C247 Are You Being Polite?

After finishing his statement, the team leader fell silent. Amidst the quiet, the flying car came to a halt. Stepping out, they were greeted by a building as grand as a palace. The banquet hall in Redmarsh, once the pinnacle of luxury in Chu Yi's experience, paled in comparison to this edifice.

"Alright, once we're inside, feel free to do as you please," the leader said.

"Additionally, this event has gathered prodigies from the younger generation. Many, like yourselves, are candidates, while others are top talents from Fairmoor who didn't make it through the assessments."

"There's a good chance you'll face provocation here."

Chu Yi was taken aback. A meal here seemed to come with a lot of strings attached.

"What I'm trying to say is, if you encounter any provocations from them, then..."

Chu Yi shrugged, understanding the implicit message to avoid trouble. They were on Fairmoor's turf, and their actions reflected not only on themselves and their families but also on the reputation of Redmarsh.

So...

"Then, give them a thrashing!" he declared.

The examinees were momentarily dumbfounded. A thrashing?

The leader smirked, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Don't overthink it. You truly are upholding the dignity of Redmarsh."

"But our city's dignity isn't won by groveling or submission. We earn it!"

"So, don't hold back. Fight!"

"If anyone dares to provoke us, and you have the upper hand, don't hesitate to knock some sense into them!"

Chu Yi's brow quirked in surprise. He hadn't anticipated such a directive.

But he was rather fond of this approach. He was ready to stand his ground at the slightest provocation, leader's orders or not.

Now, with official sanction, Chu Yi was even more determined not to back down.

"Later, I'll hand out a monitoring device to each of you..."

"Don't be alarmed; they're not for surveillance purposes."

It wasn't for surveillance purposes, then...

Many had already figured that out.

Laughter broke out among them.

Clearly, these devices were meant to gather evidence!

They were to prove who instigated the conflict first!

So, as long as they were justified, there was no need to worry about anything else.

Chu Yi was at a loss for words. Observing the team leader, he sensed that the man harbored some bitter memories of Fairmoor. Otherwise, he wouldn't be so calculated in dealing with the people from Fairmoor.

But...

What did that have to do with Chu Yi?

He attached the tiny camera the leader had distributed to his ear.

It was so small that even a careful observer might miss it, not to mention there was no pat-down search here.

So...

All was secure!

Chu Yi took Lee Zi by the hand and they entered.

The opulence of the place didn't interest Chu Yi much; his real passion was for the culinary delights!

Upon seeing the building, he recognized it instantly.

The Royal Hotel!

Indeed, a rather common name, akin to the Huang Family Resort Hotel.

But this establishment was for dining, whereas the other was solely for accommodations.

Since his arrival, Chu Yi had seen numerous advertisements for the Royal Hotel.

Naturally, these were spotted where he stayed.

The ads highlighted the opulence and level of indulgence offered here, but Chu Yi was more interested in the gastronomy.

And about the gastronomy...

It was well-documented.

The descriptions made it clear that the Royal Hotel featured chefs from all corners of the globe!

Essentially, any culinary style found on Earth could be discovered here.

This banquet was of great significance to the Royal Hotel, so the food would undoubtedly showcase the chefs' signature dishes.

At this thought, Chu Yi grew quite excited...

...

The banquet was buffet-style.

You could freely indulge in a variety of exquisite dishes and wines from around the world. Whatever you fancied, you could have.

The only restriction was no takeaways; otherwise, anything went.

Naturally, those who gained entry were individuals of high status and prestige. Even the candidates were scions of affluent families.

Their objective for attending was crystal clear: to broaden their social networks.

These individuals weren't particularly concerned with gourmet food...

"See, Lee Zi? I told you the food here was decent," Chu Yi remarked as he eyed the premium fish caviar in front of him, barely containing his drool.

Beside each dish was a description detailing the ingredients, the culinary techniques involved, and the level of refinement.

However, Chu Yi wasn't interested in these details; he was all about the flavor.

Initially, Lee Zi felt a bit reserved, especially when she and Chu Yi indulged heartily and caught the odd looks from those around them, causing her cheeks to flush with embarrassment.

