90 Gossip

Trevon looked in the direction of the voice. A group of four people with weapons was enjoying their breakfast. Those people wore a simple robe with a few metal parts protecting important parts.

[Mercenary?] Trevon thought. [Probably they couldn't exit the city too.]

"What news?" A man in thirties asked. He took a big pao and took a huge bite of it. They were too crude for this luxury restaurant.

"The Downbridge family's demise!" A rough man in his twenties shouted. His blue robe had sown the sign of fading from long usage.

"I have heard it. The guard stopped people from exiting the city because of this event." Another man at their table said. Compared to other people, he was the biggest one with a saber as his weapon next to him on the table.

"However, isn't it just a disappearance?" The last person at the table was a very old man with long bread. Trevon saw they were actually low-rank cultivators with older ages than their appearances.

"I have a secret information." The blue-robed man said with a big smile.

"What is it, Brother?" The old man intrigued by the gossip.

"Hahaha..." The blue-robed man knocked on his wine cup using his fingers.

"Fine, I will treat you to a wine." The old man looked toward an attendant. "One jar of wine to this table!" He shouted.

While the attendant brought the wine, the group continued talking.

"You can tell us the information." The big man in the group said.

"Listen! I got an information that the runaway information is fake."

"Fake?"

"Yes. If two small families found their demise in the city, this would be a big slap for the sect and Imperial families. It must be intentionally spread by the soldiers."

"How do you know that?"

"I have news from the gang." The blue-robed man showed with his brightest smile. Meanwhile, the attendant returned with a big jar.

"The gang's news is unreliable." The old man took the jar before the blue-robed man could pour it.

"Wait! Elder Brother. I know this person. He is my old fighting comrade. This definitely isn't a gang's rumor."

"Fine... Continue..." The old man poured the wine for the blue-robed man before pouring wine to the other friend at the table. That was the custom, the best wine always the one you drank together.

"He said he saw an iron masked man chased by Downbridge family's guards yesterday."

Trevon almost wanted to stop his listening when he heard that it was from the gang. However, the last sentences made him change his mind.

[He knew about iron masked man?] Trevon looked back toward the group again while the Rabbink enjoyed the appetizers.

"Wait! What have you said again?!" A big man shouted a bit. Even the pao eating man almost got choked by the news.

"The gang member was doing his usual duty to watch the territory when he saw a man chased by a group of Downbridge guards."

"Plak..." The old man slapped the blue-robed man.

"Why?" The blue-robed man touched his head.

"Ask Big Bro! Do you know the captain of the Downbridge family guard?"

"Yes, I know him." The big person answered.

"How powerful is he?"

"He is only a Peak Rank 1 warrior. This couldn't be wrong. I sparred with him last month."

"See, you are crazy! How could a Peak Rank 1 warrior chase a Peak Rank 3 warrior? His squad must be lower than a Rank 1 warrior." The old man grumbled.

"Yes. Even a Primary Rank 3 warrior could defeat a group of a hundred Rank 1 warriors." The big man agreed with the old man.

"I have never said the attacker is Rank 3 warrior." The blue-robed man said.

"What do you mean?"

"My friend really saw the attacker running away. This can't be wrong. I think the story of a Rank 3 warrior is fake. The attacker is only a Rank 2 warrior at best." The blue-robed man slammed the table when he said this. He was too excited to speak his thought.

"No way! How could a Rank 2 warrior defeat the Downbridge family?" The pao eating man said. He had drunk his tea to relieve himself from choking.

"Downbridge family had several Rank 2 warriors. A Peak Rank 2 warrior wouldn't be able to defeat them easily." The big man said.

"Yes. This is what made me wonder. You can use a poison, right?" The blue-robed man said.

"How could a poison remove everyone?" Their conversation back again to the beginning.

Trevon realized something. [Yes, this is strange. If he is powerful, he wouldn't need to run. The mission also mentioned that he wasn't more than Peak Rank 1 warrior. Those people almost got the truth.] He knew about the strange liquid.

"Gwahahaha. Now regretting not attacking him yesterday, right?" Master Rabbink took a snack and ate it.

[Why should I regret that? Do I have to fight him?] Trevon felt something strange with Rabbink's clue.

The Rabbink smirked before continued to eat the snack.

[It is not wrong to know more.] Trevon came to the mercenaries' table.

"Brothers, I have an interest in your news." Trevon took four spirit stones and showed them. "If you can call me that gang member, these spirit stones would be yours."

Those mercenaries looked worried. They didn't want to enter the hornet's nest. Nevertheless, they couldn't avoid looking at the spirit stones on Trevon's hand with a hungry gaze.

"Ahem… Sorry for my poor etiquette. My name is Trevon McArthur." Trevon gave the fist and palm salute to those mercenaries. While he took the stones back to his storage ring.

