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| Descend from the Stars (STARS) |
How to Pretend to Be Super Rich?
Ever since Wen Shu sent word that the bar had three underground levels, the resourceful Three Warehouse Logistics verified assets worth a billion and obtained a VVIP invitation.
Now, billionaire Xu Rongchuan stepped out of his rented Lincoln before expressionlessly adjusting his expensive cufflinks as he enjoyed the hotel staff's respectful welcome.
He casually handed over the invitation: "Lead the way."
"Mr. Xu," the attendant glanced at the name on the invitation and immediately beamed, "Welcome. Your room has been reserved. We wish you a pleasant stay."
Chaos Hotel, T City's largest five-star hotel, bore an extremely peculiar name that did nothing to deter its steady stream of guests. By the time Xu Rongchuan entered the lobby in the dead of night, many guests were still queuing to check in.
Strangely, despite there being over twenty guests, an unnatural silence prevailed. As Xu Rongchuan walked past, they were all occupied with their own affairs. But when he had gone a few steps further, his instincts suddenly tingled.
Someone was watching him.
He turned around. Over twenty pairs of eerily synchronized eyes—black and white—were fixed on him, only to instantly look away the next moment. All the guests resumed their previous activities as if that split-second stare had been an illusion.
Weird.
He sensed no energy fluctuations—everyone in the lobby was ordinary.
Xu Rongchuan remained composed and continued toward the elevator, where another male attendant was waiting to escort him. The attendant was handsome yet unremarkable, like a generic face from an advertisement, with skin so pale it seemed inhuman. He bowed deeply to Xu Rongchuan, flashing a row of white teeth: "Welcome."
Xu Rongchuan's room was on the 54th floor—the top level. As the elevator ascended, the air grew increasingly thick, carrying a faint, indescribable fishy odor, like seafood past its prime. He glanced at the attendant beside him, whose enthusiastic smile clung to his face like a mask fused to his flesh.
"Ding." The elevator doors opened.
The corridor on the top floor was exceptionally long, with over a dozen rooms in sight. The attendant swiped the card to open Xu Rongchuan's door and smiled. "Mr. Xu, as a specially invited VIP guest, there are a few small rules we'd like you to keep in mind during your stay."
He checked his watch—it was 1:30 a.m.
"First, when you're alone in your room, do not interact or communicate with any life forms you may see."
"Second, from midnight until dawn, please do not leave your room unless accompanied by hotel staff."
"Third, if you wish to select a companion, we will arrange a ball for all first-day guests to make their choices. Please ignore any creatures that approach you under other circumstances."
Xu Rongchuan thought to himself: Are there really fools among the ultra-rich who'd vacation at such an obviously suspicious hotel?
Staying in character as the clueless tycoon, he scoffed, "And if I break them?"
The attendant's smile widened. He bowed deeply again, offered no answer, and quietly left the floor. Watching him go, Xu Rongchuan decided to follow the rules for now.
He closed the door, inserted the keycard, and the room brightened instantly.
With one hand, he loosened his uncomfortable tie and turned to survey the interior.
The next second, he froze and his pupils contracting, with only two words echoing in his mind: Holy shit!
A scene of overwhelming impact crashed into his vision: on the right side of the extravagantly luxurious room, an entire wall had been replaced with transparent glass. Beyond the glass stood a massive, dark-red cross.
Above the cross hung a beautiful monster—human from the waist up, serpent from the waist down. Its gorgeous serpent tail shimmered faintly with iridescent hues under the ambient lighting. Long hair cascaded like seaweed, with its elegant neck restrained by a black collar, and a diamond-studded crown adorned its head. Its hands were bound with red ropes and nailed to the very top of the cross.
Eyes closed, it resembled a Muse from mythology.
That face—with peach-blossom eyes and thin, indifferent lips—was unmistakably Wen Shu’s!
At the bottom of the glass, a line of golden text was inscribed:
"Gluttonous Buffet Feast: Price 990,000/person, Booking Deadline 03:30"
Xu Rongchuan stood stunned for a full two minutes. His first reaction was: I have to take a picture and send it to the Pangu work group chat.
He pulled out his phone, ready to immortalize the unfortunate sight of the heroic Team Wen leader, only to find the screen filled with black-and-white static. It wasn’t like a signal jammer—more like something invisible was blocking the display, preventing even the home screen from appearing.
Frowning, he tapped the built-in earpiece in his ear. Two meaningless "zzzt" noises crackled before silence fell.
This was a Pangu-specialized earpiece, using Bai Xuanming as a signal tower. It didn’t rely on conventional signals but operated on Bai Xuanming’s ability wavelength, making it impossible for any signal jammer to block.
