Chapter 435: Scumbag Chen Ling

As soon as he spoke, the entire room's attention was captivated. The directors of several major financial groups couldn't help but wipe sweat from their brows, thinking to themselves, "How could it *not* be exhilarating? We've poured every single penny into this!"

They had never imagined that a "spontaneous" auction, initiated at a dinner party, could escalate to such an extent.

After a brief pause, Chen Ling spoke again:

"I've truly felt your sincerity. Especially from the Beidou, Paradise, and Huadu financial groups; your enthusiasm has shown me how much you value and appreciate these golden treasures. I believe this is enough to establish our friendship."

Mu Chunsheng, Pang Shan, and Zong Wen were all stunned for a moment.

The next moment, they finally realized, and expressions of wild joy simultaneously appeared on Pang Shan's and Zong Wen's faces.

Of course! The special envoy had never stated that only the financial group acquiring the most auction items would earn his friendship. As long as he perceived "sincerity," any group had a chance. Tonight, each of the three major financial groups had spent tens of millions, demonstrating immense sincerity. The special envoy wasn't a rigid machine but a living person, so it wasn't surprising that their collective enthusiasm led him to grant his friendship to all of them.

Among them, Zong Wen was the happiest, having gained the special envoy's friendship while spending the least amount of money. The one with the most dismayed expression, naturally, was Mu Chunsheng, who had just spent twenty-five million to win the last five auction items.

He had spent so much money specifically to secure the special envoy's friendship for himself, hoping to solidify his position within the main city and counter the Paradise financial group. But now that those two had also gained the special envoy's friendship, what the hell was the difference from no one getting it at all?

Just as Mu Chunsheng's face was so grim it seemed water might drip from it, Chen Ling suddenly took a step, seemingly walking on air, and approached him.

Seeing this, Mu Chunsheng's heart leaped with joy!

"Could there still be a turning point?" he wondered. He knew it; after putting in so much effort to acquire the most auction items, the special envoy wouldn't show absolutely no favor!

"The generosity of the Beidou financial group has left the deepest impression on me," Chen Ling's voice softly echoed. He extended a hand and patted Mu Chunsheng's shoulder, like an elder praising a well-performing junior.

This intimate scene immediately made Pang Shan and Zong Wen, standing nearby, feel a jolt. They held their breath, awaiting Chen Ling's next words.

A smile appeared on Mu Chunsheng's weathered face, and he promptly responded:

"I wouldn't call it generosity, really. It's mainly because I truly admire the golden treasures the special envoy has brought, and I wish to befriend the special envoy..."

He immediately gave the reporters a look, and they were about to raise their cameras to capture the moment, but Chen Ling had already withdrawn his hand.

Chen Ling's gentle voice then followed:

"Since Chairman Mu has demonstrated his sincerity, I too will demonstrate mine. It's rare to encounter a connoisseur like Chairman Mu who is so passionate about collecting gold. At the auction, there are still five large golden treasures. If Chairman Mu fancies any of them, I, as the special envoy, will personally ensure it's sold to you at half price."

The smile on Mu Chunsheng's face suddenly froze.

At this moment, Pang Shan and Zong Wen almost burst out laughing. Mu Chunsheng had spent twenty-five million to win the last five auction items, only to receive a "50% off coupon" for a golden treasure. Moreover, now that the special envoy had granted him this privilege, if he didn't use it to buy one of the golden treasures at half price, it would be a clear sign of disrespect.

The most crucial point was that the special envoy's tone and actions genuinely conveyed "sincerity." So many special envoys had come before, yet none had ever been willing to sell their treasures at half price. Only for the Beidou financial group had he set a precedent, demonstrating absolute sincerity!

Mu Chunsheng's expression was utterly priceless. While feeling the sting of the nearly seventy million silver notes he had just lavishly spent, he could only grit his teeth and thank the special envoy for his "sincerity." His smile at that moment was uglier than a grimace.

"Esteemed Special Envoy, since we are now considered friends, might we find a time to dine privately?" Mu Chunsheng carefully broached the subject. "At my private residence, I have master chefs specially brought from the South Sea territories. I humbly invite you to grace us with your presence and sample their cuisine..."

Mu Chunsheng was, after all, an old fox who had navigated the business world for many years. Though he had silently swallowed the bitter pill of the "half-price voucher," he quickly regained his composure and began to leverage his current "favor" to seize the opportunity to draw closer to the special envoy.

"Oh?" Chen Ling's eyes narrowed slightly. After a brief pause, he nodded. "No problem, then let's make it tomorrow evening."

"Esteemed Special Envoy, our Paradise financial group also has a famous dish, which is highly renowned across several major territories. Might you have time to honor us with your presence?" Another voice chimed in, "Esteemed Special Envoy, please also come visit my residence. I have a private performance stage there, and the shows presented aren't something you can see anywhere else..."

Seeing this, Pang Shan and Zong Wen immediately stepped forward and began inviting Chen Ling as well. Chen Ling naturally didn't refuse, but he didn't set a definite time, only vaguely saying he would find time to visit.

Compared to the auction just now, the current settlement was the main event for Chen Ling.

Each of these three financial groups had spent tens of millions of their assets. Chen Ling couldn't let them feel cheated; he had to make them believe they might only be taking a small loss now but would still profit in the long run. Otherwise, future business would be difficult. The way to make them feel this way was naturally by showing them "hope."

From initially ignoring them completely to now accepting dinner invitations, this shift in attitude was the "hope" he showed them. It made them feel there was still room for their relationship with the special envoy to grow closer, filling them with a sense of the unknown and anticipation for the future. In this way, this sense of anticipation would subconsciously justify their extravagant spending tonight.

Chen Ling suddenly felt like a scoundrel juggling five women.

These women had spent lavishly on him, and his task was to make them feel that any amount of money spent on him was worth it, always keeping them hooked. At the same time, he also had to manage his relationships with each woman carefully. The ones who spent more money on him naturally deserved some preferential treatment to incite fierce competition among them.

"I appreciate all your kind intentions," Chen Ling said slowly.

"The items you've acquired tonight will be delivered to you by my staff tomorrow. Thank you for your hospitality; this has been a truly memorable dinner."

As his words fell, Chen Ling walked straight out of the dinner venue, his trench coat swaying gently in the deep black night sky, dotted with stars.

He stopped outside the Red Dust Restaurant. Behind him, the auction staff hurriedly carried box after box of silver notes. Several of the boxes were overflowing, and a dozen or so silver notes were carried out by the evening breeze, fluttering and dancing above Chen Ling, eliciting gasps of astonishment from the surrounding onlookers.

The golden mask silently observed this scene. With two hundred seven million in his possession, he had now surpassed most of the financial groups in the main city, becoming one of the wealthiest entities in the Red Dust territory.

His lips parted slightly, and he murmured to himself:

"Tonight's nightscape is truly beautiful..."