One-Eyed Monster

Bunan stretched. Waking up early with a full bladder was not a pleasant experience.

Eyes still heavy with sleep, Bunan stumbled downstairs, swaying with each step. He'd had enough of this tavern; its rooms didn't even have chamber pots. Every time he needed to urinate, he had to run outside and endure the cold.

Luckily, it was morning. If it had been night, he would have gone mad.

He really didn't know how those damned Politicians put up with it. He certainly never wanted to visit this godforsaken place a second time.

He thought he had woken up quite early, but when he reached the foot of the stairs, he vaguely made out a blurry figure hunched over a tavern table. The figure looked like Mayor Babasha.

Can't this old codger sleep either? Starting his day drinking this tavern's cheap swill so early in the morning... How does he even manage to be a Politician?

Bunan felt he had wasted far too much time in this godforsaken place. He had, more than once, proposed to Guard Goding that they return to Luona.

But Guard Goding wouldn't listen to him. Guard Goding still pinned his hopes on that stableman, which was incredibly disappointing. What makes that stableman worthy of such trust? Believing he can find Young Master Hustace based on a mere promise? That's laughable! Everyone knows what Qi Liu is capable of—shoveling horse dung in the stables, and that's it. Things like that don't change. A stableman is always a stableman. No matter how eloquently he might speak, he can't change the fact that he's a stableman's son.

It was a simple truth that everyone understood. There's no such thing as changing one's fate in this world. Anything else is just the wishful thinking of fools.

Bunan had realized this long ago. He didn't daydream about changing his own fate. He'd always believed he would just take over from his old man and become a good candy merchant. The only reason he'd entered Yonder Travel Academy was because his father thought getting close to Governor Rostov's son would benefit their candy business. As for other things, he hadn't considered them at all.

That's why he particularly despised Pifu, that freckle-faced companion of his. The fellow was clearly just a false teeth salesman, yet he insisted on puffing himself up, pretending to be some kind of Politician. He should take a piss and look in the mirror to see what he really was...

Thinking of taking a piss, Bunan felt another pang in his lower abdomen.

He hurried outside to a secluded corner to relieve himself. Afterwards, Bunan felt a wave of relief, but the early morning chill made him shiver all over. He lifted his head; the sun hadn't risen yet. The sky was still dominated by darkness, with only the morning star shining brightly, as if trying to drive away the darkness bit by bit.

The winter in this godforsaken place was truly cold. The cold made Bunan miss Luona even more. Back in Luona, they should be collecting firewood for the Chimney Festival and Demon Festival by now. Thinking of his own hearth POPPING AND CRACKLING, himself lying in a rocking chair, secretly sipping his father's plum wine in small mouthfuls, Bunan felt a warmth spread through his heart. That was what he called living, that kind of comfort! What was this freezing experience supposed to be?

Rushing back into the tavern in three steps and two, Bunan grabbed a bottle of strong liquor from behind the tavern counter and took a swig. The potent liquor stung his chest, and instantly a wave of warmth enveloped his entire body, warding off the cold.

This was the only method he could think of to ward off the cold... This godforsaken place! I'm never coming back here again!

No, I still have to persuade Guard Goding. We should hurry back immediately. We can't just keep doing nothing here. Young Master Hustace has been missing for so long. If we don't go back and explain the situation to Governor Rostov in person, I'm afraid the consequences will be dire. I must find a way to let Lord Goding know that not everything should be reliant on Mail Birds. Sometimes Mail Birds are unreliable. One must report the situation in person to truly show sincerity.

Even he, a future businessman, could figure this out. Why couldn't the high and mighty Adventurers with Class, or a Fighter like Lord Goding, understand it? Bunan was very puzzled.

Of course, this world was sometimes just muddled like that. The more muddled people were, the longer they could live.

Bunan didn't want to think about it anymore. He felt a little regret for his impulsive decision. Although he was Young Master Hustace's follower, and the most loyal kind at that, he still felt his decision to come here had been a bit impulsive. He hadn't considered that Guru Mountain would be like this, and even more so, he hadn't imagined that winter without a fireplace would be this cold...

If he could choose again, he absolutely would not have chosen to come to Guru Mountain. I have to find a way to get Guard Goding to choose to leave this place. It would be fine even if we don't go back to Luona.

After drinking a little liquor, Bunan no longer felt the cold. His body began to heat up from top to bottom. His head, especially, started to feel fuzzy, and his thoughts began to run wild.

At that moment, he saw Lord Babasha again, slumped over the tavern table, motionless.

That old fellow is actually drunk! How can a Politician get drunk...

"Lord Babasha," Bunan called softly. It wasn't fully light yet, and some people were still in dreamland, especially Lord Goding. He mustn't wake them.

After calling out once or twice with no response, Bunan figured Lord Babasha was probably very drunk.

In that case, I'll help you sober up! A mischievous idea popped into Bunan's heated mind...

This kind of mischievousness had also developed from playing cards with the mayor these past two days. When they played cards, no one remembered who they were; everyone was completely immersed in the game, with no distinctions between them.

This camaraderie between card players made Bunan feel he could play a little joke on Mayor Babasha.

I can just apologize to His Lordship afterwards.

Holding the liquor bottle, Bunan walked towards Lord Babasha, grinning.

Strong liquor certainly was strong. Just one gulp made Bunan's head feel a bit hot, and it seemed like quite a bit of heat too.

Because Bunan lifted Lord Babasha's head with one hand and, with the other, stuffed the mouth of the liquor bottle into Mayor Babasha's mouth.

He was pouring liquor down his throat...

How was this helping the Lord Mayor sober up? It was complete and utter nonsense!

"HEH HEH HEH, why aren't you waking up yet, Lord Mayor? Look, this liquor is pretty good! If you don't wake up soon, my hand will get sore," Bunan said, laughing, and his laughter grew louder and louder.

This laughter instantly dispelled the drowsiness of Pifu, who had also been woken by a full bladder.

"Bunan, what are you doing?" Pifu, shaking off his drowsiness, stared in astonishment at the scene before him.

"Helping the Lord Mayor sober up, HA HA HA!" Bunan was laughing as if he'd gone mad.

"You're crazy! He's bleeding!"

"What? HA HA HA!" Bunan continued to laugh uncontrollably.

Pifu quickly ran to the table, forcefully pushed Bunan away, then checked on Lord Babasha. He was terrified. "You're insane! He's stopped breathing, and he's still bleeding!"

"What?!" This time, Bunan understood Pifu's words and sobered up completely in an instant.