Chapter 1 Burning Passion (First Part)_1
Five Elements Continent, in the western part of the South Fire Empire, Li Fire City.
In the South Fire Empire, Li Fire City could only be regarded as a medium-sized city, yet it was quite prosperous. The stationed army had only two thousand men, but the security here was surprisingly good. The wide roads were spotlessly clean, with all the main routes paved with the South Fire Empire's distinctive dark red granite. Constructing roads with this stone was not only beautiful but also durable; unless deliberately destroyed, they could last for hundreds of years without an issue.
The time had already reached evening, and the sunset left a gorgeous glow on the horizon, making Li Fire City even more tranquil, as people who had undergone a not-so-busy day of work began their rest hours. Various entertainment venues suitable for the evening also became lively.
Flame Love Bar was one of the most famous bars in Li Fire City, located on a main road in a prime location. Its main color scheme, like most buildings in Li Fire City, was predominantly red, but it was a more vivid red. The tall two-story building was not its biggest selling point; what drew customers in was the outdoor plaza in front of the bar.
The outdoor plaza was about five hundred square meters, with a circular bar ten meters in diameter at its center. Every evening, the most famous bartenders at the Flame Love Bar would mix drinks for guests here, and even on rainy days, this place never lacked patrons, thanks to a canopy that could be drawn over the entire plaza at any time.
There were no winters in the South Fire Empire, which meant that the nights here were never deserted.
At this moment, several bartenders at Flame Love Bar had already taken their positions, and the number of customers in the outdoor plaza gradually increased. For them, this was the busiest moment of the day.
An elderly man in a red robe entered the outdoor plaza. No sooner had he stepped into the area than a server with a beaming smile came to greet him, leading him toward a spot near the central bar. The ten tables surrounding the central bar were not open to ordinary customers; they were reserved for VIP guests, and without a doubt, this red-robed elder was one of them. Moreover, the spot where he sat faced the street, it was the prime 'A' table.
The elderly red-robed figure had white-flecked short hair, a bulbous nose, small eyes, and wasn't very tall; at first glance, he seemed inconspicuous. Yet, the occasional flash of faint red light from his small eyes seemed to possess a captivating power.
"Elder Yang, would you like the usual?" a middle-aged man in a suit approached and bowed slightly to the red-robed elder. Only guests at the VIP tables received such personal attention from the bar owner.
Elder Yang replied somewhat helplessly, "Apart from your signature Passionate Flame Cocktail here that has some taste, there's nothing much that attracts me."
The owner smiled slightly, "Please wait a moment," as he said this, he turned and snapped his fingers at the oldest bartender behind the central bar. The bartender immediately understood, took out a clean crystal liquor pot, and swiftly began his first and most important task of the day.
Soon, various liquors were poured into the wine mixing pot in sequence, a strainer was inserted, the lid closed, and the wine mixing pot began to cheerfully dance in the bartender's hands.
"""Given that the wine mixing pot was made of transparent white crystal, during the process of mixing the drink, the color of the liquor inside could be clearly seen. Under the skilled and swift shaking of the bartender, the red liquid in the pot danced up and down like a cluster of flames, which was quite a sight to behold. When the fiery cluster finally calmed down in the bartender's hands, the lid of the pot had somehow opened, and the bartender poured the dark red liquid into a Martini Glass. A shimmer from the nearby lantern suddenly ignited a pale red flame above the drink; the rich and slightly spicy aroma of the liquor wafted through the air."""
"""The seasoned bartender of the Flame Love Bar exhibited actions as smooth as flowing clouds and water, and the aroma of the cocktail with its special trait – the Passionate Flame Cocktail – immediately garnered applause and smiles from the nearby patrons. Elder Yang was no exception, nodding at the bartender; when his gaze landed on the drink, his small eyes revealed an eager anticipation."""
"""Before long, the fine drink was delivered to Elder Yang. He took the glass directly from the waiter's hand, sipped it without any regard for the flames burning on top of the liquid, breathed a long sigh, and praised the bar owner, "Good, the Burning Passion is still tasteful. After five years, it still makes this old drinker yearn for more. No wonder your business is booming.""""
""""It's a pleasure to hear you're satisfied,"" the bar owner replied with a respectful smile."""
"""Just then, a discordant voice suddenly arose from the side, "This is considered good liquor? It's trash." The voice wasn't loud and sounded somewhat hoarse and weak, but it did nothing to conceal the arrogance in the words."""
"""Hm?" Both the bar owner and Elder Yang almost simultaneously turned toward the direction of the voice. Unbeknownst to them, a small beggar had squatted down not far from a table. His gaze was fixed on the Passionate Flame Cocktail, and his dull eyes were filled with disdain."""
"""The bar owner frowned slightly, fixing a stern look at a waiter not far away; only then did the waiter notice the presence of the small beggar and hastily made his way over, "I'm sorry, boss, I didn't see him come in.""""
"""The bar owner waved his hand, signaling the waiter to quickly remove the small beggar to avoid disrupting the business. In front of Elder Yang, he couldn't afford to appear too forceful."""
"""The beggar stood up on his own, face grimy, small in stature, appearing to be only around eleven or twelve years old. His hair was a tousled mess, seemingly unwashed for many days, and unavoidably, there was an unpleasant smell about him."""
"""The waiter approached with a look of disgust, about to pull him away, when Elder Yang spoke up, "Wait a moment." Without the need for a signal from the bar owner, the waiter quickly withdrew his hand and looked hesitantly at Elder Yang."""
"""Elder Yang's eyes landed on the small beggar, "Young lad, did you just say that this glass of Burning Passion isn't good? I wonder where you've seen better liquor, please share." Pursuing fine drinks was one of his greatest interests in life."""
"""The bar owner quickly interjected, "Elder Yang, he's just a small beggar, what would he know? Don't let him spoil your enjoyment of the drink." The people of the South Fire Empire loved their liquor the most. Naturally, the competition in the liquor industry was fiercely intense. The owner was indeed afraid that the little beggar might mention some other bar in town that served fine drinks and attract away this esteemed customer. After all, having Elder Yang come to his bar every day to drink wasn't just a matter of how much income it brought."""