I'm Really Not The Demon God's Lackey

Though Manor A16 was sprawling, it had a very clear-cut layout. On top of that, servants were spread out all over the property to give directions and ensure no guests got lost.

Under the night sky, an endless stream of guests poured in, following directions and heading to the center of the manor, converging in the massive, brightly-lit structure. The falling of snowflakes was getting heavier, and a noticeable layer of hoarfrost had already formed on the roofs.

Yet, not a single invited guest felt even a sliver of chill. The ground was also completely bone dry without wet marks caused by melted snow.

It was clear that meticulous planning had been put in by the owner when constructing this manor. The entire ground was made from a special material and had also been specially equipped with unique magical heating devices. From what Lin Jie could tell, only areas up to 2 meters above ground level had their temperatures raised. Besides allowing the snow to instantly evaporate and be swept away by air currents, it also ensured the comfort and cleanliness of the guests while keeping the scenic snowscape.

Even if it hadn't been so exquisitely designed, the value of the manor would still be extraordinary just based on its land size alone.

Together with Fitch, the two of them followed the crowd and passed by an enormous rose garden. According to the guests who chatted while they walked, this was a newly constructed area requested by Miss Li, and it most likely had something to do with the rose she always wore.

While he had been a little worried at first, seeing Ji Zhixiu act normally when she came again to his store put his mind at rest. Yet, who knew that she was actually growing such a large field of roses in her home?

Sadly, with everything that had already happened, it was basically impossible for him to rewind time and change things.

Lin Jie shook his head and continued on the path. Along the way, he came across a few people he had previously seen on TV (which he occasionally watched when passing by the adjacent audiovisual store). These people included celebrities from various fields as well as their interviewers.

The main location of the banquet was the same as in past years on the lower three floors of this nine-story manor. The middle three floors contained all sorts of entertainment areas for guests to mingle, whereas the upper three floors were the guest rooms that provided accommodations for the next three days.

Lin Jie had always wondered what could be built inside such enormous manors. Even if every single type of room could be built inside this house, wouldn't it all get boring after a while?

Now, he finally got his answer.

All of these rooms inside were not for the owners, but for guests...

“Looks like we’ve arrived, Mr. Lin.” Fitch turned his head to Lin Jie, giving an awkward grin and pointed to the manor doors up ahead.

The book Lin Jie had given him was tucked away inside a large pocket lining of his suit. At first glance, it didn't appear any different from a normal one, but Lin Jie suspected this hidden pocket probably had some other nefarious purposes, just that he had no proof.

After all, Fitch had recounted his past experiences on their walk here...

This poor violinist didn’t seem to know how to guard against strangers. He would spill his guts out enthusiastically every time Lin Jie raised a question, overloading with all the relevant information.

This only further affirmed the thoughts Lin Jie had.

Instead, if he truly wished to become a somebody, he needed 'thicker skin' and a 'blacker heart.' That was how the book put it, but putting it in practice was undoubtedly difficult...

Lin Jie only wished that Fitch could just be a normal person.

Still, after hearing about Fitch’s past experiences, Lin Jie had some respect for him. While the violinist had been met with all sorts of scorn as a vagabond, he never lost this kindness he had for strangers, and that was something commendable.

With this newfound respect in mind for Fitch, Lin Jie stopped at one of the many doors into the manor. He could already witness the lively scene inside from where he stood.

Unlike the gloomy and snowy night scene outside, the inside was illuminated by bright lights. Some guests, dressed to the nines, were shuffling into the venue, while others were in conversations. Their movements, combined with their attire and their figures reflected clearly on the bright marble floor, made it seem like a dreamy sort of illusion.

“Yeah, we’ve here. Let's head on in.” Lin Jie smiled at Fitch as he cracked a joke, “The night has only just begun.”

With that, he proceeded to step in first.

Fitch nodded hurriedly and followed along. He didn't know why, but as he crossed the boundary separating the dark exterior and the brightly lit interior, he could feel as if a flurry of snow was leaking in from somewhere and stuck to his nape, sending a chill through his body and making him shiver.

He subconsciously tilted his head up and rubbed the back of his neck. At that moment, he spotted a sudden flash of light in the corner of his eye. Akin to lightning flashing across the night sky, it was as if the sky had been split.

Immediately afterwards, the ground started to tremble violently as a faint rumble of thunder echoed from afar.

The guests inside were all alarmed. They either looked into the distance or started turning on their communications devices to confirm the situation, causing quite a sizable commotion.

“Was that lightning?”

“No, no, no, unlikely. I clearly saw that beam of light rise from the ground and into the air! And it even caused an earthquake... Could it be another act of terrorism?"

“Oh my god, there's already been enough going on during this period. Why am I always present, is someone really just trying to torment me?"

“Relax, nothing will happen to the Central District, so don't worry. Besides, we are at Mr. Ji's banquet and I believe he would acquire accurate news even faster than us."

Fitch observed the guest deep in discussion then turned back to gaze at the snowing night sky. As a transcendent being, he was able to determine that the beam of light was concentrated aether that had originally been sealed by an array but was suddenly released. And now it was surging frantically away.

Just from that along, he could already imagine the kind of massive transcendent battle going on.

He gulped and looked toward Lin Jie. "Mr. Lin... Is this what you meant by the 'night has only just begun'?"

Lin Jie blinked his eyes with a puzzled look on his face and shrugged. "Uh... What has this got to do with me?"