Nightlife in Shining Gold Town (Part One)

"Ho, ho, ho." Looking at his reflection in the copper mirror, Raven spread his palms with a grin. "My skills haven't gotten rusty."

He changed into the clothes he used to wear while roaming Monen City.

He wore a snug, crisp brown linen shirt with tightened cuffs and a slightly open collar, loose white linen trousers, and shiny black leather shoes. He looked quite dashing and carefree.

He slicked back the hair at his forehead, tying the long hair into a short ponytail. The cleverest touch was the patch of shadow he applied to the bridge of his nose with charcoal powder, softening his originally sharp features considerably.

If they met for the first time, no one would associate him with a baron.

"Little Bee is going out to gather honey!"

With a light kick, Raven opened the door and slipped out through the back entrance of the government hall with a cheerful stride.

The sun had completely set. Pedestrians on Central Street, where the government hall stood, had thinned out, but Tavern Street had just reached its liveliest hour.

Tavern Street was also called Mercenary Road, but its original name was the Quarry District. It had earned that name because it was close to the Eagle Beak Mountain quarry, and it had originally been a gathering place for quarry miners.

Later, the Mercenary Guild opened a branch here, and many mercenaries began coming and going.

Whether mercenaries or miners, they were all people with money in their pockets. After a hard day's work, they always felt like spending it.

Taverns of all sizes flourished along the street. On a street barely two hundred meters long, more than forty taverns were packed together!

It was drinking hour now, and the street was full of well-off drinkers. Those wearing Leather Armor were mostly mercenaries and adventurers, while those in filthy roughspun clothing were probably miners.

Many others wore neat linen clothes, clearly working in the various shops around Shining Gold Town.

"What a lively place!" Raven mingled with the surging crowd and exclaimed sincerely.

Crowds meant money. To compete for customers, the taverns all displayed their own tricks.

Some decorated their signs. They either made them enormous—a three-meter-tall storefront with a five-meter-high sign that could be seen from far away—or embedded all kinds of bottles and jars into them, making it obvious at a glance that they stocked every kind of alcohol. Some even used magic, making their signs glow with colorful light in the darkness.

Some put their kitchens right at the entrance. Cooks prepared food on stone stoves, frying bacon in iron pans and baking bread in ovens. The scents of meat and wheat drifted through the air, whetting appetites. The cooks, sweating profusely from the heat, would then tip back a mouthful of beer. Just watching them was refreshing enough to make people want to go in and have a drink.

Other taverns had their barmaids stand outside in provocative, revealing clothes. The women toyed with cards and dice in their hands, making it clear that the taverns offered more than just alcohol.

Besides that, quite a few scantily clad women leaned against the entrances to alleys. All the fabric on their bodies would not have been enough to make a vest, barely covering their vaguely exposed private areas.

They struck seductive poses at every man who passed. If anyone looked over, they would thrust out their chests, raise their thighs, and highlight their "assets" as much as possible.

"Sir, don't just look. For only twenty Copper Coins, you can do whatever you want with my pretty breasts~"

"Hey, sweetheart, don't go. For only ten Copper Coins, I can make you feel like you're in heaven~"

"Hey~ those mercenary brothers, come take a look. I've got several sisters too—real sisters~"

Raven had seen plenty of such pitches. Those so-called real sisters might have an age gap greater than that between a mother and daughter.

In the past, Raven might have rushed in, scattered a handful of Copper Coins, and had a wild night. But now, such vulgar women could no longer catch his eye.

Since he was already here, he might as well drink first!

Choosing a tavern called Mare's Banner, Raven pushed open the door. A familiar stench rushed over him—alcohol, meat, sweat, foot odor, and cheap cosmetics mixed together, strong enough to knock a person over.

The smells came with all kinds of sounds: people competing over drinks, boasting, arguing, and the shrieks of barmaids being slapped on the butt, followed by the crisp sound of a slap.

Like a fish returning to water, Raven walked familiarly to the counter and slapped down two Copper Coins. "One beer!"

Thud!

A heavy oak mug landed on the greasy bar. Raven picked it up and drained it in one gulp.

That was it—the horse-piss taste unique to cheap beer!

"Ah~ refreshing!"

On a sweltering summer day, what could soothe a person more than a mug of foaming beer?

"Two more!" As he spoke, Raven slapped four more Copper Coins onto the counter.

