Chapter 118: Fashion Capital (Second update seeking monthly votes)

When "strolling" in the Honest Market District in the morning, Lu Mian noticed that the citizens of Trier were quite casual, or bold, in their clothing. This was reflected on the one hand in the fact that some ladies' tops had very short sleeves, exposing their forearms, or their shoulders were hollow, and their collarbones could be seen, and on the other hand, there were many strange costumes.

In the Dales region, it was impossible for someone like Osta to walk on the street in a black robe and hood, as if he were a wizard from an ancient legend, without being questioned by the police. In Trier, passersby turned a blind eye to this.

Because this was really too common, and all kinds of imitation ancient costumes emerged one after another.

Osta Trull was obviously more careful, turning his head from time to time to look behind him to see if there were any suspicious people, but Lu Mian was very far away from him, so far that neither of them was in each other's line of sight.

Relying on the very faint, cheap perfume smell left behind, Lu Mian followed all the way, following Osta through one street after another.

When the gas street lamps on both sides lit up one after another, Osta turned into a street covered by a glass arch and steel brackets.

It was brightly lit, full of high-end shops, the ground was paved with smooth marble, and pedestrians were bustling, forming a sharp contrast with the dilapidated alleys of the Honest Market District.

Is this the arcade Aurora mentioned? Lu Mian saw Osta stop in front of a shop, admiring the items in the window, also slowed down his pace, and looked around.

He soon noticed some people who were "abnormal" in behavior:

Whether male or female, they were dressed in formal wear, leading turtles of different sizes.

The turtles crawled slowly in front, and they, holding the ropes, walked slowly behind.

Seeing a gentleman wearing a black suit and a silk top hat passing by him with a turtle, Lu Mian couldn't help but ask:

"My friend, what are you doing?"

The gentleman turned his head and revealed a face powdered with powder.

He smiled and replied:

"Outsider, I am strolling, walking the turtle."

"Why is it a turtle?" Lu Mian did not hide his confusion.

The gentleman who was carefully dressed seemed very happy to share his fashion philosophy and said with a smile:

"Most Trier people like to stroll, but they can't understand the meaning of leisure and the essence of elegance, always walking very fast, very hurriedly.

"True strolling is slower than a turtle, so we walk the turtle, letting the turtle walk in front, setting off our leisure.

"It is a ruler that compares walking speed, and also a measure of elegance."

Lu Mian had to admit that Trier people always opened the eyes of himself, a country bumpkin from Kordu Village:

Aurora couldn't even write the plot of walking a turtle in her novel!

"Worthy of being a Trier person!" Lu Mian applauded with a mocking tone.

Unfortunately, the gentleman didn't read the true meaning he wanted to express, smiled modestly, and continued to walk slowly behind the turtle.

Not long after, Osta walked to the other end of the arcade.

Lu Mian waited for a while before following slowly.

Out of the arcade, Osta stood at the bus stop sign nearby.

It was only a few minutes before a giant carriage pulled by two horses drove over.

This carriage was divided into upper and lower layers, and the yellow carriage surface was written with words like "Line 7" in Intis. The coachman wore a green short coat and a wide-brimmed rainproof hat.

As the carriage stopped, a conductor wearing a small hat, striped top, and ugly trousers appeared at the open door, looking at every passenger trying to squeeze into the public carriage with the eyes of a criminal.

Osta got on the carriage third, sat in the window seat, and observed the pedestrians outside and the men and women who were boarding one after another.

Lu Mian watched from afar without approaching.

After the Line 7 carriage moved away, he quickened his pace, almost running to catch up.

With the relatively slow speed of this public transport and the rule of stopping at every station, Lu Mian was not afraid of being thrown off at all.

On the way, some pedestrians looked curiously at this runner, and a few even followed Lu Mian to run on the street, seemingly thinking this was the latest fashion trend.

Do you guys have something wrong with your brains? Lu Mian couldn't help laughing or crying at this.

After chasing for three stops, he saw Osta Trull get off the public carriage, and this place already belonged to the Honest Market District.

Osta passed through two streets and turned into the off-white dilapidated apartment building numbered 20 on White Coat Street, which Charlie mentioned.

Lu Mian stopped at a newspaper kiosk at the street corner, picked up a newspaper, and flipped through it casually.

At the same time, he paid attention to the entrance and exit of that apartment building with the corner of his eye.

"11 Copés a copy." The owner of the newspaper kiosk saw Lu Mian only looking without buying, so he reminded him.

Lu Mian took a copy of "The Little Trier," didn't care, took out two 5 Copé and one 1 Copé copper coins, and threw them on other newspapers.

