The Retired Young Mercenary Is Secretly a Billionaire

The auction continued.

As the afternoon passed, the items became increasingly expensive.

Ancient paintings.

Rare porcelain.

Jewelry passed down through noble families.

Historical artifacts with stories almost as valuable as the objects themselves.

Chloe had expected the auction to be formal and perhaps a little boring.

Instead, she was enjoying herself.

Whenever Ruoxi introduced something interesting, Chloe leaned toward Miles and waited for him to translate. Sometimes he added a little history of his own, which made her wonder exactly how many strange things he had learned during his years wandering around the world.

Another porcelain piece was finally sold.

Chloe stared at the winning bid displayed on the screen.

"How much is that in dollars?"

Miles glanced at the number and quickly converted it for her.

Chloe’s eyes widened.

"Wait... that much?"

Miles chuckled.

"And you were casually watching people raise their paddles."

Chloe slowly looked down at the auction floor.

"Rich people are scary."

Silence.

She felt Miles looking at her.

Chloe slowly turned back.

Miles raised an eyebrow.

"Mrs. Sterling."

Chloe immediately defended herself.

"You are different."

Miles laughed quietly.

Even Chen beside them smiled.

"You know what I mean."

"Of course."

The next few items passed quickly.

A ceremonial blade.

An old manuscript.

A necklace.

A painted folding screen.

Then the stage was cleared again.

Ruoxi returned to the center while two staff members carefully carried out a much smaller display case.

Compared with the extravagant pieces before it, the next item looked surprisingly ordinary.

An old brass compass.

It was small enough to fit inside a palm, with a chain still attached to its upper ring.

But the casing was badly damaged.

A deep diagonal sword mark crossed the front, crushing part of the brass inward. The glass beneath it was cracked, and even from the VIP chamber it was obvious the compass had once taken a tremendous impact.

Chloe leaned forward.

"What happened to that?"

Miles was already looking at it.

Ruoxi began the introduction.

Miles translated quietly beside Chloe.

"The compass is around two hundred years old. It belonged to a soldier named Shen Liang."

The screen behind the stage showed a closer image of the artifact.

"Shen Liang lived in the north. He had recently married when war broke out."

Chloe listened.

"Before he left, his wife gave him this compass."

Her expression softened.

Miles continued translating.

"She told him that whenever he felt lost, he should look at the needle."

"North was home."

He paused.

"North was where she would be waiting for him."

Chloe’s eyes returned to the compass.

Shen Liang wore it around his neck through years of war.

Different cities.

Different battlefields.

Whenever exhaustion or fear made him wonder whether he would ever return home, he would take out the compass and watch the needle point north.

It reminded him of the promise he had made to his wife.

He would come back.

Ruoxi’s voice became quieter as she moved into the story that had made the compass famous.

During one particularly brutal battle, Shen Liang’s unit was surrounded.

For only a moment, he lost his stance.

An enemy soldier saw the opening.

A sword came straight toward his chest.

Shen Liang knew he could not completely avoid it.

And in that moment, according to the family record, his thoughts weren’t about pain or death.

He thought about the promise.

He regretted that he was going to die without keeping it.

Then the sword struck.

Chloe stared at the deep scar across the brass.

But the blade never entered Shen Liang’s chest.

It struck the compass hidden beneath his uniform.

The casing collapsed.

The glass shattered.

The force knocked him backward.

But that small piece of metal bought him a few precious seconds.

Enough to recover.

Enough to fight back.

Enough to survive.

Years later, Shen Liang finally returned north.

Back to his wife.

Back to his family.

The sword strike had permanently damaged the compass. Its mechanism was bent and the needle became stuck pointing north.

Craftsmen offered to repair it many times.

Shen Liang always refused.

Then Ruoxi quoted a line preserved in the family record.

Miles translated softly.

"When someone asked him why he continued carrying a broken compass, Shen Liang answered..."

He looked toward the artifact.

"’It isn’t broken. It already found its destination.’"

The hall became quiet.

Even Chloe remained completely still.

Her gaze stayed on the compass for a moment before slowly moving toward Miles.

He was still watching the artifact.

But Chloe was thinking about something else.

A little boy who disappeared from home.

Seventeen years away.

Battlefields.

Scars.

Blood.

A life where death had followed him far too closely.

And somehow...

He returned.

Back to his mother.

Back to his family.

Back to a place he could call home.

Her eyes lowered briefly to their hands resting beside one another.

