The study of the City Lord’s Mansion was quiet, bathed in the golden afternoon sunlight filtering through the tall windows. Luciel reclined in his chair, the faint gleam of his black eyes reflecting both calculation and curiosity. Across from him, Mirean and Agni Moon knelt respectfully, presenting the results of the day’s comrcial operations.
"The cabbage seedlings are completely sold out, and the tomato seedlings have also vanished," Agni Moon said, her tone a mixture of amazent and excitent. She could hardly believe the fervor of the buyers. "If there had been no purchase restrictions, a few custors might have taken every last seedling."
Luciel’s gaze shifted to the white-haired girl leaning casually against the wall—Elara. "Elara, do you know who bought them all?" he asked, his voice calm yet carrying an edge of curiosity.
Elara straightened slightly, her expression cool but attentive. "During the day, Alina, Yanlu, and I patrolled the comrcial street wearing ghost armors. We stayed hidden in the corners, among the shops, monitoring everyone entering or leaving the area, preventing any unauthorized passage beyond The Wall." Her lips curved into a faint frown. "From what I observed, the buyers were primarily families from the City Lord’s Mansion and several influential households from Astris City. Most of these families are led by Tier VI powerhouses, and even among the elite, there are usually multiple Tier VI individuals. Only such families could afford to buy in such quantities."
Luciel nodded thoughtfully, not surprised by the pattern. "As expected," he murmured. The predictability of the wealthy’s behavior always had its advantages, especially in business.
"Besides the seedlings, the biggest seller today was roasted sweet potatoes," Agni Moon continued. Her red eyes, usually soft and calculating, were now bright with energy as she reported the numbers. " thousand kg were sold out completely. If it weren’t for the stove-roasted thod, the number could have been even higher."
Luciel’s brows rose slightly.
She imagined the chaos at the street earlier, groups of people packing their purchases into large cloth sacks, eager to carry them away. "They were all packed and shipped out the mont the stalls reopened."
Turning to Mirean, Luciel asked, "And the food building?"
"Three hundred green vegetable set als," Mirean replied elegantly, a composed smile on her face. "If the price had been slightly lower, we might have sold even more."
Luciel’s mouth curved in a slight, approving smile. "I heard the brochures were also snapped up?"
Mirean’s eyes widened in mild surprise. "Yes, they’ve already been printed three tis. We didn’t expect so many people to buy them."
Elara added, her voice edged with frost, "The brochures were purchased by intelligence hunters from Astris City. They resold them at a high price, spreading awareness of the comrcial street far beyond Black Tortoise City."
Luciel’s smile deepened. "So they are unwitting promoters of the comrcial street. I should thank them."
Agni Moon’s expression flickered with concern. "Luciel, if things continue at this rate, our stock won’t last even a few days. We need to prepare more supplies."
"Don’t worry," Luciel said gently, leaning back. "In a few days, purchases will slow down."
Agni Moon blinked in surprise. "Why?"
"Because the majority of our buyers are big families," Luciel explained, his tone calm and confident. "They won’t buy in large quantities again until they’ve fully digested what they purchased today. After that, only a few scattered buyers or clever resellers will co to transport goods to other cities. This will further spread Black Tortoise City’s reputation."
Agni Moon nodded, finally understanding. Luciel always seed to see several steps ahead, anticipating outcos with uncanny clarity.
"Tonight, arrange for so workers to go to the farm and sow more cabbage seeds," Luciel continued. "Seedlings are our best sellers, and every influential family wants them."
"Understood," Agni Moon replied briskly, already formulating her plan.
Mirean, observing the discussion, couldn’t help but raise a suggestion. "What about fruit tree saplings? Their value is many tis higher than vegetable seedlings, and we have cultivated many in Black Tortoise City."
Luciel shook his head. "Not yet. We’ll wait until the rock turtle evolves to its eighth level. Once its back expands, we can create a fruit forest. Then we’ll have a complete ecosystem to support high-value crops. I also plan to make jams and other products to enrich the diet in the City Lord’s Mansion."
