Chapter Ninety-Four: The Grand Continental Exhibition Opens

Ye Chen slept so deeply that night and only woke up when the urge to relieve himself became unbearable. The sensation of weakness in his steps came from the constant depletion of his strength the previous night. Although the restorative elixir could instantly replenish his inner reserve, it still felt different from what he could recover on his own—how to put it... it seemed to lack a soul.

But he hadn’t come away empty-handed; in fact, his gains were considerable. For instance, Ye Chen was now grinning as he stroked the watch on his wrist. From this day forth, this newly awakened artifact belonged to him completely. This was You Ya’s promise to him.

At last, he could finally stash some private money away, and Ye Chen was on the verge of tears from joy. Moreover, You Ya had promised to take him to the Continental Expo that evening to broaden his horizons. Even though Ye Chen hadn’t brought up the auction, You Ya volunteered to participate and told him he didn’t need to pay any deposit—just to follow her. She even mentioned that, should something catch his eye, she might help cover part of the cost.

Happiness had come so suddenly. Ye Chen felt this was the ultimate dream for any man... Sister, I don’t want to struggle anymore.

Just for these reasons, Ye Chen had pushed himself so hard last night, going all out and then assisting with every experiment You Ya wanted to run.

...

There was a knock at the lounge door.

“Are you up?” You Ya’s magnetic, melodious voice was unmistakable, even through the door.

Ye Chen glanced at his watch. “Damn... it’s so late already!” The thrill of owning a luxury watch.

“Get—” Before Ye Chen could finish, the door burst open with a bang.

If you’re so used to barging in, why even bother asking?

Sitting on the bed, Ye Chen stared dazedly at her, and a fleeting glimmer of satisfaction flashed across You Ya’s icy features—she’d noticed his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed. Men are all slaves to beauty, she thought.

She had to admit, without the lab coat, You Ya now possessed a devastating allure. Her features were exquisite and finely sculpted, her makeup perfectly balancing sultriness and elegance. With her black-rimmed glasses removed, her eyes sparkled like black pearls, visible from across the room. Her nose was high and straight, her lips painted with a new shade, and on her ears hung earrings that spoke of wealth without gaudiness. Around her fair neck hung a pendant necklace, its material indiscernible. She wore a pure black, off-the-shoulder fitted dress that accentuated every curve.

The dress had a high slit, revealing a pair of long, shapely legs, set off by black high heels that glinted with a subtle shimmer—legs that could be admired for a lifetime.

“Let’s go. It’s almost time!” You Ya tossed out the words and turned to leave.

...

They rode in a car from the Transcendent Bureau to the expo venue. During the journey, Ye Chen couldn’t help but let his gaze fall on You Ya beside him. He tried to look away, but his eyes kept drifting back.

At last, You Ya, who had been resting with her eyes closed, couldn’t resist speaking. “Have you stared enough?”

“No!” he replied.

“Still want to touch?”

“I do—” Ye Chen caught himself and quickly backtracked, “No, no, I don’t!”

“Do you or don’t you?”

“...I wouldn’t dare!”

“That’s more like it! Remember what I told you last night—don’t provoke me. I’m a fire you can’t handle.”

Ye Chen turned his head to the window, his toes curling tight, cheeks burning. “This damned temptation... I’m dying here...”

The venue was at the Emerald Crown Hotel in the inner city’s commercial district—the very place Ye Chen had once tried to enter before being thwarted by the young lord Mosa.

The car sped down the street, neon-lit buildings streaming past so quickly that before he could make out the signs, they had already faded into the distance.

...Such prosperity!

“You’ve never been to the commercial district?” You Ya’s voice broke the awkward silence at just the right moment.

Ye Chen shook his head. “I’ve only had a brief look before; I’ve spent more time in the administrative district.”

Last time, he’d entered the inner city guided by Qiao Mu Cao. This time, he was on his own, still entering through the east gate—if he’d tried another, he might have gotten lost.

“In that case, you should spend more time here, especially at night. The nightlife is exciting; you can find every kind of style imaginable—just remember to bring enough money.”

You Ya finished her teasing and closed her eyes again. After all, she’d gone a whole day without sleep.

Well then... Ye Chen raised his eyebrow at his reflection in the car window. Are you trying to tempt me into high-end spending? I want you!

But You Ya was right about one thing: everything in the inner city revolved around money, and nothing came cheap, especially at the Continental Expo tonight.

Even counting his rewards from recent missions, his savings amounted to only a few hundred thousand, and even that was under Ye Shanshan’s watchful care.

If not for you, Sister You, I wouldn’t even have enough for the entry deposit.

Accumulating wealth, just like any journey, required patience and time. For that reason, Ye Chen still harbored some hope for tonight’s auction of inner essence stones.

His eyes wandered back to You Ya. Suddenly, he remembered he’d rushed out still wearing the Transcendent Bureau’s white coat.

You Ya cracked her eyes open and glanced at the silent, frowning Ye Chen, who was staring absentmindedly at the work uniform.

She chuckled. “Everyone from the Bureau dresses like that when they’re out on business. So stop worrying—you look the part, and no one would doubt you’re from the Transcendent Bureau. It suits your image.”

What image? Your assistant? Your tagalong?

“What sort of things are sold at the Continental Expo? Besides the inner essence stones I know about.”

You Ya’s lips parted in a faint smile. “You’ll see when we get there.”

...

The expo was hosted by the City Lord’s Mansion, rotating among the major capitals. This year, it was the Energy Capital’s turn.

Ye Chen looked around the gilded hall, unable to stifle his amazement. Last time, he’d only caught a glimpse from outside; today, he finally set foot in such opulence.

The venue was packed, with no shortage of beautiful women, but as soon as You Ya entered, she was like a rare black pearl amid a pile of glass marbles—her noble aura instantly eclipsed all others.

As for the “little white” following behind her, he was thoroughly ignored by everyone.

Ye Chen noticed that the expo was divided into four major sections, clearly representing the four capitals of the continent: Energy, Steel, Ore, and Element.

Each section had its own distinctive style, like a miniature version of its respective city. For Ye Chen, who’d never seen the other capitals, it was an eye-opener. He even began to entertain thoughts of visiting them in person one day.

Perhaps, that was a common dream shared by many present...