Chapter 26: You Can Play It Like This?

The Duchess was worldly and discerning; she recognized at a glance that this crystal necklace had been purchased from the Fallen Mall—the premier high-end shopping center of the supernatural realm.

In the past, the Duchess had often strolled through the Fallen Mall with other aristocratic supernatural ladies. However, even for her, the prices there were often daunting. She had once coveted this very crystal necklace, but upon seeing the price tag of a million underworld coins, she had hesitated. Although the Duke held a high rank, as a military commander, his actual liquid wealth was not vast. Moreover, he had a large household to maintain: stewards, servants, attendants—such grandeur required an enormous investment of underworld coins. Consequently, there was little left for the Duchess’s personal shopping. After agonizing over it for a month, she had finally given up on the purchase. Now that the Duke’s fortunes had waned, the necklace had seemed even more out of reach.

Yet, never in her wildest dreams had she expected to receive this delightful surprise at tonight’s banquet. Before his rebirth, Chen Mu remembered the Duchess’s preferences, so he had selected exactly what she desired.

The atmosphere at the table shifted instantly. The Duke put on a beaming smile, looking at Chen Mu as if he were a dear brother. The Duchess also wore a radiant expression, gazing at Chen Mu as if he were her future son-in-law.

"Come, come, my dear, you serve Chen Mu his food," the Duke said.

Chen Mu understood perfectly; the Duke was cutting him some slack. The rules stated that one must finish the food served by the Duke, but it never mentioned that one had to finish what the Duchess served. In other words, Chen Mu didn't have to eat the revolting fare at all. The Duke was a man of status, after all; even when granting a favor, he couldn't be as flagrant as the old steward. Chen Mu marveled at the Duke’s finesse—even his favoritism was executed with such class.

The Duke noticed that Chen Mu understood the gesture and was pleased. This was a clever young man! He was sharp, wealthy, and seemingly well-connected—an excellent potential partner.

The Duchess, meanwhile, was so overjoyed by the necklace that she was far less subtle. She clapped her hands, ordered the servants to bring out some cake, and served it to Chen Mu herself. The implication was clear: don't bring those disgusting things to Chen Mu; it would be a shame to ruin his appetite.

Favoritism. Pampering.

The Duchess might as well have had these words written on her face. This sudden turn of events left Wang Dafu and the guy with yellow hair stunned.

What the hell? You can play it like this?

A flash of inspiration struck Wang Dafu. He remembered he still had 10 underworld coins in his crotch. Underworld coins—those were precious! He had heard that in this apocalyptic world, nothing was more valuable than underworld coins. With them in hand, even the most terrifying entities would grovel at your feet. He had spent years of networking and a great fortune to acquire those 10 coins. Now was the time to use them!

Chen Mu had brought some trinkets, but could they possibly be as valuable as his coins? Clearly, Wang Dafu only knew the value of the currency and assumed everything else was inferior. If Chen Mu’s gifts could make the Duke and Duchess beam, surely his own precious coins would make the Duke grovel before him.

With this thought, Wang Dafu cleared his throat and stood up. "Lord Duke, Duchess, I have a far more precious gift for you both."

In front of everyone, he reached into his crotch and pulled out something stained with urine, presenting it to the Duke like a treasure. The Duke looked down.

Damn it! 10 underworld coins? Are you trying to humiliate me?

Although the Duke had fallen on hard times, he was still an aristocrat. Even a starving camel is larger than a horse; he still had hundreds of thousands of coins in his estate. What was the meaning of this pittance? It was an insult! And to make matters worse, the man had retrieved them from his trousers. The sheer absurdity of the act sent the Duke into a rage.

"How dare you insult a Duke at his own banquet! Drag him out and behead him," the Duke commanded his attendants.

The servants didn't hesitate, grabbing Wang Dafu and dragging him away. Wang Dafu was bewildered. What happened? Weren't underworld coins the most precious thing? Weren't these creatures supposed to grovel? Why was his script playing out differently?

Chen Mu couldn't help but chuckle. Wang Dafu’s performance was truly beyond the pale; even after five years in this apocalyptic world, Chen Mu had never seen anything like it. He had to admit, Wang Dafu had widened his horizons.

After Wang Dafu was dragged out, the banquet continued. The Duke and Duchess remained all smiles, serving cake to Chen Mu. When it came time to serve the yellow-haired man, the Duke looked at Chen Mu and asked, "Is this person a friend of yours?"

Chen Mu shook his head. "I don't know him."

He had no intention of using his own resources to help a stranger, especially one who harbored hostility toward him. Without Chen Mu’s protection, the Duke followed the rules to the letter, serving the man a plate of rotting meat and eyeballs. Looking at the disgusting food on his plate compared to Chen Mu’s fine cake, the yellow-haired man felt like weeping. Why was the treatment so drastically different?

His mindset shattered once more, and his gaze toward Chen Mu filled with intense jealousy, malice, and resentment. Why did Chen Mu get to live so comfortably? Why couldn't he just help him? When this task was over, he would kill Chen Mu! With all those treasures and that spatial ring, everything would be his.

The yellow-haired man plotted his assassination, shooting venomous glares at Chen Mu. Chen Mu noticed the murderous intent immediately. *Heh, looking to kill me?* Chen Mu wasn't the type to let a threat fester. If the man was looking for death, he wouldn't hold back.

Chen Mu silently pulled out his phone and called the supernatural driver, instructing him to wait outside for the yellow-haired man. The driver was strong—taking care of one man would be effortless. Chen Mu knew a simple truth: if you don't pull out the weeds by the root, they will grow again with the spring breeze.