The scavenger suddenly laughed awkwardly, put away his gun, then took out a few copper coins and placed them on the bar, pushing them towards the young man. “Hehe, I was just joking! Just a joke! This is all I have, give me whatever you can, as long as it gets me drunk!”
The bar suddenly regained its vitality, many of the patrons sighing in regret, feeling disappointed that they hadn’t seen a good show.
Bao Ya Liu, the strongest and most ferocious of the scavengers, burst into laughter. “Feng Ba, I’ve told you before, with your kind of character, you want to start trouble?!”
“Yeah, he’s obviously new here.”
“Damn, this guy is pretty smart! Too bad we didn’t get to see a good show. It’s been a long time since anyone’s died here, sigh!”
“Oh, those who dared to cause trouble in front of Qian Ye are all dead, right?”
The patrons were talking amongst themselves. Since there was no good show to watch, their topics quickly turned to women and boasting about their own skills.
Behind the bar, Qian Ye remained calm and collected, picking up the copper coins from Feng Ba, then mixed a large cup of strong drink, along with the previous cocktails, and used an absurdly large tray to carry it to the scavenger’s table.
When Qian Ye returned to the bar, Feng Ba, still in shock, glanced at the bar, lowering his voice, “What’s this guy’s background? Even when facing werewolves and blood slaves, I’ve never… never been so scared!”
“He’s Qian Ye, moved to Lighthouse Town half a year ago, opened this bar after arriving, and has been running it ever since. Understand?” The old scavenger said leisurely, adding, “Of course, the alcohol here is really good.”
Feng Ba looked enlightened.
Being able to run a bar for half a year in a place where blood is spilled daily, he must not be a simple character.
Strength isn’t judged by appearance. It’s said that the pure-blooded vampires, though frail-looking, are the true devils, capable of crushing a dozen Imperial Expeditionary soldiers with a single finger! And any of the Imperial Expeditionary soldiers, even the ones who tend to the fire, could easily kill dozens of scavengers like them.
Behind the bar, Qian Ye stood motionless like a statue, either lost in thought or deep in contemplation. This was his signature move; when there was no work to do, Qian Ye became part of the bar’s background.
In the drawer under the bar, there lay a large-caliber Colt pistol. This heavy weapon, finely crafted and classically designed, held seven rounds and was produced by the Empire’s military giant, Blackstone Heavy Industries. Known as the “little steel cannon” among powder pistols, its power was incomparable to the old rifles of the scavengers.
In the first few days of Manjusha Huo’s opening, this Colt had shattered the heads of six men, and since then, no one dared to cause trouble, at least not in the town.
The noise in the bar grew louder, the patrons’ movements more exaggerated, and angry screams from women could be heard from time to time.
But as soon as a few copper coins were stuffed into their bodices, these women would turn their anger into smiles. With a few more coins, they would twist their powerful waists, sit on the men’s laps, and let them touch as much as they wanted. As for further advances, it depended on mutual desire and price.
Manjusha Huo had guest rooms, but they were rarely used. Booking a room was a luxury. Why go to a room when you could solve it on the grass? That was the majority of scavengers’ thoughts.
Qian Ye watched indifferently, as if everything was far away from him.
These women had nothing to do with him, just using the place to conduct their business. With their presence, the guests drank more happily, each one like a rutting boar.
A scavenger had already carried a woman out through the side door, eager to leave. The door had not even closed when the sound of something heavy falling to the ground was heard, followed by the man’s panting and the woman’s exaggerated screams.
The scavengers who had just returned to the town had a little money in their pockets, and their precarious lives made them more generous than the townspeople, making them more popular with the women. Of course, as long as there were still copper coins in their pockets.
The atmosphere in the bar ignited instantly.
Qian Ye got busy, handling drink orders one after another. But his movements were smooth and steady, like a production line, meeting all requests in strict order, without error or omission, precise like a machine.
Another woman walked in, wearing a short jacket and a black corset, binding her full breasts, and a pair of common adventurer’s canvas pants, exposing her slender yet powerful waist and abdomen. A black scorpion was tattooed on her stomach, adding a wild allure to her youthful body.
The biggest difference between her and the other women in the bar was her vibrant youth, every inch of her exuding the freshness of grass after rain. Additionally, her lips were red as fire, a striking flash of color in this dim and sensual place.
As soon as she entered the bar, she became the focus of the men’s attention.
“Girl! How much for a night?” a newcomer scavenger to Lighthouse Town shouted.
