Half an hour later.
On the asphalt road, a long convoy of luxury cars rolled to a slow stop in front of Red Lotus Club, resembling a magnificent dragon stretching across the street.
Pedestrians halted in their tracks, stunned by the extravagant scene.
The men fell into silent envy; the women, deep into dreamy infatuation.
Never mind the stretch Bentley that led the procession—just the dozen-plus Mercedes-AMGs were already worth over thirty million yuan!
Who the hell was this?
Who books out a club with such flair and pomp?
Surely not some regular rich kid... This level of extravagance screamed of a chairman from a publicly listed conglomerate!
It wasn't that they didn't want to guess which second-generation rich heir it was—but the sheer magnitude of the display made it hard to believe it was just some playboy's flex.
Kai, clad in a sleek black suit, stepped out from one of the cars and walked to the rear. He opened the door with a respectful bow.
"Young Master, we've arrived."
Only then did Veil slowly emerge from the car.
The moment his face appeared, onlookers—including the club's greeters and even the curious technicians rushing out from inside—were instantly stunned.
"Oh my god! He's so handsome! Who is he? He looks like a prince—and that car convoy?!"
"He smiled at me—oh my god, I'm gonna faint! What if he picks me later? What if he wants special service? Should I wait for him to ask, or just volunteer?"
"He's so loaded! Over ten luxury cars, forty-plus bodyguards, and he's so young! I wore light makeup tonight—I need to go fix it, now!"
Amid the waves of exclamations and whispers, Veil walked confidently through the entrance of the Red Lotus Club, flanked by two bodyguards parting the crowd ahead of him.
A club manager in a figure-hugging qipao rushed forward, her tone humble and respectful.
"Good evening, esteemed guest. I'm the lobby manager of Red Lotus. May I have the honor of serving you tonight?"
Only the sharpest made it in this kind of establishment, and she was no exception. From the moment she saw Veil, not to mention the sea of suited bodyguards behind him, she knew this was no ordinary client. That composed, refined suit and his commanding aura alone were enough to silence her ego and humble her approach.
Veil tilted his head, intrigued. "What kind of services do you offer?"
The lobby manager didn't hesitate, reciting from memory with the skill of a seasoned pro.
"Our Red Lotus Club spans five floors. The second floor is for bathhouses—we offer both wellness hot springs and large communal pools. The third floor is our leisure area, featuring self-service snacks, fruit platters, and an entertainment center. The fourth floor offers massage services, with technicians of all levels. And the fifth floor is our private rest area, with exclusive rooms and single-person hot spring baths."
Veil nodded. "How much to book the fifth floor?"
The lobby manager paused, a hint of awkwardness flashing through her smile. "Prices vary depending on the services."
Veil frowned. "I'm asking about the price to book the entire fifth floor."
"Ah?" She froze for a second, startled by the directness. But sensing his seriousness, she responded quickly. "For one night, it would be... six hundred thousand."
Truth be told, they'd never had a client book the entire fifth floor before. That figure was purely based on the maximum daily revenue the floor had ever brought in.
"Six hundred thousand for one night? That steep, huh?" Veil raised an eyebrow, his voice laced with mild disbelief.
The manager rushed to explain. "Esteemed guest, our fifth-floor rest area uses—"
Before she could even mention the word "discount," Veil waved her off.
"Don't bother with the sales pitch. I'm not interested. Just book it for a month. Do you want a check or cash? I can write you a check right now, but if it's cash, you'll have to wait for the bank to count and deliver it."
Boom.
The entire lobby fell into stunned silence. The staff, the technicians—everyone stood there like statues.
They had all thought Veil was just another rich playboy. Only now did they realize—this man was operating on a completely different level.
Top-tier. Absolutely elite. Throwing money around like it was nothing!
Right in front of everyone, Veil pulled out his checkbook, scribbled down some numbers, ripped out the check, and handed it to Kai.
"Here's twenty million. Take the manager with you and get the transaction done. As for the remaining two million, handle it however you see fit. Give the guys a bonus."
Kai held the check, practically glowing as he walked off with the manager—who was now grinning from ear to ear.
It was no secret that Kai and the manager had been dancing around a flirtation for some time now. But tonight? That was going to change.
Thanks to Veil's arrival, all the flair and wealth on full display, the manager had hit the jackpot. Just from this one-month booking, her commission could hit several hundred thousand—maybe even a million!
That kind of money? Life-changing.
She didn't dream of getting tangled with a man like Veil, but she was absolutely going to lock down Kai now.
As dozens of bodyguards headed toward the elevators, each one had a young technician on their arm. Even Kai was no exception.
And every one of those men—without fail—looked back at Veil with nothing but respect, gratitude, and loyalty.
Did they really think Veil had too much money and nowhere to spend it? That he was just showing off?
Not at all.
Especially recently, many of the bodyguards—aside from Kai—had been working around the clock, monitoring and tailing targets non-stop, afraid of missing any crucial intel. The pay was decent, but the workload was brutal. It was only a matter of time before they started growing discontent.
Veil understood that.
Just giving out money? Too shallow. Not everyone was like Kai—loyal to the core.
If you paid too much, it bred greed, not loyalty.
That's why Veil did things differently.
Give them a night to unwind, give them face, throw in a bonus, let them enjoy a bit of indulgence—that was how you truly earn loyalty.
Of course, the most important part—
Veil knew exactly who owned the Red Lotus Club behind the scenes.
...
Top Floor, Red Lotus Club – VIP Suite
Spanning over 150 square meters, the suite was tastefully luxurious, with a warm and refined decor that looked more like a private residence of the wealthy than a room inside a club. It even came with a private hot spring bath.
