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 butler's instructions.
"Young 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. It's a normal phenomenon, so please do not panic," the butler kindly reminded.
"Another wave of pretentiousness coming through," Lord Black said indignantly in the earphones, very displeased with Mu Fan ignoring his antics.
Mu Fan nodded in acknowledgment. "Okay." 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 wasn't 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 couldn't read minds, so he naturally didn't know what Mu Fan was thinking. If he knew, Mu Fan would certainly have heard Black's 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. Black's emotional simulation directly adopted the forum language of billions of players, a no-holds-barred, bottomless online style that comprehensively built Black's character. In addition, Alpha's 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?
"Young Master Mu Fan, please follow me. The car is already parked at the entrance," 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 didn't show any amazement on his face, or else Black would never miss such an opportunity.
...
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 isn't equipped with a city chief; it's 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.
People's hearts, power, and the genuine aristocratic network have long spanned every corner of the Federation. Some are aware, and some aren't, but to most, encountering this level in their lifetime is highly unlikely. The leader of the Fowen Consortium—Wayne Fowen, Harry Fowen's biological father—was 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 Island—a 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 resource's 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 Fan's 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 villa's 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 didn't admire it.
"Young Master Mu Fan, your clothes seem somewhat unsuitable. We've prepared clothing for you here, chosen by Young Master Harry. You should like it." 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 guy's meticulousness, but it didn't last a second before he felt a pang of heartache...this 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: "No need; I think this outfit is fine. Please thank Young Master Harry for me."
Noticing the butler's somewhat bewildered expression, he repeated, "No need, thank you."
"Uh, alright then." 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 shop's male attendant, calmly followed behind.
"Let him act pretentiously, ha ha, this is killing me," Black's voice came in aptly, and then, speaking to himself, he timely answered what Mu Fan was thinking at the moment, "You want to ask me how I know, right? Didn't find any surveillance cameras nearby? Because you're wearing a headset, not earplugs! Hahaha, Lord Black indeed is witty as such!"
A large patch of dark clouds floated through Mu Fan's heart.
"I just feel that old guy isn't sincere; smiling too fakely. I noticed him since the Martial Arts Hall entrance," Black endlessly blathered, exhibiting his eloquence.
Taking five steps as three, Mu Fan caught up with the butler and softly asked, "Can I enter ahead?"
The butler nodded, "Young Master Mu Fan, if you don't require my guidance temporarily, you can proceed on your own. Move through the second main gate ahead, and you're in the core area for tonight's event. You can contact Young Master Harry via Sky Communication."
Mu Fan nodded, thanking him, "Okay, thank you for your help on the way. I'll walk there myself."
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, "Black Egg! If you chirp on, I'll really turn off the headset."
Black, thoroughly immersed in conveying his thoughts, was suddenly stunned upon hearing Mu Fan's voice. "Eh, you can talk again? Not in the nearby surveillance range, you're at the blind spot near the second gate, huh! Did that hypocritical old guy leave?"
"Black Egg, did you even listen to what I said!" Mu Fan tried hard to avoid overly changing his facial expression.
"I did, didn't I ask if that old guy left?"
"..."
"Eh, there's someone from the tailor shop. Which big shot is coming tonight?"
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.
********
PS: Thanks to reader "残★雪无痕" for the 588 currency reward, and to "昨天的美" for the 10 currency reward.