The study of the City Lord's Mansion was quiet, bathed in the golden afternoon sunlight filtering through the tall windows. Luciel reclined in his chair, the faint gleam of his black eyes reflecting both calculation and curiosity. Across from him, Mirean and Agni Moon knelt respectfully, presenting the results of the day's commercial operations.

"The cabbage seedlings are completely sold out, and the tomato seedlings have also vanished," Agni Moon said, her tone a mixture of amazement and excitement. She could hardly believe the fervor of the buyers. "If there had been no purchase restrictions, a few customers might have taken every last seedling."

Luciel's gaze shifted to the white-haired girl leaning casually against the wall—Elara. "Elara, do you know who bought them all?" he asked, his voice calm yet carrying an edge of curiosity.

Elara straightened slightly, her expression cool but attentive. "During the day, Alina, Yanlu, and I patrolled the commercial street wearing ghost armors. We stayed hidden in the corners, among the shops, monitoring everyone entering or leaving the area, preventing any unauthorized passage beyond The Wall." Her lips curved into a faint frown. "From what I observed, the buyers were primarily families from the City Lord's Mansion and several influential households from Amestris City. Most of these families are led by Tier VI powerhouses, and even among the elite, there are usually multiple Tier VI individuals. Only such families could afford to buy in such quantities."

Luciel nodded thoughtfully, not surprised by the pattern. "As expected," he murmured. The predictability of the wealthy's behavior always had its advantages, especially in business.

"Besides the seedlings, the biggest seller today was roasted sweet potatoes," Agni Moon continued. Her red eyes, usually soft and calculating, were now bright with energy as she reported the numbers. " thousand kg were sold out completely. If it weren't for the stove-roasted method, the number could have been even higher."

Luciel's brows rose slightly.

She imagined the chaos at the street earlier, groups of people packing their purchases into large cloth sacks, eager to carry them away. "They were all packed and shipped out the moment the stalls reopened."

Turning to Mirean, Luciel asked, "And the food building?"

"Three hundred green vegetable set meals," Mirean replied elegantly, a composed smile on her face. "If the price had been slightly lower, we might have sold even more."

Luciel's mouth curved in a slight, approving smile. "I heard the brochures were also snapped up?"

Mirean's eyes widened in mild surprise. "Yes, they've already been printed three times. We didn't expect so many people to buy them."

Elara added, her voice edged with frost, "The brochures were purchased by intelligence hunters from Amestris City. They resold them at a high price, spreading awareness of the commercial street far beyond Black Tortoise City."

Luciel's smile deepened. "So they are unwitting promoters of the commercial street. I should thank them."

Agni Moon's expression flickered with concern. "Luciel, if things continue at this rate, our stock won't last even a few days. We need to prepare more supplies."

"Don't worry," Luciel said gently, leaning back. "In a few days, purchases will slow down."

Agni Moon blinked in surprise. "Why?"

"Because the majority of our buyers are big families," Luciel explained, his tone calm and confident. "They won't buy in large quantities again until they've fully digested what they purchased today. After that, only a few scattered buyers or clever resellers will come to transport goods to other cities. This will further spread Black Tortoise City's reputation."

Agni Moon nodded, finally understanding. Luciel always seemed to see several steps ahead, anticipating outcomes with uncanny clarity.

"Tonight, arrange for some workers to go to the farm and sow more cabbage seeds," Luciel continued. "Seedlings are our best sellers, and every influential family wants them."

"Understood," Agni Moon replied briskly, already formulating her plan.

Mirean, observing the discussion, couldn't help but raise a suggestion. "What about fruit tree saplings? Their value is many times higher than vegetable seedlings, and we have cultivated many in Black Tortoise City."

Luciel shook his head. "Not yet. We'll wait until the rock turtle evolves to its eighth level. Once its back expands, we can create a fruit forest. Then we'll have a complete ecosystem to support high-value crops. I also plan to make jams and other products to enrich the diet in the City Lord's Mansion."

