Chapter 225: Chapter 225: The Hidden V.I.P._1
Both men turned to the sound and saw a nightclub receptionist waving at them with a big smile on his face.
Aiden’s first reaction was that the guy had mistaken him for someone else, or perhaps was feigning familiarity to lure in customers.
But when he saw the man’s face, there was a moment where he felt it looked a bit familiar.
"Oh my, it’s been so long, I almost didn’t recognize you, sir," the man said, nodding and bowing towards them, then glanced at Kael who was following Aiden, "Are you bringing a friend along today?"
Aiden thought back and could only remember coming to the fireworks alley back in April when he was working on overturning Veronica’s case...
He subconsciously looked up at the nightclub’s sign behind the man, and suddenly remembered.
It was the "Midnight Rose" nightclub, where he had come to ask for information while looking for clues; it seemed that this guy was the one who had received him back then.
"It’s you, I’m surprised you recognize me," Aiden nodded.
It was rare for someone to remember a person they had only met once several months ago; this man’s ability to recognize him was indeed quite professional for a receptionist.
"How could I possibly forget you? You are a distinguished guest specially mentioned by the boss!" the receptionist said emphatically.
Kael’s expression became rather amused, "Warden, you seem to have quite the influence here."
Before Aiden had fully understood the situation, the receptionist "very perceptively" began to inflate his ego, "Of course, this gentleman is a major figure with great influence in the fireworks alley!"
The receptionist did not know the full details of this gentleman, but he vividly remembered how, after this person left, the boss had repeatedly emphasized not to neglect him, otherwise... this establishment might be easily shut down by a mere flick of his finger.
Kael’s eyes widened slightly. He looked around and noticed that this nightclub was indeed one of the more stylish establishments in the fireworks alley; being regarded as a VIP by this club... Could the warden possibly be a hidden big shot of the area?
But at this moment, Aiden was a bit bewildered.
Since when had I become such an influential figure in fireworks alley? All I did was ask a couple of questions last time...
However, he quickly realized that it was likely Fille’s letter of introduction that had led the nightclub’s boss to mistakenly assume he had some connections with that succubus.
"It’s a misunderstanding by your boss, I merely borrowed a letter of introduction," Aiden tried to explain.
However, the receptionist didn’t really listen. From his years of experience in reception, those who always bragged and boasted, wishing to display all their status and connections on their foreheads, were often just newly-rich with no deep foundations.
On the other hand, those who brushed off praise and focused on making a fortune quietly were the true big shots with hidden achievements and reputations.
So, he kept a smile on his face while nodding and saying "yes, yes," and with an increasingly enthusiastic attitude, he invited the esteemed guests into the club, "Why don’t the two of you have a seat today? Don’t worry, just sit anywhere, it’s all free! Our best girls are available right now..."
"No thanks, we have other important matters to attend to," Aiden waved his hand in refusal and stepped away.
"I see, well, please do come by when you have time!" the receptionist bowed behind him.
"Warden, I really didn’t expect you to have such status in a place like this," Kael caught up with Aiden, his face etched with newfound respect.
"They’ve got it wrong, I was only here for the investigation..." Aiden tried to explain again.
"Oh, ’investigating a case’!" Kael nodded with feigned understanding, while thinking to himself what this new form of play was all about. Playing detective with a hostess?
Aiden glanced at Kael’s expression and immediately realized the misunderstanding hadn’t been cleared up. Just as he was about to further explain, Kael suddenly straightened his face and looked ahead, "Here he comes!"
Aiden immediately realized that the wanted criminal Kael mentioned had appeared and followed his gaze, "Which one?"
"The man wearing the duckbill cap," Kael replied in a lowered voice, and Aiden felt that this guy had rarely been this serious since they had met.
Aiden focused on the man Kael pointed out, but didn’t notice anything unusual. The lighting in Fireworks Alley was very dim, making it hard to see the skin tone and faces at this distance.
"It’s not very clear," Aiden commented.
"No worries, I am certain. Just to be safe, let’s keep an eye on him for now. We can catch him in the act later," Kael grinned.
...
Minutes later, in a room deep within the narrow alley, a woman with heavy makeup led a client into a second-floor room, closed the door behind him, and then drew the curtains.
"Payment first," the woman demanded immediately.
In the autonomous state, the state government allowed registered and documented businesses to conduct certain special entertainment services. However, these establishments not only had to pay higher taxes, but also had to undergo regular and strict inspections. That’s why many businesses and individual operators in this line of work had not declared themselves locally and were operating illegally.
Being an illegal operation meant no legal protection, so these operators always worried about clients defaulting on payment, especially for those without gang protection or those who couldn’t afford expensive muscle.
"Don’t worry, as long as you make it worth my while, the tip won’t be small," the customer said, smiling as he pulled a Gold Coin from his pocket.
"This..." The woman’s eyes lit up as she instinctively focused on the Gold Coin.
The customer lifted the Gold Coin to be level with his face, and the woman’s gaze followed the movement of the coin.
At that moment, the customer clenched the Gold Coin in his hand, looked into the woman’s eyes, and gave a meaningful smile.
The woman involuntarily met the customer’s gaze, thinking about the considerable income she was about to receive, with a sycophantic smile creeping onto her face.
She was just about to say something when she suddenly noticed a hint of red glow in the depths of the client’s eyes.
The woman suddenly felt a tingling sensation pass through her body as her head became fuzzy, as if soaked in warm water.
"Come here," the customer commanded, his voice deep.
The woman found herself completely unable to resist such a captivating voice and walked toward the customer in a daze.
The customer reached out a hand to the woman’s shoulder, brought his face close to her neck, and opened his mouth, revealing sharp fangs.
Suddenly, a mocking whistle sounded out of place, echoing in the room.
The customer was startled and looked up toward the source of the sound. He discovered that the curtains had been opened at some point, and a young man dressed in a tailcoat and wearing a monocle was sitting on the windowsill, legs crossed, watching with interest.
"I know it’s impolite to disturb others while they’re eating..." Kael said, staring at the customer as he pushed his glasses up, "but your choice of food here, sir, might cause trouble for others."
