Chapter 4

It was ten o’clock at night.

Black Pool was outwardly a bar, but it was more than just a bar.

Black Pool was located at South Road No. 01, in the golden district of B City’s third ring road. From the towering fifty-story five-star business hotel above to the three underground levels of revelry below, it all fell under Black Pool’s operations.

The bar’s main entrance was a small wooden door guarded by a doorman, making it extremely inconspicuous. A string of wind chimes hung at the doorway, tinkling pleasantly whenever the breeze blew.

Leng Xiang liked this place.

When under heavy pressure, the nightlife revelry at Black Pool could release a lot of stress.

Black Pool operated on a membership system. Only those holding a Black Pool membership card could enter, or they could be brought in by a Gold Card holder. The patrons were either insiders or prominent figures on the surface.

In Black Pool, people indulged in the intoxicating haze of desire, where prey and hunters probed each other with games of push and pull every day.

When Leng Xiang had a boyfriend, she felt she shouldn’t come to a place like this.

But now, Qin Wen had broken up with her. She was an actress who had been out of the spotlight for years, with no idol image to maintain and no more restraints—what was the point of caring so much?

Black Pool sat beside the Big Locust Tree, which took on an eerie, ghostly vibe at night. Most people wouldn’t notice this little bar tucked away in a corner of South Road. But once someone pushed open that wooden door and stepped inside, they discovered an entirely different world.

The music here was even gentle and slow.

Dancers swayed their bodies languidly on the stage to the flowing melody. Their graceful curves twisted like serpents around a straight steel pole at the center, turning the hot pole dance into something thick with romantic allure—a silent seduction.

Lovers saw romance, the lustful saw lust; each got what they wanted, to each their own.

Leng Xiang showed her Gold Card to the attendant at the door. She wore a deep navy long dress that appeared almost black under the dim lighting, blending into the chaotic Black Pool without drawing much attention.

The attendant had initially been indifferent toward her. Leng Xiang was beautiful, but which woman here wasn’t? However, upon clearly seeing the Gold Card she presented, the attendant hurriedly bowed to her in panic and handed it back with both hands.

Leng Xiang took back the Gold Card and tucked it into her bag.

The attendant gave her a Black Fox Mask, which veiled half her face in shadow, its edges embroidered with intricate gold-thread patterns.

Everyone entering Black Pool had to wear a mask—this was the longstanding rule.

Leng Xiang put on the mask and walked into the bar.

It was ten twenty-five at night.

Leng Xiang sat at the bar counter wearing her mask. The bartender mixed a cocktail, its rainbow colors shimmering brilliantly in the tall glass. He pushed it gently toward her with a pinky on the rim and threw her a seductive wink as he struck up a conversation. “Here alone?”

Leng Xiang gave a soft “Mm” and took the glass. She had just ordered a “Five Colors Splendor.” It looked pretty with its colors, but the alcohol content was low. Her tolerance wasn’t great, so one such drink was plenty.

Besides, she hadn’t come here to drink.

She took a light sip, her lips glistening with moisture, teeth slightly parted, tongue tip touching the rim. Her meticulously painted red lips glowed under the hazy lights, tempting anyone to steal a kiss.

The blue lights along the bar’s edge cast a glow on her body and face. Even with half her face covered, it was clear her looks ranked top-tier in all of Black Pool.

Her long dress accentuated her fine figure. The hem seemed threaded with flowing gold lines, making her appear mysterious and alluring. The one-shoulder design left her rounded shoulders half-exposed, while sheer straps clung to her fair skin. The gaze traveled downward, where the translucent straps vanished into her neckline, stirring an urge to explore deeper.

She simply sat there, drawing frequent curious glances.

The bartender shook his head inwardly. This shouldn’t be.

Such a beautiful woman, yet so aloof. One glance scratched at the deepest itch in people’s hearts, fatally enticing.

She seemed unwilling to let her gaze linger on anyone, her natural beauty paired with innate pride. Yet that pride didn’t keep people at bay; she took one step back and unwittingly lured them three steps forward, inviting their prying eyes.

It was mesmerizing, maddeningly itchy.

