Shining Gold Town's Nightlife (Part 1)

"Ooh, ooh, ooh," Raven said, looking at his reflection in the bronze mirror and smiling as he spread his palms. "My skills haven't dulled one bit."

He had changed into clothes he used to wear when he frequented Monen City.

He wore a fitted, neat brown linen shirt on his upper body, with tight cuffs and a slightly open collar, paired with loose white linen trousers. His feet were clad in shiny black leather shoes, giving him a rather dashing and unrestrained appearance.

He slicked his hair back with pomade and tied his long hair into a short ponytail. The most ingenious touch was a small shadow of charcoal powder applied to the bridge of his nose, which softened his otherwise sharp features considerably.

Anyone meeting him for the first time would never associate him with a Baron.

"The little bee is going to start gathering nectar!"

Lightly kicking open the door, Raven quietly slipped out of the back of the administrative hall with a cheerful stride.

The sun had completely set, and Central Street, where the administrative hall was located, had fewer pedestrians. However, the Tavern Street was entering its liveliest period.

Tavern Street was also called "Mercenary Road," but its original name was "Quarry District," named after its proximity to the Eagle Beak Mountain quarry, and it was originally a gathering place for quarry miners.

Later, the Mercenary Guild opened a branch here, and many mercenaries flowed in and out.

Whether mercenaries or miners, they were all people with money in their hands, and after a hard day's work, they always wanted to spend it.

Taverns, big and small, flourished on this street. A street only two hundred meters long crammed in over forty taverns!

It was currently drinking time, and the street was full of patrons who weren't short on cash. Most of those in leather armor were mercenaries and adventurers, while those in dirty coarse cloth clothes were likely miners.

There were also many people in neat linen clothes, clearly workers in the various shops of Shining Gold Town.

"This is really lively!" Raven exclaimed sincerely, blending into the surging crowd.

The flow of people was the flow of wealth, and to compete for customers, the taverns employed all sorts of tactics.

Some embellished their signs, making them either extremely large – a five-meter-high sign for a three-meter-wide storefront, clearly visible from afar – or embedding various wine bottles and jars into the signs, indicating a full selection of liquors. Others used magical means to make their signs glow with colorful light even in the dark.

Some placed their kitchens at the entrance, with chefs cooking on stone stoves, frying cured meat in iron pans and baking bread in ovens. The aroma of meat and bread wafted out, whetting the appetite. The chef, sweating profusely, would then gulp down a beer, and just watching him looked so satisfying, making people want to go in and have a drink or two.

Still other taverns had waitresses dressed in provocative and revealing clothing standing at the entrance. The women would also juggle playing cards and dice, clearly indicating that there was more than just alcohol available, and that entertainment options were plentiful.

In addition, many scantily clad women leaned at the entrances of alleyways. The total amount of fabric on their bodies wasn't enough to make a tank top, barely covering their private parts.

They flirted with every man who passed by. If someone looked their way, they would puff out their chests and lift their thighs, highlighting their "selling points" as much as possible.

"Sir, don't just look. For just twenty copper coins, you can play with my beautiful chest~"

"Hey, darling, don't go. For only ten copper coins, I can send you to heaven~"

"Hey~ you mercenary brothers, come take a look. I have several sisters, real sisters, you know~"

Raven had seen these kinds of soliciting phrases many times. The age difference between these so-called sisters could be greater than that between a mother and daughter.

In the past, Raven might have rushed in, thrown down some copper coins, and had a wild time until he was completely spent. But now, such common and vulgar women couldn't catch his eye.

Since he was here, he'd drink first!

Choosing a tavern called "Mare's Banner," Raven pushed the door open. The familiar smell hit him immediately – a mixture of alcohol, meat, sweat, foot odor, and cheap perfume, enough to knock a person off their feet.

Along with the smell came all sorts of sounds: the clamor of drinking, boasting, arguments, as well as the screams of waitresses whose bottoms had been slapped, followed closely by the sound of slaps.

Like a fish returning to the water, Raven skillfully walked to the counter and placed two copper coins on it. "A mug of beer!"

Thump!

The heavy oak mug landed on the greasy bar counter. Raven picked it up and drank it down in one gulp.

That's right, the characteristic "horse urine" smell exclusive to this cheap beer!

"Ah~ refreshing!"

On a hot summer day, what could be more comforting than a mug of frothy beer?

"Two more!" Raven said, placing another four copper coins on the counter.

The bartender was a young and beautiful girl in her twenties, with distinct features and clear contours. Her flaxen hair was braided and coiled on her head, giving her a bit of the charm of Sophie Marceau.

