Victor entered the city and immediately froze for a moment. From the outside, the massive walls and heavy weapons had already looked intimidating, but the inside was a completely different world. Towering buildings stretched into the sky, their surfaces made of shining alloy and glass that reflected sunlight like mirrors.
Transparent roads ran in layers above each other, and vehicles moved smoothly along them without making much noise. Some of them did not even touch the ground. They hovered quietly in the air and glided forward like metal birds.
Victor raised his head and watched a sleek flying car pass overhead. He had only seen such things in advertisements before. In his town, even a normal armored vehicle was considered luxurious. The gap between the city and the town felt enormous, and for the first time he truly understood why everyone dreamed of moving here.
"First time in the city?" Arthur asked while walking calmly beside him.
"Yes sir," Victor replied and nodded.
Arthur did not slow down. He walked forward with his hands behind his back, as if everything around him was ordinary. "Victor, I will not be doing any favor for you right now. I can only protect you and your family so that no one harms you until you become a gene warrior yourself. However, if you can unlock the Earth Gate or above, I will personally request the Planet Master to grant you a villa in the elite section in the city with a special security force."
Victor's breathing slightly quickened. A villa in the elite section of the city meant status, safety, and endless opportunities. It was something that ordinary people could not even imagine.
"Thank you sir. Thank you very much. I will try my best to obtain an S rank genetic serum next month and I will definitely unlock the Earth Gate or even the Heaven Gate," Victor said with determination.
Arthur glanced at him briefly. "There are five gene locks in the human body. The Human Gate, the Earth Gate, the Heaven Gate, the Divine Gate, and the Supreme Gate. Most people only unlock the Human Gate to begin their journey. Rare geniuses can unlock the Earth Gate. As for the others, they belong to legends."
Victor listened carefully. He had heard this information before, but hearing it directly from Arthur made it feel more serious.
"The unlocked gate determines the starting point of a gene warrior," Arthur continued. "Someone who unlocks the Human Gate starts from the bottom. Someone who unlocks the Earth Gate stands far above others from the beginning. As for the Heaven Gate and beyond, such people are born monsters."
Victor clenched his fists. "I understand."
"Confidence is good, but overconfidence kills," Arthur said in a solemn tone. "I hope someone from Earth can open the Heaven Gate and shine like a star. Even though Earth is our mother planet, it is the most neglected one right now. That is why I value geniuses. You and your family will remain safe until you show me your true worth."
"I will try my best, sir," Victor replied again.
Arthur stopped walking. "Alright. Rest in the city tonight. Tomorrow I will send someone with you back to the town."
He handed Victor a card. It was black with golden edges, and a symbol was engraved at the center. Victor could feel that it was not something ordinary.
Arthur then stepped forward and vanished into the sky in the next moment.
Victor looked at the card in his hand and exhaled slowly. He then turned and headed toward the hotel written on the card. He was exhausted. His clothes were torn, dusty, and covered in stains from the entire day. He wanted nothing more than a shower and a long sleep.
Soon, he arrived at a luxurious building. The entrance alone was larger than some streets in his town. Bright lights decorated the walls, and the ground was polished to the point that it reflected like water.
Victor walked toward the entrance.
Before he could step inside, a guard blocked him.
"How can a beggar like you enter this place?" the guard asked while looking at his ragged clothes with disdain.
Victor slowly turned his head and looked at him like he was looking at an insect.
"Seriously? You are sure you want to do this?" Victor said with clear annoyance.
"What did you say, punk?" the guard stepped forward, his expression turning ugly.
Victor calmly took out the VIP card and held it in front of him. He didn't want to waste time.
The guard's face instantly turned pale. His knees trembled before he suddenly dropped to the ground.
This card belonged to the Guardian himself. Anyone holding it was someone extremely close to him. Offending such a person meant death.
"Sir… please forgive me," the guard said and slammed his forehead on the floor.
Victor waved his hand lazily. "Yeah, yeah. Take me to the room. I am very tired."
"Yes sir. Please follow me," the guard replied quickly and stood up.
Some hotel staff members were about to stop Victor as well, but the guard immediately shouted, "He is our VVIP guest. If you do not want to die, keep your distance."
Victor nodded with satisfaction. The guard had potential.
The guard quickly escorted him upstairs and opened the VVIP room. The door slid open, revealing a huge suite with a living room, bedroom, and even a private balcony overlooking the city.
"Sir, if you need anything, just give a call. I will be here," the guard said respectfully.
"Arrange a set of fresh clothes for me," Victor replied.
"Yes sir." The guard bowed and left immediately.
Victor walked inside, took out his phone, and turned it on. He saw that Alex had called him more than ten times. He quickly called back.
"Victor, where are you? We were worried sick," Alex said as soon as the call connected.
Before Victor could reply, the phone was snatched away.
"Son, where are you? Are you alright?" Elina asked in a trembling voice.
"Mom, I am alright. Please do not worry too much. Do not leave the residence colony until I return," Victor replied calmly.
"Okay. But please be safe. If needed we will leave the town and move somewhere else," Elina said.
"We will not need to do that. I will return tomorrow," Victor replied before ending the call.
At that moment, Alex, his mother Martha, father Robert, Elina, and Luna were all gathered inside Alex's house. The atmosphere had been tense the entire night.
Robert and Victor's father had been teammates after their awakening. They had fought together many times. Robert himself was a First Transformation warrior.
"Aunty, do not worry. The strength Victor showed today… I am sure he has already reached perfection in the Iron Fist technique. If I am not wrong, he has gone to Aurora City to find a backer," Alex said quietly.
"What?" Robert stood up abruptly. "Are you sure?"
"Yes dad. Ninety percent sure," Alex replied.
Robert let out a long breath. "Thank God. A genius finally appeared in brother David's bloodline." A tear slid down his cheek. He was still alive because David had sacrificed himself that day years ago.
"Sister Elina, please rest assured. Charles White will not dare to attack the residence district directly. Otherwise his entire family will be wiped out by the city guards. If we stay here until Victor returns with a backer, we will be safe," Robert said gently.
"Okay. Food is ready. Come here and eat. We can talk after dinner," Martha called.
"I will wake Luna. She caught a fever from worrying too much about her brother. She needs to eat before taking medicine," Elina said and went to the room.
Now that Victor had confirmed he was safe, she could finally relax.
Back in the hotel, Victor took a long hot shower. He changed into the fresh clothes arranged by the guard and ate a heavy meal. The bed felt soft and comfortable, and he quickly fell asleep.
The next morning, Victor woke up and signed in first.
[Ding! You have signed in the VVIP room in a six star hotel. You have received common grade reward: 10 million Federation Coins.]
Victor blinked.
When he saw the words common grade, he had felt disappointed. However, when he saw the actual reward, his eyes widened in shock. His heart began to pound, and he felt excitement spreading through his body.
"Low grade is not always bad. I need money more than anything right now," he muttered.
Ten million was not a small amount. A family of four could live comfortably with fifty to sixty thousand FC a year. A general tier monster corpse sold for five million FC. This reward alone doubled that.
Just as he was about to order breakfast, there was a knock on the door.