Chapter 244: Chapter 244: Drinking Alcohol
After they’d had their fill of food and drink, Shen Hao had someone bring up tea, and the four of them shifted to the courtyard for a casual chat.
"Anything to do lately?"
"Sir, I’ve been so bored lately my balls ache. Just lazing around every day, no idea what to do." Flying Dragon scratched his bald head—he truly had nothing to keep him busy.
"Then why not take a look outside Fengri City? Maybe you’ll find new opportunities out there—first come, first served, y’know." Shen Hao personally poured drinks for everyone, leading the conversation along as he spoke.
Flying Dragon caught on quick; he leaned forward, eagerly asking, "Sir, you mean we can start expanding outside Fengri City now?"
"Of course. Right now, the entire Jingxi has been turned completely upside down by the Governor’s Office. They’ve not only taken care of the locals, but even the black market got cleaned out in one sweep. Didn’t you used to run off to Xin Liangcheng before? Didn’t you learn anything along the way?"
"Heh, to tell you the truth, sir, I did find out a bit. Actually, it’s not just our Jingxi—the black market in Xin Liangcheng took a beating too, only the Ministry of Justice wasn’t as heavy-handed as the Xuanqing Guard, so fewer people died. Over in Jingxi, it’s been a real bloodbath. Of everyone I used to know in the circle, seven out of ten are dead."
Truthfully, Flying Dragon knew perfectly well that the only reason he was safe this time, and could even spare a thought for his plummeting business, was because Shen Hao kept him covered. Otherwise, a "big shot" like him in the black market would’ve lost his head by now.
"So, you can seize the chance to move in, can you? Anyway, all the black markets outside Fengri City have nearly been slaughtered clean. Rather than waiting for new brokers to grow up, why don’t you just take them over yourself? Well? Confident or not?"
Flying Dragon rubbed his hands together, grinning and nodding energetically, then said, "Sir, I’m definitely confident—but if it’s me alone, my strength’s too thin for the job. How about having Wang Xiaoqi and Zhang Lie help out, eh?"
"Them? They can only play backup. To the outside, it’s still gotta be you, Flying Dragon, running the show. So, you’re confident then?"
"Yes, sir. As long as Wang Xiaoqi and Brother Zhang Lie lend a hand, I’m confident I can take over the rest of Jingxi’s black markets just like we did in Fengri City!"
Having followed Shen Hao for some time now, Flying Dragon’s ambitions were a far cry from his original layabout routine—he wanted to fight for a future, for himself and his descendants. Just getting the black market in Fengri City had given him a taste of success. What if they took over all of Jingxi’s black markets? No—just getting seventy percent would do. Then wouldn’t he be able to stand taller and see further?
Maybe by then, he wouldn’t be a dispensable tool waiting to be tossed aside anymore, huh?
Wang Jian and Zhang Lie, off to the side, also flashed a spark of excitement in their eyes. But neither spoke up. They were different from Flying Dragon—they were Xuanqing Guard, so if there was a mission, Shen Hao just had to give the order; no need to ask their opinion at all.
By the time the meal was finished, it was already dark. Shen Hao was the last to leave; after making a roundabout detour, he was just heading for the Teleportation Array when a burst of voices made him stop in his tracks.
"It’s already dark and you still want to use the Teleportation Array?"
The voice wasn’t loud, but it was clear to his ears. He looked over—a figure sat perched on the roof, backlit by the moon so Shen Hao couldn’t make out the person’s features.
The reason Shen Hao halted was that up until that person spoke, he hadn’t sensed their presence at all.
"Aren’t you afraid of being mistaken for a thief, sitting on someone else’s roof?"
"No worries, an honest person stays clean—and if I don’t want to be found, no one will find me. I just thought you looked interesting, so I called out. Which sect are you from?"
"Sect? Heh, I don’t belong to any."
"No sect? A loose cultivator? Tsk, tsk, what, are all the sect folks blind, or did you never go to a sect’s recruitment?" The man on the roof sounded surprised.
"You’re an interesting fellow too. Why do you ask?"
"Simple. Judging by your cultivation, you’re at Gathering Spirit Realm Third Layer—almost Fourth, right? And your soul’s pretty well-formed... You must know at least two, maybe three magics, don’t you? Tsk. And you’re not even thirty yet. That kind of talent might not be top-tier, but it’s definitely second-tier—you don’t see many like you among loose cultivators."
Shen Hao grew even more wary in his heart. The other guy had sized up his depth with one glance, even nailed how many skills he knew—what kind of cultivation did that take? He couldn’t sense anything at all, even though his eyes could see the figure; the other man simply didn’t exist in his perception. It was weird. And dangerous.
"So you’re with a sect, then?"
"That’s right."
"Gui Mountain Cultivation Institute?"
"Oh? What makes you say so?"
"That jade pendant on your waist—I’ve seen it before, it’s the style from Gui Mountain Cultivation Institute."
"Yo, sharp eyes. You learned Night Eye Skill too? Then guess—why am I here?"
"You’re probably here because you missed the Teleportation Array opening time, and you didn’t have money for an inn, so you’re just toughing it out here for the night."
The man froze momentarily, then burst into hearty laughter, repeating that this was amusing. He then smacked his lips regretfully, saying, "Ah, shame there’s no wine. Otherwise, I’d have a cup with you."
"Wine—I actually have some. Want a drink?" Shen Hao flicked his hand, taking out a jar of Wuliangye from his Storage Bag, giving it a little shake. He was already turning things over in his mind—he clearly wasn’t planning to rush to the Teleportation Array for now.
"Oh? You’ve got a Storage Bag, kid? When did loose cultivators get so loaded... huh? That jar is—Wuliangye!? Good kid, get up here, bring the wine!"
Shen Hao chuckled, vaulted up to the roof, and imitated the other fellow, using True Qi to pad his feet so he wouldn’t crack the rooftop tiles, then sat cross-legged. Honestly, sitting on a roof wasn’t comfortable at all—the tiles poked something fierce.
Once atop, Shen Hao could finally see the man clearly: around forty, a messy, unshaven chin, hair casually tied behind his head—not with a cord or crown, but with a blade of grass... His clothes were clean but sloppily worn, not even fastening the front properly.
This guy looked like a bit of a loafer, didn’t he?
"Come on, come on—open it up already!"
Breaking the seal, the rich aroma of liquor wafted everywhere. This spirit was north of forty percent alcohol, rich and mellow—so much so that even with Shen Hao’s picky tastes, he had to admit: "Good wine." The only shortcoming was, for him, the strength was still on the low side.
"Gulp!"
A noisy swallow left the man looking a bit embarrassed.
"Haha, looks like you’re thirsty. You first."
Shen Hao wasn’t stingy with Wuliangye; he still had two more jars in his Storage Bag. Usually, he kept it on hand for guests. It was just that there weren’t any wine cups on hand.
"Alright!" The man didn’t stand on ceremony, taking the jar and tipping his head back for a swig—glugging down over a jin in one go.
"*Hic*... Ahh! Good wine! This is as good as Immortal Brew! Damn shame it’s so hard to get. Here, kid, your turn."
Shen Hao wasn’t used to sharing from the same jar, so it felt awkward; he pulled out another one for himself, broke the seal too, and took his own swig.
The man’s eyes widened in surprise. "Another Wuliangye!? Kid, you’re really something!"
