74: Chapter 74 is all top-notch.

This was a private zone for the top elite, a back garden of wealth and power.

"We're here."

Lin Hao cut the engine, unbuckled his seatbelt, and casually tossed the car keys to the valet.

The black Maybach he drove tonight wasn't flashy; parked among the row of Ferraris and Porsches at the entrance of Liujintai, it actually seemed low-key and restrained.

Jiang Chen pushed the door open and stepped out, his gaze falling upon the imposing building without a hint of stage fright.

As he interacted with more and more of the elite, Jiang Chen became increasingly composed.

With wealth intelligence in his possession, becoming the richest man was only a matter of time.

Stage fright?

That was non-existent.

Lin Hao walked over and stood by his side, a smirk of veteran pride playing on his lips.

"The true top-tier scene in Lanbei only recognizes Liujintai! Five-star hotels and private clubs are nothing compared to it. I'm taking you here today to broaden your horizons."

Jiang Chen didn't respond, merely nodding slightly.

Lin Hao stepped forward, with Jiang Chen following closely behind.

The four security guards in black at the entrance stood as straight as pines, all over 185 centimeters tall, with well-proportioned builds and cold, solemn expressions.

Earpieces were hidden inside their collars, revealing only extremely thin transparent coils. One look was enough to tell they were professionally trained internal security, not just temporary guards from some ordinary security firm.

Upon seeing Lin Hao, the four bowed slightly in unison, their movements so perfectly synchronized that the angle of their bend seemed measured with a ruler.

One of them stepped forward and pushed with both hands; the heavy bronze doors opened slowly in the silence without a sound, the hinges turning as if they had been precision-lubricated.

Behind the doors was a corridor that wasn't long but felt intensely oppressive.

It was barely two meters wide but nearly four meters high; the depth-to-height ratio made one subconsciously feel cramped and insignificant.

Beneath their feet was a dark gray, high-density wool carpet, a full three centimeters thick. Stepping on it was noiseless, as if even their breathing was being swallowed by the silence.

Several art pieces hung on the walls, appearing casual but actually meticulously arranged.

Jiang Chen recognized a print by Zao Wou-Ki and another from Zhou Chunya's Peach Blossom series; each was so low-key that they lacked labels, yet every single one was worth a fortune.

The lighting was adjusted to be dim and soft, with all light sources hidden in wall recesses and ceiling diffusion layers; no exposed bulbs or LED strips were visible.

The moment they stepped inside, the bronze doors behind them closed silently.

The sound of traffic, the wind, and the city's bustle were all completely cut off, as if they had been dropped into another dimension.

At the end of the corridor, a female manager with exquisite makeup and an elegant temperament hurried forward to meet them.

She was around thirty, wearing a well-tailored black suit skirt. She wore no conspicuous jewelry, save for a Cartier Panthère on her left wrist, its face partially hidden beneath her cuff.

Her manner was appropriate—neither servile nor overbearing. Her smile was perfectly measured, not so warm as to seem cheap, yet not so cold as to make one feel neglected.

But Jiang Chen noticed a sharpness and reverence hidden in her eyes that only comes from years of serving top-tier clients.

"Mr. Lin, long time no see." Her voice was neither too high nor too low, her pace neither fast nor slow.

"Long time no see."

Lin Hao's tone was casual but carried weight, like a regular who had long been entered into the VIP system.

He turned and pointed to Jiang Chen, speaking few words, but each one carried weight.

"This is my brother, here from Jiangcheng. Give him the top-tier treatment tonight. Clean, first time, available to go out—those are just the basic requirements. My brother deserves the best."

The female manager's gaze fell on Jiang Chen. In less than a second of looking him up and down, she had already made her assessment.

His attire, his temperament, Lin Hao's attitude toward him, and that indefinable "insider" aura.

She bowed slightly, her smile deepening by a fraction while still maintaining a perfect level of restraint. "Rest assured, Mr. Lin. For your friend, we will certainly arrange everything to the highest specifications."

She stepped aside to lead the way, her high heels making no sound on the thick carpet.

