Chapter 90: Side Characters Steal the Show – Oh No, This…

He had just been sneaking around like that, and someone had actually seen him!

Would he get kicked out?!

Xun Jia’s breath caught in his throat, leaving him frozen in place as he squeezed his eyes shut tight.

But after two or three seconds passed with no one coming to chase him away, Xun Jia finally came back to his senses and cautiously turned his head to look.

Right away, Xun Jia sensed something was off and froze.

The other’s jacket was just painted with a pattern, its head was mechanized, and its face only had a pair of flat electronic eyes… This wasn’t a real person at all—it was just an Intelligent Mecha dressed in a server’s shell!

All the servers in the entire hall were robots!

As if it had noticed Xun Jia looking at it, it automatically responded to the system prompt and started walking toward him.

Just as it was about to speak up and ask if he wanted to order something, Xun Jia frantically waved it off, mouthing: “Go! Go go go!”

Don’t come over! If you do, I’ll take you down with me!

Xun Jia clenched his fists, staring at it tensely.

The mechanical server’s flat head tilted slightly, its pitch-black electronic eyes whirring as the faint red glow inside flickered out.

Once it understood and returned to its spot, he collapsed into the leather booth seat like a survivor of some disaster.

Gradually, he regained his composure. He peeked just over the top of the booth backrest, getting a clear view of Emory sitting with that lady.

There was a half-potted plant blocking the way, but it wasn’t a problem.

At first, the two acted like total strangers.

Though they sat together, they just drank and checked their Light Brains on their own, with no interaction between them. The bar was so quiet it felt empty, the bartender standing at a polite distance without aiming his electronic eyes at the guests.

Time ticked by slowly, and nothing happened.

Xun Jia’s arms ached from propping himself up, and he started to doubt himself. Was Emory really just down here for a casual drink?

Was he sitting next to that lady purely by chance?

No way!

After a long wait, just before Xun Jia gave up, he finally saw some progress.

The lady seemed to say something softly, leaning her upper body slightly toward Emory. Emory smiled, and his other hand moved discreetly, ambiguously hooking around her waist.

Finally.

Xun Jia let out a breath and slowly raised his Light Brain to his eye, snapping a photo of the scene.

There would be the birthday banquet later too, so Emory was sure to have more intimate moments with Miss Nevi.

These shots would be enough to convince his family to give up on her.

Xun Jia sighed softly and quietly slid down from the booth to the floor before sneaking away.

He felt just like some unethical paparazzo, he mocked himself.

By the time Emory returned to the private room, Xun Jia had already downed his third Coke. He’d drunk so much that his stomach was full of fizzy bubbles, leaving him a bit uncomfortable.

Seeing him come back, Emory even gave him a special glance… Well, yeah, he was the only person Xie Jia knew in this circle, Emory thought smugly.

“Looks like you’re quite satisfied today.”

Emory sat next to him with a sated expression, studying his face.

“I imagine you’ve got even better plans now.” He was hinting that if the other had ambitions to break into local Silver Watchtower circles in the future.

Xun Jia brushed it off. “Yeah, that’s plenty.”

He had no idea if it was enough to ruin you, since his own influence was so minor, but it was enough to save one stubborn girl from throwing her life away.

As they left, Xun Jia received business cards from several gentlemen.

Nothing was said outright, but they all knew what it meant.

If there was ever a chance for collaboration down the line, those cards would be the first stepping stone.

Emory stood behind Xun Jia, thoroughly pleased with the night’s outcomes.

He’d successfully brought “Xie Jia” into their little circle, satisfying the other members’ curiosity to meet him, and given “Xie Jia” some connections to carve out territory in Silver Watchtower. One stone, two birds.

Oh, make it three—he’d also boosted Mr. Xie’s favor toward him.

See? Xie Jia was even smiling at him now.

Maybe soon he’d land a new investor?

With that thought, Emory felt a heady buzz from the alcohol, standing tall in the night breeze atop the club as a surge of ambition welled up.

He slicked his hair back and grinned. “Mr. Xie, looks like everyone had a great time today. Uh, can I just call you Xie Jia?”

A little verbal trick to close the distance without getting too familiar.

It was subtle enough not to offend.

But he never imagined “Mr. Xie” would glance at him listlessly and refuse: “No need. Just like before is fine.”

Emory’s smile froze on his face, leaving him nearly speechless.

He quickly recovered, beaming. “I suppose I overstepped. Ah, Mr. Xie, the driver’s here.”

Xun Jia looked up and saw Seles pulling up in his Air Sedan from below, executing a sharp drift to position the side door right in front of them.

Following the rehearsed etiquette, Seles, playing the driver, would get out next, open the door for his employer, and usher “Mr. Xie” inside.

Xun Jia stood there waiting for him to open it, thinking he’d need to pick up Xie Jianxun soon and wondering where to link up.

He should be nearby by now… Without a driver, he’d probably walk from the tram station…

Seles got out smoothly too, sporting cool shades. He leaned in slightly to open the door for Xun Jia, sneaking a glance at his expression.

Not thrilled, but manageable.