The owner of the newspaper kiosk became quiet instantly.

Lu Mian continued to read the newspaper:

"City Hall is discussing a new price plan with the water supply company...

"Valerie criticizes consumerism as a fetish...

"..."

"The greatest project in human history seeks cooperation..."

This last advertisement made Lu Mian smell a familiar taste:

That is the aura of a prank or a scammer that cannot be hidden!

Lu Mian read the corresponding content carefully while paying attention to the apartment direction:

"The future of humanity is in the stars and the sea, and the history of humanity is a history of exploration.

"In the contemporary era where various technologies are advancing crazily, what we lack are pioneers of civilization, wise men with excellent insight and forward-looking vision, and adventurers with courage as their charm.

"Last time, we were trapped by the Fury Sea. This time, we are trapped by the atmosphere, but human civilization and human technology will inevitably overcome all difficulties and dangers and create a true future.

"We want to cooperate with all dreamers to build an interstellar bridge that can allow us to walk directly from the surface to the red moon.

"Contact person: Biller Patil.

"Contact method: 9 Saint Martin Street, 5th Floor, District 2."

The more Lu Mian looked, the more amused he became, and he deeply reflected on himself:

As the prank king of Cordu Village, someone who grew up nurtured by Aurora's various wonderful ideas, he had actually never thought of such a crazy, outrageous, and absurd idea. Moreover, those guys were quite confident in posting advertisements, seemingly certain they could scam a group of people.

Is it that I still hold unrealistic fantasies about the average intelligence of humans? Lu Mian touched his chin with his left palm wearing a glove.

Just then, he saw a group of people walking toward the dilapidated apartment building at 20 White Coat Street.

The leader was a gentleman wearing a silk top hat and a black suit, at least from the appearance, his side face lines were deep, he was holding a peach-wood pipe in his mouth, and there was a diamond ring shining under the light on his left hand.

The few burly men surrounding this gentleman were fierce, either wearing canvas tops or dark jackets, as if they were members of some gang.

After they disappeared into the entrance of the apartment, Lu Mian also walked over with the newspaper.

When he arrived downstairs, he also smelled several kinds of perfume.

One was very faint and familiar, the cheap perfume he put on Osta, and one was relatively rich, sweet, with a bit of wild fishy smell.

Musk perfume? On the man holding the pipe just now? Lu Mian followed the scent all the way up to the fifth floor of the apartment.

Then, he saw Osta Trull.

This scammer dressed as a wizard was surrounded by that group of people. The "gentleman" wearing a diamond ring tapped his forehead lightly with a peach-wood pipe and smiled politely:

"Don't think that moving house can get rid of us.

"Before paying off all the debts, I will follow you forever like your shadow."

Osta said tremblingly:

"I will have money soon, I can pay you back part of it tomorrow!"

"Very good." The "gentleman" smiled and nodded.

He then turned the pipe and poked Osta's face with the part that was still burning.

Osta shrank his body back in pain, not daring to make a sound.

The "gentleman" took back the pipe and said gently and politely:

"This is a little interest.

"If you can't pay it back tomorrow, I will take one of your fingers."

After speaking, he bowed politely with his hand on his chest:

"See you tomorrow, my friend."

Lu Mian at the stairs curled his lips and muttered secretly:

"Now everyone, man or dog, is learning from Gehrman?"

Following the popularity of Fors Wall's "Great Adventurer" series, some people imitating Gehrman Sparrow appeared in the North and South Continents, and words like "This is politeness" and "A gift, or a curse" were widely circulated.

After that group of people passed, Lu Mian lowered his head and made way for the road, just like an ordinary apartment tenant meeting gang members.

The messy footsteps went down layer by layer, and soon there was no movement.

Lu Mian then looked at Osta Trull, finding that he had already returned to the room and closed the wooden door.

After thinking for a while, Lu Mian moved his left palm wearing a glove, pressed his hat, walked out of the stairs, and arrived in front of Osta's door.

Bang bang bang, he raised his hand and patted the door panel.

After a while, Osta opened the door in surprise and fear, saying tremblingly:

"That money of mine really has to wait until tomorrow..."

Before he finished speaking, he stopped abruptly, and Lu Mian's figure was clearly reflected in his eyes.

Lu Mian opened his arms and asked with a brilliant smile:

"Surprise?"

"You, you, you..." Osta retreated repeatedly as if he had seen a ghost.

Lu Mian followed into the room and smiled at Osta Trull:

"I really want to forget the pain of the past, but I am also a cautious person, afraid of being cheated out of money and then mocked as a fool."

PS: Second update seeking monthly votes, additional update at 12:05~

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 119 =====