–Tomorrow is the day for the designated signing, Lord Yaoshu Ling.-
Yaoshu Ling looked at the documents in his hand.
Over the past two days, Croft had seemed certain of securing the Starlight Mirage, never contacting him at all.
After all, even if everyone had participated in the production, the entire design framework and the final content additions were all led and completed by Croft.
Therefore, even if there were disputes, they couldn’t be resolved in a day or two.
And the Starlight Mirage couldn’t afford to wait.
Gong Huanwu said helplessly, –We’ll just have to accept our loss this time. A designer from the Magic English Hall wields considerable influence; if he says one word, we might find it difficult in the future to invite other designers to break free from their destined paths and come here to oversee the construction.-
Yaoshu Ling nodded.
She picked up her pen and swiftly signed her cursive name on the document with a rustle, then handed it to Officer Gong Huanwu, who was waiting nearby, for submission to the company.
……
Late at night, within a dim and silent ancient room, a woman’s silhouette suddenly emerged.
Huan Bao’er’s psychic form materialized from transparency, then became a flesh-and-blood human body.
The long screen embedded in the deep wall before her shifted from stillness to dim shadows. A illusory eye opened, as if just waking up.
{Red Director, why are you skulking around like that?}
–Please submit this arena city proposal to the council for review, and make it quick.-
{Arena city proposal?}
The illusory eyes on the old screen cast a curious glance at the woman, then the scales on the table before it clicked and lifted, revealing an interface. A device as wide as two fingers was inserted into it.
A faint buzzing sound rose up and quickly faded.
{All information has been transmitted to the Holy Ring Council of the New Destiny Track.}
Huan Bao’er let out a long sigh.
Human efforts had been exhausted; now it was up to fate.
……
It was the same dark Gothic-style grand meeting hall where the midnight assembly had been convened.
Now the lights were bright, and behind the decorated signing table ahead sat several chairs.
Below sat some team members and officers involved in this affair, along with other employees of Starlight Illusion, gathered around the beverage tables in the venue, chatting. Although the process had been unpleasant and the outcome was already set, they might as well continue to handle the matters that needed to be done properly.
As a result, the atmosphere of this signing ceremony was still quite pleasant.
Croft entered through the main door and headed straight for the signing table. Gong Huanwu smiled and guided him to take a seat first.
–It’ll be a few more minutes. Please wait a moment,- said Gong Huanwu.
–Mm.-
Croft nodded without raising his eyes, completely ignoring the murmurs from below.
Within two minutes, Yao Shuling also walked in, her face beaming with joy.
Today the woman was dressed in a crisp gauze shirt and wide-leg trousers, with a small jacket over them and a simple bow tied at her chest—the youthful, vibrant look of a fresh office hire.
After taking his seat behind the long table with the contract in hand, Yao Shuling smiled and spoke in a low, measured tone:
–Secretary Croft, if one day your experiences were turned into a hero’s memoir, would you want people to read it?-
Croft pursed his lips dismissively.
–I’m not a proper member of the ‘Society for Preserving the Old.’ My wish is to choose new possibilities for the world. So let the past sink into history. The world needs a new history… Eh, let’s not talk about that today.-
A slight smile tugged at the corner of Yao Shuling’s mouth.
This old codger—turns out his face wasn’t thick enough to be completely shameless after all.
Gong Huanwu came running over. –It’s almost ten o’clock. Shall we get ready to start?-
The signing table had four chairs, but only two people were seated at the moment.
Yao Shuling glanced toward the door. Huan Bao’er still hadn’t arrived.
–Let’s get ready.-
–Everyone!- Gong Huanwu straightened his back and addressed the onlooking crowd in the venue. –Thank you all for coming to witness our Starlight Illusion’s first application ceremony for the Hall of Magic Heroes since the latest restart of the Fate Track. In ten minutes, our signing ceremony will begin.-
Several officers entered through the door. After shaking hands with Croft one by one, they took their seats behind the two angled tables on the side.
Croft glanced at the two empty chairs beside him and furrowed his brow slightly.
That chair was originally for the representative from the Council Above the Fate Track—also the seat of his good friend Secretary Xiyun. But he still hadn’t shown up.
Yao Shuling also glanced at the chair beside him—it belonged to Huan Bao’er. Although Huan Bao’er was on leave, courtesy demanded that he should be present at this time.
The two looked at each other’s empty seats. Croft squinted his eyes and immediately made a decision:
–Hmph, forget it, let’s just do it like this. Let’s begin.–
–There are still five minutes. Not going to wait?–
–Do we have to embarrass ourselves until the very end? Let’s wrap up early. It’s best if they come later; if not, I’m giving you an out.–
–This… alright.–
Yao Shuling signaled to Gong Huanwu to start.
Officer Gong sighed. This design and construction of the Demon Lord Hall had been a complete mess from start to finish.
Forget it, let it just be destroyed, he muttered inwardly.
