Felix's heart sank as he watched a staggering 2 million BEP vanish from his account.
Just then a small silver square box materialized in his hand.
"System, what is this? I asked for a vault, not... whatever this is!" Felix snapped, frustration bubbling over.
"Calm down, Host. Just drop a drop of your blood on it," the system replied soothingly.
Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Felix pricked his finger and let a single drop fall onto the silver box.
To his surprise, the moment his blood touched the surface, it was instantly absorbed.
The box erupted into an intense, mesmerizing glow that enveloped him in warmth.
Felix felt an indescribable connection; it was as if he and the silver box had merged into one—a bizarre yet exhilarating sensation.
"Host, send your consciousness inside the box," the system instructed suddenly.
Nodding resolutely, Felix plunged his consciousness into the shimmering depths of the silver box.
What he encountered left him utterly astounded: an expansive void stretched before him—vast beyond imagination!
The grand hall he'd just been in now seemed like a mere closet compared to this boundless space. If this was just a Low Grade Vault, what wonders awaited in Mid Grade or High Grade Vaults?
"And Host," the system continued with intrigue, "the Vault has a Spirit."
Felix raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "What do you mean?"
Before he could press further, the silver box burst forth with radiant light that shot up like a pillar radiating the entire hall.
Felix and the others had to shield their eyes from a blinding light that suddenly enveloped them. After a few moments, as the brilliance faded, they cautiously opened their eyes.
To their astonishment, the silver box Felix had been holding was now floating effortlessly in mid-air. Beside it hovered a tiny figure radiating a soft white glow.
This miniature being, no larger than a finger, wore an impeccably tailored white tuxedo and sported neatly combed white hair.
With elegant gloves and an expression as serene as still water, he exuded an air of sophistication reminiscent of a butler from an esteemed family, perhaps in his twenties.
Felix stood speechless, captivated by the sight of this extraordinary figure drifting beside the silver box.
Suddenly, the little figure gracefully floated toward Felix and bowed with utmost respect. "Greetings, Master Felix."
Snapping out of his daze, Felix nodded in return. "Greetings to you too."
"Waaa! Big bro, this thing is adorable! Where did you get it?".
Zephyr exclaimed as he and the others emerged from their stupor, gathering around the small figure with wide-eyed curiosity.
Continuing to open restaurants seemed pointless now, they had initially started that venture to earn money, but now they were swimming in it!
"I see where you're coming from," Felix nodded solemnly as he gazed at each of them.
Felix leaned back, his eyes glinting with determination. "Although our current wealth rivals that of a small kingdom, let's be real: we're rich but lack true power. Our strength is pitifully low. Sure, the resources we possess could elevate us quickly, but without real influence, what good is it?
As the saying goes, 'Two heads are better than one.' With our considerable wealth, we can cultivate our own army and establish organizations that work in our favor."
The room fell silent as everyone absorbed Felix's words.
"But big bro," Zephyr interjected, curiosity etched on his face. "What does this mean for our restaurant business?"
"Of course we'll continue!" Felix replied with a nod. "Why would we stop? Just because we're wealthy doesn't mean we can abandon what we've built."
"We won't just run the restaurant; we'll branch out into different industries too," he added confidently.
A sly smile crept across Felix's face as he continued, "Have you considered what might happen if the top restaurant in Brigdemoor City and the twelve cities around Atmos Forest suddenly closed its doors? People would definitely start to wonder!"
"What does that have to do with us?" Nixie asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.
Felix shook his head gently. "Everyone knows how much profit we make from these restaurants. If we suddenly halt operations while our strength skyrockets and no one sees us acquiring cultivation resources... well, suspicions will arise! Even if some think it's just due to our mana cultivation abilities, there will always be someone digging deeper."
"But big bro," Nixie pressed on, "that still doesn't give them reason to suspect us. It's not like they care where we get our resources!"
"Nixie," Trinity chimed in thoughtfully, "this world isn't simple. Human nature is complex and often envious. Look at Chef Gideon, his talent led to jealousy and conspiracy against him by those he trusted most."
"And if someone discovers what we truly have?" Gwendolyn added ominously. "Even if we're incredibly strong, it could spell disaster for us."
"So yes," Felix concluded firmly, "we need to keep running our restaurant business as a cover for our immense wealth. This way, even when we grow stronger rapidly, people will attribute it to the success of the restaurant rather than suspect anything more sinister."
"I understand now," Nixie said after a moment's thought.
"And remember," Zephyr cautioned from the side, "we don't come from powerful backgrounds; we're just orphans trying to make something of ourselves. We must tread carefully."
Felix felt a wave of relief wash over him as they grasped his point.
Yet there was something Felix kept to himself: according to the system he was bound to follow, he had to bring every venture he embarked upon to its peak or risk losing everything again. Experience tales at m v|l e'-novelhall.net
Not too long ago, he almost had dinner with Hades but he was able to survive.
He realized that wealth would never replace the value of his own life. After all, his existence was far more precious than any treasure.
He was fetermined to fulfill the system's main mission and besides maybe in the future he would wield power over millions through the industries he planned to develop.
With this thought in mind, Felix smiled.
But what he didn't know was that with this decision he would set off a chain reaction across the entire Lunaris Continent in the near future.