Chapter 378: An Opulent Throne Room of Secrets

Dim lighting, and the soft silk beneath his feet swallowed his steps.

Following Tang Hai’s lead, Yenir looked around the building’s lavish decor with a hint of surprise.

All three levels had been opened up, revealing a hidden realm that resembled an ancient Western palace. Ornate curtains hung from every corner while handcrafted tassels partially obscured the view, adding an air of mystique.

Overhead, golden and silver orbs studded with various gemstones rotated with an eerie blue glow. Yenir instantly deduced that this symbol of royal authority was a high-level system tool designed to regulate the temperature.

It maintained a steady twenty-four degrees while emitting soothing, beneficial waves…

Yenir discreetly glanced at the ceiling apparatus, silently appraising its worth.

If even a third-stage ability could influence emotions and ease tension, this tool’s actual level had to be well above blue—and its scope was impressively vast.

A battlefield tool masquerading as a central air conditioner…

As they ventured further, the sound of rushing water filled the air, accompanied by a faint scent of perfume invading his nostrils.

Before long, upon entering a grand hall, Yenir looked up and was astonished to find the room arranged like a royal court. A massive, elevated throne dominated the center, with other chairs arrayed like stars around it.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed twelve maidens seated behind colored gauze on either side, their gentle strumming of stringed instruments and soft drumming lending an air of supreme elegance—as if he had been transported to a millennium-old Western empire; this was Wang Cheng’s palace.

And they, without question, were the royalty.

At the center, a steam-infused bath glimmered under dim lighting. The water’s surface, accented with scattered petals, mirrored the room’s luxurious splendor.

Quite…

Remarkable, indeed…

Calmly observing his surroundings, Yenir watched as, upon their entrance, one by one, maidens in white veils silently closed the doors to the royal court.

Just the decor alone was estimated to cost nearly a million Credit Points, with almost everything handcrafted.

In an era of scarce resources post-apocalypse, achieving such opulence required enormous manpower and materials.

Especially the musicians—the most unassuming performers.

“All of them are first-stage Awakeners. To mold them into this form, every single one boasts exceptional appearance,”

continued Tang Hai. “It probably took selecting from tens of thousands of Awakeners to find this group…”

He couldn’t hide a note of mild admiration.

No wonder Yenir was surprised at this place. Despite his lofty status in his past life, during the bleakest days of the Huaxia Battle Zone, comforts were scarce—rations were nothing more than canned food, aside from essential materials for enhancing strength.

All resources and power were funneled to the frontline—every survivor wished they could double as two people. Indulging a chosen few Awakeners with music lessons solely for pleasure was undoubtedly extravagant.

“Peace… has lasted far too long…”

With a quiet sigh, Yenir shook his head and said nothing further.

Accustomed to constant tension and unrelenting pressure, he found this environment rather unsettling.

“Yener, please,”

Tang Hai interjected, “After your long journey, why not delay your errands? This month, Tianlang Palace has received an array of new items. Perhaps you could offer us some guidance.”

His smile was forced and hollow.

After speaking, Tang Hai swept away his feigned cheer and turned his calm gaze toward the manager, who had been silently standing aside:

“Today’s reception should be at the highest level!”

“If you dare neglect these three distinguished guests, you know the consequences!”

As if issuing an order, Yenir raised an eyebrow when he noticed the manager’s evident surprise upon hearing Tang Hai’s solemn tone.

It seemed that Tang Hai’s promise of a top-tier reception wasn’t mere talk.

At the same time, the manager—dressed in a half-clad, chest-covering long skirt—instinctively began to appraise Yenir.

To her, the veteran Huang Yuanhao clearly had a military background and now appeared somewhat awkward, unaccustomed to such high-class settings. Meanwhile, the hunched middle-aged man looked no different from any ordinary pedestrian on the street, hardly worth her attention.

That left only Yenir.

Under the disguise of his white robe and mask, she immediately noticed Yenir’s pristine, fair fingers—clearly those of someone who had lived a life of luxury.

Young, yet esteemed by Tang Hai. He must be the second generation of some influential faction…

Her mind raced as her well-maintained, youthful face broke into an ingratiating smile. Quietly, she picked up the silver wine cup from the long table and placed it beside Yenir.

“Young Master Yenir, I’m Guli Hana, client manager of Tianlang Palace. Judging by your looks, it must be your first visit,”

she said. “Please wait a moment—I’ll make the arrangements right away.”

