V, dressed in a black dress, held Tang Yu's arm tightly with both hands, not daring to relax at all.

In order to avoid being noticed by others, I could only stand on tiptoes and walk slowly on black crystal high heels.

The red carpet was neatly laid out on the lawn, leading straight to the steps of the new manor villa.

Due to the extremely slow pace of the two, the runway not far behind them began to become congested one after another.

The manor concierge is responsible for maintaining order on site. According to etiquette reception requirements, only one pair of VIPs can walk on the red carpet at a time, so those behind them need to wait in line.

V Zi wore a black butterfly half-face mask, which greatly concealed his true expression.

When Tang Yu proposed to take her to the dance, she said that she must wear a mask, otherwise she would never participate.

She was extremely grateful for this decision. If she really made a fool of herself, at least no one would recognize her, even though she didn't know anyone at the scene.

At such a high-end and upper-class party, she, a mercenary who lives on the streets, would naturally have no interaction with the people here. If it weren't for Tang Yu, she would never have come to such a place in her life.

at this time.

His old boss, Arthur Jenkins, stood on the lawn not far away and raised his glass to Tang Yu with a smile on his face.

Tang Yu saw Jenkins' actions. There were many people standing around him, all wearing expensive dresses, gathering together to talk and laugh. They should be in the same circle of friends as Jenkins.

He led V towards the direction of Jenkins.

Stepping from the red carpet to the lawn, V obviously felt extremely uncomfortable. The soil of the lawn was soft, and his center of gravity was unstable when he stepped on it.

V had no choice but to lean half of his body on Tang Yu's arm to reduce the pressure of the high heels and stabilize his body.

Jenkins seemed to feel that Tang Yu's pace was a bit slow, so he took a few steps forward and greeted him warmly.

When V saw Tang Yu beside him replying, he had no choice but to nod and nod. He didn't say anything more and focused all his energy on uniforming the two high-heeled shoes.

Jenkins saw the abnormality of the female companion next to Tang Yu, but smiled heartily, ignored it, and continued to introduce Tang Yu to the mayor of Night City who was standing not far away.

Lucius Lane.

He had a big belly and seemed to have heard the flattery from the people around him. His face was full of smiles and he was very happy.

Jenkins called the bartender, picked up a cocktail and handed it to Tang Yu, then picked up another glass and prepared to hand it to V.

Tang Yu declined on behalf of V, saying that she did not drink.

Jenkins shook his head meaningfully, put the wine glass back on the serving plate, and said with a smile.

"Tang, maybe you rarely attend such parties and don't know much about the party's stories."

"In my opinion, a party is a romantic movie that belongs only to men."

Romantic movie?

Tang Yu smiled. It seemed that Diamond King Lao Wu Jenkins had a unique and distinct personal understanding of the party.

"How do you say this?" Tang Yu asked as he walked.

Because he was taking care of V, Tang Yu walked very slowly, even taking a casual stroll with Jenkins.

When it came to the field he was best at, Jenkins got drunk and immediately started using the topic.

"Don, think about it, is a party just like a battle?"

"Before the show starts, the men prepare solemnly. They will be armed with fancy clothes, cars, watches, etc., and expensive accessories they don't usually wear will be displayed."

After hearing what Jenkins said, V looked around curiously and found that, as he said, almost everyone was wearing all kinds of luxury goods, and watches were the most common.

Not to mention luxury cars. On the road outside the manor, there are rows of high-end cars, including some with sky-high prices.

Jenkins continued to explain confidently: "But whether the decoration is expensive or not depends on the occasion."

"If you wear it during a chat or gathering, it will look different."

"But on an occasion like tonight, no matter how expensive a watch is, it seems too ordinary, and even a top-notch luxury car can't cause any waves."

"These external luxuries cannot make you the center of attention and attract more social attention."

After listening, V felt that what Jenkins said actually made some sense.

In many occasions where the upper class and the powerful gather together, no matter how extravagant and luxurious your clothes are, they can only be reduced to the background of the party.

She was a little curious, this party was like a follow-up to the battlefield theory.

"The reason why I am keen on decorating myself with those vulgar luxuries is just to save the face that is thinner than paper." Jenkins raised his hand, stretched out two fingers, and pinched it in front of his face.

"So in this party where no swords can be seen, there are only two things that determine a man's face."

"The first is power status, which is a man's main weapon on the battlefield. Power is no different from real estate. The closer it is to the center, the more expensive it is."

