A Bumpy Road to Power

"What criteria are used to evaluate these levels? Is it looks and figure?"

Dirk Carter asked.

Aurora shook her head.

She said: "Looks and figure are certainly a part, but not the most important. The key is service. To rise from the Jade level to the Orchid level, one must work at The Empyrean Palace for a year without any complaints. To ascend from Orchid to Glaze, it also takes a year, not only without complaints but also requiring ten customer commendations. Of course, such commendations aren't verbal but must be tangible money. Plus, you need the backing of at least one VIP client."

"What about the highest level, Moonlight?"

Dirk Carter asked.

"Reaching Moonlight is extremely difficult. Usually, those who reach this level have the backing of a regular VIP, almost akin to being kept. Although officially it's a one-time deal with a tip of fifty thousand, it's definitely more in reality,"

Aurora replied.

Up to this point.

Dirk Carter roughly understood.

These so-called "Moonlight Dreams" are possibly meant to cater specifically to those with power.

He suddenly felt some admiration for the owner of The Empyrean Palace.

This operating model was something he had never seen before.

Just as he was about to ask the next question,

the hall lights suddenly came on.

A spotlight illuminated the catwalk.

Then,

the music started playing.

It seemed that the so-called "Flower Beauty Competition" was beginning.

"Why aren't you participating in this beauty competition? You're quite attractive yourself."

Dirk Carter asked curiously.

Aurora pursed her lips and waved her hand.

She said: "I signed up but didn't pass the final selection."

Dirk Carter was taken aback.

He was just about to ask why,

but the music drowned out their conversation.

A woman in an evening dress holding a microphone ascended onto the stage.

Dirk Carter squinted his eyes, murmuring, "This woman, why does she look familiar?"

Aurora leaned close to his ear and said loudly, "Her name is Geoffrey Sutton, she used to be an entertainment host on a certain satellite TV."

With that mention,

he really remembered.

This Geoffrey Sutton was indeed quite famous back in the day.

However, in recent years, she had gradually faded from the public eye.

How surprising it was to see such a star host performing in a nightclub; The Empyrean Palace must have offered quite a lucrative deal.

After a brief introduction,

Geoffrey Sutton began to explain the rules of the Flower Beauty Competition.

This competition had a total of twelve participants, broken down into three stages,

which included a runway walk, a figure showcase, and a skills demonstration.

After all the stages were completed,

judging began from the VIP and guest areas.

Each card raised in the VIP area counted as one point.

In the guest area, each card counted as three points.

And in the box area, each card counted as five points.

The top four prettiest ladies from the competition would be identified and awarded the title of the 'Four Great Oiran'.

After hearing the rules explained,

Dirk Carter looked at a card on the coffee table and asked, "Does raising my card count as giving five points?"

Aurora nodded.

She said: "Theoretically, yes, but keep in mind that one point equals ten thousand in currency."

Dirk Carter, who was sipping his tea, nearly choked.

He coughed a few times and asked, "Are we basically spending money to score these Oiran?"

Aurora covered her mouth and nodded.

She said: "Yes, though it's not just money spent for nothing; once an Oiran wins, the person who invested the most will get to have her for the night."

After understanding all this,

he realized it was just a fancy auction.

Dirk Carter instantly felt his interest wane.

Just as he thought of finding an excuse to leave,

the entire hall erupted into chaos.

The music changed.

Twelve spotlights illuminated the runway stage.

Under each beam stood a woman.

They all wore tight dresses with minimal fabric.

Their figures were on full display.

They each wore a small number plate on their waists, giving it a bit of a beauty pageant feel.

With the tempo of the music accelerating,

from number "1" to "12," each woman gracefully made her way onto the T-stage, to be admired and critiqued by the men below.

It had to be said,

these twelve women had top-tier looks and figures.

Any one of them on their own would be irresistible to a man.

However, after seeing so many beauties,

even aesthetic fatigue sets in.

Dirk Carter was just about to lower his head to drink his tea when,

suddenly, number 7 caught his eye.

With a start,

he suddenly stood up,

pointing directly at number seven, and asked, "Aurora, is number seven also from your venue?"

Aurora took a closer look.

She shook her head and replied, "I've never seen her before; it's my first time today. But it's not surprising; quite a few of these twelve were recruited by our manager, Norman, from other places."

Upon hearing this,

Dirk Carter inhaled sharply.

Because number seven was Sheryl Schultz, who had left angrily just a few hours ago.

How could this be possible?

Mayor Norman Ross wanted to sleep with her, but she strongly refused.

Yet here she was, appearing in the Flower Beauty Competition?

Could it be that Sheryl Schultz's identity was fake?

Was her appearance set up beforehand?

But thinking further, it seemed impossible.

If it were just acting, Norman Ross definitely wouldn't cooperate with her. No matter what, Norman Ross is still the mayor. Why would he lower himself to act in such a melodrama?

After observing a while longer,

Dirk Carter noticed something.

The others walked the runway skillfully, while only Sheryl Schultz appeared awkward, clearly not accustomed to it.

Moreover, her gaze kept avoiding things around her,

showing signs of unfamiliarity and fear towards the surroundings.

Dirk Carter concluded.

She wasn't someone from The Empyrean Palace.

As for why she appeared on the runway,

there had to be a reason.

He initially intended to leave, but now he had a reason to stay.

After the T-stage show ended,

the twelve individuals headed backstage to prepare for the next phase of the figure showcase.

During this intermission,

four women dressed in ancient dancer costumes began dancing gracefully on stage.

After roughly several minutes of dancing,

Geoffrey Sutton ascended the stage once more.

After some praise of the twelve beauties, he said softly, "The first T-stage show is over, and now we must eliminate four beauties. From numbers 1 to 12, the four with the lowest scores will be eliminated. So, let's proceed to the voting moment now."

As soon as he finished speaking,

someone in the VIP area raised a card.

Shouting loudly, "Ten points for number 4."

Dirk Carter couldn't help himself, clucking his tongue, "These wealthy people are indeed extravagant; putting down a hundred thousand just like that."

Aurora covered her mouth and laughed, "Boss, number 4 is called Kirara, and she's from our Moonlight level at The Empyrean Palace."

Dirk Carter was stunned and asked, "Are you saying she already has someone backing her, and that person is a big shot?"

Aurora nodded.

She said, "Yes, I've heard Sister Kirara is being backed by an influential figure from the province."

"So why is she still making an appearance in the Flower Beauty Competition?"

Dirk Carter asked curiously.

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