Unexpectedly, after getting a second chance at life, he'd run into her this early.
Gu Qingshan was in an excellent mood now, having completely forgotten about Madam Su.
The slicked-back man in sunglasses also stood and shook hands with Gu Qingshan.
"Hello, I'm Feng Huo De. You can call me Feng, or Hode."
"Hello."
Gu Qingshan glanced at him.
The name sounded familiar. He had some impression of it, but the man seemed to have fallen early. Gu Qingshan couldn't remember the details.
Never mind. It didn't matter.
"Anyway, let's have a drink first."
Gu Qingshan walked behind the bar and examined the bottles displayed there.
At that moment, his old bearing had fully returned. He was like the man he'd been in the apocalypse: the Great Sword Immortal who had repaid kindness and vengeance with equal relish, the commander who had led armies of thousands into war.
Feng Huo De glanced at Gu Qingshan and murmured, "Something's off about him. Should we persuade him as planned, or just take him by force?"
Anna watched the young man across from her, then looked at the bottles. "Wait a moment. Let's see what he's going to do."
By the time they finished speaking, Gu Qingshan had already turned around with an armful of bottles. He set six or seven of them on the bar with a thud.
"Not enough, I don't think."
Muttering to himself, he turned back and picked out a few more before finally stopping.
"Brother, what are you planning?" Feng Huo De couldn't help asking.
Gu Qingshan shot him a glance, took three glasses from the bar, and said, "It's our first time meeting in this life. Let's celebrate with a drink."
"Not a bad idea." Anna showed a little interest.
An interest beyond work.
The World-Destroying Queen loved drinking, especially cocktails.
In his previous life, a bartender had once won her favor with an original cocktail called "Scorpio." He'd nearly become her first boyfriend.
But even the bartender had failed.
Because she died.
Gu Qingshan had ridden hard for two days and two nights to save her, but still hadn't made it in time. From far away, all he'd seen were the flames of destruction.
With her last strength, she'd taken countless demons with her—and her own life.
Gu Qingshan shook his head, reining in his emotions, and began mixing the cocktail in earnest.
Three minutes later.
A blood-red cocktail sat before Anna.
It looked like a flame, but when one peered into the depths of its roiling fire, there was only an unfathomable abyss of darkness.
Anna lowered her eyes to the glass, then looked up at Gu Qingshan.
"Drink up." Gu Qingshan's mouth twitched. He tried to turn it into a smile.
"What's this drink called?" Anna lifted the glass.
Looking at her, Gu Qingshan said one word: "Scorpio Palace."
It was a refined version of "Scorpio," the drink he'd once tasted.
It was the finest drink he could manage, crafted with all his strength in her memory.
"Why that name?"
"Scorpio has a palace, guarded by its own host of stars. It's an immortal constellation in the heavens."
"What a... stupid explanation."
Anna spoke dismissively, yet for some reason the bitterness and pain she'd endured over the years suddenly surged into her heart.
She raised the glass and drained it.
Bitter, fiery, burning.
Destruction, loneliness, sorrow.
Only at the very end came a trace of deep, tender sweetness.
After closing her eyes for a moment, Anna opened them and stared blankly at Gu Qingshan.
"I like you," she said.
"Your Highness!" Feng Huo De sprang to his feet with a shout.
"Really? Then let's have a Blood Drinker, too." Gu Qingshan lowered his head so the other man couldn't see his expression. His hands moved swiftly as he mixed the drinks.
In a moment, he'd made two glasses.
They clinked glasses and drank them down.
"You're a great guy!"
Anna laughed heartily and reached out to pat Gu Qingshan.
Gu Qingshan batted her hand away and said seriously, "Don't mess around. I've still got a glass of Flame Hell here. Want it?"
He couldn't help wanting to give her every good drink he'd made over the years.
Anna's eyes immediately lit up. She sat up straight and proper. "I do!"
Watching the young man across from her mix a drink at lightning speed, she asked, "But I've never even heard of Flame Hell."
"It's a new drink of mine. I only came up with it in the last few years."
In the last few years of his previous life.
As he spoke, Gu Qingshan pushed over a glass with ice in it.
Anna took it and held it up to examine. Inside was a stretch of lifeless black.
She tilted her head back and downed the entire glass.
"That's got a kick. Looks like you haven't been in a good mood these past few years," Anna said, smacking her lips.
Gu Qingshan smiled faintly and said nothing.
Feng Huo De, standing to one side, was so anxious he didn't know what to do.
He'd come on behalf of the Empire to investigate secrets and recruit talent. He hadn't even secured the talent yet, and already he was losing Her Highness the Princess.
Gu Qingshan had noticed him.
"Relax." Gu Qingshan handed him a bottle of whiskey. "We're just having a drink. When it's time to talk business, we'll talk business."
Feng Huo De took the bottle, looking helpless. "Sigh! I'm not holding my breath."
Anna set down her glass and gave Gu Qingshan another long look.
Suddenly, a chime rang.
Then another followed right after.
All three of them looked over. It was Gu Qingshan's communicator.
Gu Qingshan set the communicator on the table and opened it.
"Federation citizen Gu Qingshan, you are now suspected of involvement in a murder. Please remain where you are. Law enforcement officers are on their way."
"Student Gu Qingshan, because you are implicated in a murder and have also been accused of theft by several nobles, Changning Prefecture's private school for nobles hereby announces your expulsion."
The light on the communicator gradually faded.
Gu Qingshan sat there, motionless as a statue.
"Tsk." Anna patted his shoulder. "Don't lose heart. Life has its ups and downs. Come with me to the Empire. I promise you the best treatment. No, I'll personally make you a baron. How does that sound?"
When Gu Qingshan didn't answer, Anna added, "There seem to be a lot of people outside. Want me to take care of them for you?"
Feng Huo De stared at Her Highness the Princess in astonishment.
The cold and distant Princess was actually treating a man like this.
Unbelievable!
Was this kid really going to sweep the Princess off her feet?
Gu Qingshan suddenly smiled and said slowly, "I'd been hoping to live a quiet, peaceful life."
The shrill wail of police sirens sounded outside.
A cacophony of noise followed.
Shouts, running footsteps, and the roar of Flying Shuttles drew closer and closer to the bar.
Gu Qingshan stood and said, "I'd even hoped to get into a university."
"University? You want to study?" Anna asked, surprised.
"No. I just wanted a decent place to rest between life-or-death battles."
Gu Qingshan gave a self-mocking smile.
"Now it seems I was wrong. There's no place to rest in this world."
A bow appeared out of thin air in his hand. Then three quivers of arrows appeared on his back.
He gripped the bow and walked toward the bar's entrance.
With every step, he seemed to grow a little brighter.
By the time he reached the entrance and opened the door, a surging, invisible aura filled his entire body, and pure rays of spiritual light swirled around him.
He was like a sword drawn from its sheath.
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