Chapter 56: Chapter 56 Prelude to the Banquet (2)
Editor: Noodletown Translations
Mu Fan was really powerless to deal with this chatterbox Black. He walked across the boarding bridge with amazement, and through the glass guard wall, he could see the real Abyss beneath him. His target was the gigantic steel mountain in front of him. The butler methodically led Mu Fan into a private compartment. As the mechanical door opened, and under the dim blue light, four sofa chairs lay still. Mu Fan walked over and fastened the safety buckle according to the butlerâs instructions.
âYoung Master Mu Fan, this is the exclusive room of the Fowen Consortium. Please sit tight. There will be a feeling of weightlessness when we pass through the Earth Core in a moment. Itâs a normal phenomenon, so please do not panic,â the butler kindly reminded.
âAnother wave of pretentiousness coming through,â Lord Black said indignantly in the earphones, very displeased with Mu Fan ignoring his antics.
Mu Fan nodded in acknowledgment. âOkay.â He said no more and closed his eyes as if to take a nap.
With a sound of mechanical gears meshing, Mu Fan could feel his body slowly descending with the steel mountain, then accelerating. The entire Earth Core Car sped along the tracks at a rapid pace, but the feeling of weightlessness wasnât as intense as imagined, not as strong as when piloting the First Generation Machine in the Battle Net and projecting to the ground.
Fifteen minutes was quite short, passing in the blink of an eye, but the brief weightlessness provided Mu Fan with a novel experience, a marvel of technology, Mu Fan thought to himself.
Black couldnât read minds, so he naturally didnât know what Mu Fan was thinking. If he knew, Mu Fan would certainly have heard Blackâs sarcastic tone again.
How could such a lousy Intelligent Life come into being!
No one gave Mu Fan the answer; he should have inquired with the designer of the Battle Net. Blackâs emotional simulation directly adopted the forum language of billions of players, a no-holds-barred, bottomless online style that comprehensively built Blackâs character. In addition, Alphaâs supercomputer implanted prank codes in his essence, thus creating the ultimate Black.
Of course, Mu Fan was unaware of all this; he had already stepped out of the Earth Core Car. This station was twice as large as the one at the Other Shore end. Even the service personnel formed a beautiful sight composed of many well-proportioned young women, which was unimaginable on the Other Shore end, where the ground crew were all male.
When he walked out of the connection station, what greeted him was actually a cluster of skyscrapers reaching into the clouds. The ultra-modern atmosphere was entirely unfamiliar to Mu Fan, who had lived for years in the outskirts of District 22. Was this still the same planet he lived on? How could there be such a stark difference between districts?
âYoung Master Mu Fan, please follow me. The car is already parked at the entrance,â the butler following behind reminded him timely, as the Floating Car already drove to the exit ahead of time.
Sitting in the Floating Car, even the routes taken were far different from those of District 22. The car entered the overpass and quickly moved up in reverse on it under the magnetic levitation, yet Mu Fan felt no discomfort sitting inside.
He didnât show any amazement on his face, or else Black would never miss such an opportunity.
âŠ
District 2, being a twin city with District 1, serves as the administrative center and the core area for military stationed, having strict protective requirements for buildings: stiff, square, and low. Hence barring the common folk, the real managerial personnel of this planet needs a region suited for living and enjoying, so District 2 was born.
District 2 isnât equipped with a city chief; itâs the best-selected area on this planet. After substantial government investment, having land flattened and greenery cultivated, it has established the most pleasant ecological environment and the most luxurious residential area.
At this moment, the chubby guy was on a small hillside marked with Villa 4 near Jiahe Avenue, where stood an estate. The Fowen Consortium, ranking in the top five on the planet purely by financial power, was always overlooked by the top-tier wealthy families due to its weak political clout. Here even on the most remote planet, the managerial tiers have intricate links with the Senate and the House of Representatives on the Capital Star.
