Chapter 1014

Gunfire Tavern.

Inside the city, near one side of the makeshift city wall, within the 'Commercial Street' built from over thirty blue metal sheet containers, the tavern that uses a truck container as its entrance rang with energetic music and shouting, echoing throughout the district.

Unlike the lifeless inner city district, the Commercial Street with the tavern was very lively.

"Ding-ling—ding-ling"

Pushing open the big door decorated with mutant leg bones, the bullet bells hanging on both sides swayed back and forth.

After passing a few tables where people were playing Texas Hold'em, the sight that met the eyes was a large group of drunk burly men arm-wrestling.

Hot alcohol fumes filled the bar, and the misty, patched-together dirty old glass windows were full of fog.

Inside the tavern wrapped in iron sheeting, the floor was covered with dirty raw wood; occasionally, a careless step would land on a rusted nail protruding from the wood.

On the rough wooden floor, the original color could no longer be seen; after long-term soaking in whatever was liquor or vomit, it had early on turned brown.

"Bang!"

"Another drink! Burp...!"

Carrying a giant axe, a bearded burly man whose beard looked like braids squeezed through the crowded crowd, and his hand wearing an iron ring slammed heavily onto the lathe-made bar.

Swaying, as his bulky body just pushed into the crowd, it immediately drew dissatisfaction from the people beside the bar.

Amidst a few shouts of 'bastard' and 'riffraff,' the crowd habitually shifted their positions.

The already small space instantly became even more crowded with the burly man's addition.

On one side of the bar, a drunk leaning on the long table was even shoved to the ground by a butt, and with a thump he went limp on the floor.

"A cup of exploding sparks! A plate of rat tails!"

"Two iron nails, gotta be tasty!"

Mumbling his snack order, the axe-wielding Awakened One ignored the curses in his ears.

Cursing back and forth, we're all good "brothers" raised on dog food.

After sitting down firmly, he swayed with a hazy gaze, his yellow-brown eyes locked on the bunny girl dancing on the steel pipe stage.

Under the dim lighting.

Accompanied by deafening music, the bunny girl in just a pink bikini swayed her hips like a sailor handling an oar, making his heart sway.

These dog-food-like bitches! Really thrilling...

Suppressing the magma-like heat in his heart, the burly man, after getting drunk, recalled the girl's price and cursed quietly.

The price of up to three cans of meat isn't something just anyone can afford, especially if you really want to go at it on stage—that price would double.

He could only slowly reach out his hand, swaying it in the air, as if grasping the huge rabbit on her chest from afar, shaking it hard twice.

"Have you heard? It sounds like fighting has broken out outside the city!"

"I don't know if it's mutants or what, but that dog-food-raised city guard troop has all rushed over!"

"It seems something big has happened inside the city now~"

Chatting about rumors, for them immersed in alcohol, their interest in the outside world was limited to just a glance out the window.

Amidst the noisy clatter of tile shuffling, discussion of various news filled the air.

"What big thing could it be? Probably just those little bastards trying to extort some benefit, then starting a fight."

His voice gruff, he gulped down a large glass of low-quality cocktail, and the burly axe-man who took over the conversation replied without concern.

The cocktail mixed with aviation gasoline instantly flushed his face with a blush, the exhaled breath reeking of strong oil.

"Not necessarily?"

In a shrill, thin voice, the thin man who had just spoken leaned close and replied offhandedly; seeing he had two daggers at his waist, as he spoke he kept eyeing the swaying butt while chewing on fried rat tail.

"Even if the supply squad and city guard started fighting, it wouldn't cause everyone in the inner city to mobilize, would it?"

"I feel the atmosphere outside is off; I sense something big is about to happen!"

"I heard from those who just came in from outside that outsider Awakened Ones have supposedly broken in!"

Chewing slowly on the fried rat tail, the dagger man, after speaking, moved closer to the burly man by two increments without changing expression; his oily fingers lightly touched the other's lower garment, the blade tip slicing open a slit like a loach.

Unaware of the dagger man's move, the burly axe-man first let out a scoffing hum, then tipped his head back and drained the last sip.

"Cut your mother's bullshit."

"Who doesn't know? The Thunder Spear Safe Zone is covered by Kreil and Riel's spears, both third-rank; only a lunatic would target this place."

"Outsiders breaking in?! Hah! Which brainless idiot made that up?!"

"Haha, exactly!"

"Sewer rat! Where'd you hear that news? You stink just like your rat nest!"

By the bar, several drunks who had heard the dagger man's words jeered mockingly.

The thin man called a rat paid no heed to the crowd's mockery; his purpose was never to discuss news.

As he spoke loudly, the burly axe-man's alcoholic breath blew right at him, the strong halitosis mixed with alcohol nearly knocking him out on the spot.

Suppressing his nausea, the dagger man pretended not to hear, and after nimbly fishing out a few bottle caps from the burly man's pocket, he gave a half‑sincere, half‑flattering nod.

"Yes yes yes, I heard only two broke in; surely the message got mixed up."