Then Ruoxi announced the opening bid.

The silence broke.

Paddles immediately rose across the hall.

The price climbed quickly.

Chloe watched for a few seconds.

Then pressed the private bidding control.

Miles turned toward her.

On the stage, Ruoxi looked toward the VIP chamber and announced a new bid from their distinguished guest.

Chen glanced at Chloe with mild surprise.

Miles smiled.

"You want the compass?"

Chloe nodded.

"Mm."

Another collector raised.

Chloe responded.

The price rose again.

Then again.

Several bidders dropped out until only three remained.

Chloe continued without hesitation.

Miles watched her more than the auction now.

This wasn’t simple curiosity anymore.

She wanted it.

The next bid came in significantly higher.

For the first time, Chloe paused.

Not because she couldn’t afford it.

The amount had simply climbed far beyond what anyone had expected for the piece.

Miles noticed the hesitation and reached toward the control.

"Let me."

Chloe caught his hand before he could touch it.

Miles looked at her.

"Chloe."

She shook her head.

"Let me..."

Chloe raised one finger and gently pressed it against his lips.

Miles stopped.

"No."

Her voice was soft.

"This one is mine."

Miles looked into her eyes.

"Don’t worry about it..."

"Shh."

For a second, neither moved.

Then Miles understood.

His hand relaxed.

A small smile appeared on his face.

Chloe turned back toward the auction.

It wasn’t about whether Miles could pay for it.

That had never been the issue.

She wanted to buy this herself.

With the money she had earned.

For him.

Another bid appeared.

Chloe immediately raised again.

The final collector hesitated, then responded once more.

Chloe pressed the button without looking at Miles.

Ruoxi announced the amount.

Silence followed.

"Once."

The bidder below remained still.

"Twice."

His paddle stayed down.

Ruoxi smiled.

"Sold."

The hammer struck.

Applause filled the hall.

Chloe finally relaxed against her seat.

Ruoxi congratulated the VIP guest and announced the winning amount.

Miles looked at Chloe.

"Happy?"

"Very."

He smiled.

"Why do you need..."

Chloe turned toward him.

One look.

Miles immediately stopped.

"Alright."

She smiled.

"Good."

Then she took out her phone.

Miles glanced toward her.

"What are you doing?"

"Payment."

"You don’t need to do it immediately."

"I know."

She called someone.

"Lissy?"

Alice answered on the other side.

"Are you busy?"

A short reply came.

"No, nothing serious. I bought something."

Miles covered a smile.

"At an auction."

Then Chloe casually told her the amount.

Silence.

Chloe frowned.

"Lissy?"

Still nothing.

"Lissy?"

Finally, Alice’s voice came through loudly enough that even Miles could hear it.

"What did you buy?"

Chloe looked through the glass toward the damaged compass.

Then at Miles.

Her expression softened.

"Something important."

Alice asked another question.

Chloe laughed.

"I’ll explain later. Just handle the payment through my account."

She listened for a moment.

"Alright."

Then smiled.

"Thank you."

The call ended.

Chloe placed the phone aside.

Miles was still looking at her.

"What?"

He shook his head.

"Nothing."

Chloe reached over and intertwined her fingers with his.

She didn’t explain.

Not yet.

She simply held his hand while looking toward the old compass on the stage.

To everyone else, it was a valuable antique with a beautiful story.

To Chloe, it was simpler than that.

Miles had spent most of his life leaving.

Cities.

Countries.

Battlefields.

Names.

Different lives that never seemed to belong anywhere for long.

But now he had somewhere to return to.

And later, when the compass was formally handed over, Chloe placed it in his hand herself.

A gift from his wife.

A reminder that no matter how far he went...

There would always be someone waiting for him at home.

...

Chen looked toward Chloe, then at the old compass now resting carefully in Miles’ hand.

"Mrs. Chloe, you are remarkable."

Chloe blinked.

Chen smiled.

"Many people would find it strange for a young woman to spend so much on an old military artifact."

He looked toward the damaged brass.

"But they would never understand what the family of that soldier must have felt."

His eyes returned to Chloe.

"You do."

Then he glanced toward Miles.

"You’re very lucky."

Miles remained quiet for a moment.

His thumb moved gently across the scar running through the compass.

Then he smiled.

"Thank you for this."

He looked at Chloe.

"I’ll cherish it for the rest of my life."

Chloe’s expression immediately brightened.

"I finally bought something for you after we got married."

Miles chuckled.

"Are you happy?"

