I'm in Mota, and they all want me to confess my feelings!

"Eh, Second Miss?"

Book 1: Chapter 26 Koletta's Perverse Interest

An unexpected little incident.

—Why is the Second Miss here?

Duanmu Yan stared at Koleta as she walked up to him, momentarily speechless.

Koleta remained composed and elegant, a smile playing on her lips, her gaze gently falling on Floro as she scrutinized him.

Then, she turned to Duanmu Yan, tilting her head slightly. Her gaze seemed to silently ask: Aren't you going to invite me to sit down?

Duanmu Yan paused for a moment, then moved aside to make room for Koleta.

"Second Miss, what brings you here?" Duanmu Yan asked her in a low voice.

"What, you're not welcoming me?" Koleta chuckled softly, tapping her fingertips on the table. "As your 'girlfriend,' I think... I should at least share some of your workload, right?"

Although her voice was soft, every word reached Floro's ears.

Upon hearing those three words, Floro's teacup wobbled almost imperceptibly.

Upon hearing this, Duanmu Yan's expression changed, and she lowered her voice urgently, saying, "Second Miss, you can't say things like that carelessly. What if others overhear? Didn't we agree that this play was only for the traitor within the family and for Giacomo to see?"

Koleta nodded calmly, her tone matter-of-fact: "Exactly. The more people believe it, the more realistic the act will be. They'll think I'm engrossed in my love affair and have no interest in family affairs, so they'll naturally lower their guard against me. Or perhaps..."

She leaned slightly closer to his ear, her voice so soft that only he could hear it.

"Was it difficult for you to play my boyfriend?"

Snapped--!

Floro slammed her teacup down on the table. She looked up at the two of them, her eyes filled with barely concealed anger.

"In that case, it seems there's no need to continue the discussion."

"I go first."

"Wait, wait!"

Almost instinctively, Duanmu Yan reached out and grabbed Floro's wrist.

Floro's body trembled slightly, then she glared at him with disgust and said coldly, "Let go."

Koleta crossed her legs, crossed her arms, and looked at Floro with a leisurely air, a faint smile in her eyes: "Miss, business is about mutual consent. Why don't we all sit down... and have a proper talk?"

“I, Koleta Motari, a renowned art investor in Lina Xita, will offer you an irresistible deal if you agree to cooperate with me.”

"An offer you can't refuse?" Floro sneered and scoffed. "You're just a caged canary, what gives you the right to spout nonsense here?"

The atmosphere between the two was somewhat subtle.

A tense atmosphere hung between the two, like two powder kegs about to be ignited—just one spark away from setting the whole place ablaze.

"Calm down, calm down. There's an old saying in Huanglong: 'Even if a deal falls through, goodwill remains.'" Duanmu Yan was afraid they would start fighting in the store at any moment, so he quickly stepped forward to smooth things over. "Miss Floro, we can talk about this matter again."

Then, he leaned down slightly, got close to Coleta's ear, and whispered.

"Second Miss, why are you so angry today?"

"How about this, let me talk to her alone, and you go outside and wait for me for a while?"

Koleta hesitated for a moment, her gaze lingering on Floro for a brief instant, before finally shrugging helplessly and sighing softly, "Alright, since you've put it that way."

She stood up and walked out of the store.

Seeing her leave, Floro's anger subsided slightly, and she sat down again.

“Um, Miss Floro?” Duanmu Yan asked tentatively.

Floro glanced at him, her tone still icy: "Didn't you say you agreed because of a 'promise'? So, the 'promise' you were talking about was that kind of thing. I guess you didn't make the same promise to that priest before, did you?"

Forget about Coleta.

Why does she always compare herself to Faye?

"Well, well, it's a long story... Sigh, we've gone off on a tangent." Duanmu Yan straightened his expression and tried to steer the conversation back on track. "Weren't we having a pretty smooth talk just now? I've explained everything clearly. So... what's your opinion?"

Floro turned his head and looked at the street scene outside the window. A very unnatural smile suddenly appeared on his lips—not from the heart, but more like a mechanical arc.

"Interesting. Even now, you can still calmly ask me what my thoughts are."

She paused slightly, her voice lowering:

"However, I can grant your request."

"But in return, I'll need you after this is over—"

"Promise me one thing. Oh, wait, no."

She looked into his eyes and said.

"It's a promise."

"Promise? What promise?"

"You'll know after this is over."

……

……

Koleta leaned against the railing by the sea, letting the sea breeze brush past her ears and the sound of the tide rise and fall beneath her feet.

Hearing the approaching footsteps behind her, she smiled slightly and turned around to look back.

"You've got some nerve."

"I have never seen an employee who dares to ask the boss to step aside and make the decision himself when discussing cooperation."

"Tell me... should I deduct your salary or cancel your year-end bonus?"

Duanmu Yan smiled helplessly and shook his head: "Isn't there a third option? Like... rewarding me or something?"

Koleta tilted her head and joked, "That depends on whether you've finalized that deal or not."

"With me taking action, is there any possibility of failure?" Duanmu Yan said confidently.

"She actually succeeded?" Koleta was slightly surprised. "I thought she would continue to make things difficult for you."

“Miss, you don’t need to worry about that. But speaking of which, why did you always seem to have a thorn in your side when you spoke to her today? And…” Duanmu Yan looked at her thoughtfully, “Just now you seemed to be deliberately acting particularly intimate with me in front of her?”