Her skin was a healthy wheat color, and her well-proportioned body was clad in the common gray coarse cloth dress of the era. Her waist was tightly cinched with a belt, which also squeezed her full breasts into a rounded and ample shape, almost pushing into people's eyes.

Sweat had soaked her cheeks and chest, giving them an oily sheen. The rise and fall of her body seemed to draw people's eyes in.

When she bent over to push two mugs towards Raven, their deep cleavage came into view. Under the dim oil lamps, even the bright buttons on the steering wheel were faintly visible.

Raven finally understood why this tavern, with its strangely named and unremarkable facade, was so popular.

In a tavern street filled with common and vulgar women, this woman was truly outstanding.

"Hey, beautiful, want to be friends?" Raven asked with a smile.

With a pleasant metallic vibration, a silver arc flew through the air and landed in the woman's ample bosom. The cold stimulation caused goosebumps to rise on her skin, and her previously indifferent gaze immediately ignited with fiery passion. "Patti, you can call me Patti. And you?"

"Hmm... you can call me Wen Rui." Raven leaned forward slightly, catching the strong and alluring pheromones emanating from her. "Can I call you Patty-nie?"

In the Cairns Empire, adding "nie" after a name was a form of endearment, usually used by elders to address young girls.

Patti covered her nose with her hand and chuckled. "You look younger than me."

"But I'm definitely bigger than anyone you've ever met," Raven said in a low voice. "Maybe you'll even call me 'Daddy' someday!"

"Oh, I've met plenty of braggarts, but none as natural as you," Patti said with a smile, though her body remained rooted to the spot.

A silver coin could buy her a smile, but it was far from enough to make her do anything more.

"Then why don't you try it yourself?" Raven pressed a silver coin into her palm, pulling her soft hand towards his chest.

"Hey, you black-haired brat! What are you doing!?" a rough shout rang out, and Patti yanked her hand back.

Raven turned his head and saw a muscular middle-aged man sitting not far behind him, glaring at him.

"Haha, Old Jones stopped another guy from hitting on his daughter! How many guys have tried to take advantage of Patti this week?"

"It's the third one. Any outsider who comes here gets ripped off at least once."

"But that kid looks like he's about to succeed. It's the first time I've seen anyone actually grab Patti's hand."

The chatter from these people provided enough information. Even if it didn't, Raven knew what was going on.

It was nothing more than using his daughter as a living advertisement, seducing lecherous patrons, making them think they could succeed, and then extorting a substantial amount in tips.

Human nature is sometimes so base. The more unattainable something is, the more people want it, and they are very unwilling to let others get it first.

If managed well, just one girl like this would be enough to keep the tavern in business for over a decade.

When he was in Monen City, Raven was one of the many men who couldn't get what they wanted, but he wasn't planning on being fooled again: "Are you the owner of this tavern?"

"Of course!" Old Jones showed off his burly deltoids. "An old soldier from Monen City! I've personally chopped off three heads, so you'd better behave yourself."

Raven opened his Eye of Truth and scanned the room. Everyone present, whether mercenaries or miners, possessed no extraordinary power, not even enchanted equipment.

A smile touched his lips. "But I paid two silver coins and six copper coins. The drinks in Monen City aren't this expensive."

"Monen City is Monen City, but our drinks in Shining Gold Town are priced like this." Old Jones bared his yellow teeth and laughed coarsely. "Drink if you can afford it, or get out!"

Having run the tavern for many years, Old Jones could tell at a glance that Raven was not from around here, so he naturally intended to fleece him.

Patti felt quite favorably towards this handsome and wealthy man and didn't want to see him get into trouble. She whispered, "My father has a terrible temper, you should leave quickly!"

Raven spread his palm towards Patti. "Give me back those two silver coins first."

His gaze drifted to Patti's chest, and he smiled gently. "Or, let me retrieve the first silver coin myself."

Bang!

Old Jones slammed his fist onto the table, making the wine glasses jump. "Brat, if you dare to talk nonsense again, I'll strip you naked and throw you out!"

Raven said flippantly, "Then by all means, try."

Seeing the two at each other's throats, the patrons immediately started egging them on, enjoying the spectacle.

"Old Jones, are you getting soft in your old age? Go beat him up! If you don't knock out a couple of his front teeth, how are you going to run your tavern?"

"That brat Wen Rui, don't just talk, get your hands on her! Take her!"

"Hey, I bet ten copper coins that this kid won't last ten seconds against Old Jones!"