The bartender was a young, beautiful woman in her twenties, with distinct features and a clear-cut profile. Her flaxen hair was braided and coiled atop her head, giving her a hint of Sophie Marceau's charm.

Her skin was a healthy wheat color. She wore the most common gray roughspun dress of the era over her well-proportioned body. A sash tightly cinched her waist, pressing the two mounds of bread into a round, full shape that nearly seemed ready to burst into a person's eyes.

Sweat soaked her cheeks and chest, giving them a glossy sheen. With every rise and fall, they seemed ready to draw a person's eyes straight in.

When she bent over to push two mugs toward Raven, the deep cleavage leaped into view. Under the dim Oil Lamp, even the bright buttons at the bottom of the cleavage were faintly visible.

Raven finally understood why this tavern, despite its strange name and unremarkable storefront, did such good business.

On Tavern Street, where vulgar women were everywhere, this woman stood out far too much.

"Hey, beautiful, want to be friends?" Raven smiled.

With a pleasant metallic jingle, a silver arc flashed through the air and landed in the woman's ample bosom. The cold stimulus raised goosebumps across her skin, and her originally indifferent eyes immediately flared with fiery enthusiasm. "Patti. You can call me Patti. And you?"

"Hmm... You can call me Wen Rui." Raven leaned forward slightly, catching the thick, alluring scent of her pheromones. "Can I call you Pattinny?"

In the Cairns Empire, adding "-ny" to the end of a woman's name was a pet name, usually used by elders when addressing little girls.

Patti covered her nose with one hand and giggled. "You look even younger than me."

"But I'm definitely bigger than everyone you've ever seen." Raven lowered his voice. "You might even call me 'Daddy' later!"

"Oh, I've met plenty of braggarts, but no one's been as natural about it as you." Patti smiled, but her body remained rooted in place.

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

"Then why don't you try it yourself?" Raven pressed a silver coin into her palm and pulled the soft hand toward his chest.

"Hey, black-haired kid! What are you doing?" A rough roar rang out, and Patti abruptly pulled her hand back.

Raven turned and saw a muscular middle-aged man sitting not far behind him, glaring furiously in his direction.

"Haha, Old Jones stopped another man from harassing his daughter! What number is this guy trying to take advantage of Patti this week?"

"The third. Every out-of-towner who comes here has to suffer once."

"But that kid looked like he was about to succeed. It's the first time I've seen anyone hold Patti's hand."

The onlookers' discussion had already provided enough information. Even without it, Raven knew what was going on.

They were simply using their daughter as a living signboard to lure lecherous drinkers into thinking they could have her, thereby extracting hefty tips.

Human nature was sometimes this vile. The more something was unattainable, the more people wanted it, and they especially hated letting someone else get it first.

If handled properly, one girl like this was enough to keep a tavern thriving for more than a decade.

Back in Monen City, Raven had been one of the many men who could look but not touch. But now he had no intention of suffering that loss again. "You're the owner of this tavern?"

"Of course!" Old Jones flexed his massive deltoid. "A veteran from Monen City! I personally chopped off three heads, so you'd better behave."

Raven activated the Eye of Truth and swept his gaze across the room. Not one person present, whether mercenary or miner, possessed Transcendent power. None even had Enchanted Equipment.

A smile tugged at his lips. "But I paid two silver coins and six Copper Coins. Even Monen City's drinks aren't that expensive."

"Monen City is Monen City. Drinks in Shining Gold Town cost this much." Old Jones opened his mouth, revealing a row of yellow teeth, and laughed roughly. "If you can afford it, drink. If you can't, get lost!"

After running a tavern for many years, Old Jones could tell at a glance that Raven was not a local. Naturally, he intended to fleece him properly.

Patti actually had a favorable impression of this handsome, wealthy man. She did not want to see him lose out, so she advised him quietly, "My father has a terrible temper. You should leave quickly."

Raven opened his palm toward Patti. "Give me those two silver coins first."

His eyes slid toward her chest, and he smiled gently. "Or let me take the first silver coin out myself."

Bang!

Old Jones slammed his fist onto the table, sending the mugs jumping into the air. "Kid, say another word like that and I'll strip you naked and throw you out!"

Raven spoke provocatively. "You're welcome to try."

Seeing the two face off, the drinkers immediately began cheering, eager for a spectacle.

"Old Jones, have you gone soft with age? Go beat him up! If you don't knock out two of his front teeth, how will you keep running this tavern?"

"Wen Rui, don't just talk! Get your hands on her! Grab her!"

