Chapter 3: The Kiss of Sacred Fire

Even during the day, the neon-colored sign shone brightly, displaying the four large characters "West Town Tavern."

Compared to the glory days of the Hub City, the location of the West Town Tavern was merely on the outskirts.

Now, the once-bustling city center had long turned into ruins, becoming a hunting ground for scavengers struggling for survival.

On the other hand, the outskirts had suffered little damage.

Thanks to the investment from the Merchant Guild, workers had pieced together steel bars and iron sheets scavenged from the wreckage to build the West Town Tavern on this empty lot.

A massive power turbine was forcefully embedded into the wall, and the tavern owner filled it with fuel every week, lighting up the bulbs, making the tavern the only building in the entire Hub Station that remained brightly lit throughout the night.

At this moment, Lu Meng was being blocked at the door by the bartender.

Zhang He exhaled deeply, then glared sharply at this scavenger.

He had worked at the West Town Tavern for five or six years, and it was the first time he had seen a scavenger navigate so effortlessly to the tavern and stride in as if he were a regular guest.

Moreover, Lu Meng had caught him napping at the front desk, and had it not been for the shabby rags on his body, he might have mistaken him for just another regular customer, given his demeanor.

Zhang He furrowed his brows. "What do you want here?" he asked. "Don't say I didn't warn you—offend anyone inside, and I'll break your legs before tossing you out."

While there were no explicit rules in the Hub Station's taverns against letting scavengers in, everyone knew that the chef at West Town Tavern was renowned even outside the station for his exceptional skills. Coupled with the fresh ingredients brought in by the merchants, the finely prepared dishes were a luxury that even the average resident of Hub Station could seldom afford.

Not to mention the scavengers, who were often struggling just to survive.

Lu Meng didn't answer. Instead, he pulled out nine 50-unit coins from his pocket and spread them out in front of Zhang He.

Thanks to his memories of the game, Lu Meng knew exactly where to find valuable relics in the ruins. Over the past six months, he had honed his survival skills while scavenging for items.

Once he gained enough ability to protect himself, he gradually started selling the high-value items he found to the black market, which contributed to his gradually growing reputation.

This was why ordinary scavengers like Huo Buyang thought Lu Meng was a newcomer to Hub Station, having only appeared in the past three months.

But Zhang He merely scoffed.

450 coins was indeed a substantial sum for a scavenger, but the people who frequented the West Town Tavern weren't the neighborhood district managers or the powerful leaders of various streets.

Zhang He had seen more than enough to know that 450 coins was nothing special.

"You bring your entire fortune..." Zhang He said, reaching to swipe the coins away.

But to his surprise, Lu Meng swiftly gathered the coins back up, stacking them expertly in his hand before pushing them into Zhang He's palm.

Before Zhang He knew what had happened, Lu Meng had already put on a smile.

"Zhang Ge, I just want to have a drink, no other intentions," he said.

Zhang He raised an eyebrow, feeling the texture of the coins in his palm. "Our alcohol is truly one of a kind..."

"Don't worry, Zhang Ge, I promise I won't disturb the gentlemen inside," Lu Meng assured him.

"Fine, fine, you go on in," Zhang He said, handing the coins back to his pocket after squeezing them a few more times. "But remember, keep it down."

As Lu Meng entered the tavern, Zhang He paused for a moment, counting the coins in his pocket before mumbling to himself, "Never seen a scavenger so generous before... Wait, does he know me? Do I have such a big name already? Or did he hear about me from somewhere?"

There were no explicit rules against it, and Zhang He was getting an extra half month's worth of wages, so he didn't turn it down.

---

Inside the tavern, the lighting was dim.

Groups of people huddled in the smoke, whispering amongst themselves, while others gathered to seek a little joy and solace.

But the most eye-catching presence in the room was the woman behind the bar in a black leather jacket.

She had deep blue eyes, fair skin, and a petite figure, looking completely out of place in this environment.

Wei Hong rested her chin in one hand, propped up on the bar counter, looking like a bartender who didn't want to work.

In reality, she was the true manager of the tavern, running the day-to-day operations.

As she sensed the occasional curious gaze, she sighed.

"What was the boss thinking, making me run the bar? With all that energy, might as well kill a few more holy kingdom dogs."

But since Wei Hong took over the West Town Tavern, the sales had skyrocketed, so at least she had contributed to raising the funds.

While Wei Hong was lost in thought, a tall figure blocked the light coming from the bar.

Wei Hong frowned. "If you want a drink, go ask the bartender. Don't stand in my way."

Despite being the bartender, she was very straightforward in turning people away.

The figure didn't budge.

It was none other than Lu Meng, who had walked straight from the door to the bar.

"I'll have a 'Kiss of Sacred Fire,'" Lu Meng said.

Wei Hong's expression suddenly changed. "What did you say?"

Although the tavern was not small, and their conversation was muted enough that the other guests couldn't overhear, Lu Meng's scavenger attire still raised some eyebrows.

A few people were intrigued, while others were itching to deal with this bold kid who seemed to be bothering their cherished tavern.

Lu Meng repeated in an even tone, unwavering and calm, "One glass, the Kiss of Sacred Fire."

Someone grabbed Lu Meng.

It was Zhang He, who had just come to his senses.

He thought for a moment, but still felt something was off. Just as he was about to lift the door curtain and peek inside to see if that kid was behaving, he happened to witness this scene.

He quickly rushed over and grabbed Lu Meng, pulling him towards the outside.

As he apologized to Wei Hong, explaining that Lu Meng had barged in by himself, he muttered to Lu Meng in a low, harsh tone, "You little brat! Do you think you're my brother now? I told you not to stir up trouble, and you go ahead and cause it by messing with this big shot! Come on, let's go."

