OFR – Chapter 230 Is a black card okay

A quiet night passed, and at 9 a.m. the next morning, Mu Bai arrived at the ticket hall of Yunhai Airport in Nanjing City.

Yunhai Airport was a joint venture between the local government of Jianghai Province and the Nalan family. Equipped with over a dozen aircraft and complete facilities, it was the only airport in Nanjing and the only public-private partnership airport in Jianghai Province.

This fact alone showed the immense power of the Nalan family.

After all, industries like airports, oil, and finance were usually sectors where only the state had any involvement. Yet the Nalan family had managed to force its way into these sectors.

This led to a well-known joke in the southern part of China:

Whenever the chairman of Qianda Wang, Chairman Ma of the Ali Dynasty, or President Ma of the Tencent Empire took turns becoming the country’s richest person, the head of the Nalan family, likely enjoying a glass of luxurious Louis XIII wine in a southern mansion, would chuckle disdainfully.

Yes, the Nalan family was so powerful that it was terrifying, yet it maintained an extremely low profile and remained shrouded in mystery.

Hidden in plain sight—many times, the well-known Forbes Rich List could hardly represent the true distribution of wealth.

In China, there was the Nalan family, which dominated the entire southern region. There was also the Rong family, which once influenced domestic politics, along with several other equally powerful but low-profile families.

And in the world, although Bill Gates was recognized as the world’s richest man on the surface, the wealth controlled by one of the hidden giant financial groups could easily surpass his many times over.

These included the Morgan family, which once disrupted the political landscape of America, and the Rothschild family, which single-handedly went head-to-head with the state machinery of Britain, France, the United States, Germany, and Italy during World War II. There was also the Wittgenstein family, which once funded the chaos in the Soviet Union.

These world-class financial groups and families had all influenced the political situations of various countries, especially the Rothschild and Wittgenstein families.

No one knew the total wealth controlled by these two families.

But rumors had it that if either of these families ever got angry and triggered a financial storm, even the most powerful country in America might not be able to withstand the consequences.

This perfectly validated one saying:

“The power of money is limitless. With enough money, you can do whatever you want.”

Thinking of this, Mu Bai shook his head, pushing away these wild thoughts. He felt he was overthinking.

At this moment, he arrived at the ticket counter of Yunhai Airport.

“Sir, which destination would you like to book a flight to?” the ticket agent asked with a professional smile.

“Yue’an City, near the Laoyue border. How much is it?” Mu Bai took out his bank card and asked softly.

“Sorry, sir. The economy and business class tickets are sold out. Only luxury class is available, but it is quite expensive—13,680 yuan. Additionally, you will need a referral from a Nalan family VIP member or the Nanjing City government to purchase it. Would you still be interested? Of course, you can also wait for the afternoon flight to Yue’an City.”

The ticket agent checked the computer for a few seconds and then apologized politely.

Having worked here for over a year, she knew that the high price of the luxury class was not the main issue. In Nanjing, there were plenty of wealthy people willing to pay over 10,000 yuan for travel.

The real barrier was the requirement for a VIP referral.

Two years ago, luxury class tickets didn’t have such a restriction. Anyone willing to pay could enjoy the most prestigious treatment.

But this attracted many shady characters—even those with ill intentions.

So, after consulting with over a dozen black card holders from the Nalan family and the local government of Nanjing, Yunhai Airport implemented this rule to ensure the safety and privacy of the various wealthy and prominent passengers in luxury class.

This rule made luxury class tickets almost impossible to obtain, with money alone often being insufficient.

“Huh? A referral is required?”

Sure enough, after hearing this, the young man in front of her frowned slightly.

“Yes, that’s right. Otherwise, I really cannot sell it to you. I’m very sorry, sir, and I hope you can understand. I can help you book a ticket for the afternoon flight to Yue’an City instead. Would that be okay?”

The ticket agent continued apologetically. She understood how frustrating it could be to have your travel plans obstructed despite available seats.

But she was just a small employee—there was nothing she could change.

However, as soon as she finished speaking, the boy in front of her did something that left her completely stunned.

She saw him reach into his pocket, take out a sleek black card with golden edges, and place it gently on the counter.

“I don’t have anyone to introduce me,” he said softly. “But can this Nalan Black Card serve as a credential?”