"Ah! Young Master Trevon McArthur." The mercenaries felt relieved that this young master came from McArthur family. If he came from the Imperial families or the city guards, that would give them lots of troubles.

"Please wait here, Young Master! I will call my friend." The blue-robed man who told the story quickly beg for permission and went outside the room. His friends envied him.

Trevon returned to his table after some pleasantries. He treated those mercenaries on the table with some free wines on his tab.

While Trevon waited, the attendants came and served delicious menus on the tables. The main dish was the Braised Tiger. It was served on a big plate with over one meter in diameter. Three portions took almost all spaces on the Trevon's table.

The Braised Tiger dish smelled of the local wine. Trevon could sense spiritual energy from the sauce and the meat.

Trevon used his knife and fork to cut a small chunk for himself. He bit the fragrant meat and felt the taste was unique. The meat was soft and tender.

[This meat and the sauce must be made from spirit ingredients.] He thought.

Trevon could taste a sour taste from the plum. He also could taste sweet soy sauce. Other than that, some mixture of herbs gave the dishes a fragrant aroma. The young master couldn't know which herbs were in the mix, but he tasted a bit spicy, a bit salty, and mostly sweet and sour.

"Nom... Nom... Nom..." A happy Rabbink and a glutton mouse destroyed the mood.

[Ugh...] Trevon took another big slice of the meat.

"I didn't have enough of this yesterday." The Rabbink bit another portion of the spirit meat. It used some illusions to prevent other people from seeing the food disappeared. Trevon asked him about this after reading people reaction to missing foods. The foods would disappear slowly when no one noticed.

[I should put this dish in the Universe Store.] Trevon thought. He took a chunk and sold it to the Universe Store. Its name in the store was 'Braised Tiger with Bridge Paradise Special Sauce'.

[Braised Tiger with Bridge Paradise Special Sauce – 1 Portion]

[Description: This is the main dish in the Bridge Paradise. A One-Eyed Orange Stripe Tiger Meat is cooked in a secret sauce from Bridge Paradise. This food had an effect to increase your right hand's speed temporarily.]

[Selling Price: 6.000 Energy]

[What is this?] Trevon complained. He saw the portion was the same. However, he only paid three spirit stones for the food in the restaurant.

"This Rabbink's tiger is better quality and had less fat. Also, the herbs are grown by this Rabbink clones. They are already the best of the best. It is already good that it hadn't been eaten by my fellow clones. You know how difficult it is for a Rabbink not to touch a food?" It felt proud of the achievement.

[Do you already get the secret recipe?] Trevon felt surprised.

"Yep. This Rabbink had looked into the kitchen when the chef cooked it." The Rabbink took another bite.

[Tell me! I can use the recipe to brag with the ladies. They loved sharing a recipe. Hahaha.]

"Nope. You have to pass this Rabbink's dead body for my recipe collection."

[You also steal the recipe in the first place.]

"However, I only used this recipe for personal use."

[I can purchase the dish in your store.] Trevon refuted.

"This Rabbink doesn't charge the cooking cost. You only paid for the ingredients." Master Rabbink said.

"What? The ingredients cost me two times the restaurant price?"

"Complain to the Light if you dare. The Light sets the margin and pricing standard. Gwahahaha."

While Trevon enjoyed his foods, the mercenary brought his friend. The gang member was a slim and tall middle-aged man. He had some scars in his body from fighting.

"I heard Boss will give me some money for my information." The gang member crudely said.

Trevon took another four spirit stones. "This is for you."

While he also took another four spirit stones for the mercenary. Both men took their spirit stones.

"Let us talk in the private room!" Trevon called the attendant to bring him into a VIP room. He also asked some maids to prepare some snacks and the best wine for him and his quest.

The maid quickly served him and the two people. Trevon's bodyguards followed and stood behind Trevon. Only Aya and Marcus's fiancée stayed below.

"Tell me what you saw last night!" Trevon said after the maid gone. The mercenary poured some wine for Trevon.

"This is what happened last night, Boss. I was patrolling in our gang's territory. We have the warehouse area as our money tree."

"Money Tree?"

"Ahahaha... Money Tree is the gang's code for a territory which paid the safety tax to a gang in Hillbridge." His mercenary friend explained it to Trevon.

"Yes, Boss. I don't know the exact time, perhaps a few hours before the sunrise. I saw a man wearing an iron mask chased by a group of people. At that time, I don't know that group was from Downbridge family." The gang member drank his wine.

Trevon intentionally served some wine. People could talk easier with wine on the table.

"Both were running on top of the warehouse. However, suddenly the masked man used a mystical martial art. I am lucky to see them from a high building."