Mirean's eyes sparkled with curiosity, sensing a bigger plan unfolding. She held her tongue, choosing to observe rather than question further.

Shifting slightly, Mirean asked, "Why didn't you sell your Story book today?"

Luciel's black eyes gleamed with faint amusement. "Not everything should be released all at once. If people constantly hear about new products in the commercial street, it keeps them thinking, keeps them anticipating. That anticipation maintains enthusiasm, which helps all the shops, including the Three-Star Pavilion."

Mirean leaned forward, her blue and aqua eyes wide with interest. "And how long do we plan to stay in Amestris City?"

"About ten days," Luciel replied. "That's enough for Black Tortoise's reputation to spread to other big cities. Once the word reaches them, caravans will come, eager to trade."

Mirean tilted her head, her curiosity piqued. "Have you decided which city to go to next?"

"Any suggestions?" Luciel asked rhetorically, his lips curling into a subtle smile.

Mirean's gaze flickered with a flash of inspiration. "Asuka City. Capture a flying bird and evolve it into a giant transport bird. With it, we can transport people and goods to major cities, keeping the commercial street alive even in other regions."

Luciel's eyes lit up, the idea resonating with him. Transport planes in the form of giant birds… This could revolutionize the commercial street.

"I've only heard of Flying Bird City," Mirean admitted, shaking her head. "I don't know exactly where Asuka City is. I heard about it from intelligence hunters, but its location remains a mystery."

"I'll go to Amestris City tomorrow to investigate," Luciel said, turning to Elara.

Elara's white hair shimmered as she nodded seriously. "Understood. If we have giant transport birds, as long as our strength increases, we can travel freely and even combat flying corpses in the skies."

Luciel considered the future of Black Tortoise City. "By the way, how many people currently live in the Three-Star Pavilion?"

"Only a dozen," Agni Moon replied with a helpless shrug. "The rooms are the lowest specifications. The price for accommodation is too high; nobody wants long-term stays."

Luciel smiled faintly. "That's fine. As long as someone stays. Right now, the commercial street is small. We needed high-end accommodations to set the standard. In the future, when space allows, we can build more affordable options."

Before Mirean could respond, Luciel's expression shifted sharply. He turned toward the tricolor rock tortoise, his body tense.

"Something's wrong," he murmured.

"Has someone snuck in?" Mirean asked, her face paling.

"Yes," Luciel replied, rising smoothly. "Strong, too."

Elara moved instinctively toward the inner arsenal, preparing to don her armor. "I'll deal with them."

Luciel raised a hand, stopping her. "No. Stay on the high ground. I want to observe first. Whoever bypassed the tricolor lizard and red ghost spider is not someone ordinary. This is an opportunity to test the defensive weaknesses of Black Tortoise City."

Elara paused, understanding his intent. Even the most dangerous threats could become lessons if observed carefully.

The sunlight in the study deepened into amber, shadows stretching across the wooden floor. Luciel's mind raced, planning transport networks, trade expansions, and defensive strategies all at once. The commercial street of Black Tortoise City was no longer just a marketplace—it was evolving into a hub, poised to influence entire cities.

Outside, the wind rustled faintly against the windows. Soon, the city would feel the ripples of this day's events: the sellout of seedlings, the intelligence hunters spreading word of Black Tortoise City, and the looming promise of transport birds that could bridge cities in days instead of weeks.

Luciel's black eyes gleamed with quiet satisfaction. Every step was calculated, every action purposeful. By the time the next city heard of Black Tortoise, the legend would already be well underway.

And tonight, someone had already crossed the invisible defenses of Black Tortoise City. Luciel's mind flickered with anticipation. The intruder would reveal weaknesses, and every weakness discovered would make Black Tortoise stronger.

In this city, trade, power, and strategy intertwined like threads of a tapestry—Luciel was already weaving the next pattern.

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