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Chapter 267 Bringing noire to dinner?

The lupins moved with agility, their sleek, dark forms weaving between the trees. Their armor like hide gleamed faintly under the moon's ethereal light, creating an otherworldly spectacle amidst the darkness of the jungle.

The man in the professional attire stood transfixed, observing the clash between the creatures. The lupins fought with a calculated ferocity, their movements fluid yet forceful as they engaged in their natural environment. The moonlight added an eerie brilliance to the scene, illuminating the conflict between the shadowcrest lupins and their adversaries.

As he observed the intense combat between the lupins, a woman approached, similarly dressed in professional attire unlike the combatants. She carried a small holographic screen on a stick-like device, displaying various numbers. With a wide smile, she addressed him, "Sir, our productivity has more than doubled. Each of the 15 teams is now securing at least one noxlight flower per day, and occasionally, we're even seeing two or three in a single day. Additionally, our yield of other rare herbs has significantly increased."

The man nodded, a smile gracing his lips, and inquired, "Have there been any casualties among our teams?"

The woman swiftly glanced at the screen, and within moments, she responded, "We've lost a total of 6 individuals, and 20 have sustained severe injuries. However, they were all part of the teams that ventured farthest from the city."

"It's within manageable limits," the man murmured, and the woman, understanding the sentiment, nodded in agreement. Both were deeply entrenched in the world of business, where the value of human life mattered greatly, yet they comprehended the unavoidable aspect of bearing some losses, acknowledging the inherent value of human life within those losses.

The man furrowed his brow slightly, concern etched on his features. "Ensure the injured receive the best care possible. We can't afford to compromise on their recovery," he instructed, his tone carrying a blend of authority and compassion.

The woman nodded in acknowledgment. "Already arranged, sir. The medical teams are on standby, and arrangements have been made for their immediate evacuation to the city for treatment," she assured him, her voice reflecting a sense of urgency tinged with reassurance.

Their conversation shifted, both delving into discussions about fortifying the teams' safety protocols and reevaluating their strategies to minimize such risks in the future. Despite the stark realities of their endeavors, their focus remained on optimizing productivity while prioritizing the well-being of their personnel.

"We need to reevaluate our routes and deployment strategies," the man asserted, his voice carrying an air of determination. "Additionally, we need to explore ways to handle these shadowcrest lupins, or at least find a more effective method. Look at the time it's taking just to deal with four of these creatures."

Kyle recalled the woman who had sparked this idea. He had tasked his organization with gathering information about her group, and to his surprise, he discovered that most of their members were merely at the Qi Condensing stage, with some even at the Meridian Linking stage. Despite this, they had successfully taken down a pack of these wolf-like monsters.

He pondered the prospect of recruiting them into his teams, turning to Julie and expressing his thoughts. "Julie, get in touch with someone named Keyara Demitia. Extend an invitation to her and her teams for dinner."

Julie, swiftly operating the holographic screen, informed, "You have an hour free in your schedule today evening. Should I arrange the dinner during that time?"

Nodding in agreement, the man diverted his attention from the intense battle of eight individuals against the towering lupins. "Ensure we extend a warm welcome," he emphasized before vanishing into thin air in front of Julie, leaving her to arrange the invitation for Keyara and her teams.

The woman then shifted her gaze toward the ongoing battle with the monsters, her initial excitement fading slightly. She muttered to herself, "Why is it taking them so long?" Glancing at an image of a blonde-haired woman on the holographic screen, she continued, "And what does director want with these third rate cultivators?"

*******

In a room adorned with Victorian-style décor, a black wolf pup lay sound asleep on the bed. Abruptly, a human hand gently scooped up the slumbering pup, softly urging, "Wake up, little cutiepie..."

As the pup slowly opened its eyes, a blurry face of a black-haired boy came into view, his smile brimming with affection as he gazed at the pup. In response, a heart-melting grin formed on the pup's face, and it yawned endearingly before affectionately licking the boy's hand.

"Aww... you're going to melt my heart with that cuteness," the boy expressed, his voice filled with adoration, gently rubbing the pup's face against his cheeks.

