The heavy glass doors of the Ritz-Carlton slid shut with a smooth, muffled click, instantly cutting off the stifling, terrified silence of the private salon.
The crisp afternoon air hit Chen Ying's face in a refreshing wave, a welcome contrast to the cloying scent of premium Earl Grey and the desperate, suffocating pretense of the capital's elite circle. She walked down the wide marble steps of the grand entrance with an effortless, unhurried stride, her posture unyielding and her gaze entirely steady.
Before she could even reach the bottom step, a sharp, crystalline electronic chime echoed exclusively inside her consciousness, shattering the quiet of her thoughts.
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host! High-Priority Side Quest: 'Counter the Poisoned Mind' and subsequent market retaliation have been flawlessly executed!]
