Chapter 2, The Uninvited Guest

"Hush." Fletcher turned and slowly walked to the door, closing it with a raspy voice, "They are of no value."

After asking this question, Velak already had an idea in his mind: "Tonight, please enjoy a good drink together."

Villac rose and looked at the man, who was none other than his nightmare, Fletcher, the butler of the Thomas family

Their impression of Laison, apart from its dazzling lights and extreme prosperity, is only left with the famous workers' movement that erupted in this city a year ago. It was this large-scale protest march that compelled the provisional government, which had just overthrown the old dynasty, to issue the first-ever decree regarding workers' working hours. It was also due to this new policy that the daily working hours for workers across the country were generally reduced from sixteen hours to fourteen or fifteen hours.

Incredible. Fletcher completely ignored his words and approached to observe Velak's face, "There are actually people in the world who look exactly the same..."

"Villac rarely indulges in luxury, so cherish it well!" The elusive Dempsey sprang to his feet, fearing that Villac might change his mind, and took the initiative to run out to buy some wine

Due to poor sanitation, the streets of the slum, which have just experienced rainfall, are permeated with a foul odor reminiscent of a garbage heap

"We are finished," Dunpus murmured beside Velak, drenched in cold sweat

The slums are inherently places that have no connection to health and stability

Fortunately, the government had laid down telegraph lines, roads, and other infrastructure here a long time ago. Additionally, the apartment where Velak resides is located on the outskirts, allowing the truck to exit this chaotic, disorganized, and oppressive place in less than ten minutes

I went to open the door. The slightly tipsy Nord, barefoot and swaying, approached the door to open it. As soon as he opened the door, he was kicked to the ground.

"Are you serious? You haven't had too much to drink today, have you? Why are you inviting me to dinner and drinks again?" Nord asked in surprise

Villac and the sweating Dempsey stood side by side, continuing to feign ignorance: "Could you first explain what this situation is? We haven't done anything, why do you want to kill us? If it's money, we can make it and give you all the money."

"The time has come for you to enjoy wealth and honor," Fletcher congratulated meaningfully, then waved his hand and said, "Eliminate the two of them"

"Then what about them?" Velak asked

Who wants to? Dunpus was the first to refuse; he was the oldest among the three present, the one who worked the hardest, and the one with the lowest salary

"Where did you hear such nonsensical descriptions?" Velak asked with a furrowed brow

In Dempsey's view, this group of people was very likely to be desperate criminals, so he took the initiative to show weakness and said: "If you need money, we can make it and hand over all the money to you"

This is undoubtedly a wise choice. Velak let out a sigh of relief

"Indeed." Fletcher stepped out, noticing that Velak and the other two were still standing there in a daze. "There is no need to tidy up anything; Lazein has everything covered."

"What the customers are saying in the restaurant," Nord said

"Rest assured, I will not kill you," Fletcher said in a relaxed manner, while responding and surveying the shabby room.

A middle-aged man with a gentle appearance, bald and wearing a scarf over his mouth and nose, stepped out from between two tall intruders holding handguns. He squinted as he kicked the bottle aside and entered the room

Do you enjoy life like this now?" Velak suddenly interrupted the conversation between the two.

"There is no need to look at me like that, I was just asking casually," said Velak

I will reiterate once more, if you want to kill them, then kill me first, or let us all live. Velak remained in the same state as before, not immediately feigning fear just because Fletcher said so

Your statement is rather uninteresting; it is clearly your own lack of experience that leads you to assert that having wealth is undesirable. Nord felt a strong aversion to Dempsey's lecturing and was instantly disheartened

Leizeyin? A sweating Nord groaned as he got up, looking around at Velak and Dempus, wondering why they suddenly had to go to that place so far removed from their world

"If you want to kill them, you must first kill me, or let us all live." Velak had already successfully tested this in his previous life, so this time he spoke firmly without hesitation, binding Nord and Dempsey to himself.

Fletcher did not even glance at Dempsey and left directly

Fletcher sat upright opposite Velak, and in the reflection of the moonlight, Velak could see his profound gaze and the amiable smile on his face

Dengpus had sobered up significantly and grabbed the bottle, preparing to be forced into a fierce fight. However, upon seeing the two dark gun muzzles at the door, he had no choice but to immediately release the bottle and raise his hands in surrender

Nord lay on the ground, his face contorted in pain, emitting faint groans.

Villac turned his head to look back, the slum growing increasingly distant from him

The sound of clinking. The wine bottle fell to the ground, rolling to the doorway, where it was stepped on by a foot

Deng Pusi was somewhat displeased: "Is there still someone looking for you at this late hour?"

He has lived here for more than twenty years and has countless times fantasized about escaping this place that resembles a swamp

Villac looked into Fletcher's eyes, gazing at that deceptively amiable face, and could not help but recall the relentless humiliation and abuse he had suffered at the hands of this man in Lazein, as well as the scenes from his previous life when he was shot in the heart by him.

