Inside a private room on the sixth floor of Jubaozhai.
Three people sat facing one another, with Lu Yuan taking the head seat.
Manager Lin sat on the right pouring tea, his posture humble and attentive.
Seated on the left was a middle-aged man in his forties with thinning hair, a paunch, and a seemingly simple, honest face. Yet the occasional glint in his eyes betrayed the shrewdness of a seasoned merchant.
"Allow me to introduce you. This is Mr. Lu, and this is Boss Wan—Wan Fuda."
After pouring the tea, Manager Lin spoke up, allowing the two to get acquainted.
However, it was plainly evident that he held far more respect for Lu Yuan, addressing him formally as "Mister" while referring to the other simply as "Boss Wan."
Naturally, an ordinary person might not have caught the subtle distinction.
"Hello." Lu Yuan nodded, cutting straight to the chase. "I trust you know why I invited you here today, Boss Wan?"
"Of course I do. Mr. Lu has his eye on my Eleven-Tier Blood Pagoda." Boss Wan smiled and continued, "You truly have an exceptional eye, Mr. Lu. I've kept that piece in my collection for years. Whether in condition or age, it's absolute top-tier."
He chattered on, heaping endless praise upon his collectible, clearly quite proud of it.
"Boss Wan, I won't dispute its age, but as for its condition..."
Beside them, Manager Lin chimed in, "Forgive my bluntness, but pagodas traditionally come in counts of seven, nine, or twelve tiers. Yours has eleven tiers. Strictly speaking, it isn't quite as precious, and it might even be missing a level."
As the middleman, he normally shouldn't have spoken up at this juncture.
Yet Manager Lin knew very well that Lu Yuan was determined to secure this piece, and he certainly didn't mind lending a helping hand.
As for this man named Wan, though technically an honored guest, he had never bought a single thing at Jubaozhai from start to finish. Even with this sole piece he had brought in, he hadn't shown any sincere intention to sell. Manager Lin had long held a grievance against him. He was nothing like Lu Yuan, from whom Manager Lin had gained tangible, hard cash.
"You... Xiao Lin, you really don't understand..." At a loss for words, Boss Wan stammered, eager to defend his item.
"Enough."
Lu Yuan cut him off mid-sentence. "I want your item. Name your price."
He didn't have much time to waste and wanted this settled quickly.
"Mr. Lu, I haven't even said I'm willing to sell yet..." Boss Wan began, trying to drag it out.
"Twenty-five million."
Lu Yuan named a figure, aware that the man's earlier asking price had been twenty million, and raised it straight away.
Beside them, Manager Lin parted his lips in astonishment. His efforts to bargain the man down had barely even begun.
There was nothing he could do now; he could only watch from the side without interrupting.
"Mr. Lu, as I said, it isn't a matter of money."
"Thirty million."
"I've treasured this piece in my collection for so many years..."
"Forty million!"
"Mr. Lu, come now, look at you..."
"Fifty million."
Lu Yuan stated the price once more, adding, "This is your final chance. If you won't sell, Boss Wan, I'll turn around and walk out."
He had wealth, but that didn't mean he would bid blindly without restraint. If the man still hesitated, he would simply resort to other methods.
"Deal."
Boss Wan shot up from his seat.
Fifty million far exceeded his expectations. He knew that pushing any further would blow the deal completely. They were both smart men who knew when to seize an offer.
"Oh, Mr. Lu, your eye is truly magnificent! Only in your hands can this pagoda reveal its true, wondrous purpose. I brought it with me today—please, take a look and see if there are any issues." Boss Wan pulled the Eleven-Tier Blood Pagoda from his bag and placed it on the table.
His earlier hesitation vanished completely, replaced by eager compliance and a tone dripping with deference.
The shift in his demeanor made him seem like a completely different person.
Manager Lin couldn't help but shake his head at the sight.
Lu Yuan examined the eleven-tier pagoda closely. Roughly the size of a palm, it was exceptionally well preserved. More importantly, every detail matched his memories down to the letter.
"Good. The item checks out. As for the payment, I'll wire it to you through Jubaozhai."
Having verified it without error, Lu Yuan spoke.
The transaction was concluded within Jubaozhai, so settling it through them provided a guarantee for both sides.
"Of course, of course." Boss Wan raised no objections. After exchanging a few more pleasantries, he promptly made an excuse to leave, terrified that Lu Yuan might change his mind. Fifty million was an enormous sum, even after Jubaozhai took its cut.
"Mr. Lu, you were far too impulsive just now," Manager Lin remarked once Boss Wan had departed, sounding a bit regretful.
In his eyes, that supposed Eleven-Tier Blood Pagoda was nowhere near worth that price. He had hoped to beat the price down before letting Lu Yuan make his move.
"I appreciate your goodwill, Manager Lin," Lu Yuan replied with a slight smile. "But whether it's worth it or not, I know better than anyone."
After the mutation, the Eleven-Tier Blood Pagoda would transform into a divine relic that would fuse into one's internal organs, granting untold benefits. How could a mere fifty million ever compare?
"As long as the transaction went through smoothly, my mind is at ease."
Manager Lin pressed no further, knowing it wasn't his place to meddle in another's business.
Lu Yuan didn't linger either and prepared to leave.
Just then, Manager Lin seemed to recall something and offered a reminder: "By the way, Mr. Lu, remember to avoid traveling or going out too much over the coming days."
"Oh? Why is that?"
Lu Yuan's interest was piqued. Had Jubaozhai learned something as well?
"I can't say for certain myself. During a meeting a couple of days ago, the big boss mentioned it. In short, things outside are getting rather chaotic, and many bizarre incidents have been occurring. I'm sure you've seen them on the news," Manager Lin said. The "big boss" he referred to was the controlling power behind Jubaozhai.
"Thank you for the warning."
Lu Yuan nodded.
The global mutation was drawing nearer by the day.
All manner of bizarre occurrences were constantly surfacing, accompanied by earthquakes, tsunamis, wildfires, and more. At first, they could be explained away as natural phenomena, but recently their frequency had grown excessive, appearing on television day after day.
Furthermore, this wasn't limited to the country alone; the entire world was experiencing the same.
He had thought he was the only one paying close attention.
Now it seemed certain figures in the upper echelons had begun to sense that something was amiss as well.
Of course, unlike them, Lu Yuan truly knew what was to come.
Without saying more, he drove away from Jubaozhai.
*With the eleven-tier pagoda secured, there's only one matter left to handle in Shanghai. I need to take care of it as soon as possible.* Lu Yuan pondered as he drove. The only items he had yet to acquire were the extraterrestrial sword core and the wordless stele.
Both required him to retrieve them in person.
Only a month remained. Any further delay would leave him out of time.
Thus, Lu Yuan chose to drive toward Old Man Ge's home.
Naturally, he didn't forget to stop along the way to pick up some fresh fruit and vegetables.
However, just as Lu Yuan arrived outside Old Man Ge's house and was about to step into the courtyard, the sound of a heated argument reached his ears.
Chapter 12