"So much."

Miles smiled.

...

The auction finally concluded.

Chen leaned back and released a long breath.

"It went smoothly."

Miles looked toward him.

"Mr. Chen."

"Hmm?"

"If you weren’t sitting here with us..."

Chen raised an eyebrow.

"What would you normally be doing during the auction?"

"Usually?"

Chen thought for a moment.

"I stay near the artifact locker and oversee the transfers."

Miles nodded.

"And when you’re not there?"

"One of my trusted assistants handles it."

Miles sighed.

"Trusted."

Chen frowned.

"What’s wrong?"

Miles looked toward him.

"Last night, when you met us by the lake, did you bring anyone?"

"No."

Chen shook his head.

"My driver waited around the corner."

Miles leaned back.

"Mr. Chen..."

"Sometimes I think you’re too innocent."

Chen’s expression changed.

"What do you mean?"

"Your trusted assistant was there."

Silence.

"He followed you."

Chen stared at him.

"Why would he do that?"

Miles didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, he asked,

"Do you know why your father keeps complaining about mismanagement?"

Chen’s eyes narrowed.

"How do you know about that?"

"Because whenever you leave the artifact locker..."

Miles looked directly at him.

"...your assistant uses the opportunity to replace selected originals with replicas."

Chen’s face changed instantly.

"What?"

He stood halfway from his seat.

"That’s impossible."

"If that had happened, our competitors would have exposed us already."

"They didn’t get the chance."

Chen froze.

Miles continued,

"Your father found out."

"And every time a customer received a questionable artifact, he personally intervened."

"Apologized."

"Settled it privately."

Chen slowly sat back.

"Father did that?"

Miles nodded.

"Your assistant is currently locked inside the artifact locker."

Chen stared.

"With the replicas he brought tonight."

Miles smiled faintly.

"He knew you’d be busy entertaining a VIP guest."

His eyes moved toward Chloe.

"And I didn’t want our visit becoming the reason your family lost something important."

Chen’s thoughts were clearly racing now.

Miles continued,

"I think your father suspected him for a long time."

Then he added,

"That painting you thought was his favorite..."

Chen immediately looked up.

"’Her Little Guardian’?"

"It’s a replica."

Chen went silent.

Miles nodded.

"The real one was moved somewhere safer."

Everything suddenly connected.

His father’s constant criticism.

The complaints about supervision.

The mistrust.

The strange decisions.

Miles looked at him quietly.

"Your father wasn’t waiting for the business to fail."

"He was waiting for you to realize that sometimes the problem isn’t outside the family."

Chen lowered his head.

Miles continued,

"You fixed most things between the two of you years ago."

"This might be the last one."

Chen looked at him.

"Why did you help me again?"

Miles smiled.

"I’m thanking you."

"For what?"

"For making this trip memorable for my wife and me."

Chen’s expression softened.

"Miles..."

Miles immediately raised one hand.

"Don’t."

He nodded toward the auction floor.

"Your father is still here."

Chen looked confused.

"Where?"

"Among the guests."

Miles smiled.

"His disguise is terrible."

Chen almost laughed despite everything.

"Take him to the locker."

"Show him what happened."

"After that..."

Miles leaned back.

"...the rest is yours."

Chen remained silent for several seconds.

Then suddenly stood.

"Miles."

"Yes?"

"Can you wait for me?"

Miles looked toward Chloe.

Chen continued,

"I’ll finish this quickly."

He took a breath.

"And..."

His voice became awkward.

"I think tonight I’ll finally gather enough courage to invite my father to dinner."

He smiled faintly.

"With both of you."

Miles immediately grinned.

"Of course."

He leaned back comfortably.

"Dinner is what I was waiting for."

Chloe smiled.

"Good luck, Mr. Chen."

Chen nodded.

"Thank you."

Then he hurried out.

The door closed behind him.

Chloe immediately took Miles’ hand between both of hers.

He looked toward her.

She smiled.

"I don’t know how you do it."

"Do what?"

"This."

Her eyes softened.

"It feels magical."

Miles chuckled.

"There’s logic behind the magic."

Chloe shook her head.

"I don’t care about the logic."

She squeezed his hand.

"Now I’m even more excited about dinner."

Miles raised an eyebrow.

"For the food?"

"That too."

She smiled.

"But mostly..."

"I want to see your face when Mr. Chen and his father finally smile together."

Miles looked toward the door Chen had disappeared through.

Then quietly smiled.