…Unless there was a Superhuman here more powerful than Captain Bai.
No wonder Three Warehouse Logistics couldn’t reach Wen Shu. Hopefully, Xu Dan was fine…
He turned his attention back to his phone when suddenly, the static on the screen shifted eerily as it slowly forming a crooked line of white text against a black background:
"：）"
"Welcome to Chaos."
Goosebumps rose on Xu Rongchuan’s hand gripping the phone.
He tossed it onto the hallway cabinet and inspected the lavish suite.
Nothing seemed out of place, except for a faint fishy odor lingering in the air.
Walking to the bedside, he picked up the landline and pressed the only call button.
"Ring… ring… Hello, we’re delighted to serve you. How may I assist you?"
Xu Rongchuan said, "I want to join the buffet feast."
"Please hold… Regrettably, the displayed item '01 Muse' has been fully booked. The only remaining option is '06 Foam,' priced at 300,000 yuan per person, with service starting at 7 AM. Please confirm if you’d like to proceed."
"…" Xu Rongchuan glanced guiltily at Wen Shu, crucified on the cross. Was it because he was the rescuer that Wen Shu had ended up in such a predicament?
"Hello, are you still there?"
"Yes," Xu Rongchuan replied. "Confirm participation."
"Excellent. We wish you a pleasant dining experience~"
The call ended. Xu Rongchuan approached the glass wall and lightly tapped it. His knuckles made no sound upon contact, the sensation akin to touching the skin of some living creature.
He focused his mind, sensing a stirring of inspiration. From unseen directions, it seemed different gazes were also fixed on Wen Shu, each brimming with filthy desires—hunger, lust, cruelty...
Xu Rongchuan realized these were other guests on the same floor, perhaps even those who had reserved seats for the "01 Muse" gluttonous feast...
.........
ORACLE Bar, Basement Level Two.
In the narrow, windowless room, everyone stared silently at the man who had just entered, so quiet that the collective sound of swallowing could almost be heard.
At first glance, they unknowingly lost the ability to think for themselves, slipping into a peculiar state.
Xu Dan sat down at the long table and glancing at them with disinterest.
Dirty, foul-smelling human males.
Couldn’t reach his brother through the earpiece… missed him.
Seduction, huh… so hungry. Brother didn’t cook tonight—craved an Anomalous Object...
The corners of his eyes drooped unhappily, and the five men opposite him collectively felt their hearts break. The lead "interviewer" cleared his throat as his eyes was practically glued to Xu Dan’s face and his voice thick with undisguised desire: "Please introduce yourself."
Xu Dan tilted his head slightly, his pale amber eyes like a drowning pool of tenderness: "Do I need to?"
The lead interviewer stared dumbly while clutching the resume, lips parting and closing until he finally murmured three words: "No need..."
"Let me see," Xu Dan rose from the chair again, studying the men opposite him. Their desires unfolded like an open book before him. "So this is what you’re looking for… Your boss has a thing for serpent-men?"
His body grew more graceful as his long legs vanishing and replaced by a deep blue Serpent tail. For him, the tail was far stronger and more convenient than human legs. He glided elegantly around the room before slowly coiling around the lead interviewer, smiling: "Are you seduced yet?"
If Xu Rongchuan were here, he’d likely deeply regret not personally accompanying this non-human rookie on the mission.
But no one in the room found the scene strange or frightening. To them, his manner of speech, his actions, even his mesmerizing beauty—all seemed perfectly normal. Just as Xu Rongchuan had once overlooked the egg’s anomalies.
The lead interviewer was stiff as stone, his face flushed crimson as he stared at Xu Dan.
Xu Dan glanced curiously at the man’s lower half, suddenly enlightened: So this useless little appendage could change too… Hmm, he’d have to ask his brother about it later.
"Seems like it worked," he answered for the interviewer. "Then, I should qualify to pick a guest worth hundreds of millions, preferably one with an invitation to the Chaos Hotel. Right?"
"Yes..." The interviewer nearly pressed his face against Xu Dan’s. "My darling, you don’t need to serve those deranged rich folks. I’ll add you directly to the hotel’s ball list… That’s the only place worthy of your beauty."
Satisfied, Xu Dan slithered slowly toward the door. Seeing him about to leave, the interviewer scrambled up in desperation to follow. Xu Dan paused at the doorway, turning back to wait for him.
The interviewer’s soul was gone.
He eagerly followed Xu Dan, violating work regulations by leaving the interview site early, just to fulfill the wish of this beautiful serpent. He led him to the room prepared for the dance.
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