A fine misty rain was falling from the night sky, casting the neon signs and old-fashioned lanterns of Shouei Street in a somber crimson hue. Crowds of people, some with umbrellas, others letting the rain drench them, pushed through the chaos. The rain added disorder to the mix of signs—“Elephant Bar,” “Hell Games,” “Star Plastic Surgery,” “極楽クラブ”—all fading into the darkness of the distant buildings.

Amidst them, a sign glowed with dazzling blues and purples, “The Lustrous Club.”

Under the sign, a digital screen cycled through faces of young, handsome men. V-necks, glittering jewelry, leopard-print fur coats—some with a soft demeanor, others with a robust masculinity. Still others were dressed in flamboyant women's attire, their features seemingly sculpted by plastic surgery, snake-like in appearance.

The Lustrous, a renowned male escort club.

Heath stood dumbfounded at the entrance, his mind reeling.

"Let's go, follow me," said Ayane Kumiko, leading the way. Patrons entering and exiting the club respectfully greeted her with a "Mama" before passing.

"Miss Ayane, could you elaborate on your plans for me?" Heath asked, his eyes nervously darting to the advertisement screen that flashed with various dolled-up male escorts and flamboyant hairstyles. What kind of role was he going to be cast into?

"A male escort must be handsome, well-built, articulate, knowledgeable, empathetic, charming, and skilled in promoting drinks. You must possess all these qualities, but..." Ayane Kumiko glanced back at him with that mysterious look in her eyes. "That's just for the regular male escorts. You, however, are to become the King of the Night's man—a special kind of male escort.

"I can only tell you so much for now. This kind of male escort is not like the regular ones, nor like ordinary people. They possess transcendent talents and abilities, catering to a particular clientele."

Transcendent special male escorts?

Heath was bewildered by her words. Landow had mentioned that Miss Ayane was looking for special talent.

Not like this, being a male escort was special enough, what more did she want...

"But precisely because they are so rare, not just anyone can become one. I see potential in you, Heath, though it's not certain you'll make it."

Ayane Kumiko was hopeful yet uncertain. "We still need to see if you have that transcendent talent. If not, you'll just be a regular male escort, which isn't too bad."

The night rain and neon lights cast a hypnotic glow on her smile.

"Oh," Heath replied, pretending to understand.

Compared to being returned to the Arcade Gang on this street, it seemed better to stay here.

And after giving it some thought, a male escort was just a handsome psychologist adept at selling drinks, entertainment, and sometimes more...

How much more special could it be?

But he still felt uneasy, "Miss Ayane, may I ask why you carry a director's viewfinder?"

"This?" Ayane Kumiko lifted the viewfinder, extending its telescopic zoom rod longer and longer, chuckling, "It's a fashion statement, a symbol. A male escort can see into people's hearts and can 'extend' in this way."

Heath's concerns were quelled; his understanding was shallow, indeed...

"Come, this way." Her graceful figure swayed as she continued on.

He thought they were heading into the club, but instead, she led him into a cramped alley beside it. They arrived at the rear of the club's building, entering a small shop with a sign that read "Opening Later."

The shop's door, draped with an old curtain and a flickering neon sign at the side, all read "Fish Pond Izakaya."

The izakaya was cozy, with a bar on one side, small dining tables on the other, and a wooden sofa in the corner.

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Crimson curtains and lanterns swayed gently, complementing the colorful wall hangings.

There was a corridor leading to a closed metal door at the end, clearly connected to The Lustrous Club. Faintly, the sounds of revelry, music, and women's laughter from the club could be heard.

"Devin! I may have found the seedling we've been looking for," Ayane Kumiko called out as soon as they entered.

Heath saw only one other person inside, a man behind the bar in an open kitchen mixing drinks.

Looking past the bar's swinging doors, he could see a middle-aged man with sparse hair, a stocky build, a broad face, and thick neck. He wore flip-flops, a deep blue chef's uniform, and an apron bearing the words: "A broad mind and a plump body."

"Devin," Ayane Kumiko introduced solemnly, "the manager of Fish Pond, a partner of The Lustrous Club."

"What do you think of Heath?" she asked Devin immediately after the introduction.

Devin, expressionless as a large plastic mannequin, sized up Heath, "This stray dog?"

"Yes, I sense he has a transcendent talent; he's calm, observant, articulate—he can make a living as a male escort."

