Chapter 23: I

The murmurs and glances in the auction hall, like an impenetrable mist, were utterly severed behind Qin Feng. He strode out of the auction house, stepped into the waiting Rolls-Royce Phantom, and as the door closed, all external noise seemed muted.

He leaned back against the soft leather seat, closed his eyes, and plunged all his attention into the system interface undergoing radical transformation.

Where the progress bars for 【Super Technology】 and 【Wealth Prediction】 once displayed, a deep blue screen now replaced them, as vast and dark as Star Sea. Countless fine streams of data flowed and reorganized across the screen like the Milky Way, radiating a staggering, heart-stopping aura.

【System upgrading... 10%... 35%... 70%...】

【Detected "Source Technology Imprint," analysis accelerated...】

【Super Technology module integrated!】

【Ding! System upgrade complete!】

The light gradually faded, revealing a brand-new system interface before Qin Feng's "eyes."

The overall style became sleeker and more sci-fi: on the left remained the familiar 【Blessing Key】, 【Skill Key】 (cooldown still doubled), and the 【Shenji Blessing】 still in prolonged cooldown. On the right appeared two new, faintly glowing icons.

The first icon was a constantly rotating, intricately structured three-dimensional blue crystal core, labeled: 【Technology Core】.

The second icon was a book composed of light, radiating an ancient aura, labeled: 【Technology Archive】.

Qin Feng's will shifted slightly, and he tapped the 【Technology Core】.

【Technology Core】: The central hub of the Super Technology module. Capable of absorbing, analyzing, storing, and simulating various technological knowledge or "Source Technology Imprints." Core level determines analysis and simulation efficiency and maximum technology capacity. Current level: Lv. 1 (0/). Upgrade requires "Tech Points" or special energy.

【Technology Archive】: Records complete technological blueprints fully analyzed by the 【Technology Core】 and available for direct extraction and application by the Host. Current records: None.

Qin Feng's heart pounded. This function was outright godlike! Absorb, analyze, simulate technology? Directly extract complete blueprints? This meant that as long as he was given sufficient "knowledge" or those "Source Technology Imprints" as fuel, he could endlessly acquire technology far beyond his era!

He suppressed his excitement and tried opening the 【Technology Archive】—it was indeed empty. Clearly, the "Imprints" embedded in the ancient artifacts he had just absorbed were too faint, sufficient only to unlock the module and replenish his Life Energy, but not enough to form a complete technology.

Yet even this framework alone revealed infinite possibilities to him!

He exited the system, took a deep breath, and instructed the driver in front: "Return to Yunding Mansion immediately. Also, notify Sister Su—deploy all resources to gather global data on unknown ancient civilizations, especially artifacts, ruins, or any peculiar objects related to oceans or stars. Focus on items bearing unique patterns, symbols, or energy signatures."

"Yes, Boss Qin!" Sun Zhe, though bewildered, acted immediately.

Back in the penthouse of Yunding Mansion, Qin Feng immediately entered the private laboratory, built at enormous cost with top-tier security. The twelve "trash" items he had just won at auction had been delivered and neatly arranged inside bulletproof glass cabinets.

He approached, his fingers lightly brushing over the holes in the Bronze Navigator's remains through the glass. This time, without system prompts, his perception—enhanced by the 【Technology Core】—clearly detected faint, residual energy fluctuations on these objects, utterly alien to modern technological systems.

"Source Technology Imprint..." Qin Feng murmured. "What civilization did this come from?"

At that moment, his personal phone rang—a number he didn't recognize.

Qin Feng frowned but pressed the answer button.

"Hello, is this Qin Feng, Mr. Qin?" A middle-aged male voice, slightly haughty, came through the line.

"I am. Who are you?"

"I'm Wang Hongyuan of Hongyuan Group." The man stated his identity outright, tone condescending. "Mr. Qin made quite a splash at today's auction—twelve 'treasures' purchased in a row. Admirable."

Qin Feng's eyes grew cold, his voice calm: "What do you want, Mr. Wang?"

"No need for games." Wang Hongyuan seemed unwilling to waste time. "I'm very interested in the items you bought—especially that last bronze plate. Name your price. I'll buy them all outright. Let you make a nice profit, how about it?"

So it was about these items! Clearly, Wang Hongyuan didn't understand their true value, but Qin Feng's unusual behavior had aroused his suspicion—and greed.

"Not for sale." Qin Feng refused outright, without hesitation.

There was a pause on the line. Wang Hongyuan's voice turned icy: "Mr. Qin, business thrives on harmony. Those items are just useless junk to you—why cling to them? Give me a face, and we can negotiate the price."

"I said, not for sale." Qin Feng's tone remained calm, yet carried absolute finality.

"Qin Feng!" Wang Hongyuan's voice rose, enraged. "Don't push your luck! In business, no one dares treat me, Wang Hongyuan, like this! I'm telling you—those items, you'll sell them, whether you want to or not!"

"Oh?" Qin Feng's lips curled into a mocking smile. "Are you trying to force a sale, Mr. Wang?"

"Hmph! I'm giving you two days to think it over!" Wang Hongyuan's voice turned vicious, laced with naked threats. "If you still refuse to show respect after two days, don't blame me, Wang, for being ruthless! What you lose then might be more than just a few pieces of trash! Think carefully!"

Without waiting for a reply, Wang Hongyuan hung up.

Listening to the dial tone, Qin Feng's eyes flashed with cold light.

Threaten me?

He looked at the twelve ancient artifacts in the lab, then felt the 【Technology Core】 in his mind, brimming with infinite potential.

Wang Hongyuan could never have imagined that the "trash" he dismissed were, to Qin Feng, keys to a new world. And this threatening call had only ignited Qin Feng's defiance.

"Two days?" Qin Feng murmured, his icy gaze sweeping over the glittering city lights beyond the window.

"More than enough."

Enough for him to prepare a "surprise" gift for this overconfident Mr. Wang.

He picked up the internal phone and reconnected to Sun Zhe and Su Wenqian.

"Sun Zhe, conduct a full audit of all our assets, especially Xingyao Department Store. Prepare for possible malicious business tactics from Hongyuan Group. Activate Level One contingency protocol."

"Sister Su, accelerate the global search for unusual artifacts. Meanwhile, compile all evidence we have regarding Hongyuan Group's collusion with retail investors to manipulate prices in the 'Qinghe Garden' project."

Want to play? Then let's play big!

Let's see who loses more in two days!