"What art did he use?" Trevon interested. Any mystical martial art was unique and powerful.

"A fog. I don't know what it was, but the fog was dark. Nobody could see anything. It covered the masked man and the guard. The masked man disappeared after that."

"Disappeared?" Trevon asked.

"This is the strangest part. After that, the masked man appeared in another place five hundred meters from that. It seemed the man could jump that long. The guards continued to chase him."

Trevon didn't understand that. He made the gang made a map of the situation. His drawing was totally bad. If Grand Master Vale saw that, he would squeeze the drawing and threw it into a fireplace.

Trevon could see the debt collector disappear and he suddenly appeared somewhere else.

"Did he use teleportation formation?" Trevon wondered. Such formation was expensive and it was hard to set.

"Formation? I don't think it is possible. We know everything in our money tree. If someone placed a formation on top of those rooftops, we would be the first one to notice in the daylight." The gang member looked proud.

"Then what happened?"

"The masked man ran and those guards chased him again. However, the masked man had distance advantages. I can't see the detail after they went out from my field of vision."

"Is that all?" Trevon felt a bit disappointed.

"No. This is another secret, Boss. However, I need an extra spirit stone. I have never told this to anyone before." The gang member smiled happily.

"Hmph..." Trevon took another spirit stone. The gang member happily took it.

"While the guard chased the masked man outside my field of vision. Suddenly, the masked man appeared again on the same rooftop that he disappeared." The gang member said.

"Eh?" Trevon felt strange. [Another teleportation formation?]

"What did he do after he appeared?"

"He ran back toward the Downbridge family direction." The gang member pointed out that in the map.

Trevon sipped the wine while seeing the map. [The Debt Collector returned after those guards couldn't find him. This is strange. Based on my memory, the guards returned first. Some of them also returned injured.] He thought.

"Do you see the guard returned?"

"Ah! Yes, Boss. When they return some of them had injuries? However, they only had small injuries."

Trevon continued to ask the gang member about his confusion, but the gang member couldn't answer him.

[The Debt Collector is strange. Is that his cheat too?] He thought.

"Gwahahaha." Master Rabbink laughed.

[Is this information important?] Trevon asked Master Rabbink. He knew the Rabbink intentionally brought him here to taste the foods.

"Probably!" The Rabbink took the snack from the table.

Trevon continued to spend his time in the restaurant hearing rumors. Other restaurant quests talked about Downbridge family and Eastbridge family disappearance. They also complained about the blockade from leaving the city.

He also heard some people mentioned a small village disappearance around Hillbridge two months ago. However, they were killed by a sword and their remains were found. The people argued it was a bandit.

Trevon took more time to hear, but the topics were the same. He also saw some merchants who joined his family caravan visited the restaurant to rest. The young master himself decided to look around the city. While he couldn't visit the sect, he could check numerous stores in the city.

Trevon purchased few unique delicacies of the city while traveling around the city. He didn't forget to check the tower in the city.

Since Hillbridge was a mountain city, it was easy to see the panorama around the city from the towers. Master Rabbink told Trevon about another good restaurant for lunch, but the standard was lower than Bridge Paradise.

After the lunch, Trevon took some time to visit Hillbridge's main attraction, the Hillbridge's Giant Bridge. It connected the city into a spirit stone mine deep inside another mountain. The bridge was located in the city's western gate.

[WHOOOAAA!!!] Trevon saw the bridge. It was a gigantic structure as far as the eyes could see. He could feel the gigantic pillars gripped the land, towering even the biggest demon beasts.

Trevon took some time to walk the bridge with his small group. Based on the guide, the bridge was a hundred-kilometer-long and was made from gray stones. Some of its support pillars were a few hundred meters tall. It passed several valleys and mountains. At the base, it was protected by smaller beast repelling crystals at the base.

The guide also mentioned that the word bridge of Hillbridge came from this large bridge, while the Hill came from the location on top of the mountain. The Hillbridge ancient family names also came from their old village location compared to the bridge. In the ancient times, the Heavenly Sword Mountain sect built the bridge to connect their sect to a spirit mine.

Trevon enjoyed the scenery in one of the towers while playing his qin. Several towers on top of the pillar turned into a place where visitors could enjoy the view and having a delicious food. Some merchant had rented the place to make some teahouse or winehouse.

Master Rabbink picked this tower after reading some visitor's memory. The winehouse sold a delicious skewered meat with wine sauce.

While Trevon played his qin, Qadr and Noah went to walk the bridge alone. Marcus and his fiancée also took some time to walk on the bridge.

Unfortunately, Trevon didn't have a single lady around to watch his performance. Most visitors to the bridge was a couple. The bridge was a popular dating spot in the city where couple visited the danger and romance. Trevon mainly came to make a survey.