Mirean’s eyes sparkled with curiosity, sensing a bigger plan unfolding. She held her tongue, choosing to observe rather than question further.
Shifting slightly, Mirean asked, "Why didn’t you sell your Story book today?"
Luciel’s black eyes glead with faint amusent. "Not everything should be released all at once. If people constantly hear about new products in the comrcial street, it keeps them thinking, keeps them anticipating. That anticipation maintains enthusiasm, which helps all the shops, including the Three-Star Pavilion."
Mirean leaned forward, her blue and aqua eyes wide with interest. "And how long do we plan to stay in Astris City?"
"About ten days," Luciel replied. "That’s enough for Black Tortoise’s reputation to spread to other big cities. Once the word reaches them, caravans will co, eager to trade."
Mirean tilted her head, her curiosity piqued. "Have you decided which city to go to next?"
"Any suggestions?" Luciel asked rhetorically, his lips curling into a subtle smile.
Mirean’s gaze flickered with a flash of inspiration. "Asuka City. Capture a flying bird and evolve it into a giant transport bird. With it, we can transport people and goods to major cities, keeping the comrcial street alive even in other regions."
Luciel’s eyes lit up, the idea resonating with him. Transport planes in the form of giant birds... This could revolutionize the comrcial street.
"I’ve only heard of Flying Bird City," Mirean admitted, shaking her head. "I don’t know exactly where Asuka City is. I heard about it from intelligence hunters, but its location remains a mystery."
"I’ll go to Astris City tomorrow to investigate," Luciel said, turning to Elara.
Elara’s white hair shimred as she nodded seriously. "Understood. If we have giant transport birds, as long as our strength increases, we can travel freely and even combat flying corpses in the skies."
Luciel considered the future of Black Tortoise City. "By the way, how many people currently live in the Three-Star Pavilion?"
"Only a dozen," Agni Moon replied with a helpless shrug. "The rooms are the lowest specifications. The price for accommodation is too high; nobody wants long-term stays."
Luciel smiled faintly. "That’s fine. As long as soone stays. Right now, the comrcial street is small. We needed high-end accommodations to set the standard. In the future, when space allows, we can build more affordable options."
Before Mirean could respond, Luciel’s expression shifted sharply. He turned toward the tricolor rock tortoise, his body tense.
"Sothing’s wrong," he murmured.
"Has soone snuck in?" Mirean asked, her face paling.
"Yes," Luciel replied, rising smoothly. "Strong, too."
Elara moved instinctively toward the inner arsenal, preparing to don her armor. "I’ll deal with them."
Luciel raised a hand, stopping her. "No. Stay on the high ground. I want to observe first. Whoever bypassed the tricolor lizard and red ghost spider is not soone ordinary. This is an opportunity to test the defensive weaknesses of Black Tortoise City."
Elara paused, understanding his intent. Even the most dangerous threats could beco lessons if observed carefully.
The sunlight in the study deepened into amber, shadows stretching across the wooden floor. Luciel’s mind raced, planning transport networks, trade expansions, and defensive strategies all at once. The comrcial street of Black Tortoise City was no longer just a marketplace—it was evolving into a hub, poised to influence entire cities.
Outside, the wind rustled faintly against the windows. Soon, the city would feel the ripples of this day’s events: the sellout of seedlings, the intelligence hunters spreading word of Black Tortoise City, and the looming promise of transport birds that could bridge cities in days instead of weeks.
Luciel’s black eyes glead with quiet satisfaction. Every step was calculated, every action purposeful. By the ti the next city heard of Black Tortoise, the legend would already be well underway.
And tonight, soone had already crossed the invisible defenses of Black Tortoise City. Luciel’s mind flickered with anticipation. The intruder would reveal weaknesses, and every weakness discovered would make Black Tortoise stronger.
In this city, trade, power, and strategy intertwined like threads of a tapestry—Luciel was already weaving the next pattern.
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