Chapter 369: Clara’s Dilemma

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Old Wang happily tucked the envelope into his chest—it was Sister Da's affectionate gesture, albeit somewhat indirect, but he accepted it.

Upon returning from Dragon City, the one thing Old Wang had pondered most thoroughly was that playing it safe was a dead end. Since he had already been swept up by the currents of this world, the only way forward was to keep forging ahead, cutting through obstacles and riding the tides, carving out a path of his own.

……

The first official statement from Rose came three days later. Thunder Dragon still hadn’t made an appearance—it was Hawkland, who had regained some of his vigor, who published it through *Holy Sanctuary's Light*.

Regarding all the accusations and condemnations against Rose from various factions, the Holy City was still conducting detailed investigations into the incidents. Rose offered neither defense nor rebuttal, not because it admitted guilt, but to avoid escalating tensions with its fellow Holy Sanctuaries. The truth would inevitably surface, and when it did, the right and wrong would be clear.

The feeble statement stirred some sympathy, causing the naysayers to quiet down slightly and giving Rose a brief reprieve. Yet, it also made people feel more strongly that Rose was truly just one step away from its final downfall.

As for Old Wang, the training of his team had yielded some results.

The biggest surprise wasn’t Fante Xi mastering the Raging Taiji Tiger, but Winnie—having conquered her inner demons, her soul power underwent a transformation, advancing from red flames to blue flames. Though still at Tiger Peak, the lethality of blue flames was vastly different from ordinary fire. Even the ice mages, once her greatest headache, now had minimal effect on her. The notion of ice countering fire seemed like a joke in the face of blue flames.

The real challenge lay with the Beastmen. Kela’s path to awakening showed almost no progress. After two or three weeks, the only improvement was her endurance in the *Soul Refining Array*—from one hour to an hour and a half. It felt as though her soul had been tempered, her soul power stronger than before, her will firmer, yet she hadn’t even come close to breaking through the threshold.

Wu Di was in a similar situation. The berserk state he’d activated during his fight with Fante Xi had been his closest brush with awakening, but since then, his progress in soul refinement had stalled completely. Watching Wu Di grow less confident by the day, Old Wang remained unfazed.

The overall effectiveness of the *Soul Refining Array* was undeniable. Ah Xi and Winnie had simply taken the first steps. Back in *Domination of the Heavens*, he’d used these very methods to guide others step by step to the pinnacle of their professions. Kela and Wu Di just needed more time. Of course, to reach such heights, they’d need even more resources…

Come to think of it, ever since returning to Aurora City, he’d been busy with the team, the ice bees, Er Tong, even accompanying Thunder Dragon for chess matches—he hadn’t actively reached out to Uganda or Clara.

Truth be told, Clara might have imagined Old Wang was playing hard to get, but that really wasn’t the case…

The plan to overthrow the New Lord had already begun. The primary collaborator had quietly connected with Old Wang even before his return. But the cooperation of Uganda and Clara was also crucial to Wang Feng’s plans—though he couldn’t be the one to make the first move.

After all, in everyone’s eyes, both Rose and Wang Feng were already fish on the chopping block. Only if these two took the initiative could Old Wang determine their level of involvement in the subsequent plans. There was a world of difference between adding icing to the cake and offering help in need.

Old Wang had been wondering whether Clara’s invitation would come first or Uganda’s. Logically, it should be Uganda—after all, the turmoil in Aurora City didn’t directly involve the Sea People. With Clara’s business acumen, she’d know that speaking up first meant permanent compromise, so she might hold out until the day Old Wang resolved the crisis in Aurora City on his own.

But the Beastmen were different. Unexpectedly, both parties had remained silent—until now, when two invitations arrived almost simultaneously.

"Brother Wang Feng’s performance on the long-neck horn left Mei’er utterly enchanted. To hear it once more would be Mei’er’s greatest wish. A small banquet has been prepared—please do not refuse."

