Dragon Treasure

Diane paused, her anger simmering beneath the surface. She had been furious with Bai Yi for deceiving her, but all that tension vanished the moment the Soul Lantern appeared. Moreover, her childhood friend—now a genius—piqued her curiosity. What kind of business could Bai Yi possibly want to discuss with her?

She took a sip of the milk Luo Ning had brought over and immediately frowned. "This is what you give me to drink?"

"Don't you like milk? This one's really good," Bai Yi replied, taking a sip himself. The familiar taste still brought a comforting sense of nostalgia.

Diane's expression remained unchanged. With a flick of her wrist, a few luxurious bottles of drinks appeared on the table, instantly making the milk look a little... ordinary.

She casually tossed one of the bottles to him. "Here, take this."

Then, turning to Luo Ning, she said, "Come here, little girl."

Luo Ning hesitated, glancing at Bai Yi, before trotting over, her voice sweet and respectful. "Sister Diane."

Diane couldn't help but smile. She was used to being addressed as "Miss" by everyone from the Difeng branch—being called "sister" was a nice change.

Luo Ning accepted the bottle with a grateful nod. "Thank you, Sister Diane."

Diane's heart swelled with happiness. At home, she was respected but always distant. Here, the casual warmth felt special.

She glanced at Bai Yi with mild disdain. "See how polite she is? And here you are, about to become the city lord, yet you're still so stingy." She took another sip of her drink, savoring the sweet relief as the taste cleared her palate.

Bai Yi also took a sip, but his eyes widened slightly when he saw a prompt appear on his panel:

[Soul Lotus Tea consumed. Your soul strength has increased slightly. Mental strength +2.]

He couldn't help but compare it to the Soul Crystal (Large), which only added 3 points to his mental power but cost a hefty 10,000 gold coins. Was this drink the indulgence of the rich?

A subtle wave of energy rippled through the room, and Bai Yi turned sharply. Luo Ning, holding her drink in both hands, was radiating a faint aura—her spiritual power was rising. Was she... breaking through?

His eyes narrowed as he focused, scanning her spiritual power. If the increase was too rapid, it might have adverse effects.

As he investigated, he realized that the effect of the Soul Lotus Tea was gentle and nurturing, with no harmful side effects.

Diane raised an eyebrow, clearly noticing his intense focus. "What are you doing?"

Bai Yi hesitated for a moment. "Do you think I'm stupid? Of course, it's safe for her. I gave it to her, didn't I?"

He gave Diane a complicated look, the mystery of the Difeng family's nobility becoming a little clearer to him.

"Alright," he said, reaching over to touch Luo Ning's head. "Rest for now. You need to study more mental training methods."

Then, turning back to Diane, he hesitated before asking, "How about this—can you give me some intercontinental railguns?"

Diane immediately shook her head. "No way. A launch silo costs 10 million. I don't have that kind of pocket money. If I gave you one, I wouldn't survive the next two months. Will you support me?"

Bai Yi laughed, his gaze flickering with amusement. "I was kidding. Actually, I want to discuss a business deal. I plan to increase the number of launch silos in Dongwu City to 100, but I'm a bit short on funds."

Diane's eyes sparkled with interest. "What kind of business? Don't leave me hanging."

Bai Yi leaned in, his voice low and secretive. "A secret realm—an inheritance left by the God of Shadows. If you claim it, you could become a necromancer."

Diane frowned, puzzled. "A necromancer? What's the difference between that and an ordinary one? And is it really worth 800 million?"

Dongwu City already had 24 intercontinental railguns. Adding 100 more, along with installation and ammunition, would cost nearly 800 million—almost the price of an entire railgun arsenal.

Bai Yi's thoughts wandered briefly. In the original timeline, the discovery of this secret realm had caused a huge uproar. Various ancient god kingdoms had fought for it, but in the end, a lone human had claimed the inheritance and disappeared. The world would later discover the power of that person—an unprecedented necromancer whose physique became a symbol of immense potential.

Bai Yi knew the inheritance was tied to the God of Shadows, a subordinate god of Death, who had discreetly sent fragments of his legacy to Xia Continent. This would enhance the undead's influence.

But Bai Yi wasn't sure if obtaining this inheritance was worth it, especially since his focus was alchemy and transformation, not necromancy. But if he gave it to his subordinates...

"The necromancer's body is naturally attuned to the dead. As long as you don't attack the undead first, they'll not only refrain from attacking you but may even follow your commands," Bai Yi continued. "And they'll bring about the ultimate undead disaster."

Diane's eyes widened. "Are you telling me that if I get this inheritance, I could be stronger than I ever imagined? Like an SSS-level powerhouse?"

Bai Yi nodded. "Exactly. With enough resources, the potential is limitless."

Diane paused, her expression softening as she thought it over. Then, with a shy glance, she asked, "Will I... become ugly if I turn into a necromancer?"

Bai Yi chuckled. "No, no. You won't. Natural necromancers maintain their beauty. The undead body allows you to control death without being dead yourself—life and death balance within you."

Diane looked thoughtful, her gaze distant. "I need to talk to my grandfather about this. I'll get back to you tomorrow."

With that, she picked up her drink and, without another word, walked out. Her mind seemed to be racing.

Bai Yi smiled to himself, relieved. Diane hadn't questioned the location or the price—just as he'd hoped. Some things, he realized, couldn't be rushed.

Turning back to Luo Ning, he added, "Make sure you study. I'll be out for a bit."

He was about to leave when he noticed a few anxious-looking people approach him. They hesitated, unsure whether to speak.

Bai Yi raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong?"

The group exchanged looks, then one of the goblins stepped forward, nervously speaking. "Mr. Bai Yi, we... have a problem at the pawnshop. Can we refuse Qi Guan from depositing items?"

Bai Yi instantly understood. Without proper storage space, they had been using the pawnshop as a makeshift storage. However, that meant dealing with an influx of unwanted items.

"Don't worry. We can't refuse deposits of wonders," Bai Yi said thoughtfully. "But from now on, apply for a card punching device at the law enforcement team. You can use fingerprints for deposits and withdrawals. A small fee of ten copper coins per transaction, but if anyone exceeds the one-month limit, we'll charge them a management fee."

The group's faces lit up with relief. They quickly bowed, gratitude written all over their expressions. "Thank you, Mr. Bai Yi! We'll implement this right away."

Bai Yi nodded, then headed toward the quartermaster's mansion, his mind buzzing with plans. The business world was looking better than ever.