary household. Only a noble family—or perhaps something beyond terran aristocracy—could have such lineage. From her speech and bearing, it was clear she and her sister weren't ordinary folk. Ling, in particular, carried a calm detachment—as if she'd already seen through the world.
"Curious about us?" she asked with an amused glance.
"More or less." Felix took a sip from the flask. The liquor was smooth and potent, warming him from within. "But I doubt curiosity will get me any real answers."
Ling chuckled softly, taking a drink of her own. Then she turned and gestured ahead. "Come. I'll show you the view of Shangshu from the mountaintop."
With nothing else to do—and feeling the warmth of the alcohol spreading through his body—Felix followed. The drink left a pleasant heat in his limbs, like a tonic rather than ordinary wine.
Ling walked ahead of him, her figure illuminated by the streetlights behind. Her long, graceful tail swayed in rhythm with her steps, the movement smooth and fluid.
Felix recalled reading once about the dragonkin—how their tails were strong when tensed but surprisingly soft when relaxed, able to coil gently around a person's waist.
He noticed, with a trace of embarrassment, that Ling's tail seemed thicker and more powerful than Ch'en's. The thought stirred a faint, instinctive curiosity in him—one he quickly pushed aside as they continued their quiet walk into the night.