Immortality Starts From Making Money.-Chapter 379: Making their Move.

With the introduction of The Times Newspaper, the noble and influential clans of Mingze City could no longer remain as passive as they had been before.

They could all see what was happening.

At first, the football matches had simply been viewed as a strange mortal pastime but things had changed rapidly.

The matches were drawing massive crowds.

The Game Replay Crystals were spreading everywhere.

And now, with the appearance of The Times Newspaper, information about the matches, the teams, and even the clans involved was spreading throughout the city at an unprecedented speed.

Anyone with a keen mind could see the hidden potential behind it.

If someone managed to control the arena, the matches, and the news surrounding them, they would possess an influence that extended far beyond mere entertainment.

Naturally, the great clans could not allow such an opportunity to slip through their fingers.

Inside the Thunderpool Trade Hall, the atmosphere in the VIP reception room was luxurious and quiet.

A chubby middle-aged manager stood near the entrance, his round face stretched into a wide and flattering smile as he welcomed his distinguished guest.

"Young Master Shi, what brings you to our humble trade hall today?" the portly manager asked politely.

His tone was syrupy sweet, almost excessively so.

He clapped his hands twice.

Immediately, two beautiful female attendants entered the room. Each carried a tray filled with spirit fruits and freshly brewed spiritual tea.

As they approached the table, the two women subtly twisted their slender waists and moved with deliberate grace, clearly trying to capture the attention of the noble guest.

The manager, both shrewd and shameless, chuckled lightly.

"Young Master, why don’t you allow these two to serve you?" he suggested with a knowing smile.

The Shi Clan’s young master frowned slightly.

"I am not here for that," he replied coldly.

The manager did not appear surprised by the rejection.

With a casual wave of his hand, he dismissed the attendants.

The two women bowed politely before leaving the room.

Once they were gone, the fat manager took a seat across from the young master, maintaining his bright and flattering smile.

"So, Young Master," he said pleasantly, "what can our humble trade hall do for you today? As long as the item exists in our inventory, I will personally ensure that it reaches your hands."

His tone sounded righteous and generous, as though money were not a factor at all.

Of course, everyone in the city knew the truth.

The Thunderpool Trade Hall never gave anything away for free.

The Shi Young Master remained unmoved by the performance.

His voice was calm and indifferent when he spoke.

"How much is the arena in the inner city?"

The moment the manager heard those words, his back was instantly drenched in cold sweat.

Why is he asking about the abandoned arena? the manager cried inwardly.

The arena had been listed for sale for more than two years.

During that time, none of the major clans, including the powerful Shi Clan had shown the slightest interest in purchasing it.

So why now?

Why suddenly ask about it?

Although the manager could not understand the reason behind this sudden interest, he forced himself to maintain his professional smile.

"I’m very sorry, Young Master," he said apologetically, shaking his head. "But the arena is no longer for sale."

The Shi Young Master frowned.

"What do you mean it is no longer for sale?" he asked sharply.

"If you are worried about the price being too high," he continued after a brief pause, "you don’t need to worry about that. I will buy it no matter the cost."

As the young master of one of the most powerful clans in the city, money meant very little to him.

As long as he could achieve his objective, spirit stones were nothing more than numbers.

But the fat manager continued shaking his head.

"Young Master, it is not that I do not wish to sell it to you," he explained carefully. "The truth is that someone has already purchased the arena."

"Hm?"

The young master’s eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Who bought it?" he demanded, his voice turning icy.

The pressure in the room suddenly increased.

The fat manager swallowed nervously but still shook his head.

"Young Master, please forgive me," he said cautiously. "I cannot reveal the identity of the buyer."

For a moment, the room fell into heavy silence.

The Shi Young Master stared intently at the fat manager, his gaze sharp and cold.

Rage boiled quietly in his heart.

Yet he did not lose control.

Without saying another word, he slowly rose to his feet.

"Take me to your director," he said coldly. "I wish to speak with her personally."

The fat manager was not surprised by the request.

He had long grown accustomed to the arrogance of the noble clans.

Maintaining the same flattering smile, he prepared to escort the Shi Young Master to the upper floors.

However, before they could leave, a female attendant hurried toward him.

She leaned close and whispered several words into his ear.

The manager’s expression changed slightly.

Turning back toward the Shi Young Master, he bowed respectfully.

"My apologies, Young Master," he said politely. "It seems I will not be able to escort you to the director’s office personally. This attendant will lead you instead."

The Shi Young Master did not respond.

His expression remained cold and indifferent.

Without another word, he followed the female attendant toward the upper floor.

Just as the Shi Young Master disappeared upstairs, another guest arrived at the VIP reception room.

This time, it was a dignified middle-aged man wearing the robes of the City Lord’s Mansion.

The fat manager immediately greeted him with the same flattering smile.

"Senior, what brings you here today?" he asked politely.

"Please, come in."

The middle-aged man nodded and entered the room calmly.

After taking his seat, he did not waste time with pleasantries.

"The City Lord wishes to purchase the arena in the inner city," he said directly. "How much does it cost?"

"Eh?"

The fat manager froze.

His eyes widened in disbelief.

What is going on today? he wondered silently.

Why are all the powerful clans suddenly interested in that arena?

Even a fool could tell that something major was unfolding in the city.

Yet the manager knew better than to involve himself in such dangerous matters.

He simply shook his head.

"I am afraid the arena has already been sold," he replied carefully.

The elder from the City Lord’s Mansion frowned deeply.

"Sold?" he repeated.

"When did that happen?"

"And who purchased it?"

The fat manager shook his head again, refusing to comment.

Just like the Shi Young Master before him, the elder immediately requested to meet the trade hall’s director.

The manager agreed without hesitation.

To him, it was far better to pass all these troublesome matters to the director.

Let her deal with the noble clans.

While the Thunderpool Trade Hall continued receiving visitors from the various noble clans...

Another important discussion was taking place elsewhere in the city.

In the inner city stood a grand and imposing building, the Artifact Refiner Hall.

This was the sacred ground for all artifact refiners in Mingze City.

Inside one of its quiet chambers, two elderly men sat across from each other, staring intently at a glowing Game Replay Crystal placed on the table between them.

Their expressions were grave and focused.

"Did you discover anything about the artifact?" one of them finally asked.

This old man was the Master of the Artifact Refiner Hall. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

The man seated opposite him was equally prestigious, the Master of the Rune Hall.

The Rune Hall Master slowly shook his head.

"...No," he replied after a moment of silence.

He paused briefly, gathering his thoughts before continuing.

"This is the first time I have ever seen such a strange rune structure."

His brows knitted together tightly.

"The runes inside this crystal are completely unfamiliar."

"They do not follow any known runic pattern."

He stared at the glowing crystal again.

"Who is the grandmaster capable of creating something like this?"

The Artifact Hall Master remained silent for a long moment before finally speaking.

"...No one knows."