Layla's glare could have cut through steel. "Absolutely not."
Her voice was sharp, leaving no room for argument.
Lin Wuye, standing beside her, nodded in agreement. "Atlas, you are still recovering. And this is our sect. We decide who gets vetted, not you."
Meyu, arms crossed, chimed in. "Yeah, as much as I enjoy watching you talk circles around people, this isn't a trade deal."
Yuxe Wuye remained silent for a moment before adding, "It's not just about Jian Ren. How we handle this sets a precedent. If you make a mistake here, it affects more than just you."
Atlas let out an exaggerated sigh, running a hand through his hair. "Ahh, I see how it is. I nearly die, you drag me back from the abyss, and now, suddenly, my opinions don't count anymore. It's like nursing a stray dog back to health only to be told to sit outside."
Layla crossed her arms. "That's not the same thing, and you know it."
"Of course, it's not" Atlas said, feigning innocence.
"Because if it were, at least the dog would get some scraps from the table. Me? I don't even get to peek at the menu."
Lin Wuye sighed. "Atlas—"
"Wait, wait! Imagine this, Meilin." Atlas cut him off, eyes gleaming.
"You're buying a rare artifact. Do you just take the merchant's word for it? No, you test it! You examine it! You make sure it's not a cheap knockoff before you hand over your coin."
Meyu exhaled sharply, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Damn it. When he puts it like that, it actually makes sense."
"Traitor" Layla muttered.
"Come on, Meilin" Atlas grinned, leaning closer.
"You trusted me to survive a near-death Qi overload, but you won't trust me to handle one noble?"
Layla's eye twitched. She was still sore from being proven wrong about Master Dao's daughter, and now Atlas was trying to take over her sect's affairs?
"Fine" she spat. "But screw this up, and I will personally make sure you regret it."
Atlas placed a hand over his heart. "I always regret things. That's what makes me a great merchant."
The room was quiet except for the subtle flickering of lanterns. Only five people remained: Atlas, Layla, Lin Wuye, Yuxe Wuye, and Meyu. Across from them stood Shen Jue, unreadable as ever.
Shen Jue made the first move, his voice smooth. "For a sect so dedicated to strength and discipline, it's interesting how easily a merchant can take the reins."
Atlas grinned. "Oh, absolutely! And if you stay long enough, maybe I'll start running the kitchens too! I hear they need someone to overprice the dumplings."
Meyu snorted. Yuxe Wuye didn't react. Layla, as expected, was not amused.
Shen Jue remained composed, but his eyes studied Atlas carefully.
"Surely someone as well-travelled as you knows how noble houses structure their military assets. Tell me, how does House Qin train their cavalry?"
Atlas tilted his head.
Ah. A trap.
If he answered wrong, he'd be exposed as a fraud. But instead of dodging—
"Ah, House Qin? They train cavalry the same way you train your lies—very carefully, hoping no one notices when something's off."
For the briefest second, Shen Jue's expression stiffened.
Got you.
Atlas leaned in. "Oh? You flinched. That's interesting."
Shen Jue exhaled slowly. "You're perceptive. But perception alone doesn't win battles."
"No, but it does make you nervous" Atlas countered, watching for any subtle shifts. And then—he saw it.
Shen Jue had never once referred to himself by name after introducing himself.
Atlas smirked. "Tell me, Jian Ren… if I were to sell you off, should I use find your real name or the one you gave me?"
Shen Jue's calm exterior cracked just slightly. Lin Wuye and Yuxe Wuye exchanged glances, realizing what had just happened.
Layla, still irritated but watching closely
He just pulled that out of nowhere? On what grounds?
Meyu whispered to Layla, "Whatever you're thinking, I think Atlas is just baiting him into revealing it himself."
Shen Jue's lips curved upward. "It seems I underestimated the great Atlas Ryland."
"Oh, don't worry" Atlas said, smiling.
"Everyone does."
Shen Jue bowed slightly, conceding defeat. But as he turned, he stopped. "One last question."
Atlas arched a brow. "Go on."
"Why does Silver Lotus possess the same chalkboard as the Emperor?"
The air in the room turned still.
Layla's hands tightened. Lin Wuye and Yuxe Wuye visibly tensed.
Atlas, for the first time in the exchange, went completely silent.
Shen Jue, watching his reaction, continued, "There are only two factions with this technology—the Emperor and Ryl Trading."
Then, his gaze settled on Atlas.
"By my own logic, that means you own Ryl Trading."
Atlas' face remained unreadable. But after a long pause, he slowly grinned.
In the span of 5 seconds, Atlas pieced it all together.
One—this "Jian Ren" was lying about his name, yet carried himself with undeniable nobility. His attire was expensive, his demeanour refined, and despite claiming to be here to learn, his strength suggested otherwise.
Two—he knew more about the sect than he lets on, and worse, he was probing. Not just for idle curiosity, but with purpose, like a man confirming something he already suspected.
Three—by his own logic, he deduced that I was the leader of Ryl Trading. And if he knew that much, then he probably also knew every noble I had dealt with in the past.
Four—this chalkboard. I don't understand its significance as of now, but the way Lin Wuye, Yuxe Wuye, and even Meilin visibly tensed tells me it was more than just a rare tool. If Shen Jue knew about it, then he wasn't just another noble—he was someone high up in the imperial court, possibly close to the Emperor himself.
Atlas made his decision.
He let out a slow exhale, then chuckled, shaking his head. "Alright, fine. You got me. Took you long enough."
Shen Jue's eyes narrowed slightly, but he remained silent, waiting.
Atlas leaned back, folding his arms as if he had just been caught in some casual game of cards rather than a high-stakes battle of wits. "Yeah, I own Ryl Trading. Or at least, I'm the one pulling the strings. It's such a hassle running a business, you know? Too many details, too much paperwork. But someone's gotta do it."
Meyu's breath hitched. Lin Wuye closed his eyes briefly, as if bracing himself. Yuxe Wuye remained unreadable.
Atlas' grin widened. "But now I have to ask... why does a high-ranking noble from the imperial court care so much about who owns Ryl Trading?"
Shen Jue's eyes widened slightly, a flicker of surprise breaking through his carefully maintained composure.
I didn't expect a mere merchant to piece it together so quickly.
Then, just as quickly, his face hardened. "If you don't want the Silver Lotus Sect to burn to the ground, I suggest you don't dig any further."
Atlas let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. "Burn it down? And what, exactly, is stopping everyone in this room from killing you first?"
His tone was light, but the weight behind his words was unmistakable. "Sure, you could have forces raze this place, and it would be a nightmare to rebuild, but let's think about this logically. You? You'd be dead before you left this room."
Shen Jue's mask of composure cracked as his lips curled in irritation. "Watch your tongue, merchant. You may think yourself clever, but you are overstepping."
Atlas grinned wider. "Oh? Did I strike a nerve? I figured someone so close to the Emperor would have thicker skin. Unless… you're not as high up as I thought. Just another errand boy pretending to be important?"
Shen Jue's fists clenched, his jaw tightening. "You should be careful whom you mock. If you value this sect's survival, you will tread lightly!"
Atlas leaned back, completely at ease. "Let's stop pretending. You're here because your Emperor gave you a task—infiltrate Silver Lotus, learn about Ryl Trading, and bring back whatever information you can. So instead of making threats neither of us want to follow through on… why don't we talk about a truce? Like civilised people?"
Shen Jue's nostrils flared slightly, but he said nothing. Then, after a moment of tense silence, he exhaled and straightened his posture. "Fine. What do you want?"