Shu Ling led her to a metal building labeled "North District Thirteen Mountains." It was a triangular high-rise with twenty transparent glass elevators.
They went to elevator number 12 and rode it directly to the top floor.
When the elevator doors opened, a wooden door stood at the end of a short hallway. Clearly, there was only one residence on the top floor.
Stepping through the wooden door, she found the entire apartment had wood floors. The walls and ceiling were also paneled with natural-colored wood, giving it a very comfortable feel.
Four floor-to-ceiling windows filled the space with light. An open-plan kitchen was on the right, completely empty except for the built-in stove.
The three other rooms were also completely bare, with no furniture whatsoever.
A wooden staircase in the living room led up to a loft. Pushing open the loft door revealed a large, roughly hundred-square-meter lawn.
The more Feng Si saw, the more pleased she was. By her own familiar calculations, the penthouse was about two hundred square meters.
Shu Ling, seeing the expression on her client’s face, shrewdly began her sales pitch:
"This is a single-residence top-floor unit on the mountain peak. It has three bedrooms, two living areas, a kitchen, and a bathroom, plus a private loft and the rooftop lawn. The asking price is sixteen million, six hundred fifty thousand coins."
Feng Si’s mouth twitched. "Is the price negotiable?"
"Afraid not," Shu Ling said. "This is already the lowest price the previous owner would accept. I’m quoting you this because I like you; I haven’t even marked it up."
Feng Si hesitated. "Can I pay in installments, then?"
"What are ’installments’?"
Shu Ling didn’t understand the term. She saw the look on Feng Si’s face—a mixture of temptation and financial pain.
Having sized up countless clients, Shu Ling could tell this one wasn’t someone who couldn’t afford it. She continued, "This unit was just listed. I have five other clients who’ve requested a viewing. It’s in high demand, you know."
Feng Si thought for a moment before asking, "Are there any other smaller, single-residence floors available?"
Shu Ling shook her head honestly. "No, this is the only single-residence floor, and it’s the only one with a private rooftop lawn. The other units are both larger and more expensive."
’Even more expensive?’
Shu Ling leaned in and whispered to Feng Si:
"I’ll let you in on a secret. The previous owner got pregnant with septuplets while living here! They only moved because they ran out of room for all the cubs. This is an incredibly auspicious place! If word of this got out, the price would definitely double!"
Feng Si glanced back at the apartment. She really liked it.
’Living here, with no neighbors to bother me, it would be much easier to hide my true female identity. Otherwise, as a female surrounded by male beasts and sub-females, I’d be stared at all day. My identity would inevitably be exposed.’
’I’ve already pawned the Jade Pendant, and the money is going to be spent one way or another. Agonizing over it now is just needless self-torment.’
In the end, Feng Si bought the apartment. Because she was registered as a sub-female, she didn’t even need to go through identity verification. She paid online with a facial and fingerprint scan, and the deed was biometrically registered to her.
Having closed a huge deal, a cheerful Shu Ling gifted Feng Si a new voice-activated lock and left in high spirits.
Feng Si was left alone in the vast, empty living room, devoid of any furniture.
Now that she was alone, she slid to the floor, sat cross-legged, and leaned against the wall. The anxiety that had plagued her for the past two days finally subsided now that she had a territory to call her own.
She had been rushing around as if her life depended on it, and she hadn’t had a single night of deep sleep since she’d transmigrated. The moment her mind relaxed, her eyes slowly closed, and she fell asleep.
...
A squadron of Black Hawks soared through the sky. At its center, a magnificent, ship-shaped house rested on the back of the lead Black Hawk.
"So none of these thirty-two are the female you’re looking for?" Ying Kong asked, his expression grave. He had chased after the Young Master, bringing all the unmarried, red-haired females from Cang City with him. An image of them in the carriage behind him flashed through his mind.
"I’ve brought every red-haired female from Cang City and the surrounding towns. Could there possibly be a hiding place I missed? Young Master, please give me a portrait of her."
Chi Jie leaned back in his chair, his long fingers tapping lightly on the armrest. A dangerous glint flashed in the depths of his eyes.
His spiritual power had been in disarray that night. Her face was a blur; all he could recall were her domineering pheromones, like fireworks exploding in the night sky—dazzling, stunning, and unforgettable.
’Perhaps...’
’The female who is uniquely his is waiting for him to find her himself.’
Chi Jie lowered his gaze, his golden eyes, contemplative, hidden beneath long lashes.
Just then, the black communicator on his wrist flashed. It was using a military channel, and the piercing red light blinked insistently, interrupting Chi Jie’s thoughts.
He activated the light screen.
A flock of lifelike white doves suddenly appeared before him in flight.
The lead dove’s eyes—or rather, the man’s projected through it—showed alarm and uncertainty. His expression eased slightly when he saw the call had been answered, but his voice was urgent:
"Young Master, the Third Young Master was defeated by the Young Master of the Northern Wilderness’s Flame Tigers! He retreated to the Peak Mountain Range, but now he’s been surrounded by those Barbaric Beasts from the Northern Wilderness! He requests rescue!!"
"Relay my order: have the Second Brown Bear Tribe near Liushan immediately go for reinforcement." Chi Jie frowned and cut the communication, turning back to Ying Kong. "Have people keep an eye on the main city. A female will arrive carrying my Identity Jade Pendant."
Ying Kong’s eyes widened. "...Yes."
’Your personal Jade Pendant? The one that can mobilize your private army? You actually gave it to her!’
Ying Kong was shocked, but he didn’t dare to voice his questions.
"She may have already left Cang City. Expand the search, ask around. Find her," Chi Jie said to Ying Kong in a cold voice, flawlessly concealing the emotions in his eyes.
Ying Kong hadn’t expected the Young Master to say more. ’It seems this female is truly important to him,’ he thought. With a respectful expression, he replied, "I will do my utmost."
’This time, he didn’t dare make any guarantees. After all, without a portrait, finding the actual person would be incredibly difficult.’
Ying Kong watched with a profound expression as the Young Master departed. A Black Hawk carrying the carriage flew closer. "Sir, what about the females on our back?"
"What else? Send them to the main city." Ying Kong waved his hand dismissively. "All newly adult females have to go to the Sacrificial Hall in Pantian City for the Beast God’s Blessing Ceremony, presided over by the Great Sacrificial Rite. You were simply ’escorting’ them there. Understand?"
’Since the Young Master wasn’t interested, the secret abduction of females never happened.’
The quick-witted subordinate understood instantly. "Yes, Sir. I will ensure all the females are safely escorted to the Sacrificial Hall."
...
When Feng Si woke up, it was already the morning of the next day. She had slept soundly and for a long time.
The first thing she did upon waking was wash up. Following her memory from yesterday, she found the bathroom. As she entered, the first thing that caught her eye was a large, low-sided wooden tub situated by the window.
The shower, toilet, and sink were all made of bluestone, giving the space a rustic, modern farmhouse feel.
Having no toiletries, Feng Si could only take a quick cold shower. She washed her clothes while she was at it and changed into a clean set of off-white pants and a long-sleeved shirt.
Her wet hair hung in strands down her back. Her features looked cool and stunning, but her hair was now completely black.