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墨書 Inktalez
In that moment, just as several security guards were about to pounce on Huang Haoran—
“Wait!”
A delicate yet authoritative voice rang out from behind the guards. The sound was not loud, but it carried the weight of a command, instantly freezing the air in the entire venue.
The guards froze in their tracks, turning to look at the source of the voice.
The doors of City Hall swung open, and an Eastern woman stepped out slowly from within.
She had long, sleek black hair that curled slightly at her shoulders, swaying gently with her movements, exuding an undeniable charm and noble aura.
Her complexion was fair, her features exquisite like a porcelain doll. Her soft yet slightly aloof eyes held a depth of wisdom, and the rimless glasses perched on her nose added an air of intellect and sharpness.
Dressed in a white shirt tucked into a perfectly tailored black pencil skirt, her waist was flawlessly defined. Her long legs were straight and elegant, accentuated by a pair of black high heels that exuded an invisible pressure with each step.
Standing at the entrance of City Hall, she resembled a cold white lotus blooming amidst ruins, starkly contrasting with the dilapidated city around her.
Though her voice was gentle, her tone was unwavering. “Let him in.”
Huang Haoran raised an eyebrow slightly, quietly observing this woman as a glimmer of intrigue flashed in his eyes.
This woman… truly was a beauty.
A faint smile curled at the corners of his mouth, his gaze filled with a predatory interest as he scrutinized her every move.
“...It seems that C City still has some interesting characters after all.”
His gaze fell upon her eyes, those sharp, cold eyes that sparked a thrill within him.
The game had become even more interesting.
The security guards exchanged glances, their faces filled with surprise. A burly guard lowered his voice and asked, "Miss... are you sure? This guy has an unknown background and even landed a helicopter forcefully..."
The woman gently adjusted her rimless glasses, her cold gaze sweeping over the few security guards in front of her. Her tone remained devoid of any emotional fluctuation. "Yes, gentlemen, that's correct."
She paused slightly before slowly adding, "The man before you is none other than the recently notorious owner of Foot Odor Energy Company—Huang Haoran."
As soon as these words left her lips, the expressions of the security guards grew even more peculiar.
"He is the one from Foot Odor Energy...?!"
"Damn it, this rumored fraud actually showed up?"
Doubt and distrust filled the eyes of the guards as they scrutinized Huang Haoran from head to toe, their gazes laced with hostility. This city was already in ruins; now a notorious "fraud" had arrived. Could he truly bring hope, or was he just another disaster waiting to happen?
Huang Haoran merely smiled slightly, raising his hand in a leisurely gesture that signaled them to step aside.
The guards furrowed their brows even deeper. Although they were surprised by this man's identity, their inner hostility remained unchanged.
One guard glared fiercely at Huang Haoran, his baton trembling slightly in his grip, clearly unwilling to let him pass just like that.
"This guy is really annoying..."
But the woman said nothing more. Without looking back, she turned and walked towards the entrance of City Hall, leaving behind a figure that exuded an air of cold authority.
"Follow me." Her tone was brief and low, yet it carried an irresistible authority.
Huang Haoran's lips curled slightly as he said nothing more, stepping forward with a steady gait, embodying the calmness and excitement of a hunter entering the hunting grounds.
Several security guards glared fiercely at his back, their fists clenched tightly, but ultimately they did not move, only watching as Huang Haoran stepped through the doors of City Hall, disappearing into the dimly lit corridor.
This decaying city was on the brink of an irreversible transformation.
The scene inside City Hall was even more chaotic and dilapidated than Huang Haoran had imagined.
The walls were riddled with cracks and burn marks, as if they had endured fierce conflicts. The floor was littered with shattered glass and papers, bearing the marks of a mob's rampage—overturned tables and chairs piled up to form makeshift barricades, and several walls bore bullet holes, telling tales of the city's past chaos and despair.
Huang Haoran surveyed his surroundings, unable to suppress a nod as an unusual thrill surged within him.
This was indeed a city brought to its knees, nearly devoid of any order; it was precisely because of this that it held endless possibilities!
A city must fall to its depths for a new order to rise from the ashes, and he would be the "god" who would forge that new order.
Following the dark corridor, he was led to the Mayor's Office.
