The skyscrapers here towered into the clouds. At night, layers of lights illuminated them like pillars of light, standing straight in the darkness.
Yue Xinghe had booked a private room in the restaurant in advance. They entered the lobby on the first floor and took the direct elevator to the designated floor.
The elevator was designed with transparent glass. Standing inside, Lin Luxi could see the scenery outside the car. As the elevator rose floor by floor, he spotted the emblem of Alliance University, a pair of wings symbolizing the longing for freedom.
The elevator moved swiftly and silently, quickly reaching two hundred meters above the ground. Down below, people appeared smaller than ants. Lin Luxi quietly gripped the handrail, staring straight ahead as if something in the pitch-black night sky beyond was firmly holding his gaze.
Lin Luxi suddenly recalled that in the original novel, Yue Xinghe had fought against villains in high altitudes and the vast expanse of the universe more than once.
He never feared heights, nor did he feel intimidated by his own insignificance.
Lin Luxi slowly exhaled and carefully turned sideways.
Yue Xinghe had been watching him. Seeing him release the handrail and grab the corner of his own clothes, Lin Luxi quickly and cautiously glanced downward.
In less than a second, he immediately looked away, his pale lashes fluttering rapidly.
He looked just like a frightened little creature summoning its courage to explore.
Yue Xinghe glanced at the crumpled corner of his own clothing. The man, who usually paid great attention to his attire, pretended not to notice and casually looked away.
This person was truly too timid. Was he really here to be a spy by his side?
The elevator slowed down and arrived at the floor. The doors slid open, and Chris was the first to step out, followed closely by Qin Hao. Lin Luxi lifted his leg to walk out but hadn’t realized how tense his body had been from standing. As he moved suddenly, his knee stiffened, and his left leg gave way slightly. As his body tilted forward, a hand immediately caught his shoulder.
Yue Xinghe guided him out of the elevator.
Lin Luxi softly said thank you.
At the restaurant’s front desk, someone was arguing. As Lin Luxi and the others followed the waiter toward their reserved room, they overheard a loud question from behind: “Then why can they go in?”
And the front desk manager’s response: “That gentleman made a reservation in advance. Without a reservation, according to the rules, entry is not permitted.”
“Sir, please cooperate with us and don’t waste each other’s time.”
They turned a corner, and the voices gradually faded away.
They took their seats in the private room, and the waiter quickly stepped out.
Lin Luxi chose a seat not by the window. Chris didn’t want to sit near him, so she sat across from him. As a result, Yue Xinghe sat to his right, and Qin Hao sat to his left.
For some reason, Lin Luxi suddenly thought of the phrase “[1]“Hemmed in by men on both sides” is a playful, slightly humorous phrase. It plays on the idea of being “hemmed in” — meaning surrounded or confined with no easy escape — … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_2013212_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_2013212_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });hemmed in by men on both sides” and couldn’t help but chuckle.
His laughter was crisp and clear. Yue Xinghe tapped on the bright white tabletop, and the restaurant’s menu immediately appeared like a projection in front of them.
“What’s so funny?”
“Nothing, just thought of a silly joke.”
Lin Luxi suddenly recalled what he had heard earlier and raised an eyebrow. “You made a reservation here in advance? Were you so sure I’d win?”
Yue Xinghe smiled but didn’t confirm or deny it. He efficiently ordered a few signature dishes. “Order whatever you’d like to eat.”
Lin Luxi thought about it carefully and figured that booking the restaurant could work either way.
If he won, it was a celebration; if he lost, it was consolation.
What he didn’t know was that Yue Xinghe actually knew the original owner had passed away, and the reservation had only been made earlier that day on a whim.
Lin Luxi filled in the gaps himself and completely rationalized the logic in his head.
Since this was his first time here, the original owner had never come either, everything felt new to him. He ordered a few recommended dishes from the menu.
The food was served quickly.
Yue Xinghe raised his glass and looked into Lin Luxi’s pale gray eyes. “Congratulations on winning the match.”
The other two also offered their congratulations.
Then they began to feast.
The dishes in this world were even more abundant than what Lin Luxi had experienced before. The moment the first bite hit his mouth, his eyes widened in delight.
Mmm, so delicious. Incredibly delicious.
