42: Chapter 42 Passing By

The prosperity of downtown Nanjing unfolded slowly before the car window like a flowing scroll.

Neon lights flickered, casting shadows that adorned this ancient capital of six dynasties, making it appear dreamlike and illusory.

On both sides of the street stood rows of high-rises, with giant LED screens playing the latest advertisements, creating a strange dialogue across time and space with the silhouettes of the ancient city walls in the distance.

The noise of the human crowd and the traffic of the modern city rushed in instantly, forming a stark contrast with the dead, gloomy atmosphere of the ancient tomb at Cuiyun Peak just moments ago.

Hu Tian's hands on the steering wheel paused slightly, and a sense of being in another world arose in his heart.

It felt as if the thrilling treasure hunt he had just experienced underground was merely a bizarre dream, and this moment was the true human world.

Hu Tian was not in a hurry to return to Binhai; that small city, full of memories but slightly plain, could not contain his swelling ambition for the time being.

He turned the steering wheel and drove straight to the most prosperous Xinjiekou business district in the city center.

This was the heart of Nanjing and the center where wealth flowed.

The black off-road vehicle slowly stopped in front of a fifty-story modern skyscraper.

Jinling International Hotel.

The building stood like a sharp sword piercing the clouds, its massive floor-to-ceiling glass curtain wall reflecting the myriad lights of the city. It was magnificent and colorful, like a crystal palace standing in the mortal world, exuding a luxury and arrogance that kept people at a distance.

A deep red carpet was laid out in front of the door, extending all the way to the roadside.

Doormen in crisp uniforms stood respectfully on both sides, wearing professional smiles, ready to provide meticulous service to distinguished guests at any time.

Hu Tian tossed the car keys to the valet and walked into the hotel lobby with a light gait, carrying a simple black backpack.

The decor in the lobby was extremely luxurious and elegant.

Under the dome over ten meters high, a huge Swarovski crystal chandelier hung down, thousands of crystals refracting dazzling light, making one dizzy and feeling as if in a dream.

The marble floor beneath his feet was so shiny it could reflect the figures of passing pedestrians.

The air was filled with a faint, specially blended aroma—the scent of money mixed with taste—which was refreshing, and the fatigue of the past few days seemed to dissipate by more than half in this moment.

Hu Tian went straight to the front desk.

"Hello, sir, is there anything I can help you with?"

The receptionist asked Hu Tian with a sweet voice and an impeccable smile on her face.

Her attitude was professional and gentle, but the moment her gaze touched Hu Tian, she couldn't help but linger for a moment, a trace of imperceptible strangeness flashing in her eyes.

Having just emerged from the underground secret chamber, Hu Tian's appearance was indeed somewhat "touching."

That expensive windbreaker was covered in old dust and fresh mud, and the cuff even had a small tear from the rocks.

There were still a few dead blades of grass from Cuiyun Peak hanging on his pant legs, swaying slightly as he moved.

The hiking boots, stained with mud, left a trail of shallow marks on the mirror-like marble floor.

His hair was messy from crawling around in the damp and dark underground for so long, the bangs on his forehead stuck together as if he had just taken a mud bath.

There were also a few gray-black stains on his face, which he had accidentally smeared while wiping sweat in the tomb passage.

Compared to the business elites in suits and refined makeup around him, his attire seemed out of place, like a migrant worker who had just finished moving bricks at a construction site and had stumbled into a luxury hotel, exuding a wildness and dishevelment that warned "strangers keep away."

A flash of hesitation crossed the receptionist's eyes; her professionalism kept her polite smile, but her body unconsciously took half a step back, as if subconsciously wanting to keep a distance from this "dirty" man.

Hu Tian didn't care about these gazes at all; he was long used to this contrast.

In the treasure hunting business, how could one not get their clothes dirty?

If one dressed up glamorously to tomb raid, that would be truly insane.

He took out his worn-out wallet from his pocket, pulled out his ID card, placed it calmly on the marble counter, and spoke in a calm and natural tone, as if this ragged attire were perfectly normal.

"Presidential suite, for three days."

Hu Tian said lightly, his tone calm yet filled with unquestionable confidence, as if he were talking about a trivial matter, as casual as buying a bunch of scallions at the vegetable market.

Then, he pulled a pitch-black card from his wallet and handed it over casually.

His movements were suave and natural, carrying an air of "treating money like dirt."

Speaking of this black card, there was a story of "showing off" that had to be mentioned.

After auctioning that Northern Song Dynasty Jingdezhen kiln blue and white glazed plum vase at the Antique Association last time, Hu Tian directly deposited the eighty million plus proceeds into his original ordinary payroll card.

As a result, that card, which originally only had a balance of two or three hundred thousand, turned into an eight-digit figure overnight, directly alarming the bank's risk control system.

The next morning, the VIP account manager of the China Construction Bank Binhai Branch called personally, his tone so respectful that he was terrified of slighting this suddenly appeared "invisible billionaire."

Later, he even visited in person, with a deferential attitude, bringing a full set of VIP service plans.

Hearing that Hu Tian was in the antique business, the manager's eyes lit up and he strongly suggested that Hu Tian apply for the bank's highest-level supreme black card.

