Chapter 9: A Life of Luxury

After seeing the courtyard in Serenity District, Lin Huang thought the hotel owner must be similar to Li Lang, whom he had met before—a person with a taste for refinement. But when he finally laid eyes on the owner himself, he realized how far off his assumptions had been.

The hotel owner was an utterly unremarkable-looking middle-aged man. He was short, a little plump, and his head was completely bald—someone who would disappear without a trace in any crowd. His age was hard to pin down; he could have been anywhere from forty to sixty. His complexion was pale, and there were few wrinkles on his face.

His clothing was just as casual as his appearance. He wore a bright yellow short-sleeved shirt, clearly a size too large, draping over him like a short robe. His loose, sea-blue shorts almost reached below his knees, as if they too were a size bigger than needed.

“Hello, are you the guest checking into room 302 today?” The bald, middle-aged man stood behind the counter, his face adorned with a gentle, pleasant smile that revealed neat, white teeth.

“Yes, you’re the hotel owner, right?” Lin Huang handed over his room card for registration, adding a casual compliment, “The courtyard is beautifully designed.”

“Thank you. It’s just a little hobby of mine—I’m only tinkering and having fun with it,” the owner replied modestly.

Lin Huang was genuinely surprised. Given the owner’s untidy appearance, he had assumed the garden outside was the work of a professional designer. Who would have thought the unassuming man before him had created it with his own hands?

“Your room is on the third floor, to the right. Walk all the way down the hallway,” the owner said after finishing the registration, returning the card and gesturing toward the staircase.

Lin Huang took the card and was about to head upstairs when the owner called out again.

“One more thing. The guest in room 301 across from you has a bit of a peculiar habit—he practices sword forms in the courtyard every night at midnight. If there’s any noise, I hope you’ll be understanding.”

“Understood,” Lin Huang replied without giving it much thought, nodding before making his way upstairs.

The staircase was made of rosewood, winding upward in a spiral. The handrails and balusters on the right were intricately carved with patterns of vines, leaves, and flowers of varying sizes—so lifelike that, from a distance, one might easily mistake them for the real thing.

As Lin Huang stepped onto the wooden stairs, a faint creak sounded beneath his feet. He climbed to the third floor and followed the owner’s directions, walking down the hall to the very end.

At the door to room 302, he couldn’t resist glancing at the door to room 301 across the hall, curiosity flickering in his mind about the person residing there. A moment later, he shook his head with a faint smile. “Why should I concern myself with others? My priority is to prepare for the Reserve Hunter’s assessment!”

He inserted the room card into the slot, opened the door, and stepped inside. The moment he entered, he stopped in his tracks, amazement etched across his face. “Do the Alliance government’s benefits really go this far?”

The room was a luxurious suite—the living room alone spanned over a hundred square meters and was decorated with remarkable taste. The grand chandelier in the center of the ceiling, crafted from what looked like solid gold (save for the light source itself), dazzled when switched on, its value evident at a glance.

The suite’s overall style was opulent without being ostentatious. Aside from the chandelier, the other decorations were subtle, but the details spoke of quality. Even the carpet beneath his feet was edged with gold; if you didn’t look closely, you might think the effect came from ordinary golden threads.

“This owner must be incredibly wealthy—even the carpet is trimmed with real gold...” Lin Huang knelt and lifted a corner of the rug, inspecting it carefully. “Damn, it really is pure gold!”

In this world, gold was still a rare metal, used mainly for luxurious ornaments and commanding a high price—three hundred credits per gram. He didn’t know what beast’s hide the carpet was made from, but the gold-trimmed border alone was surely worth hundreds of thousands of credits.

Lin Huang looked up at the chandelier overhead, clicking his tongue in amazement. “If that’s real gold too, it must be worth millions…”

He wandered around the suite, soaking in the atmosphere of luxury, unable to suppress a sigh. “No wonder even the cheapest rooms here cost over a thousand credits per night.”

