Brilliant, truly brilliant! It seems that although the Sasaki family has temporarily left the center of power, their global intelligence network remains frighteningly astute."
Edward straightened his expensive bow tie, completely ignoring the strange looks he received. His tone became even more candid and playful.
"Miss Kyoko is right, I did suffer a minor injury on the European battlefield, but…"
He paused, his blue eyes gleaming with confidence. "For me, this loss of tens of billions of dollars is just a small experience that the family has arranged for me on my path to growth. The Morgan family has never lacked money; what it lacks are truly exciting opponents. If this bidding process requires a painful struggle to win, it is indeed not in line with the return on investment."
At this point, he stood up gracefully and even gave Kyoko a standard Western bow in a gentlemanly manner.
"I still have a lot of business to discuss in Toaru. There's plenty of time ahead, Ms. Kyoko. I look forward to having more in-depth discussions with you in the future. You've won this game today, so I won't disturb your enjoyment any longer. Congratulations in advance, Ms. Kyoko, on acquiring this prime location."
After saying that, he turned around gracefully and led his elite team away.
This composed and easygoing attitude earned the silent approval of many seasoned business veterans present. After all, they came from a top-tier family; their composure and shrewdness were beyond the reach of ordinary people.
However, just as Edward was about to step out of the venue, Kyoko's cold voice rang out again.
"Mr. Morgan, please wait a moment."
Edward stopped and turned around with a charming smile: "What? Miss Kyoko has changed her mind and wants to invite me to dinner?"
Kyoko's lips curled into a faint smile, but her gaze gently fell on Ryuzaki Makoto, who had been sitting silently beside her.
"I think you've got it wrong. The person I should congratulate today isn't me, but my business partner, Mr. Ryuzaki Makoto."
"He is the true owner of this land."
These words caused another uproar in the audience.
Edward was also visibly taken aback, scrutinizing the young man sitting next to Kyoko.
Ryuzaki Shinya raised his head at the opportune moment, his dark eyes meeting Edward's gaze without any ripples.
A few seconds later, Edward suddenly burst into laughter, a hearty and meaningful laugh.
"Hahaha! Interesting! Really interesting! I see... It seems this trip to the East is much more interesting than I imagined!"
He gave Ryuzaki Mako a deep look, then glanced at Kyoko, as if he understood something. Without saying anything more, he turned and strode away from the venue.
The bidding is still ongoing, but the outcome is already decided.
"Nine hundred billion is a first!"
"Nine hundred billion, for the second time!"
"make a deal!"
With a resounding thud, the auctioneer's gavel, a symbol of power, fell heavily, and the dust settled.
The auctioneer wiped the sweat from his brow and glanced at Kyoko and Ryuzaki Mako in the audience.
When he met Kyoko's gaze, he understood something, took a deep breath, and shouted at the top of his lungs:
"Congratulations! Congratulations to Mr. Ryuzaki Makoto! You have successfully won the development rights for the redevelopment project of the Nameless Street area! Let's give a warm round of applause to the biggest winner of this event—Mr. Ryuzaki Makoto—to come to the stage and give his acceptance speech!"
In that instant, countless spotlights shone on Ryuzaki Makoto, and applause surged from all directions like a tidal wave.
Ryuzaki was slightly stunned. He hadn't expected Kyoko to go so far, putting all the glory on him alone.
This is a super project worth nearly 100 billion yuan. Any businessman would probably want to have this achievement engraved on their forehead.
Just then, Kyoko gently nudged him and whispered in his ear:
"What are you waiting for? Hurry up and go up. This is a golden opportunity. The people sitting down here are the richest and most powerful people in all of Sakura. If you want the development of Nameless Street to go smoothly in the future, you will have to deal with banks, construction companies, and even government departments. You have to make them know you, recognize you, and respect you."
Ryuzaki Mako turned to look at Kyoko and found her looking at him with encouraging and trusting eyes.
He smiled, feeling a sense of gratitude towards this exceptionally intelligent and sensible woman.
This woman was clearly sparing no effort to promote him, forcefully pushing him from the shadows to the glamorous center stage of the business world.
Ryuzaki straightened his suit, slowly stood up, and faced the hundreds of curious, inquisitive, or envious gazes below the stage. He showed no stage fright and strode confidently onto the podium.
Standing in front of the microphone, Ryuzaki Makoto scanned the entire audience. His eyes showed neither the arrogance of a nouveau riche nor the restraint of a newcomer. Instead, they exuded a composure and calmness that was beyond his years.
"Hello, fellow business leaders, I am Ryuzaki Makoto."
He hadn't prepared any script, but his voice, deep and powerful, resonated throughout the venue through the speakers.
"Many people may be curious about who I, Ryuzaki Makoto, really am. Actually, I'm just an ordinary person who's a little bit lucky and happens to have some feelings for this land."
