Shining Gold Town's Nightlife (Part 2)

Raven patted his clothes to look more presentable, cleared his throat, and was about to enter.

Before he could step inside, the door opened by itself. Two private soldiers, their shirts disheveled, stumbled in supporting each other.

Raven recognized them. One was Volkov, the other Moxigan. Both had flushed faces, clearly having had their fill of drink.

"Hic!" Volkov let out a drunken burp. "This wine is strong! Hoo, but this restroom is too dark."

Moxigan swayed his head, his speech slurred, but he was slightly more sober than Volkov. "No, did we take the wrong door? This sign looks familiar."

"Who cares! It's this place anyway. I can't hold it any longer." Volkov walked to a tree, unbuckled his belt, and soon the sound of flowing water could be heard.

Seeing this, Moxigan walked over and unbuckled his belt. He glanced over and chuckled, "Tsk, buddy, your model isn't good enough. Don't embarrass yourself in front of those sluts later."

"It's not about size, it's about hardness, about endurance!" Volkov swayed. "Later, I'll let those sluts see what a real man is!"

Moxigan nodded. "Makes sense. After we go back, we'll have to put in the effort and save face! There are over a dozen of us brothers this time, we absolutely have to rank them!"

After they finished their business, they staggered away, shaking their heads. Raven, standing in a corner not far away, sighed with a mix of amusement and exasperation.

These two, they had sounded so proper in front of him during the day, one saying he wanted to buy his daughter a bracelet, the other wanting to buy his grandmother a blanket. Yet here they were gathered tonight.

From what he gathered, his private soldiers were here for a team-building event. It was likely that anyone on leave was here.

"A bunch of brats," Raven muttered with a smile, then turned and walked towards Central Avenue.

It was a rare holiday, so he wouldn't spoil their fun. There would be opportunities later.

He made his way back to the entrance of the administrative hall. The guard private soldier saluted, "Baron!"

Raven nodded. "Has anyone been here?"

"Guild Master Fili came by. He left a gift for you in your room," the guard private soldier replied.

"Good. You've worked hard standing guard all day. You can close up and rest later." Patting his shoulder, Raven walked towards his room.

There were no electric lights in this era. Although magic lamps existed, they were very expensive. Therefore, most of the time, lighting was provided by candles and oil lamps. The administrative hall used candelabras. In the dim light, combined with the creaking of the old wooden stairs underfoot, it created a rather eerie atmosphere, like a horror movie.

Upon reaching his door, he kicked it open, and two startled cries suddenly rang out.

Raven's eyebrows twitched slightly, revealing a hint of playful realization. "Well, Fili, is this the gift you brought me?"

Two women were crouching in the corner of the room, their cries coming from them.

These two looked like sisters, sharing about sixty percent resemblance in their features. Both had chestnut hair and light gray eyes.

"Come here." Raven lifted his foot and gently hooked the door, closing it.

With a soft click, the door shut. The two women trembled slightly, supporting each other as they rose and slowly walked towards Raven.

Their bare feet padded on the carpet. The dim candlelight reflected on their smooth nails, making them appear as lively as fireflies on a summer night.

Raven's eyes showed a satisfied smile because their attire perfectly matched the atmosphere.

They were wearing white, gauzy nightgowns – loose, soft, thin, and translucent.

The candlelight shone through the fabric, outlining their slender figures. With each sway of their steps, their shapely calves appeared and disappeared, yet they were shrouded in a misty, sheer skirt.

One was taller than the other. One was voluptuous, the other slender. Though hidden by the same sheer gown, they offered two entirely different kinds of allure.

The latter's body was somewhat withdrawn. She walked forward with her legs pressed together, occasionally pressing the soft fabric between them, outlining beautiful contours. Her youthful and shy demeanor made one yearn to hold her tightly and ravage her.

The former, though also a little fearful, had a more open stride. Her chest was held high. Having already started to sweat, the thin gauze clung to her full body. With every step, her ample form rippled.

They stopped in front of Raven. The elder of the two swallowed and said, "Lord Raven, I..."