The man stepped forward, a smile appearing on his face, and raised his hand: –The first Starlight Illusion, Demon Lord-level Arena City signing ceremony, now…–
–Wait!–
A voice rang out at the door.
Croft’s protruding eyebrows twitched—something bad was indeed happening.
The entire hall-like meeting room, thousands of people, looked toward the door.
Officer Mengxi, slightly out of breath, used his hand to shake off his suit, then calmly stepped inside and said to the staff standing there: –Quick, help bring in chairs.–
Several people in the corridor carried obviously more expensive chairs quickly toward the door. The staff, somewhat confused about what was happening, had to join in and help carry them to the signing stage.
Mengxi strode towards that place alongside the others, his pace long and purposeful.
Yao Shuling froze, stammering, –Officer Mengxi, what are you—-
–Chief Officer, please rise for a moment. We need to rearrange the venue.-
–Rearrange?!-
Mengxi had no time to explain to Chief Officer Yao Shuling. With a nod and a smile, he walked over to the livid-faced Greenhide Croft.
–Mr. Dwight, please step aside briefly. We need to rearrange the venue.-
–Why?!- Croft clutched the contract in his claws, his voice urgent. –We can sign right now. No need for all this empty pomp—just hand me a pen.-
–No, the venue must be properly set up to maintain decorum. After all, this is the first real signing between the Starlight Phantom Realm and the Demon Hero Hall. These moments will be recorded in history.-
–This…- Croft’s expression flickered. –Fine.-
The moment the strange man stood up, Mengxi whisked the chair away from behind him—not a second wasted.
Then a person waiting nearby reverently placed a far more luxurious chair in its stead.
–This way, please.-
Mengxi gestured toward a table that had been tilted to the side, guiding Croft, who was still standing on the ground.
Croft squeezed the contract in his claws and slowly raised his head to look at Mengxi. –That way for me?-
–What is this?- Yao Shuling hurried over, shock and anxiety written all over her face.
Mengxi straightened up and met her eyes. –The esteemed Manager Gu will arrive any moment now.-
Yao Shuling’s eyes lit up with an unbelievable gleam.
–The teacher is coming.-
–So it’s Steward Gu who’s arrived—no wonder it’s so grand.-
Croft let out a cold sneer.
–What? Did your Green Lotus Crown actually pass the review?-
Director Mengxi smiled: –No, it was rejected, as you know.-
Croft thought it over; none of his friends had informed him of any new Magic Hall passing review in the past couple of days.
Confidence swelled back in his heart:
–This is an insult, Director. You’re insulting me, insulting the entire Magic Hall design industry. Your name will stink in this trade for eternity.-
–No, Director Croft. We’re inviting you to witness our moment of glory—it’s an honor for you.-
–You!-
Croft pointed furiously at the person before him.
Ultimate disgrace!
Yao Shuling stared at Mengxi in shock. The ring on her chest lit up, and a broken line shot into Mengxi’s chest right in front of the strange man.
The two were linked by a thread as thin as a strand of hair.
Croft’s forehead was practically steaming.
[Mengxi, what the hell are you doing?!]
{I was just about to inform you, Director, that the upcoming signing ceremony will be personally conducted by Steward Gu.}
[Who is Teacher Gu going to sign with? Has she found a suitable Magic Hall on the new destiny track?]
{No, not yet.}
Just then, Huan Bao’er ran to the doorway. Yao Shuling, as if sensing something, turned around and saw her twin sister standing sideways to the corridor, murmuring softly, –Teacher Gu, this way, please.-
A figure of extraordinary, lofty bearing appeared in everyone’s sight.
–Steward Gu has arrived~-
In Yao Shuling’s line of sight, that figure looked over with clear, pure eyes and gave a faint smile.
Steward Gu turned slightly to the side. –Mr. Jin, please come in.-
With that, he strode toward the signing table.
Then Yao Shuling watched in disbelief as Steward Gu personally turned sideways to invite the other man in, and even Huan Bao’er gave a slight bow in a welcoming gesture.
The man behind him looked very ordinary, yet carried an undeniable presence. The moment he appeared, everything else in the world seemed to fade away, and all eyes instinctively focused solely on this unremarkable middle-aged figure.
Yao Shuling’s heart trembled. She quickly stepped down from the signing table and stood smiling by the aisle.
Croft, who had just taken a seat at a small table in the corner with an ashen face, saw that figure—one that should never have appeared—enter through the door.
–My God, I’ve actually seen Steward Gu in person.-
–And who is that Mr. Jin?-
Two more people came in from outside. Croft’s eyes narrowed slightly; one of them was none other than his friend Xiyun, who had originally been meant to come with him.
At that moment, the green-skinned, pointy-nosed, pointy-eared man who bore a resemblance to him was carrying a bag and trailing behind Mr. Jin. He, who had originally been a witness, had now become this man’s lackey.
Catching Croft’s gaze, the strange man with the bag subtly shifted his eyes to meet his for a moment, then gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head.
Croft’s heart sank.
He knew that this signing had nothing to do with him anymore.
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