Chapter 479: A1 Time
"You speak quite interestingly." The noblewoman remarked after listening, then said to the female secretary beside her, "Inform the Duke to find another reliable person to serve as the dean."
A single sentence decided the dean's fate, causing the other staff present to lower their heads guiltily.
After dealing with the dean, the noblewoman lost interest in continuing the tour of the welfare home and left directly with her entourage. The now-dismissed dean followed behind, incessantly apologizing. Once the crowd had moved away, the female secretary turned back and handed Xu Huo a business card. "The lady appreciates your abilities. If you're interested, you can come to the lady's company for an interview."
Xu Huo accepted it with a smile and watched her leave.
"I know that woman." Yang Qing stood behind him and said, "She's Duke Tal's wife. I've heard people here say she's promiscuous and especially likes to seduce younger men."
"Kids shouldn't listen to gossip." Xu Huo casually stuffed the card into his pocket.
"Are you going to be a kept man?" Yang Qing saw him about to leave and quickly said, "Even if being a clown doesn't earn much, a man needs backbone. How can you live off a woman!"
Xu Huo didn't directly answer that question but instead said, "Don't treat me as a benchmark for justice and morality."
Yang Qing looked very distressed, as if his spiritual pillar was about to collapse.
Xu Huo smiled. "Young age, but you think too much. Your mechanical parts work is pretty good. Next time I come, I'll bring you some books. If you want to leave this place early, study hard. Otherwise, forget about eating candy—you might not even have food to eat later."
Leaving the dormitory, he visited the outgoing dean's office to pay respects to the dean who had been dismissed but hadn't yet handed over duties, then left the welfare home.
A few days later, it was time for the gathering. Xu Huo put on the formal attire gifted by Duke Tal and went with Bai Kou to the most famous private club in District 011—A1 Time.
"The name of this club comes from the clock tower at the C9 wormhole point. It's actually quite funny—a bunch of people who have never been to an A-level wormhole point still want to align their name with one."
"Is the time at the clock tower the same as at the A-level wormhole point?" Standing on the luxurious metal floor tiles, Xu Huo casually responded.
"The A-level wormhole point was the first game wormhole point to appear. The game system's time is based on the A1 wormhole point, set according to the operation time of a certain star. It's said that the game district closest to this star is the starting point of the dimensional rift." Bai Kou said. "Many game districts pride themselves on aligning with this star's time. They're brain-damaged."
"In fact, they have no idea how to calibrate this time; they just follow the clock tower at the C9 wormhole point."
Xu Huo had seen the C9 clock tower in Decibel Town. Master Nisse's largest clock placed in the town was said to be the most accurate time according to the clock tower.
"Isn't time important in the game?" Xu Huo didn't think this was merely a simple aspiration for more powerful game zones.
But Bai Kou glanced at him. "At least for the vast majority of people, that's the case."
With a soft sound, the elevator stopped at the club floor. Two waiters standing at the entrance each handed over a feather mask.
Bai Kou took it and proactively linked her arm with Xu Huo's. "Let's go."
The two walked into the dimly lit corridor. Before they even reached the room, Duke Tal, whose physique was quite distinctive, came out to greet them. "Madam, you've arrived. Everyone's been waiting for you."
Then, as if he hadn't seen Xu Huo, he directly invited Bai Kou inside.
Xu Huo didn't mind and followed the two in. He swept a glance around the room and was surprised to see two familiar faces.
One was Ran Ying of the Black Epaulets, and the other was Vinson Meni of Rongxin.
Ran Ying recognized Xu Huo and raised his glass to him in a somewhat surprised gesture.
"So this is the famous Butterfly Madam." A brown-haired man wearing a cyan feather mask stepped forward to Bai Kou. "I wonder if you'd do me the honor of a drink?"
Bai Kou opened her small fan, covering half her face, and said with a smile, "And if I don't?"
The brown-haired man shrugged. "Beautiful women all have thorns. Getting pricked occasionally is nothing new."
With that, he sat back down. Duke Tal, however, said, "Madam, ignore him. Parada is a notorious libertine."
"Lord Duke, even if you have a special fondness for Butterfly Madam, you don't have to slander me like this." Parada clutched his chest as if wounded.
The people in the club laughed sporadically.
The group chatted among themselves for a while longer before someone finally "remembered" Xu Huo. A red-haired man said, "Although Rose Castle isn't considered a top-tier place, it's still a decent piece of property for an ordinary person. You're quite lucky."
"A few days ago, a friend of mine wanted to visit Rose Castle but was turned away by Butler Dong. Now that the castle has a new owner, you should at least host a proper banquet so everyone knows the castle has a new master."
"By the way, Parada," the red-haired man turned and said, "Doesn't your family have a distant relative who handles banquet contracting? Why don't you make an introduction so that Mr. Xu's banquet can be held with some dignity."
Parada glanced at Xu Huo. "I think I do have such a relative, but I can't just casually make introductions. If things aren't done well, it would embarrass Mr. Xu."
At this point, logically, Xu Huo should have responded, but he didn't take the bait. Instead, he said, "Uncle He Pu's mourning period isn't over yet. It's not appropriate to hold a grand banquet."
Parada laughed upon hearing this. "Ellison, all your enthusiasm, and he doesn't appreciate it."
The red-haired Ellison's eyes turned cold. "Since that's the case, I won't force it."
Among those present, there were only two or three young people. After they stopped talking to Xu Huo, no one else paid him any attention, not even Ran Ying taking the initiative to speak to him.
Such cold treatment was meant to embarrass Xu Huo. In their eyes, his status was certainly not enough to integrate into the noble circle, and Duke Tal's intention in bringing him was obvious.
"The performance is ready." Parada received an electronic message and immediately pressed a button on the armrest. The seats, originally arranged in a circle, all retreated, and a small stage holographic projection appeared in the center of the room.
The light in the projection focused on the center of the stage. Moments later, a completely naked woman was pushed to the center. She had delicate makeup and tears in her eyes, looking around in terror. Upon hearing the roar of a xenomorph, she trembled even more violently.
"Distinguished guests, the young woman you see now is a C-level player from the D22 wormhole point. We have temporarily suspended her player status. She is now merely a physically enhanced evolved human."
"As for the opponent she is about to face, it will be determined by the guests through a draw. The drawing right will now randomly fall to one of the honored seats. Countdown begins: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1!"
(End of Chapter)