Chapter 111: The Irresistible Position

The female attendants who entered the hall in a neat line immediately captured the attention of nearly every body artist present.

To be honest, most of the body artists who had come here had spent their lives in undeveloped regions across various star systems. While their strength was formidable, when it came to indulgence and luxury, they were even less experienced than the minor nobles of the Empire.

The attendants prepared by Hassan aboard the Star Moon were selected from across the Empire as top-tier beauties. Their attire had also been professionally designed. Each wore a gorgeous, low-cut purple gown, with a high slit running from the right thigh all the way to the waist.

With every step the tall beauties took, their long, well-proportioned legs would briefly peek through the opening. Such dazzling yet seductive outfits naturally left the inexperienced “country bumpkins”—who had never seen such sights—staring with wide-eyed fascination.

Smiling charmingly, the female attendants each carried a tray and approached every body artist, personally pinning a diamond-shaped badge with a number on it to their chest. As the beauties leaned in close, many body artists stared intently at the deep cleavage revealed by the low-cut gowns, their eyes nearly popping out.

Among the crowd, the few female body artists present cast disdainful glances at the leering men and let out a few contemptuous snorts.

“…Guests who have received their numbered tags may now return to their rooms to rest. Later, we will notify everyone to come back here for the next trial,” the voice of the blue-uniformed man echoed through the hall once the attendants had completed their task.

“What? There’s another trial? Didn’t you say that just boarding the ship today would be enough to pass?” As expected, the body artists responded with a chorus of discontent.

“Boarding the Star Moon means you have merely passed Miss Mariam’s preliminary test,” the blue-uniformed man said calmly, seemingly unfazed by the uproar. “The competition you are participating in is a very fair one. You have passed the first round and thus are entitled to the reward of a ten-day luxury cruise. However, if you wish to compete for further rewards, you must continue to strive.”

The blue-uniformed man’s final words silenced the previously grumbling crowd. The body artists sensed something special hidden in his tone.

The unspoken implication was clear: the daily reward of 100,000 Imperial Credits mentioned by Hassan beforehand was merely a fraction of what they could potentially gain through this selection process! For every additional round they passed, they could expect even more unexpected rewards from Hassan. Many body artists’ eyes immediately turned impatiently toward the female attendants who had not yet left the hall.

“Hehe. Those guests who manage to pass the trials and persevere will certainly not be shortchanged by the boss,” the blue-uniformed man added with a smile, delivering a sentence that nearly made the body artists’ blood rush. With a slight bow, he then left through a side door, leaving behind a hall whose atmosphere had suddenly turned more sensual.

“Hey!” Not long after the blue-uniformed man entered the corridor behind the side door, a male voice suddenly sounded from beside him.

“Oh! It’s Master Groo,” the blue-uniformed man politely bowed to the blue-haired man leaning casually at the corridor’s turn.

“You’ve brought quite a few riffraff on board,” the blue-haired man, arms crossed over his chest, glanced toward the hall.

“Hehe! Naturally, they cannot compare to Master Groo and your companions,” the blue-uniformed man replied with a respectful smile, flattering Groo.

“Obviously. Do I even need to say that?” Groo sneered. “I’m asking you, why is Hassan giving so many benefits to these useless guys? If it’s just to get them to work for him, wouldn’t a daily reward of 100,000 Credits be more than enough?”

“…That is the boss’s decision. I don’t know the reason,” the blue-uniformed man’s expression remained unchanged.

“Is it because of that guy?” Before the side door fully closed, Groo nodded toward a figure still visible through the gap.

“Hmm?” The blue-uniformed man followed Groo’s gaze and caught a glimpse of Zhang Wen before the door shut, blocking the view.

“When did Hassan become someone who chases after reputation? Going to such lengths for just a teacher. Or… is there something else about him that I don’t know, something that makes him interesting to you people?”

“All the guests participating in this selection are treated equally by the boss,” the blue-uniformed man replied like a seasoned diplomat.

“Pfft! Save that crap for someone else,” Groo scoffed mockingly at the blue-uniformed man. “If you really don’t care, then it wouldn’t matter if I happened to eliminate him in the next round, right?”

“…Master Groo is the examiner for the next round. It’s entirely your prerogative to decide the test,” the blue-uniformed man bowed again and continued down the corridor.

“Tch!” Groo gritted his teeth. “Cunning bastard… You really think no one knows about your little tricks?”

