I am a former Flame Chasers

That night, as part of the celebration for moving into the new villa, the underground space was lively all night.

After the girls finished their showers, they were forced by Elysia to play poker in the room. With her around, it was impossible to be bored.

From the King's Game to Truth or Dare, they played it all. Of course, Mobius suffered the most. She would rather wrap herself in a bath towel to cover her shame than be forced by Elysia to share her secrets with everyone.

Some people enjoyed it, though. Himeko, who was a little drunk, loudly discussed whether Ryan had experience, even analyzing details from the mysterious paper ball in the trash can. She shared her observations with such precision that some of the others perked up, as if they had grasped a significant clue.

By late at night, everyone was exhausted from playing. They decided to stay in Elysia's room, which pleased someone greatly. The specially built large bed was finally getting some use.

Meanwhile, on the third floor, a different scene unfolded. In the dimly lit room, only the screen flickered. Three men sat quietly, hands resting on their chins like mysterious sages, debating the most artistic topic in the world.

By morning, as the solar refraction panel bathed the room in golden light, Ryan and Elysia, who had just woken up for breakfast, looked at each other in silence.

"It seems like the girls had quite a lively time," Ryan remarked, his voice dry from lack of sleep.

"Hehe, you weren't bad either. I'm curious, though. What did the boys do last night?" Elysia asked, her eyes mischievously glinting.

The two sat at the table, both sporting dark circles under their eyes. They exchanged looks before quickly looking away.

There were things they couldn't speak of, things that would remain secrets. But, honestly, last night had been enjoyable.

Elysia tore a piece of bread, dunking it in milk and eating it with satisfaction. She glanced at Ryan when she thought he wasn't looking.

"If you have something to say, just say it. I feel like I'm at a disadvantage here," Ryan said, picking up his coffee.

"Why didn't you come eavesdrop last night? I was making a lot of noise, you know." Elysia asked with a sly smile.

Ryan choked on his coffee, quickly wiping his mouth with a napkin. "You're deliberately teasing me, aren't you?"

"No, I'm giving you a chance to benefit, and I'm helping you." Elysia whistled and leaned forward. "I'm really curious, though. What did you boys do last night? I thought Kevin would go work overtime in the middle of the night."

"You don't understand the sage state. And I'm upright, so I wouldn't eavesdrop," Ryan said with a sneer, though inwardly, he cursed Elysia for being so naive.

"You made such a scene. You really think I have a hypnosis app or something? Even five mouths wouldn't be enough to cover it," he thought bitterly.

Elysia raised an eyebrow, sensing something was off. Ryan didn't want to waste time arguing, so he knocked on the table lightly. "I called Mei last night. We decided to speed up the integration. Can you look at me?"

"Oh, you and Mei can decide such troublesome matters, huh? You're in charge of the outside while I handle the inside," Elysia replied with a half-smile, clearly uninterested.

Ryan sighed and took a sip of his coffee. As much as he disliked being in charge, he knew it was necessary. It wasn't just about personal feelings, and he had to admit, Mei was much more efficient at handling this.

"It's better not to talk about it, or you'll embarrass yourself," he muttered.

Ding.

A new cup of coffee appeared on the table, and Ryan turned to see Sakura, dressed in black and white, walking over.

"Sakura, what were you up to last night? It was so lively?" Ryan asked casually.

"Ryan, you went to work so early? Tell me what you boys did last night?" Elysia and Sakura asked almost simultaneously.

The two women exchanged a knowing glance before turning their attention to Ryan and Elysia, then walked away silently.

Elysia, unfazed by Ryan's glare, lifted her chin with a smile. "What happened with Sakura and the others?"

Ryan, not wanting to admit his curiosity, said, "You really have bad intentions. Come on, tell me! What happened?"

With a grin, Elysia shrugged. "I said I was helping you. If you're really curious, I can't tell you."

Ryan's curiosity peaked, but there were too many people talking, so he didn't press her for more. Instead, he stood up and drank his coffee, trying to change the subject.

"Ahem, I need to get to work. I won't talk to you anymore."

"Hey, don't you want to know what I did last night?" Elysia asked playfully.

"I'm not interested now. We'll talk about it when I have free time," Ryan replied, walking away quickly and slamming the door behind him.

Elysia pouted and looked helplessly at the door. She had wanted to keep the secret, but Ryan was always so boring sometimes.

Just then, Mobius emerged from the kitchen, her shirt slightly askew, revealing her ample chest. She gave Elysia a complex look.

"Dear Mobius, are you disappointed? I slipped out quietly last night, and he didn't open the door, right?" Elysia teased.

