Chapter 359: Chapter 226: Intimacy

The slaver tugged at the rusty iron chain, and as the chain clinked, the two girls trembled like frightened little rabbits, looking at Cantona with hope. They felt that this cold-faced man was already the best in the tavern.

Cantona inwardly rolled his eyes, thinking they had chosen him as the easiest target after sizing everyone up. He lifted his coat to reveal a Hex pistol, “Either leave or die.”

The slaver bared his yellow teeth, “All mortals die eventually, and you, boss, obviously have power.”

Cantona’s eyes flickered as he said blandly, “Are you sure they’re good merchandise? They better not be empty shells.”

“Boss, as you say, we can inspect them first. Inspect before buying,” the slaver said obsequiously, tugging the chain again. The two girls’ skin flushed red from the strain, almost oozing moisture.

Cantona downed his drink and tossed a few lira on the table, “Lead the way.”

The slaver beamed with joy, “Boss, please follow me.”

Everyone in the tavern looked on enviously, but they held back after checking their pockets.

Cantona followed the slaver out of the tavern, weaving through the alleys that grew darker and darker. The two girls moved lightly and swiftly, with a captivating charm, and led them into a house at the end of an alley. Suddenly, they flanked Cantona on either side and ushered him inside. The three were swallowed by darkness, leaving behind a shriveled corpse, where a rat emerged from the shadows. Its eyes shone brightly as it excitedly pounced on the corpse and started gnawing. But soon, the rat seemed puzzled and disheartened as it scurried away…

In the Royal Palace, Miss Aries had completed her court morning lessons and changed her clothes. She was set to attend classes at the Canon Law School. Unlike court lessons, the Canon Law School closely relates to practical matters, with less fluff and flattery, which she adored for its studious atmosphere. Moreover, Mr. Gemini’s words yesterday greatly boosted her confidence. Now, she was more convinced than ever that her father’s persistent pursuit of justice was a great endeavor, and she no longer felt unjustly reprimanded by her father’s longstanding strictness.

After bidding farewell to the Queen, Estella set off with great enthusiasm. Today, she intended to use Mr. Gemini’s words to fight back against them.

Queen Kelly felt a bit worried. Estella was increasingly losing the air of a princess. These matters shouldn’t involve a princess excessively, but she understood Estella’s suppression over the years. Since the King permitted it, she turned a blind eye. Also, after this battle of honor, her marriage will be arranged, making carefree days harder to come by.

At the Li Long Inn, Li Xin lay in bed, already awake but too lazy to get up. Hunger gnawed at him, yet he was reluctant to have beef soup and flatbread again, and even more averse to diced chicken. A little did not go down well; truly, it’s hard to adapt after lavish days. He drooled fondly thinking about Ma Liu’s culinary delights.

Thud, thud, thud…

Li Xin got up and opened the door to find Ma Liu, his face a little flushed.

“Ma Liu, what’s up?”

“Brother…” Ma Liu managed to say a word before faltering, and pointed outside with both hands.

“What, did the chicken you bought fly away?” Li Xin asked confusedly.

Ma Liu shook his head vigorously, “Young, young master…” and continued pointing outside.

Li Xin was stunned for a few seconds, “Oh, has Simmons arrived?”

Ma Liu nodded eagerly like a pecking chick, pointing outside.

“Oh, alright, let’s go.” Li Xin, wearing big slippers, clomped along with Ma Liu, suspecting that Simmons would indeed come looking for him.

It was the Dragon Mother’s exclusive room as always. Passing by the window, Li Xin was bewildered to see the Dragon Mother and Simmons sitting opposite each other at the table, sipping coffee with smiles. Assuming one was blind, the atmosphere radiated the beauty of an abstract painting.

Glancing at Ma Liu, it was no wonder he was anxious, but seeing Simmons with a genial smile made Li Xin think… damn, what was going on? Was it the end of the world?

Li Xin knocked on the door, and only after five or six knocks did the two inside react. Simmons stood up, “Brother Li, you’re here.”

Li Xin walked in, sniffing the air, “Smells great, does the Dragon Mother Inn serve coffee now?”

The Dragon Mother smiled gently, “Yes, we just got in some Mosel beans, a mix of six sun-dried kinds, roasted by Ma Liu. The flavor is quite good, and young master Simmons enjoys it very much.”

Li Xin understood Ma Liu’s feelings now; damn, occupying one’s nest, “Ma Liu, I want some too!”

The Dragon Mother’s eyes glared, about to scold but suddenly softened, “Ma Liu, bring young master Xin a cup too.”

“Just send it to my room. Dragon Mother, young master Simmons and I have some business to attend to. We need to head out,” Li Xin said.

