Chapter 7 The beginning of the story in the tavern
Xue Hua raised his head and glanced at the bartender, with a hint of thinking in his eyes, but then he thought of his trump card and backing, so he smiled and shook his head gently, picked up the glass and continued to drink.
He has always been very confident in his vision of people, and even if he really misjudged Aman, it would not be a big deal to him.
Helping Aman was just a small thing he did casually. If he helped the right person, everyone would be happy, but if he helped the wrong person, he would only get a slight shake of his head, that's all.
Seeing that Xue Hua seemed to have a sense of his own, the bartender stopped talking. He took a few cups and walked to other seats and started to do his own business.
Xue Hua has been sitting at the bar, drinking cup after cup of bitter algae wine, slowly waiting for the arrival of the person he is waiting for.
This avatar of his will is the body of a mimic larvae. The powerful digestive ability unique to the swarm prevents him from getting drunk at all. To him, this bitter algae wine is just a drink with a special taste, but in order not to shock the world too much,
, he didn’t drink very fast, he just sipped slowly in small sips.
Time passed slowly amidst the clinking of wine glasses and the noise of the guests in the tavern.
When it was almost afternoon, a minstrel holding a harp (a traditional instrument from the Western Border countries, a bit like a guitar but with only four strings) came in outside the tavern. The guests in the tavern cheered.
He drank a few glasses of wine, and then the sound of the piano, which was rich in the characteristics of the Western Border countries, rang in the tavern.
Xue Hua was a little infected by the atmosphere. He turned around and leaned on the bar, holding the wine glass in his right hand, drinking in small sips while shaking his legs while listening to the music.
Half of his consciousness was still on the Supervisor King Insect above the sea outside the Port of King's Port. He watched the sunset gradually sinking under the sea through the view of the Supervisory King Insect. The other half of his consciousness was in the tavern, enjoying the bitter algae.
The strange sweet aftertaste of the wine, while immersed in the melodious music.
Since the Battle of Lu Gaoyin Harbor, Xue Hua has not enjoyed such a relaxing time for a long time. Taking advantage of this hard-won opportunity, he completely let go of his tense nerves, and his face showed the same smile as the tavern.
The sea hunters among them were smiling happily like those who were drunk now.
Just when Xue Hua was immersed in the pleasure of completely relaxing his nerves, a crisp ringing sound came from the door of the tavern. This was the bell placed by the bartender on the door. When it rang, it proved that there were new guests.
Coming to the door.
An old man with a snow-white beard and hair and two narrow parallel scars on his forehead limped in from the door. He passed the crowd who were listening to the minstrel's performance and walked straight towards the bar.
"A glass of bitter algae wine! Don't give me that watered-down garbage!" the old man shouted to the bartender.
"Old guy, don't come here to ruin the reputation of our place. There is no watered down wine in the Snake Bay Tavern!" The bartender rolled his eyes, slammed a wooden cup in front of the old man, grabbed the wine bottle and gave it to the wooden cup.
It's filled with dark green wine.
"Who knows? The bitter algae wine is bitter, and the sea water is also bitter, hehehehe..."
The old man murmured lowly, grabbed the wine glass and took a deep sip, then turned sideways to watch the minstrel's performance behind him.
The bartender shook his head, pretending that he didn't hear the old man's last few words. He walked up to Xue Hua with a cup and gently patted Xue Hua on the shoulder.
"The old guy is here."
"Oh?"
It was getting late, and the waiters in the tavern lit the oil lamps on the pillars, and the entire tavern was immediately bathed in a warm honey-yellow firelight.
Xue Hua grabbed his cup, crossed the fire in the center of the tavern (the nights here were wet and cold, and no customer would stay in the tavern without lighting a charcoal fire), walked to the bar on the other side, and sat down directly
Arrive at old Cherki's side.
"Good evening, old gentleman."
Xue Hua's greeting made Cherki stunned. He slowly turned his head and looked at Xue Hua with some confusion.
"Good evening, young man, do I know you?"
"If nothing else, I think we should have just met at this moment." Xue Hua grinned and lightly knocked on the table of the bar.
"Ah, you look like a decent person, what are you doing with a bad old man like me?" Cherki drank the remaining wine in the glass in one gulp and asked Xue Hua with a bit of vigilance and a bit of respect.
"Invite you to drink and listen to your story." The bartender in the tavern was summoned by Xue Hua's knock on the table. Xue Hua threw him a silver sail coin and said: "Fill the wine for both of us and fill it up when it's empty."
,Understand?"
"As you wish, generous sir." The bartender smiled, grabbed the wine bottle and filled Xue Hua and Cherki's glasses. When pouring wine for Cherki, the bartender did not forget to hand him a
He gave me a look that said, "You're in luck today."
"Listen to my story? Ha?! Young man, I don't have a 'story' to tell you here!"
Cherki grabbed the wine glass greedily and took two sips. Just as Xue Hua frowned at his answer, Cherki wiped the wine from his beard and continued: "I only have the truth.
Son, if there is no story, do you still want to listen?"
Xue Hua was stunned for a moment, then smiled briskly when he came to his senses.
"Of course, the truth is better than the story. You tell it and I listen."
"Hey! You are really a weirdo. The little bastards here think that I am a liar and a big liar, but you just...well, where are you from?"
Cherki burped, glanced at Xue Hua, and complained carelessly.
"I'm from Lu Gaoyin, and I'm a, um... traveling businessman." Xue Hua smiled. This identity was still the formal identity he asked His Majesty the King of Lu Gaoyin to help him get. No matter how he checked, he could find out.
This identity is to avoid attracting the attention of the Margery family.
"Ah! Lu Gaoyin! I heard that something big happened over there some time ago, right... Well... Anyway, since you are willing to listen, I will tell you... Hier...
....”
Cherki drank quickly and urgently. He had already downed three glasses of wine in a short time. Except for those professionals and mercenaries who were not afraid of alcohol, most ordinary people would have basically gone under the table.
went.
But the old guy with white hair and white beard looked just a little tipsy, just as enthusiastic as he should be when telling stories.
"My first story was five or six years ago... Well, no, it seems to be seven or eight years ago... Forget it, never mind, anyway, it was a snowy night, and the Snake Bay Tavern had just
It was closing time and I had just come out of the pub and was happily walking home humming a little tune!
This happened when I was walking back half way..."