Whose world-class drama are they criticizing?

After a simple breakfast, he pushed open the door, walked out of the corridor, and came into the courtyard.

The morning wind was still chilly, rustling the roses in the courtyard. The servants were up early, carrying box after box of metal materials into the carriage—all earned by Ryan through his own hard work.

"Mr. Ryan."

The half-elf lady was up earlier than the servants. She dressed simply today, in a black and white dress and tall boots. When she saw Ryan, she said, "Good morning."

"Your speech last night was truly inspiring and impressive."

Upon hearing Jasmine's words, even someone as thick-skinned as Ryan felt a slight pang of shame.

To convince that scrapped case to enlist, Ryan used a whole bunch of obscure and incomprehensible anime-style jargon. At the time, I didn't think much of it, but now, looking back, I wish I could go back in time and slap myself.

He didn't sleep well last night, and that's why he tossed and turned all night.

“I was possessed by a ghost yesterday,” Ryan said, his lips twitching slightly. “I forgot about it.”

"But I think it was very well said."

Miss Jasmine, with her back ramrod straight and toes together, recited with great emotion, “'Ah, if the light is about to go out, I will hold this lamp of the underworld in my hand...' and such, it’s very interesting.”

Sometimes, Ryan really thinks Miss Jasmine is quite cunning.

Having my dark history read aloud to my face is the second cruelest form of punishment in the world; it's worse than being killed.

“I’ve written down every thought-provoking quote in my notebook, you see.”

Miss Jasmine took out a notebook from her purse, opened it and showed it to Ryan. "Hmm, let me think, I'll name this book 'Ryan's Divine Words'."

Ryan realized that there wasn't a single normal human being in the Lu Ming family, from top to bottom and inside to outside. Perhaps they could be listed as a separate race within the humanoid branch, and named Lu Mingke.

"Why do you have to write it down in a notebook?" Ryan asked, his face darkening. "Can you just tear this notebook up?"

"Because I have another mission, which is to be an inside agent—where do you think your start-up capital came from?"

Jasmine replied matter-of-factly, “Your father instructed me to monitor your words and actions and to record important information for the Lu Ming family to report.”

Does that mean you want my family to see this stuff in this little notebook?

Ryan felt suffocated. The cruelest form of torture than having his dark history read aloud to his face was having it shown to his family.

His family of origin was suffocating him.

"You don't want your father to know about this, do you?"

Jasmine raised her head and threatened with a smile.

“My dear Miss Jasmine.”

Ryan chose to back down. Ever since childhood, Ryan had been somewhat helpless with Jasmine, who was a year older than him. He sighed, "...For the sake of me being the boss, please don't let anyone see this thing."

“You haven’t paid me my salary yet, so I won’t obey your orders.” Jasmine shook her head.

"How much money do you want?" Ryan was prepared to use his financial power.

"Your start-up capital all came from the family head. You think you can just pass it around between your own pocket? Do you think I'm an easy girl to deal with?"

Jasmine shook her head and scoffed, "Where did you get the money? Like yesterday, you just picked up a broken stick and sent me away?"

The power of money has failed.

Ryan looked somewhat troubled. "What do you want?"

"This time, pick a rose for me."

Miss Jasmine smiled and said that as the chilly spring breeze blew, the roses in the courtyard swayed.

That touch of rouge spread out, adding a splash of red to the otherwise plain courtyard shrouded in mist.

“Mr. Ryan, this is my wages for the second day.”

...

Why are you still doing daily pay?

After picking a rose and paying Miss Jasmine her wages for the day, Ryan couldn't help but complain.

The term "daily settlement" means that wages are settled every day.

Is it paid daily?

Jasmine, feeling triumphant, tilted her head and earnestly said as she tucked a rose into her hairpin,

“You mean ‘daily settlement’? I’ve never heard of such a payment method before… But as long as your body can handle it.”

Which day's settlement are you using?

Are you living in some hentai anime/manga world?

“I can’t continue talking to you,” Ryan said. “How are the preparations going?”

"The materials are all packed. Excluding the ten spies sent by the Grand Duke, the only people accompanying us are myself, Miss Helen, and the blacksmith."

After receiving her salary, Jasmine demonstrated her professionalism:

"From Lu Ming to Wu Guang Territory, it's nearly a thousand miles. By ordinary train, it would probably take a week to get there. Only by taking Lu Ming's special 'Magic Train' can we reach the border today, as you requested."

"The ticket costs 30 gold per person... That adds up to 120 gold."

Miss Jasmine said, "Given your current funds, I still recommend that you take a regular train."

Ordinary trains run on magic stones as fuel, which is inefficient.

The so-called "Demonic Train" directly extracts the magical power of extraordinary individuals.

It consists of two small carriages, a passenger area and a power furnace.

Twenty people form a group to act as magic batteries, and they only take turns resting when their magic power is completely exhausted.

This was all money earned through risking one's life, so the tickets were extremely expensive and were only available to the most noble families.

The players will be arriving in three days, and Ryan can't afford to take a leisurely train.

