The silence in the modest inn room wasn't just an absence of noise; it was a charged void, a deep black canvas on which Wei Shen's mind meticulously drew the threads of his coming conspiracy, like an artist sketching his final masterpiece.
The theatrical performance at the "Silver Moon Auction" was over. The curtain had fallen on a scene of rage, humiliation, and looming bankruptcy for two major rivals.
The outcome was satisfying; it even exceeded his expectations. His plan hadn't just succeeded, it had significantly weakened both the "Wang Family" and the "Li Family," and unveiled a new, mysterious player on the stage.
"An unexpected variable... and an interesting one," Wei Shen whispered to the still air in the room, his cold eyes staring at the wooden ceiling without truly seeing it.
"The scroll isn't in the Wang Family's hands anymore, and that's the most important thing. And its new owner... she's not untouchable."
He rose quietly, like a shadow straightening in the dark. He didn't return to bed for rest; rest was a luxury he didn't know. His mind, which once managed the fates of star systems, was now working at full capacity, analyzing the new variable that appeared in his equation.
The mysterious woman in room number three. She wasn't just a wealthy merchant, her wealth alone wouldn't justify risking the ire of two powerful families at once. There was a deeper goal, a more complex plan.
"I need to know who she is, and what she wants," he decided coldly. "In any chess game, ignorance of a powerful piece on the board is the first step towards checkmate."
He had only one starting thread: the "Dragon Leaf Tea Shop" in the "Shadow Market."
Once again, Wei Shen put on his black cloak, pulled up his hood, and melted into the alleys of Black Rock City, which had begun to quiet down as midnight approached. The backstreets were dark and damp, the smell of garbage and despair mixing with the scent of the light rain that had started to fall.
He reached the small shop. Its wooden door was closed, but a single paper lantern still glowed faintly above the entrance, a sign that work in the shadows wasn't over yet.
He knocked three light, distinct taps. After a moment, the door opened slightly, revealing the pale, thin man's face. When he saw Wei Shen, no surprise showed on his face; instead, he nodded slowly and made way for him to enter.
Inside, the shop was even darker than before, and the bitter scent of tea hung heavy in the air. There was no one in the front room. The thin man led Wei Shen directly towards the beaded curtain in the back.
"She's waiting for you," the man whispered, then vanished back into the shadows.
Wei Shen entered the back room. The mysterious woman was sitting in the same chair, with a small wooden table before her, on which sat a black teapot still steaming, and two small white porcelain cups. The old scarred man wasn't there this time. The room was just for the two of them.
She raised her black eyes to him as he entered. It wasn't a welcoming gaze, nor one of hostility. It was a calm, scrutinizing look, the gaze of someone studying a rare piece of art or a strange insect.
"The fox scared the wolves," she said in her calm voice, like a silver bell in the quiet room. "But another nightingale snatched the fruit."
Wei Shen didn't sit. He remained standing in the shadow near the door, like a ghost ready to disappear at any moment.
"The fruit was never the goal," he replied with the same coolness, his voice as cold as a forest night. "The goal was to watch the wolves tear each other apart. The nightingale's song was just... unexpected background music."
A faint smile touched the woman's lips. It was a smile of appreciation, the smile of one player recognizing another of equal skill. "You are interesting, Wei Shen. More interesting than I expected."
She poured a cup of tea and gently pushed it across the table towards him. "Sit. The tea gets cold quickly in this weather."
Wei Shen stepped forward and sat in the chair opposite her, but he didn't touch the teacup. His eyes never left her for a moment.
"What do you want?" he asked directly.
"What do I want?" she repeated his question, as if savoring the words. "I want many things. Just like you. You want power, you want knowledge, and you want... to make sure no one can ever threaten your existence again."
Wei Shen felt a slight chill run through him. Her words were disturbingly accurate.
"The Wang Family," she continued, sipping her tea, "they're not as foolish as you think. They're now frantically searching for the source of the 'leaked information' that drove Li Jian to the brink of madness. And they are closer than you imagine to the merchant you used."
This was a warning. Or perhaps... an offer.
"And the 'Azure Flame Scroll' you bought," she added, as if reading his thoughts. "It's a very complex technique. It requires a specific type of 'spiritual flame' to activate it, a flame found only in the deepest Wang Family workshops, or in very dangerous places that no one person can reach."
Now, the picture became clear. She wasn't threatening him, nor was she directly offering help. She was laying out the facts, showing him that his path was now intertwined with hers, whether he wanted it or not. She had bought the treasure, but she might not be able to use it. And he wanted the treasure, but he was now being hunted by one of the families he had angered.
"What's your offer?" Wei Shen said, appreciating the cleverness in her maneuver.
She smiled again. "No offer... yet. Just a basis for a potential understanding. I possess knowledge and resources. You possess boldness and an inexplicable raw power. This 'Black Rock City' is just a small pond, and we are both too big to swim in it for long."
She stood and moved towards another exit in the room Wei Shen hadn't noticed before. "When you're ready to play on a bigger stage, you'll know how to find me."
Before she disappeared, she turned to him one last time. "By the way, my name is Shifeng."
Then she vanished, leaving Wei Shen alone in the room with the untouched teacup, the scent of mystery, and a new web of conspiracies that had just begun to form.
Wei Shen walked out into the rainy city night. He didn't feel angry because he hadn't gotten the scroll; he felt a kind of cold excitement.
"Shifeng..." he muttered the name, his cold eyes gleaming in the dark. "Another variable in the equation. That makes it much more interesting."
He returned to his inn, his mind working quickly, recalculating everything. His simple plan was now much more complex. But the ultimate goal hadn't changed. Absolute power. And everyone who stood in his way, whether a temporary ally or a permanent enemy, was just another piece on the chessboard.