This came from Uganda’s side, sent under his granddaughter Su Mei’er’s name. Old Wang chuckled—this was interesting.

It seemed the Beastmen’s situation in Aurora City was truly dire. Under the New Lord’s rule, they were likely a prime "target," forcing Uganda to avoid open contact with Wang Feng and instead use his granddaughter’s name.

This was a good sign. Only if the Beastmen feared hardship would they commit wholeheartedly once they boarded his ship. In these times, trust was secondary to shared interests—only alliances built on mutual benefit were truly unshakable.

Clara’s message, on the other hand, was far simpler: "Wang Feng, do you have no conscience? Must I lower my head first, or do you plan to abandon me after leading me on?"

Old Wang couldn’t help but laugh—this was unmistakably Clara’s style. The Mermaid Princess’s words could only be half-trusted, but at least she’d made her choice, and it must have been a struggle.

Truth be told, humans were largely in the dark about the Sea People’s affairs. Old Wang only knew that Clara had returned twice to the mermaid territory beneath the sea during his absence, but he had no idea what she’d faced within her clan. Judging by her actions now, it couldn’t have been anything pleasant—otherwise, reaching out to him at this time wouldn’t have been her best move.

With Winnie and Fante Xi overseeing the training room, Old Wang no longer needed to stay there daily. Tucking both invitations into his pocket, it was about time to fully deploy this net.

……

In the opulent third-floor hall of *Golden Shell Auction House*, Clara stared at the man standing before her with that same carefree grin—as if the sky could collapse and it wouldn’t faze him.

"Princess! You've shattered my heart!" Old Wang sighed dramatically. "I thought we were the best of friends. Yet after all this time, you didn’t even throw me a welcome banquet or so much as say hello. I thought you’d forgotten me! Truly, no cruelty matches a woman's heart, and no inconstancy rivals a mermaid's!"

"......"

Clara didn’t rise to the provocation, her expression even slightly solemn. Honestly, her emotions were tangled at this moment.

She had been waiting for Wang Feng to reach out first—not entirely because she cared about being passive in future negotiations, and certainly not because of money.

After experiencing the hardships at sea and various incidents, Clara was well aware that playing both sides or diversifying her options wouldn’t work for her. As a minor princess like her, she either shouldn’t step onto the gambling table at all, or once she did, she had to be prepared to go all in. Trying to keep a backup plan? She didn’t have that privilege—because all her chips combined might not even amount to a fraction of the eldest princess’s! If she hesitated too much, even just "losing the bare minimum" would strip her of the right to sit at the table entirely!

She had to make a last stand, to bet all her capital. But before that, she wanted to see if Wang Feng was truly worth such a heavy bet. That was the reason for her hesitation. Yet, the facts proved that Wang Feng was clearly not the type to show his cards first. She had to admit she was the one who lost patience first, because she finally realized—the secret formula was in Wang Feng’s hands. At this gambling table, she didn’t hold the cards, and she had no real choice at all.

"What’s your relationship with the pirate Sessis?" Clara stared into Wang Feng’s eyes. To him, this question might be trivial, hardly a good opener, but to her, it was crucial. After setting aside all pride and competitiveness, what she needed now was absolute honesty and understanding.

Seeing Clara’s icy expression, Old Wang shrugged nonchalantly. "A friend."

Clara was taken aback. "A friend... just a friend?"

"What else?" Old Wang plopped into a chair, casually grabbing a sand fruit from the nearby table and taking a juicy bite. There was no need for formalities here. "Someone I met once."

"Just someone you met once..." Clara let out a bitter laugh. "Some random person you met once saved my life. Ever since meeting you, I feel like I’ve become more and more pathetic."

Honestly, Old Wang had imagined Clara facing all sorts of difficulties, but he never expected her to be in life-threatening danger. After all, she was a princess of the sea people’s royal family—losing favor or power was possible, but who could threaten her life? Still, this was clearly good news for him. Compared to the Clara who masked herself and seemed easygoing, this resentful, unguarded version made him feel more at ease. It seemed the proud Princess was still quite angry about losing her composure.