It had been so long since he last ate so freely, indulging without restraint.
Especially when the food was this good, Lin Luxi wished he had an extra mouth.
Then, because he was eating too fast, he started choking.
Yue Xinghe poured him a drink and gently patted him on the back. “Slow down. It’s like you haven’t eaten in days.”
Lin Luxi’s heart skipped a beat. “No, it’s just that the food is too good.”
Using the serving chopsticks, Yue Xinghe picked up a dish from farther away, removed the bones, and placed it on his plate. “Then take your time. Next time you win, we’ll come back.”
After that, Lin Luxi ate at a slower pace.
They had arrived a little after six, and by the time they finished eating, it was already half past seven.
Lin Luxi’s light-brain let out a ding.
Z had sent over a specific location.
By this time, the group had just exited the building.
Lin Luxi came up with an excuse. “You guys go ahead. I’m going to look around nearby. I still need to buy some things.”
Yue Xinghe looked down at him. “It’s been pretty lively around here lately, maybe a little chaotic. Want me to come with you?”
Lin Luxi wasn’t actually going shopping. If Yue Xinghe saw him meeting Z, that would be a disaster.
He waved his hands in a panic, quickly came up with an excuse, and without waiting for a reply, picked a random direction and hurried off.
Yue Xinghe watched his retreating figure, his expression darkening.
The suspicion he had earlier began to resurface.
He was in such a hurry and wouldn’t let him tag along, was he secretly meeting someone?
Yue Xinghe pressed his lips together, a layer of coldness settling in his eyes.
Lin Luxi had no idea that the very thing he wanted to avoid was about to happen.
Once he was out of their line of sight, Lin Luxi quickly hid to the side. After confirming they had left, he immediately returned to the building they had just walked out of and took the elevator back up.
This time, he made sure to keep his eyes fixed on the elevator doors, avoiding the view outside, so he didn’t have to deal with his fear of heights.
Meanwhile, Yue Xinghe and the other two had barely taken a few steps toward Alliance University when they ran into Zhao Fankong and his group of four.
Zhao Fankong glanced at Lin Yinyue, who had instantly perked up from her earlier lethargy, and extended an invitation to Yue Xinghe. “Are you guys busy later? If not, how about I treat everyone to a few drinks?”
Qin Hao glanced at Yue Xinghe, who had a gentle expression but remained unreadable. Guessing that he probably wasn’t in the mood, Qin Hao was about to politely decline.
But Chris was eager to go. “Captain, let’s go. We haven’t had a chance to relax in a while. If you’re worried about Lin Luxi, I can message him right now and tell him to meet us at Blue Dream.”
Yue Xinghe initially wanted to refuse, but then something crossed his mind. After a brief moment of hesitation, he agreed.
Chris excitedly sent a message to Lin Luxi on the spot, and the group happily made their way to Blue Dream.
As for Lin Luxi, by the time he arrived at Blue Dream and was still looking for the private room Z had specified, he received a message from the dealer. Both messages came in almost simultaneously, with a single ding.
With his attention focused on the dealer’s message, he casually swiped away Chris’s notification without a second thought.
Blue Dream was essentially a high-end entertainment club, much like those from earlier times, but here the decor was more grand, more futuristic, and far livelier.
At the entrance, there was a machine with a line of text displayed on it: “Humans under the age of eighteen and other underage species are not permitted entry.”
Lin Luxi scanned his light-brain, and the mechanical door, which had been tightly shut, clicked open with a clatter. He pushed the door and walked in.
Beyond the entrance was a bustling dance floor, surrounded by pulsating music. Under dim, moody lighting, humans and other species moved closely together, swaying their bodies freely.
In the center of the dance floor were several circular stages, where men and women with graceful figures and daring outfits moved their bodies, passionately showcasing their perfect physiques. They performed fiery dances in sync with the music, stirring up even more excitement among the crowd below.
Lin Luxi looked away almost instantly, as if pricked by needles. He grabbed a passing waiter carrying a tray, asked for directions, and headed straight for the restroom.
Leaving behind the chaotic, almost demonic atmosphere of the dance floor, he walked down a long hallway, keeping his eyes straight ahead and ignoring the couples openly flirting along the corridor.
