10: Chapter 10 Mr. Qian's Hot Potential Commission

The gesture Boss Qian made was quickly converted in Lin Yuan's mind—50 standard faith units.

After paying the first installment of divine breath (30 points), there would still be 20 points left. 20 faith points were enough to buy some real treasures on the black market or be converted into seed capital to rapidly expand his "Optimization Consultant" business.

The temptation was as massive as a searchlight in the dark night.

But Lin Yuan was not blinded by the light. His financial analyst instincts were screaming: high returns are always accompanied by high risks, especially when the other party seems to know something about your background.

He did not touch the tea, but simply stood there, his voice calm. "Boss Qian, you flatter me. I've only just started and happen to know a little bit, enough to handle minor issues. Your client's 'industry' is likely more than a novice like me can handle."

"Hey, don't be so quick to be humble." Boss Qian wasn't annoyed; he remained smiling as he took a sip of his tea. "I've watched this 'Zishi Market' for many years; I still have some eye for talent. That scent of 'combing' and 'rectifying' on you, though faint, is very pure. It's not the fake stuff from those who hang a sheep's head but sell dog meat. And..."

He set down the teacup and lightly tapped the table with his finger. "You lack 'money'—very much so. Not the secular kind, but faith points. The debt to 'Lingxiao Capital' isn't easy to pay back, is it?"

Lin Yuan's heart sank. The man even knew about that! Was it the old man from the antique shop? Or was 'Lingxiao Capital' itself monitoring his progress as an 'experimental subject'?

"Boss Qian is truly well-informed." Lin Yuan gave a non-committal response, his tone betraying no emotion.

"In my line of work, one can't afford to be ill-informed." Boss Qian smiled. "Rest assured, I'm not with 'Lingxiao.' They play the game of capital monopoly; as for me, I'm just a middleman who connects people, and occasionally I do a bit of venture capital. I'm optimistic about the path you're taking—'Optimization'... it's an interesting concept that might gain momentum in the future. So, this commission is an early investment of mine, and also a chance for you to prove yourself."

He leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice. "The client is Chairman Liu of Yongxin Enterprises. He has a cultural and creative park in the west of the city, renovated from an old factory district. The location is good and the investment was significant, but in over a year since it opened, the tenants have changed three times. There are constant accidents, the employee sick leave rate is absurdly high, and at night, there are all sorts of 'strange sounds' and 'ghostly shadows.' Several groups of monks and Taoists have been invited, but to little effect. Chairman Liu is now desperate to get rid of it, but with its reputation ruined, he can't get a good price. He doesn't want to give up on that land, and hearing about this new idea called 'Environmental Optimization,' he asked me to find someone capable."

"The request is simple: stay inside for one night, find the root of the problem, and provide a solution. If you can handle some of the 'dirty things' on-site, even better. 50 faith points is the base reward. If the park's operations significantly improve after rectifying it according to your plan, there will be an additional cut." Boss Qian paused. "Of course, I'll be clear about the risks beforehand: among the people invited previously, there was a proper Taoist from Longhu Mountain who fell seriously ill after coming out, saying he was 'entwined by Malignant Qi, which damaged his foundation.' The things inside are likely not simple."

Old factory renovation, frequent accidents, Malignant Qi harming a proper Taoist... Lin Yuan's mind quickly sketched a complex situation likely filled with the negative emotions of industrial ruins (work injuries, despair from bankruptcy), superimposed with potential leyline issues, or even a sinister layout deliberately arranged by someone. This was definitely much more troublesome than the alley spirit he had encountered.

"Why look for me?" Lin Yuan looked Boss Qian straight in the eye. "There should be plenty of people in the black market more suitable and experienced than I am."

"Because they either charge too much, making Chairman Liu feel it's not worth it, or their methods are too wild, making Chairman Liu fear it's easier to invite a god than to see one off." Boss Qian shrugged. "You are just right: you have real skill (in his opinion), a new approach (the Optimization concept), an urgent need for 'money' (faith points), and you seem... to follow the rules, or rather, you have something to gain, so you'll be more cautious and responsible."