That account manager specifically explained at the time that there were less than ten thousand such black cards in the whole country, enjoying a series of special privileges such as the highest credit limit without review, global VIP channels, and exclusive financial advisors; it was the ultimate symbol of status and wealth.

Hu Tian wasn't originally interested in these flashy things, but considering that there would inevitably be large expenditures in future treasure hunts, for the sake of convenience in showing off...

Oh no, for the sake of convenient payment, he just went with the flow and got one.

He didn't expect it to actually come in handy today; it was truly an essential artifact for living, traveling, and "face-slapping."

The moment the receptionist took the black card, she was visibly stunned.

It wasn't because she hadn't seen such a card before.

As front desk staff at a five-star hotel, they had long received specialized internal training and had a detailed understanding of the special card types of major banks.

Especially for this kind of supreme black card, the hotel had dedicated a whole lesson to explaining it, from card features to cardholder identity, from service standards to emergency plans, all explained clearly.

The training instructor emphasized at the time that guests who could hold such a black card had a net worth of at least hundreds of millions, some even at the level of billions; they absolutely belonged to the top-tier VIP customers and were "Gods" that the hotel had to treat with the utmost care.

The reason she was stunned was that the appearance of the guest in front of her was too different from what she imagined a billionaire to be.

Covered in the dust of travel, covered in dirt, he looked like a migrant worker who had just returned from a construction site, or a Robinson Crusoe who had just escaped from a desert island.

Who could have imagined that such a "beggar" would casually pull out a black card of this level?

The contrast was too great; it was even more dramatic than a movie.

But her professionalism allowed her to react quickly—true top-tier tycoons often acted in such a low-key manner; the richer people were, the less they cared about their appearance.

Those who wore gold and silver and were covered in designer brands were mostly nouveau riche.

The person in front of her might just be one of those super big shots who liked to experience life.

"Mr. Hu, I am so sorry, I was rude just now!"

The receptionist's attitude took a 180-degree turn instantly, becoming extremely respectful. Her back straightened unconsciously, and her voice became soft and full of respect, as if that look of disdain from just a moment ago had never existed.

She operated the computer rapidly, her fingers tapping out afterimages on the keyboard, while pressing the internal call button.

In less than half a minute, a lobby assistant manager in a dark custom-made suit with his hair combed meticulously walked over quickly.

"Mr. Hu, I am Li Ming, the hotel's lobby assistant manager. It is an honor to serve you."

The assistant manager bowed slightly respectfully, and when his gaze fell on the black card, his eyes immediately became even more solemn, as if he had seen some rare treasure.

"The presidential suite has been prepared for you. I will personally take you up, is that alright?"

Hu Tian nodded and followed behind the lobby assistant manager, Li Ming, walking toward the elevator.

Walking to the elevator hall, with a ding, the elevator door opened.

Just as Li Ming was about to press the button, a soft sound came from his side.

Ding—the door of the elevator next to it was slowly opening.

Four or five people walked out from inside, led by a middle-aged man in his forties.

He was burly, with a square face, thick eyebrows and big eyes, wearing a black designer outdoor jacket, and wearing a valuable agarwood bracelet on his wrist, exuding the confidence and majesty of a successful person.

This person was Zhao Shanhe.

Behind him followed several young people, men and women, all wearing similar outdoor gear, looking like a professional expedition team.

Among them, a young man with glasses was holding a laptop bag, and another young man with a buzz cut was carrying a bulging hiking backpack, which seemed to contain some precision instruments.

As Zhao Shanhe walked out of the elevator, he was saying something to the people behind him, his voice loud, exuding an unquestionable authority: "Rest well tonight and recharge your batteries. We set off at five tomorrow morning, striving to reach the eastern foot of Cuiyun Peak before sunrise. Old Chen, you compare those maps carefully again, especially the geological survey maps and the records in the Qing Dynasty local chronicles. You must find the exact location; this time we are determined to win..."

Halfway through his sentence, he suddenly ran into Hu Tian, who was walking in the opposite direction.

The two groups of people passed each other in the elevator hall just like that.

Zhao Shanhe led his team toward the hotel restaurant, continuing to discuss the action plan for tomorrow as they walked, his tone full of anticipation and greed for the treasure that was about to be in his hands.

He didn't notice at all that the "migrant worker" looking young man who had just brushed past him was his biggest "roadblock" on this trip.

Hu Tian, led by Li Ming, walked into the elevator and pressed the button for the top floor.

The elevator door slowly closed, completely separating the two people who had the same goal but were unaware of each other.

Li Ming stood respectfully by Hu Tian's side and introduced at the right time: "Mr. Hu, your presidential suite is located on the 38th floor, covering an area of 280 square meters, equipped with an independent viewing terrace, where you can overlook the night view of the entire Nanjing city. The suite is fully equipped, including a sauna, massage bathtub, independent cloakroom..."

Hu Tian responded casually, but his mind was not on this.

The moment he brushed past that middle-aged man, he always felt that there was something indescribable in the other person's eyes—it was a focused and fiery expression, like the look unique to treasure hunters when they are approaching their goal.

However, this thought only flashed by, and Hu Tian did not dwell on it.