Meanwhile, a short-haired blonde woman nearby, busying herself with some makeup, smiled and chimed in, "Are you planning to bring her to dinner too?"

"Should I?" the boy inquired, sporting a smile as he strolled over to her, the playful pup trotting along at his heels.

Keith considered for a moment, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. "Well, if Keyara's okay with it, I don't see why not. Noire seems well-behaved enough," she replied, adjusting a stray lock of hair with a smile.

Meanwhile, the pup, Noire, wagged her tail happily in response to the attention she was getting, seemingly enthusiastic about the prospect of joining them.

Kevin nodded, glancing at her reflection in the mirror. "It's cute...it really suits your face quite well, don't you think, Noire?" He turned to the pup in his hands, receiving an adorable woof in response as Noire gazed at Keith, causing her to smile. "Thanks."

As Kevin lovingly rubbed Noire's chin and ears, a thought crossed his mind. "By the way, do you have any idea why the director invited us for dinner? I mean, he doesn't typically dine with just anyone, and considering the strength of the people here, we're not exactly prominent figures."

Keith, applying a dark red lipstick, shook her head. "I have no clue. When Keyara received the invitation, I was right there with her, and she seemed just as surprised by the call."

Kevin furrowed his brow, pondering the reason behind the director's unusual invitation. Despite racking his brain, he couldn't discern any logical explanation. They didn't possess anything rare, nor did they have any particularly influential individuals among them that the director might seek to recruit. Perplexed, he turned his attention back to Noire, holding the pup gently in his hands. "Alright, then. Let's talk to Keyara and see if she's okay with you joining us for dinner."

Kevin set Noire down gently, the pup scampering off with playful energy as he and Keith headed towards Keyara's quarters. As they approached, they could hear murmurs of discussion emanating from within.

Knocking lightly, Kevin called out, "Hey, Keyara, it's me. Can we chat for a moment?"

He hesitated for a moment, about to knock once more, when the door swung open, revealing Keyara with a slightly flushed face. "What do you want?" she asked, her tone a touch flustered.

Recalling the enjoyable time they had shared the previous night, he understood her current demeanor and smirked playfully. Stepping into the room, he brushed past her and quipped, "Why can't I just come to see you without needing anything?"

Taking a seat on her bed, he glanced around the room before speaking softly, "It's just, I found myself missing you quite a bit after you left at night.... Keith felt the same way, you know."

Keyara's blush intensified. She had spoken impulsively in the heat of the moment that night, and while she regretted some of her words afterward, she couldn't retract them now. They held an undeniable truth—she desired more moments of enjoyment with Keith. Despite the taboo surrounding it, she found herself embracing the idea, acknowledging that both she and Keith derived pleasure from it.

Seeing her blush deepen, he couldn't help but chuckle softly. "Whoa, you're getting redder! My bad for throwing you off like that," he said, trying to lighten the moment with a casual and playful tone.

However, amidst the teasing, he shifted gears, turning to the original reason for his visit. "But, jokes aside, I actually came here to talk about the director's dinner invitation. Did you figure out why he wanted to meet?" The mischievous tone in his voice subsided, replaced by a more serious inquiry as he steered the conversation back to the purpose of his visit.

Keyara, though attempting to regain composure, couldn't completely conceal the lingering traces of her blush as she responded to his question. "I... I'm not entirely sure. Me and Viana tried to think about the motives but couldn't find any good ones.."

Despite her effort to maintain a composed demeanor, a subtle warmth persisted in her cheeks, betraying the impact of the teasing moments earlier. "I've been trying to figure it out myself, but there's no clear explanation that I can think of," she admitted, her gaze briefly flickering away before meeting his eyes again.

Kevin sensed her unease and sought to comfort her. "Don't worry too much about it," he said, adopting a reassuring tone. He then shifted his attention to Noire, gently taking the pup into his arms. Absorbed in playing with her for a moment, he glanced back at Keyara.

"Can I bring her to dinner?" Kevin asked, a hopeful smile playing on his lips.