CHAPTER 365: CHAPTER 10: HELEN TAVERN

Guo Ziyu promised Yue Jinghua that he would notify her and her companions when the next Five Saints Mountain City marketplace occurs.

Only then did the two of them leave the Xuan Beast Store contentedly, following the directions Guo Ziyu had given earlier, and headed towards "Helen Tavern," where most of the town’s mercenaries gather.

Helen Tavern is the largest tavern in town, located in the southeast of the town’s central area.

After walking about a few kilometers, what came into view were five or six old-fashioned rowhouses built with Five Saints Pine.

As dusk approached, there weren’t many patrons, and the people inside the tavern were preparing for the night ahead.

Outside the rowhouses, coated with specially made wax paint in the color of jasmine, atop the roof sat a row of stone chimneys puffing circles of white smoke, like a leisurely old man.

Several carts loaded with oak barrels and kegs were parked outside the tavern.

Five or six topless helpers were transporting grape wines from the south and potent liquors from the northern highlands into the tavern, while slaughtered chickens, ducks, cows, and sheep, freshly frozen, were sent in batches to the kitchen at the back of the tavern.

A few chefs wrapped in greasy aprons stood outside the tavern, setting up a roasting pole as thick as a grown man’s waist.

Inside the metallic roasting pole, filled with glowing pine charcoal, various types of chicken and beef were hung on the sides.

The red-hot roasting pole soon filled the air with the aroma of meat, tantalizing people’s noses and taste buds, symbolizing the coming of night.

As Five Saints Town’s most famous tavern, Helen Tavern consumes every day an amount of liquors and meats that could rival the monthly consumption of a small duchy.

Outside the tavern, groups of mercenaries came and went, and prostitutes baring their greasy-white breasts stood around.

Liquor, delicacies, women - no wonder Helen Tavern is the most popular place among mercenaries in town.

As Shalman and Yue Jinghua approached the tavern, the appearance of the strikingly handsome Shalman elicited whistles from the mercenaries.

Shalman frowned slightly, feeling a bit annoyed; had she known this would happen, she would have dressed up as a man like Yue Jinghua did.

She glanced at Yue Jinghua next to her, who was wearing black clothes with prominent eyebrows, and half a mask that added an air of valiance to her demeanor, without a hint of awkwardness, as if she was quite accustomed to places like this.

According to the message from Luo Lin at the Mercenary Branch, Qin Dongting and Yan Bao often appeared at this tavern.

When Yue Jinghua took over the "Second Generation Soldier" squad, Compass boasted with his fatty body that his awesome squad consisted of all "capable people."

Each member was either from a distinguished background or had unique skills, but then he added weakly that these members had some peculiar temperaments.

He also listed the members’ backgrounds and preferences extremely meticulously, so that Yue Jinghua could "manage" these people better.

"Qin Dongting, illegitimate son of a female mercenary, father unknown, handsome in appearance, reclusive in personality, very popular with the opposite sex.

Yan Bao, skilled in martial arts, son of the Mercenary Strongman Yan Kui, fond of women, a bit rash in character."

After reading the detailed profiles of the two, it was not hard for Yue Jinghua to imagine why such individuals would be difficult to get along with in the "Second Generation Soldier" Mercenary Group; just to mediate between these two was not an easy task.

"Handsome young sir, judging by your unfamiliar face, you must be new here from out of town, right? Would you like Dongdong to accompany you around the town? For a whole night, it’ll only cost you five gold coins," seeing Yue Jinghua’s appearance as a handsome youth, a prostitute with wavy long hair and flamboyant makeup approached her proactively, flirting with Yue Jinghua by throwing a coquettish wink.

While speaking, this woman called Lin Dongdong, with her hands quite boldly wrapped around Yue Jinghua’s arm, presented a full bosom that was difficult for others not to give a sidelong glance at.

The prostitutes from Five Saints Town hailed from various parts of the Eastern Continent. They came in all shapes and sizes, both fair and tan, each with their own unique flair.

