ACC Chapter 15 Sahra' Resort
Cotton harvested from the platform farms orbiting the Sun, given the best growth conditions, was harvested after the end of its cycle, transported back to Earth in sealed containers, preserving the spiritual energies within.
Upon reaching the planet, the cotton is transported towards an automated industrial complex, where, runes joined together into arrays that power the powerful computational power of chipsets on the quantum level, within the systems, wash, sort, dry and through a lengthy process, transform it into individual threads, all the while keeping the spiritual nature of the cotton, intact.
The threads, are spun into yarn, and then transported somewhere else. A place with the most cutting edge technologies and AIs, where each thread is inscripted with tiny runes which eventually merge together into an array on the micro scale.
The threads are then woven into thin sheets and packaged, before being taken to another factory, this time dominated by human work force.
When they reach the Foundation Establishment work force, they are cut into individual pieces that go on to be sewn into garments for both men and women. These workers also work on the larger array model of the sheets, making sure that the finished garment has linked arrays that work seamlessly at tasks such as, automated cleaning, water repulsion, dust repulsion, air filteration, and many other incredible abilities.
Once all that is finished, the product is then shipped to the customer. And one of those customers is me.
I had simulated all that process within my brain as I admired the black suit currently adorning my body. It was almost perfection given form! It was black in color, but when certain spiritual energy patterns were introduced, it would start gaining some red, eventually gaining some dark reddish striations that increased its visual appeal.
"It looks good on you."
Lily complemented from behind me. But that one wasn't enough to ease my nerves. Because of the incident from before, my prediction that troublesome situations were headed my way had come true. And sooner than I would have expected.
"They just had to go and invite a bunch of people. And why the hell did they invite Nikolai anyway?"
My voice was calm but inwards, I was screaming at the idiot who had done it.
"Don't let you nerves get in the way of your day, Mr. Reed."
"And you! Why haven't you learnt anything yet?!"
Exasperation took over the moment I turned around.
Lily, had chosen something capable of going on the red carpet, a silvery dress, woven out of solid threads of metal, enchanted to become more pliable. It had a very deep valley, one which emphasized her breasts, holding them up into prominently towering peaks. Of course, I could also make out the fact that she had increased their size proportions to match the fashionable dress. But speaking of that was something that would earn you the death penalty in any woman's book.
The valley between the two peaks was attractive, but there was a feature even more tantalizing, one which would cause any male to take a few more peeks at her... The Slit!
Her dress reached the ankles, but the long slit at the left side parted it all the way just shy of reaching her waist. And there was an array creating the illusion of subtlety within the fabric that pulled at your curiosity by making it increasingly hard to see upwards of the thigh by blurring your vision, teasingly enticing you into daring for more.
And this time, she had allowed the steely grey within the rims of her pupils to become visible, matching perfectly with the dress.
Stolen story; please report.
There was a smirk playing across her lips as she moved leg a little, letting the skirt slide away from the left leg, even deliberatingly peeling away the illusion to try and get a rise out of me.
"I know what you're trying to do..."
"Oh! And what might that be?"
I narrowed my eyes and gazed deeply into her steely eyes, but ultimately didn't answer the question. She had been trying to replace my nervousness with lust.
"I love what you did with your hair."
"Anyone can do it."
"It has increased your handsomeness to a higher level."
"Let's just go."
On exiting the elevator, a lobby painted with a brown illusion with a combination of realism appeared within the limits of my gaze. It was the color of red earth, giving the flavor of a desert. Even the dry air circulating within the place gave that impression.
But when we walked out the doors, that impression was strengthened by multitudes just by the outside scenery alone.
We were high up, standing upon the entrance of a pyramidal structure, composed of red rocky bricks, surrounded by a city with beautiful gardens themed with desert vegetation, and each building, whether skyscraper or bangalow, in the shape of a monolithic rock formation, serving to enhance the uniqueness of the location.
Even the Sun's rays falling upon the domed transparent material acting as a cage for the artificial atmosphere had been tweaked to change their wavelengths into those exactly falling upon a desert.
This was the Sahra' resort.
"Wow! Simply spectacular!"
"My lady, Sir! Tayma at your service."
Our attendant, a man specially of middle-eastern descent, with a bright gaze, a turban, and wearing traditional clothing, greeted us with a small bow. I could sense his cultivation, which was in the Core Formation stage. And he was going to be our own escort!
This was one of the most prestigious establishments in the world. Here, Core Formations attended to you as servants! Of course, there was no coercion involved. Instead, it was the attractive salaries! Ones, that would even cause a poor Nascent Soul's mouth to water!
"I believe that your destination is the conference hall A. Let me escort you." After returning his greetings, we were led towards our destination on foot, taking the time to enjoy the spectacular scenery presented to us.
There were cactus, palm trees, tumbleweeds, Agaves, Quiver trees and many more plants, with some even genetically modified or enhanced.
I gazed at everything with interest because some of the plants were simply masterpieces in the way they had been handled, broadening my horizons, and giving me the idea of speaking to the specialist behind the genetic editing. But that would have to wait for after the troublesome interview, now having evolved into a talkshow.
A sliver of blue appeared in the distance as we trudged through a paved path with vegetation lining the sides in a state which I could only describe as chaotic order.
The blue was the light reflected when the Sun's rays fell upon the oasis through the hole in the canopy of palm trees.
The waters were somewhat tranquil except for the ocassional ripples caused by the camels lapping up the water.
In the distance, directly on the other side of the oasis, was our destination, a grand monolithic building no diferent from the others.
"This place is heavenly!" Exclaimed Lily with sparkling eyes.
"Tayma. What's the attunement of the spiritual energy floating around?" The question came about because there was a mild discomfort from the environment, as if it wanted to wring out my moisture and assimilate it into itself.
"Desert. Though, I have no idea about the spiritual energy particle combination needed to create it."
"Desert? I have never heard of it." Lily's eyes were subtly glowing because she was analysing the spiritual energy through her divine sense.
"Whoever managed to create it is a genius."
Desert was an attunement I had never encountered before. Sand was somewhat common as many people had cores based on it. Yet someone had managed to create something more complicated through an array. He deserved some applause.
We circled the oasis, making sure to mask our auras in order not to startle the creatures drinking from it.
According to the information I had gathered this morning, the person who owned this resort was a big shot. He was so wealthy that almost 30% of Mars was owned by him! And what was even more interesting was the fact that he wasn't from the Sects, or even a prominent clan, only having risen up from the status of a commoner.
And his talent in the art of business made it so that many powerful cultivators were in his employ or owed him debts. That practically made him untouchable unless the entire Federation moved out against him.
We stepped upon another path on the opposite side of the oasis, and a grimace appeared on my face with the palpitation of my heart increasing at the image of the crowd clustered before the venue of the interview.
It wasn't just journalists and socialites. I recognized some movers and shakers among them. People as renowned within their fields as me.
And it also seemed like they had detected me. But the crowd still didn't charge over. They had to wait for me to arrive in front of the building because that would be unprofessional.