novelraw Chapter 388: No Rooms to Be Found
Chapter 388: No Rooms to Be Found
Su Zhan would, under the gaze of the entire Daxia nation, use his absolutely overwhelming strength to defeat all the so-called geniuses and announce his return!
He would bare that terrifying, unprecedented talent of his — "Ocean Realm First Stage at twenty-five years old" — completely naked before everyone!
At that time, he would no longer be a "hidden danger" that could be casually eliminated, but a living legend!
If the Daxia higher-ups wanted to move against him again, they would have to consider the voices of hundreds of millions of citizens and the possible tsunami it could trigger!
Su Zhan, dragging his suitcase, melted into the ceaseless flow of people in the Capital.
He waited for the victor on the arena to be born.
Then, he would shatter that glory, stepping upon everyone's shock, to recast himself atop this world!
On the Capital's main thoroughfare, traffic was heavy, and the stream of people was dense as woven cloth.
The frenzied effect brought by the Five Great Academies' Grand Competition was displayed here to the fullest.
The spiritual energy projection screens of shops lining the streets.The advertisement spaces at bus stops.
The scrolling text on taxi roofs…
Every single one was broadcasting discussions related to the Five-Academy Grand Competition.
Su Zhan walked silently amidst the bustling crowd.
He deliberately slowed his pace, capturing sounds from all directions, especially those discussions concerning academy evaluations.
At a street food stall, several young people sat around, swiping tablets while loudly debating:
"Did you see it? That guy from Vermilion Bird Academy who uses Purple Thunder, Liu Ziming, got knocked flat by White Tiger Academy's Bai Pojun with just one punch! Couldn't fight back at all!"
"Totally expected, okay? Without an SSS-grade Life Soul, you're simply not enough to look at in a top-tier showdown! Vermilion Bird Academy is completely washed up this year."
"Exactly! Before that, that swordsman Feng Jue, wasn't he easily handled by Chu Zhou too? Now there's only that teleportation user left, probably won't go far either."
"Sigh, think about how glorious Vermilion Bird Academy was when Su Zhan was around? Now…"
"Su Zhan? That's ancient history. No matter how talented, he's dead. What's the use? Now it's just a gap between the old and the new!"
Passing by an exquisitely decorated cafe, several people who looked like office workers were also chatting:
"This year's resource allocation, Vermilion Bird Academy is probably going to be last. Their individual competition results are so poor, the team competition looks shaky too."
"Heard their Dean, Ye Hongyu, is under immense pressure lately. The higher-ups are very dissatisfied."
"What can dissatisfaction do? Even the cleverest housewife can't cook without rice. Without top-tier geniuses, what can they use to compete with the other four academies?"
"So, nurturing geniuses still depends on foundation. Vermilion Bird Academy's batch, they only produced one Su Zhan, and he died young. Really bad luck."
...
The current Vermilion Bird Academy had already declined, lost its competitiveness, becoming a dim foil against the brilliant backdrop of the other academies.
Su Zhan listened silently.
He didn't care that Vermilion Bird Academy was being disparaged.
What he cared about was that his teammates were enduring this disparagement.
Heh heh heh…
Then, let him stand up for his teammates at the very end.
A convenient thing to do.
The terrifying heat of the Five Great Academies' Grand Competition manifested in the Capital as the most direct economic phenomenon.
Soaring accommodation prices.
All types of hotels, already pricey on normal days, especially those offering convenient access to the Celestial Arena, had seen their prices skyrocket to a jaw-dropping level.
The price of ordinary standard rooms had increased more than fivefold compared to usual, yet rooms were still impossible to find.
As for suites and presidential suites with better views and top-tier service, they had long been locked in advance by representatives of various influential figures. Their prices had already detached from the normal range, becoming symbols of status and financial power.
The entire Capital's lodging industry was making a killing during this nationwide spectacle.
Simultaneously, it laid bare the current situation of "no rooms to be found" before every late-arriving visitor.
Capital.
Yunshan Grand Hotel.
Lobby.
Even by Capital standards, this top-tier hotel, just steps away from the Celestial Arena, appeared exceptionally luxurious.
Su Zhan, dragging his simple suitcase, walked to the front desk.
Even though he currently wore an utterly ordinary face and plain casual clothes.
The receptionist at the front desk still maintained the most professional smile, not daring the slightest negligence.
Being able to book the hotel's best-located presidential suite in advance during the Five Great Academies' Grand Competition, when rooms were so tight, itself signified something extraordinary.
"Hello, sir. How may I help you?"
The receptionist's voice was sweet.
"Reservation. Chen Zhanshu."
Su Zhan's voice was flat and unfluctuating.
The receptionist quickly checked on the spiritual energy terminal, her eyes instantly becoming even more respectful. "Mr. Chen, hello! Your presidential suite is ready for you. Here is your room key. We wish you a pleasant stay!"
She presented a black room key card shimmering with faint spiritual light with both hands.
Just then, a commotion arose nearby.
A slightly portly middle-aged man.
A thick spiritual gold chain hung around his neck, several large gemstone rings adorned his fingers.
He had his arms around two scantily clad, hot-bodied beauties.
He was shouting loudly at another front desk receptionist: "What? No rooms? Are you kidding me! I came all the way from the Southern Border to watch the competition, and you tell me no rooms? Do you know who I am? Add money! I'll add money! Triple! No, five times! Get me a suite!"
The receptionist under pressure looked troubled. "Sir, I'm truly sorry. There really are no vacant rooms. All rooms, including suites, were fully booked half a month ago."
The nouveau riche man's face flushed red with anger. His gaze swept across the lobby and happened to land on Su Zhan, who had just received his key card.
His eyes shifted. He released the beauties, put on a somewhat polite expression, and quickly walked up to Su Zhan.
"Brother, excuse me."
The nouveau riche man's face piled with smiles. "I heard you booked a presidential suite? Look, you're alone. Staying in such a big suite is wasteful, isn't it? I have companions with me and really can't find a place to stay.
How about this, do me a favor, give this suite to me. I'll pay… twenty times the price!
With that money, where couldn't you go to enjoy yourself?
Consider it making a friend, how about it?"
He wasn't completely brainless; he also understood that someone who could book this room wasn't simple. So, he tried to buy convenience with a huge sum.
Su Zhan didn't turn to look at him, glancing at him from the corner of his eye.
He picked up the key card placed on the counter. "No."
After saying that, he paid no further attention to the nouveau riche man's instantly frozen expression.
Pulling his suitcase, he walked straight towards the elevator lobby.
The nouveau riche man opened his mouth, watching Su Zhan's back disappear behind the elevator doors, his face alternating between green and white.
Finally, feeling he'd lost great face in front of the two beauties, yet not daring to truly cause trouble in such a place.
He could only grumble resentfully, "Damn, acting all high and mighty!"
Then continued his impotent rage at the front desk.
The receptionist at the front desk, looking in the direction Su Zhan left, became even more certain in her heart. This seemingly ordinary "Mr. Chen Zhanshu" was absolutely a major figure hiding his depths.
That kind of calm indifference to a twenty-fold premium was definitely not a demeanor an ordinary person could possess.