This woman, named Dongdong, bore a slight resemblance to the pre-disguised Hong Yao, with her light yellow eyes and long lashes. She seemed quite young, but the frequent nights out and the taint of cigarettes and alcohol left her face under the heavy makeup slightly haggard.

"Two Gold Coins seem a bit steep," Yue Jinghua ignored Shalman’s exaggerated gestures and mimicked Xie Yu’s tone, as if an old hand at the game of love.

Upon hearing this, Dongdong was not annoyed; instead, she appeared rather pleased. Around Xuan Beast Ridge, expenses were high, but most customers were mercenaries. They didn’t come by money easily, but they were extravagant spenders: finding a prostitute for one Gold Coin wouldn’t make them bat an eyelid.

But two Gold Coins were indeed somewhat excessive.

Pretending to stroke Dongdong’s chin, Yue Jinghua teased, "I’ll give you five Gold Coins, and I’ll cover tonight’s drinks too. The only catch is you must answer whatever I ask."

Dongdong was smart; her looks were not particularly standout among the other prostitutes, but Yue Jinghua was quite handsome. Even if it meant spending a night with him, she was willing—especially for the chance to get five Gold Coins.

Without a word, she twisted her serpentine slender waist and led Yue Jinghua and a wide-eyed Shalman toward the tavern.

It was still early, and the tavern wasn’t crowded; the air was filled with the scent of fried onion rings.

"Three Witch’s Red Lips," Dongdong flipped her wavy hair and made a practiced gesture to the barkeeper.

The mixed drink of Bodong red pomegranate juice and fire liquor was served up, fresh pomegranate juice like sunset clouds swirled in the strong alcohol with ice cubes.

The drinks at Helen Tavern weren’t cheap, and Dongdong rarely had the chance to enjoy them. Today, with a generous patron offering to buy, she certainly wasn’t going to hold back.

"Go ahead, ask whatever you want to know. But let me warn you, I’ll only talk about what I should," Helen, who was accustomed to the tavern’s environment, wasn’t foolish enough to think that Yue Jinghua just wanted to treat her to a drink. Every day, a large number of mercenaries entered the tavern, some to drink, others to seek company, but most were there to gather information.

Alcohol, mercenaries, and countless Dan Xuan Cards—these combined to make Five Saints Town one of the most tumultuous places on the continent.

Some people would be drinking in the tavern one evening and then vanish without a trace the next day.

Five Saints Town had its own law enforcement, mainly relying on an Inspection Team from the local Mercenary Branch. But most of the time, the Mercenary Branch turned a blind eye to private brawls and even deaths.

Dongdong extended her red tongue to lick the pomegranate juice from her lips.

Five Gold Coins could buy some information, but it wasn’t enough to buy Dongdong’s life.

After inquiring about some inconsequential news, Yue Jinghua glanced at Dongdong’s slightly drunken eyes, "Well, I’d like to know about Helen Tavern. Who owns this place?" Yue Jinghua was like a slippery eel, always broaching topics in an elusive manner.

Dongdong swallowed an ice cube, looking somewhat dazed. She hadn’t expected Yue Jinghua to ask her such a trivial question.

The owner of Helen Tavern was naturally Helen.

Most who dared to call themselves Helen were likely to be great beauties, and the beauty running Helen Tavern was indeed quite a catch ten years ago.

To manage such a large tavern in Five Saints Town, Helen was not only shrewd but also rumored to have had a dalliance with Sai, one of the legendary Five Mercenary Kings of the continent.

Because of this ambiguous rumor, the mercenaries of Five Saints Town, including the Mercenary Branch, held a degree of restraint towards Helen.

After a brief acknowledgment, Yue Jinghua didn’t delve further. That night, she neither met Helen nor any of the people from Yan Bao and Qin Dongting, yet she still crisply handed Dongdong the promised five Gold Coins.

After receiving the Gold Coins and expressing gratitude, Dongdong squeezed through the jeering and swearing mercenaries and disappeared into the crowd.