novelapdf Chapter 102 Tickets to the Brothel
Chapter 102 Tickets to the Brothel
Chapter 102 Tickets to the Brothel
Deep within the dark, damp alleyways, mountains of rotting garbage piled up, emitting a nauseating stench. This is the shadow beneath the glittering exterior of the city that never sleeps, a corner untouched by the city's dazzling lights.
Gu An leaned against the damp, moss-covered wall. The scorching heat of the broken jade pendant on his chest finally subsided, returning to its cool, still state. He didn't immediately delve into the secrets beneath the Tower of Babel. In this ruthless place, curiosity was often the fastest way to die.
He turned his head slightly and glanced at Shen Wan, who was cowering in the shadows behind him.
At this moment, Shen Wan was dressed in coarse linen clothes, her face covered with yellowish-brown disguise mud, making her look like a mortal maid who was seriously ill and had a withered face. She lowered her head, her body trembling slightly due to weakness and pain, but she remained silent, perfectly playing the role of a "mute medicine slave".
"Can you still walk?"
Gu An's voice was low and hoarse, carrying a cold indifference that kept people at a distance.
Shen Wan nodded with difficulty, reaching out to steady himself against the wall, his knuckles turning white from the effort.
"Let's go. The guard took the spirit stones and only let us into the city, but that doesn't mean we're safe." Gu An pulled down the brim of his straw hat to cover his eyes, which were gleaming with an eerie light. "In this city that never sleeps, without an identity badge, you're just walking sheep, and you could be caught by the law enforcement team at any time and used to fill the sea hole."
The two walked out of the dark alley, one after the other.
Although it was late at night, the streets of the city that never sleeps were still bustling with activity. Shops lined both sides of the street, and various hawkers' cries rose and fell. However, Gu An had no mood to appreciate this prosperous scene. His eyes were constantly scanning his surroundings warily. He led Shen Wan along the less crowded roads and soon arrived at a black stone palace located on the edge of the outer city.
Above the stone hall hangs a plaque with the three large characters "Household Registration Office" written in vigorous strokes, conveying a sense of strict discipline.
This is where you apply for entry permits and temporary residence orders.
A long queue formed at the entrance of the main hall, mostly composed of rogue cultivators like Gu An who had just fled from the outer seas. They were all dressed in rags and looked terrified. Several guards in black iron armor, holding long spears, maintained order with expressionless faces, and any disturbance was met with a whipping.
Gu An and Shen Wan silently lined up at the end of the queue.
The procession ahead moved very slowly, with occasional sounds of arguing and pleas coming from within.
"My lord! Please, I beg you to make an exception! I really only have these five spirit stones on me! The rest—I'll definitely make up for it once I earn the money in town!"
An elderly man at the third level of Qi Refining knelt before the counter, holding several broken spirit stones in his hands, weeping bitterly.
The steward behind the counter didn't even lift an eyelid, coldly waving his hand: "No money? What are you doing in this place that never sleeps if you have no money? This is a den of iniquity, not a charity! Guards, throw him out!"
Two guards immediately stepped forward, dragged the old man out like a dead dog, and threw him onto the street.
"Next." The deacon's voice was icy cold, devoid of any warmth.
As Gu An watched this scene, his hand, hidden in his sleeve, unconsciously touched the storage bag in his arms.
His heart sank.
Although they killed many people and looted some spoils during their escape, most of it consisted of worthless junk or black market goods with obvious markings that couldn't be sold. The truly usable spirit stones had already been mostly used up in bribery and purchasing supplies.
It was Gu An's turn.
He stepped forward, placed two low-grade spirit stones that he had prepared beforehand on the counter, and put on a humble smile: "Immortal Master, we need to apply for two temporary stay permits."
The steward glanced at the spirit stones on the table, then looked up at Gu An's half-festering face, a hint of disgust flashing in his eyes. He then impatiently tapped the table.
"New here? Don't you know the rules?"
The steward pointed to a wooden sign hanging on the wall behind him, "Entry fee: ten low-grade spirit stones per person. Temporary residence permit: five spirit stones per person, valid for one month. Thirty spirit stones in total for two people. Give it to me."
Thirty yuan?!
Although Gu An was mentally prepared, his pupils still contracted sharply when he heard the number.