...Still pretty cute, though.

Voluntarily sharing intel about the sea people with a human was truly rare for her kind. But Clara didn’t hesitate. She knew Wang Feng’s excuses about the potion last time were just that—excuses. He definitely had more, and the reason he wasn’t handing them over wasn’t just about money but the level of trust between them.

If she wanted Wang Feng to be more open with her, their trust had to reach a higher level. Since Wang Feng held the potions and didn’t need to beg, he wouldn’t take the initiative. So, she had to.

Clara briefly recounted her ordeal in the Sea Emperor City and the attack at sea. She downplayed the part about the sea dragon prince, but Wang Feng still caught the gist.

Old Wang was indignant. "That damn Sea Dragon Prince has a death wish!"

Clara fought the urge to hit him. She was speechless because even her watered-down version still tipped him off. As for the urge to hit him... Was Wang Feng the type to overreact at the slightest hint of trouble? Yet look at him just now—anyone would think he was her father! Really? Completely out of character for Wang Feng.

Two can play at that game. She had been pulling the damsel-in-distress act, and now he was pretending to be righteous and concerned!

Keep acting, then. Think you can outdo this Princess?

"Get to the point," Clara said wryly. "He didn’t succeed, and he’s not someone to provoke lightly. You know too little about the depths..."

I’d just stabilized my position when I lost a huge shipment. Honestly, the money itself isn’t the big issue, but it’ll definitely become ammunition for my rivals."

She paused, meeting Wang Feng’s eyes, and sighed with a fragile sigh. "Wang Feng, the potion bought me time earlier, but with no further progress, you know how it is—the higher I climbed, the harder I’d fall. I was already on thin ice in the clan. Now, with the auction house in trouble, my standing in Her Majesty’s eyes will plummet even further. Next time I return to the Sea Emperor City... I might not walk out alive."

"Then throw your hat in the ring," Old Wang said dismissively. "Perfect timing—I’ve got a big opportunity coming up. The New Lord of Aurora City is planning a major investment. Why don’t you jump in and take a share?"

What Clara wanted was the potion—in her eyes, only that could save her. Hearing Wang Feng talk about something unrelated, she frowned. "That won’t cut it. My problem isn’t just the auction house’s profits. The root issue is the potion. No matter how much money I make, it won’t change the situation..."

Round and round, she just wanted the potion.

"You’re missing the point. Have you ever seen me do anything pointless?"

"Wang Feng, this really isn’t about business..."

"It’s about strategy!" Old Wang grinned mysteriously, leaning in to whisper a few words into Clara’s ear.

His low, smooth voice and warm breath sent a shiver through her. But what he said truly caught her off guard—so much so that she barely registered his proximity. Clara blinked. "You... are you sure about this?"

"Just follow my plan," Old Wang said lightly. "Once the New Lord takes power, I guarantee the Ocean Chamber of Commerce will cede a fifth of Aurora City’s maritime market to you. That should be enough to flip the script in the deep." Honestly, the moment those words left his mouth, Clara’s eyes lit up.

One-fifth of Aurora City's maritime market isn't actually much. Money is just a minor issue, but what truly matters is its significance...

As one of the mermaid race's most important land-based industries, the Golden Shell Auction House operates over a dozen chain branches in major coastal cities along the southeastern shore. Established even earlier than the Ocean Chamber of Commerce, it serves as a primary source of income for the royal treasury—effectively the personal coffers of the mermaid Queen. Thus, compared to other larger tribal enterprises, this modest auction house holds a certain degree of greater importance in the Queen's eyes.

Yet since the rise of the Ocean Chamber of Commerce, watching it grow from a small, 30-million-euro-funded guild into today's behemoth, the Golden Shell Auction House has been powerless to stop it.

