After 10 minutes, we arrived at our destination. The information I received said part of the event was at LA REU Hotel, located in the city's entertainment district. Once we got off the bus, we walked to the hotel. As I expected, the hotel was fully booked and decorated for a party. I noticed some villagers from the society entering in groups. I told my disciples to go into the venue. Lu Xiaoran started to walk toward the entrance, but I stopped him. When he asked why, I told him, "Disciples, we won't enter through the front gate; we'll go in through the back gate."
Meanwhile, a party was in full swing inside the hotel. Everyone from Azure Mountain Village showed up, even with their earlier issues with Lin Chen. Perhaps this was the result of the protagonist's charm, as Vik explained. Among the crowd, some familiar faces stood out to Vik and his disciples. For instance, old man Zhou arrived with Jessica. He wore a simple suit, while Jessica had on a plain dress. Most villagers dressed modestly, likely a reflection of their frugal lifestyle.
Then the host of the party, Lin Chen, appeared. He wore a red suit and brown pants and came with a group of bodyguards. His girlfriend, Xia Yang, walked beside him, making them look like a couple. Soon, Lin Chen reached the center of the party where a stage was set up. Standing on it, he said, "Good evening, everyone. I'm delighted to see you all here, and I truly thank you for coming despite our misunderstandings."
Lin Chen continued, "I know some of you might think I'm just saying this, but I assure you, everything that happened before was a simple misunderstanding. I never intended to harm any of you." After taking a deep breath, he went on, "You may not know, but just a year ago, I was just like you—maybe even worse. My mother died when I was born, and my father was a drunk who disappeared two years ago. So, I was just a poor boy with nothing but a house to my name. I had to struggle for food every day. Although I was an honor student at the academy, I was still bullied by my classmates. A year ago, I decided enough was enough. I worked hard to change my life. I improved my cultivation, built connections, and made money. I also made sure to teach a lesson to those who looked down on me. I know this might have made me a bit ruthless, but seeing you all reminds me of my past. That's why I sincerely apologize to you."
Lin Chen spoke with genuine emotion, and the people at the party could feel it. The villagers, who had hated him just yesterday, now felt a connection to Lin Chen, as if he belonged to their community. Soon, some of the village men shouted, "We forgive you, Lin Chen." Along with this came various other supportive shouts, with some praising him. With just one speech, Lin Chen had clearly won the hearts of everyone. Vik had already predicted this outcome.
For Vik, he and his disciples had successfully blended into the party, observing everything from the sidelines and keeping a low profile.
Pov: Vik
I knew the protagonist had some special abilities, but this was unbelievable. Just yesterday, he had been kidnapping and oppressing these people, yet now he won their trust with a simple speech. I glanced at my disciples; they also looked angry and confused. On stage, Lin Chen was approached by many villagers who were chatting and smiling with him. He soon proposed a dance, turning the party into a kind of ball, with everyone dancing with their partners.
Roman, in particular, scanned the crowd as if searching for someone. He focused on a woman in a silver gown with purple hair—a stunning beauty. From her energy, I could tell she was at least at the early Nascent Soul realm. Roman's gaze suggested he intended to attack her at any moment. I asked him, "Roman, do you know that lady?"
Roman replied, "Yes, master. Her name is Sherry. She's one of the admissions officers for Infinite Horizon Academy, and she is here to recruit promising talent. She is close to Lin Chen and played a major role in Layla's arrest, as she was the one who apprehended her."
After hearing his explanation, I studied her again. Confident in my assessment of her strength, I said, "Go, Roman. She looks like Lin Chen's strongest supporter. Let's go after her first. Can you handle it?"
Roman answered, "No objections, master."
I instructed him, "Okay, take her out of this party while I take care of other matters here." He obeyed, and I explained how to lure her out without causing a scene. He wasted no time and moved toward his target carefully, wearing a skull mask to conceal his identity.
Roman's plan was simple. He would go to the building next door and use his illusion technique, projecting himself as someone in the Soul Forming realm. He would then take out a special sniper rifle and aim it at Lin Chen. But as a Nascent Soul realm expert, Sherry would have her senses covering a few kilometers. She'd mistake him for an attacker and would go to neutralize him without alerting anyone. Even if someone noticed her, they would think little of it, as she could easily handle a Soul Forming realm expert in her sleep, given the gap between the major realms.
As soon as Sherry approached Roman, she would fall into his trap, and he would handle everything from there. Now, I needed to focus on my part. The plan I prepared was simple yet dramatic, but it was necessary when dealing with the protagonist. I looked at Lu Xiaoran and said, "Lu Xiaoran, be ready. We're about to start the real fun."