"Mr. Steven?"
Min Ziqiong, surprised, recognized the name.
It was Steven, the foreign magnate she had met at the Life Science Conference.
Steven was something of a sinophile. Having achieved financial freedom, he had dedicated himself to studying Chinese culture and had even lived in seclusion in the Zhongnan Mountains seeking the Way.
Unfortunately, he hadn't found what he was looking for.
At the Life Science Conference this time, a lab invested in by one of Steven's old rivals had made significant progress.
This made Steven feel a great sense of crisis.
He had already felt a sense of despair, but unexpectedly, just when he thought all hope was lost, he discovered the existence of the Mirage Realm.
However, Steven had not, like United Sun and Moon Company or Baojie Company, rushed to discuss cooperation.
Instead, he waited patiently for an opportunity.
And now, Steven finally had his chance.
So he took the initiative to visit and appeared before Min Ziqiong.
"Ms. Min, hello. I won't beat around the bush or engage in any false pleasantries. We can talk right here at the entrance."
"I am here for the Mirage Realm."
"Ms. Min, please don't rush to refuse me. I am different from others, and I am certainly not here to take advantage of your difficult situation."
"I don't need to acquire the technology or formula for the Mirage Realm, nor do I need to control its production. I only want to invest. However much money you need, I will invest, with no upper limit."
Steven stated his intentions directly.
Hearing Steven's words, Min Ziqiong was stunned.
Was Steven mistaken? Was he speaking nonsense?
Was Steven mentally sound?
In recent days, almost everyone who had come to discuss cooperation had, without exception, wanted to obtain the formula and technology of the Mirage Realm. At the very least, they wanted to control its production.
This way, they could gradually steal and research the technology and formula.
But someone like Steven, who wanted nothing and was simply offering to pour money in, with no ceiling, struck Min Ziqiong as a scam.
This wasn't a capital magnate; it was more like a saintly benefactor!
"Ms. Min, please don't look at me like that. I know you don't believe me, but please don't refuse outright. Hear me out first."
"I have received news that a group of foreign magnates, led by Baojie Group, are planning to hold a meeting. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss how to jointly block you. You should understand the global market influence of those people. It's rare for them to join forces, but when they do, the target of their blockade will find it impossible to move forward."
"Moreover... your country, China, is not monolithic. Your country also has deeply entrenched factions. These factions will become weapons for Baojie Group to use against you in secret."
"Therefore, you are currently in a precarious position, on the verge of a cliff. On the surface, you have gained popularity and prestige, but without sufficient power, popularity and prestige are nothing more than castles in the air, collapsing at the slightest touch."
"If you choose to cooperate with me, I can help you deal with them. You only need to focus on your research and production, and you don't have to worry about these petty intrigues."
"I believe that in the current environment, an ally who only invests, doesn't demand technology or formula, and is willing to share the burden and deal with enemies, is someone you have no reason to refuse."
Steven spoke eloquently, finishing in one breath.
Then he fell silent, quietly watching Min Ziqiong, awaiting her decision.
Honestly, Min Ziqiong was tempted.
The conditions Steven proposed were too attractive. With such an ally, the Mirage Realm would surely achieve unprecedented success!
But Min Ziqiong instinctively distrusted Steven. Her intuition told her that Steven definitely had ulterior motives.
After a moment of thought, Min Ziqiong looked up at Steven: "If Mr. Steven's purpose is only this, then I truly have no reason to refuse. However, I don't believe Mr. Steven is offering so much purely out of the goodness of his heart."
"No, I'm not doing this for any good deeds. I'm optimistic about the future of the Mirage Realm, and I believe it will definitely make money, so this is an investment. I need dividends. Please don't think of me as too noble," Steven shrugged.
However, this explanation clearly did not convince Min Ziqiong. She smiled faintly and said, "Mr. Steven, we have a saying in China: 'To speak frankly and openly.' If you cannot do that, then I can only refuse you. After all, in my opinion, if you are solely seeking investment returns, the rewards do not match the risks. After all, by choosing me, you are offending those magnates, and the potential sacrifices are enormous."
Hearing Min Ziqiong's words, Steven fell silent.
He seemed to be weighing something.
After a moment, Steven suddenly spoke, "Alright, I admit, I do have ulterior motives."
"But don't worry, it's not what you think. It involves a personal secret of mine."
"I want to meet the true developer of the Mirage Realm!"
"Oh?" Min Ziqiong's eyebrows shot up. She never expected Steven's goal to be this!
He sought neither wealth nor power, only to meet Ying Chen!
"As long as I can meet that developer, I will immediately sign the contract with you! No regrets!" Steven said with certainty.
But Min Ziqiong dared not agree.
Who knew what Steven really wanted to do!
In Min Ziqiong's view, Ying Chen was far more important than the Mirage Realm!
The Mirage Realm was merely a nugget of gold, while Ying Chen was the gold mine that could produce gold nuggets!
Most importantly, Ying Chen had complex connections in the martial world, and perhaps had unresolved grudges from years past. What if Steven had an enemy of Ying Chen hidden behind him?
Wouldn't that be a terrible betrayal of Ying Chen?
Just as Min Ziqiong was about to refuse, a voice suddenly rang out from a distance: "Why do you want to see me?"
It was Ying Chen, who had appeared on his own!
Upon seeing Ying Chen, Steven was first startled, then a look of excitement appeared in his eyes.
"It must be you! It's definitely you! Yes, it must be you!"
His appearance and expression were such that an outsider might think Steven had peculiar tastes and had made eternal vows of love to Ying Chen!
Ying Chen used his "Shrinking the Ground into an Inch" technique, covering dozens of meters in an instant, appearing before Min Ziqiong and Steven.
Seeing this, Steven's excitement intensified.
His body trembled, and he almost couldn't resist stepping forward to embrace Ying Chen!
"Answer me," Ying Chen said, his face expressionless, as he coldly stared at Steven.
Steven then remembered Ying Chen's question.
He quickly composed himself and replied, "Many years ago, I was fascinated by Chinese culture, especially the culture of Immortality in China. After reading numerous books, I suddenly had an impulse to go to the Zhongnan Mountains to seek Immortality and the Way."
"I made all the preparations and searched the Zhongnan Mountains for a full five years. I never found any trace of immortals or Daoist practices. Instead, all I saw were fake Daoists seeking fame and glory, and recluses who had retreated from the world to escape it."
"Just as I was about to give up, I suddenly strayed into a forest. I had already explored the entire Zhongnan Mountains, and I had never seen this forest before. It was as if this forest did not exist in this world, filled with all sorts of mysterious things."
"And there, I saw four characters on a cliff face. Those four characters were like a revelation from heaven, making me firmly believe that by following these four characters, I could find true immortals and attain the true Great Way!"
"And those four characters were: Chang Sheng Jian Dao!"