TN: UH OH! You guys time traveled, and so I had to rollback reality (just only 2 hours or so) :))
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"Uh… is there something inconvenient about it?"
This was the first time Feixiao had ever seen such a conflicted expression on Sylvester's face. Yet after carefully reviewing her own words, she couldn't find anything particularly rude in her request.
But for some reason, the more Sylvester resisted, the more her interest was piqued.
Because the less willing he was to bring it out, the more it proved that Curio truly held explosive secrets.
That was Sylvester's master, after all!
Thinking back to the various golden Curios before this, as well as the immense forces implicated by the super-suit, anything connected to such an extraordinary figure—even a single wooden chopstick used for meals—would carry astonishing value!
Enough to let professors from the Xianzhou Alliance's top academies write hundreds of papers!
And this wasn't a chopstick—it was a genuine Curio!
Driven by this line of thought, she spoke again, her voice spirited and upright, her tone filled with respect. "Sylvester. Though you have not been on the Xianzhou for long, the miracles you've created are plain for all to see. Today's opportunity is truly rare. I hereby, in my capacity as the Vanquishing General of Xianzhou Yaoqing, respectfully request—could you invite that Curio forth, so that we may broaden our horizons and feast our eyes?"
Jade, standing beside her, nodded in agreement, approval shining in her eyes.
Today, Jade's decision to bring up old matters served two purposes.
First, it concerned Sylvester's identity.
His background was far too mysterious. Over this period of time, the IPC had mobilized all kinds of connections, yet failed to uncover even the slightest useful information.
It was as if he had appeared out of thin air—without any traceable past whatsoever.
Under such circumstances, that whip from last time became the only possible clue that might reveal what exactly lay hidden inside his Curio Trash Cans.
Second—and this had nothing to do with the IPC—it was for her own wish.
The Ten Stonehearts were not merely employees of the IPC. They were travelers on the path of exploring the universe, temporarily walking alongside Diamond.
On this journey, each of them sought their own desire.
And Jade's wish was to uncover the most valuable thing in the sea of stars.
After endless years—having seen the most dazzling gems, beheld the richest lands, heard hymns of courage burning with passion, and smelled ambitions rotten to the core—
At lastly, something unprecedented appeared before her eyes.
Sylvester, and the Curio Trash Cans that contained everything.
Tell her—was there a more valuable investment anywhere in the universe?
The last time she came, though top-tier Curios had already appeared, there were only a handful. Her attention had also been focused on negotiations with the Xianzhou, leaving her uncertain.
But now, things were different.
Leaving aside everything else, the massive force drawn out by the super-suit alone was enough to make her certain of this shop's immense value.
And for the sake of fulfilling their long-cherished wishes, people like them were willing to pay any price.
"Shopkeeper Sylvester." Reverence filled Jade's expression as she spoke softly. "Compared to your master, we are nothing. Even compared to you, we fall far short. But great people stand behind great people. When traces of such a remarkable existence lie before us, if we cannot behold them, it will leave an unfillable regret in our hearts."
"I am willing to make a pledge with you."
She swallowed lightly, one hand pressed over her heart, her complicated expression seeming to brew something within. "You no longer lack Credits. And I… aside from wealth, have nothing suitable to offer as collateral—except one thing!"
Her voice suddenly rose, filled with utter sincerity. "That is this body and this heart! I am willing… to stake them!"
"What?!"
Feixiao was utterly stunned. She sharply turned her head to look at the elegant woman beside her.
No—wait. For a whip, is this really necessary?!
What she didn't know was that Jade had other designs in mind.
As colleagues, Aventurine and Topaz could no longer sit still either.
"Jade, you—"
Their first reaction was to stop her.
Because the sacrifice Jade was proposing was far too great.
Money was secondary—at their level, Credits had already become little more than meaningless numbers.
But as a woman, Jade possessed something of immense value. And as a famous powerhouse across the star sea, that value multiplied severalfold.
That was marriage.
Sure, Sylvester might demand something else—astronomical amounts of Credits, perhaps.
But if he were to say, "My shop happens to be missing a proprietress,"
Then what?
Would she truly resign from the IPC and marry into this shop?
At that point, Diamond would lose his mind. There was no way he'd be willing to let her go.
…Well, actually, given Sylvester's current standing, if he really spoke up, Diamond probably wouldn't dare refuse either. He'd grit his teeth and let her go.
But even so, such a price was still—
Aventurine and Topaz felt their hearts pound uneasily as they looked at Sylvester, deep in thought.
They couldn't help recalling the gold and purple Curios produced by this small shop.
Any one of them was enough to serve as a nation-stabilizing artifact for a major power.
Suddenly, they felt as though this deal might actually be a bargain for Jade.
Was this… climbing the social ladder?
The two, who had already stood up, froze in place. They exchanged a glance, seeing the same complexity reflected in each other's eyes.
All they could do was smile helplessly and remain silent.
There was no helping it.
Though this shop was small, it truly shook the cosmos. If Sylvester were to publicly seek a spouse, the forces of the entire star sea would surely rush in at the scent, each harboring their own agendas, stuffing their women forward.
Given that, while they were shocked by how sudden Jade's decision was, they really had no grounds to interfere.
Yet Jade herself was not nearly as calm as she appeared.
Looking closely, one could see a faint blush at the base of the ears of this Bonajade Exchange proprietor who calculated profit to the extreme.
And her heartbeat had long since begun to thunder like war drums.
This decision was anything but easy for her.
By Xianzhou standards, she was still a maiden. In the treacherous world of commerce, few women could remain pure amid so much filth.
But the Strategic Investment Department was an exception.
With Diamond—an Emanator of Preservation—as its head, unwavering in faith, those beneath him were likewise fiercely protected.
And now, she was voluntarily offering up this flawless jade she had safeguarded for so many years.
The Ten Stonehearts each had their pursuits.
And hers was to unearth the most valuable thing in existence.
For that, she was willing to wield the sharpest eye and invest the longest patience.
Just as she once said: "I come to pay homage, I come to pour the wine, I come to possess. I offer poisoned draughts in the name of nectar, sowing in spring, harvesting in autumn, quietly awaiting the branches heavy with withered fruit."
Throughout her years at the IPC, she had adhered to this creed.
And at last—after endless time—the colossal investment she once never dared imagine had appeared before her.
Jade's gaze locked firmly onto Sylvester.
And she knew, without doubt, that all of this was worth it.
If he agreed, this pledge would undoubtedly become the most glorious investment in the entire history of the star sea.
Moreover, she was confident Sylvester would agree.
Because she had already made a similar deal the last time she came—to learn why he sold trash cans.
He had agreed then.
And the price he took was that whip.
But that time, her words had not come from the heart.
This time, she harbored an entirely different ambition.
An ambition that would not harm Sylvester in the slightest.
Because on the surface, what she was trading her body and heart for was merely a whip.
But once her body and heart belonged to him, could that whip belong to anyone else?
Thus, the pledge was only a smokescreen.
This was a one-sided investment.
And the only return she sought was to bind herself—to what she believed was the most valuable existence of all.
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