Chapter 54: Combustible Mineral Water.
As Suna predicted, they faced no retaliatory attacks or further interruptions on their way. Despite the chaotic, crime-ridden district, Skoll remained vigilant.
Suna, using her keen observation and the sub-leader’s extracted memories, followed subtle markers on street corners and abandoned lampposts to guide their path.
Though the Rust District was a maze of derelict factories and haphazardly built shanties, Suna navigated its complex streets effortlessly, as if she’d been there before, reaching the core with ease.
[Following the markers led us to the heart of the Rust District. It’s lively, as expected. Now to find a place to gather manpower and intel. Got it.]
Walking through increasingly crowded streets, Skoll closed the gap with Suna.
The nighttime Rust District was filled with shady figures: hooded eccentrics exuding eerie vibes, menacing gang members, mercenaries reeking faintly of rust, and silent thieves or assassins.
In this den of villains, Skoll cautiously asked, “Su, you’re really looking for help here?”
“Yep. Problem?” Suna replied.
Skoll was at a loss. Though he’d learned of the empire’s darker sides over the past two months, accepting Suna’s plan to recruit dubious allies was tough.
Noticing his subtle expression, Suna sighed and explained, “Kur, you think I’d pick outright villains as my helpers just because I’m a saintess?”
Relieved but still confused, Skoll pressed, “So, what do you mean?”
“Simple. Not everyone here is a criminal by choice. Some were framed, others are outcasts, or undocumented wanderers. This place accepts them.”
Skoll, reflecting on his and Ace’s past as war orphans, paused before asking earnestly, “So, you’re here to save them?”
“No way, I’m not that noble,” Suna said, waving a hand. “It’s a deal—mutual benefit. I offer them a way out; they help me.”
Skoll’s lips curved into a rare, fleeting smile.
Suna found it odd but brushed it off, pushing open the door to the [Viper’s Tear] tavern.
The bar, repurposed from a small workshop, had cleared-out machinery but retained welded steel structures, clad in iron or wood for counters, stairs, and a second-floor platform. Scrap rebar, paired with wood and leather, formed chairs and sofas.
Scanning the wasteland-style bar and its motley patrons, Suna sat at the counter and addressed the male bartender wiping a glass.
“Got whiskey? One on the rocks with a lemon slice.”
“No whiskey here. None for you,” he replied coldly, not looking up.
A scrawny mercenary with a serrated sword laughed mockingly. “Haha, miss, wrong place. Go home and sip grape juice!”
His words sparked laughter throughout the bar.
Unfazed, Suna pointed at two mercenaries drinking nearby, then at a small oak barrel with a tap behind the bartender. “What’re they drinking? And what’s in that barrel?”
“Mineral water,” the bartender said confidently.
Skoll couldn’t help retorting, “Who’s got mineral water flammable enough to ignite? That’s whiskey!”
“Kid, shut it! You don’t belong here. No [proof], so scram!” a two-meter-tall gang member with blood-red curse tattoos bellowed, gesturing for them to leave.
Suna replied nonchalantly, “Oh, like the guys who stopped us earlier? They called themselves the Iron Corrosion Fist Gang but forgot to give us any proof.”
Interrupting, the gang brute slammed the table and stood, ready to fight. “You—!”
“Calm down. Radiant Flame Ring.”
A golden flame ring formed around his neck, radiating heat that could incinerate him, forcing him to freeze.
Realizing Suna’s superior strength and Golden Bough Temple affiliation, he stammered, “Why’s a temple priestess here?”
Ignoring him and the bar’s wary patrons, Suna faced the bartender. “No ice whiskey? I’ll leave then.”
After a brief silence, as if receiving a signal, the bartender apologized. “…Sorry, you ordered a regular’s drink, so we were surprised. It’s fine now. Follow our staff to a second-floor room.”
A female staff member descended the stairs. Suna dispelled the flame ring, and the brute exhaled in relief.
“Please, this way,” the woman said, gesturing.
Suna and Skoll followed her to a second-floor room.