With that, Groo suddenly turned his gaze toward an empty corner of the wall. “Rovelle, have you found out why Hassan is so determined to get that Almeythas teacher involved?”

“Of course. Do you think I’m just anyone?” As the voice sounded, the seemingly empty wall corner came alive, rippling and bulging until it transformed into the shape of a woman.

“Hassan went to great lengths to get Zhang Wen on board mainly because of another identity he possesses.”

“Another identity?” Groo raised his voice in curiosity, though his eyes couldn’t help but linger on the woman.

The woman who had seemingly emerged from the wall wore a red battle suit. Unlike the standard battle suits commonly seen in the Empire, Rovelle’s red suit had clearly undergone special customization.

To complement her unique “Phantom” combat techniques, Rovelle’s battle suit was nearly half as thin as a regular one. It clung tightly to her body like a second skin. Her ample bosom and long, well-proportioned legs were almost completely outlined by the thin fabric, revealing her stunning figure in every detail.

Yet, in stark contrast to the allure of such a seductive beauty, Groo’s reaction was puzzling. The moment his eyes met Rovelle’s sexy silhouette, he quickly averted his gaze as if pricked by something sharp.

“That’s right. Besides being a teacher at Almeythas Academy, you’d never guess his other identity,” Rovelle continued with a playful smile, clearly enjoying the suspense. “He is the leader of the Ruby Serpent, Andrei Stein.”

“Whoa!” Groo’s eyes widened in surprise, and he let out a low whistle. “Whew! The former master of the Southern Border. No wonder Hassan is so determined to get him on board. So, they must have hit it off immediately?”

“Whether Zhang Wen is being used by Hassan or they’re using each other, he’s still the biggest threat. The position of the Southern Border’s ruler belongs to our teacher alone,” Rovelle’s body gradually merged back into the wall, her voice echoing down the empty corridor. “Find a way to get rid of him.”

“Of course,” Groo took out a cigarette, lit it, and smiled coldly with full confidence. “In a way, it’s also for his own good… Tch! What an unbearable woman.”

Of course, Zhang Wen had no idea that he had already landed on the examiners’ blacklist. Shortly after the blue-uniformed man left, the body artists began to disperse. Zhang Wen and his companions also went their separate ways.

Unlike most of the body artists who hurriedly rushed to their rooms to rest, Zhang Wen first took the time to thoroughly explore the Star Moon cruise liner he was now aboard.

It wasn’t that Zhang Wen particularly appreciated the luxurious decor of the Star Moon. Rather, it was a habit he had long cultivated. Whenever he entered an unfamiliar environment, he always made it a priority to familiarize himself with his surroundings as quickly as possible. This way, should danger arise, he could locate the nearest escape route in the shortest amount of time.

The Star Moon had a total of four decks. The circular hall where they had first gathered was on the third deck. In each of the four directions of the hall, there was a large door leading to a corridor, and at the end of each corridor stood a psychic elevator leading to other decks.

In the decks below, the second deck housed the body artists’ rooms.

Perhaps captivated by the Star Moon’s luxurious appearance, the body artists were eager to see what kind of extravagant accommodations Hassan had prepared for them. As Zhang Wen descended from the third deck to the second, the psychic elevator was almost filled to capacity. However, when he continued down to the first deck, the psychic elevator—capable of carrying thirty people—had only two occupants.

Besides Zhang Wen, the other person on the elevator was a maid dressed in the same purple gown as the others. At first, Zhang Wen didn’t pay much attention to her. However, soon he noticed that the maid’s gaze seemed to repeatedly fall on him unintentionally.

Zhang Wen didn’t think for a second that the maid was secretly admiring him for romantic reasons. Therefore, when the psychic elevator reached the first deck, he immediately stepped off.

The maid followed him without hesitation, closely trailing behind.

The layout of the first deck was similar to the second, both consisting of countless rooms connected by maze-like corridors. However, unlike the second deck, the rooms on the first deck were not accommodations but various entertainment facilities.

For instance, there were arenas, casinos, and bathhouses. Almost every form of entertainment found in the city of Casares could be found on the first deck of the Star Moon. In a large room at the center of the deck, Zhang Wen even spotted a nearly lifelike artificial beach!

After reaching the first deck, Zhang Wen seemed completely absorbed in wandering through the maze-like layout, completely indifferent to the maid who followed him at a distance.

However, just as they finished exploring the entire first deck and began heading back, the maid suddenly noticed that Zhang Wen had vanished around a corridor turn!

