Su Qin and Luke carried Farn to the deepest part of the alley and reached a tavern. Luke immediately knocked on the door.
A voice came from inside. "Who's there!"
Luke immediately answered, "Uncle Falken, it's Luke. My father's hurt. We need somewhere for him to recover."
"Farn's boy? Come in, quick!"
Sounds came from inside, and the door soon opened. The man who opened it was a short, red-haired fellow with a flushed face, as though he were drunk.
As soon as Falken let the three inside, he poked his head out and glanced around a few times, then immediately shut the mahogany door and locked it from within.
Then Falken said, "Luke, what's going on out there? Why's it such a mess? Those people suddenly came out of the refugees. Good thing I reacted quickly and shut the door, or if they'd charged in, I'd probably be meeting the God of Smithing."
Falken looked at Su Qin as well. "This is the Easterner your father mentioned? His name was... I think it was Su Qin."
Luke picked up the drink on a nearby table and took a great gulp. "Yes, that's Su Qin! Oh, Uncle, do you have any healing medicine? My father's bleeding..."
Falken rubbed his red hair. "I was so busy looking at the foreigner that I forgot my old friend. Wait here. I'll have Nack fetch some medicinal liquor."
Falken shouted toward the second floor, "Nack, get the medicinal liquor and bandaging cloth out of the bedside drawer in my room and put them on the table."
A reply came from upstairs. "All right, Father!"
Falken turned back and smiled. "Carry this old bastard up to the bedroom on the second floor!"
Falken led Su Qin and Luke upstairs as they carried Farn.
The tavern's ground floor held the kitchen, front counter, tables, and chairs. Upstairs were two guest rooms and a master bedroom. The toilet was outside, at the corner of the wall.
The two followed Falken and carried Farn to the bed in the master bedroom. As soon as they entered, they saw a fat boy of seventeen or eighteen arranging things at the table.
There were tweezers, bandages, and medicinal liquor.
Nack came to his senses and spotted Luke. "Shy Luke, how come you dared to come to the tavern today?"
Red-haired Falken glared at Nack. "You're one to talk. At least there's a girl who likes him!"
"Look at you. Even if I had the rose gold ready, I'm afraid no girl would have you. If you sneak off to Zhiyin House across the way again, I'll break your legs!"
"Get over here and help settle your Uncle Farn on the bed!"
Luke smiled at Nack, as though telling him, "I've got a girlfriend, and I'm proud of it!"
"Pfft."
Su Qin chuckled. The scene really was amusing.
Nack hurried over to help adjust Farn's position, then handed Falken the medicinal liquor and a wiping cloth.
He looked at Su Qin too. "You're Su Qin, the Easterner?"
Su Qin was amused. What, are Easterners that strange?
After settling Farn down, Su Qin sat beside the bed and answered, "You'll get used to Easterners."
Nack scratched his head. "Hello, Su Qin." Then he said something else.
"I heard Easterners all have something they're really good at. Su Qin, what are you best at?" Nack asked another question.
Su Qin was puzzled for a moment. What am I best at?
Su Qin shook his head and answered, "Nack, that's all nonsense. I'm just like you, an ordinary person!"
"Right, Su Qin's just like us. You have no idea how miserable he had it in Runestone. Let me tell you, Nack, back in Runestone, Su Qin..."
"Boys, this wound looks like it came from a wooden club. Would those attackers use wooden clubs as weapons?" Falken suddenly raised his head and asked.
Then he slowly finished bandaging Farn's head.
Falken looked at Su Qin and Luke, at those few glances they exchanged.
Their expressions told him enough.
"You lost the horse, didn't you?" His voice was somewhat low.
Luke lowered his head and glanced at his father. "Uncle Falken, I'm afraid it's more likely dead than alive!"
Falken sighed. "You'll have to work harder from now on. A draft horse costs five gold. I'm afraid you couldn't save five gold in a whole year!"
Luke nodded. "I'm planning to move cargo at the docks. That's ten copper a day. With Father saving six silver a month, we should have about enough in a year."
Falken shook his head. These days, horses had a price, but none were for sale.
Nack leaned over the upstairs windowsill, watching the street outside. A group of people were also watching from the windows opposite-women, of course.
Zhiyin House was right across the way.
Rubbernecking knew no race, gender, or nationality!
Suddenly, Nack shut the window, and everyone looked at him!
He said nervously, "I saw them. A crowd's chasing three people, and those three are running this way. There's another group of black-clothed men at the other end of the alley too. They're about to be surrounded! There are so many-hundreds!"
Red-haired Uncle Falken immediately whispered, "Nack, hurry down and fetch the iron spike hammers I've hidden in the kitchen."
Nack nodded and walked quietly downstairs.
Uncle Falken turned back and said gravely, "Neither of you is to speak in a moment. Play it by ear!"
Su Qin and Luke exchanged a glance and nodded.
Then all three crouched against the wall beneath the window, their ears pressed to the wall.
Meanwhile, in the alley, the three people saw the dense mass of black-clothed men ahead and behind them and slowly stopped. They stood back-to-back, right between the tavern and Zhiyin House, directly below Su Qin and the others.
The attackers around them wore black cloth over their heads and leather armor, banging their axes against their shields...
A masked man stepped out of the crowd.
Su Qin and the others held their breath. They heard the sound of axes striking shields.
An aged, steady voice shouted, "Damn you, Soli Waxley! Don't think I can't recognize you just because you're wearing a mask!"
Falken heard the voice carry up from outside.
Soli Waxley.
Uncle Falken's face immediately turned livid.
When he saw Nack come upstairs, he immediately motioned for him to distribute the battered spike hammers among them.
Then he turned to look at the three young men, his expression somewhat pained.
"Hahaha, old man, I'm curious how you guessed. Tell me, and I'll let you keep your corpse intact!" Another voice came, though it was not so steady.
"Hmph, your ring gave you away. Don't think I don't know what you're thinking. The Marquis of Redfort? Is he worthy?"
"Haha, old man, so what if you know it's me!"
"What, is that little iron-statue marchioness of yours worthy, then? That little girl probably hides in her castle and refuses to come out when she sees us. She'd cover her eyes if she saw us take our trousers off, wouldn't she!"
"Hahaha! Isn't that right, boys!"
Laughter rose all around, plainly mocking.
"Or do you think that woman can hold the Eyrie, old man?"
"That damned usurper, Jon Arryn! He's not the first rightful heir!"
"The church and the king will never recognize his legitimacy!"
"Old man, there's no point wasting more words on you."
"Hmph, today I'll send you to meet the great Sea God! First Guard, Second Guard, attack! A hundred gold to whoever takes their heads!"
"The rest of you, leave neither chickens nor dogs alive in these four alleys!"
Hearing that, Su Qin and the other three immediately felt their hearts tremble!
Su Qin inwardly cried out at his cursed gacha luck. He hadn't even been here two months, and he was already about to be done for.
With great unspoken coordination, Su Qin and the other three gripped their battered spike hammers and slowly moved to either side of the doorway, staring fixedly at the wooden door.
Uncle Falken said, "Boys, our luck's bad today. I'm afraid we're going to meet the God of Smithing! When they charge in, hammer them hard. Wounding one is a win; killing one is a huge win!"
Su Qin and the others smiled bitterly. It seemed there was no escaping this calamity!
Suddenly, a voice sounded in Su Qin's mind:
[System loading complete. Host detected to have reached adulthood. Please select your initial hereditary talent!]
Su Qin: "???!!!"