Ember Dragon

Chapter 81: The Indignant Langli Baitiao

As soon as Langli Baitiao entered the most famous tavern in Baator City, "Carolyn's House," all the players looked at him and laughed. Some shouted:

"Langli Baitiao, you got killed again!"

Langli Baitiao didn't reply. He said to the bartender, "Two warm beers, and a grilled sausage."

Saying this, he laid out nine copper coins.

The food and drinks sold at "Carolyn's House" are a great way for players to replenish stamina, certified by many professional strategy players.

The players deliberately shouted loudly again: "You must have stolen someone else's stuff again!"

Langli Baitiao widened his eyes and said, "How can you slander me out of thin air..."

"Slander? I saw you with my own eyes the day before yesterday using Mage Hand in the mine to steal [Royal Authority] guild's magic ring. They blocked you at the respawn point and killed you seven or eight times."

Langli Baitiao's face turned red, veins bulging on his forehead, and he argued: "Stealing equipment doesn't count as stealing... stealing equipment!..."

"Is what a Rogue does considered stealing?"

Then he said a string of incomprehensible words, like "Mage Hand Legerdemain," "Arcane Trickster's main class," "Thieves' Tools proficiency," which made everyone burst into laughter.

The tavern was filled with a cheerful atmosphere inside and out.

Suddenly, Mantou, dressed in a constable's uniform, swaggered into the shop. The longsword in his hand, carved with intricate emblems, made many players envious.

Langli Baitiao was suddenly very excited but didn't know what to say. He just said:

"Ah! Mantou."

"—You're here?"

During Mantou's eighteen days as a laborer, Langli Baitiao had many interactions with him while sneaking around in the mines, so he had many things he wanted to pour out: mines, hobgoblins, ogres, blocking the door, moving bricks...

But he always felt as if something was blocking him, swirling only in his mind, unable to speak out.

Thinking that Mantou has now made it big, perhaps he could get some gold coins by following him, Langli Baitiao thought.

"Yo, isn't this Brother Lang!"

"How have you been lately?"

Mantou was also very happy to see him. He took off his helmet and greeted him warmly.

Langli Baitiao shook his head rather indignantly, sighing: "Ah, not so good. [Royal Authority] guild is really bullying people too much. The things I worked so hard to get with my own hands were all robbed by them."

Mantou patted his chest heroically: "What did they rob from you? I'll help you get it back!"

"Robbery is a serious crime!"

"It's the responsibility of us constables to punish all criminals, whether it's robbery or theft!"

When saying "theft," Mantou deliberately emphasized his tone.

Langli Baitiao shivered suddenly. He knew that there was now a sad barrier between them.

"No, it's nothing. I already got it back."

Langli Baitiao mumbled vaguely.

Mantou pulled Langli Baitiao over and said cheerfully: "It's okay, Brother Lang. If you've been wronged, just tell me!"

"I, Mantou, will definitely stand up for you!"

With his fragile body as an Arcane Trickster rogue, Langli Baitiao couldn't resist Mantou, a warrior.

Langli Baitiao was on the verge of tears: "No need for you to take action, Mantou."

"These things are nothing."

Someone nearby, eager to watch the excitement, said: "Lang-chu stole others' stuff again and got chased and beaten, hahaha!"

"Exactly."

"He even steals from [Royal Authority] guild, tsk tsk."

"Lang-chu hasn't died enough yet."

Langli Baitiao barely broke free, widened his eyes at those players again, and argued loudly: "Why do you always slander me out of thin air..."

"Heh, there's even a video on the forum. Go check it yourself!" a player who had been stolen from by Langli Baitiao gritted his teeth.

"Is what they say true?"

"And... was that healing potion in the mine before also stolen by you?"

A faintly unfriendly smile appeared on Mantou's face.

Langli Baitiao suddenly recalled that when he was working in the mine, he had secretly taken a potion from Mantou. He didn't expect this guy to remember it until now!

Langli Baitiao sensed trouble and looked for an opportunity to escape.

"No..."

"Mantou, what are you going to do?"

"Brother Lang, sorry, but I have to do my duty."

Mantou's tone was heavy, but his hands didn't stop moving.

He pulled Langli Baitiao over again and snapped a carefully prepared silver bracelet onto his wrist.

"Citizen, you are suspected of theft. I am ordered to arrest you!"

Mantou's panel refreshed with reward information.

[You have captured an offender, gained extra faction contribution: 150 points]

"Hehe, effortless gain."

Mantou immediately beamed with joy.

Langli Baitiao was a bit stunned. His face showed a mix of joy and sorrow. He moved his lips but made no sound.

His expression finally turned indignant, and he shouted clearly:

"Mantou, you..."

But his mouth was immediately stuffed with a towel.

"Citizen, please do not attempt to provoke a constable," Mantou said smoothly.

"Hahaha!"

The tavern was once again filled with a cheerful atmosphere.

That night, Langli Baitiao leaned against the cold wall of the Baator City jail, idly browsing the player forum. He still had three days of imprisonment before he could be released.

At this moment, he found a hot topic on the forum.

"Mantou righteously arrests Lang-chu [Video]"

The comments below were full of joy:

"First time I like Mantou so much."

"Support Mantou!"

"There are still good Mantous in the world!"

"No friendly talk, just arrest him!"

As Langli Baitiao browsed the comments, his face gradually turned red, and he gnashed his teeth:

"Hmph, damn Mantou..."

Langli Baitiao suddenly came across Singo's strategy post, which introduced the Tieflings' homeland, the city shrouded in blood and sin—Northwind Fortress.

"I, Langli Baitiao, am a crafty hero in chaotic times. How can I be trapped in this small Baator City?"

He stared at the cold, hard prison bars, suddenly making a certain decision in his heart.

......

The next day, the prison guards found that the cell door had been pried open, and there was no one inside, leaving only a line of small words:

"How can a gold-scaled fish be confined to a pond? Upon encountering wind and clouds, it transforms into a dragon."

The handwriting was crooked but still quite imposing.

However, the guards didn't understand it and just wiped it off as a stain.

Meanwhile, a new hot post appeared on the player forum:

"How can this small Baator City trap me, Langli Baitiao! Brother Lang's Northwind Fortress Adventure!"

"Wow, Lang-chu left the main city?"

"Awesome, Brother Lang!"

"No worries, knowing Lang-chu's nature, he'll get himself killed and respawn back soon."

"Good news: after Lang-chu left, Baator City's crime rate has significantly decreased."

"Everyone disperse; let's wait to block him at the respawn point later."

While players were discussing this, Langli Baitiao was frantically running at the edge of Storm Highlands, followed by several ugly hill giants.

"What the heck are these things—"

Langli Baitiao wailed, activating his rogue's dash, his legs almost leaving afterimages.