Chapter 102: The Approaching 'Plot'

As expected, those two troublemakers met their downfall.

Jade didn't seem to lift a finger, yet several intimidating men in black suits suddenly barged into the bar. The moment they entered, they zeroed in on the two blond delinquents.

The color drained from the duo's faces.

They tried to flee, but the black-suited men swiftly pinned them to the ground and dragged them away. Before leaving, the last of the men bowed apologetically to the stunned patrons.

"These two owe debts to our corporation. We apologize for the disturbance. As compensation, the corporation will cover everyone's expenses tonight."

With that, he exited, leaving behind a bar buzzing with murmurs.

After back-to-back incidents, Solon had no desire to stay any longer. He downed the rest of his drink and stood to leave—only for a poised, elegant figure to slide into the seat across from him.

"Care for a drink, handsome~?"

The velvety, alluring voice made Solon's hair stand on end.

Why the hell is she coming after me?!

Indeed, Jade had sought him out on her own, seating herself directly opposite him. Solon was floored.

He'd gone out of his way not to provoke this woman, yet here she was, initiating contact.

Don't tell me it's some bullshit like 'Pathstriders are drawn to each other.'

As if reading his mind, Jade smirked and answered his unspoken question.

"I hadn't noticed you at first, but you overacted. The moment you walked in, you leered at me—yet deliberately chose the table farthest from me."

Solon forced a bitter laugh.

He had slipped up. But what else could he have done? He'd kept his distance precisely to avoid her attention—only to achieve the opposite.

"Those two fools tried to pick a fight with me, yet you didn't react at all. And the second the corporation offered to pay everyone's tab, you couldn't wait to leave."

"Cautious, skilled at deception… You're anything but an 'ordinary' young man. So—you know who I am, don't you?"

Solon was speechless. He'd thought his act flawless, yet in mere minutes, she'd spotted countless cracks in his facade.

This woman is terrifying.

Not daring to let his guard down for even a second, Solon steeled himself, focusing entirely on handling this dangerous opponent.

"You're Lady Jade, one of the 'Ten Stonehearts.' I doubt there's anyone on this planet who doesn't know you."

Jade chuckled, shaking her head.

"Now, now, that's not very honest of you, handsome~"

Her expression might as well have screamed Liar.

Solon's heart skipped a beat. Fortunately, after countless simulations, his acting skills were finely honed. He feigned confusion.

"Ma'am, what exactly do you want?"

Seeing his act, Jade didn't press further. Instead, she explained why she'd stopped him.

"I'm a lender. When I spot a promising client, I can't help but take an interest."

This was Jade's modus operandi—she saw loans as planting seeds. To reap greater rewards, she was more than willing to wait patiently for those seeds to blossom.

And clearly, Solon had caught her eye.

Internally, Solon grew even warier.

Lady Jade was notorious. Borrowers who sought her out inevitably paid a price far exceeding the loan's value—she was worse than a vampire.

"Apologies, ma'am, but I don't need a loan."

Solon refused without hesitation.

Unfazed, Jade slid two fingers into her cleavage and retrieved a jade-green business card—crafted from what looked like actual jade—and offered it to him.

"No matter. Let's just consider this making a new friend. I do so love making friends."

With that line, Solon couldn't refuse again. He accepted the card.

The moment it touched his palm, his pulse stuttered. The card carried a lingering warmth, and a faint, intoxicating fragrance wafted from it.

And considering where it had been stored…

This woman really knows how to play with people's minds.

Solon felt outmatched. If he stayed any longer, he might lose his composure entirely. He quickly excused himself.

"My apologies, ma'am, but I have matters to attend to. Let's talk another time."

Jade, ever the patient angler, didn't stop him. She waved him off with a smile.

"It was a pleasure, handsome. I'll look forward to our next meeting~"

Solon hurried out of the bar.

Watching his retreating figure, Jade's smile faded. She pulled out her phone and began searching.

Soon, Solon's basic profile appeared on her screen.

She skimmed through it swiftly. Even the note about his extensive high-value real estate holdings on the Xianzhou—currently being sold through the corporation—only gave her a brief pause.

Wealth at Solon's level couldn't impress her.

Yet after a thorough search, she found nothing noteworthy. On paper, he was just a lucky rich kid born into privilege.

Setting the phone down, Jade fell into thought.

Her instincts were razor-sharp, able to pinpoint a person's usefulness at a glance.

But when she'd tried using her Stellaron-granted abilities to read Solon's thoughts, she'd hit a wall. His consciousness seemed shielded by some formidable, mysterious force.

Her Stellaron powers were bestowed by an Emanator—ordinary Pathstriders shouldn't have been able to resist.

The anomalies only deepened her interest.

Jade loved secrets—she feared only mediocrity.

The more extraordinary the target, the greater their value.

"Looks like I'll need to dig deeper…"

Back in his room, Solon had no idea how much interest Jade had taken in him. But out of habit, he began preparing an exit strategy.

Just then, a news segment caught his attention.

Interastral Peace Broadcast: The recent Motorball Championship finals at Typhon III Coliseum have been postponed due to unforeseen circumstances.

Reports indicate an unidentified individual disrupted the match, causing an abrupt halt. The rescheduled date remains undetermined.

A fleeting glimpse of a pink-and-blue figure flashed across the screen. Solon's expression turned odd.

Isn't that the 'Entanglement' girl?

Recalling snippets of dialogue from March 7th and Dan Heng about their past intrusion into Typhon III Coliseum—events that took place before the Astral Express crew headed to Herta Space Station—Solon realized something.

The 'plot' was about to begin.