525: Chapter 525 My Fiancé's Parting Advice: Remember to Resist Your Sloppy Boss!

Xie Jinghong stuffed the bag of Immortal Stones into her robes.

Her movements were as stiff as a marionette's.

The cheap fabric clung to her delicate skin, its rough texture like sandpaper, grinding away at her dignity and bringing a coarse, burning sense of shame.

She even felt that what was inside wasn't Immortal Stones, but a thousand poisoned steel needles.

She had to leave!

If she stayed for even one more breath, her disguise—no, her Dao Heart—would shatter into powder on the spot.

Forcing down the surge of blood and killing intent rushing to her head, she picked up the rolled-up jade slip from the table once more.

In an instant, she transformed back into the professional deputy manager of the merchant guild.

This was an instinct etched into her Soul; even if her heart was a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, business was still business.

“Young Master Su.”

Her voice finally regained its stability, though there was a faint, imperceptible tremor in her tone born from extreme suppression that even she didn't notice.

“This is the Lingbao Trading Firm's Black Gold Jade Slip.”

She held out the jade slip with both hands, her posture impeccable.

“With this token, you can attend the Auction on the first of the month without the need for asset verification or a security deposit.”

Su Chen's gaze fell upon the jade slip.

It was pitch black all over, with mysterious golden patterns flowing across it.

The bullet-chat in his mind instantly exploded.

[Oh? This is good stuff!]

[No asset verification, no deposit? It seems their boss has really lost everything down to his underwear, even removing the entry threshold just to lure people in for the slaughter!]

[Wait...]

[Why is she giving this to me?]

[In her eyes, I'm just a pauper who recently underwent Ascension. Why should I be able to get a Lingbao Trading Firm Black Gold Jade Slip?]

[There's only one answer.]

[Inviting the target into a trap!]

[This is trying to roast me over a fire! Letting me in without a threshold is just to make it easier to slaughter me like the fattest pig inside!]

Su Chen sneered inwardly.

[Capitalist schemes have been the same for millions of years. First, they give you some sweetness to make you think you've struck a great bargain, then once you're in, they use all sorts of means to squeeze even the marrow from your bones.]

[It's exactly like those “free parking coupons” in malls from my past life. You think you're saving on parking, but after wandering around for two hours, you've spent enough money to pay for a year of parking.]

But then again...

Su Chen glanced at the Black Gold Jade Slip.

A free entry ticket—it would be a waste not to take it.

You want to harvest me like a leek, but I want to pluck your wool.

I'll take your free ticket, go in to buy what I want, and then vanish.

Let's see whose blade is faster.

Thinking this, Su Chen reached out and took the jade slip with excessive nonchalance.

“Fine.”

He tossed the Black Gold Jade Slip—which would drive countless Cultivators in Peng City mad—between his fingers before dropping it into his Storage Ring with a “clack,” as if throwing away a footcloth.

That action made the muscles at the corner of Xie Jinghong's eyes twitch violently.

Blood nearly sprayed from her throat.

That was a Black Gold Jade Slip!

Each one represented a guest of the highest caliber for the Lingbao Trading Firm!

And he just... pocketed it like that?

After stowing the jade slip, Su Chen lazily lifted his eyelids and glanced at her.

“Anything else?”

The corner of Xie Jinghong's mouth twitched uncontrollably; her mask-like face was so stiff it felt like it might crack and crumble.

“In... in response to Young Master Su, a detailed item list for the Auction will be delivered in three days.”

“At that time, this humble one... will provide some... internal conveniences for Young Master Su within my power.”

She ground out those last four words through the gaps in her molars, one by one.

It wasn't so much an insinuation as it was sharpening a blade.

Su Chen's mental bullet-chat immediately followed up.

[Internal conveniences?]

[Here it comes! The sugar-coated bullets of the Capitalists!]

[First they paint a picture to make you lower your guard, and once you're hooked, their blades are sharper than anyone's! I can recite this routine with my eyes closed!]

Su Chen remained impassive, even showing a hint of an “I'm satisfied” smile.

“Good. Then I'll have to trouble Shopkeeper Shen.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he waved his hand.

The waving motion was incredibly natural, as if shooing away a fly buzzing over a dessert.

“Alright, I've received the jade slip. Hurry back and get some rest.”

“Don't work yourself to exhaustion, or that black-hearted boss of yours will find another excuse to dock your wages.”

He crossed his legs and slumped back into his lounge chair, striking the pose of a leader indicating that “today's guidance ends here.”

At the end, he added another sentence, his tone filled with the earnest expectations of a revolutionary Senior toward a lagging comrade.

“By the way, remember my words.”

“As a Worker, you must know how to resist Capitalists.”

“Don't be afraid.”

He paused, his gaze so sincere it could practically squeeze out water.

“If you have difficulties, come find me. I, Su, cannot stand to see honest people being bullied.”