Zhang He couldn't help but feel regret.

He thought the most Lu Meng would do was ask for a drink, something strong enough to numb the nerves of a nervous scavenger.

But he never expected this clueless scavenger to go straight for Wei Hong.

It wasn't just about whether the guy could afford the drink; causing trouble for the old lady was one thing, but getting kicked out was the least of the consequences—he might even end up being punished himself.

"Stop."

This was it. Zhang He broke out in a cold sweat.

The old lady was going to keep him here, and it seemed like the situation couldn't be resolved peacefully.

Seeing the 450-kai coins, Zhang He prepared to try and talk things down, though more importantly, he needed to prevent this person from spilling the beans.

"Zhang He, go grab a chair and let our guest sit," Wei Hong said without even glancing at Zhang He, her eyes focused on Lu Meng, gleaming with an unreadable light. "The Kiss of Sacred Flame, huh...?"

"Please wait."

Zhang He was stunned. He had never seen Wei Hong treat a customer this way.

And what was the "Kiss of Sacred Fire"? It wasn't even on their menu.

Meanwhile, Lu Meng sat down leisurely, enjoying the show.

Wei Hong's gaze was calm and focused. She held a steel-colored cocktail shaker in her hands, deftly pouring tequila and mint syrup into the shaker, then shaking it vigorously to mix the ingredients thoroughly.

Her movements were smooth and precise, every shake in rhythm, with the shaker in her hand making a crisp sound as if it were a nimble musical instrument.

Finally, Wei Hong poured the mixed drink into a glass and retrieved some viscous liquid from a jar behind her. She then lit the liquid on fire at the rim of the glass, the flames swirling as she stirred it.

It looked like an eternal holy flame.

Lu Meng knew that the viscous liquid was actually the fuel used by the bar to generate electricity.

In reality, the so-called "Kiss of Sacred Fire" was not a drink regularly sold at the Western Town Tavern, nor was it something any normal person could drink.

Ordering the "Kiss of Sacred Fire" at the Western Town Tavern could only mean one thing—it was a secret signal.

"I need your help."

Now, only Wei Hong and Lu Meng sat at the bar, staring at the "Holy Fire" drink pushed in front of them. Lu Meng spoke softly.

Wei Hong didn't respond immediately. She poured herself a glass of regular beer and sipped it slowly, one mouthful at a time.

Lu Meng didn't rush her. For a while, the only sound in the air was the bubbling of the liquid in the "Holy Fire" as it sizzled under the heat.

Finally, Wei Hong spoke softly, "Do you want a slice of lemon?"

Lu Meng replied just as quietly, "Add a sunflower."

"Are you from Rebirth Town?" Wei Hong asked, her expression changing for the second time, though this time more in awe.

They had exchanged the signal, and there were no moles; the trade had begun.

Lu Meng cursed inwardly, but nodded.

The merchant who built the Western Town Tavern was not like the other merchants who came to the Hub Station. Their background was much bigger.

The Holy Empire, the most powerful of the three great nations on the continent, with the largest population and the most fertile land.

The Hub Station had once been a key town in the southern part of the Holy Empire.

However, the Holy Empire was founded on the Orthodox Church of Oakland, and their fanatical beliefs oppressed all heretics, non-human races, and women, while also being fiercely opposed to technology.

Those who violated their doctrines were sent to "Rebirth Town" to work themselves to death as a way to repent for their sins, a process falsely called "rebirth."

The Liangshui Merchant Group, or more specifically, the Wandering Assassination Group, was formed by a group of people who could no longer tolerate the Holy Empire's oppression. They were the largest resistance group facing the Holy Empire.

The Western Town Tavern was a front set up by the Wandering Assassination Group under the guise of a merchant station, used to gather information and fundraise for the organization.

For secrecy, when the Wandering Assassination Group made contact with their agents at the Western Town Tavern, they used different cocktails to convey messages.

The "Kiss of Sacred Fire" was the highest-level signal, representing an agent from the northern headquarters, and "sunflower" was a local specialty from near Rebirth Town. Lu Meng said this to indicate his origins.

Of course, the part about himself was a lie.

This information had been pieced together during his months spent in the Western Town Tavern within a game, and he had even written a guide about it on the forums.

"My name is Wei Hong," Wei Hong introduced herself.

Her face was a little flushed from the alcohol, and her voice carried a hint of excitement. "Rebirth Town... Anyone who can live through that place is no ordinary person."

She had never been to Rebirth Town, but she knew that those who escaped from it were legendary figures within the Wandering Assassination Group.

Except for her own boss... Well, putting aside personal grievances, let's say.

She was, after all, an agent from the headquarters!

"Mm, nine lives in one..." Lu Meng responded, meeting Wei Hong's gaze, which somehow held admiration. He could only speak ambiguously, pretending that the past was too painful to revisit.

Although Lu Meng claimed to know the NPCs in the game like the back of his hand, he had never encountered Wei Hong in the game.

Not in the Hub Station, and not in the Wandering Assassination Group.

When he first entered the tavern and found the bartender to be a pretty young woman instead of the familiar old man from the game, he thought he might be in trouble.

But fortunately, Wei Hong wasn't as hard to deceive as the old trickster. In fact, she was easier to handle.

What a shame—she was a good girl.

Lu Meng's journey began ten years before the game's opening, and there was no sign of Wei Hong in the game, which could only mean one thing:

Wei Hong had already ceased to exist during these ten years.

"By the way, let's get down to business," Wei Hong said, suppressing her excitement. Since coming to the Hub Station for guerrilla warfare, she hadn't seen her fellow members of the Wandering Assassination Group for a long time.

"What do you need me to do?"