Old Jones, however, wasn't completely swayed by the heckling. Fights in the tavern were common, but breaking the tables and chairs would be bad. He had accumulated all these by exploiting Patti's beauty and was reluctant to waste any of them.

He snorted a breath of alcoholic air from his nostrils and flexed the muscles on his arm. "Kid, let's arm wrestle. If you win, you can take the two silver coins with you! If you lose, you strip naked and get out!"

"Whoa, whoa, that won't do," Raven said, wagging his right index finger.

Old Jones sneered, "If you're too scared, go home and drink milk!"

Raven shook his head with a smile. "Those two silver coins were mine to begin with, why would I gamble them with you."

He then looked at Patti's chest. "If I win, I want her to strip naked too."

"Brat, don't push it!" Old Jones's face darkened like a thundercloud.

Raven mocked, "What, you don't have confidence in that bicep of yours?"

"Bullshit!" Old Jones rubbed his wrist and slammed his arm onto the table with a thud. "You'll be crying when you're the one walking out of here naked. There are more than just women-lovers on this street!"

Raven stretched his shoulders and stood up, walking confidently to sit opposite Old Jones, placing his arm on the table as well.

His physique was described as agile, but it paled in comparison to Old Jones. The thickness of his wrist was more than double.

This made the patrons present lose even the desire to bet—the gap between the two was too great; no one believed Raven could win.

By this time, someone had voluntarily become the referee, walking to the edge of the table and waving their arms. "Three, two, one!"

"Begin!"

Crack, Bang, Clatter!

The dim light on the greasy tabletop was scattered as one arm was pinned firmly on it, and wine glasses leaped up and fell to the floor.

A swift and decisive victory.

The tavern fell silent.

Because it wasn't Raven who was pinned to the table, but Old Jones!

His arm was red and shiny, like a giant sausage. The mercenaries present knew this was because his muscles had been severely strained, causing them to swell with blood!

"Old Jones… lost so completely!?"

Most of the patrons were locals and knew Old Jones's strength very well.

Although he was over fifty, with his barbarian bloodline, his physique was as robust as any Nord youth. Even now, he could carry an eighty-kilogram pig without breaking a sweat, and a thirty-kilogram wine barrel in his hands felt as light as a balloon.

In the more than twenty years since the Mare's Banner opened, Old Jones's only defeat was five years ago, when he faced a enfeoffed knight from Snow Maple Territory. It was after that incident that his wife stopped appearing, and Patti took her place behind the counter.

"This guy… is he an extraordinary?"

Listening to the crowd's chatter, Raven flexed his wrists and smiled with satisfaction.

The strength boost from absorbing the Magic Core far exceeded his estimations. It was a comprehensive enhancement to his bones, fascia, nerves, and muscles. Even if he wasn't quite a first-tier Knight, the gap wouldn't be significant.

And this only used two Magic Cores.

Old Jones roared, "He's no extraordinary! I was just careless! Pompey, I'm hiring you all right now to drive him away! I'll give each of you five silver coins!"

The mercenaries whose names were called didn't act immediately. Raven's performance was too astonishing. They wouldn't risk themselves for such a small sum.

"Greedy vampire, fine, you win! Ten silver coins! Plus a week of unlimited beer!" Old Jones quoted a price that made his heart bleed.

In a corner, a four-person mercenary team rose from their seats, picked up their respective weapons, and approached with ill intent.

All four wore leather armor, with longswords or scimitars hanging from their waists. They moved as if casually, but they had already completely blocked off all of Raven's escape routes.

These were clearly experienced veteran mercenaries.

"Hey, kid," Pompey was a middle-aged man with a fleshy growth at the corner of his eye. He leered at Raven, weighing the sharp steel sword in his hand. "As the old empire proverb says, a wise man knows when to retreat."

"You don't look like an idiot, so you should know that fighting four mercenaries in a cramped room for a woman isn't a wise choice."

Raven leaned against the bar and chuckled softly, "Then have you heard another saying? A wise man doesn't stand in a collapsing building."

Pompey's gaze turned slightly grim. "Friend, if you understand that, why don't you leave now? It would be better for you, and for us."

"Because it's not me in danger, it's you," Raven sighed, casually grabbing a wine jug from the bar and pouring himself a drink.

Pompey smiled confidently, "It seems you still don't understand who you're facing. I, Pompey, captain of an E+ ranked squad in the Mercenary Guild, have led a team to slay a first-tier magical beast before."

"Even if you are a first-tier extraordinary, what can you do to us unarmed? You don't have the hide or claws of a magical beast."

