The Card Apprentice

Chapter 228: The Banquet (I)

Translator:Nyoi-Bo Studio

Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio

Chen Mu took a look around as he sat in the shuttle car before pulling back his gaze. Even given his pitifully limited experience, he was able to tell how luxurious the shuttle car was. That one had a lot more room compared to a two-person shuttle car. It was spacious enough for Chen Mu to even stand up without worrying that his head would hit the roof.

Its huge body—to the point of being bloated—meant its speed would be slower, though that was a small issue. To be a little slower was safer, as well as smoother and more comfortable. It suited the taste of wealthy people, who were after pleasure.

The shuttle car had been sent by the Central Island Firm to pick him up to attend the banquet. The youth named Fei, who'd brought over the invitation, was seated next to the driver. He was called Fei Zheng. Fei Zheng was respectful enough, though he didn't talk much. That was the way Chen Mu liked it, so he simply shut his eyes as though he were sleeping.

About ten minutes later, they arrived at their destination.

Led by Fei Zheng, Chen Mu finally saw the director general of the Central Island Firm.

Ren Wenzhou was middle-aged, a little fat in the belly, but properly dressed and full of energy. As the host, he was standing at the entrance receiving the guests with a smile. If one hadn't seen it oneself, probably no one would have thought such an amiable, avuncular fellow was Director General Ren Wenzhou. He was rumored to have great ambition and lofty goals, and he had decision-making authority over life and death. To his side was Qian Mingyi, who looked more like a butler at the time.

When Fei Zheng saw the director general, he hurried forward to whisper something in Ren Wenzhou's ear. Ren Wenzhou's eyes brightened and he laughed, walking down the steps by himself. "I've just been talking about Mr. Cao. To have my wishes fulfilled today is such a pleasure. I am ashamed not to have paid you a visit to thank you for Mr. Cao's huge assistance!"

Although Chen Mu wasn't so clear about all aspects of etiquette, there was absolutely no reason for someone the age of his uncle's generation to be at his side, nor for such an older man to make any salutations to him. He hurriedly made a humble bow. "Director Ren is too polite. I made only the slightest effort. It was nothing. What advertising firm wouldn't seek out the Central Island Firm, given your power? To be able to take such commission was our honor."

What he said was neither servile nor supercilious. When added to his calm demeanor, he came off as rather stylish.

A look of appreciation flashed through Ren Wenzhou's eyes as he looked Chen Mu up and down. He then said with feeling, "The waves in the back are always feeding those in front. Mr. Cao is so young to be able to achieve such an accomplishment. You are much stronger than I was at your age. When I was that age, I still didn't know what mud I was messing in. Come, come, I will introduce you around."

Ren Wenzhou warmly took Chen Mu's arm and introduced him all around.

A look of surprise flashed through the eyes of quite a few of the guests. Ren Wenzhou had lofty visions. Although he was always polite, he seldom was so warm toward a newcomer. Whispering came from the corners now and then as they tried to guess Chen Mu's identity.

Chen Mu had always been low-key, so no one had been able to guess.

Just then, Chen Mu suddenly heard a familiar voice. "I never thought I would see you again. I never thought I would run into Mr. Cao here. What a nice surprise."

A glamorous young woman sashayed over to Chen Mu's side.

"Is it you?" Chen Mu couldn't help but frown.

The woman gave a ladylike smile, and everyone around experienced the illusion that all the light in the large hall had suddenly focused on her. She wasn't any bystander; she was the Butchie who had contacted Chen Mu several times. She was wearing a simple, jet-black, long evening gown, which was meticulously cut. Added to that was the silky-smooth cloth, which fully outlined her perfect curves. She was wearing a brilliantly colored necklace on her swan-like, snowy neck, which shone gorgeously in the lights.

She was holding a glass of red wine with both hands and looking at Chen Mu with a coy and winsome smile.

"Does Miss Yu know Mr. Cao?" Ren Wenzhou was a little surprised as he shortly asked, rather interested.

Butchie unhurriedly said, "This little girl came begging for a card from Mr. Cao last time. I never thought I would offend Mr. Cao. I have felt so remorseful." That face, as delicate as a picture, wasn't showing any sort of remorse.

Ren Wenzhou took some exception while the slight smile stayed on his face. "Mr. Cao is highly skilled, but when Miss Yu says she requires a card, I can't quite believe it. Is there any card the Faya Foundation doesn't have?

Everyone quieted down at the name of the Faya Foundation, but everything exploded into an uproar three seconds later. The Faya Foundation. So, that stunningly beautiful girl was from the Faya Foundation after all! They all put their heads together, and the sound of confused argumentation turned the large hall suddenly noisy. Everyone watching Butchie immediately changed their expressions. Some of the youths who had been fantasizing about Butchie seemed to have had ice water thrown in their faces.