A very practical and shrewd calculation.

Lin Yuan remained silent, quickly weighing the options.

Accept?

· Pros: 50 faith points would solve his immediate crisis and greatly alleviate survival pressure; it was an excellent opportunity to practice and verify his "Optimization" ability; it could establish connections with Boss Qian (an influential middleman) and Chairman Liu (a potential long-term client).

· Cons: Extremely high risk, potential for injury or even death; potential to get involved in more complex power struggles; premature exposure to more powerful entities.

Decline?

· Pros: Safety.

· Cons: Continued pursuit by debt, slow growth; missing the chance to accumulate his first pot of gold; potentially making Boss Qian think he is cowardly or lacks true talent, affecting future potential opportunities.

His gaze swept across the system interface.

[Faith Reserve: 0.518]

[divine breath Countdown: 27 days 09 hours 21 minutes]

[Items: Ancient Battlefield Talisman x2, Damaged Heart-Cleansing Soul-Sobering Bell x1, Herbs x2]

His reserves were nearly empty, and time was ticking away. With only two attack talismans and one auxiliary bell, would they be enough against "Malignant Qi" that could harm a Longhu Mountain Taoist?

But... did he really have a better choice? Relying on Hu Wei to introduce scattered corporate consulting jobs was too slow for accumulating faith. Zhang Qiming's feedback would take time. "Loot" of the alley spirit's level was hard to come by, and the risk wasn't low either.

Take a gamble?

He thought of the fierce Malignant Qi when he activated the talisman, the way the "Optimization" barrier countered resentment, and the information he had just obtained about blood sacrifice and the use of the Heart-Cleansing Bell.

Perhaps he could create an "optimized" version of a combat plan?

"I need more detailed information," Lin Yuan finally spoke. "The history of the factory site, renovation drawings, specific times, locations, and details of all accidents, what the previous people did, and... the approximate range of Chairman Liu's budget for subsequent rectifications. Also, I need at least one day to prepare."

The smile on Boss Qian's face became a bit more sincere. "No problem! I'll have someone send the information to you immediately. The preparation time is fine; Chairman Liu's side can wait a few more days. However, little brother, giving you the information is equivalent to accepting the job. The rules of this trade state that once accepted, you cannot back out without cause, otherwise..." Though he was smiling, there was no warmth in his eyes.

"I understand." Lin Yuan nodded. In the unspoken rules of the black market, the price of breach of contract was likely not small.

"Excellent!" Boss Qian clapped his hands, and an attendant nearby immediately handed over a data terminal as thin as a card. "The information is all inside, encrypted. You can activate it using your spiritual sense or Power of Faith. The terminal will automatically destroy itself after you've read it. This is my contact information; notify me whenever you're ready, and I'll arrange for you to meet Chairman Liu or go directly to the site."

Lin Yuan took the cold metal card and a business card with only a number on it.

"Boss Qian, one last question." Lin Yuan put the items away. "Will 'Lingxiao Capital' know about this commission?"

Boss Qian gave him a meaningful look. "This is the 'Zishi Market'; those who come here don't want too many eyes on them. As long as you don't actively publicize it, my lips are sealed. As for 'Lingxiao'... they might have other channels, but that's not something I can control. Why, afraid your creditors will see you making money too fast?"

"Just want to know where I stand." Lin Yuan said no more. He gave a slight nod, turned, and left the Baxian table, leaving that bizarre black market space behind.

Walking out of the alley behind the City God Temple and back into the cold air of the real world, Lin Yuan felt the cold night wind chill the slight sweat on his back.

He looked down at the data card and business card in his hand.

Indeed, in this world, every step was like walking on thin ice. Right next to a massive opportunity was a bottomless trap.

But he had no way back.

Returning to his apartment, he first treated the injury on his right arm according to the old woman's method. The water boiled with Heart-Clearing Grass was bitter and foul-smelling, and the Moonlight Moss applied to his arm brought an icy, stinging sensation, but he could indeed feel the stubborn residual Malignant Qi and the chill in his meridians slowly fading.

