Chapter 77: Where’s the Owner, Come Out!

Translator: yikaii Editor: yikaii

“So tired, don’t feel like doing anything.” The three yawned in unison, their eyelids fighting a losing battle.

What was the helmsman thinking, suggesting we come here to eat?

They were on their way back to the barbecue restaurant, after a day of wits and bravery, finally infiltrating the enemy’s ranks. Now, all they wanted was to have a good meal and sleep soundly.

The Everlasting Sect concentrated everyone’s thoughts on the Mountain and Rivers Cauldron, a process that caused immense fatigue.

“Lucky I had the specter skewer everything before we came, we can start serving as soon as we get back,” Barbarian Bone mentioned, somewhat relieved.

Arriving at the barbecue restaurant, Lu Yang spotted a familiar figure.

“Constable Wei? What are you doing here, something up?”

Constable Wei had been knocking on the barbecue restaurant’s door for a while, thinking there was nobody inside.

Indeed, there was nobody inside, just two specters busily skewering, who were nearly scared to death by Constable Wei’s knocking and dared not open the door.

Just as Constable Wei was about to give up, Lu Yang arrived.

Constable Wei’s face lit up: “Manager Lu, you’re finally back.”

Lu Yang nodded, spouting a lie effortlessly: “I saw the weather was nice this morning, and we three thought it was a great day for an outing, so we went for a stroll and just got back.”

“Are you opening for business today?”

Lu Yang thought for a moment. The helmsman and his party were coming over, a total of about twenty people, which should count as opening: “Yes.”

Constable Wei spoke in as gentle a tone as possible: “Manager Lu, your barbecue restaurant has a bit of a reputation around here, and I often come here with a few brothers.”

“I know you just like running a barbecue place, have no intention of expanding, and dislike others promoting you.”

Lu Yang nodded.

Constable Wei expressed regret: “My brothers can’t keep their mouths shut. After eating, they went back praising how good your place is. Now, others have become curious too. They said after shift tonight, we should all come here for a meal. The brothers on night shift at the magistrate office also said to bring some back for them.”

Lu Yang, seeing Constable Wei’s expression, thought it wasn’t just his brothers who had talked, but Constable Wei himself must have spread the word too?

“So?”

“There are quite a few of us bailiffs in Yanjiang County, enough to fill all the tables. The head bailiff will be coming too, and I was wondering if we could book the place for the night, just serving us.”

Lu Yang suddenly realized, then showed a difficult expression: “But I also have a few friends coming over tonight, I’m afraid…”

Constable Wei hurriedly said: “No problem, no problem, the more the merrier. We can all eat together.”

Constable Wei had assured his colleagues they would definitely get to eat, and failing to do so would be embarrassing.

Lu Yang agreed: “Alright then, give us half an hour to prepare, and we’ll open for business.”

Constable Wei, satisfied with the affirmative answer, happily left.

…

As the appointed time by the helmsman neared, people from all directions gathered at the barbecue restaurant door, including the helmsman, eleven stewards, and seven new members.

Chi Xulong and Shen Jinyi even brought several jars of wine.

“I was worried the wine here wouldn’t be strong enough, so I brought a few jars of thirty-year-old spiritual wine, Daughter’s Red,” Chi Xulong and Shen Jinyi said.

This type of spiritual wine was very potent, enough to affect even those at the Foundation Establishment stage.

The other five new members also brought wine as gifts, but being at the Qi Refinement stage, they couldn’t bring anything exceptional.

The helmsman, even changing his mask for the meal, chose one that revealed the lower half of his face.

Lu Yang and his companions stepped out of the barbecue restaurant, inviting everyone inside: “Please come in, everything is ready. The place was originally booked for the entire evening, but after some negotiation, the party agreed to leave us one table.”

The helmsman nodded, initially worried Lu Yang and his friends would be troublesome and not heed advice, considering giving them a lesson. Now, it seemed they were quite cooperative, having reserved seats in advance.