All of the guests, apart from Chen Mu, had heard of the Faya Foundation.

It was a very old foundation whose historical predecessors could be traced back hundreds of years. It was a rather secretive organization, but they had extremely ample funding. Probably a hundred years earlier, they started to take the form of a foundation. They made their investments mostly in promising industries and firms. That allowed them to enter a period of rapid expansion.

Their wealth had grown to a terrifying extent because of that. The Luoqi Clan was the wealthiest clan in the federation at the time, while the Faya Foundation was listed as number two.

Being so secretive, they didn't even have official offices. They had never advertised and had never made any fanfare, but they would come find you as long as you had value. None of those able to attend the banquet were ordinary people, and quite a few had insider information. There was no need to doubt the Faya Foundation's power, but among those wealthy people, its fame wasn't something they talked about as much as its power.

They were as strong as the Big Six. They were full of power, but they weren't generous. As far as the interests of the wealthy were concerned, that was probably their least appreciated aspect. When the two sides of a cooperative agreement weren't commensurate, the equal distribution of benefits couldn't be guaranteed. The bigger problem was that you didn't have any choice about whether to cooperate.

Once they knew Butchie was from the Faya Foundation, the looks on the faces of those wealthy people turned to dread. Some of the clever ones looked at Ren Wenzhou and then back to Butchie, and they looked as though something had dawned on them.

As the topic of conversation, Chen Mu had remained calm all along, as though Butchie and Ren Wenzhou weren't talking about him.

Butchie said with a solemn expression, "This little lady isn't joking. I've seen quite a few card masters. Just as you say, there are lot of outstanding card masters in the inner circle of Faya. That includes Mr. Lance Ryan, who is one of a few in the federation with the title of Grand Master Card Master. Unfortunately, the cards Mr. Lance Ryan is good at aren't suited to me. I have been wracking my brains about the issue all along, but I once chanced to see Mr. Cao's playful work. I was struck dumb by Mr. Cao's unique understanding of the composition of energy, so I took the liberty to seek a card from Mr. Cao." She then glanced at Chen Mu and said meaningfully, "It would be normal for Mr. Ren not to know him. Mr. Cao has always been low-key. If I hadn't just seen it by chance that time, I'm afraid I would have missed such an outstanding card master and deeply regretted it for my whole life."

Ren Wenzhou was stunned, and there was a sudden clamor among the guests.

Chen Mu looked ordinary; apart from his somewhat superior temperament, there wasn't anything special about him. Except for Ren Wenzhou and Qian Mingyi, no one else knew who he was. But the temperature on-site suddenly rose as the crowd's gaze at Chen Mu was hot.

Any card master who could earn the praise of a representative from the Faya Foundation would certainly have power beyond what an ordinary high-level card master could compare with. Quite a few of them had already started to calculate to themselves about what sort of relations would be pulled off by that mysterious Mr. Cao after a while.

But for someone to pass up even the Faya Foundation seemed like a really good way to waste brainpower.

By then, some were already saying, "Why don't you introduce Mr. Cao, Director Ren?

As Ren Wenzhou was about to open his mouth, a pleasantly surprised female voice suddenly blurted out, "Mr. Cao?"

Chen Mu was taken aback and turned around. It was Sue Lochiro!

Sue Lochiro was dressed as always in a blue and white striped medical card artisan uniform. She was supporting an old man dressed in white with her right hand. She was pleasantly surprised to see Chen Mu.

Chen Mu was a little dumbstruck that by attending a banquet, he would run into two people who knew him.

But he was perfectly polite as he said, "Miss Sue Lochiro, how are you?"

When everyone saw the old one, they all gave him a bow. It surprised Chen Mu that everyone saluted him with such respect, including Ren Wenzhou. The guests in front of him were all parting to make way.

"Are you well, Mr. Foundation President?"

"Still coming at your age? Hei Da says hello!"

"Kong, old man. My mother, Yuan Yiti, says hello..."

The old man was happily greeting everyone, all of them very respectful. The old man was hale and hearty with a ruddy face and always smiling and laughing. Sue Lochiro was mild and obedient in her perfectly ordinary medical card artisan uniform as she supported the old man. She wasn't gorgeous and wouldn't have been called beautiful, though she still attracted everyone's gaze.

"How are you, Madam Sue Lochiro?"

"Madam Sue Lochiro, I have been missing you these days. If you have some time, could you visit my humble home to look at the child?"

After everyone had given the old man their greetings, they then asked Sue Lochiro how she was.

She rushed to nod and return the courtesy until she walked to where Chen Mu was. Everyone quieted down. Sue Lochiro whispered a few things into the old man's ear, and a strange look immediately showed in his eyes. He looked Chen Mu up and down and then fell into deep thought.

Everyone's gaze focused on Chen Mu.