Before she could finish, her breathing suddenly quickened because Raven's hand was already on her spine, slowly sliding upwards. It felt as if an invisible current coursed through her, making her involuntarily straighten.

The younger one's breathing also became rapid, her nostrils flaring. A soft hum escaped her lips, tinged with fear of the unknown.

The beautiful scene unfolded before Raven.

The elder one had a more mature and full figure, as abundant as persimmons hanging on a branch in late autumn. Though appearing heavy, they looked full of juice.

The younger one seemed not to have fully developed yet. Her skin was firm and elastic, like two green pears, creating alluring curves beneath her thin clothing.

Raven's hands moved from their backs to their lower abdomen, then slid upwards, caressing their respective beauties.

"Ah..." the elder one let out a seductive sigh.

"Eek—" the younger one's voice was a mix of panic and fear.

Satisfied with the feel under his fingertips, Raven asked, "What are your names, the two of you?"

"My name is Winnet," the elder one's voice trembled. "This is my daughter, Della."

Raven's hands stopped. "Daughter!?"

"Yes, my lord." Winnet gently lowered her eyelids. "My husband said this is the only way to atone for his offense..."

A wave of exasperation washed away Raven's desire. Fili had sent him his own wife and daughter.

What did this guy take me for?

Shaking his head slightly, Raven sighed. "Go on, go where you need to go."

Winnet's body trembled slightly. She had heard that this Baron was known for being lecherous and ruthless, and she didn't believe he would let them go so easily. "My Lord Baron, have we done something wrong?"

"You have done nothing wrong. Don't worry," Raven said. "Go back and tell Fili to honestly attend to his duties and stop putting his mind to these crooked ways!"

"Thank you for your kindness and compassion..." Winnet's body almost went limp. She hadn't expected Raven to actually let her go. She bowed to Raven with Della, saying, "We will always remember your benevolence!"

The door opened and then closed, footsteps fading into the distance. Before long, a carriage drove away from the administrative hall.

Raven took off his outer coat and tossed it onto the bed. He kicked off his leather shoes and socks, walking onto the balcony barefoot.

The cool night breeze blew, greatly relieving his previous slight heat. Raven bit off the cork and gulped down a mouthful of Angel's Tear, smiling playfully, "This Fili guy..."

"He's timid, but his mind is always racing, making him easy to read. He can be useful, but only for maintaining what we have. He's far too lacking for expansion."

Raven's gaze extended. It was already ten o'clock at night, but Shining Gold Town was still brightly lit by the lights from taverns, mansions, and inns.

He slowly extended his hand, then clenched it into a fist, as if trying to grasp Shining Gold Town in his palm.

"This is my territory." With a leisurely sigh, Raven took another swig of Angel's Tear.

The cool, nourishing liquid flowed down his throat and into his stomach, its sweet sensation quite alluring.

"Now this is liquor." Raven recalled the beer he had downed in the tavern. He still liked that taste, but it wasn't the liquor itself, rather the memories of a past time it evoked.

But memories were just memories.

To Raven, the common taverns were like the muddy ponds he had wallowed in before. It was fine to revisit them occasionally for a taste, but to live that life again would be worse than killing him.

It had only been two months since his transmigration, and Raven was already starting to blur the lines between his own memories and those of this body—perhaps there was no distinction left.

In these two months, Raven had achieved goals he had never even imagined: inheriting the barony, gaining a preliminary control over his own fighting strength, and now, Shining Gold Town was back in his hands.

"Power, it really is a wonderful thing."

It was precisely because he held power that Fili had tried so desperately to curry favor with him; it was also because he held power that he could kill Karl without hesitation, without worrying about potential retaliation.

In this world, only nobles were considered people. Everyone else was merely a dog kept by nobles, and no one would kill someone over the death of a dog.

These were just the beginning. Since arriving in this world, Raven was not content with a mere barony; he wanted much more.

In this world, power wasn't just reflected in titles and territories—strong personal strength itself was a form of power.

"Mage." Raven dipped his finger in the wine in his cup and wrote the word on the table, then wrote the number 2000 next to it.

