At 1:40, the agave plant arrived punctually in the craftsman's reception room.
This was his first encounter with a craftsman, though he had heard of them before.
The black market is a chaotic realm where no origin or source matters—be it humans, demons, or ghosts, all are welcome, resulting in a chaotic mix of all kinds. Here, craftsmen stand out as one of the most enigmatic and formidable figures.
Craftsmen are renowned for their exceptional skills, yet the substantial stakes involved make them highly coveted. Those operating in the black market, unlike the public figures who fear reputation, will stop at nothing. Despite over a decade in the shadows, the craftsman remains free—indeed, he even owns a private room in this chaotic world.
When the artisan accepted the order she had placed, the tequila was first delighted, then quickly composed herself.
Everyone wants craftsmen to take their orders, but craftsmen only take orders at their discretion. Longshe Lan doesn't know where their order invitation caught the craftsmen's attention.
He entered the reception room cautiously, his eyes darting around stealthily.
The craftsman's reception room was extravagantly decorated, with tasselled curtains adorning the walls and a towering clock in the corner. A sculpted vase sat on the table. He himself sat on a sofa, draped in a black windbreaker, his broad-brimmed hat casting a jet-black shadow that barely covered his face, leaving only a delicate white chin visible—his gender indistinguishable.
The shadow of the hat's brim was as hazy as mist, obscuring all peeping—certainly not from the light.
This hat is probably a super tool. It is worthy of the craftsman.
What is more striking is the steward beside the craftsman. He is a man of upright posture.
Who is this? I've never heard of such a person around a craftsman.
As the agave was deep in thought, the craftsman suddenly asked, 'Where's the material?'
His voice had a distinctly artificial quality, making it impossible to distinguish between male and female voices, and it was crystal clear to everyone that this was a falsetto.
The agave plant neatly arranged the materials on the coffee table between the two people.
The craftsman remained motionless. The doll steward was assigned to inspect the materials.
"No problem," he said.
As the butler conducted his inspection, Longshe Lan kept watching him. Gradually, he began to notice something amiss. This butler... seemed not to be a living person.
But he didn't dare to be too precise. Agave thrives in the black market, relying on keen eyesight. He couldn't help but scrutinize it more closely.
The craftsman laughed. "See?"
The agave plant hesitated, unsure if he meant the housekeeper. As he struggled to respond, the craftsman continued, "I took this job precisely because you have such sharp eyesight."
The agave finally understood: "What do you want me to do?"
Craftsman: "I heard there are a few people who have suddenly gone mad in the black market recently."
Agave: "What do you mean?"
In a place like the black market, it's only natural for people to go crazy. Some cause trouble, others carry some kind of curse or lingering effects. The agave doesn't know what the craftsman was referring to.
"I should not have gone mad, but I did."
Long She Lan's heart sank. She mentally scanned the list:' Two days ago, a madman attacked the staff at the magician's general store. He was an old man who frequented the black market, and I never noticed anything amiss before.'
Twelve days ago, a dog demon died in the auction house. It looked perfectly normal at first glance.
It's no surprise that newcomers to the black market face such situations, but these two are seasoned veterans. A few days before the dog demon's death, Longshe Lan had seen him. Though the dog demon was acting strangely, Longshe Lan decided it was better to avoid trouble. Since they weren't close, he noticed but didn't say anything.
If the same thing happened the day before yesterday, what drove them to such madness?
The craftsman's ability to connect these two aspects is truly remarkable. It's no wonder he has risen to his current position in the black market.
If you spot someone like this again and let me know beforehand, I'll give you an 80% discount this time," the craftsman said.
"No problem," the tequila said with a nod.
The craftsman's 20% discount is well worth it, and more importantly, it lets you connect with them.
After bidding farewell to the agave plant, Zhan Sui Ru took off his hat and coat, then slumped lazily onto the sofa armrest.
The puppet housekeeper swiftly snatched away the silk cushion beneath her, saying, "Silk tends to wrinkle easily. Please return to the lounge and rest."
Zhan Neiru slammed down on the sofa armrest and seat with a thud. "Just iron it, wouldn't you?"
The doll housekeeper looked at her calmly. "It's a hassle."
"You've learned to slack off!" Zhan Sui Ru said, getting up.
It's a bit of a problem if it looks too human.
Come here! I'll refill your fuel!
...
Meanwhile, after lunch, Zhan Yan and Matthias discussed their plans for the next day. Zhan Yan would return to school, and whether he would visit Matthias depended on how well he communicated with Tian Youcheng, who was studying English. Zhan Yan had time next weekend, but Matthias had arranged a meeting with friends in another city.
Matthias said with deep regret: "Yan, you were an amazing friend and guide."
Unfortunately, this is his partner's youngest son, who can't keep playing with him all the time.
In the afternoon, Matthias had other matters to attend to. After dropping off the guests back at the hotel, Zhan Yan returned home and resumed his investigation into Ling Yuteng and his father.
Within hours, he noticed a trending hashtag #LingYutengFansTearOffFoodBlogger# popping up on Weibo.
Zhan Yan:...
Clicking into the topic, a circle of bewildered passersby appears below.
Isn't Ling Yuteng a celebrity? What's wrong with his fans? And what about the food bloggers?
Lenovo's speculation:
Did Ling Yuteng vomit after eating the food from a food blogger?
Speakers with incoherent speech:
"Is Ling Yuteng turned into a dish by a food blogger?"