Thirty low-grade spirit stones would be enough for a menial disciple to save for three years without eating or drinking in the outer sect of the Green Wood Sect! But here, it's just two one-month tickets?
"What? You think it's too expensive?"
The deacon sneered, his gaze turning dangerous. "If you think it's too expensive, you can go back to the sea and feed the fish. The Grand Array of the City That Never Sleeps consumes a massive amount of spirit stones every moment. You outsiders who want to enjoy the array's protection and survive in this only safe zone of the Chaotic Star Sea have to pay!"
Gu An took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed the murderous intent in his heart.
He knew the other person was telling the truth. This was the law of survival in the Chaotic Star Sea: a naked exchange of equivalents.
"Give."
Without wasting words, Gu An reached into his robes and rummaged around for a while before finally pulling out a handful of broken spirit stones and a few dark red bloodstones.
This was all the cash he had on him.
Most of them were found on Zhao Li, the Black Shark Gang steward whom he strangled, and some were the remains of One-Eyed Dragon.
"Splash!"
A pile of spirit stones lay scattered on the counter, varying in size and quality, and even a few blood-stained stones mixed in with them.
The steward picked and chose, throwing back several low-quality spirit stones, then picked up the blood-fiend stones and weighed them in his hand, a greedy smile appearing on his face.
"Blood Fiend Stone—this stuff is a mixed bag, but it does have some market on the black market. Alright, you've got it all."
With a wave of his hand, the deacon swept all the spirit stones into his storage bag, then tossed two dusty iron plaques out of his drawer.
"Here you go. This is the lowest-grade Gray Iron Token, which only allows you to operate within the outer city. If you dare to trespass into the inner city, you will be killed without mercy. Also, the token is valid for one month. If you don't renew it before it expires, the restrictions within the token will automatically trigger an alarm, and the enforcement team will teach you a lesson."
Gu An grabbed the two iron plates. They were cold and rough to the touch, with a simple number and today's date engraved on them.
This is the "protective charm" they bought by going bankrupt.
"Thank you, Immortal Master."
Gu An lowered his head, said thank you in a hoarse voice, then turned around, pulled Shen Wan up, and quickly left the Household Registration Office.
As Gu An stepped out of the main hall, he touched his empty pockets, and an unprecedented sense of urgency welled up in his heart.
No money.
I'm completely broke.
In this place where even breathing costs spirit stones, being penniless means you're not far from death.
"Where are we going?" Shen Wan asked weakly as she followed behind him.
"Find a place to stay."
Gu An looked at the gray iron token in his hand, a ruthless glint in his eyes. "First, settle down, and then—find a way to make money."
The outer district of the city that never sleeps, while not as luxurious as the inner city, is still far more bustling than ordinary market towns.
The streets are lined with inns, restaurants and shops.
Gu An led Shen Wan along the street, asking questions as they went.
"One spirit stone per day for the upper room, five spirit stones for the middle room, and three spirit stones for the lower room."
"A dormitory room? A dormitory room costs one yuan a night, take it or leave it!"
"A cave dwelling? Heh, fellow Daoist, you jest. Even the worst low-grade cave dwelling costs at least fifty spirit stones a month in rent, and you also need a guarantor."
After asking around, Gu An's heart grew colder and colder.
The prices here are ridiculously high.
They don't even have a single complete low-grade spirit stone on them right now, let alone rent a cave dwelling, they can't even afford to stay in the worst shared room at an inn.
"It seems that we have no choice but to go there."
Gu An stopped and turned his gaze to the outermost edge of the city, to the dark and damp slum right next to the city wall.
That place was known as the "rat's nest".
Half an hour later.
Gu An stood in front of a low, dilapidated stone house that smelled of mildew.
The stone house was located at the end of a dead-end alley, half embedded in the rocks of the city wall and the other half constructed from discarded ship planks. The roof leaked air, the walls seeped water, and the floor was crawling with unidentified black insects.
"Three spirit stones per month."
The landlady was a one-eyed old woman with a face full of scars. She held a pipe in her hand, puffing away, and coldly sized up the two of them. "Pay first, then move in. No credit allowed."