With only the sway of her hips and a guiding gesture, she led the two into an elevator, then through a corridor, and pushed open a heavy solid wood door.

The moment the door opened, Jiang Chen caught the faint scent of white truffle incense.

Inside was a massive, luxurious private room. The decor discarded all the gaudiness of gold and glitter; there were no crystal chandeliers or Roman columns.

Instead, dark solid wood walls were inlaid with fine gold-plated lines. These lines were so thin and dense that under the warm light, they looked like flowing gold in the dark—extremely low-key, yet luxurious to the core.

Warm light spilled down from the ceiling recesses, making the entire space glow like warm jade, with no harsh shadows.

A sofa made of imported Italian top-grain leather occupied half a wall. Dark brown and so fine that the natural pore texture was visible, sitting on it meant sinking in completely, supported by a soft yet firm sense of being enveloped.

In the center was a giant coffee table made from a single piece of natural ink-wash jade. The texture was natural, with white veins on a black background, resembling an ink-wash landscape painting.

Five bottles of vintage foreign liquor were neatly arranged on top.

Two bottles of Hennessy Richard, two of Rémy Martin Louis XIII, and one bottle of Balvenie 30-Year-Old.

Along with a crystal fruit platter filled with seasonal imported fruits—cherries, Shine Muscat grapes, and mangosteens—each piece plump, with even the arrangement angle seemingly meticulously designed.

At the far end were a giant projection screen and a million-dollar sound system—a B&O audio system, the screen descending noiselessly.

Entertainment facilities were all-inclusive: a pool table, a Texas Hold'em table...

And right in the center of the private room, five girls were already lined up.

Standing with standard posture, hands at their sides, their expressions were respectful.

No chatting, no sitting, no casualness.

They were like meticulously selected collectibles waiting to be sold, quiet, orderly, and submissive, awaiting the guests' selection and assignment.

Even the spacing between them seemed calculated—one and a half meters apart, neither crowded nor sparse.

Jiang Chen's footsteps paused slightly.

The five girls all possessed one-in-a-million looks.

Not a single "internet celebrity" face among them, nor any signs of plastic surgery. Their styles were completely different, and each was clean and youthful.

Out in the world, who knows how many people would consider them unattainable goddesses.

From left to right, they were...

The first was the cold, mature "big sister" type.

Her height was an estimated 172 centimeters, with long straight black hair and sharp features. There was a hint of cold detachment in her eyes, like an exquisite ice sculpture—unreachable yet irresistibly drawing one in.

The second was the gentle, ladylike type.

She had an oval face and crescent-moon eyes, wearing a moon-white modified qipao. Her temperament was as soft as warm water, the kind of woman a man would want to marry.

The third was the bright and flamboyant type.

A "strong-featured" beauty with bold, three-dimensional features and bright red lips. Her long, wavy hair cascaded over her shoulders, her beauty aggressively striking, like a red rose with thorns.

The fourth was the intellectual and elegant type, wearing a pair of delicate gold-rimmed glasses. With her capable short hair and steady temperament, she looked like the youngest female professor at a university, making one hesitate to act out of line.

And standing at the very end...

...the youthful "loli" type.

Her hair was half-tied and soft, with a few stray strands hanging by her ears. Her features were cute and clean, and her eyes held a timid, youthful innocence.

Her skin was so white it glowed, almost translucent under the warm light. She wore a simple white short skirt, three fingers' length above the knee—not overly revealing, but perfectly outlining her slender waist and straight calves.

Her temperament was as pure as an innocent high schooler, the kind that truly makes one's heart skip a beat at first sight and triggers an instinctive desire to protect.

Their makeup was light and exquisite, with almost no trace of foundation, only a thin layer of lip glaze on their lips.

Their clothing was appropriate and not revealing, their posture respectful but not subservient, like limited-edition figures in a display window, quietly waiting for tonight's buyer.

A smile that said "Is this impressive enough?" appeared on Lin Hao's face. He gestured toward the girls and laughed to Jiang Chen.

"Brother, you pick first. Just choose whichever one catches your eye. They're all top-tier; do whatever you want with them."