Chương 398: A Mere Succubus

In Black Iron City, the key to doing business boils down to one word.

fast!

Hurry up, speed up!

Ideally, it should be even faster than premature ejaculation!

Because in the brutal competition of the business market, time is money.

Secretary Sissia understood this principle well, so as soon as Miss Durra gave the order, she immediately went back to prepare.

A team of auditors, a professional security team, disguised agents, and executioners to purge corrupt officials—everything was ready. They arrived in the lower city via the elevator platform in the center of Black Iron City.

"Hmph, the air in the lower city is always so awful."

Dura gave a soft snort and waved her hand in front of her nose, trying to dispel the lingering scent.

At this moment, she and Cecilia were riding in a magic carriage, traveling through the Industrial County of the Lower City.

Outside the car window, there were rows of workshops and residential buildings that could barely be considered high-end.

Straight pipes and huge gears are directly exposed outside the building, and the chimney occasionally spews out a thick plume of orange-red smoke, making it a prime example of haphazard and indiscriminate dumping, inviting passersby to breathe in industrial waste gas.

The water quality of the artificial waterway is even worse. Wastewater from the upper district and industrial emissions are mixed together, forming a dark-colored river. Workers passing by will subconsciously avoid it to avoid getting their hands dirty.

Secretary Sissia smiled wryly.

"Miss, the Lower City is full of various highly polluting industries, and they are also responsible for processing and recycling the waste from our Upper City. It's already quite an achievement that they can manage to make it just smell bad."

She picked up the magic controller from the coffee table next to the sofa and held it in her hand, gesturing to Miss Dura.

"Young Miss, why don't we close the windows? This new magic carriage is equipped with an air filtration array."

"No need," Dura waved her hand in refusal.

"We're here for an inspection, and the harsh conditions are part of the investigation. What's the point if we spend the whole time lying in a comfortable carriage?"

Secretary Sissia nodded repeatedly, looking as if she had learned something.

Dura changed the subject and looked at the notebook in Cecilia's hand.

"By the way, Sissia, how's the patrol route coming along?"

"Everything is arranged, Miss."

Secretary Sissia's expression turned serious. She handed her notebook to Dura and stood up to explain.

"Our industries in the Lower City mainly focus on ore smelting and refining, metal casting, mushroom cultivation, and small-scale village trade with foreign countries. There are a total of 68 main workshops, which are managed by three subordinate medium-sized chambers of commerce and are ready to be inspected by the young lady at any time."

"Good, do they know I've arrived in the lower city?"

Sissia scratched her head and said.

"Your itinerary cannot be kept secret, but our inspectors have infiltrated the Chamber of Commerce five days in advance. Please rest assured regarding the anti-corruption efforts."

Dula nodded slightly and said nothing more.

Her bright amber eyes looked out the window, her gaze passing through her monocle to the passing workers and carts, and she began to think about the development plan for the chamber of commerce in the lower city.

At this moment, Secretary Sissia, who was standing there, opened her mouth but hesitated to speak, her expression showing a conflicted look.

After about three to five minutes, Sissia cautiously spoke.

"Young Miss, during this inspection, would you like to take a stop at the Revolving Golden Sparrow Tavern?"

"What tavern?"

"Rotating Golden Sparrow".

"No, I wasn't asking about its name." Dura frowned.

"I mean, it seems we haven't invested in the restaurant business in the downtown area."

She mentally reviewed the food and beverage market in the downtown area, then shrugged.

"The restaurant industry in the lower city has been controlled by the demons. Their purification technology is so cheap that outsiders can't get involved at all. I would only invest in a tavern here if I were a fool with too much money to waste."

"No, no, no, it's not an investment."

Secretary Sissia looked extremely embarrassed, her rounded toes gripping the insole of her high heels tightly.

"Young lady, that's the tavern we collected debts from before, the one where I hired a low-level succubus to manage it."

"Oh, that's what it is."

Dura suddenly realized, and looked at Secretary Sissia with amusement.

"Sissia, are you still worried about the tavern's bad debts? I've already told you, that goblin merchant's bad debts have nothing to do with you. It's just a few hundred gold coins, it won't affect the trust between us."

Sissia showed no sign of relaxing, inwardly screaming without any regard for her image.

That's the only stain on my business career!

This stain must be completely erased from what should have been a perfect career resume!

Sissia gritted her teeth and looked at Durra sitting on the sofa.

"Young Miss, although it's a non-performing asset, it's still part of the Gray Gold family's business, and it has already turned a profit, paying out a certain amount of revenue every week for the past two months."

"How much profit?"

"Um..." Sissia blushed slightly and said guiltily, "It's not much, ninety-eight silver coins in total including the gold."

Durra: "..."

Dura was silent for a moment, then sighed, patted Sissia's shoulder, pressed the secretary back onto the sofa, and said in a deep voice.

"Sissia, you know that time is money. We need to focus our energy on the family's important businesses. As for that succubus-managed Rotating Golden Sparrow Tavern, it's already quite an achievement that it's turned a profit. You have a good eye for people, so you deserve some credit for that."

"How about this, if it's on my way and I have some free time, I'll take a look around, is that alright?"

Secretary Sissia immediately nodded, moved.

"Of course, of course! The Spinning Goldfinch Tavern won't disappoint you. Laura the Succubus is really good at her job, and the tavern's reputation is improving rapidly."

Upon hearing this, Dura simply nodded slightly.

Small businesses that don't even generate enough profit to earn a single gold coin are hardly interesting.

This succubus named Laura, however, is quite interesting.

She began to recall her encounters with Roland, and the image of a curvaceous, seductive, and frivolous black-haired succubus automatically appeared before her eyes. She frowned, sensing that things were not so simple.

A frivolous, busty succubus; a run-down tavern; a quick turnaround to profitability; and a rapidly improving reputation...

Eh?

Why does putting these words together sound so inappropriate?

It has a slippery, yellowish, and pinkish visual appeal.

"Ahem!"

Dura clenched her fist and put it to her mouth, then coughed heavily twice.

"Ciscia, are you sure that succubus Laura is doing legitimate business?"

"Let me remind you, we in Black Iron City are staunch supporters of the Overseer, and we cannot openly operate brothels. Succubi, a lewd race skilled at corrupting hearts, are absolutely forbidden from engaging in related industries. You cannot make a mistake and give others a handle against you."

Secretary Sissia's expression changed, and she stood up abruptly, pointing two fingers together at the roof of the car and swearing an oath.

"Young Miss, the person I chose would never make such a basic mistake, and would never endanger the interests of the Gray Gold Family."

"How did she manage to turn a profit? She didn't even rely on her family's influence. Or do you think she's a once-in-a-century genius in the catering industry, a brewing prodigy, a piece of gold you just picked up?"

"This..." Sissia was speechless for a moment, then continued, "Lola the succubus shouldn't be profiting from the sex industry. She still smells of virginity; she's a rare find among succubi... right?"

Sissia's guilty behavior made Dura helplessly hold her forehead, and rub the gold coin ornament at her waist with her right hand to calm her inner turmoil.

She knew it!

These succubi are definitely not someone to be trusted.

Forget about whether it's on the way or not, I'll just set aside some time to check on the operation of the Rotating Golden Sparrow.