"Hey, I'll bet ten Copper Coins this kid won't last ten seconds against Old Jones!"

Old Jones was not blinded by the crowd's jeers. Fights were common in taverns, but broken tables and chairs were another matter. He had accumulated all that furniture by exploiting Patti's beauty and could not bear to waste any of it.

Blowing a breath of alcohol from his nose, Old Jones displayed the muscles on his arm. "Kid, let's arm-wrestle. If you beat me, you can take those two silver coins. If you lose, strip yourself and crawl out!"

"Ho, ho, ho, that won't do." Raven wagged his right index finger.

Old Jones sneered. "If you're afraid, go home and suckle at your mother's breast!"

Raven shook his head with a smile. "Those two silver coins already belong to me. Why should I bet them against you?"

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

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

Raven mocked him. "What, you don't have confidence in those muscles?"

"Bullshit!" Old Jones rubbed his wrist and slammed his arm onto the table with a thud. "Once you're sent out naked, you'll have plenty to cry about. There aren't only men who like women on this street!"

Raven rolled his shoulders, stood, and openly walked around to sit across from Old Jones. He placed his arm on the table as well.

His physique was certainly athletic, but he was still no match for Old Jones. The difference in their wrist thickness alone was nearly twofold.

The drinkers present no longer even felt like placing bets. The gap between them was too great, and no one believed Raven could win.

Someone spontaneously took on the role of referee, walking to the table and waving his arm. "Three, two, one!"

"Start!"

Crack, bang, clang!

The dim light of the Oil Lamp scattered across the greasy tabletop. One arm was slammed down hard, and a mug bounced onto the floor.

The match ended cleanly and decisively.

The tavern fell utterly silent.

Because the person pinned to the table was not Raven, but Old Jones!

His arm was red and shiny, resembling a massive sausage. The mercenaries present knew that this was because his muscles had been severely strained, causing congestion and swelling.

"Old Jones... lost that completely!?"

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

Though he was already over fifty, his barbarian blood gave him a physique no less robust than any Nord youth. Even now, he could carry an eighty-kilogram pig without turning red or breathing hard, while a thirty-kilogram keg felt like a light balloon in his hands.

In the more than twenty years since Mare's Banner had opened, Old Jones had suffered only one defeat. Five years ago, he had lost to a knight ennobled by the Snow Maple Territory. After that, his wife stopped appearing, and Patti took over the counter.

"Could this guy be... a Transcendent?"

As he listened to the discussions, Raven flexed his wrist and smiled with satisfaction.

The boost in strength from absorbing the Demon Cores had far exceeded his expectations. His bones, fascia, nerves, and muscles had all been strengthened comprehensively. Though he still could not compare with a First-tier Transcendent knight, the gap was not all that great.

And he had only used two Demon Cores.

Old Jones roared, "He's no Transcendent! I was just careless! Pompey, I'm hiring you right now. Drive him out, and I'll give each of you five silver coins!"

The mercenary whose name had been called did not act immediately. Raven's performance had been too astonishing, and he was not willing to risk himself for that little money.

"Greedy bloodsuckers! Fine, you win. Ten silver coins! And unlimited beer for a week!" Old Jones named a price that made his heart bleed.

In the corner, a four-man mercenary squad rose from their seats, picked up their weapons, and approached with ill intent.

All four wore Leather Armor, with longswords or scimitars hanging from their waists. They seemed to be walking casually, but they had already completely blocked every escape route Raven had.

They were clearly experienced old mercenaries.

"Hey, kid." Pompey, a middle-aged man with fleshy growths at the corners of his eyes, sized Raven up ominously while weighing the sharp steel sword in his hand. "As the Empire's ancient proverb says, a wise man knows when to retreat."

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

Leaning against the bar, Raven smiled lightly. "Have you heard another saying? A clever man doesn't stand inside a building that's about to collapse."

Pompey's eyes darkened slightly. "Friend, since you understand that, why don't you leave now? It would be better for both you and us."

"Because I'm not the one in danger. You are." Raven sighed and casually picked up a jug from the bar, pouring himself a cup.

Pompey smiled arrogantly. "You still don't understand who you're facing. I'm Pompey, captain of an E+-rank squad from the Mercenary Guild. I've led my team to slay a First-tier magical beast."

"Even if you really are a First-tier Transcendent, what can you do against us unarmed? You don't have a magical beast's hide and claws."

