Chapter 53

It turned out that this tavern was run by a player, which explained its domineering attitude.

However, this was quite normal. Cats have their ways, and dogs have theirs. Knowing how to leverage the power of players wasn't limited to Dugu Fu alone. NPCs who could survive and settle down in such a city were mostly backed by players or the system.

"Hehe, boss, this guy tried to eat without paying, and we caught him," the most active waiter said, fawning as he approached.

"You scoundrel, just wait!" the bound player spat angrily.

"Hmm, good job," the boss, dressed in a well-tailored suit, nodded with style. He reached into his pocket and, when he pulled out, he held two small yellow fish between his fingers, handing them to the waiter.

The waiter's eyes nearly popped out. He thought to himself: This, these are two small yellow fish? That's too, too generous! It was worth the effort. He reached out happily to take them, but suddenly two yellow flashes appeared. The two small yellow fish didn't land in his hand; instead, they directly pierced his eyes, one in each.

"Ahhh~~~" The waiter clutched his eyes and screamed in agony, blood streaming down his face.

Everyone was shocked!

Amidst the clamor of surprise and confusion, the tavern boss spoke slowly and deliberately: "The two small yellow fish are a reward for your loyalty. Blinding you is to ensure you listen well to what I have to say next... No matter how heartless, shameless, or unreasonable the Celestials are, they are still my kin. I can insult them, but you can't! I can beat and scold them, but you don't have the right! In your next life, remember these words well."

"No!" The waiter, sensing the boss's intent to kill, tried to get up and run, but with his eyes blinded, how could he? Before he could even stand up, "Pfft!" the boss's sharp blade severed his neck, blood spurting into the air, and a head rolled to the ground.

"Clean it up! If his family comes to claim the body, the small yellow fish can be considered funeral expenses. If not, you few bury him and split the money." The boss pulled out a white handkerchief to wipe the blood from his blade, sheathed it, and scanned the onlookers with a sharp gaze: "Sorry to ruin your appetites. Everyone, enjoy your meal and drink well."

Under the boss's gaze, everyone felt a chill down their spines and dared not meet his eyes, dispersing quickly.

The boss had spoken the lines aloud, but there was one unspoken line: The commotion of the Celestials is for the Celestials to watch, not for you ants and extras!

This little interlude thus came to an end, and Dugu Fu left with the crowd.

What does this incident tell us?

Are Celestials and NPCs ultimately on different levels? Don't think that just because Celestials are usually nice to you, you can act without restraint? A dog that bites is often liked by its owner, but if it really bites someone, it will be taken to the slaughterhouse?

No, no, no! This story tells us that one should rely on oneself, as nothing else is necessarily reliable. Imagine if the unfortunate waiter today had been Li Shier or Gong Yutian, how would the situation have developed? The game world is dangerous, and strength is the ultimate rule. Before you have the strength, it's best to keep a low profile.

Dugu Fu walked quietly through the crowd when he suddenly heard another commotion nearby.

The echoes of the previous commotion hadn't yet faded, and Dugu Fu didn't want to get involved. However, when he heard a clear, bell-like voice amidst the noise, he changed his mind. This was... her voice? Why would she be here? What a coincidence!

No, no, there are no coincidences without a reason... Every coincidence has a cause. Could it be... Dugu Fu suddenly had a hunch and pushed through the crowd to the center.

This was a street gambling stall, with a table, three bowls, and a small trinket. The stall owner placed the trinket under one of the bowls and then moved the three bowls in a dazzling manner. When he stopped, people placed bets on which bowl the trinket was under. If they guessed right, they took the trinket; if wrong, they lost their money. The rules were simple.

The trinket was a small amber Buddha, about the size of a thumb, dark yellow with a slight black tinge, and crystal clear. The minimum bet was one Yuan Shikai silver dollar.

"Impossible! Impossible! I saw it clearly, the Buddha is under this bowl, it can't be wrong!" the young man who lost his bet shouted angrily.

"Tsk, you say it's under this bowl, so it is? If that were the case, I'd have gone bankrupt long ago," the stall owner, a lean middle-aged man, sneered.

The onlookers joined in: "Exactly, exactly. You look well-dressed, but can't you afford to lose one Yuan Shikai silver dollar?" Another circle of onlookers gathered, but the situation was different from the last time.

Most of the hecklers were likely shills. Dugu Fu stood behind the young man, watching coldly as the young man argued, his face red with embarrassment: "I'm not broke, I just can't accept it! I saw it clearly, it must be... yes, he must have cheated!"

Dugu Fu understood why the young man was so indignant, because of his slender companion. Getting closer, he could finally see the man's features clearly: slightly chubby cheeks, crystal-clear eyes, tender eyebrows, and even a faint, elusive fragrance from his nose... Only his shabby clothes and darkened face carefully concealed his unparalleled beauty, like a pearl hidden in the dust.

Who is this?

Guo Xingxing. Truly, fate brings people together. In front of such a beauty, no man wants to make a fool of himself.

"Lu Tao, don't gamble anymore, I don't want to..." Guo Xingxing tugged at the young man's sleeve.

"Have money? If you have money, place your bet quickly. If you don't want to bet, get lost. What are you doing, hogging the toilet without using it?" A shill in the crowd continued to heckle but was stopped by the lean stall owner.

Flicking his few whiskers, the lean man's eyes gleamed: "Young man, you can take random medicine, but not random words. I've been running this stall on this street for years. What do you mean by saying I cheated?"

"I mean..." Lu Tao's eyes flashed with a hint of intelligence, "If the Buddha isn't under the bowl I said, it definitely isn't under the other two bowls either." "Clack!" He placed two Yuan Shikai silver dollars on the table and said slowly, "I bet that the other two bowls are empty, with nothing in them!"

"Wow!" The crowd was stunned. This kind of bet was unprecedented.

The lean stall owner looked at him and smiled: "Young man, are you sure you want to bet this way?"

Lu Tao's eyes shone as he fixed his gaze on the stall owner: "Sure!"

"Alright, free money can't be refused!" The stall owner shrugged and spread his hands. He reached out with both hands and, with a swift motion, lifted the two bowls. The bowl on the left was empty, but the bowl on the right contained the small Buddha.

"Thank you, thank you!" The stall owner nodded and collected the silver dollars.

"Ha!" The crowd burst into laughter, "Three bowls, one empty, it must be in the other two!"

"Who would have thought he'd bet that both bowls were empty? This young man looks smart, but he's actually a fool."

"This can't be! This can't be!" Lu Tao's face turned red with anger, "I don't believe it! I want to bet again!" "Clack!" He pulled out another Yuan Shikai silver dollar, causing a commotion in the crowd.

"I'll bet with you." Amidst the chaos, Dugu Fu pushed through the crowd and entered the scene.