His dad's Weibo style is so distinctive that it's no wonder people misunderstood him.
Jian Yun Kai's Weibo post has been taken down. His meager following pales in comparison to Ling Yu Teng's fanbase, and the platform is now in complete chaos.
Zhan Yan clicked on Ling Yuteng's Weibo post, which had been published just half an hour earlier:
"If you bloom, the breeze will come."
The comments below are flooded with fans' praise, tears, hugs, and heartfelt sympathy.
Brother is absolutely right! When you bloom, the breeze will come on its own. Zhan Yunkai has been around for years and still looks like this—clearly he's not cut out for this! You'll only rise because you deserve it!
But my brother was so calm and composed—we couldn't just stand by and watch him get bullied!
Go! Charge!
Zhan Yan: Hehe.
Open the KuaGua system and type "Ling Yuteng".
This guy is discussing with his team how to minimize the losses.
Ling Yuteng was furious. After years of hard work to become a rising star, he now found himself unexpectedly pitted against a veteran actor from the lower ranks!
He's always the one who ends up losing! With his massive following, losing a public feud would be humiliating, but winning it would be even more embarrassing.
But his looks are absolutely unmatched. So what does Zhan Yunkai actually look like? Even the most skilled photoshopers can't fake him!
Ling Yuteng's face burned with jealousy, a pimple forming on his chin as he applied a facial mask.
We must handle the role-switching properly! Don't let the production team talk nonsense.
If you can't compete in looks, then you can compete in other ways.
Jian Yunkai has one major flaw: his acting is terrible. But here's the thing—Ling Yuteng's acting is just as bad.
Jian Yunkai only plays respectable roles, at least without any shady past, but Ling Yuteng's eye-irritating performances are far more frequent.
The enemy's strengths outweigh our own, and their weaknesses mirror ours.
What a nuisance!
If nothing else compares, then it's down to luck.
As long as he's the one being targeted in the role-grabbing scheme and Zhan Yunkai's reputation is crushed, the matter will be settled.
Ling Yuteng and his team were confident it wasn't a big deal. With Zhan Yunkai's face, his company would've already made him a star. What's the big deal about lacking acting skills? These days, how many lackluster performers actually make it big? If Zhan Yunkai hasn't made a splash after over a decade in the industry, it's not just about lacking connections—it's definitely about being suppressed after offending someone!
Zhan Yan sneered at Guatiao as he kept scrolling down. If he didn't expose all of Ling Yuteng's dirty secrets, he'd have no reason to keep this gossip system running!!!
Check it out! The crew is bullying!
Check it again! Wow! I booked a room and slept in it!
Check it out again! Wow! That's the boss's unspoken rule!
Huh? He's been having an affair with his boss, yet he's still sleeping with his girlfriend. His boss's also having a wild time—does he not care?
Ling Yuteng's boss is named Lu Jiandong. Zhan Yan searched for him using his name.
On May 25th, to commemorate their first meeting, Lu Jiandong prepared thoughtful gifts and a candlelit dinner, eagerly awaiting the return of his beloved Ling Yuteng.
This boss is playing real love with him?
Then search for Ling Yuteng on the same date and month.
On May 25, to comfort his girlfriend Jing Yao, who was in a secret relationship, Ling Yuteng prepared a matching ring for her.
Zhan Yan was utterly stunned. How could Ling Yuteng have managed to strike him like that with just a few kicks?
With the evidence in hand, finding more proof became a breeze. Zhan Yan spent the entire afternoon combing through the records, uncovering eight concurrent relationships Ling Yuteng had.
Jian Yan, stunned, packed the melon and sent it to Ling Yuteng's eight partners, along with his rivals and the celebrity paparazzi influencers in the entertainment industry.
By the time he finished these tasks, it was nearly evening. Zhan Yan stretched lazily and patted his belly.
very hungry .
It's all Ling Yuteng's fault!
He went downstairs to heat up buns when his phone rang. Opening the message, he saw Gu Jiancheng asking for today's leads.
"Don't pretend to be stupid," Yan said.
"Today's clue is already here."
Gu Jiancheng organized the materials at night: "Where did it come from?"
"This is your first message to me today!"
"I don't text you, and you don't reach out to me."
"[ take offence ]"
Jian Yan leaned on his chin with one hand, staring at the screen and bursting into laughter. "I mentioned in the class group chat that I'll be back at school tomorrow," he said.
"I thought it was cheating for you."
"Good stupid."
If we can't even get this sorted out, then let's just stop playing this game.
Gu Jiancheng said, "That's so harsh, Yan Yan."
[Sad Cat Head]
"Are you so harsh with your boyfriend?"
"Don't be so cute, my boyfriend," Zhan Yan replied lazily, holding a bun in his mouth.
"The rules of the game are the rules of the game."
He mentioned returning to school tomorrow, which suggests his residence is within walking distance of the campus, allowing Gu Jiancheng to deduce his living area.
Gu Jiancheng stood alone in the airport lounge, luggage in hand. His semi-fitted long-sleeved shirt and trousers accentuated his toned physique, while his distinctive demeanor made him a striking figure. Yet his expression remained eerily detached, radiating an air of aloofness that kept people at a distance. Those around him could only steal glances, unable to draw closer.
The sharp-faced man suddenly laughed. He preferred exploiting game bugs to methodically playing deduction mini-games.
He typed on the screen:
"Can't you give your boyfriend some special treatment?"
"I really, really want to see you."