"Look." Jenkins pointed to Lucius Lane again. The crowd gathered around him, drinking and talking and laughing.

then.

He pointed to another place, where there was also a group of people gathered together in twos and threes, and the excitement was not as lively as Lucius Lane's place.

"That's a high-ranking member of the Night City Municipal Council, who has always been at odds with Lucius Lane."

"Back then, he was a strong competitor of Lucius Lane. Because he had received lobbying bribes from military technology, he was on the wrong team during the All-Metal War seven years ago, and ultimately lost the chance to compete for mayor."

The contrast between the two groups of people was obvious. V immediately understood what Jenkins meant. Power determines a man's overall situation on the battlefield.

V can only say that he is indifferent to these twists and turns of the so-called top society. He thought that Jenkins could come up with some new tricks, but he didn't expect that these truths can be understood even by moving his toes. In Night City, power is not the only thing.

Higher than the sky.

Jenkins said with some sigh: "In this city, almost everyone has made this mistake and given up power for money."

"Money is just a beautiful mansion made of inferior materials, which cannot withstand strong winds and rains."

"And power is an ancient stone building that can stand for thousands of years without falling."

"The scenery in Night City is so intoxicating that not many people can stay awake."

Tang Yu knew that Jenkins was implying that in the eyes of this old boss, he was an out-and-out climber who was dedicated to climbing to the top of power.

From the Counterintelligence Department to Michiko Arasaka, and now working for Saburo Arasaka, he has verified Jenkins' theory with practical actions.

Regarding this.

Tang Yu did not refute its correctness, but just smiled and said nothing.

Jenkins continued to explain his unique insights and said with some excitement: "But the party is different from the battlefield. Power is not the only weapon. There is another thing that can determine a man's success or failure on the battlefield."

Although V was not interested in the twists and turns of power, he couldn't help but become curious about what else besides power could determine a man's success or failure at the party.

Tang Yu was also a little curious and wanted to hear what his old boss had to say.

Although the theory about power is correct, it is not new to him. Instead, it is a second weapon, and even he cannot guess what it is.

Jenkins took a sip of his cocktail and emphasized seriously.

"A perfect female companion."

Female companion?

This was something V didn't expect.

Jenkins once again took another crowd on the lawn as an example and explained: "Look at the man in the silver suit. His name is Jefferson Peralez, a member of the Night City Council. He announced his candidacy for Night City mayor this year.

One position.”

"Currently, Jefferson's support rate is not high and he cannot catch up with the current Lucius Lane. As a member of the House of Representatives, the dignitaries surrounding him are not inferior to Lucius Lane."

"In addition to Jefferson's well-versed know-how on how to get to the center of power, more importantly, Mrs. Peralez's decency and strong communication skills won Jefferson more attention and opportunities."

"It is said that Mrs. Peralez owes a lot of credit to Jefferson for getting to where he is today."

"The marriage relationship between the two has also become a good story in high-level circles."

Tang Yu and V both looked at where the Peralez couple was, and saw Mrs. Peralez wearing a high-end and elegant silver uniform skirt, which completely complemented Jefferson's silver suit.

at the same time.

Mrs. Peralez was also active in the group chat, serving as a guide for her husband, Jefferson. From time to time, she came up with some fascinating topics, which made everyone present laugh and talk, and gradually gained popularity.

Compared to Jefferson, who was the focus of the crowd, Mrs. Peralez was more in control and quietly set up a speech stage for her husband Jefferson.

Tang Yu has a certain impression of the Peralez couple, especially Mrs. Peralez.

Compared to Jefferson, his wife was more resolute and decisive in her skills and actions. She even contacted him to investigate the cause of Lucius Lane's death.

It's just that Mrs. Peralez's hands and feet are not clean, and her attitude towards Jefferson may not be what the public thinks.

V also noticed the wonderful performance of Mrs. Peralez and could only express his admiration and sigh.

It's okay for her to chop melons and vegetables, but she's a mess in social circles.

She suddenly felt that coming to a place like this with Tang Yu was a huge mistake.

It's better now. Not only did it not help, but it also embarrassed Tang Yu.

No one would recognize her even though she was wearing a mask, but Tang Yu was different. He was a well-known figure in this circle.

V can clearly feel that Jenkins has a good position in power, can understand so many secrets in high-level circles, and his appreciation and attention to Tang Yu are revealed in his words.

But after thinking about it carefully, she came here exactly as Tang Yu insisted on requesting. If he really loses someone, he can only blame himself.
To be continued...