The office was not the opulent space Huang Haoran had envisioned; instead, it appeared unusually disheveled. Documents were strewn across the desk and floor, and in one corner lay stacks of emergency supplies. This place was no longer a center of power but rather a makeshift command post barely holding on.
The woman walked behind the desk and sat down gracefully, crossing her legs as she coldly regarded Huang Haoran. Her gaze was sharp, as if assessing his worth.
"Make yourself comfortable," she said in a detached tone, devoid of any courtesy or respect, as if Huang Haoran were just an ordinary visitor rather than a man capable of changing the fate of this city.
Huang Haoran raised an eyebrow, casually picking up a wooden stool that lay on its side nearby. He brushed off the dust and sat down without hesitation, legs slightly apart and leaning back comfortably, exuding an air of ease.
"I remember the mayor here should be Mr. Zheng..."
He spoke lazily, his gaze probing. "And I recall that he..."
Before he could finish, the woman interrupted him directly.
"Mr. Zheng is my father."
Her tone was devoid of emotion, as if stating an inconsequential fact, yet it carried an undeniable firmness.
"Due to his age and illness, he can no longer fulfill the duties of mayor. Now— I, Zheng Xuan, am serving as the acting mayor."
Huang Haoran narrowed his eyes, quietly assessing the woman before him.
Her voice revealed no emotion; however, her gaze held a peculiar determination and composure. She was not merely a sheltered young lady hiding under her father's protection but a person capable of commanding the situation.
Zheng Xuan slightly tilted her head, coldly staring at Huang Haoran. Her fingers lightly tapped on the table, her tone indifferent yet laced with unmasked sarcasm.
"Go ahead, Mr. Huang," she began slowly, her eyes reflecting both scrutiny and resignation.
"What do you intend to do in this dilapidated city?"
Her voice was soft but carried an undeniable sense of pressure, as if she was already certain that this man had no chance of success here.
She opened her palm, gesturing for him to look around, as if inviting him to witness the desolation and helplessness of the city firsthand.
"As you can see, everything here is on the brink of collapse."
"The economic depression has led to an unemployment rate of 60%. Rioters and gangs run rampant, and businesses are collapsing every day. City Hall has long run out of funds, and we can’t even pay the salaries of civil servants."
Her voice was terrifyingly calm, as if she were stating an objective fact rather than discussing the destruction of a city.
"Two days ago, the last local car manufacturing plant that was barely holding on has completely withdrawn. This means that the last pillar of our city has vanished."
She smiled slightly, but her smile carried a certain cold despair, like a deposed princess standing amidst ruins, mocking the cruelty of the world around her.
"Mr. Huang, your economic value in coming here is—zero."
"Unless you wish to invest in haunted houses, ruin exploration, or other... gray industries."
Her tone held a hint of unmasked sarcasm, as if she were ridiculing Huang Haoran's naivety, even suggesting that his investment was nothing more than a foolish daydream.
Yet Huang Haoran was not angered by her words; instead, he smiled faintly, leaning back in his chair with his hands clasped, his gaze reflecting a mix of amusement and composure.
"Miss Zheng, you are mistaken."
His tone was gentle but filled with a certain conviction, as if he were discussing a future already decided rather than a mere investment plan.
"I am here to solve your problems—and those of this city."
"Our energy—"
However, before Huang Haoran could finish his sentence, Zheng Xuan suddenly let out a light laugh, interrupting him.
The laughter was not loud but carried an unmistakable air of disdain and absurdity, as if she were hearing an incredibly ridiculous joke.
She took off her glasses and pinched the bridge of her nose, as if trying hard to suppress her emotions, but in the end, she couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"Oh... Mr. Huang."
She lifted her head, her eyes glinting with sarcasm, and a playful smirk curved her lips.
"Foot Odor Energy?"
She deliberately enunciated those four words clearly, her tone dripping with mockery.
"Don't you think... this is really absurd?"
Her voice echoed in the office, filled with absolute disbelief and derision.
Her gaze was that of someone looking at a con artist trying to sell a "Perpetual Motion Machine," too lazy to even argue because she didn't believe there was any value in discussing it at all.
This city was already dead, and this man thought he could save it with an utterly ridiculous concept like "Foot Odor Energy"?
It was simply laughable.
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