"I understand your concerns," the young Feline salesman said with a practiced, gentle smile, struggling a little as he cradled the extravagantly ornate silver-and-black longsword in his arms.
"After all, that priceless piano in Dagu Mall costs only 1.8 million LMD. Paying an extra million for a sword does sound… excessive."
He continued smoothly, voice warm and persuasive:
"But a good weapon is your partner for the road ahead. It's the one thing you can rely on when no one else is there. It is also the final guarantee of your life."
"I believe the famed Fire Dragon of the Hungry Wolves would understand what matters more."
Chen Mo, who had been about to stand up and leave, quietly sat back down.
So this was the sales power of a global corporation like Raythean Industries. He had to admit—under that kind of pitch, the feeling was exactly like debating whether to spend an entire month's living expenses on gacha pulls.
After turning it over again and again in his head, Chen Mo reached into his pocket—
—and his body stiffened.
He nearly forgot. He didn't even know how much money he actually had right now.
Embarrassed, he quickly pulled out the bank card and handed it over.
"Can you check the balance on this card for me?"
"It would be my honor to assist you."
The Feline man's smile brightened noticeably. If this deal closed, he was clearly in for a very healthy commission.
Whether because he feared Croissant might pull something on Chen Mo—or simply out of professional caution—he took out a POS terminal right there in front of both of them.
Beep. Beep—
The screen lit up. The salesman's expression didn't change, but his attitude became even more respectful as he returned the card with both hands.
"Your balance is three million LMD, Fire Dragon."
"Whoa!" Croissant's eyes went wide. "Chen Mo, you're a rich beauty too?!"
Beautiful, strong, pleasant to talk to, and now—loaded. Where did you even find a man like this?
If Croissant were in the mood to chase someone, she would absolutely go after a top-tier catch like Chen Mo.
Chen Mo himself looked delighted. Unable to suppress his happiness, he flicked his tail behind him with unconcealed glee.
Looks like Hungry Wolf had been pretty reliable on the money front. If she ever needed his help in the future… well. He wasn't saying no outright.
Still, even with sweetness blooming in his chest, he waved his hand modestly.
"I'm not a 'rich beauty.' That sounds weird."
Then he lifted his chin, confidence flooding back into that perfect face, and made the decision like a man spending someone else's money.
"Buy it. 2.8 million LMD. I'll take it!"
Earning three million LMD in a month still didn't feel real. All Chen Mo knew was: after buying the sword, he'd have 200,000 LMD left—more than enough to live comfortably for quite a while.
"Thank you for your patronage. You are now a lifetime VIP of Raythean Industries."
The salesman's smile turned radiant.
"This weapon comes with a three-year warranty. On behalf of Raythean's Lungmen branch, thank you for your trust."
He processed the payment at lightning speed, then presented the sword—along with its sheath, carved with intricate patterns—like a ceremonial offering.
Watching Chen Mo and Croissant examine it with bright-eyed enthusiasm, the Feline salesman quietly excused himself and left the room with impeccable tact.
Chen Mo didn't even notice. He was smiling faintly, both hands stroking along the silver-black blade as if he couldn't bear to let go.
The sword was a little over three chi long, about five fingers wide. Its body was black as ink, traced with luminous silver engravings and ornamental patterns.
It looked less like a weapon and more like a masterpiece—something that would steal attention the instant it appeared.
"Honestly…" Chen Mo murmured, "I can't believe I actually feel like these millions were worth it."
He slid the sword into its sheath, hung it at his waist, then spread his arms and spun once in place. Stopping with his hands on his hips, he grinned at Croissant.
"Well?"
"Looks amazing!"
Croissant clapped enthusiastically. Looking at the smiling silver-haired beauty in front of her, she couldn't stop a faint blush from rising—though it wasn't entirely clear whether she meant the sword or the man wearing it.
Feeling oddly guilty, the "croissant girl" rubbed her cheek, steadied her runaway thoughts, and then peered at the sword hanging at Chen Mo's side.
"You should name it, Chen Mo. If you bought something this expensive, it deserves a name."
"Yeah." Chen Mo ran his fingers over the cold sheath, thinking of games he used to play. A word gradually surfaced in his mind.
"Got it. I'll call it… Ashes."
Croissant nodded hard, thrilled. "That's cool! Though it kind of doesn't match your vibe as a guy."
"That's the point!" Chen Mo declared. "It has to sound cool. All right—Ashes it is."
A prompt flashed without warning.
[Weapon Equipped: Longsword — Ashes]
Chen Mo froze.
He immediately pulled up the system interface and stared at the simple panel that appeared before him.
[Name: Chen Mo]
[Race: Draco]
[EXP: 11/100]
[Equipment: Longsword — Ashes]
So the thing really did have functions—you just had to discover them yourself. Still, it was as useless as ever. It didn't even display the weapon's quality.
But Chen Mo had already accepted that his "cheat" was basically trash. He closed the panel and smiled at Croissant.
"Let's go. You said you needed to restock, right? I'll come with you."
"Huh?" Croissant blinked, suddenly flustered. She pointed at herself with a finger. "With me? No, no, it's fine—I can go alone."
It wasn't that she didn't want a gorgeous man to accompany her.
It was that if they stayed together any longer, she was worried she'd lose control of herself.
Now she finally understood exactly how Exusiai had felt when she'd tried to get Chen Mo's contact info.
"Don't say that. I—"
Beep-beep-beep—
Chen Mo's phone suddenly rang in his pocket. Under Croissant's curious gaze, he answered—and after listening for a bit, his expression immediately collapsed.
"Fine. All right. I'll head over in a bit."
…For the sake of those three million.
Chen Mo sighed silently to himself. He really shouldn't have said anything earlier and jinxed it.
"Sorry, Croissant," he said. "I've got to go handle something at a mall warehouse in this district. Can't go shopping with you."
"Huh? That's totally fine. Actually, that's perfect timing."
At Chen Mo's puzzled look, Croissant flashed her bright, easy grin and gave him a thumbs-up.
"I'll drive you there. I'm restocking in that area anyway."
Then she added, more carefully:
"Oh—also, to avoid causing trouble for my boss and for Texas and the others, I can't drop you off too close. If people see us together, it could get messy. Is that okay?"
Chen Mo nodded. That was exactly what he'd been about to say.
The Hungry Wolves had just used Penguin Logistics as a stepping stone to make a name for themselves in Lungmen. If he showed up publicly with Croissant now, people would absolutely start wondering whether there was something shady behind the scenes.
"Then I'll be counting on you, Croissant."
-------
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