The second-tier God-Given Potion, used specifically to awaken mage talent, cost exactly that much.

But for now, Raven didn't have enough money.

The two batches of gold coins Denise had given him initially totaled 800. After continuous spending, 96 remained.

The first batch of income from Angel's Tear: 235.58.

Gold coins obtained from the spatial belt: 227.

Gold coins extorted from Hyde, after redeeming Shining Gold Town, left 3500.

A grand total of 4058.58 gold coins.

The total was substantial, and so were the expenses.

Today alone, he had spent 754 gold coins, and that was just the deposit. He would still need to pay an equal amount later, totaling 1508 gold coins.

If the large alchemy equipment was available, Raven planned to purchase at least ten sets, which would require another 664 gold coins.

Staffing: 600 gold coins.

Severance pay and bonuses for the private soldiers totaled 8.64 gold coins.

This already amounted to 2780.64 gold coins.

In addition, he had to keep at least 200 gold coins for emergencies. Who knew what accidents might occur during the construction process.

"This way, the gold coins I have available will be..." Raven pondered for a moment: "1077.94!"

That was still half of what he needed for the mage potion.

Not to mention, Raven had many other plans that required money.

"I still need to hurry up and make money." Raven scratched his head. "Shining Gold Town is good, but I can't stay here forever. I need to finish things up quickly and head back. My focus should still be more on Eagle Town."

Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Donald had relied too much on Shining Gold Town's tax revenue, to the point where its finances collapsed after it was taken away. Raven certainly had to learn from that lesson.

Furthermore, Shining Gold Town had its own drawbacks.

Firstly, it was too close to Snow Maple Territory. Viscount John might be fooled for now, but that didn't mean he would remain oblivious forever. If he ever decided to retaliate, it would be impossible to guard against.

The second, and most fundamental issue, was that Shining Gold Town lacked a true pillar industry.

Its commerce was active, and the population flow was complex and dense, with the liquor industry being the most representative.

But this was also the most fatal problem.

Shining Gold Town's economy depended on liquor sales, yet it had no local breweries. Aside from a small amount of private brewing, the vast majority relied on imported trade.

This wasn't a big problem in peacetime, but Nord Province wouldn't remain peaceful forever.

"At the latest, it should start by the end of the year?" A shadow crossed Raven's eyes.

Old Gordon had advised him that now that he had just reclaimed Shining Gold Town and Eagle Town was in ruins, he should invest the precious gold coins more into territorial development rather than spending a large sum to recruit private soldiers and arm himself.

After all, nearly 500 gold coins were spent on military equipment alone this time, accounting for one-fifth of the total budget.

But Raven absolutely refused to back down. If it weren't for the population issue, he would have wanted to raise an army of at least three hundred men at once.

Shouldn't the money be used to equip the army, instead of paying reparations?

Besides, he knew that the Nord Province would soon be in chaos.

Back in Monen City, Raven had already caught a whiff of something strange – people disappearing in batches from the slums, mysterious preachers appearing frequently, and commoners eagerly attending secret gatherings.

Raven remembered their slogan: "When Darnatus awakens, we will be reborn."

Darnatus, the God of Death, who legend said had fallen into eternal slumber, would open his eyes every year in the twelfth month.

That was why Raven was convinced something big would happen in the twelfth month, and why he had instructed old Gordon to complete the population transfer before October.

It wasn't that he hadn't considered reporting this to the Church of Light, but Raven quickly dismissed the idea himself. If the situation had reached a point where even a nobody like him knew about it, how could those nobles and priests be ignorant?

Getting involved rashly would only hasten his own demise.

At that time, Raven's choice was to save money and try to live in the upper district of Monen City, the gathering place for the powerful and wealthy. No matter what happened, they wouldn't be affected.

But now, he had become a lord, which presented him with entirely new options.

He was powerless to stop the impending turmoil, nor did he know its scale – would it be easily quelled? Or would it sweep across Nord?

None of that mattered. What did matter was that he needed to have an armed force, a force capable of self-preservation, so that whether he fought, defended, or fled, he would have options.