Startled, the maid hurriedly chased forward. Unfortunately, when she reached the next turn, she found herself facing three branching paths, with no sign of Zhang Wen anywhere.

“Huh?” The maid raised her eyebrows in confusion, leaning against the wall and glancing around.

But just then, Zhang Wen silently appeared behind her. In his previous life on Earth, Zhang Wen had often played the game of tailing and counter-tailing. After arriving in the Empire and learning the Spring Water Technique, he naturally became even more adept at it.

Standing behind the woman, Zhang Wen slowly extended his hand. His right hand suddenly pressed firmly against her back, while his left hand covered her mouth.

“Mmph!” The woman was startled but soon relaxed when she realized it was Zhang Wen who had subdued her.

“Come with me!” Zhang Wen whispered softly into the maid’s ear before swiftly guiding her around the corner and slipping into an entertainment room he had previously scouted during his aimless wandering on the first deck.

It was a psychic cinema. The room wasn’t large, accommodating about twenty people at most. The walls were windowless, and once the door was shut, the unoccupied cinema was plunged into complete darkness.

“You’re following me. Who are you, and why?” Taking the maid behind a curtain on the side of the room, Zhang Wen released his left hand and quickly pushed her face-down onto a row of high-backed chairs in the center of the cinema.

The motion caused the high slit of the maid’s gown to flutter open, revealing her long, flawless legs.

“Hmm?” At the sight of the beautiful legs, Zhang Wen hesitated for a moment. It wasn’t that he was easily tempted by such beauty, but rather because he suddenly felt a strange sense of familiarity with the curves of those legs. Yet, he had no recollection of ever seeing this maid before.

“Hehe, truly worthy of being a former Mithril Hunter. How did you manage to sneak up behind me?” The woman, now subdued by Zhang Wen, chuckled lightly and curiously asked him instead.

“Now seems to be my turn to ask questions,” Zhang Wen hesitated briefly, then smiled and leaned in slightly closer, positioning himself over her like a lover, pressing her against the high-backed chair.

Their thighs intertwined, their bodies tightly pressed together. As Zhang Wen’s breath brushed against her face, her expression finally changed.

“Alright, I admit defeat, Teacher Zhang Wen,” and this time, Zhang Wen immediately recognized the light, melodious voice—gentle like a breeze.

“Rilaya?” Zhang Wen quickly propped himself up, exclaiming in surprise.

Nonetheless, even though he recognized Rilaya’s voice, Zhang Wen still did not relax his right hand resting on her back. The combination of a familiar voice and an unfamiliar face made it impossible for him to believe her immediately.

“At least you still remember me,” Rilaya laughed.

“You’re really Rilaya?” Zhang Wen furrowed his brows.

“I have proof on me,” Rilaya, understanding Zhang Wen’s concerns, spoke calmly, reaching her hand toward her thigh.

“…Don’t move!” Zhang Wen instinctively called out, halting Rilaya’s action.

“Hmm?” Rilaya immediately stopped moving.

“The proof is right there; you can take it yourself,” a flicker of surprise flashed in Rilaya’s eyes, but she then smiled confidently, raising her hands to show she had no intention of attacking.

“Alright then,” Zhang Wen, slightly embarrassed as his gaze fell on the tempting legs exposed beneath her purple gown, reached out to touch.

Hassan had truly spared no effort with the maids aboard the Star Moon. Apart from their captivating purple attire, each wore sheer stockings that nearly revealed everything.

Of course, compared to the gown and stockings, what was even more enticing was the legs themselves. Zhang Wen’s hand slid down from Rilaya’s waist, inch by inch across her thigh. The smooth, even, and elastic sensation almost made him reluctant to let go.

“No… it’s near the knee,” Rilaya’s expression changed dramatically as Zhang Wen caressed her. When his hand reached between her legs, she suddenly exhaled forcefully, blurting out urgently.

Zhang Wen paused, only then noticing that Rilaya’s face had flushed red, as if she had been drinking.

“I see,” a smile involuntarily appeared on Zhang Wen’s face. Following her instructions, he gently felt along her knee. Soon, he found a square metal piece the size of a fingernail near Rilaya’s right knee.

With a light push, Zhang Wen tore a small hole in the thin, gossamer-like stocking and squeezed the metal piece out.