[When is my time?] Trevon thought. [I will bring Altalunne here one day. Hwehwehwe.]

While Trevon couldn't enter the mine, he could see some wagons passed the bridge. Those wagons were pulled by several Iron Muscled Buffaloes, the demon beast which often used to carry heavy wagon. From the open wagon, Trevon could see the raw spirit stones.

Raw spirit stones were blue and had various sizes. It looked like a large crystal gem around one to two meters tall. Trevon didn't know how this large chunk of crystal turned into the small coin like spirit stones. He only had heard that there was a spirit stones refinery in the city.

[I should visit the spirit stones refinery one day.] He thought.

Trevon stayed on the tower until the sunset. He decided to visit a famous six floors building in Hillbridge, Dancing Night.

[This place is the best. Hwehwehwe.] Trevon felt happy stood in front of the building. The place was still the same, but a different lady received him. She looked young but with a mature body that couldn't be hidden by her ivory and yellow robe. Her body was the one with the right curve and the right size of women's pride.

"What is tonight show?" Trevon asked while enjoying the pure and elegant face of the lady.

"We still have our star performed today." She said in a melodious voice. Trevon believed she would be a good singer one day.

"Miss Isemeine?"

"No, Young Master. Sister Isemeine just performed yesterday." The lady continued to introduce the performers. "... We have our number one brother of the Dancing Night performed today. Other than him, my beautiful sister also performed today. She is the rising star in Hillbridge."

"Could I book a VIP box tonight?" Trevon asked. He felt a bit disappointed but understood. The star of the house would rarely appear or their performance would lose the rarity factor. Only a VIP could get a chance to ask them private shows outside the public performance.

"Unfortunately, Young Master. All our tables and boxes for tonight had already fully occupied. Since the morning, many merchants had booked the tables, while our VIP boxes are always fully booked."

[This must be because of the closure.] Trevon grumbled in his heart.

"Could I get a common room to enjoy other performance?"

"Yes, Young Master."

"What is your name?" Trevon asked the lady.

"This untalented one is Angheli." She said while enticing Trevon with her bright and large eyes.

"Your talent is making people smile with your moon-like beautiful eyes, Miss Angheli. Give me the best room that you have! Money is no problem for me!" Trevon took his favorite fan and fanned himself.

"..." Angheli only smiled. [What are moon-like eyes?] She wondered.

Trevon went to the room. He wanted to ask for Ivetta and Angheli to perform for him, but Ivetta was attending another customer. Some beautiful girls came and performed for Trevon while his bodyguards were waiting in a small room next to Trevon.

The Rabbink enjoyed the foods while Trevon enjoyed the show. He wasted his time until it was 21:30.

[The show must be started now.] He thought.

"Angheli, could you check whether I could get a table or box for me?" Trevon wouldn't dare to forcefully take a table. Especially after what happened with Fourcaut yesterday.

"Yes, Young Master Trevon." Angheli was happy with Trevon's purchasing. She left the room, leaving only her soft flowery perfume in the air.

Trevon had hired several ladies to perform for him, while also ordering many expensive foods for his bodyguards. Meanwhile, the young master didn't dare to put his golden hand to use. He hadn't known about the girls here and whether they would allow him or not.

Five minutes later, Angheli came.

"Unfortunately, Young Master. All the tables are occupied. Angheli couldn't get one for Young Master."

"Could I ask you to show me a glimpse when the rising star performs?" Trevon negotiated. [At least, I have to see the rising star even without a table. Hwehwehwe.]

"Let Angheli asked the mother!" She left Trevon again.

Angheli went for another ten minutes before she returned. She agreed to bring Trevon passing the performing hall during the show. Trevon had spent over one thousand spirit stones for various performances and foods. Mostly because the Rabbink ate a lot.

22:30. Angheli led Trevon to the performing hall on the first floor. The rising star was a fresh beauty, but her dance couldn't bring the audience to another realm like Isemeine's.

He looked around and found a familiar face. That was Jesmond. Jesmond still sat alone with many bottles of wines on his table. However, this time he didn't have the frontmost table.

[It seems, he is a regular here.] Trevon thought.

"Is he a regular?" Trevon asked about Jesmond to Angheli.

"That young master. Hm..." Angheli looked at Jesmond. "No. He isn't. However, he often visited our performance lately. He had rented his tables every day for the past week."

"I see." Trevon nodded.

"Do you know him, Young Master? Perhaps he could share the table with you. He only drank alone every day."

"No. I only saw his fight yesterday."

"Ah… I am sorry."

However, Trevon was inspired by Angheli words. He looked around the hall. It was a small chance, but he tried to find someone whom he might know.

[Eh? Isn't he?]