Yarra’s Adventure Notes
Chapter 912 - 29 The Most Common Method

Chapter 912: Chapter 29 The Most Common Method

Pannis had not exaggerated at all, their destination was indeed quite far. The group traveled continuously for forty minutes by public coach, observing more densely packed neon signs along the road which gradually became sparse.

The girls discovered that paying close attention to those flickering signs was quite interesting. Most of the businesses along the road were small shops, and these shops often had the brightest, most dazzling signs. The nature of the shops was directly evident from their signs—some had a wine bottle design flanked by two women in inviting poses made of lights, some featured a dancer twisting her body surrounded by a circle of raised hands, and others displayed a stack of chips encircled by four or five half-full glasses of liquor. The type of business conducted inside was immediately discernible from the sign. As Pannis had mentioned earlier, these small establishments mainly catered to guests of lower-middle social status. Observing the patrons entering and exiting these shops, one could indeed detect subtle differences from those who had just entered Tonight Homes, who were similarly well-dressed and able to spend generously, but distinct in demeanor and poise. The professionally trained welcoming staff could instantly recognize these differences.

As for establishments like Tonight Homes that catered to the middle and upper classes, they were often not very conspicuous. Although luxurious inside, they appeared no more than ordinary hotels from the outside, devoid of eye-catching lighting effects. The client flow in such places was spare, and the girls noticed something more interesting. Although each of these establishments had greeters at the doors screening the customers, they barely had any work to do as hardly anyone crossed the bounds of their social status to enter mismatched venues. The only exceptions were two individuals who seemed to be tourists rather than local patrons.

"It seems they have also accepted this distance imposed by social status," said Catherine, patting her flushed cheeks from the alcohol, her voice soft. "Strictly upholding this boundary without daring to cross even half a step, is this really what they want?"

"These are the rules of Neville City," said Pannis with a shrug, his tone lazy. "Or rather, these are the real rules of the large cities in the Neville Federation. Previously, you didn’t understand simply because you visited Neville’s major cities infrequently. Generally, only the residents who live here all year round can truly feel this social distance."

"Ah, I almost forgot," said Catherine, slapping her forehead and chuckling. "I read your profile before; you were from the Neville Federation before you settled in Neutral Land. No wonder you know so much about the customs here."

"Yes, I grew up in Neville," Pannis said with a cryptic smile, staring out the window, lost in thought. "The people here, they often spend their whole lives struggling to improve their social status, not just individually but their entire family joins in the struggle, heh..."

A eerie silence fell inside the coach, with only the sound of the wheels grinding over the cobblestone reverberating continuously. Pannis, gazing out the window, appeared lost in his memories, while the other four girls looked at him, each lost in their own thoughts, until the coach suddenly jolted to a stop. They were snapped from their silence and looked outside through the coach windows, finding themselves in an inconspicuous corner within the city. The vibrancy of Sleepless City was almost invisible here, with bright lights twinkling in the distance as if in another world, while darkness enveloped the coach. Only a pathway lit by rows of Crystal Energy lamps nearby confirmed that this was not an abandoned wilderness.

After disembarking the coach, the girls were astonished to find, before them, a rural stretch within the city. It was hard to imagine that in this costly city, someone had set aside several square kilometers of land, preserving it as farmland. By the dim night light, they could see crops flourishing, indicating that the land was indeed still cultivated and suggesting a potentially bountiful harvest this year. Among the fields was a narrow path, lit by Crystal Energy lamps on both sides, starting from the edge of the field and leading into a shadowy area at the center of the farm. The distance was too great, and the light too dim, to clearly make out the shadow, but it appeared to be a homestead with a rustic charm.

"Tsk, this place... really is a surprise," Catherine said astounded as she stared at a shadowy area in the distance, "To carve out such an environment within the city, the designer really captured the desires of those who live in the city year-round. They often prefer this style. Actually, creating something glittering and splendid might not be as well-received. It’s not just in the Neville Federation, I’ve heard that the nobility in the Falar Empire also favor this taste. However, building this place must require more than just money, just like you said, without sufficient status and position, one shouldn’t even think about it."

"Obviously, you guessed right," Pannis said as he flicked a coin to the driver, sending him away under Catherine’s cannibalistic gaze. Catherine clenched her teeth and glared at Pannis, resentfully saying, "I just remembered something, unless I heard wrong earlier, you threw a purse with twenty coins to that guy when you grabbed the carriage, right? I bet that was your own savings, unrelated to the team’s funds, right?"

"Ha, ha, ha," Pannis shifted his gaze away, pretending he heard nothing, "Let’s just go in, shall we?"

"Tch," Catherine snorted but couldn’t help smiling, gave Pannis a playful glare, and caught up saying, "We shouldn’t really be able to get in, right? Let’s see what you can do to get us inside."

Sure enough, as Pannis had just stepped onto the pathway lit by lights, a middle-aged man dressed as a butler, accompanied by several guards, blocked their way. The butler, polite in his tone and proper in demeanor, courteously declined, "I’m sorry, sir and ladies, this is private property and not open to the public; only friends of the owner can use it privately. If you are looking for some entertainment facilities, I can recommend some nice places for you."

"Really can’t we take a look inside?" Pannis asked with a hopeful face, "No way at all?"

"I am truly sorry, sir," the butler said with regret, "This is not a business venue, and outsiders cannot enter at random. Please forgive us."

"Sigh, then there’s only one thing left to do," Pannis sighed helplessly, suddenly took a deep breath, and shouted toward the shadows, "Hey~~~ we’re Catherine and her friends~~~~ we can’t get in~~~~ come out and save us~~~~" (To be continued. If you like this work, you’re welcome to visit qidian.com to vote with recommendation tickets or monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read on m.qidian.com.)