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

"Pompey, if you don't move now, I'm not paying!" Old Jones had already been helped up and sat in a chair, his head covered in cold sweat. "Beat him out of here. Do whatever you want as long as you don't kill him!"

A trace of helplessness flashed across Pompey's face. Mercenaries had to use their brains too. He did not want to solve everything through violence, but ten silver coins per person was no small sum.

"Since Your Excellency refuses to yield, then I apologize."

With a ringing sound, the longsword in his hand was drawn. The other three mercenaries also revealed their weapons.

"Men, get him... Stop!"

Pompey had originally intended to say "Get him," but the latter half twisted into something completely unnatural, as though he were acting in an awkward farce.

At some point, a dark hand crossbow had appeared in Raven's hand, already aimed at Pompey's brow.

At a distance of less than three meters, missing was impossible, and dodging was even less so.

Looking at the Enchanted Crossbow Bolt shimmering with dark green light, a bead of cold sweat trickled down Pompey's temple. He tugged at the corner of his mouth and said incredulously, "S-Space, Spatial Equipment!?"

A single stone stirred a thousand waves!

"Spatial Equipment? What's that?"

"It's something that can hold a lot of things. It looks like a shoulder bag, but it can hold a fat pig!"

"Wow, then wouldn't something like that be worth several Gold Coins?"

"With that much money, you could only buy a few carts of sacks. Even the cheapest Spatial Equipment costs more than a thousand Gold Coins!"

Pompey was filled with regret. Why had he gotten involved in this mess for ten silver coins? A man carrying Spatial Equipment was someone he could never afford to provoke.

"Friend, it's a misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding! Let me off this once, and we'll each go our own way!"

Raven shook his head with a smile. "If I didn't have Spatial Equipment, would you have let me off?"

"But we can compromise. You lot, strip his clothes off!"

Pompey's eyes lit up. Rubbing his hands, he walked toward Patti.

Raven pressed the hand crossbow against his forehead, caught between laughter and tears. "Where are you going?"

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

"I said Old Jones, not Patti. Are you deaf?" Raven reprimanded him with a laugh. "How lewd are you, thinking of making a young woman strip naked in public?"

Pompey was utterly speechless. Wasn't it you who had wanted to strip someone earlier?

But the situation was stronger than the man, so stripping was stripping. At least it would not be his own clothes.

"Wait, what are you doing? No, stop, stop!" Old Jones shrieked like a woman being assaulted, but he was already injured. How could he resist four ravenous mercenaries?

When the last scrap of cloth was torn away, the entire tavern fell into a strange silence.

"Pfft..."

Someone did not know who started laughing, and then the entire tavern erupted in laughter.

"Lord of Light above, what is that? A worm? Who would have thought that such a huge man could have... could have something so small."

"You're ignorant. How could a worm be that short? I say it should be called a pacifier."

"A pacifier... Ha! You're certainly knowledgeable. But 'Old Jones the Pacifier' does sound much better than 'Old Jones the Iron Arm.'"

For a while, one cry after another of "Pacifier" rang throughout the tavern.

Old Jones's face went from pale to red, from red to purple, and from purple to black. His eyes rolled back, and he fainted.

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

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

"You don't really expect me to take it myself, do you?" Raven blinked at her with ill intent.

"N-no..." Only then did Patti understand what Raven meant. She hurriedly took out two silver coins and placed them in Raven's palm.

"Find yourself a decent way to make a living. If you keep following such an unreliable father, you'll never get married!" After stuffing the two silver coins back into his pocket, Raven turned and left the tavern.

Though he had been making lewd remarks, Raven had never truly intended to do anything to Patti. He understood the lives of the commoners at the bottom of this world all too well.

If he had gotten his way today, Patti would have fallen from being the tavern's living signboard to becoming a snack anyone could sample.

Then, within two months, she would have become one of the streetwalkers. None of it would have been under her own control. This fucked-up world was full of malice toward everyone.

Raven was not enough of a bastard to ruin a girl's life just for a moment of pleasure. Besides, he had a better option.

Fine wine and beautiful women had always gone together. Besides the streetwalkers, Tavern Street naturally had more high-end pleasure houses as well—for example, the Pink Mansion.

On the sign polished from magic crystal fragments was a foot wearing a high-heeled shoe. Beneath the heel lay a piece of lingerie, soft enough to have been crushed out of shape.

A trace of anticipation appeared on Raven's face. He truly had not spent much time in this kind of high-end club.

I wonder what kinds of things they offer.