The suite had two bedrooms and a spacious living room, with even the bathrooms numbering two. Lin Huang chose the slightly larger room on the left, which had a balcony overlooking the garden. He drew back the curtains and opened the balcony door—a set of rattan outdoor tables and chairs stood outside, along with a hanging rattan hammock.

Stepping out onto the balcony, Lin Huang gazed down, taking in the whole courtyard. From this vantage, the garden looked even more beautiful.

“One day, when I have money, I’ll buy a house with a garden like this and ask the owner to design it for me,” he mused, a smile tugging at his lips.

That afternoon, Lin Huang lay basking in the sun on the hammock.

After school, Lin Xin came straight to Serenity Residence, barely able to contain her excitement to see what the hotel room looked like. When she reached the entrance to the courtyard, her nerves got the better of her and she hesitated, dialing Lin Huang’s number on her Imperial Heart Ring. The call was quickly answered, and Lin Huang’s voice came through. “Are you out of school?”

“I’m already at the hotel entrance…” Lin Xin replied softly.

“Come on in. Room 302,” Lin Huang said, rolling off the hammock, walking to the balcony, and waving to her from above.

When she saw Lin Huang waving, Lin Xin finally believed he wasn’t joking. She waved back enthusiastically before stepping into the garden.

She crossed the courtyard and entered the hotel lobby. When the owner looked her way, she hurried to explain, “I’m here to find my brother, Lin Huang.”

“Oh, the young man from earlier? He’s in 302—third floor, all the way to the right,” the owner replied with a nod.

“Thank you.” Lin Xin stuck out her tongue and hurried up the stairs.

She reached the door, which was ajar, and double-checked the room number, nervous about making a mistake. “302—this must be it.”

After confirming, she pushed the door open.

“Wow!” Lin Xin couldn’t help but exclaim at the sight of the room’s décor.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Lin Huang walked over and handed her a glass of juice.

“Mm!” Lin Xin nodded vigorously, then hesitated, glancing at the glass. “Does the juice cost money?”

“No, it’s all included in the room charge. All the food and drinks in the room are free—I asked the owner,” Lin Huang replied with a smile.

Relieved, Lin Xin took the drink, sipped it, and her eyes lit up. She downed the rest in a few gulps. “That’s delicious! Brother, what is it?”

“I’m not really sure. The owner said he makes it himself—it’s called Tranquilitea, made mainly from the root sap of a plant-based beast. I think it tastes great too,” Lin Huang replied. He’d already had several glasses that day, and though he’d never cared for sweet things, he found this drink hard to resist.

“The food here is excellent too. Are you hungry? If you are, let’s go have dinner.” Lin Huang had eaten lunch at the hotel and had been impressed by the cuisine.

Lin Xin hadn’t been too hungry, but hearing Lin Huang praise the food, her appetite was piqued.

The two of them headed straight to the second-floor restaurant.

By the time they arrived, a few guests were already present, most looking like hunters—probably those who had taken part in the monster cleanup the day before and hadn’t yet departed.

The restaurant offered a buffet, with dishes served in small plates and kept hot by some unknown method, so everything tasted as if it had just come out of the kitchen.

Lin Huang and Lin Xin claimed a small table, piling it with plates of their favorites until there was no room left. Only then did they start to eat with gusto.

There weren’t many guests, and the ones there chatted quietly in small groups. Lin Huang and Lin Xin focused on their meal.

But suddenly, all conversation ceased as if cut off at the same instant. The restaurant fell into silence. Every guest looked up toward the entrance. Noticing this, Lin Huang and Lin Xin could not help but glance over as well.

~~~~~~

[Let me say a few words. Some readers who’ve followed my older works may be used to the fast-paced, monster-fighting, and leveling-up type of stories, where the world-building is mostly glossed over. So, a few might feel the pacing here is slow. But I’d mentioned before starting this book that my writing approach would change. What I want to show you is a brand-new, interesting world—not just the thrill of fighting monsters and collecting loot. That said, those familiar with my work know you’ll never lack for excitement in my stories. When it’s time for a rush, you’ll get a rush that won’t let you stop—(wait, that sounded a bit ambiguous).]