The Dragon Mother gazed longingly, “Have breakfast before you go.”

“Dragon Mother, I’ve already eaten, thanks for the hospitality,” Simmons said, rising gracefully and following Li Xin out. Every move seemed so elegant and full of manly charm in the Dragon Mother’s eyes.

The breakfast turned out to be flatbread again, but profit comes before worrying about oneself.

“Brother Li, was it you who brought me in?” Simmons asked straightforwardly.

Li Xin sipped his soup, “No, it was your own fate.”

Simmons was taken aback, not believing a word of it again.

“What kind of place is that exactly, and what should I do?” Simmons was still feeling the pressure. An artifact capable of uniting multiple faiths and directly summoning souls was definitely no ordinary item from the Sixth Epoch.

Looking at Simmons’s serious face, Li Xin chuckled, “No need to worry too much, I don’t know the specifics either. Now it just seems like an advanced communication tool, similar to something that can project, a quicker telegraph. Basically, a social networking tool.”

Slurp, slurp… Munch, munch…

Watching Li Xin casually eating, Simmons could only admire Brother Li’s broad mindset and vision. Only someone standing on a higher plane could maintain such a calm attitude.

A social networking tool? What a strange description. This terrifying relic from the Old Era, he couldn’t be so calm about it. But after hearing Li Xin’s words, his heart settled a bit. To him, it was also a good place to learn and to encounter different forms of power from other factions, to broaden his horizons.

“Boss, a bowl of soup, no meat, really, I can’t eat anymore,” Li Xin said.

Old Morton smiled and nodded, serving the soup and also brought over some fruit, carefully peeled and cut.

Li Xin couldn’t help but laugh, “Old Morton, you might go bankrupt treating customers like this.”

“Not at all, not at all, having two young masters visit my little shop is my greatest honor,” Old Morton replied, enunciating carefully.

“Currently, our members are getting along quite well, as you might have sensed. Virgo is a bit strange, arriving just before or after you but only flashed by without fully appearing. Still, be a bit cautious,” Li Xin picked up a sliced Golden Fruit and slurped it down.

Simmons nodded, “Miss Aries has an accent a bit like Hedan’s, seems to have an extraordinary background.”

Li Xin smiled and nodded, “Without Miss Aries’s permission, it’s not appropriate for me to say more.”

Simmons didn’t mind; he was quite good at controlling his curiosity, “Is Mr. Taurus a mercenary?”

“He was for a while, but it didn’t seem very successful. He has some connection to the Nether God’s Court.” As for faith, Li Xin wasn’t too sure himself.

Leo was relatively straightforward, though distant, and as for Cancer.

“Mr. Cancer is a bit strange,” Simmons said, “hard to pin down, but there’s something odd about him.”

“Mr. Cancer is simply a good person at heart, though a bit proud and his origins are unknown; feels like he’s from the Moon God’s Court.”

Simmons also laughed, “Yeah, more proud than a woman, but indeed has genuine skills.”

“He knows a lot about ancient and secret knowledge but is not very concerned with current affairs, which is a bit odd,” Li Xin commented while eating some dates.

“Maybe he’s focused on spiritual cultivation?”

“Possibly, focusing single-mindedly, no wonder he progresses so fast,” Li Xin sighed. He didn’t want to fall behind, but he couldn’t catch up, not even grasping the basics. The closest he could think was the path of a Law Enforcer, but without any faith, whose law was he to enforce?

“Brother Li, give us a break!” Simmons was almost rolling his eyes.

Such talent in just one lifetime, Simmons couldn’t even find any sympathy.

“No compassion at all, you’re treating!” Li Xin said indignantly.

“Haha, sure, how about visiting the Canon Law School and sparring? Everyone’s overconfident these days, you could help bring them back down to earth,” Simmons suggested with a laugh.

“What a loss.” Li Xin rubbed his belly, realizing he had to work.

“Have Celestia repay you?” Simmons laughed, “Aside from the attitude, she’s actually pretty nice-looking.”

“You’re a real brother!”

“Isn’t this the unity of knowledge and action?”

“The master guides you in, cultivation is up to the individual, don’t ask me everything!”

“What should we have for lunch so I can make arrangements?”

“Not beef, not chicken, anything else is fine. Seafood sounds good, it’s been a while.”

“Haha, exactly what Celestia thinks.” Simmons continued teasing.

Li Xin paused a second, curiously looking at the overly lively Simmons, “Since when are you so close with the Dragon Mother?”

“Brother Li, I, I’m full.”

The man, as fierce as an eagle, was blushing as red as an overcooked shrimp…

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