Then, his next goal became crystal clear.

"Recruit soldiers, and also hire a batch of maids." As the Angel's Tear went down, Raven's eyes grew brighter. "Then, once the first batch of goods arrives, we'll return to Eagle Town."

"With more options available, the standards for this recruitment must be higher, and the training needs to be stepped up."

Raven tapped his fingers on the table. "Then, the priority is to become a mage as quickly as possible. The profits from the Angel's Tear next month, plus the remaining 700 gold coins that Denise owes, should be enough."

"And after that..." Raven's lips curved into a smile, a smile tinged with self-mockery and a hint of ambition.

"I want an army, a legion composed entirely of transcendents!"

He had even thought of a name for it: the [Twelve Constellations Legion].

Those who practiced Ice Battle Qi would be gathered together and called the [Aquarius Legion]; those who practiced Dark Qi would be grouped as the [Cancer Legion]; those who practiced Steel Qi would form the [Taurus Legion]...

Of course, these were currently just figments of his imagination. Let alone assembling twelve constellations, he couldn't even afford to gather twelve transcendents with his current finances.

But everyone needs a dream, right? Otherwise, what's the difference between them and a salted fish?

Moreover, he had now found the key to unlocking all of this – the Magic Core.

If the energy within the Magic Core could be used to strengthen himself, then why couldn't it be used to strengthen others?

Even if this enhancement couldn't grant Battle Qi, the improvement in physical fitness would be obvious.

A bottle of a first-tier God-Given Potion cost three hundred gold coins, while the average price of a first-tier Magic Core was only four or five gold coins. The difference was clear.

"Hmm... I hope that fellow Fili handles things quickly and sends me the Magic Cores soon." Raven's gaze was full of anticipation.

Meanwhile, in an independent manor southwest of Shining Gold Town, a spoiled and clear voice rang out: "Karl is dead? Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

The speaker was a girl who looked about fifteen or sixteen. She was petite, wearing a silk nightgown, and her delicate legs extended from beneath it. Her ten toes, like budding pearls, stretched playfully as her owner's anger flared.

The maid knelt on the ground, saying in a panic, "Miss Nancy, we received the news at noon, but you were conducting a magic experiment at the time, so..."

Nancy pouted, scolding her with displeasure. "When I say I'm conducting a magic experiment, you just know not to disturb me, but didn't I tell you that today is the day Raven reclaims Shining Gold Town? If there's any slightest disturbance, tell me immediately!"

"Yes, Miss, but..." The maid's voice was full of grievance.

She hadn't failed to inform her today, but before she could finish, a bottle of magic potion was splashed on her. Her clothes were completely ruined then and there, so how would she dare to say more?

Nancy also remembered this, but of course, she wouldn't apologize. Pouting, she picked up a grape and popped it into her mouth. "Hmph! Tell me, how exactly did he die?"

The maid said softly, "It's said that he attempted to assassinate Baron Raven and was killed on the spot by Baron Raven."

"Assassination?" Nancy's eyes widened, and she sneered, "How utterly novel. A merchant, without any reason, tries to assassinate a Baron? Does Raven think everyone else is an idiot?"

"Karl is a dog of my Fox Family. When you beat a dog, you have to consider its master. Raven doing this clearly shows he doesn't put the Fox Family in his eyes."

"Get me dressed!" She stood up. "I'm going to find Raven and demand an explanation."

"This..." The maid cautiously raised her eyelids. "But Miss, it's already midnight. Visiting a man at this hour, isn't it..."

"Hmph, some petty hooligan, do you think I'd fancy him?" Nancy rolled her eyes and sat back on the couch. "But you have a point. My reputation cannot be ruined by this 'Little Bee'. I'm going to be a princess someday."

The maid lowered her head, speechless. Let alone a princess, Nancy hadn't even met a prince in her entire life.

"Then we'll wait until morning." Nancy raised her head, like a spirited rooster. "He wants to establish his authority, so I'll storm into the government affairs hall and make him apologize to me in front of everyone. I want them to know—

The authority of the Fox Family cannot be offended at will!"