Translator: AnubisTL
"A pet shop?" Li Hao asked, his gaze following the retreating figure of the man. To be honest, he still didn't understand.
Could the Rose Club be some kind of boutique selling expensive pets?
He knew a little about this. Back on Blue Star, rare breeds of cats had sold for tens or even hundreds of thousands of yuan. He'd never understood it. No matter the breed, it was still just a cat. How could it be worth more than a human life?
Chen Jiang and the others didn't elaborate further. They scanned their surroundings and strode after the man.
Soon, the man turned into an empty alleyway.
To be honest, the group felt a slight lack of confidence about resorting to violence. They had no idea what kind of technology this planet possessed, or even what its surveillance systems looked like.
What if there were invisible cameras?
Being exposed the moment they acted would jeopardize their entire plan. They only had 24 hours—they couldn't afford to waste a moment.
Therefore, to be safe...
Bang.
A puff of white mist hissed into existence.
The man walking ahead suddenly vanished into thin air.
It was as if he had simply disappeared.
Chen Jiang and his group, trailing several dozen meters behind, whistled casually and scanned their surroundings, acting as if they had nothing to do with the man's disappearance.
In reality, the man had been teleported through the phantom gate to an abandoned sewer beneath the city.
City sewers often bear witness to the city's darkest secrets, not just trash.
This case was no different.
Scar Dog, wielding an enhanced shotgun with seventy or eighty barrels, thrust the weapon through the phantom gate.
Moments later, he withdrew a bloodstained black invitation.
"Doesn't seem like much," Scar Dog shrugged, handing the bloodstained invitation to Chen Jiang. "I thought anyone with an invitation like this would be a big shot. You'd think they'd have at least a three-star item or a powerful innate ability, right?"
"He seemed completely defenseless. A few shots and bang, he was done."
"Who knows?" Chen Jiang said casually. "Maybe he was a politician who bought some kind of mind-manipulating innate ability."
He glanced down at the black invitation card in his hand and nodded with satisfaction. "Regardless, we got the invitation. Let's go see what this so-called club is all about."
"By the way, didn't you find any spatial equipment on him?"
"No. Not even spatial equipment, let alone any other items."
"Alright."
Chen Jiang dismissed the matter, tucking the black invitation card into his pocket. "Let's move. According to Wu Zhending's timing, we probably have less than half an hour before the event starts. We need to hurry."
However, none of them moved, remaining rooted to the spot.
After a moment, Scar Dog spoke up with a strange expression. "Um, Brother Jiang, you're leading the way, right? Why aren't you moving?"
"Move my ass."
Chen Jiang snapped, "I don't know where this black club is. The invitation doesn't even have an address."
"I'll ask Wu Zhending. His brother went to this club, so he should know."
Soon, Chen Jiang and his group had the exact coordinates. They immediately confronted Wu Zhending, vehemently opposing any suggestion that they should go. They declared that such a filthy, degenerate place, utterly incompatible with their core values, was something they would resolutely reject, eradicate, resist, and even despise!
"Let's go. It's not far ahead."
Not long after, about twenty minutes later, the group found themselves in a secluded alley. The entrance was well-hidden: a barber shop with a flickering light above the door. Inside, only an old master sat dozing on a sofa.
These kinds of barber shops were already obsolete.
According to the information they had gathered, as more and more young people grew dissatisfied with constantly changing hairstyles and struggled to find the right look, automated haircutting machines had emerged.
The process was simple.
All you had to do was choose your preferred hairstyle from hundreds of options, stick your head in, and within minutes, a nearly identical haircut would appear.
The price was reasonable too—just over 100 star coins per session—making it immensely popular among young people.
As society evolved, more and more young people developed social anxiety, struggling to communicate their desired hairstyles to barbers. Consequently, traditional barber shops gradually transformed, catering exclusively to high-end clients.
While automated barber machines offered convenience and affordability, they had a significant drawback: everyone who selected the same hairstyle would end up with identical cuts.
Young people didn't mind this uniformity.
But high-end clients were deeply concerned. No member of the elite wanted to sport a hairstyle identical to that of the common masses.
Thus, barber shops began catering exclusively to these affluent clients, tailoring their services to their needs.
It's no wonder a run-down barber shop like the one before them, tucked away in a remote alley, had no customers. It lacked any target demographic.
"This is the place," Chen Jiang said, glancing up at the Rose Barber Shop.
"Let's go in."
He strode into the barber shop first, glanced around the interior, and then addressed the dozing Old Master on the sofa, "Master, heart cleansing."
"Heart cleansing?"
The somewhat disheveled Old Master rubbed his sleepy eyes before peering at the three figures before him. "Invitation?"
"Here."
Chen Jiang calmly handed the invitation to the Old Master. According to Wu Zhending, "heart cleansing" was a secret code meaning "purifying the soul."
"Hmm."
After verifying the invitation's authenticity, the Old Master didn't ask for their identities. Instead, he pulled a mask from his robe and tossed it to Chen Jiang. "Put this on and keep walking straight ahead."
Chen Jiang caught the mask, raised an eyebrow, and remained silent. It was another two-star item.
[Item Name: False Mask]
[Item Star: Two-Star Item]
[Item Effect: When worn, this mask completely conceals your appearance and prevents any means of identifying you, including rule-based abilities and items. Duration: 12 hours.]
[Item Description: "I wear this mask and am swallowed by darkness, seeking a glimmer of light within the shadows."]
The mask was shaped like a rabbit.
It looked quite adorable.