Setting aside the broader context of coastal cities along the southeastern shore, just taking Aurora City as an example: decades ago, when the Ocean Chamber of Commerce was first established, the Golden Shell Auction House dominated over 90% of the maritime trade in the city. Now, however, the Ocean Chamber of Commerce has seized half of that share. Before Clara's tenure, the Golden Shell branch in Aurora City had already cycled through eight managers in just a few decades, yet none could halt the Ocean Chamber's expansion in the city. After all, the humans held home-field advantage—timing, geography, and unity—while the Golden Shell's market share dwindled year after year. If Clara could reclaim even one-fifth of the maritime market from the Ocean Chamber, what would that signify?

Consider this: in the past few decades, none of the Golden Shell's branches had ever truly triumphed against the Ocean Chamber of Commerce. Yet here she was, mounting an unexpected counterattack—albeit on a small, localized scale. This alone would mark her as a business genius, at least in the eyes of the Queen.

More importantly, the Golden Shell Auction House as a whole is managed by the Crown Princess. While she continues to lose ground against the Ocean Chamber, Clara would be winning. Such a stark contrast would inevitably shift the Queen's favor. Compared to the more critical yet long-term challenge of the Magic Potion, this achievement might be exactly what Clara needs most right now.

And this guy... he's already connected with the Ocean Chamber of Commerce? Come to think of it, didn’t I see someone who looked just like him entering Anhe Hall across the street the other day? So it really was him!

Frankly, if anyone else had said this to Clara, she’d have chased them out with a broom. But this was Wang Feng—the man Karida was willing to risk arrest and the ruin of Rose to protect. What did that mean? Some illicit affair? Nonsense. It meant Wang Feng was important!

This was no ordinary Holy Sanctuary disciple, nor was his significance limited to inventing the Fusion Rune. This guy ran deep.

She took a deep breath, but before she could respond, Wang Feng continued.

"As for the Sea People..." Old Wang grinned. "I’ll get you two more bottles of the Magic Potion. Let them study it slowly—keep them busy for a while."

Clara was genuinely stunned this time. No matter how dazzling Wang Feng’s words had been today, she knew full well that only the Magic Potion could truly resolve her predicament within the clan. His earlier offer of concessions from the Ocean Chamber of Commerce had been an irresistible deal, and she’d assumed the potion would have to wait. Yet now...

"With these two things in hand, your position among the Sea People should be unshakable. As for that bastard, the Sea Dragon Prince..." Old Wang’s voice turned icy. "Rest assured. We won’t let him off that easily."

Clara’s expression hardened. The sudden coldness in Wang Feng’s demeanor carried an intimidating authority, and beneath that authority, she sensed unspoken yet palpable fury—restrained yet terrifying, leaving no doubt about his sincerity in threatening the Sea Dragon Prince.

But after the solemnity passed, she found it almost amusing.

This... felt different from his earlier pretended concern. If this too was an act, then his acting skills were godlike—even she’d have to concede defeat.

"I have no one else to rely on but you now..." Clara purred, shifting her shapely legs slightly into a more alluring pose...

Usually, getting anything out of Wang Feng was like squeezing toothpaste from a tin—agonizingly difficult. Yet this time, he was offering everything upfront without prompting. It felt surreal to Clara. Bargaining over a purchase was one thing, but getting something for nothing? That was unfamiliar territory.

At this moment, lounging seductively, her eyes half-lidded and provocative, she gazed at Wang Feng. Delicate fingers, porcelain-white, hooked lightly into his sleeve, drawing teasing circles...

Her lips parted, her breath fragrant. "How would you like me to repay you? Since you’re not asking for money, could it be that you want..."

Before she could finish, a rough hand seized her chin.

Clara froze. She’d only been teasing, yet he’d gone straight for physical contact. Wang Feng’s face drew near, his masculine lips closing in...

*For convenient reading next time, you can bookmark this page (Chapter 369: Clara’s Predicament) for future reference!* If you enjoy *Reign of Nine Heavens*, please recommend it to your friends (via QQ, blog, WeChat, etc.). Thank you for your support!!