The Federation Dingshi Bank Black Gold Card grants its holder free access to VIP services at all interstellar airports, including a private VIP lounge with top-level security and the highest standard of service.
It allows access to a private security channel and, after clearance, pet-beast shuttles will escort the holder directly to the boarding gate.
Normally, reservations are required.
Among all modes of transportation in the 30th District, air travel is considered the safest.
And within the airport, VIP services offer the highest level of security, including early boarding, up to about thirty minutes ahead of time.
Previously, Qiao Sang never thought to use the VIP services at airports despite owning the card, but this time was different, due to the unusual circumstances, she presented the card.
However, since she didnāt make a reservation in advance, and since very few people in a chaotic place like the 30th District could even use VIP privileges, no exclusive staff came to lead her through the VIP security passage immediately.
She bought coffee and drinks for her pet beasts and waited quite a while before a staff member jogged over.
---
Inside the VIP Lounge.
"Miss Qiao, if you need anything, please donāt hesitate to call me." The staff respectfully said as they served tea and snacks.
"You can rest here without worry. No wild pet beasts will disturb you."
Seated comfortably on a soft sofa, Qiao Sang took a sip of her coffee and asked, "Could other VIP passengers or their pet beasts accidentally enter?"
"Please rest assured, this is a private VIP room reserved solely for you. We wonāt allow anyone or any beast to disturb you." The staff member quickly answered.
"Will someone be assigned to stand guard outside?" Qiao Sang followed up.
"If you require it, we can assign someone to watch the door for you." The staff replied promptly.
In fact, VIP lounges didnāt normally have people guarding the door because privacy was a top priority. But different guests had different needs, and from her questions, it was clear this guest prioritized safety.
"Good. Then Iāll trouble you for that." Qiao Sang said with satisfaction.
"Itās my duty. Please rest well." The staff member said respectfully before exiting and closing the door.
Qiao Sang perked up her ears to listen. About a minute later, she heard footsteps and then someone standing still just outside the door.
It seemed the airport had indeed sent someone for security.
Still, it wasnāt enough.
Qiao Sang turned to Lubao.
"Go check if itās one of those two people from earlier."
Only one of the two had spoken to her before, but the second man had clearly been acting together with him. Lubao understood exactly who she meant.
"Lu Ai."
Lubao nodded. A drop of water formed at the tip of her tail, and her whole body dissolved into it, seeping out through the door crack.
Outside stood not a human, but a humanoid mechanical-type pet beast in work uniform.
As soon as Lubao emerged, the beastās energy detection system activated: [Anomaly detected. Anomalous energy detected.]
The mechanical beast looked down at the red-marked droplet it had flagged as an energy anomaly: [Ice Aipalu. Pet of the VIP. Safe.]
Once the mark changed from red to green, the mechanical beast turned its attention forward again.
While the mechanical beast had been analyzing Lubao, Lubao had also gotten a good look at it.
Then she flowed back under the door, twisted and expanded, and returned to her original form.
"Lu Ai."
Lubao shook her head, indicating it wasnāt one of the two men, just a uniformed work-beast.
"I see." Qiao Sang relaxed slightly. She pulled out her phone and once again dialed Teacher Piriteās number.
"Weāre sorry, the number you dialed is currently unreachable. Please try again laterā¦"
The familiar voice came from the speaker.
Qiao Sang thought for a moment and searched for the contact info of the spy teacher who had contacted her late one night.
Though officially a professor at Yulianton University, that person was actually a staff member of the Imperial Beast University. If anyone could help Teacher Pirite, it would be her.
---
At that same timeā¦
About 100 meters away from Qiao Sangās lounge, in a shaded corner of the corridor, the brown-haired young man crouched in the shadows, watching the door guarded by the mechanical beast. His expression was grim: "Identification-assist beast. It can instantly detect any pet beasts nearby, no matter their form. With it standing there, we canāt get close."
"Qiao Sang really isnāt an ordinary nobleā¦" The blond youth muttered, staring at the heavily guarded VIP room.
"Itās just a VIP lounge. If my mom were here, Iād get in too." The young man muttered sourly.
Next to them, the box-shaped pet beast stood silently.
An invisible barrier shielded them, so no one paid attention to their presence.
The blond youth was silent for a moment before getting back on track.
"Iāll lure the identification beast away. While Iām at it, you sneak in and-"
Just then, his phone vibrated.
The blond youth checked the message and smiled.
"Chen Shu has arrived."
---
Inside the VIP Lounge.
The call connected.
Qiao Sang quickly relayed everything that had happened in the 30th District.
Heidi, listening on the other end, immediately began typing furiously on the keyboard embedded in her mechanical-type pet beast. She began looking up information on Rushumar and Ogav.
Soon, data appeared.
Reading the files, Heidiās brows eased, and she smiled: "That Beast master named Rushumar is only an A-rank with just two King-rank pet beasts. Qiao Sang, you must believe in Teacher Pirite. Heās only ranked B-rank due to brain capacity limits. In real combat, heās stronger than most A-rank Beastmasters." (T/n: Eheheheeh, I would love to make a correction here. I mistranslated the level of Pirite and Rushumar's beasts as Emperor-level a few chapters ago, but then I realized after reading further than I skipped a levelš From now on, their beasts are King-level. I'm sorry for the mistake guysš.)
"As for Ogav, he just barely entered B-rank. Heās no match for Teacher Pirite."
"Even though they have numbers, if Teacher Pirite wanted to leave, thereās no way they could stop him."
While monitoring Piriteās vitals in real time, Heidi added: "Teacher Piriteās current life signs are stable. I think the reason you canāt reach him is probably because heās blocking those two to protect you."
Then, looking again at the updated files, Heidi hesitated for a moment before saying: "Rather than worrying about Teacher Pirite, I think you should worry about yourself. I just found out that in addition to Rushumar and Ogav, five other people came to the 30th District with them."
"If you find yourself in danger, I suggest handing over Adenishi immediately. Your safety is the most important."
"...Teacher."
"Hmm?"
"Please send me the information on those five other people."
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T/n: Update, I'm feeling fine now! But the damned stuffy nose didn't go away for heaven's sake. I probably had the fever because it's been cold in here + there's a rain storm in our area. Our chapter updates resume today!