Chapter 42 – The Underground Exchange
Early the next morning, Ning Lu strolled along the streets of Tingen City.
The pale-yellow Sun climbed from beneath the horizon, casting soft, warm light across Tingen's streets. Around him, vendors and customers shouted, leaving scattered traces of everyday life.
But when Ning Lu remembered that this Sun was the incarnation of the Eternal Blazing Sun, he couldn't help feeling a little overwhelmed.
—Evil Dragon Bar.
After a short walk, Ning Lu stopped in front of a bar whose sign read "Evil Dragon Bar".
The bar sat in Tingen City's dock district; because the area bordered the wharves, most passers-by looked like Sailors or stevedores.
Occasionally Ning Lu spotted certain men glittering with brilliant motes of light—probably Beyonders distinguished by the Marauder's innate talent.
Even before he had taken up position, pedestrians kept shooting him wary, puzzled looks; his respectable clothes stood out starkly against the surroundings.
He had chosen to come today because, the previous night, several Aurora Order members who kept tabs on the Church of the Night's wanted notices had spotted a brand-new bounty: a Church of the Night warrant for the Theosophy Order sequence 8 Beyonder Instigator Triss.
Originally this warrant had merely been one more name on the "Tingen City Rogue Beyonders Approved for Hunting" list submitted by Mr. Z, but Triss's features were too distinctive—Ning Lu recognized the future Demoness at once.
As the Divine Descent vessel hand-picked by that madwoman Cheek, Triss was valuable enough to justify Ning Lu's personal trip.
He lingered only a moment, gave a faint smile, and walked inside.
As he crossed the bar, a stuffy smell hit him; it was still dawn, and several patrons lay slumped around the counter, pockets gleaming with the tell-tale light of "something valuable".
Ning Lu's fingers itched; he deftly lifted a wallet, but after gauging its thinness he disappointedly slipped it back, barely resisting the urge to tuck a few Sule in.
Skirting the drunks, he reached the counter, casually took a seat, and asked the weary-looking barman for a drink, murmuring:
"I hear there's a trading market here."
The barman snorted. "Which drunk's gossip did you pick that up from?"
His words sounded casual, yet his body blazed with the bright light of a Beyonder characteristic—proof he was at least a Beyonder.
—A Marauder's Superior Observation couldn't identify another's Sequence; this ability came to Ning Lu through Sefirah Castle.
Although Sefirah Castle now had a master and Ning Lu couldn't enter it at will, to Sefirah Castle he was virtually the Celestial Worthy.
Thus, in the real world he could use abilities slightly above his current Sequence—though only to a limited degree—much like Klein could inside Sefirah Castle.
Since the man was a Beyonder tending bar at Evil Dragon Bar, a place closely tied to the Church of Storms, he must belong to the Church of Storms as well.
"Just a rumor?"
Ning Lu shrugged and smoothly began to cloud the barman's thoughts.
"But a friend told me your boss used to be a respectable, responsible man. I had other options, yet I still feel safest under the lord of storms' protection."
Mr. L corrupting a loyal Storm follower with blasphemous words.jpg
Hearing this, the barman felt an inexplicable surge of joy—partly from the mental nudge, partly from the newcomer's praise of Boss Svein.
A follower of Storm? Someone craving Beyonder power? Hmph, such people need watching… even if he doesn't get it here, he'll go elsewhere—cough! Since he came first to the lord of storms' flock, we can't let him run to other gods!
The barman cheerfully cleared his throat and, guided by simple righteousness, explained how to enter the underground market.
After receiving the kind tip, Ning Lu slipped a hand into the barman's pocket, drew out a wallet, and courteously extracted two notes, pressing them into the man's hand.
"Thank you, kind sir. Praise Storm."
He performed a shortened sign of praise; beside him, the Celestial Worthy snickered while the inverted cross at the back of his neck twitched in mild protest.
"Praise Storm!"
The barman pocketed the notes with satisfaction, stuffing them into the same pocket where Ning Lu had returned the wallet, and waved him off with pompous authority.
"No thanks needed, but remember—the lord of storms is watching!"
Ning Lu smiled, left the counter, and as instructed walked into the billiard room behind the boxing ring.
Seeing no one around and the drunks still snoring, the barman's eyes lit up; he eagerly smoothed the crumpled high-denomination notes, tucked them into his wallet, and counted them carefully.
—Low-ranking clergy earned only a middling stipend; any extra coin was welcome.
Then he let out a puzzled murmur.
"Did I miscount? Did I drink away a few Sule last night?"
"Come to think of it, that fellow's wallet looked a lot like mine…"
He scratched his head, baffled, but soon shrugged it off and resumed pretending to keep busy behind the empty counter.
Busy, though he had no idea doing what.
But he couldn't let the boss think he was idle.