Despite Ayane Kumiko's optimism, Devin was less enthusiastic, "His talent isn't obvious, at best a regular male escort."

"Devin," she lowered her voice, "we've been searching blindly for too long. Finding a seedling requires observation, cultivation, and adaptation. We're running out of time, and Heath might just be the missing piece of the puzzle."

"But bringing a stray dog like this isn't just blind, it's dangerous."

"It's not random. It's rare to find someone with talent among the unaffiliated strays. I can't just pick anyone."

She clasped her hands together in prayer towards Devin, "I really feel it can work, please take the trouble to test him?"

"I'll give him a chance." Devin took out an empty glass, "The money spent on this material will be charged to your account."

"Great! When have I ever made a losing deal? Even if he doesn't have the talent, there are ways to make the money worth it." Ayane Kumiko was full of anticipation, "Let's test him tonight!"

Heath listened to their conversation while observing his surroundings.

The more he heard, the more frightened he became of what they meant by a special male escort. Did it mean having two... or none at all?

Then, Ayane Kumiko turned and patted his shoulder, "Heath, you'll stay at the Fish Pond for now. I'll clear your debts with the Arcade Gang and work on getting you a legal identity.

"Times are tight this year, so legal status isn't something we can rush. But here, no one will come to arrest you.

"Don't worry about these things, just focus on working hard with Devin! Alright, I'm off to the club."

With that, the vibrant Ayane Kumiko walked through the small passage, opened the metallic door, and a glimpse of opulent, colorful scenes passed before Heath's eyes.

The door soon closed, leaving the club's noise behind.

In the Fish Pond Izakaya, only the tall and thin Heath and the short and stout Devin remained.

Devin, without a word, walked to a large liquor cabinet in the kitchen, took out a bottle of corked vintage liquor, poured a glass, and handed it to Heath, saying:

"Drink this glass of liquor, all in one go, and don't waste a drop."

"Uh, what is this?"

Heath saw a glass filled with a thick liquid, bubbling inside, shifting from red to black, exuding a strong and strange aroma.

This didn't look like something meant for drinking...

"Stop the chatter and learn. This is to test if you have transcendent talent."

Devin's demeanor darkened, "Even if you don't have it, it's good for the body. Drinking it will help you bulk up, turn from a dog into a bull."

Wait, Heath hesitated, glancing at Devin's sparsely haired round head... For hair growth?

"What kind of talent is it, exactly?" he asked, cupping the glass in his hands, his throat working, but unable to take a sip.

"Do you really want me to force it down?" Devin said sternly.

Out of options, Heath held his breath and downed the drink. His throat burned, his body quickly felt like it was on fire, and he scratched his head in discomfort.

Something wasn't right...

He felt a strange glint pass over Devin's plastic-like, chubby face.

An old wooden box TV was placed near the bar, equipped with karaoke and other audio interfaces for customers to sing along.

Devin turned on the TV with a remote, tuning into this year's "City of Lights Supermodel Contest."

"Kid, watch the TV, don't miss a thing."

"This drink... seems off..."

Heath was dizzy, and the sight of bikini-clad supermodels flaunting their perfect curves only made him feel worse...

"First gear, second gear, third gear, fourth gear, fifth gear, sixth gear, hyper-speed."

Devin spoke grimly, "These are the seven speeds of neural activity."

"The alcohol and the beauties are to kickstart your nerves, to test the neural speed that comes from a combination of your physical and mental talents. The limit you reach will determine your transcendent talent level.

"Ordinary people max out at second gear. Only those who reach third gear have passed the threshold. Those who attain hyper-speed are one in a million.

"Only those who reach fourth gear, with neural speeds stronger than the average transcendent talent, qualify to become a plaything professional, a transcendent male escort."

Devin watched intently as Heath, overheated and uncomfortable, struggled.

"Unleash your potential and see which gear you can hit."

"Is this talent test of yours legitimate?" Heath was confounded. What kind of archaic method was this?

"Beauties are a natural way to start and accelerate your nerves: primitive, but effective and safe. If you find this method lacking in style, I have other tapes here, but they're strange, dangerous, and indescribable, with unpredictable consequences."

Already feeling woozy as if he was about to black out from drinking, Devin's cryptic words only added to Heath's confusion.

And if those other tapes featured two men...

"No, let's stick with this one, I like safe..."