"These guys are sneaky. I don't know what they're doing," Mobius groaned, rubbing her long hair lazily. "I was crazy to accompany you and mess around. We wasted the whole night."

"Curious, huh? I felt the collapse last night," Elysia said, walking over and pulling a key out of nowhere. "While he's away, how about we go on an adventure?"

Mobius looked uninterested, but her body betrayed her as she obediently followed Elysia up the stairs.

"Boring, but I'll accompany you for now," Mobius grumbled.

"Do you want to call Vil-V? Doesn't she have the personality of a 'porn appraiser'?" Elysia asked mischievously.

"How do you know?!" Mobius' voice suddenly became sharp.

"Super Agent Ellie is not a vain name. Well, Vil-V confessed to me first. She didn't say much," Elysia winked.

Mobius sighed, regretting trusting Elysia's schizophrenic behavior. She muttered, "It's pointless asking her to do anything."

"Who said that?" Elysia tapped her chest confidently. "Super Ellie has already smelled the bitterness."

Meanwhile...

The aroma of fresh coffee filled the air. Ryan sat comfortably in his swivel chair, pulling out his phone to send a message.

Since he hadn't submitted his works for a while, Eden had reached out to remind him. He'd heard Ryan was now the general manager.

This matter was top secret. Only the headquarters and a few key individuals knew about it, but with Eden's big mouth, it wasn't a surprise that the news had leaked.

The emotionally intelligent singer wasn't shocked. He simply congratulated Ryan and asked if he wanted to continue the deal.

As the general manager, Ryan had unlimited power, and money was no longer a concern for him. Eden could clearly see that Ryan had no need to worry about finances.

Ryan glanced at Mei, who was quietly reading documents at the table. Last night, Ryan hadn't just indulged in art but also used his "sage time" to draw up a plan. As the price of being a hands-off boss, Mei had taken control of the finances. It was more powerful than the previous research funding system.

But there was a catch. As the general manager, Ryan technically had no salary, as it had been included in the project funds of the maintenance headquarters. Mei was ruthless.

Ryan tapped his fingers on the screen in frustration.

[The transaction continues. I just happened to be free recently and thought of a few more exciting songs]

[I'm looking forward to it. By the way, does the Fire Moth need donations?]

Eden, with his high EQ, clearly saw Ryan's predicament. He asked about donations in the most tactful way to avoid embarrassing him.

Ryan wanted to accept but realized that Mei would control any donations. It wasn't that he couldn't reclaim control over the funds, but he didn't want to. Mei was the only one capable of handling the financial tasks.

'If I donate to my personal life, will I end up as a kept gigolo?' Ryan thought, rolling his eyes.

[No need, if you have relevant considerations, you can contact Dr. Mei. By the way, my transaction with you has nothing to do with money. Becoming an artist has always been my dream, but unfortunately, I have too much to bear. It's good for you to inherit this dream.]

Eden's words carried a hint of sadness. Artists, by nature, are sentimental, and in just a few lines, Eden could weave an epic story in his mind:

The blood-stained hero placed his scarred fingers on the piano keys and played a sorrowful melody. He didn't want to hold the sword, but for humanity's survival, he had to abandon his ideals.

Ryan rolled his eyes and replied.

[Good, I'll listen to it when I'm free.]

In the distance...

Ryan sipped his coffee, a little confused by Eden's overly dramatic tone. He realized that Eden had misunderstood his intentions. His original ideal was to be a plagiarist, and working with her was amusing. It was just the ramblings of a time traveler.

But he didn't want to explain himself. Let the misunderstanding persist—it was always good to have a taller image in others' eyes.

"Have you finished replying to the message?" Mei asked, looking up from her work.

"Yes, have you finished reading it too?"

"Almost. The person you're chatting with is Eden, right? He's one of the richest people in the world," Mei said coldly, her pen twirling in her fingers. "If possible, I'd like to get to know her."

"She's not compatible with artists like you. Reason and sensibility are opposites. You probably think all that art is a waste of resources," Ryan replied, raising an eyebrow.

"That's why I want you to go. Sacrificing your appearance for the organization is also part of the general manager's job."

Ryan almost dropped his coffee cup. He was about to retort, but paused as a white-haired young man appeared at the door, guns in hand. Ryan swallowed his anger and remained silent.

"I didn't know there was such a rule in the general manager's code of responsibility," Ryan grumbled, leaning back and folding his arms. "Tell me, what's next on the agenda?"

"Don't worry, I'll report the recent events," Mei replied, standing up with a serious expression.

Her formality surprised Ryan, and he straightened his back without realizing it. He hadn't realized it before, but now it struck him that Mei, the one who laid the foundation for everything, had become his subordinate.

A person's destiny might depend on their efforts, but they also had to consider the course of history.