39: Tickets to Vanity Fair

The engine of the aston martin DB9 let out a low growl as it smoothly passed through the heavily guarded gates of Beverly Hills.

Before him was a brightly lit modern mansion, like a crystal palace perched on a mountaintop.

As soon as the car came to a stop, countless blinding white lights erupted from the darkness outside the estate.

The paparazzi's camera flashes were like a dense net of fire, trying to pierce through the car windows to capture any trace of the person inside.

The car door opened.

Lin Feng stepped out from the driver's seat, his black Armani suit reflecting a high-end texture under the lights.

His face was expressionless, as if the surrounding clamor had nothing to do with him.

"It's Lin Feng! It's really him!"

"How did he end up at Taylor's party?!"

"Shoot quickly! This is a headline!"

The shouts of the reporters and the sounds of camera shutters blended together, forming a feverish wave of noise.

Several tall security guards in black quickly stepped forward, pushing back the crowd and building a human wall between Lin Feng and the frenzied media.

Lin Feng didn't even glance at the reporters. He took long strides, walking calmly through the path cleared by the security personnel.

The heavy, carved wooden doors opened before him and closed behind him.

Inside and outside the doors were two completely different worlds.

The frenzy and noise outside were completely shut out.

Inside, jazz music flowed, crystal glasses clinked crisply, and the air was a mix of champagne, cigars, and top-tier perfume.

This was the center of the vanity fair, the intersection of power.

Lin Feng's gaze swept across the room.

He saw a white-haired old man who had just won the Oscar for Best Director, holding a wine glass and chatting merrily with a blonde, blue-eyed Victoria's Secret supermodel.

Not far away, a top Hollywood action star was surrounded by several producers, discussing the investment for his next movie.

Everyone here possessed immense energy capable of influencing public opinion and the flow of capital.

They were the apex predators of this city's food chain.

Lin Feng didn't feel the slightest bit out of place.

He walked to the bar, where a waiter respectfully handed him a glass of Perrier-Jouët champagne.

Holding his glass, he didn't rush to join any circle but instead walked to a massive floor-to-ceiling window.

Outside was the brilliant night view of Los Angeles, with ten thousand lights looking like scattered stars.

He sipped his wine quietly, like a calm hunter; before entering a new hunting ground, the first thing to do was observe and familiarize himself with the environment.

He could feel that from the moment he walked in, countless gazes had fallen upon him.

There was curiosity, scrutiny, amusement, and undisguised assessment.

A rising star in the sports world, an Oriental kid who commanded the winds and clouds at the Staples Center, had suddenly burst into their top-tier entertainment party.

This in itself was a topic full of drama.

Lin Feng didn't care about these gazes.

He was simply waiting.

Waiting for tonight's host.

Suddenly, there was a subtle change in the atmosphere of the party.

The crowd seemed to be parted by an invisible hand, creating a path.

A flash of dazzling red entered Lin Feng's field of vision.

Taylor Swift.

She wore a boldly tailored red gown that perfectly accentuated her already tall figure.

Her snow-white skin seemed to glow against the red dress.

Her long blonde hair, signature red lips, and sapphire-like eyes made her look like a queen about to be crowned.

Ignoring everyone's stares, she moved with clear intent, heading straight through the crowd toward the Oriental man drinking alone by the floor-to-ceiling window.

The focus of the entire room instantly converged there.

"I thought you'd be scared off by the flashes outside, my mr. artist."

Taylor walked up to Lin Feng, raised her glass, her voice carrying a hint of a smile and teasing.

Lin Feng turned around, met her gaze, and the corner of his mouth curled into a perfect arc.

"artists are used to living under the spotlight, aren't they?"

His response was neither humble nor arrogant, carrying a posture of equality.

A flash of appreciation flickered in Taylor's blue eyes.

"Well said."

She gently swirled the champagne in her glass.

"But the spotlights here are much hotter than those on the court."

"I like a challenge," Lin Feng replied calmly.

Those four words made the smile on Taylor's face even brighter.

"I knew you'd say that."

She stepped half a pace closer, the distance between them becoming somewhat ambiguous.

"So? Is my collection of 'artworks' here to your satisfaction?"

Her gaze swept over the star-studded guests throughout the room, her tone carrying the pride of a host.

Lin Feng was about to respond to this pun.

His gaze, however, inadvertently drifted over Taylor's shoulder toward another corner of the party.

There, a woman was leaning lazily against a white marble pillar.

She wore a low-cut black gown; its simple style was worn with an ultimate sense of sexiness.

Beneath the gown were the proud curves that drove men all over the world crazy.

Short blonde hair, hazy eyes, and a playful smile playing on her lips.

In her hand, she held not champagne, but a glass of amber whiskey.

As if sensing Lin Feng's gaze, she looked up, her eyes piercing through the crowd to meet his precisely.

There was no surprise in her eyes, only a hint of knowing amusement, as if saying: You finally saw me.

Lin Feng's heart gave a slight thud.

Scarlett Johansson.

The Hollywood box-office queen who portrayed the classic image of "Black Widow" on screen.

The moment he recognized her, a stream of blue information that only he could see appeared in his mind.

[Detected a new ss-rank charm target: Scarlett Johansson.]

Another SS-rank!

Lin Feng's breath hitched for half a second.

The condition for the system to unlock skills was "completing the first deep intimate link with an ss-rank charm target."

The "target" here was plural.

This meant his choice was not the only one.

Yoona, Taylor, Scarlett... they were all keys to opening the next skill treasure trove.

A crazy and bold thought took root in Lin Feng's heart.

At the moment his mind wavered, a soft, warm sensation came from his arm.

Taylor Swift had already affectionately linked her arm with his, pulling him back from his thoughts.

The scent of vanilla and fresh flowers from her body lingered at the tip of his nose.

"Let's go, my mr. artist."

Taylor's voice carried an undeniable intimacy, her red lips almost touching his ear.

"I'll take you to meet a few boring friends."

"They're all incredibly curious about you."

She pulled Lin Feng and turned toward the center of the party.

Led by her, Lin Feng's steps followed involuntarily, his gaze taking one last look at that corner.

Scarlett Johansson raised her glass of whiskey toward him, making a toast from afar.

Then, she turned around, leaving her sexy back for Lin Feng to see.