Gu An remained silent for a moment, then took out the last Blood Fiend Stone he hadn't had time to use from his pocket. It was the stone he had originally planned to save for cultivation.
"Is this enough?"
The old woman took the Blood Fiend Stone, sniffed it, and a satisfied smile finally appeared on her wrinkled face.
"Not bad condition. Go in. This house is a bit dilapidated, but it's quiet. But let me make this clear: if you die inside, I'll have to deal with the body."
Gu An ignored the creepy rules, took the key, and led Shen Wan into the stone house, which was less than ten square meters in size.
The house was bare except for a wooden bed with a missing leg and a dilapidated stone table.
"Bang."
Gu An closed the rickety wooden door, casually cast a few soundproof spells, and then, like a deflated balloon, slid down to the ground against the wall.
"Finally—I have a place to stay."
He exhaled a long breath, feeling as if every bone in his body was protesting.
Throughout his escape, from Ghostly Valley to the underground river, from the Chaotic Star Sea to the Ghost Mist District, and now to this City That Never Sleeps, he has hardly had a good night's sleep.
Shen Wan walked to the bedside and, without minding the mess, lay down directly. She was too tired. Although the poison damage in her body was temporarily suppressed, the deep-seated weakness tormented her constantly.
"What do we do next?" Shen Wan asked softly, looking at the mold on the ceiling.
Gu An took out the empty storage bag from his pocket, turned it upside down and shook it. Only a few shriveled fasting pills and the broken sword with cracks fell out.
"What else can we do?"
Gu An picked up the broken sword, his fingers gently tracing the cracks on its surface, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. "Back to my old ways."
"Murder and robbery?" Shen Wan turned to look at him.
That's the worst possible solution.
Gu An shook his head. "This is the City That Never Sleeps. The law enforcement team isn't to be trifled with. Besides, looking like this, going to kill someone? We'd probably be the ones getting killed more often."
He stood up, walked to the stone table, divided the few fasting pills into two portions, gave one portion to Shen Wan, and swallowed the other himself.
"I am a spirit farmer and also a poison cultivator."
Gu An chewed on the dry, hard pill, feeling the meager spiritual energy dissipate within his body. "Since this is a den of iniquity, it naturally has its own way of being a den of iniquity."
"You can refine elixirs, I can grow herbs, and I can also make poisons."
Gu An peered through the crack in the window at the dazzling lights in the distance. "What this city that never sleeps lacks most is not spirit stones, but the kind of potent medicine that can unleash a person's potential in dire straits or save their life in a bloodbath."
"You mean—" Shen Wan's eyes lit up slightly.
"black market."
Gu An uttered two words, "Starting tomorrow, I'll go scout the location. You stay here to recover from your injuries, and while you're at it, process those few wisps of cold water algae you brought from the rotten reef, and see if you can refine that Blood Explosion Powder."
"Blood-Exploding Powder?" Shen Wan frowned. "That kind of low-level poison that sacrifices life for a brief burst of power? Would there be a market for something like that?"
"Within the sect, that's a forbidden drug; nobody wants it."
Gu An sneered, a mocking look on his half-festering face. "But here, for those rogue cultivators who have to risk their lives every day to make a living, it's like having an extra life."
"As long as you can survive, let alone overdraw your life, there are plenty of people who would be willing to sell their souls."
Shen Wan was silent for a moment, then nodded: "Okay. As long as I have the materials, I can refine it."
Gu An walked to the corner of the wall and sat down cross-legged.
He didn't start cultivating immediately, but instead took out the Black Shark Gang's steward's token from his pocket.
This token is the only "variable" he currently possesses.
Earlier at the city gate, he risked showing this token not only to avoid the trouble of being checked, but also to test the waters.
To test the Black Shark Gang's influence in this city that never sleeps.
The result satisfied him, but also made him wary.
The guard's reaction upon seeing the token shows that the Black Shark Gang does indeed have some influence here, but only "some," not enough to dominate the entire area.
"Zhao Li is dead, and the One-Eyed Dragon is dead too. This token is now a hot potato with no owner."
Gu An stroked the shark pattern on the token, pondering, "If used well, this might be a stepping stone for us to infiltrate the underground black market. But if we're exposed—"
He didn't continue thinking about it.
In the world of cultivation, risk and reward always go hand in hand.