"Please speak to the train conductor," he said with a smile. "For Lu Ming's sake, could I get my ticket for free since I brought my own batteries?"

...

Lu Ming Station Platform, the Demonic Train 'Dawn', power compartment.

In the gloomy room, ten pairs of cold, sinister eyes gleamed with a murderous light, like venomous snakes.

Among the many branches of the Loumin family, the Loire family did not hold a prominent position.

But only true Louvre people understand the significance of the Loire family.

If Loumin is the king of glory, then the Loire family are the rulers of shadow.

They are the dark side of the Lu Ming family, the shadow beneath the glory, the most cold-blooded and ruthless killers who only obey orders and don't care about people.

Even the so-called Third Young Master Lu Ming, in the eyes of professionals like them, is no different from an ordinary person.

When they first received the mission to monitor this young master in Wuguang Territory, they were disdainful.

Their stealth and tracking skills are so advanced that they can impersonate anyone. It's likely that even after the mission is over, this spoiled young master won't be able to find them.

Each disciple has undergone the most rigorous and inhumane training, witnessed the most terrifying hell, and even going to the so-called 'end of the world' in the Land of No Light is nothing to them.

But today, they finally realized: the truly terrifying thing about this mission was never the Dark Territory, but Ryan Lumin.

This spoiled brat insisted on riding that magic train!

Then the most terrifying thing happened—

Professionals can't afford the expensive train tickets.

The funds approved by Grand Duke Lawrence were first partially embezzled by 'Mission Specialist' Miss Jasmine, and then further skimmed off by 'Mission Target' Ryan, until only a single-digit amount reached the hands of the frontline personnel.

They received the funding for the mission and even the mission objectives, but the frontline mission takers didn't get any.

If you take a regular train, it will take several weeks, and you simply can't catch up with the magic train.

The mission objective had been out of reach for several weeks, which directly resulted in mission failure.

For the Loire family, failure in a mission meant death.

But kind-hearted Jasmine and Ryan are determined to save them from their predicament.

The train has only two small carriages. If you can't sit in the passenger compartment, you'll have to go to the engine compartment.

Commissioner Jasmine, using the authority granted to her by Grand Duke Lawrence, thoughtfully issued the highest order:

"Anbu, listen to my command! Cosplay as batteries!"

Chapter 23 Welcome to the Land of No Light

Luming is located near the sea.

As dawn broke, the magical train gracefully swept across the horizon between the azure sky and the azure sea, crushing the dew on the rails.

Ryan made himself a cup of coffee and sat comfortably in a window seat, enjoying the view outside.

The fields gradually covered the window frames, and the greenery stretched all the way to the horizon. Through the wooden fence, the silhouettes of windmills and towers appeared in the distance. Compared to the boundless blue sky, the windmills and towers looked like two tiny figures.

Peaceful and serene times, nothing more.

He took another nap and is now full of energy and clear-headed. The weather is great today, sunny and the wind is gentle.

Although at the far end of the train, the elite members of the secret service, true masters of disguise, having impersonated countless people, successfully disguised themselves as batteries today...

Even Ryan was moved by their dedication.

"Mr. Ryan."

Even Jasmine couldn't stand it anymore. "Don't you think this is going too far? If it leads to a depletion of magic power, then it's a work-related injury."

"really."

Ryan immediately realized what was happening, and he promptly showed his concern.

"Jasmine, you can use this reason to apply for another medical subsidy from Dad!"

“You finally understand.” Jasmine nodded in agreement.

Ms. Helen, looking back warily from the front window, glanced back.

Although he couldn't hear what Ryan and Molly were plotting, the former chaste paladin instinctively sensed an evil aura.

They're definitely plotting something again... to use new methods to train Lu Ming's swordsmanship.

hateful...

Her heart tightened, and she gritted her teeth.

In broad daylight, and in front of so many people... How shameless!

Helen thought of this; she had heard of this kind of play before, this must be the legendary 'train play'.

Nevertheless, Helen would never give in again.

From that day on, she made a vow to herself.

She only agreed to Ryan's offer as a pretense.

Although he was temporarily unable to perform, he never gave up resisting, nor did he give up pursuing Lu Mingjian Dao.

This is what is meant by "enduring hardship and biding one's time."

"Old man, I advise you to behave yourself."

Helen spoke to the old blacksmith across from her, her piercing gaze fixed on the strange old man, his clothes tattered and worn, never letting her guard down.

Those bright golden eyes were as sharp as a hawk's, and all evil had nowhere to hide in them.

Throughout Lu Mingling, from Jasmine to the butler to the head of the family, no one could understand why Ryan would hire this crazy old man; they simply assumed he was mad.

They even insisted that this old man possessed unparalleled talent, calling him 'Lu Ming's Number One Craftsman'.

This greatly displeased Grand Duke Lawrence, who firmly believed that he was the one worthy of the title 'Luming's First Craftsman,' after all, his trembling back then was nothing short of ingenious...

Helen knew that only she had seen through the truth; she had seen through Ryan's evil plot.

That's right, there's only one truth.

Please, old man.

She had seen this kind of game in books before.