Something unexpected must’ve happened, but Xun Jia had handled it himself.

Once they picked up Xun Xun, the three of them could grab some late-night snacks. Xun Jia had been chugging drinks all night; he needed something to settle his stomach.

Seles let his mind wander aimlessly, but he felt like someone was watching him.

He straightened up, frowning, and looked past the top of Xun Jia’s head—locking eyes exactly with Mr. Beaufort, who hadn’t left yet.

Seles: “…”

Beaufort: “…”

Emory stood beside Beaufort, chatting about investments. When Beaufort suddenly went quiet, he followed his gaze over.

The young man’s mind blanked for a second before he whipped his head away, pretending not to know him—but Emory had keenly noticed their eye contact.

Pretending not to catch the little detail, he smiled. “Do you know this gentleman, Beaufort?”

Beaufort looked at him and said slowly, “No.”

Even through the shades, he’d recognized his own little brother from his build and aura at a glance.

His brother, playing bodyguard?

…The bodyguard was fake.

He realized it instantly. If the “bodyguard” was fake, then that Xie guy in the car was suddenly suspect too.

Considering how Seles hadn’t come home lately, crashing in hotels instead, Beaufort couldn’t help some dark suspicions.

He didn’t stop Seles from getting back in the car and speeding off. Right now, clarifying that Xie guy’s identity was priority.

No one was better positioned than Emory, who’d vouched for Xie Jia.

“How’d you meet that Mr. Xie Jia?”

Beaufort asked casually, gesturing for his driver to hold up—he had important business to discuss.

Emory blinked, then explained after a moment’s thought: “At first, I met his cousin, Xie Jianxun, not him.”

“That Xie Jianxun’s loaded. I got friendly with him thinking of the connections, and then Xie Jia showed up, like a visitor from out of Silver Watchtower.”

“I had someone check the immigration office—no record. He probably came down via private starship.”

Beaufort nodded. “Plus how he keeps stressing he’s from the East Territory, with that surname and wealth. Even if he’s not from the lord’s line, he’s no small fry. That’s your take too, right?”

Emory nodded. “Exactly.”

He suddenly caught a deeper implication in Beaufort’s words: “Mr. Beaufort, are you saying…”

Their identities were fake?

But there was no way to prove it. Even their two-hour casual chat hadn’t slipped up—he’d been guarded tight.

Beaufort gave him a deep look and denied it. “Without official backing, I won’t trust an identity that easily. As for the rest… I haven’t talked much with him, so no details yet.”

He frowned, glancing down at his Light Brain, debating whether to have a serious talk with his wayward little brother.

In the air.

The high-altitude chill wind cooled Seles’s feverish head.

Xun Jia had looked terrified when he got in the car, infecting him with nerves too.

“What? What happened?” He fidgeted with his fingers, his speech speeding up unconsciously. “What just went down?”

Seles whispered, “I saw my brother.”

Xun Jia’s brain lagged for a second. “Your brother? He was at that club just now?”

It was like a lightning bolt cleared the fog—everything clicked.

No wonder!

No wonder Beaufort had seemed so familiar, like someone he’d seen a lot lately. Because the guy’s actual little brother had been right in front of him!

So Seles’s weird behavior now…

Xun Jia wailed, “He recognized you?!”

The Air Sedan shuddered in midair before wobbling back on course.

Seles’s voice trembled too. His eyes fixed ahead, looking calm on the surface, but his tone quivered wildly.

“I… I don’t know,” he muttered to himself. “I’m done for. In his eyes, I’ve gone from aimless playboy slacker to some sketchy role-player…”

Xun Jia’s voice shook hard too: “Emory said that’s the Surging Group director’s eldest son…”

Seles: “Yeah, I’m that second young master from the Star Net wiki.”

Xun Jia: “…”

Ah! he screamed internally!

How had he never realized he had someone like this around?

The first time he’d met Seles, he’d shown up with Xie Jianxun for late-night snacks, so Xun Jia had naturally assumed he was just a fake-ID buddy… or some random hanger-on.

Now he was telling him this guy was some young master?!

A big-shot young master playing bodyguard for him…

Xun Jia’s lips quivered, but he said nothing, just felt like pins and needles under his butt.

In truth, Seles was antsy as hell too.

If he weren’t driving, strapped in with hands on the wheel, he’d have jumped to the floor for push-ups to vent the stress.

His brother had spotted him!

Which meant a family call by tomorrow, grilling him on why he was still slacking off, playing bodyguard instead of helping manage the company and fitting into society…

No, his brother probably wouldn’t rat him out that fast. Their relationship was decent…

Seles brooded darkly, a wave of helpless defeat washing over him.

Traffic was jammed ahead; no way through. Drivers grew agitated.

Seles slammed the button under the wheel hard, honking loudly twice and setting off a chorus of horns wailing through the sky.

Their minds synced at last: Call Xie Jianxun for rescue.

…

“How am I supposed to rescue you?!”

The Little Adventurer sat with them on a stone curb at the parking lot entrance, eyes glazed. “I’m not a doctor or the president… I’m just a guy who fakes IDs!”