As soon as he touched the surface of the fingernail-sized metal piece, which felt like sandpaper, Zhang Wen understood what it was. This metal piece, embedded with millions of natural elemental stones, was one of the most commonly used and secure information transmission tools in this world. Its formal name was “Encrypted Psionic Information Transmission System.” However, most people preferred its colloquial name—”Message Stone.”

Pinching the Message Stone between two fingers, Zhang Wen injected a small amount of psionic energy into it. The natural elemental stones embedded on the metal piece lit up in a pre-set sequence, eventually forming an exquisite pattern.

When they had departed from the planet Fira, Rilaya had specially shown Zhang Wen the same pattern—it was the insignia of the Imperial Guards. At that time, Rilaya had carefully explained to Zhang Wen how to distinguish genuine from counterfeit. Therefore, Zhang Wen quickly recognized that the current insignia was definitely authentic.

Subsequently, the light from the metal piece projected into the air, forming an image roughly the size of a computer monitor. The image revealed a summons bearing General William’s signature.

“Convinced now?” Rilaya said, turning around. The light from the metal piece illuminated the surrounding area, allowing Zhang Wen to clearly see Rilaya’s delicate expression tinged with mild displeasure.

“How did you end up here?” Finally, Zhang Wen removed his right hand from Rilaya’s back.

“Well, it’s a long story…” Rilaya stood up, rubbing her arm, which had been reddened from being pressed against the chair’s armrest earlier.

“Go ahead, what’s going on now?” Zhang Wen handed the metal piece back to Rilaya.

“And why are you in this form now?”

“Hehe, completely different from when we last met, right?” Rilaya smiled slightly. “This is Shapeshifting, one of the special abilities that a Saint-level Psionicist can use. Is there something even the great Zhang Wen doesn’t know?”

“Of course, I’m not a god,” Zhang Wen replied matter-of-factly. He really hadn’t known that Psionicists in this world could easily achieve what women on Earth had to spend a fortune to do—cosmetic surgery.

“By the way, why did you use Shapeshifting? Are there people on the ship who know you?”

“Exactly,” Rilaya nodded slightly, sighing softly. “Among this batch of competitors, there are a few who have dealt with the Imperial Guards before. Even with Shapeshifting, I’m afraid I might not be able to fool them.”

“Oh?” Zhang Wen sensed something unusual in Rilaya’s words. However, his professional experience on Earth had taught him better than anyone the true meaning of the saying, “The more you know, the faster you die.” Therefore, since Rilaya didn’t elaborate, Zhang Wen didn’t ask further.

“Alright,” Zhang Wen quickly changed the subject with a smile. “Tell me about that summons just now? Weren’t you already the adjutant of the Imperial Guards? Why are you being summoned again?”

“No, that summons isn’t for me—it’s for you,” Rilaya smiled, her gaze piercing.

“Me?” Zhang Wen’s eyes widened.

“Precisely. The summons you saw earlier was signed by General William,” Rilaya gently caressed the Message Stone in her palm. “It’s also a way for General William to express his gratitude. Thank you for helping us capture the Black Viscount on Fira.”

“Gratitude?” Zhang Wen couldn’t help but snort. “Is your way of thanking someone to casually draft someone into the army without their consent? I’ve never heard of such a way of showing appreciation before!”

“Don’t be in a hurry to get angry,” Rilaya, as if anticipating Zhang Wen’s reaction, calmly waved her hand with a smile. “After you hear the position General William has offered you, if you still don’t want to accept, I can help you decline it with the Emperor.”

“Oh?” This remark genuinely surprised Zhang Wen.

In Zhang Wen’s mind, Rilaya, as the chief adjutant of the prestigious Imperial Guards, had crossed half the Empire’s territory to reach Casares, even going so far as to disguise herself and secretly infiltrate the Star Moon as a maid. She must have had an extremely important mission. The summons from General William, he assumed, was probably something demanding his “assistance” in Rilaya’s mission in Casares.

However, now that Zhang Wen had clearly stated his unwillingness to help the Imperial Army, Rilaya still dared to speak so boldly, leaving Zhang Wen puzzled. What kind of benefit had William and Emperor Senal XIII offered that made Rilaya so confident that he would definitely not refuse?

“Go on then,” Zhang Wen glanced at Rilaya, signaling her to continue.

“The position offered to you by General William and the Emperor is the Southern Border Direct Command Captain of the Royal Imperial Guards.”

“Direct Command Captain?” The title that came from Rilaya’s mouth indeed shocked Zhang Wen.