275 Pound Family (1/2)
”Dear Mr. Fool, please tell Mr. World that I'll try to gather the Mist Treant's true root and juice as soon as possible.”
After receiving The Sun's reply, Klein nodded indiscernibly and muttered to himself, ”From the looks of it, he's rather satisfied with the weapon.
”Even without the additional effects from the environment, the Axe of Hurricane is still quite a formidable weapon.”
He had passed the information regarding the Beyonder weapon's characteristics and limitations to The Sun. He didn't describe it directly in order to avoid sounding naggy. He needed to maintain his image.
After doing all of this, Klein didn't stay any longer and immediately returned to the real world, changed his clothes, and left Black Palm Street.
…
East Borough, Dharavi Street, in a cramped but lively pub.
Xio Derecha covered her nose and mouth as she squeezed in. To her, what was bad about this place wasn't just because it smelled of alcohol and sweat, but that she would easily encounter people much taller than she was. She had to face their armpits and the strong odor was nauseating.
Using a great deal of effort and even using the powers of an Arbiter, Xio finally squeezed her way to the bar counter and saw the man she was looking for.
It was a young man in his twenties. He had a face as long and thin as a horse. His eyebrows were messy and ferocious, but his facial features were relatively soft.
He was gulping down alcohol and laughing loudly with the patrons around him.
”Williams, I have something to talk to you about.” Xio banged on the wooden counter.
This boorish action immediately attracted many angry gazes. However, they quickly retreated under the stern gaze of an Arbiter.
”Oh, Xio, I haven't seen you in days. Let me see, it's been a week, no—at least three weeks. Care for a drink? Half and Half?” Williams said, half drunk and half surprised.
Half and Half was one of the most popular alcoholic beverages in East Borough, made from malt beer and fortified grape wine, and because it has precisely made up of two constituents of equal proportion, it was known as Half and Half.
”Are you really going to let me drink?” Xio pricked up her brows.
”No, he doesn't!” the boss, who was wiping the glasses, hurriedly answered on Williams's behalf.
He clearly remembered how deadly the girl would become when she got drunk. She would use her fists to persuade the guests to quit drinking and throw them out one by one.
The corner of Williams's mouth twitched as he spread out his hands and said, ”Go on, why are you looking for me?”
He was one of East Borough's informants and was connected to several gangs.
Xio frowned and said, ”Williams, can't you quit drinking? Save your money, marry a nice girl, and come home every day to hot water, food, and warm greetings. You can share all the things you've seen in the day with her, and she can tell you about the trivial things that happened in your house, and there will be cute kids who will kiss you on the cheek and play around you. Isn't such warmth nice?”
She was able to gain a quick foothold in Backlund's East Borough, all thanks to Williams's help, so she had always wanted him to be better off.
”Warmth?” Williams scoffed. ”It's built on the money I bring back, and I've seen through the farce. If I could bring home twenty soli a week, I'm sure my family would be warm and just as you described it to be, but if not, Lord, the screams and insults from the woman, the cries and shrieks of children, would drive me crazy!
”My mom is a good example. Every time my old man comes home, he'll beat me up and make a ruckus, so if that's the case, I might as well use the soli and the pence on me to trade for drinks. No one cares how much I earn here; everyone drinks and chats, and the mood is really good. If I want women, there are cute street girls outside. They wouldn't quarrel with you.”
Xio smirked and said, ”You really are an incorrigible believer of the Lord of Storms. One day, you'll die from alcoholism or some strange disease.”
”At least I've enjoyed life,” Williams replied without minding what she said. ”I haven't worked in almost three days, so I'm not going to give you a discount.”
Xio stopped persuading him. She stroked her short, disheveled blond hair and handed him the portrait of Lanevus that Audrey had given her.
”Help me keep an eye out for this man. Find him as soon as possible.
”Here are different portraits of him.”
Williams spread out the piece of paper in his stupor and glanced at it before tsking. ”He looks too ordinary, and there are so many people in East Borough. There are people who die at any moment. Some leave, some come, and others become vagrants. It'll be difficult to find him.”
”In short, help me keep an eye out. Notify me immediately if you find anyone who looks like him.” Xio took out a five-soli bill and handed it to him. ”Here's some beer money. If you can find the person in the portrait, I'll… uh, give you another ten pounds.”
”Ten pounds?” Williams whistled. ”Xio, when did you become so generous? Or is this person worth more?”
”That's how much his reward is worth. Ten pounds for providing clues.” Xio pretended to look around the pub and answered, ”Don't forget about this matter, I'll come back in a few days time.”
She had already run through nearly half of East Borough and issued the mission to the gang leaders and informants she knew, and she had paid several pounds in advance.
As long one of them succeeds, I'll earn it all back. All those profits! Xio silently cheered herself on and walked out of the pub with her nose and mouth covered.
At that moment, the scene gradually turned chaotic due to some conflict between a few drunkards.