boyutpedia Page 10
Page 10
Clear footsteps echoed in the quiet office.
Saeko Sonozaki heard it.
She turned slowly.
Those sharp, hawk-like eyes, without any attempt at concealment, fell directly on Su Chen and began to scrutinize him closely.
It was as if they wanted to see right through him, inside and out.
"Mr. Su Chen, president of Zero One Technology."
Her voice was clear and melodious, yet contained not a trace of emotion.
It's like AI reading a pre-programmed report.
"You are truly young and promising. Your achievements have already made the entire city of Fengdu take notice."
These words, seemingly a compliment, actually contained a hidden barb.
"You flatter me, Ms. Sonozaki."
A perfectly timed smile appeared on Su Chen's face.
He calmly walked behind his desk and sat down gracefully.
Then, he picked up the crystal wine bottle on the table and poured himself a cup of blood-red black tea, the whole process flowing smoothly.
A faint aroma of tea filled the air, mingling with the cool fragrance emanating from her.
"I wonder what brings you here so late, Miss Sonozaki?"
Su Chen picked up the teacup, but did not drink it immediately.
"Zero One Technology and your 'museum' seem to have no business dealings."
With a casual remark, he directly exposed the other party's true intentions.
Saeko Sonozaki's sharp eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly.
Just for a moment.
Then, a cold smile curled at the corner of her lips, tinged with amusement.
"It's always so easy and pleasant to talk to smart people."
She spoke, but her voice remained devoid of warmth.
I like that.
She strode gracefully to the desk, her long legs encased in black stockings.
The crisp "tap-tap" of high heels on the polished floor was particularly clear in the quiet office.
She took a beautifully crafted gold-embossed invitation from her elegant handbag and gently placed it on the table in front of Su Chen.
Her slender fingers gently pushed the invitation over.
The movements were elegant, yet carried an undeniable force.
"I am here today on behalf of my father, Mr. Sonozaki Ryubei, to formally extend an invitation to you."
Every word she spoke carried a condescending scrutiny and an almost condescending tone.
"Please be sure to attend the banquet at the Sonozaki family mansion tomorrow night."
“My father has shown great interest in you as a person, as well as the skills you possess.”
He believes that if Zero One Technology can be integrated into the 'museum' system, it will definitely achieve development far beyond what it has now.
These words were less of a polite invitation.
It was more like an ultimatum that could not be refused.
The gold-embossed invitation lying quietly on the table now seemed to weigh a ton.
It's like the uncrowned king of the underworld of Fengdu, delivering the final verdict on a newly promoted nobleman who has performed too brilliantly.
They either choose to submit and grovel.
Either... it's utter annihilation.
The air in the office seemed to solidify at that moment.
The lights seemed to have dimmed a bit.
The night view of the city outside the window is still bustling, but at this moment it seems somewhat distant and unreal.
A sense of oppression permeated every inch of the space.
Chapter Nine: The Queen of Wind City's Test
The gold-embossed invitation that Saeko Sonozaki carried reflected a cold yet alluring luster under the soft lighting of the luxurious office.
It symbolizes the supreme power in the underworld of Wind City, an olive branch that anyone would flock to.
However, this arrogant invitation to "recruit" did not stir up the slightest ripple in Su Chen's eyes.
His face was as calm as a still well.
Su Chen didn't even immediately turn his gaze to the invitation that embodied the will of the Sonozaki family.
His attention was entirely focused on the steaming cup of black tea.
The warm, smooth feel of the bone china cup travels from your fingertips.
He took a sip.
The aroma of tea lingers on the lips and teeth, rich and long-lasting.
It was as if Sonozaki Saeko's solemn words and the immense power she represented were nothing more than birds occasionally flitting past the window, not worth his excessive attention.
"The tea is good."
Su Chen put down the teacup, the bottom of which made a slight clinking sound as it touched the expensive wooden tabletop.
"Would you like a drink, Ms. Sonozaki?"
He smiled, his voice gentle, revealing no emotional fluctuations.
This is the ultimate composure.
It is an almost tangible form of disregard.
Saeko Sonozaki, the queen of Fuuto who was used to being in control and to the awe-inspiring gazes of others, felt an invisible pressure for the first time at this moment.
The pressure didn't come from Su Chen's deliberate imposing aura, but rather from his all-knowing yet calm demeanor.
Before she arrived, she had mentally rehearsed all the possible reactions Su Chen might have.
Perhaps it was the shock and disorientation after receiving the invitation.
Perhaps it was an angry roar after being slighted.
Perhaps it was the fear and unease of facing such a colossal object.
Even the hypocritical and bargaining faces of cunning and calculating people.
She prepared corresponding strategies for every possibility.
But what she hadn't expected was this utter tranquility.
The calmness made her feel as if all her carefully planned schemes had been like punching cotton, leaving her with nowhere to land.
The man before me is Su Chen.
His aura was extremely restrained, yet it exuded a chilling sense of oppression.
It is a profoundness that cannot be defined by anything known.
Any probing glances cast into the sea are like stones sinking into the ocean, unable to even stir a ripple.
"No need."
Sonozaki Saeko coldly uttered three words, her voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible stiffness.
She was trying to regain control of the dialogue through this tough stance.
"Mr. Su Chen, you may not yet understand the significance of this invitation."
Her voice unconsciously rose a few decibels, each word sounding as if it had been chilled to the bone, carrying a warning tone.
“In Fengdu, no one can, and no one dares to, refuse my father’s kindness.”
"is it?"
Su Chen's tone remained calm, as if he had only heard an insignificant statement.
He finally shifted his gaze from the teacup to the gold-embossed invitation lying quietly on the table.
Long, slender fingers tapped lightly on the smooth tabletop.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
The rhythmic sounds were exceptionally clear in the quiet office, like precise drumbeats striking Saeko Sonozaki's heart.
"About the source of my power, my background information."
Su Chen suddenly spoke, breaking the brief silence.
"I imagine your 'museum' intelligence network hasn't found anything of value, has it?"
His tone was as relaxed as if he were chatting casually with an old friend, discussing the weather today.
Saeko Sonozaki's pupils contracted sharply the moment she heard those words.
Her breath caught in her throat for a fleeting moment.
This is precisely what makes her, and the entire Sonozaki family, feel most troubled and uneasy right now.
Zero One Technology.
Su Chen.
These two names seem to have sprung up out of thin air from a crack in the rock.
No matter how much manpower and resources the "museum" mobilizes, or how deep its intelligence network is, it cannot trace back to any trace of Su Chen from six years ago.