But after a few rounds of feasting with Chu Yi, Lee Zi completely let loose.

They were there to attend a banquet, and banquets were for eating, so what was wrong with indulging?

Exactly, nothing at all!

Hence, Lee Zi's pace of eating soon matched Chu Yi's...

...

"Oh my, who do we have here?"

"Isn't that Chu Yi, our national exam's top contender?"

"Why are you eating with such gusto? Is this a first for you?"

While Chu Yi and Lee Zi were savoring the feast, several voices interrupted their enjoyment.

Chu Yi let out a small sigh.

He had anticipated a potential conflict after the team leader's earlier remarks.

Sure, the others might not be involved, but he was almost certain to face some trouble.

After all, he was the top scorer from Redmarsh in the national exam, and online forecasts had even placed him at the very top nationwide!

Forget the folks from Fairmoor; even the prodigies from Grassvale and other major regions probably wouldn't acknowledge his status.

So, Chu Yi had made a point of eating his fill as soon as he arrived, just in case there wouldn't be another chance.

But no sooner had they started than the troublemakers showed up...

Their voices drew the attention of many in the area, who then turned their curious stares towards Chu Yi and Lee Zi, who were eating voraciously.

Clearly, these onlookers hadn't expected to encounter someone so unpretentious at the event.

Someone who had come to the banquet with the sole intention of enjoying the food...

"I'm eating here. Could you guys please not bother me..."

Chu Yi gazed earnestly at the young figures approaching him, speaking with a hint of resignation.

Clearly, they were taken aback for a moment.

Normally, after being subjected to so many disdainful stares, Chu Yi would have been expected to feel ashamed and become angry, perhaps even starting a conflict with them.

But now...

Chu Yi's demeanor was exceedingly calm, almost excessively so!

He didn't seem angry at all.

Moreover...

Chu Yi's eyes were so intense at that moment, devoid of any other emotion.

"Ahem, well..."

The ringleader was at a loss for words.

It seemed to him that Chu Yi wasn't playing by the script.

After a moment's thought, the ringleader seemed to come up with something, straining to maintain the sarcastic grin on his face. "Oh, that's right, Chu Yi, you're also a member of the Chu family."

"I've heard that your Chu family is acclaimed as the foremost family!"

"Does the young master of the preeminent family lack even the most basic manners?"

The Chu family is the premier family.

Chu Yi might have once been intimidated by such a label, but since learning from War God Xu that his grandmother was the Sky War God and that they had the backing of a formidable sect, he had ceased to be concerned about such titles.

However, the other party clearly had a motive for mentioning the leading aristocratic family.

Indeed, many onlookers in the hall, who had been enjoying the spectacle, began to cast peculiar glances their way.

These included not only local government officials from Fairmoor but also representatives from various aristocratic families.

Aristocratic families and the government are the two dominant forces in any city.

Unlike in Redmarsh, where the Aristocratic Alliance faces heavy suppression, in other cities, the influence of aristocratic families and the government is generally on par.

The Aristocratic Alliance is a rather loose organization, not implying unity among all its members.

For instance, the aristocratic families of Fairmoor and Redmarsh often find themselves at odds due to the competitive dynamics between the two cities.

The genius had referred to the paramount family, not specifically the leading family of Redmarsh, which left some of the aristocratic family members in the hall feeling rather dissatisfied.

Of course, those who were disgruntled were essentially individuals oblivious to the true might of the Chu family.

They believed that the aristocratic families of Redmarsh were being oppressively subdued by the city's government, which they saw as a stain on the honor of the Aristocratic Alliance!

How could the aristocracies of such a locale dare to claim the title of the foremost aristocratic family?

At that moment, an increasing number of young members from the Aristocratic Alliance began to cast increasingly peculiar glances at Chu Yi.

Chu Yi, feeling somewhat exasperated, could only address the impertinent youth who had spoken up: "Politeness, what about it?"

"Isn't today's event a banquet?"

"Aren't banquets meant for dining?"

"If my eating here is considered impolite, then what does that make you?"

"By interrupting my meal—"

"Is that your idea of being polite?"

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