A soft chuckle rippled through the audience, instantly easing the tension.
The merchants exchanged glances, finding the young man rather witty and not as terrifying as the rumors suggested.
"Taking over Wuming Street is not just a business deal for me, but a heavy responsibility." Ryuzaki Makoto's tone became solemn. "This place was once considered a scar on the city, an abandoned land, but I see its future. Although I, Ryuzaki Makoto, come from humble beginnings and don't understand complicated financial models, I understand one principle—reputation is more important than life, and a promise is greater than anything else."
"I can't guarantee that my project will make you all rich, but I can assure you that as long as you do business on my territory and are a partner who abides by the rules, you will receive the fairest treatment and the safest environment. This is the only, and most powerful, promise I can give you today."
These words, without flowery language or grandiose visions, directly hit the sore spots of these seasoned business veterans.
What's the most lacking thing when doing business in a chaotic neighborhood?
It's not about opportunities, but about security and certainty!
Ryuzaki's words precisely addressed both of these points.
When Ryuzaki Makoto bowed slightly to finish his speech, there was a brief silence in the audience, followed by even more enthusiastic and sincere applause than before.
Among the crowd, several old-fashioned businessmen who had previously looked down on Ryuzaki Makoto couldn't help but sigh in hushed tones:
"What a lucky kid. With the Sasaki family's strong support, it's hard for him not to rise to prominence."
But another, more astute investor immediately countered:
"Good luck? Ha, do you really think it's just good luck?"
The group looked at each other, then suddenly burst into laughter, as if they understood each other perfectly.
Everyone knows that a strong woman like Kyoko Sasaki, who can't tolerate any wrongdoing, would never support a good-for-nothing who only has luck.
If someone is someone she would promote so heavily, it would be utterly ridiculous if they didn't have some real talent and exceptional abilities.
At this moment, they were not only watching a lucky winner who had won the bid, but also witnessing the rise of a new business star that could shake the future business landscape.
The meeting did not end after the bidding process concluded.
The real arena of fame and fortune has only just begun.
This is a top-tier business networking dinner. While the bidding results are important, the real purpose of these people staying is to expand their network and finalize collaborations during the process.
Amidst the interplay of lights, Kyoko acted as the perfect guide, leading Ryuzaki Mako among representatives of various top conglomerates, calmly introducing and exchanging business cards.
However, with Ryuzaki Makoto's performance, the situation quietly changed.
Those bigwigs who were initially just exchanging pleasantries with Ryuzaki Mako out of respect for Kyoko began to actively seek out topics of conversation and even extend olive branches.
Many astute small and medium-sized businessmen bypassed the unapproachable Kyoko and went directly to Ryuzaki Mako with their wine glasses in hand, respectfully handing over their business cards and beaming with smiles, hoping to get a share of the future nameless street project.
After all, it's obvious to everyone that this pie is too big for any one company to handle.
Since Ryuzaki truly has the strong backing of the Sasaki family, this project is almost guaranteed to succeed.
Ryuzaki Makoto is now a walking gold standard; even just getting in touch with him and becoming familiar with him could bring in a lot of money in the future.
...
Finally, this long social engagement came to an end.
The Toyota Century drove smoothly along the empty streets late at night.
A faint aroma of alcohol filled the car.
Kyoko drank quite a bit tonight.
At this moment, an alluring blush appeared on her usually aloof and pretty face, her eyes were hazy, and she looked exceptionally charming.
When she first got on the bus, she was even a little unsteady on her feet. It was Ryuzaki Makoto who supported her the whole time, half-hugging and half-carrying her to get her into the back seat.
Ryuzaki Makoto sat beside her, and seeing this usually unapproachable strong woman reveal such a soft side, he couldn't help but feel a slight stirring in his heart.
He handed her a bottle of mineral water and said softly:
Thank you for today.
Kyoko took the water, took a sip, then turned to look at Ryuzaki Makoto, a lazy smile playing on her lips:
"Don't forget, I'm your major shareholder now. Your net worth has increased, which means I'm making money too. I'm not helping you; I'm helping my own wallet."
Ryuzaki Makoto smiled and did not refute.
"No matter what, without you, I wouldn't have had the chance to stand on that stage today and receive applause from so many important people. I will remember this kindness."
Kyoko leaned back in her chair, her gaze fixed on the fleeting night view outside the window, her voice slightly unsteady:
"Perhaps you don't need me to do it; some people are born for that stage."
Ryuzaki Masato was about to say something when suddenly—
"Squeak—!!!"
A sudden, ear-piercing screech of brakes rang out!
More than a dozen black sedans, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, rushed out from all directions, forcibly blocking their path and forcing the lone Toyota Century to a stop in the middle of the road...