Chapter 2745: Midnight Beauty
Rose Garden was private property, located within a manor estate surrounded by water. Detection devices were arranged around the perimeter, making infiltration highly risky. The best approach was to be invited as a guest, but the manor's owner preferred solitude and rarely entertained guests, so getting in required another method.
Disguising as a staff member of the estate, applying for a job, or posing as a journalist for an interview—these paths had already been worn thin by other players. Now, anyone entering or leaving the estate had to pass through multiple layers of verification, with players standing guard. Changing identities would easily be exposed.
Xu Huo first looked into the manor owner's situation, spent some money to obtain a psychologist's certification, found a distant relative of the manor owner, persuaded him to pay a visit, and then followed this person openly into the estate.
Unsurprisingly, several players were also staying in the manor. They held different identities—a scholar specifically invited by the owner for conversation, an expert brought in to deal with plant diseases, a photographer, and a food connoisseur.
When Xu Huo arrived at the manor, these people were chatting on the second-floor balcony. As they met face-to-face, both sides silently stared at each other for a few seconds before looking away.
"Is Uncle busy today?" Harry, the distant relative of the manor owner and Xu Huo's newly made friend, asked the butler familiarly. After presenting his gift, he said, "I came specifically to see him this time, and to introduce a friend to him along the way."
The butler smiled. "The master went out to visit friends and hasn't returned yet. Before leaving, he instructed me to show you around and see if there are any flowers you like. I'll arrange for a few plants to be sent to your home later."
Harry was naturally delighted. Such thoughtful treatment from a distant relative gave him face in front of outsiders, so he immediately took Xu Huo along.
Rose Garden was a place dedicated to growing flowers. Besides vast stretches of roses, there were dozens of other varieties. It was the blooming season, and whether viewed from afar or up close, it was like a paradise on earth.
Although Harry's family wasn't well-off, he had knowledge of rare flowers. As he walked, he picked out some, all of which were expensive.
"The birds Uncle keeps here are really well-raised. Just from their calls, you can tell they're rare breeds," Harry said, listening to the sounds coming from a distant greenhouse.
"The master doesn't particularly like rare ornamental birds and keeps very few. Most are gifts from visiting guests," the butler explained.
Harry nodded knowingly. "I know Uncle. He prefers flowers, but a garden looks better with birds and butterflies. Keeping a few birds as decoration is fine."
"I'll go take a look."
The butler didn't stop him. The three of them arrived at the bird and flower greenhouse. From a distance, they heard a whistling sound different from the birds' calls. After the whistle, the greenhouse suddenly fell silent.
A deliberately heavy footstep approached. An old woman with graying hair appeared before them. Her small eyes swept over them, and the wrinkles on her face deepened. "Outsiders coming in can easily startle the birds."
The butler first apologized, then introduced the old woman. "This is Lady Ti Hui. She helps the master take care of these birds on a daily basis."
Before entering, Xu Huo had already assessed the situation in the greenhouse. There were plenty of hummingbirds, but none with red feathers on their heads. However, the old woman before him was a player—or rather, had once been a player.
The butler explained Harry's identity to Lady Ti Hui. She merely nodded, then looked at Xu Huo. "And who is he?"
Xu Huo took the initiative to say, "I am a friend of Mr. Harry. I came with him this time to visit Mr. Wen."
Lady Ti Hui's face was as hard as stone. "If you're here as a guest, behave like one. Don't wander around casually, and especially don't come near the greenhouse."
Harry's expression soured. Xu Huo smiled but said nothing.
The butler changed the subject, said a few brief words, and prepared to leave.
Xu Huo followed behind Harry. As they left, he saw Lady Ti Hui using a small transparent pot to add water to a bowl. Several hummingbirds immediately flew over, eagerly drinking.
At that moment, the sunlight slanted, and the greenhouse shifted from dim to bright. Under the light, the hummingbirds and Lady Ti Hui's hands faintly shimmered, as if covered in reflective powder. On the other side of the wall, in the garden, large clusters of flower buds glowed brilliantly.
"What kind of flower is that?" Xu Huo asked.
"You have good taste," Harry chuckled. "That's called Midnight Beauty. Very rare. A decent specimen costs at least ten million or more. This patch—probably a thousand plants or so."
"Midnight Beauty?" Xu Huo gazed at the sea of flowers. "I think it's impressive even in daylight."
Harry patted his shoulder and winked. "It's not the flower that's beautiful—it's the person."
Seeing Xu Huo's confusion, the butler took the initiative to explain that Midnight Beauty carried a special pheromone. When exposed to sunlight during the day, this pheromone produced a hallucinogenic effect. If one smelled the flower's fragrance at night or walked close to the plants, they would have the illusion that the flowers were people. Everyone who experienced it unanimously claimed they saw a stunningly beautiful person, regardless of gender.
"I've heard of people using that pheromone for experiments before. Once affected, even the ugliest person becomes unparalleled in beauty..." Harry leaned close to Xu Huo's ear, whispered a couple of sentences, then let out an ambiguous low laugh. "So you'd better not come here at night. What if you see Lady Ti Hui?"
The butler sighed slightly. "Mr. Harry, please don't joke about Lady Ti Hui."
Harry waved his hand. "I was just saying. Don't tell her. That old lady looks like trouble."
They returned to the manor. The other guests had already come downstairs. The bespectacled scholar took the initiative to approach Harry and chat. His words were humorous, and he had considerable insight into the cultural history of District 022. Before long, Harry regarded him as a kindred spirit and warmly invited him to visit his home.
"What do you do?" the photographer asked Xu Huo while fiddling with his tools.
Xu Huo handed over his business card.
"A psychologist?" The photographer let out an ambiguous laugh. "I thought no one would want to be friends with a psychologist. If every word and action is analyzed for motive and mental state by someone, isn't that like being naked?"
"You're joking," Xu Huo said. "A psychologist is just a human. In analyzing mental states, they are far less precise than machines. Their role is more about providing emotional comfort."
The photographer raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? So you're not living up to your title?"
Before Xu Huo could respond, Harry interrupted displeasedly. "Who do you think you are, questioning my friend like that? When Uncle comes back, I'll be sure to tell him that his guest is too unruly."
The photographer's eyes turned cold, but when he looked at Harry, his expression returned to normal. "I overreacted. It's just that a few days ago, many guests came to the estate, claiming to be this or that, but couldn't provide proof. In the end, they were found to be impostors."
He turned back to Xu Huo. "I was just worried that Mr. Wen might be deceived."
Thanks to reader Unique Er Feng Li Pan Baba for the tip. This book now has sixteen patrons! O(∩_∩)O