Chapter 40: Consultant Luo

Before seeing the new Senior Consultant in person, the first thing O’Berain noticed was the commotion in the office area.

Although the noise quickly died down the moment he appeared, he could still clearly sense Consultant Luo’s charm through his subordinates’ lingering expressions—amazement, excitement, and even veiled jealousy.

It left him slightly displeased.

He had to admit: based on her personnel file, this Consultant Luo was indeed a rare beauty.
Even he couldn’t help but feel a certain interest.

But regardless, welcoming a new, parachuted colleague with such blatant enthusiasm was a bit much—as if they hadn’t seen a woman in years.
Unprofessional.

Still, the moment he met Consultant Luo in the reception room, he finally understood—at least a little—why his subordinates had lost composure.

There was an almost flawless sense of beauty about her.

If he had to sum it up, it was a kind of contradictory harmony: eclectic, yet just right.
At a glance, she looked distinctly Asian, possessing that subtle, refined elegance unique to Easterners.
Yet, upon closer inspection, one could detect Western features—more three-dimensional contours reminiscent of European charm.

She was only eighteen, standing at the delicate border between youthful innocence and the elegance of maturity.
And somehow, she carried both at once.

Her youth made men’s hearts flutter.
Her grace and sensuality made them race.

And when wrapped in tasteful attire—a fitted coat, a knee-length pencil skirt, black stockings hugging slender legs, and high heels—her figure’s natural advantages were fully displayed, elevating her entire presence to a stunning level.

Under a discreet nudge from his secretary, O’Berain finally snapped out of it and put on a professional smile.

“On behalf of the New Aonan Energy Investigation Department, I sincerely welcome Miss Luo Yan.
To be honest, even now, I find it hard to believe you’re the new Senior Consultant… What I mean is—Miss Luo Yan is truly very beautiful. Compared to the photo in your file, you’re even more dazzling in person. I doubt even the world’s best photographer could fully capture your beauty.”

Luo Yan offered a polite smile.
“You’re too kind, Minister. But since this is a job, shouldn’t ability matter more than appearance?”

“Consultant Luo is absolutely right.”

O’Berain chuckled and gestured toward the seating area.
“Let’s sit and talk.”

“Of course.”

As they sat down, O’Berain’s gaze unconsciously swept over Luo Yan’s crossed legs—black stockings taut over smooth skin, accentuating graceful curves.
After a brief glance, he quietly redirected his eyes to her perfectly made-up face and continued.

“Consultant Luo, I assume you’re already somewhat familiar with the Investigation Department’s responsibilities. But how much do you know about your own?”

Luo Yan shook her head.
“Not much. I’ll need your guidance, Minister.”

O’Berain nodded.
“The work of a Senior Consultant isn’t particularly complicated. In fact, it’s quite relaxed. You should thank Mr. Lu for arranging such a comfortable position.”

He smiled.
“You can stay in the office, enjoy the air-conditioning, and not worry about harsh UV rays damaging your beauty. But if you ever get bored, you’re welcome to go out on missions with the field team, or accompany the transport crew to the mining sites.”

He leaned back, still smiling.
“Personally, I think it’d be good for you to walk around and get familiar with the job. Experience things firsthand.”

“Honestly, I’ve never seen an Odegaard mine before. I’m quite curious.”

“Heh. If Consultant Luo isn’t an ability user, I wouldn’t recommend it. Even with full protective gear, an ordinary person would have a hard time there.”

“You don’t have to worry about that, Minister.”

“…So Consultant Luo is an ability user, then?”

O’Berain gave her a meaningful glance.

Luo Yan only smiled.

O’Berain chuckled softly and continued.
“Generally, you won’t be disturbed much. Even when incidents happen, you’ll rarely be called on. Only during serious situations would we need your involvement.”

“Serious, as in…?”

“For instance—large-scale Odegaard ore smuggling or significant losses during transport. Those are matters a Senior Consultant might need to follow up on.”

He paused, studying her expression.
“But given your age and lack of prior work experience, it’s perfectly acceptable for the rest of the department to handle such issues. No pressure.”

Luo Yan understood the implication.

Combined with the lingering, fiery gazes from earlier, she had a clear idea of how they saw her.

A flower vase. A woman who’d coasted in on connections. Pretty, powerless, and easy to flirt with.

She didn’t show any dissatisfaction.
Instead, she smiled and said, “If possible, I’d still prefer not to disappoint Mr. Lù’s trust in me.”

“A confident lady is always the most beautiful,” O’Berain praised, then glanced at the vintage pocket watch in his hand.

“Please forgive me, Consultant Luo, but I won’t be able to go over everything with you today. If you have questions, feel free to ask my secretary, Shen Hui, or any of the investigation captains. They’re all quite… patient.”

With that, he rose and left the room.

Shen Hui glanced at Luo Yan thoughtfully.

She was far more assertive than he had expected. Clearly, she’d already caught O’Berain’s attention.

And O’Berain—gentle, refined, rich, powerful, and a high-ranking ability user—was a man who, as far as Shen Hui could remember, never failed when he set his sights on a woman.

How long will this one last? he wondered.

But just as he was about to speak, Consultant Luo stood up first.

“Secretary Shen, is there a mining team scheduled today? Please arrange for me to join. I’d like to see the site.”

“Today’s your first day. There’s really no need to rush—”

“Is there a problem?” Luo Yan interrupted, her tone calm.

Shen Hui froze, meeting her eyes.

They were dark, deep, and mesmerizing.
For a moment, he felt as if they could see right through him—to all the playful little thoughts he hadn’t voiced.

His eyes dropped slightly.

“…Absolutely no problem.”