"Even if someone really came to cause trouble, you, as a big shot of the peacekeeping forces, could surely cleave those guys with one axe strike!"

"Haha!"

Hearing the dagger man's flattery, the burly axe-man couldn't help but let out a satisfied laugh, enjoying the envious gazes around him.

"Another bomb! Today's drink... burp... lacks kick!"

After everyone went their separate ways and stopped discussing the news, the burly axe-man also turned around and began slamming the bar again to call for drinks.

Actually, as someone expelled from the peacekeeping forces a few days ago, the only thing that could ease his worries was this lovely cocktail.

When drunk, there's no need to think about damn zombies or tomorrow.

"Something big happened! Something big happened!"

Compared to the crowd that didn't care about the news, a skinny tall guy who had rushed into the tavern shouted anxiously at the crowd.

Seeing the few people who had stopped drinking, he quickly pushed through the crowd playing cards and headed straight for the bar:

"I just passed through the Inner City and heard some news; I heard... I heard that Paro is dead!"

After saying that, the tall man's face turned grim as he shoved aside a barbarian sleeping on the bar, then he called over the bartender:

"A flamingo, and call your boss over."

"What!?"

The news was too shocking; the bar crowd, who had previously ignored the news, all turned to stare in astonishment at the tall man.

Compared to the dagger man's earlier news, his news was undoubtedly more accurate.

"Paro died!? The brother of the Ice Plain Tiger, Paro!?"

It seemed unbelievable; to those present, Paro—whether as a city guard or as Kre's brother—was someone they couldn't afford to offend in either role.

But now someone was telling them that Paro had been killed?

"That's right."

He nodded heavily, his expression genuine, instantly drawing the attention of the still-sober people in the tavern.

"Caucasus, don't talk nonsense! If Paro isn't dead... and he finds out you're spouting lies, you'll be hanged on the city walls!"

"His brother is a Third Level; no one can protect you!"

Seeing the crowd still doubtful, the tall man hesitated, his expression uncertain:

"It should be true."

"I was blasted out when I passed through the Inner City; many city guards and important figures were rushing toward the core fortress. Moreover, there really was a battle outside the city just now."

"You say, if there were really nothing going on, how could this happen?"

After saying that, the tall man showed deep unease; he wanted to gather more news, but his low status meant the martial law–enforced city guards had sealed off the Inner City.

The news hit like a bombshell; even the Awakened Ones immersed in bridge turned their heads to look at him:

"Impossible..."

"With vodka on top, who dares to kill Paro so boldly? Didn't the city guards take down that guy? If this is true, once Lord Kre finds out, the city guards' heads will all roll!"

Such earth-shattering news, no matter how true the tall man's words, could not be accepted at once.

After all, to them, Paro, backed by a Third Level, was an existence no one dared to provoke.

He sighed, his expression complex as he lowered his voice:

"I wonder if the people who came aren't afraid of Lord Kre at all? I feel... a change is coming..."

Just emerging from the wine storage room, a short, stout, fat boss narrowed his eyes and stared fixedly at the man who had tensed the atmosphere:

"Kid, you can drink the wine recklessly, but you can't talk nonsense."

"Do you know what Lord Kre actually means? Not afraid of him? Are you not even afraid of Tuo'er's Spear?"

"Two Third Levels! It's absolutely impossible for any Awakened One to dare cause trouble here!"

After hearing the tavern boss's scolding, the tall man gave a bitter smile and also felt he might have overthought things.

Seeing the tall man fall silent, the tavern's atmosphere became lively again like flowing water; many people simply joked about the earlier news and chatted loudly.

"I think it's true that outsiders have come, but maybe they're here to join, or maybe they were caught on the spot by the city guards and are waiting to be hanged on the walls later."

"In this world, I still don't believe there's anyone stronger than Lord Kre! Not to mention Lord Tuo'er as well!"

Laughter, anger, scolding— as the two great powers who jointly established the Thunder Spear Safe Zone, the people inside the safe zone have their fear of these two powers deep in their bones.

Third Level, and still two Third Levels!

However, just as the crowd was about to dismiss this joke casually, the bullet bell at the door suddenly jingled.

"Ding-ling—ding-ling"

After pushing the door open, everyone instinctively glanced back, and then everyone's faces suddenly froze.

At the doorway pushed open, the fierce tiger Bob, who had been the supreme commander of the city guards, now stood to the side with a grim expression, pulling the door as if to let someone through.

He lowered his head, reaching his hand toward the doorway, his posture as if he were opening the door for someone.

Outside, the city guards who had arrived in neat rows likewise wore grim expressions as they "protected" a burly man and a youth in their midst.

And amidst the encirclement of hundreds of Second Level Awakened Ones, Lin An, under Tolstoy's guidance, slowly walked into the tavern.

In that instant, seeing the strange scene before them, the tavern crowd suddenly froze, as if realizing something.

The high level of the Thunder Spear Safe Zone was actually guiding that handsome, even somewhat mixed-race man?

This person... just what is his background!?