Peopleâs hearts, power, and the genuine aristocratic network have long spanned every corner of the Federation. Some are aware, and some arenât, but to most, encountering this level in their lifetime is highly unlikely. The leader of the Fowen ConsortiumâWayne Fowen, Harry Fowenâs biological fatherâwas on his way to touch this network. In the eyes of true nobility, businessmen without foundation floated aimlessly, akin to ants.
Villa 4 was the residential area of the Fowen family. Jiahe Avenue was adjacent to Central Islandâa pure residential area for administrative staff. Merchants with weak political power like them racked their brains to acquire gigantic family residences near the adjacent Jiahe Avenue to make contact with the planetary management level by spending substantial amounts.
For political resourceâs necessary investment! Therefore, the Fowen Consortium strove to touch that threshold. In a few days, his only son would attend the Federation Exam on the Purple Jade Star, and based on intelligence secretly gleaned from Mu Fanâs messages, Wayne decided to host a dinner party, rallying forces he deemed alignable.
Those who could start from scratch were never mediocrities at any time.
Thus, there were many wealthy individuals present here, and thus Mu Fan appeared.
Standing at the villaâs gate, the butler gradually introduced the history of the Fowen Consortium to Mu Fan, his tone full of pride. Mu Fan smiled; he paid attention to wealth but didnât admire it.
âYoung Master Mu Fan, your clothes seem somewhat unsuitable. Weâve prepared clothing for you here, chosen by Young Master Harry. You should like it.â As they were about to enter the villa, the butler politely reminded Mu Fan. Young Master Harry suggested paying attention to the manner, thinking it should be reasonable.
Mu Fan was moved by the chubby guyâs meticulousness, but it didnât last a second before he felt a pang of heartacheâŠthis was the outfit he bought for five thousand Star Coins! It was almost all the money he earned recently.
So Mu Fan restrained himself, slowing his tone: âNo need; I think this outfit is fine. Please thank Young Master Harry for me.â
Noticing the butlerâs somewhat bewildered expression, he repeated, âNo need, thank you.â
âUh, alright then.â The butler, for the first time made a misjudgment, quickly led the way for Mu Fan. Therefore, Mu Fan, wearing the high-end uniform of a tailor shopâs male attendant, calmly followed behind.
âLet him act pretentiously, ha ha, this is killing me,â Blackâs voice came in aptly, and then, speaking to himself, he timely answered what Mu Fan was thinking at the moment, âYou want to ask me how I know, right? Didnât find any surveillance cameras nearby? Because youâre wearing a headset, not earplugs! Hahaha, Lord Black indeed is witty as such!â
A large patch of dark clouds floated through Mu Fanâs heart.
âI just feel that old guy isnât sincere; smiling too fakely. I noticed him since the Martial Arts Hall entrance,â Black endlessly blathered, exhibiting his eloquence.
Taking five steps as three, Mu Fan caught up with the butler and softly asked, âCan I enter ahead?â
The butler nodded, âYoung Master Mu Fan, if you donât require my guidance temporarily, you can proceed on your own. Move through the second main gate ahead, and youâre in the core area for tonightâs event. You can contact Young Master Harry via Sky Communication.â
Mu Fan nodded, thanking him, âOkay, thank you for your help on the way. Iâll walk there myself.â
Thus, the two went separate ways, the butler returning while Mu Fan continued forward.
Finally, there was no one within five meters around him. Mu Fan gritted his teeth and whispered, âBlack Egg! If you chirp on, Iâll really turn off the headset.â
Black, thoroughly immersed in conveying his thoughts, was suddenly stunned upon hearing Mu Fanâs voice. âEh, you can talk again? Not in the nearby surveillance range, youâre at the blind spot near the second gate, huh! Did that hypocritical old guy leave?â
âBlack Egg, did you even listen to what I said!â Mu Fan tried hard to avoid overly changing his facial expression.
âI did, didnât I ask if that old guy left?â
ââŠâ
âEh, thereâs someone from the tailor shop. Which big shot is coming tonight?â
Just then, Mu Fan clamped his mouth shut. At the second gate, a pair, a man and a woman engaged in conversation, turned around to fix their gaze on him.
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