Veil lay by the edge of the bath, loosely wrapped in a towel, resting against a carved-out alcove as he tilted his head back, savoring a rare moment of quiet.
Behind him, a girl in a floral cheongsam knelt gracefully, using her slender hands to gently massage his shoulders with skill and care.
Inside the hot spring, two girls in their late teens—both beautiful and well-endowed—were on either side of him, each working on his shoulders with practiced ease.
"Master Lancaster, how's the pressure? If it's too firm, I can ease up a bit," asked the girl on his left, smiling sweetly. She wore a soft pink swimsuit and had light makeup that gave her a delicate charm.
"It's fine," Veil replied lazily, eyes half-closed in comfort.
"Master Lancaster, I didn't expect it—you look tall and lean, but your body's actually really well-toned. Do you work out a lot?" the girl on his right chimed in, clad in a pale blue swimsuit. Her eyes sparkled with flirtation, her voice dripping with admiration as she subtly leaned forward to showcase her assets.
"No," Veil responded casually, throwing her a brief glance before closing his eyes again.
Sure, he was in good shape. But compared to who? If it was just regular people, sure—he was in top form. But stack him up next to the Murphy sisters, and the difference was night and day.
Especially after the night he had with Julia… he couldn't even count how many times he'd been "tackled" into submission. With that as his baseline, this girl's soft nudges didn't even register.
"Master Lancaster, lift your legs up, will you? We've finished with your shoulders, now we can work on your legs," the pink swimsuit girl cooed, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
Veil opened his eyes in slight amusement, glancing between the two. "You two?"
"Yeah! Why?" she pouted adorably. "Did we do something wrong? Please don't ask for replacements… if the manager finds out, she'll dock our pay!"
The blue swimsuit girl's eyes reddened. "Please don't change us, Master Lancaster. We'll do whatever you want. Just tell us, we'll make it right."
The two girls looked utterly pitiful, as if Veil's decision would determine their very livelihood.
Were they truly afraid of losing pay?
Probably not.
At Red Lotus, getting docked was only a risk if guests filed complaints—or if other services were discovered. But if Veil were to take them out for the night, to a hotel perhaps… would they still act this pitiful?
"Don't overthink it. You two are doing great—why would I want to switch?" Veil smirked with a playful glint in his eyes.
The pink swimsuit girl pouted even more cutely. "Then what was that look just now? Was I not good enough?"
Veil shook his head. "No, just wondering if you girls can count."
The blue swimsuit girl giggled, "What do you mean?"
Veil gave a wicked grin. "Isn't there one missing?"
"Aaah, you're so bad!"
"Master Lancaster, that's not fair—are you teasing us now?"
The two girls didn't hesitate. They curled right into Veil's arms, giggling and playfully scolding him like coquettish little cats.
Damn.
What the hell?
Veil felt like bait caught in the clutches of two octopuses, their limbs wrapping all around him. It wasn't exactly uncomfortable, but it wasn't the most relaxing thing either.
Still, living by his three rules—don't initiate, don't refuse, and don't take responsibility—he didn't push them away.
Just as the teasing continued, the girl in the cheongsam stepped into the bath area and quietly nestled beside Veil too.
It was the kind of scene you'd normally have to pay extra to witness.
But the moment was shattered by the sound of the private spring door opening.
A woman walked in—dressed in a skin-tight, jet-black leather outfit that accentuated every curve of her stunning figure. Her face wore a slight smile, but deep in her eyes, there was nothing but chilling indifference.
She walked in leisurely, her presence immediately triggering hostility from the three girls clustered around Veil.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?"
"This is a VIP suite—the door was locked. How did you even get in?"
"Did you steal a keycard? If you upset Master Lancaster, we'll call the police!"
The girls' words came fast, protective, trying to shield Veil like little guards.
The woman in black lowered herself gracefully, sitting on the edge of the bath. Her silky, waterfall-like hair spilled over one shoulder as she gazed at Veil with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Is this really Master Lancaster's taste? You actually find these girls entertaining?"
"How dare you!" the pink swimsuit girl snapped, glaring.
The woman merely smiled and unstrapped a watch from her wrist, tossing it into the water with a soft plop. "Take this and leave."
"Tch. Who do you think you are? Trying to buy us off with a watch?"
"Yeah, like that thing's worth anything."
"Don't overestimate yourself."
The girls clung tighter to Veil, vying for his attention. They might not have had much hope of getting close to Veil in the long term, but if they could even snag one night—just a single chance—they could coast for years.
Who cared about some dumb watch?
The pink swimsuit girl looked up with bright eyes. "This cheap thing? Right, Master Lancaster?"
Veil nodded slowly, playing along. "Of course. Just a Patek Philippe. Maybe worth eight million at most. Nothing special."
Splash. Splash. Splash!
The moment he spoke, all three girls lunged toward the watch like starved fish, diving in to fight for it.
After a few moments of chaotic splashing and scrambling, the black-clad woman cast them a cold glare—and the three girls, now soaking and subdued, obediently left.
Silence fell over the bath.
Only Veil and the woman in black remained.
She looked at him with a faint smile. "Such generosity, Master Lancaster. Quite the connoisseur, aren't you? First, you snatched Julia right out of my Black Dragon Society's hands… and now you're throwing millions around in our Red Lotus Club like it's nothing. What—do you really think the Black Dragon Society can't touch you?"
Her voice was soft and smiling, but her words were sharp as ice, laced with unmistakable killing intent.
This woman was none other than Saoirse, the Hall Master of the Black Dragon Society's Rose Hall.