The visitor comes with ill intentions

"It is hard to say if there is some urgent matter." Velak's expression changed slightly as he took a sip from his wine glass, realizing that someone from the Thomas family had arrived

Fletcher's eyes were filled with appreciation and amusement as he stared at Velak for a long time: "... then let them go with us."

Two horse-drawn carts have already been parked downstairs of the apartment building

"Put down the guns." Fletcher commanded his two subordinates to lower their weapons

In Nord's view, those in high society are the damned wealthy who prefer to savor the subtle beauty found in the nuances of vintage wines, willing to spend lavishly for the slightest difference in taste

Faced with two expressionless armed men, Velak and Dempsey had no choice but to assist Nord out the door

Villac felt a sense of relief as he sat comfortably to the side, listening to Nord and Dempsey engage in drunken conversation, quietly awaiting the arrival of the Thomas family

Nord also rarely becomes melancholic: "Yes, who would have thought?"

At around 11 o'clock, while the three were in high spirits drinking, a sudden knock on the door interrupted them

Upon hearing this, Nord and Dempsey's expressions turned sour.

Villac knew that he was actually asking a question that he already knew the answer to, but he still chose to do so. Because now the future of the two friends could also be decided by him, he could choose to send them away and go to Lezein alone tonight, or he could choose to take them along and strive for a better future together

Uh! This kick is very powerful, Nord is curled up on the ground and unable to get up

"You don't seem afraid," Fletcher said, slightly surprised that Velak would say such a thing, raising an eyebrow and smiling.

The two armed men standing at the door immediately aimed their guns at Dumps and Nord

Uh... there is none..." Nord replied awkwardly, "That is wine worth 20 gold coins, not something that wealthy people would just leave behind for me to take advantage of. It is certainly much better than the cheap stuff that ordinary people like us can afford. What we have here is merely something that the lower class consumes in large quantities to fill their stomachs, used to satisfy illusions or vulgar pleasures, and it fundamentally lacks any value in terms of quality.

Dengpus anticipated that it was certainly not a good thing, and after much hesitation, he finally spoke: "I am just a steelworker, of no value to you..."

The city of Czwod, which belongs to Joseph County, is located on the outskirts of the Republic of Blesi, bordering the Castilian Empire. It is primarily inhabited by individuals with a criminal background, those wanted for serious offenses, and notorious figures who have come from elsewhere.

The situation has eased considerably

For the first time in twenty-six years, Velak felt such fear towards a person. Even though he had mentally prepared himself, his mouth still unconsciously produced a large amount of saliva

"One must not be too ostentatious, so for this journey to the Cizhuode train station, we can only take a freight train," Fletcher said politely to Velak, before entering the first freight car.

It is hard to imagine that there are thousands of such parasitic slums only in Brest. After leaving the slum, Fletcher felt greatly relieved and unconsciously spoke in a tone of disdain.

Dengpus shook his head, not believing that the wine he drank was of poor quality, nor did he think that the wine Nord had encountered in high-end restaurants was particularly good: "What is wrong with spending twenty gold coins? It's foolish to buy such expensive wine when one is already full. These upper-class people must be out of their minds; we should just live our own lives quietly."

"Really, is that true?" Dempsey cautiously asked as he scrutinized Fletcher and the two gunmen behind him, who resembled grim reapers.

"Have you ever had it?" Dengpus said slowly as he took a sip of his drink

I really want to have a glass of the Inbit beer from our restaurant. That stuff has a fragrant taste, and a small bottle costs twenty gold coins. That's nearly half a year's income for me... Nord sipped the inferior wine in his cup, taking small sips, not in a hurry to swallow, swirling it around in his mouth, feeling the rich aroma behind the sourness and bitterness on his taste buds, as if he were drinking the Inbit beer that even some nobles consider extravagant

Fletcher appeared to have witnessed a sight capable of overturning his worldview, and the shock in his eyes lingered for a long time

Without further ado, let us set off back to Lezein now. " Fletcher turned and left the room

Villac and Dempsey helped Nord, who was still in pain, onto the first freight car, where he stayed with the seemingly gentle Fletcher

After everyone has boarded the carriage, the driver urges the horses to move forward

"Don't shoot!" Velak reached out to stop them, "Who are you? We can discuss this properly!"

Nord and Dempsey looked at Velak in confusion, not understanding why he would ask such a question

I have already said that they have no value. Fletcher appeared somewhat displeased, seemingly disliking the repetition of questions. Let me explain it to you slowly later; for now, let's deal with these two friends who are just a burden to you.

The slums are filled with rudimentary entertainment venues such as bars and game rooms. After a long day of labor, the night becomes a rare moment of enjoyment for those living at the bottom of society, which is why both the streets and the apartments are particularly lively.