Chapter 2206: No Admittance to Outsiders
"We booked a room at the Orchid Crown International Hotel in Hong Kong. If you go now, there might not be any rooms left."
On the other end of the phone, Queenie Tong couldn't hide her joy upon hearing that Evan Lin planned to come over.
"Then I'll just stay somewhere else."
Hearing Queenie say that, Evan Lin was direct—after all, where he stayed didn't really matter to him.
But as soon as Queenie Tong heard Evan's words, she got anxious.
"Don't!"
"What I mean is, you might not be able to book a room at this time, but I reserved a suite—it's really big, so you can stay with us."
Queenie Tong quickly explained, afraid Evan Lin might misunderstand.
"Is that okay?"
"Of course it's fine! How could it not be? Plus, with you there, you can protect us too."
Queenie Tong nodded repeatedly as she spoke into the phone.
She didn't realize that her nodding was invisible to Evan on the other end.
Beside her, Yvette Locke stretched her neck, saw Queenie nodding, and started nodding too, echoing that it was fine.
Lately, Yvette had been tagging along behind Queenie Tong and Serena Tong, acting as both foodie and bodyguard.
Meanwhile, Queenie was focused on being Serena's manager, helping her find suitable movies and events. Life was pretty fulfilling.
"You head over first, and I'll call the hotel. When you arrive, just give them your name."
"My sister has stayed at this hotel many times. Their service is good. If you need anything, just talk to the manager when you get there."
"We'll probably get there a bit later. Once we're there, I'll contact you again."
Queenie rattled off a bunch of instructions, then hung up the phone.
Evan Lin put away his phone. He had wanted to ask Queenie Tong if she knew anything about the Hong Kong Lee Family or Grandmaster Victor Zhou, but she hung up before he could say anything, so he decided to wait.
Standing by the roadside, Evan flagged down a taxi.
He got in, gave the address, and the driver stepped on the gas, sending the car speeding forward.
Looking out the window, Evan watched the Hong Kong cityscape pass by.
Evan had only ever seen Hong Kong in the news and movies—back in the day, zombie flicks and gangster films from here were all the rage.
He’d never imagined he’d ever get the chance to visit this city. The streets were bustling and crowded, but the distant slum areas, with their pigeonhole-sized apartments, looked cramped and oppressive no matter how you saw them.
The driver drove while playing the radio.
The radio was broadcasting Hong Kong news.
"The Hong Kong International Film Festival is about to open, with countless stars attending. Mainland star Serena Tong, who’s been at the height of her fame recently, is coming in person. Also, rising starlet Yara Song was spotted at Hong Kong International Airport today, reportedly involved in a minor conflict."
"Grandmaster Victor Zhou, one of Hong Kong's three great masters, is about to emerge from seclusion today. Lee Family members are waiting outside. Our reporters tried to follow but were blocked at the door, unfortunately."
One news item after another played on the radio.
Most were just quick news bulletins, passing by in a flash.
"Wow, Grandmaster Victor Zhou is coming out of seclusion—looks like there’ll be a good show soon."
The driver, a middle-aged man, leaned back in his seat, listening to the radio and talking, his face full of anticipation.
"Has Victor Zhou been in seclusion for a long time?"
He had just been talking to himself, but suddenly heard the young man beside him speak. Glancing over, he perked up: "Absolutely. Grandmaster Victor Zhou has been in seclusion for three years now."
"Three years ago, after Grandmaster Victor Zhou dueled another master, he reportedly had a sudden enlightenment and locked himself away, not coming out for years."
"Let me tell you, Grandmaster Victor Zhou is seriously powerful—whether it’s dragon-vein seeking or mountain-opening, he’s top-notch."
"You know about the Hong Kong Lee Family, right?"
"That Lee Family, with assets over fifty billion, their old patriarch was just a street pimp back in the day. But after meeting Grandmaster Victor Zhou, he got enlightened—and you know what happened next?"
In just a few decades, that pimp dug up bucket after bucket of gold here in Hong Kong. His business—tsk tsk—he could make millions just by opening and closing his eyes, earning money lying down.
The driver spoke in imperfect Mandarin, his words tinged with both admiration and pride.
He admired the Lee Family patriarch, and was proud that such a big shot came from Hong Kong.
Here in Hong Kong, when locals meet outsiders, talking about these big figures is a matter of pride.
"Where is Victor Zhou now?"
Evan waited until the driver finished, then simply asked.
"That I don’t know. Some say Phoenix Mountain’s summit, others say Kowloon Coil’s node. But a master’s retreat isn’t easy to find—unless you have connections, nobodies like us don’t get to witness their glory."
The driver shook his head and looked at Evan: "I can tell you’re from the mainland. The hotel you’re headed to is packed with celebrities this time."
"You’re not a celebrity, are you?"
The driver scrutinized Evan, sizing him up from head to toe.
"Nope."
Evan shook his head.
"Yeah, I figured you weren't."
Hearing Evan's answer, the driver nodded seriously.
"So sure? What if I am?"
This time Evan was curious and smiled.
"No way. Let me tell you, those mainland stars—all full of swagger. And honestly, these days, most mainland male stars don’t even look like men from a distance. But you’re different—not that handsome, but at least you look like a guy."
The driver spoke earnestly. Evan shook his head, too lazy to argue.
When the taxi arrived at the Orchid Crown International Hotel, a crowd of reporters with cameras had already gathered outside.
They clustered around the hotel entrance, all waiting to snap photos of celebrities.
When the taxi pulled up, a few reporters glanced over.
But most of them just looked for a second and then turned away.
After all, if someone really was a celebrity, they wouldn’t show up in a regular taxi.
Evan paid and got out. The driver suddenly looked like he’d had an epiphany and shouted at Evan, "Hey! I figured it out!"
"Figured what out?"
Evan glanced at him.
"You’re a reporter! Here to snap photos of celebrities, right?"
The driver said, "Work hard, kid! Maybe you’ll become the king of reporters someday, score some big scoop, and I’ll help spread the word for you, haha!"
After saying that, the driver drove off.
Evan turned and glanced at the hotel behind him.
Gold and jade splendor, landscaped gardens outside—the whole place had a Western European vibe at first glance.
Should be a decent place to stay.
Without hesitation, Evan walked toward the entrance.
He hadn’t gone more than a few steps before someone stopped him.
"Sorry, sir. Special circumstances—no admittance to outsiders."