“Let’s not stand around, come on in,” the helmsman beckoned everyone.

The barbecue restaurant was empty, and the helmsman naturally took the central table, the largest and best-positioned one, fitting his status.
Lu Yang cautiously reminded, “helmsman, this table has been reserved.”

Before the helmsman could respond, Chi Xulong interjected, “Let them sit somewhere else. Who dares to compete with us for seats?”

Seeing the helmsman didn’t object, Lu Yang said no more.

Everyone sat down, and Barbarian Bone took out the menu: “What do we eat?”

Shen Jinyi passed the menu to the helmsman: “Please order, helmsman.”

The helmsman gestured dismissively: “Order whatever you like.”

“It’s on you, naturally you should order.”

“No need, choose whatever.”

After going around the table, the menu ended up back with Barbarian Bone, who, feeling this group was overly fussy about ordering skewers, went to the backyard without demur to have the specters start grilling.

Soon, Barbarian Bone brought out platters of fragrant skewers, and the smell alone told everyone the taste would be exceptional.

“Come on, skewers are served, pour the wine!” the helmsman laughed, signaling everyone to drink.

Meng Jingzhou laughed, “Maybe we skip the wine? I’m used to drinking tea, not so fond of alcohol.”

The helmsman, all smiles, responded, “Meng, when roaming the Jianghu, you must learn to drink. There will be plenty of occasions for it in the future, start with three cups to get used to it.”

Meng Jingzhou still refused.

Not wanting to lose face, the helmsman frowned slightly, and Chi Xulong seized the moment to scold, “What’s the matter with you? The helmsman asks you to drink, and you refuse? Are you disrespecting the helmsman?”

Meng Jingzhou retorted, “It’s just drinking; how does it relate to respect? If the helmsman insists I drink, isn’t that disrespecting me?”

Chi Xulong was about to retort that Meng Jingzhou had no right to talk about respect in front of the helmsman, but was stopped by the helmsman himself.

The helmsman, seeing Meng Jingzhou’s potential, didn’t want to argue with him.

The Sect Leader’s evaluation of Lu Yang and his friends was known only to the helmsman, not even to Lu Yang and his companions themselves.

“Let’s not make a big deal out of a welcome meal. Let me introduce myself; my surname is Chu, you can call me Helmsman Chu.”

After the helmsman’s introduction, it was the turn of the tall, thin man who had been to the brothel with Qin Yuanhao, “My name is Wang He, people familiar with me like to call me Wang Big Mouth.”

“Bai Zifang.”

“Peng Shuo.”

The eleven stewards introduced themselves in turn, saying it was an introduction, but it was just stating their names. Their cultivation levels, hobbies, and special skills were not mentioned, keeping other information hidden.

Trust is rare among demonic sects, with everyone preferring to keep their true selves hidden.

As if no disagreement had occurred, everyone enjoyed their meal harmoniously.

“These skewers really taste amazing,” Chi Xulong, after eating a few, was pleasantly surprised. These were the best skewers he had ever tasted.

He quietly asked the helmsman, “Should we force the owner to hand over the recipe? These skewers could sell for spirit stones and make a fortune!”

The helmsman was tempted too. Murder, extortion, and blackmail were nothing new to him, and this wouldn’t be the first time.

Lu Yang asked from the side, “And if the owner refuses to give up the recipe?”

Chi Xulong’s eyes flashed coldly, sneering, “Then it’s up to him whether he values his life or the recipe more!”

Slamming the table, he looked for trouble, shouting, “Owner, come out! The skewers are served, and you don’t show your face. Do you understand the rules?”

Following that, Constable Wei’s voice rang from outside, “Ha-ha, where’s the owner? I’ve brought my brothers over.”

A crowd of bailiffs swarmed in, including the Golden Core stage head bailiff, surrounding the helmsman’s table.

(End of the chapter)