Raven tilted his head back and drank the wine. "So?"

"Pompey, if you don't make a move, I'm not paying!" Old Jones had been helped up by someone and was sitting on a chair, covered in sweat. "Beat him out of here! As long as you don't kill him, anything goes!"

A hint of helplessness flashed across Pompey's face. Mercenaries also had to use their brains. He didn't want to solve everything through violence, but ten silver coins per person was still a considerable income.

"Since you refuse to back down, then I apologize."

With a shing, his longsword was drawn! The other three mercenaries also revealed their weapons.

"Guys, give… hold it!"

Pompey had intended to say "charge," but the latter half of his sentence twisted into something unrecognizable, like an awkward farce.

In Raven's hand, a dark hand crossbow had appeared at some point, aimed directly at Pompey's forehead.

At a distance of less than three meters, there was no room for error, and no possibility of evasion.

Looking at the enchanted crossbow bolt flashing with a dark green light, a bead of cold sweat trickled down Pompey's temple. He curved his lips and said in disbelief, "Spatial… Spatial Equipment!?"

This caused a huge stir!

"Spatial equipment? What's that?"

"It's something that can hold a lot of stuff. It looks like a satchel, but it can fit a fat pig inside!"

"Wow, then, then that thing must be worth several gold coins?"

"You could buy several carts of sacks for that. Even the cheapest spatial equipment costs over a thousand gold coins!"

Pompey was filled with regret at that moment. Why did he have to get involved in such a mess for just ten silver coins? A man who carried spatial equipment… how could he afford to provoke him?

"Friend, it's a misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding! Let me go this time, and we'll go our separate ways!"

Raven shook his head and smiled, "If I didn't have spatial equipment, would you have let me go?"

"However, it's not impossible to compromise. You guys, strip his clothes!"

Pompey's eyes lit up, and he rubbed his hands as he walked towards Patti.

Raven's hand crossbow was pointed at his forehead. He said with a wry smile, "Where are you going?"

"Didn't you say we should strip her clothes?" Pompey asked.

"It's Old Jones, not Patti! Are you deaf?" Raven reprimanded with a smile. "How much of a scoundrel do you have to be to think of making a girl undress in public like that?"

Pompey was speechless. Didn't you just say you wanted to strip him earlier?

But the situation was beyond his control. If they had to undress someone, so be it, it wasn't himself anyway.

"Wait, what are you guys doing? No, stop, stop—" Old Jones yelled like a violated maiden. But he was already injured, how could he possibly be a match for four ravenous mercenaries?

As the last scraps of cloth were torn away, the entire tavern fell into an eerie silence.

"Pfft…"

Someone started laughing, and then the whole tavern erupted in laughter.

"Lord of Light above, what is that? A worm? I never expected such a big person to have… such a small thing."

"You have no insight! How can a worm be that short? If you ask me, this thing should be called a pacifier."

"Pacifier… Haha! You have more insight. Still, 'Pacifier' Old Jones sounds much better than 'Iron Arm' Old Jones."

For a moment, the tavern was filled with shouts of "Pacifier."

Old Jones's face cycled from white to red, then red to purple, purple to black. His eyes rolled back, and he fainted.

Raven chuckled, then turned to Patti and held out his hand. "Hand it over."

"Huh... huh?" Patti was completely stunned by everything that had just happened.

"You don't really want me to take it myself, do you?" Raven winked mischievously.

"N-no..." Patti finally understood what Raven meant and quickly took out two silver coins, placing them in his palm.

"Figure out a way to find yourself a decent living. Always following around such an unreliable father, you'll never get married!" Stuffing the two silver coins back into his pocket, Raven turned and left the tavern.

Though his words were flirtatious, Raven didn't actually intend to do anything to Patti. He understood too well the lives of the people at the bottom of this world.

If he had succeeded today, Patti would have fallen from being a tavern's living advertisement to a little treat everyone could sample.

Within two months, she would become one of the streetwalkers, all of this happening against her will. This damn world was malicious towards everyone.

Raven wasn't so much of a scoundrel that he would ruin a girl's life just for a moment of pleasure. Besides, he had better options.

Fine wine and beautiful women always went hand in hand. Besides the streetwalkers, the tavern street also had more upscale establishments for pleasure, such as—the Pink Mansion.

On the sign, polished from magic crystal shards, was a foot in high heels. Beneath the heel, it crushed a piece of soft, slightly misshapen lingerie.

A hint of anticipation appeared on Raven's face. He hadn't really patronized such high-end establishments before.

He wondered, what kind of entertainment did they offer?