"Mia! You're finally here!"The moment Glen Johnson stepped through the villa's entrance behind Mia Calloway, a young man in his twenties rushed over to greet them, brimming with excitement.The young man had a decent build, standing at least five foot nine with a well-proportioned frame. His features were handsome enough, though Glen couldn't help but notice something slightly off about him. There was a softness to him, a lack of masculine edge that gave him an almost delicate air.On a woman, that kind of gentle quality would have been endearing, even lovely. But on a man? It felt awkward, out of place.Still, Glen had to admit the guy wasn't completely insufferable. His manner was merely a bit soft, not overtly effeminate. At least he wasn't throwing around limp wrists or making exaggerated gestures. Barely tolerable, all things considered."Julian! You got here pretty early," Mia said brightly, her face lighting up with a warm smile.The young man's

Mia Calloway froze for a moment before she finally grasped what Julian Fairchild was implying. The instant it clicked, she exploded. Her hands shot out and clamped around his throat as she roared, "You bastard! What are you even saying? What kind of person do you think I am? How could I possibly... possibly look for that kind of guy? You're trying to kill me with anger!""Stop... choking... can't breathe!" Julian hadn't expected such a violent reaction. He frantically pried Mia's hands off his neck and stumbled back several steps, forcing a bitter smile. "Good grief! If it's not true, it's not true. You don't have to strangle me over a joke! You're terrible, absolutely terrible!"Still fuming, Mia glared daggers at him. "How could you say something like that about me? If you dare spout such nonsense again, I really will strangle you to death!""Okay, okay, I won't say it anymore." Seeing Mia's ferocious expression, Julian shrank back like a deflated balloon, instantly

At that moment, Glen Johnson spotted another familiar face emerging from the crowd. The man appeared to be in his late forties, dressed in a sharp gray suit that was impeccably tailored and formal, distinctly different from the casual elegance most guests wore to the banquet. His entire bearing radiated an air of natural authority, the kind that didn't need to announce itself. As he approached, those nearby instinctively straightened and nodded with visible deference.Glen Johnson recognized him immediately. It was the man he'd encountered a few days earlier, on that afternoon when he'd used the Upgrade Chest to craft his very first Health Potion. He'd been walking down the street when he came across an elderly woman suffering a heart Attack. Without hesitation, Glen Johnson had used his only Health Potion to save her life and personally escorted her to the hospital. This man had been there at the hospital, and Glen Johnson had assumed he was the woman's son.He hadn't exp

With a sharp intake of breath, the elder Mr. Fairchild was equally shocked to see Glen Johnson produce such a large cloisonné vase. For the second time that evening, he rose from his seat. He approached the long table and reached out, running his fingers gently over the surface of the cloisonné vase. Only after this careful examination did he finally confirm that this was indeed a real, solid vase, not some image projected by advanced holographic projection technology.At the elder Mr. Fairchild's level of influence and experience, he naturally had access to information beyond what ordinary people knew. He was well aware of just how rapidly technology was advancing these days.The kind of holographic projection technology that used to exist only in science fiction novels had already made breakthrough progress. Images projected by specialized equipment could now reach a level of realism that was nearly impossible to distinguish from reality.The technolog

"What is it?"When Sebastian Fairchild suddenly called out to stop him, Glen Johnson froze for a moment. His brow furrowed, and displeasure flashed across his face. "Interrupting my magic tricks in the middle like this will seriously diminish the effect!"Sebastian dismissed the complaint with a wave. "Sorry, but I just have this feeling that the deck in your hand seems a little off somehow. Can you let me take another look at it?""You mean...?"Glen Johnson's expression changed immediately. There was no mistaking the flash of panic that crossed his features. Seeing this, Sebastian grew even more confident in his suspicions. Without waiting for permission, he reached out and seized the deck from Glen's hand. His voice was cold as he said, "What's the matter? Afraid to let me see it? Is there something fishy about this deck? Don't worry, I'll only check it once. If there's really no problem, then I won't bother you again!""Fine... if you want to look, then