After treating the injury, he activated the data card.

A large amount of graphic and textual information flooded his mind:

· "Yongxin Cultural and Creative Park" was formerly the "Red Star Third Textile Factory," built in the sixties and went bankrupt in the late nineties. It sat idle for nearly twenty years before being purchased and renovated by Chairman Liu three years ago.

· During renovation, unidentified skeletons were unearthed (someone was hired to handle them), and a small-scale cave-in occurred while laying the foundation, injuring workers.

· Post-opening accidents: three small fires caused by short circuits in shops (no casualties), seven cases of employees mysteriously fainting (check-ups showed no organic pathology), and over ten reports from night security of seeing "white shadows" and hearing "machines idling." The most serious incident was two months ago when a designer working overtime fell down the stairs from the second floor, breaking a leg and insisting they were pushed, though surveillance captured nothing.

· Previous hires: a local folk medium (the park was quiet for half a month after the ritual before relapsing), a team of monks from a certain temple (collective chanting, effects lasted one month), and that Longhu Mountain Taoist (set up formations and talismans, but spat blood and fell seriously ill after entering the core old factory building area).

· Recorded fragments of the Taoist's words before leaving: "Not ordinary Yin Malignant Qi, seems like 'Earth-bound Resentment' mixed with metal baleful qi, the layout has been deliberately altered..."

Earth-bound Resentment? metal baleful qi? The layout deliberately altered?

Lin Yuan's brow furrowed. The situation was indeed complex. It might not just be a natural accumulation of negative energy, but also involve leylines (Earth-bound Spirits), the baleful aura carried by the factory itself (Metallic, possibly representing machine accidents or the resentment of those who died from work injuries), or even someone having tampered with things during or after the renovation.

This exceeded the simple scope of his current ability to "optimize" negative emotions. It required more professional knowledge of Feng Shui and leylines, or powerful means of violent purification.

He opened the renovated park's layout map and, combining it with the original factory map, analyzed it using his shallow knowledge of Feng Shui and his spatial Optimization thinking as a financial analyst.

Suddenly, his gaze froze.

Several main workshops and storage areas of the original factory had been designed into restaurants, bars, and immersive theaters after the renovation. And according to the accident records, the places with the most problems were precisely these! Especially the "core old factory building" that the Taoist had entered before spitting blood—it had now been transformed into a large-scale industrial-style Escape Room!

Transforming an old workshop filled with historical negative energy, where people might have even died, into an entertainment venue where people are tense, fearful, and running for excitement? This was simply an amplifier for negative emotions!

If something was originally bound there, this renovation was no different from continuously "feeding" it fear and anxiety!

Chairman Liu and the designers were either ignorant and fearless, or... they simply didn't care, or had other motives.

Lin Yuan felt a chill. The waters of this commission were deeper than he had thought.

But the glow of 50 faith points still flickered stubbornly in the darkness of the countdown.

He closed his eyes and began to frantically search his memory for the bits and pieces of Feng Shui taboos he'd heard while chatting with Hu Wei, the information obtained from the black market, and the potential strategies derived from his "Optimization" godhood.

"Optimization"... what if it wasn't just about optimizing workflows and emotions, but optimizing the "energy flow" of a space?

What if "combing" and "rectifying" could be applied to chaotic leyline Malignant Qi and the entanglement of resentment?

The prototype of a plan so bold it was nearly insane gradually became clear in his mind, accompanied by the icy stinging sensation of the herbs on his right arm.

He might need to prepare more things. Perhaps he needed to visit the black market again, or... ask Hu Wei's "well-informed" social circle for something else.

He checked the time; it was three in the morning.

There was still some time before dawn.

There were 27 days 07 hours 15 minutes left before the countdown hit zero.

He opened his computer and began drafting a preliminary "Energy Environment Diagnosis and Optimization Proposal" for the Yongxin Cultural and Creative Park. Even if it was just to gain Chairman Liu's trust and more information, he needed to present something decent and professional.

The sound of typing echoed in the silent room, like a prelude to battle.