Shen Jue had seen many things in his life. He had sat in the grand halls of the imperial palace, walked among scholars, debated strategy with generals, and observed assassinations in dimly lit corridors. But none of that prepared him for the sheer ridiculousness that was Silver Lotus.
At this very moment, he was airborne. Again.
His back slammed into the dirt, and the impact rattled every bone in his body. He had barely enough breath left to wheeze as Lin Wuye loomed over him, arms crossed, disappointment etched deep into his features.
"This is disgraceful" Lin Wuye muttered. "You're supposed to be a noble. Act like one."
Shen Jue lay flat, staring at the sky.
Was being thrown face-first into the ground part of acting like a noble?
Jiang, standing to the side, sighed. "You're improving."
Shen Jue turned his head, glaring. "How?"
Jiang smirked. "Last time, you hit the ground faster."
Shen Jue had a lot of questions about that logic. Before he could protest, Lin Wuye cracked his knuckles.
"Again."
After being annihilated by Lin Wuye and Jiang, Shen Jue thought he'd find relief among the ordinary sect workers.
He was wrong.
The second time he saw a Ryl Trading worker carry an entire log over their shoulder effortlessly, he nearly choked on his tea.
The third time, he watched a female worker lift a crate heavier than three armoured men and asked if she needed help.
She looked at him like he was a sickly child.
The fourth time, he saw two of them arm-wrestling in the air while in the middle of lifting stone slabs for a construction project.
Atlas had somehow turned merchants into walking war machines.
Shen Jue, who was used to a world where power was determined by Qi, nobility, or military rank, found himself questioning everything.
One afternoon, he observed how Atlas ran Silver Lotus operations. Men and women trained side by side. Ryl Trading merchants and workers fought with warriors in sparring matches (and sometimes won) and some workers could even beat lower-level disciples.
He once asked Atlas about this.
"Why do you treat men and women the same?"
Atlas blinked. "Because they both work?"
"…That's it?"
Atlas tilted his head. "Should there be another reason?
Shen Jue stared. The man was either too simple or too insane for imperial politics.
And yet… it was working.
Atlas had spent an entire month watching Jian Ren. He had informants everywhere—Han Zhu and Ren Shi noted his habits during meals. Jian Ren either ate early and left quickly or was the last to leave, lingering as if waiting for something.
Atlas didn't believe in coincidences.
So he set a trap.
At 4 AM, deep in the Silver Lotus compound, an informant thought he was unseen. He moved with careful steps, weaving through the halls, clutching a small, sealed letter.
Too bad he wasn't the only one awake.
A shadow moved.
Before the informant could react, a strong hand clamped around his mouth, dragging him into the darkness.
A moment later, Xiuying stepped out from the shadows, wiping blood off her knife. "Found a rat."
Atlas, sitting lazily on a crate, grinned. "Did he squeak before you caught him?"
The informant, bound and gagged, thrashed weakly.
Atlas leaned forward, resting his chin on his palm. "Y'know, I should be asleep right now. I run a business, I handle trade, I make sure idiots like you don't ruin my day. But here I am, awake at four in the morning, because some two-bit imperial lackey thought he could sneak around."
He stood up slowly, walking toward the bound man.
"I'm going to give you two choices."
He crouched, smiling like a merchant offering a deal.
"Option one." Atlas held up a single finger. "You talk, and I let you leave with all your bones intact."
The informant's eyes widened.
"Option two." Atlas raised another finger. "You don't talk, and Xiuying here gets to be.... very creative. She's been itching to test out some new techniques."
Xiuying, still casually wiping her blade, gave a cheerful smile. "I'm very thorough."
The informant paled.
Atlas clapped his hands together. "So! What'll it be?"
Minutes later, Xiuying dragged the still-bound informant into Jian Ren's room and tossed him unceremoniously onto the floor.
Shen Jue, having just woken up, blinked at the scene in front of him.
Atlas strolled in, grinning. "GOOOOOD Morning, sunshine."
Jian Ren sat up, his expression darkening. "…What's the meaning of this?"
Atlas nudged the informant with his foot. "I believe this belongs to you."
The informant looked to Jian Ren desperately.
Atlas tapped his chin. "You know, for someone pretending to be just another disciple, you sure attract a lot of imperial pests."
Jian Ren remained silent.
Atlas sighed dramatically. "Fine. Let's make this fun. You like mind games, right?"
Atlas crouched, his usual playful grin sharp with something colder. "Let's play a game."
He gestured lazily toward the trembling informant on the floor. "First question, Jian Ren—what's your actual name? And before you get any bright ideas, let me warn you: for every lie you tell, I'll ask this beautiful lady here to take a finger off our little friend here."
Jian Ren narrowed his eyes. "You wouldn't—"
The informant barely had time to let out a muffled scream before Xiuying, without hesitation, sliced clean through his pinky.
Jian Ren inhaled sharply. Atlas just smiled while crouching.
"Oh, I absolutely would. Now then, let's try that again, shall we?"
Atlas glanced at the informant, his expression one of mock sympathy. "I did say I'd keep your bones intact, didn't I? But your master here prefers to be difficult."
He sighed, shaking his head. "Really, you should blame him for this. Maybe even kill him once we're done here. Seems fair, doesn't it?"
Shen Jue exhaled slowly, regaining his composure despite the blood still dripping onto the floor. "Do you really think Ryl Trading will survive just because an informant is dead?" He leaned back, voice even.
"You act like this is a game, but what if—just what if—I were the Emperor's brother? What then?"
Atlas didn't even blink. Instead, he let out a short laugh, shaking his head. ''Jian Ren. Sorry you're Shen Jue no? You see, you can erase every single lick of information from the face of the earth, and I will always find a way to uncover any knowledge I desire.
My informant here is particularly skilled. She once trained under a legendary master—Lady Xuanyin of the White Lotus, who pioneered the art of dual-core cultivation, allowing her to wield both Yin and Yang Qi in harmony.
I'm sure you're well-versed in history, Your Highness, so let me remind you—she can heal even the gravest of wounds. But, she can also deal equal destruction. Think of it like dying and coming back to life. Now, let me ask again—what's stopping me from killing you first, then running off to another country?" looking dead into the eyes of Shen Jue.
Shen Jue exhaled through his nose, calming his expression. "You seem to forget something, Atlas. I already signed the deal with Silver Lotus. So don't bother pressuring me."
Atlas tilted his head, lips curling in amusement. "Oh? No pressure at all? Then I guess you won't mind if we have a little chat about this place called Russia. You see, my lovely informants brought me some delightful news. Jian? He's dead. Quite the shame, really. And from what I hear, you didn't even pay them well."
Shen Jue's jaw tightened.
Atlas leaned in slightly, his grin widening. "So here I am, kindly offering you a deal. You handle things with me directly. If you don't… well, let's just say the Emperor is going to have a very bad funeral.''
''Oh, and by the way" Atlas continued, stretching lazily
"I know you're the bastard pressuring nobles to cut ties with me. That really ticks me off, you know? I'm very picky with my money. So, first step—you're going to call off your little campaign. Have your little informant here deliver the news that the pressure is off and you side with me now."
Atlas' grin sharpened. "Because, from what I hear, your family didn't even like you—"