Chapter 21
City 5, like City 9, was a forest of skyscrapers. Near the City Hall, however, stood several low-rise but sprawling complexes ablaze with light. This district housed the mansions of all major families and high-ranking officials, a perpetual breeding ground for conspiracy and deal-making. The venues for such activities were invariably parties and private rooms. Every night saw different soirées. Even the night the Radiant Tower fell, the parties hadn't stopped. The private rooms served as the parties' shadowy counterparts—places for trading power, money, or flesh. Tonight's event was a business gathering hosted by the Brown family's City 5 branch. Mid-sized, held in a building near the Police Headquarters. With most attendees being influential merchants and elites, often with hidden r
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