“One Imperial silver coin,” the woman replied straightforwardly, walking directly to the bar and sitting down.
This price made the faces of several new scavengers change. An Imperial silver coin! It would take them two months of wandering in the wilderness to earn that much.
However, the woman exuded a mixture of youth and wildness, every inch of her skin glowing, igniting the men’s desires. Compared to her, the other women in the bar looked like old hens shedding feathers.
“Is your downstairs made of primal alloy?” someone began to protest, but was immediately pulled back by a friend.
“That’s Min’er, very spirited, but with many thorns! Don’t mess with her unless you want trouble!” the friend whispered.
Min’er tapped the bar and said, “Give me anything, as long as it’s strong.”
Qian Ye silently mixed a large glass of alcohol, then pulled out a small steel flask from his pocket, dropped a single drop into the drink, and pushed it to Min’er. The greedy gazes of the patrons immediately shifted to the drink in front of Min’er.
That steel flask was the bar’s secret recipe, its contents a mystery. But even the worst liquor, with a single drop of its contents, would become fragrant, making one forget all worries with a sip.
Min’er always got a drop, no matter what she ordered, a special treatment just for her.
She seemed unsatisfied, reaching out and asking, “Got any cigarettes? Special ones.”
Qian Ye took out a hand-rolled cigarette from under the bar, marked with a prominent red line.
Min’er snatched it, lit it, and took a deep breath, holding her breath for a long time. When she could no longer hold it, she exhaled a cloud of smoke with a unique fragrance, her face turning a peculiar crimson.
Many in the bar craned their necks, inhaling the lingering smoke.
The cigarette was short, and after three puffs, it burned out.
Min’er looked regretfully at the extinguished butt, saying, “Give me another one!”
But Qian Ye didn’t move. “You can only have one every three days, or you’ll die quickly.”
“I’ve lived long enough anyway!” Min’er said in a self-destructive manner. But no matter how she pleaded, she didn’t get a second special cigarette, and Qian Ye ignored her completely.
Min’er’s gaze shifted to Qian Ye’s face, and she said with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile, “Xiao Ye, do you know, I’ve often wanted to scratch your face! I don’t like seeing things prettier than me!”
Qian Ye’s lips twitched, a minimal smile.
Min’er raised her hands in surrender, staring at Qian Ye. “Fine, I don’t want a cigarette. Will you treat me to a drink?”
Qian Ye showed no reaction to her expectant gaze. In this forsaken land where everything was exchanged for profit, there was no such thing as a free meal. If he treated her, she would pay with her body.
Seeing Qian Ye’s lack of response, Min’er slammed the bar in frustration, then raised her voice. “Who will pay for my drink tonight?”
Many people swallowed hard, their eyes greedily scanning Min’er, but no one responded. An Imperial silver coin! Only a madman would spend that much on a woman.
Finally, a one-eyed brute, standing two meters tall, approached, licked his lips, slapped an Imperial silver coin on the bar, and bellowed, “I will!”
Min’er snorted. “I told you, I don’t like you. You can’t!”
The one-eyed brute did not get angry, only chuckled and returned to his seat.
Min’er flicked the silver coin, sending it in an arc towards his head. The brute caught it, shouting, “You’ll like me someday!”
“In your next life!” Min’er retorted loudly.
Min’er took out a handful of copper coins, placed them on the bar, and with a sweep of her hand, the coins flew in a line, landing neatly in Qian Ye’s shirt pocket. Her skill drew a round of applause.
If those had been throwing knives instead?
The scavengers who had earlier wanted to sleep with her shrank back. This woman was indeed a fierce one.
“I need a room!” Min’er declared.
“The third one is empty.” Qian Ye handed her a key, as always, with few words.
Min’er twirled the key on her finger, then fixed Qian Ye with a searing gaze, saying with a sly smile, “I won’t lock the door tonight, dare to come in!”
“But I will lock it,” Qian Ye replied.
Min’er spat a curse, then slammed the bar again. But when her fist landed, the entire bar shook!
The patrons looked around in confusion, while a faint light flashed in Qian Ye’s eyes, quickly returning to normal.
Outside, the bald-headed sheriff’s terrified shout rang out, “Wait! I’m opening the door! I’m opening the door!”
Before he could finish, a deafening explosion echoed, shockwaves and air currents shattering the windows of Manjusha Huo. Flying glass shards fell on many heads, and some unlucky ones were cut, but no one complained, all looking outside in fear.
Heavy footsteps resounded in the town, the sound of army boots hitting the ground.
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