Chapter Eighty-Nine: The City of Desire

“Wow…”

Stepping off the vehicle and gazing at the dazzling neon-lit gathering place before them, the three sisters all gasped in astonishment. Since birth, they had never encountered such a place. It was daytime, though under the heavy clouds the daylight on Earth seemed dim, and yet, with the brilliant lights shining everywhere, it felt as if night might never end.

At that moment, Eluca finally understood why Faron had insisted she drive the Harmony into this settlement. Looking around, she saw the vast parking lot crammed with all sorts of extravagant and peculiar vehicles. There were monstrous steel behemoths, towering as tall as a two-story building and resembling mobile fortresses. There were tanks clad entirely in gold and gemstones, glittering under the lights. On the far side of the lot, Eluca even spotted a gigantic armored truck bristling with weaponry.

She had originally thought the Harmony was a unique existence on the wasteland, but now, faced with these varied and imposing vehicles, she realized with some dismay that the Harmony seemed entirely unremarkable among them…

While Eluca was visibly shaken, Faron remained calm. To wasteland dwellers like Eluca, the Harmony might seem almost divine, yet for the leaders of any major power on the wasteland, it was nothing extraordinary. The Emperor had gifted it to him simply because he had something even better. Of course, such thoughts needn't be voiced, lest they further wound the poor girl.

Just then, a clear, gentle voice rang out.

“Welcome, Doctor. It’s been quite some time…”

Hearing this, everyone turned. Not far away stood a woman, quietly watching them.

She had long, jet-black hair and wore a dress unlike anything Eluca and her sisters had ever seen, slit high from the thigh. From her appearance and features, she was not Caucasian; instead, she bore a resemblance to Faron and the people of Apricot Blossom Village. Yet, compared to the others, this woman had a languid air, as if she had just woken from sleep.

“Hello, Miss Moon. It’s been a while,” Faron greeted her, removing his hat and nodding with a smile. The woman nodded in return, gently flicking her pipe before looking at Faron again.

“I never expected you to come. Is it the same as always?”

“Yes, I’ll be counting on you,” Faron replied, making a gesture. Seeing this, Eluca hurriedly picked up the heavy black suitcase and brought it before the woman, offering it to her. She took the case, weighed it in her hand, and looked up at Faron with some surprise in her eyes.

“It seems you’ve had quite the haul this time…”

“Just a bit of luck,” Faron replied, smiling as he replaced his hat. The woman lazily lifted her eyelids, remained silent for a moment, then drew a puff from her pipe.

“Well then… As always, Fortune Source Trading is happy to serve any esteemed guest. What can we do for you?”

“First, see to these three,” Faron said, lifting his chin toward Eluca and her sisters. “You know what I want.”

“Oh…”

Hearing this, the woman turned her gaze to the girls. Feeling her eyes upon them, all three instinctively shrank back. Though she seemed fragile and not an ability user, Eluca and her sisters found her gaze terrifying, almost suffocating. Fortunately, she soon looked away and back at Faron.

“Lacking in manners but decent in quality. This is the first time you’ve brought anyone here… Who are they to you?”

“My subordinates. You know, they don’t yet meet my standards.”

“That’s clear enough,” the woman replied, tapping her pipe and yawning.

“They reek of the wild, and their manners are far too crude… Rest assured, I’ll ‘educate’ them properly. Now, please follow me.”

With that, she turned and walked away. Faron, accompanied by the black cat, followed. The three sisters exchanged anxious glances before steeling themselves to follow.

Led by the woman called Moon, they left the parking lot and boarded a convertible. Soon, they arrived before an opulent and peculiar building. Unlike anything Eluca and her sisters had seen, the roof was triangular, layered densely with tiles like fish scales. At the entrance, they were astonished to find two stone lions standing guard… What kind of place was this?

No one explained. Neither Faron nor the woman uttered a word, merely guiding them into the hall. The woman clapped her hands gently, and soon several attendants approached, dressed as maids.

“Miss, what are your instructions?”

“Take them for a bath and change their clothes.”

“Yes.”

Upon hearing her command, the maids curtsied and smiled as they gestured for Eluca and her sisters to follow.

“Please come with me, ladies.”

“Commander, this…”

Faced with these oddly dressed people and the strange décor, Eluca and her sisters turned, worried, to look at Faron. He merely waved his hand.

“Go on, do as they say. Besides…”

He smiled slightly.

“This is just the beginning.”

Though uneasy at his words, the three sisters followed the maids. Only then did the woman called Moon yawn again, turning to glance at Faron and the cat in his arms.

“I never thought, Doctor, you’d have such interests. If you wish, Fortune Source Trading could provide you with better stock…”

“The charm of nurturing is beyond the grasp of you technical folk,” Faron replied, his smile unwavering.

“Cultivation is the essence; the finished products you produce lack this meaning… Now, shall we get down to business?”

“Of course.”

At this, the woman’s expression grew serious. She set aside her pipe, and the languor vanished from her face.

“The master has been awaiting you.”