"He told me once," Sarah said, "that they’re now competing over whose business cards are made of better material and who has their own exclusively designed font. It’s crazy, right?"

Just then, the two young girls attending to them came over and started their relaxing essential oil massage.

The two girls looked extremely young. They were also wearing the same kind of light-colored, vintage-style long dresses that completely covered them.

After finishing a round of sound therapy, Anya sat up for a drink of water and noticed one of the young girls tidying up towels.

"How old are you?" Anya couldn’t help but ask in English.

"I’m thirteen," the girl replied, her hands pausing for a moment.

Noticing the pimples on her face, Anya suddenly asked, "Don’t you go to school? You’re thirteen."

"I study at Alta Academy," the girl replied, her hands never stopping. "I’m mostly learning how to be a good wife, studying the teachings of the Lord, and the work a woman ought to do."

"Wait a minute," Sarah couldn’t resist joining the conversation. "Thirteen? Kid, are you saying you’re learning how to be a good wife at school?"

"Yes. I’m learning how to serve the Prophet and listen to the Lord’s teachings," the girl said, folding her hands over her stomach and giving a slight bow. "I am to become a wife of the Prophet in the future."

"How do you know that?"

"It was a revelation the Prophet received from the Lord," the girl said, her head bowed. "There are dozens of us girls here like that."

Anya nearly dropped the glass of water in her hand. She and Sarah exchanged a look of disbelief. Their earlier complaints about New York’s high cost of living were instantly forgotten, replaced by pure, incredulous shock.

...

「Meanwhile, at the Cliffside Cigar Bar.」

The bar was built on the edge of a sheer red rock cliff, offering an incredibly expansive view. In stark contrast to the nearly 40-degree Celsius heat outside, the bar’s interior was not only filled with cool air, but its ventilation system was also exceptional.

Li Wei and Mark were sitting on a comfortable leather sofa with a massive brass coffee table between them.

Mark was irritably puffing on a Cohiba, anxious that his phone had no signal and he couldn’t check his email.

Music played continuously in the cigar bar, sounding like some sort of therapeutic frequency.

"Relax, Mark," Li Wei said. He wasn’t smoking, just holding a glass of ice water. "Even if Wall Street crashed today, there’s nothing you could do about it right now. Might as well enjoy the view."

"You’re right," Mark agreed with a wry smile. "I don’t even have to worry about any interruptions right now. I’ve already quit my last job and haven’t started the next one. I just can’t seem to relax."

At that moment, the supervisor came over, carrying two cups of tea.

"These are our resort’s complimentary welcome drinks," the supervisor said, gently setting two steaming cups of tea on the coffee table. A faintly bitter aroma, a mix of fir and some other plant, filled the air. "Please, give them a try. They’re very good for relieving stress."

"Got any cocaine?" Mark asked, looking up. "Frankly, that would do more to help me de-stress right now."

"You’re joking, Mr. Mark," the supervisor said with a smile. "But our tea is quite good as well. You should give it a try."

Li Wei picked up his teacup, about to make an excuse to refuse it, when another mission prompt suddenly appeared:

[You have encountered a trace amount of plant toxin.]

[Running check based on ’Knight: Silver Body’... Check passed.]

[You are immune to this toxin.]

[DING!]

[You have encountered a trace amount of a spiritual charm.]

[Running check based on ’Knight: Silver Body’... Check passed.]

[You are immune to this charm.]

[Detecting companion... Companion detected: Noble Princess, Celestial Royal Family.]

[Running check... Check passed. Your companion will share this immunity effect.]

[Scanning environment... You have arrived at a Chaos Nest.]

[A community of believers is entrenched here. Fanatics of the Chaos Evil God are hidden deep among them, constantly luring and preying on outsiders. You and your companion are passing through. As a Knight, you cannot stand by and watch such evil unfold.]

[You have received a mission: Purge the Heretic! Burn him at the stake!!]

[Without harming any innocents, find the fanatic hidden deep within the nest and see that he receives the punishment he deserves.]

[Mission Reward: Promotion to Knight: Silver Body (Extraordinary), one ticket to the Royal Knight Academy.]