Without saying much, he pressed the mask to his cheek with one hand. As soon as it made contact, a suction force activated, securing the mask firmly in place. A twelve-hour countdown timer appeared on his item panel.
"A decent item," Chen Jiang said with a smile, nodding in approval. He then turned to the old master before him. "What about my two brothers? They're entering as well."
"No," the old master replied casually, still half-dozing and without lifting his head. "One invitation, one mask. No extras."
"No, no, no," Chen Jiang said calmly, shaking his head slightly. He removed the rabbit mask and replaced it with a Joker's Mask, then looked earnestly at the old master. "They both have black invitations too. Please give them each a mask. Do you understand?"
The old master paused, as if suddenly realizing something. He lowered his head, reached into his robe, and pulled out two new masks, handing them over. "Here. They must be returned upon departure."
"Understood," Chen Jiang said with a smile, removing the Joker's Mask and putting the rabbit mask back on.
In certain situations, the Joker's Mask still proves useful. Its effect is simple: it compels anyone who looks at you to believe everything you say for three seconds.
Quickly, Chen Jiang and his companions donned their masks and strode deeper into the Rose Barber Shop. As they pushed open a heavy bronze door, soft piano music filled their ears.
They found themselves at a cocktail party.
Men and women, glasses in hand, gathered in small groups, chatting idly. Masked attendants circulated through the crowd, carrying trays of champagne and desserts. On a high platform, a masked band played classical music.
The hall was decorated in shades of blue and black, dimly lit, making it difficult to see clearly. The music drifted leisurely through the air, enveloping Chen Jiang and his companions.
"Holy crap," Scar Dog muttered, closing the door behind them. His jaw dropped as he surveyed the scene. "Is this some kind of proper gala? I feel like Wu Zhending tricked us. This is nothing like what I imagined."
"I thought we'd walk in on some kind of wild orgy."
"Honestly, I regret coming. I want a refund!"
Just then—
A white-gloved attendant approached Chen Jiang and his companions, carrying a tray. He spoke softly, "Good evening, gentlemen. Would you care for some wine?"
"Uh..." Li Hao hesitated, instinctively asking, "Is it free?"
Slap!
Scar Dog expressionlessly slapped Li Hao on the back of the head, pulling him behind him before turning to the attendant. "Three glasses."
The attendant paused, then replied, "Certainly, sir. Everything you see here is complimentary. Please help yourself. If you require anything else, simply call for a server."
"Got it. Go on." Scar Dog took three glasses from the tray and waved dismissively.
After the attendant left, he distributed the wine and took a sip himself. Swirling the liquid in his mouth for a moment, he couldn't help but exclaim, "Not bad. This is good stuff. You can tell it's expensive just by the taste."
"..."
Chen Jiang glanced at Scar Dog with mild exasperation before turning toward an empty table bathed in dim light. "Let's go sit at that table."
After settling into his seat, he began to survey the surroundings, considering how to proceed.
Those attending this Friday Eden Party were likely of high status, and he couldn't rule out the possibility that they possessed three-star rule items or extraordinary innate abilities. Without using the turret, capturing and kidnapping them all would be exceedingly difficult.
Yet using the turret would make it nearly impossible to take any prisoners alive.
As for transferring the funds, that was no longer a concern.
According to the information he'd just received, star coins were fully encrypted cryptocurrency, completely untraceable in terms of origin and destination. This meant he didn't need to worry about the Federation Bank's monitoring system triggering an alert and freezing his newly acquired star coins.
The only remaining challenge was how to kidnap this group without blasting them all to smithereens with the turret.
Just then—
Boom!
Several white spotlights suddenly illuminated the high platform. A young man in a white suit, a rose pinned to his lapel, and a bear mask covering his face, slowly walked onto the platform, microphone in hand, and stood under the spotlight.
The lights in the audience dimmed slightly.
The music softened to a low murmur.
The attendants began to withdraw, leaving only a group of masked men and women on the floor.
"Fuck," Scar Dog muttered under his breath, straightening up and staring intently at the young man on the high platform. His voice tinged with excitement, he said, "I suddenly feel like the main event is about to start."
"Damn it, this feeling... it's making me uncontrollably excited. I never paid this much attention even when I was studying."
"Hey," Li Hao leaned in awkwardly, whispering, "How am I supposed to hold this wine glass? Three fingers on top or four on the bottom? I'm just an excavator operator—I've never been to a fancy party like this before."
"Why are you asking me? I don't know either. Just hold it however you want. It's so dark in here, who's going to see how you're holding your glass anyway?"
At that moment—
The young man standing under the spotlight on the platform threw back his head and laughed loudly, his voice ringing through the hall.
"The city imprisons the body, but roses liberate the soul!"
"Welcome, my dear ladies and gentlemen, to the Rose Club's weekly Friday Eden Party! Here, you can experience the complete liberation of your soul!"
"Cast aside worldly prejudices and shed the shackles of life!"
"In this place, we are all souls!"
"Now, let the weekly showstopper segment begin!"
As the host's voice faded, thunderous applause erupted from the crowd. Many cheered wildly, their faces flushed with excitement. The band, hidden in the shadows of the high platform, immediately launched into a high-energy, showstopping track.
The lights in the venue began to flash wildly.
The segment hadn't even started, but the atmosphere was already electric.
The host grinned at the crowd below. "So, who's ready to come up and kick off this week's showstopper segment at the Friday Eden Party?"
A chorus of cheers and jeers rose from the crowd.
Several men began playfully shoving their female companions forward with mischievous grins.
(End of the Chapter)
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