She probably had no idea.

Encountering such an icy beauty in the bar easily sparked interest. The bartender noticed people around starting to stir, but the aloof beauty seemed oblivious, sipping her drink unconcernedly.

The bartender added, “First time at Black Pool? You look unfamiliar.”

Leng Xiang glanced at him. “Not my first time.”

A thought crossed the bartender’s mind. He quickly mixed another drink, pouring blue liquor into a highball glass, shaking in spicy vodka, and adding two ice cubes.

He pushed the drink to Leng Xiang. “Try this? New item—on me.”

The clock hit ten-thirty. The gentle, slow music cut off abruptly. The central pole was removed from the stage, and the dancers blew a flying kiss to the crowd before exiting. The raised platform sank slowly into the floor, forming a massive circular red dance floor at the heart of Black Pool Bar.

After ten-thirty every night, Black Pool Bar’s true revelry began.

Leng Xiang had been nursing her drink at the bar for twenty minutes, waiting for this moment.

She took a small sip of the drink the bartender had given her. The spicy heat exploded in her mouth, burning from her throat to her stomach, fully igniting the kick from the Five Colors Splendor. Leng Xiang hopped down from the bar and surged into the Red Pool with the crowd.

This was exactly why she had come.

Years ago, drinking buddies had invited her to Black Pool, raving about this very time.

They jokingly called the sunken red stage the Red Pool. If Black Pool itself was low-key and restrained, then the emergence of the Red Pool after ten-thirty shed its modest facade, revealing its true colors.

Half-masked faces gleamed under the flashing chandelier lights from the ceiling. The music turned wild and frenetic, like a lion’s roar. Proper drinkers cleared out, and the pent-up indulgence spread from below the stage.

After ten-thirty was when Black Pool Bar truly devolved into demonic revelry.

Leng Xiang loved this moment.

She loved to dance—elegant classical ballet, passionate samba jazz, exotic ethnic jazz. She could dance anything with effortless grace.

Shen Cheng had been her manager for ten years and knew her hobbies inside out, especially her favorite.

She casually paired up with a man as a dance partner. He looked thrilled, his hand lightly on her waist as they wove into the crowd’s center, claiming a patch of floor at the heart of the Red Pool.

They drew extremely close. He dipped her by the waist, her body arching backward in an unbelievable curve. Her chin lifted in a proud, captivating arc, her waist soft and stunning.

The bartender watched the crowd in the Red Pool, regretting the fine drink he’d mixed—Leng Xiang had only taken a tiny sip. As he reached to clear the glass, a woman in a Silver Mask sat before him.

Jiang Sisi had rushed in. Spotting the glass, she picked it up without a thought and downed it in one gulp.

The bartender might not recognize everyone, but he knew his boss. He gaped as Jiang Sisi polished off the high-proof drink.

He double-checked repeatedly until Jiang Sisi eyed him. “What’s up?”

The bartender sucked in a cold breath. “70% vodka, and you just chugged it like that?”

Jiang Sisi laughed. “Can’t I handle my liquor?”

The bartender shrank back obsequiously. “You’re the boss—drink whatever you want. You handle it like water anyway, never drunk no matter how much.”

Jiang Sisi savored the aftertaste. “New item?”

The bartender winked flirtatiously. “Yeah, meant for a little beauty, but she took one sip and bolted. Lucky you.”

With that alcohol content, it was no joke. Jiang Sisi asked, “Where is she? She okay?”

“She’s dancing down there—the one with the Black Fox Mask. See?” The bartender pointed to Leng Xiang at the Red Pool’s center. Jiang Sisi peered over, taking a moment to make her out. The bartender continued, “She only had one sip.”

“She was super aloof earlier, ignoring everyone. But one sip, and she’s a whole different person.”

Watching Leng Xiang in the Red Pool, the bartender commented objectively, “You think she’s seducing people?”

Jiang Sisi propped her chin on one hand, lazily pointing at Leng Xiang from afar. “She’s not seducing anyone. That’s just how she is.”

The bartender asked curiously, “You know her?”

Jiang Sisi replied, “Yeah, but not well.”