Koleta casually tossed her long hair, which was being blown about by the wind, and turned to look at the sea: "Oh... I just happened to be passing by and saw you being harassed by her. As your boss, of course I'm not happy. No one can bully my people except me."

Duanmu Yan: "..."

There's something off about this sentence. Is it just my imagination?

"As for that performance just now..." Koleta chuckled, her tone tinged with amusement, "it was just a little bit of my quirky sense of humor."

"Didn't you say that you look a lot like that person she has a special relationship with? So I deliberately wanted to provoke her. I didn't expect her to actually get angry."

Duanmu Yan: "..."

"Let's go, the equipment from the New Federation has just arrived. I'll show you around."

Volume One: Chapter Twenty-Seven: Like a Small Boat Sailing Through the Vast Ocean

Duanmu Yan also knew very little about the new federation.

Just like understanding Huanglong, it's difficult to piece together a complete picture based solely on fragmented information found online.

All he knew was that it was a technologically advanced country, yet it also had a shocking gap between the rich and the poor.

That feeling was somewhat like...

Cyberpunk.

Of course, I heard all of this from the internet.

As for what the new federation would actually be like, he didn't know.

"This is it."

On the dock, Koleta stopped and spoke to Duanmu Yan.

Duanmu Yan was slightly taken aback, his gaze sweeping across the empty dock—aside from a lone small boat gently swaying with the waves, there was nothing else around.

He frowned, his tone tinged with confusion: "Where's the thing? Is this all?"

Koleta crossed her arms and gently shook her head: "Of course not. The Order has always been strict in its control over foreign affairs. Even travelers from other city-states must hand over their private terminals if they want to enter Laguna, otherwise they will be prohibited from entering."

She softened her tone and continued, "The Motari family does have legitimate channels to bring foreign supplies into Laguna, but as I've said before—this operation must not be detected."

“So, I’ve entrusted a third party to temporarily store that thing.” Koleta looked at Duanmu Yan, a slight smile playing on her lips. “Therefore, I’ll leave the matter of retrieving the goods to you.”

Duanmu Yan shrugged helplessly, then jokingly asked Koleta in a lighthearted tone, "So, is there a bonus for this business trip?"

“No.” Koleta lightly touched her lips with her fingertips, a sly glint in her eyes. “However, there are other rewards.”

Her tone rose subtly, carrying a certain suggestive quality that made one's heart race.

although--

The "reward" the girl spoke of was ultimately not the ambiguous sweetness that Duanmu Yan had imagined.

She suddenly raised her arm. In an instant, the surrounding air surged, and an invisible frequency began to resonate with her. Unseen energy gathered, intertwined, and rapidly solidified at her fingertips—ultimately manifesting in her hand as a clear and sharp crystal dagger.

Koleta handed the Crystal Swift Blade to Duanmu Yan: "Here, this is for you. This is a weapon I specially crafted for you, incorporating some of my resonance power. It's one of a kind in the whole world, so you should cherish it."

Her tone suddenly changed, and she lowered her voice half-jokingly: "If you lose it... I might not know how I'll punish you."

Duanmu Yan stared at the swift blade in her hand, his gaze lingering on its shimmering crystal luster for a moment before finally reaching out to take it.

The hilt of the knife was slightly cool, yet it seemed to subtly connect with the temperature of her fingertips.

Good news, we have weapons.

Bad news, they have weapons.

As the saying goes, there must be supplies before a major battle.

Based on Duanqiershanling's extensive gaming experience, the place he was going to was likely to be somewhat dangerous.

“Of course I will cherish Miss Koleta’s gift.” Duanmu Yan hesitated for a moment before finally asking, “So, will the place I’m going to next be dangerous?”

"Very vigilant," Coleta said with a smile. "But don't worry. I've already arranged for someone to meet you."

I knew it.

But the arrow was on the string and had to be fired.

Since I had already promised her, what can I do?

Since it's a promise I made, I have to keep it no matter what.

"...So, where do I go next?"

Koleta gazed northward, her voice carrying a hint of melancholy: "A pilgrimage just for you. Alright, it's time to board. If all goes well, you'll reach your destination at sunrise tomorrow."

"The pilgrimage route?"

Isn't this what religious orders use to eradicate heresy?

He didn't suspect that Koleta had any ulterior motives towards him, but the wording made him feel vaguely uneasy and confused.

“I know you’re wondering,” Koleta said, her tone turning cold as she saw through his thoughts. “But you will soon understand what kind of demonic acts are hidden beneath the guild’s glamorous facade.”

She snorted and continued, "Also, the person who was supposed to meet you is named Brant."

"Durant?" Duanmu Yan replied instinctively, "The one who plays basketball in the New Federation?"

“What Durant? It’s Brandt,” Colletta corrected helplessly. “He’s the director of a theater company I invest in.”

"Oh, Brandt." Duanmu Yan scratched his head somewhat awkwardly.

He turned around and looked at the gondola that was quietly moored at the dock.

“Then I’m off, Miss Coleta.”

Koleta waved gently, a slight smile appearing on her face: "Go ahead and don't worry, I'll keep in touch with you. Don't worry about the concert, leave everything to me."