Seriously, that guy’s butt was practically on full display!
When he finally reached the restroom, Lin Luxi’s face was taut. He rushed in, immediately turned around, and locked the door behind him.
He had faced mutated giant lizards without batting an eye, yet now he was drenched in sweat. A breeze from the restroom gave him a chill, leaving him feeling utterly refreshed.
In the original novel, Blue Dream had only appeared a few times with little to no detailed description. Lin Luxi had assumed it was similar to bars from his previous life, but he didn’t expect it to be like this. No wonder the entrance had that notice.
Young people under eighteen were still forming their worldviews, and with their strong curiosity, a few visits here would surely lead them astray for quite some time.
“You’re Stubborn Snail?”
A somewhat hoarse, lackluster, and unpleasant voice sounded.
The person standing before Lin Luxi was shorter than him, around 170 centimeters, but rather overweight, probably weighing about 100 kilograms. His face was fleshy, his hair black and greasy, as if he hadn’t washed it in days.
“Stubborn Snail” was the original owner’s online username.
Lin Luxi nodded. “You’re Medicine Seller?”
Medicine Seller was the dealer who had sold fake drugs to the original owner.
The man flashed a mouthful of yellowed teeth. “Yep. I got this name from an old book.”
After confirming each other’s identities, Medicine Seller pulled out a small bottle from his bag. “Here you go. The mental enhancement drug you asked for.”
Lin Luxi took it. The transparent bottle contained a silvery liquid that shimmered faintly under the overhead light.
He examined it, it looked exactly as the original owner remembered.
A head with black hair, balding in the middle, leaned in. Lin Luxi quickly stepped back. The medicine seller didn’t seem to mind and whispered a reminder, “You know that drugs related to mental strength can only be sold by major hospitals and licensed doctors. If I hadn’t seen how urgently you needed this, I wouldn’t have agreed to help you. So you absolutely cannot tell anyone about this, understand?”
Lin Luxi smiled meaningfully. “I understand. I can’t let anyone know. So, you can’t call the police either.”
The medicine seller felt something was off about his tone but couldn’t quite figure it out before a fist suddenly flew toward him.
Five minutes later, someone started pounding on the door.
The restroom door opened, and Lin Luxi stepped out.
The man outside had been about to curse in frustration, but when he saw the silver-haired young man with strikingly good looks, the harsh words got stuck in his throat. He watched him leave, then rushed inside, grumbling to himself, only to let out a loud “What the hell!”
A balding, unkempt fat man lay bruised and swollen, his head stuck in the toilet, flailing like a frog trying to free himself.
The man thought of the silver-haired youth who had just walked out, he had looked like a timid little bunny but turned out to be a man-eating rabbit. He felt a wave of relief that he hadn’t made his usual flirtatious remarks, or else there might be one more person “sitting in the toilet” right now.
After retrieving the money the original owner had been swindled out of, Lin Luxi realized it was still a few minutes before eight o’clock.
He made his way through the corridor in search of the private room booked by the antagonist, Z. Walking on the soft, sound-absorbing carpet, he checked the room numbers one by one.
Room 11108. Found it.
The door was open. Lin Luxi pushed it open and stepped inside. Just then, a group of people appeared around the corner of the corridor. Leading them was a man with a dashing, carefree air, his demeanor light and casual. Walking beside him was a man with long golden hair, his locks glistening under the dreamlike lights of the hallway.
They entered Room 11109.
Inside Room 11108.
Lin Luxi stood at the doorway. On the sofa ahead of him sat two men. One had a buzz cut, a rough appearance, and a scar on his face. The other had a scholarly look, wearing silver-rimmed glasses, resembling a teacher. The two seemed to be in the middle of a discussion. A few tall, sturdy bodyguards stood against the wall, all turning their attention toward him as soon as they heard the sound.
Lin Luxi had thought Z would be the only one there. His plan had been simple: transfer the money back to Z, tell him he was done, and leave immediately.
But now, the situation was a bit more complicated.
Still, no matter how complicated things got, there was one urgent matter to address.
Lin Luxi’s gaze shifted between the two men on the sofa. He hooked a chair with his foot, pulled it over, and sat down under the watchful eyes of everyone in the room. “Which one of you is Z?”
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