With that, Guli Hana raised her cup to take a swig, inadvertently exposing her ample chest adorned with a stark white patch right before Yenir’s eyes.

Perfectly timed, she gave him a coquettish glance before swaying her hips and departing.

As her enticing fragrance faded into the distance, Tang Hai, who had been observing Yenir’s reaction, seized the moment with a smile:

“How do you feel, Yenir?”

“If you’re intrigued by Hana, just say the word and tonight she’ll be eager to crawl into your bed.”

“Heh, don’t be fooled by her age. Her techniques are superb… Rumor has it that before the apocalypse, her mother was part of a renowned dance troupe… you know how it is.”

“Besides, you’re a big shot over there. If you’re not impressed, the performance later will surely win your approval.”

Yenir’s brow furrowed as he listened to Tang Hai’s half-flattering, half-probing remarks about his status in the Capital. He felt a wave of exasperation—he had no desire to waste time on this.

Especially when the situation here was undeniably worse than he had imagined.

“Forget the performance,” he said.

“I’m curious—what’s been happening with the Military lately? What exactly did you mean by ‘conflict’ before?”

“And do you know where to obtain materials for high-level mutants? For example, the human-faced falcon.”

“Could we talk somewhere else? This place isn’t suitable for conversation.”

His tone suddenly froze.

Tang Hai noted that while Yenir seemed disinterested in the surroundings, his barrage of questions actually made him regard Yenir a bit higher.

Although, perhaps he was just putting on an act?

After a moment’s thought, Tang Hai casually picked up a stone:

“For our conversation, there’s a Silence Barrier. Rest assured, Young Master, your identity is safe.”

“While you may fear exposure, I worry even more. Don’t worry—this area is under my own umbrella; nearly everyone here is on my side.”

Tang Hai let out a bitter laugh, silently exhaling a heavy sigh.

If it weren’t for a favor owed to Fang Hao, how could someone of his stature be so eager to curry favor with Yenir? An ordinary third-stage wouldn’t even merit a second glance.

Yet Yenir’s arrival had put him at great risk.

Instinctively, he avoided discussing Military matters too deeply…

“As for the Military in the Far Frontier…”

“Young Master, you must know the situation in the Far Frontier after the apocalypse. I won’t belabor the details.”

“The main point is that in the past two years, several major factions were still willing to cooperate with the Military. After all, their power is formidable. Frankly speaking, if the Military truly decided to act, how could we possibly stand a chance?”

“But just two months ago, the Military demanded that major Safe Zones like Xue Ying and Tianlang consolidate their high-level forces to defend the border. This clearly incited strong resentment among the top commanders.”

“You know as well as I do—each high-level fighter is a top brass in their respective Safe Zones. Who can guarantee the Military won’t turn hostile? Besides, the border is perilous. Who among high-level fighters isn’t afraid of death?”

“Especially when the Military, in the name of the nation, insists on our cooperation. Frankly, during the initial outbreak we received no Military protection at all—why should we continue to contribute now?”

Tang Hai’s tone was laced with frustration.

At that moment, Tang Hai’s bitterness was palpable.

Yenir observed his expression carefully.

It appeared that this senior figure from Tianlang, or perhaps a survivor from the Far Frontier, harbored far more resentment toward the Military than he had presumed… Tang Hai’s words treated him more like a member of Tianlang’s Safe Zone.

Had it not been for Fang Hao’s connections, the opposition might have struck him the moment they met.

“How can you say such things!?”

“Had it not been for the Military sending high-level reinforcements here, that special incident in the Nata Desert would have already obliterated this place!”

“How many people did we save? Do you even realize how many soldiers perished here?”

Before Yenir could signal for Tang Hai to continue, Huang Yuanhao—who had been awed by the hall’s opulence—suddenly erupted in anger, his eyes turning red as he furiously rebuked, prompting Tang Hai to quickly reinforce the barrier.

Huang Yuanhao, once stationed in the Far Frontier Battle Zone, now looked incensed.

“We did everything to protect you!”

“Do you know how dire the Military’s situation was twenty-four years ago? Not to mention the corpses that poured in over fifty years ago! We would rather let those monsters move north than allow them into the West!”

“Can we just forget about these matters? Can we simply erase them from memory?”