Chapter 427: Unveiling

"These consortium directors are indeed not easy to deal with."

Chen Ling was still sitting there alone, and by now he had noticed something wrong... Although the five major consortiums were respectful to him, so far, no one had mentioned a single word about trading to him.

Chen Ling didn't believe that these consortiums hadn't agreed behind his back. If so, Chen Ling guessed their motives were roughly two: either they colluded to suppress the price for him, buying the gold at the lowest cost; or they didn't intend to let him sell the gold, thus trapping him in the prison of the Main City.

Either way, it was extremely unfavorable for Chen Ling... If it were any other fellow apprentice who came, they would probably be trapped in this invisible trap as they calculated.

Unfortunately... Chen Ling was not them.

"Trying to scheme against me?" Chen Ling narrowed his eyes. "I'd like to see how solid your 'iron bucket' is."

Chen Ling's mind moved, and an invisible python crawled out from between his eyebrows, wandering in the venue for a long time, as if looking for a suitable target.

Finally, Chen Ling's gaze locked on Zong Wen, who was holding a wine glass, hugging a female star with one hand, and laughing happily.

The [Heart Python] climbed onto Zong Wen's body silently. With a wide mouth, it swallowed all of Zong Wen's joy into its belly. Zong Wen, who was laughing happily a second ago, suddenly felt bored. He drank a sip of wine in confusion, let go of the female star, and began looking for the next target.

[△The Heart Python that devoured 'Joy' wandered in the venue. The guests immersed in pleasure didn't know that they had become the prey of the Special Envoy Chen Ling]

As the last performance ended, applause erupted in the banquet venue, especially from Zong Wen, the director of the Flower Capital Consortium, who was standing not far from Chen Ling, clapping until his hands were red.

The host walked onto the stage, seemingly preparing to say something, but was stopped by Mu Chunsheng. He signaled his son to push his wheelchair onto the stage, and the venue went quiet instantly.

Seeing Mu Chunsheng going on stage, the faces of the other consortium directors were a bit gloomy. They had already guessed what was going to happen next.

"In order to welcome the Special Envoy to Red Dust Main City, our Big Dipper Consortium has specially prepared a generous gift for the Special Envoy," Mu Chunsheng sat in the wheelchair, his voice as gentle as possible.

"This gift is a Sandalwood Peace Buddha statue that I transported back from the South Sea Domain. It is a rare treasure in the world. This symbolizes our friendship with the Special Envoy, which will last forever, no matter how many storms we experience."

As soon as the words fell, his son immediately took the lead in applauding, and scattered applause sounded from the audience, but the other consortium directors had no intention of applauding at all.

It wasn't that they didn't want to give Chen Ling a gift, but Mu Chunsheng's move was too expensive... Things like the Sandalwood Peace Buddha were only to be found by chance. Although other consortiums could afford it, if a Peace Buddha statue could be exchanged for the protection of a Special Envoy, it would be a huge profit. But the key was that this matter might not necessarily succeed...

Several Special Envoys had come to the Main City in succession, but none of them showed a willingness to cooperate with the consortiums. Spending such a high price to give a gift, if the other party didn't appreciate it, it would be a total loss... Only Mu Chunsheng, who was forced to the edge by serious illness, had the courage to try.

Since Mu Chunsheng gave the Sandalwood Peace Buddha, it was almost impossible for other consortiums to give a gift more expensive than this. Rather than being set aside and looking worthless next to the Peace Buddha, it was better not to give it at all and find a way from other aspects... This was also why Zong Wen always insisted on stuffing the female stars under his banner to Chen Ling.

"Next, I will trouble the Special Envoy to unveil it personally, so that everyone can have the honor of seeing the true face of this Peace Buddha."

Mu Chunsheng stood on the stage and made a respectful "please" gesture.

Having him unveil it personally at the banquet was something Chen Ling had specifically instructed earlier. When Mu Chunsheng heard the news at the time, he was undoubtedly overjoyed, because this meant that the Special Envoy accepted the consortium's goodwill in front of everyone. Even if this "goodwill" was not real, it could be widely publicized by the media to build momentum for the Big Dipper Consortium.

Everyone's eyes looked at Chen Ling at the same time. Under these expectant, displeased, or helpless gazes, Chen Ling stood up slowly and walked toward the center of the stage.

As Chen Ling approached, the corners of Mu Chunsheng's mouth couldn't stop rising.

[Audience Expectation +3]

When that black trench coat stood side by side with Mu Chunsheng, the latter smiled and applauded, and the sparse applause from the audience followed. He made a gesture of invitation to Chen Ling:

"Lord Special Envoy, please unveil it."

The ancient golden mask showed no expression. His gaze swept over the audience, and a playful smile flashed deep in his eyes.

[△Special Envoy Chen Ling reached a hand under the white cloth, as if stroking this expensive Sandalwood Peace Buddha, but then his brows frowned slightly, and he let out a soft sound of surprise]

"Lord Special Envoy?" Mu Chunsheng, who was closest to Chen Ling, heard Chen Ling's subtle voice and asked in confusion.

Chen Ling didn't look at him, but stared fixedly at the behemoth in front of him. As he pulled hard, the white cloth covering the Sandalwood Peace Buddha slid off!

In the audience, everyone who was curiously watching this treasure, wanting to see the true face of the legendary Sandalwood Peace Buddha, widened their eyes at the same time...

The next moment, astonishment appeared on their faces.

"This, this is..."

"Sandalwood Peace Buddha???"

Behind Mu Chunsheng, a tall, rotten piece of dead wood was exposed to everyone's view. The mottled bark was like Mu Chunsheng's skin, already riddled with holes eaten by insects, without a trace of vitality. On the crooked branches, there were even a few rotten ropes hanging, like broken wood just picked up from some garbage dump.

The moment they saw the "Sandalwood Peace Buddha," everyone present fell into a dead silence.

This eerie silence gave Mu Chunsheng an ominous premonition. He turned his head in confusion and saw that broken piece of dead wood, suddenly stunned in place.

What's the situation??

Where is the Sandalwood Peace Buddha?! What the hell is this thing?!!

The flashing magnesium lights of the reporters lit up one after another in the venue. They were specially invited by Mu Chunsheng to record this historic moment, but at this moment, they clearly recorded a photo of the Golden Special Envoy with a piece of broken dead wood.

In this suffocating silence, the mysterious and grim golden mask slowly turned toward Mu Chunsheng in the wheelchair...

"Big Dipper Consortium..."

"Is this the gift you gave me?"

Boom—!!

[△The white cloth was unveiled, and with the anger of Special Envoy Chen Ling, thunder exploded]