am-books Chapter 123: Chapter123-Headquarters
Chapter 123: Chapter123-Headquarters
John, witnessing Albertus's frivolous demeanor, couldn't help but rub his temples in exasperation.
He replied with resignation, "Let's skip the fun. Just dropping me off at the hotel will do."
Had it been any other time, John would have readily joined Albertus for a night out, seeking to revel till dawn.
But now... merely days ago, he had narrowly escaped an attempt on his life by Robert.
The mood for merrymaking was far from him.
For John, the priority lay in quickly bolstering his own strength to at least ensure his personal safety.
The taste of being easily manipulated by others was far from pleasant.
Albertus, oblivious to John's thoughts but noting his lack of enthusiasm, dropped the subject.
It wasn't long before the hovercar carrying John and Albertus arrived at the heart of the Imperial Capital.
Sleek, sci-fi-esque hovercars sped along the orbital highways, while towering skyscrapers stood imposingly on either side of the roads.
In the sky, lifelike holographic characters showcased the latest products developed by corporations, red airships adorned with banners flew by advertising, and countless hummingbird drones flitted about, surveilling every corner of the city incessantly.
The streets were bustling with well-dressed pedestrians, their conversations reflecting their extraordinary sophistication.
On the sidewalks, oval-shaped white cleaning robots tirelessly swept the city clean.
The luxurious hovercar halted in front of the resplendent "Wilton" hotel, where John and Albertus stepped out onto the crimson carpet and made their way inside.
The hotel lobby was adorned in lavish decor, with rows of stunning, tall female attendants dressed in exquisitely made red cheongsams.
Their faces bore smiles that were just right, standing meticulously in two lines.
Upon John and Albertus's entrance into the lobby, the attendants bowed in unison, respectfully greeting, "Welcome to the Wilton Hotel."
Albertus was accustomed to such extravagance, but John felt a pang of sentimentality.
Damn, being wealthy sure has its perks.
Led by a female executive in a white cheongsam with her hair neatly coiffed, the two were escorted to a room at the hotel's top floor.
As the service staff opened the door, they were greeted by a living room that was not only luxuriously furnished but also incredibly spacious.
As John stepped into the room, warm lights automatically illuminated the space.
At the same time, a synthesized electronic voice filled the room, saying, "Welcome home, Mr. John."
This must be the smart home assistant, thought John, not particularly surprised by the advanced technology.
Albertus handed over a golden card, explaining, "This is the Wilton Hotel's VIP card. The hotel is one of House Fairfax's properties. You can stay here as long as you like."
Looking at the gold card in Albertus's hand, John's mouth twitched slightly.
Even with a rough idea of House Fairfax's wealth, Albertus always managed to redefine his understanding of what money could do.
This top-tier hotel, located at the heart of the Imperial Capital, was yet another asset owned by them.
One could only wonder about the extent of House Fairfax's holdings.
John did not demur, accepting the gold card from Albertus.
Having already decided to maintain a good relationship with House Fairfax, and seeing their willingness to invest in him, he saw no reason to be coy or overly modest.
Seeing this, a smile spread across Albertus's face.
Clearly, he was being watched.
John remained unfazed, having anticipated this.
His mind power instantly spread out like a vast net, enveloping a radius of a kilometer around him.
At the same time, the sounds of heartbeats and blood flow reached his ears.
"Life Perception!"
While seemingly hailing a taxi, John's mind power meticulously scanned his surroundings.
One, two, three...
A casual sweep of his gaze allowed John to estimate the number of those lurking in the shadows.
There were at least seven individuals monitoring him, not counting those beyond the reach of his mental perception.
A subtle hint of murderous intent flickered in John's eyes.
It was his first day in the Imperial Capital, and already, so many had set their sights on him.
Their eagerness was palpable.
Yet, John's expression revealed nothing, as if he was completely unaware of their presence.
He hailed a taxi and headed straight for the headquarters of Hidden Stars.
Now was not the time to strike; John planned to wait until their guard was down to eliminate them.
The car sped along the Imperial Capital's floating ring roads.
In no time, John arrived at the outer ring of the Imperial Capital, in front of an office building that looked utterly ordinary.
The plainness of the building before him made John's mouth twitch involuntarily.
Hidden Stars' choice of location was seemingly haphazard, but not without reason.
If the headquarters of Hidden Stars looked like this, one could only imagine what the other branches must be like.
Had it not been for the Hidden Stars logo, John might have doubted he was in the right place.
John shook his head and proceeded to push the door open, stepping inside.
The lobby on the first floor was lit with cool-toned lights.
Although the decor was modest, the cleanliness was impeccable.
In the hall, there was only one woman, of delicate appearance and wearing glasses, seated behind the reception desk, engrossed in her smartphone.
Upon John's entrance, the woman behind the desk, without looking up, stated, "Please register yourself if you need anything. If you're looking for someone, you can provide a name or code, and I'll pass on the message."
John calmly announced, "I'm here to register as a new member of Hidden Stars."
At this, the woman at the front desk paused, then set her phone down and looked up at John.
She gave him a once-over, with a particular pause on his face.
Pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose, her expression warmed into a genial smile, and even her voice softened, "Oh, a newcomer, I see. Come on, handsome, let's get you registered. I'll need some details: code name, real name, age, height, penis size, terminal number, home address..."
John was immediately taken aback by her request.
Is this a census?