His life proceeded without any changes. After picking out his equipment, he returned to the inn, met Liz, and then went to their meetup point only to find no one there.
Lu Mao continued to push forward with his leveling plan.
Three days passed like this, and Lu Mao took on a subjugation quest in the Blood Fiend Dungeon, using the opportunity to return to the Succubus Tavern.
He had to admit, the tavern was located in an extremely remote spot. If he hadn't been chased by monsters back then, he probably would have never found this place in his entire life.
Today, the tavern was unusually quiet.
The hall was completely empty, and even the light from the moss lamps seemed dimmer than usual.
The reason probably lay in front of the bar counter.
A figure wearing a dark, high-collared cloak was sitting there with his back to the door.
The fabric of the cloak was clearly of superb quality, casting a dull, silky sheen under the dim light. Pinned to his collar was a dark red brooch shaped like a bat spreading its wings.
His fingers resting on the bar counter were long and pale. His fingertips lightly touched the rim of his glass, and faint, dark-blue veins were visible beneath his skin.
From Lu Mao's angle, he could only see the man's profile—his cheekbones were high, his sideburns meticulously trimmed, and his hair was an extremely pale silver-white, combed back neatly.
He was talking to the tavern owner, his voice kept very low, his tone leisurely.
Lu Mao stood at the door for a moment, and his system panel had already popped up.
【Target: ■■■·■】
【Race: Vampire】
【Level: ???】
【Status: Relaxed and leisurely, though the target seems to have focused his attention on the host.】
【Remarks: Not here to cause trouble. At least, not for now.】
Another guy whose depths can't be seen... Lu Mao was already used to it.
“An adventurer? Now that's rare—since when did your tavern start hosting humans?”
“My tavern is never picky about customers.”
Chen Jiu took a slender glass bottle filled with a scarlet liquid from the wine cabinet behind him. It cast a dull luster under the moss lamps.
He pulled out the cork, and a complex aroma blending rust and aged berries drifted over the bar counter.
The vampire's grayish-blue pupils flared slightly for an instant, his nostrils twitching imperceptibly.
“This is my special Blood Brew.”
Chen Jiu placed the bottle on the bar counter and pushed it toward the vampire. “Consider it the final payment for the last piece of intelligence.”
The vampire took the bottle, tapped his fingertips twice on its body, and tucked it into the inner side of his cloak.
He picked up the remaining wine on the table, tilted his head back, and drained it. When he set the empty cup back on the bar, the bottom clicked against the wooden grain with a soft, muffled thud.
Then he turned his head, his grayish-blue pupils landing on Lu Mao.
“Heavily shrouded in death energy. What have you been dealing with lately?”
Before Lu Mao could answer, Chen Jiu spoke up first:
“Just in time. Lu Mao, come and meet your Uncle Dan. He's quite a prominent figure in this dungeon.”
There was a hint of teasing in his tone.
Hearing the title “Uncle,” the vampire's expression visibly soured.
Vampires valued bloodlines above all else. Now, he was being claimed as an uncle by a fellow who didn't possess a single drop of vampire blood.
If the kid had decent strength, it might be tolerable, but he was just so...
If these words hadn't come from the tavern owner himself, he would have definitely flipped the table on the spot.
“First of all, it's Asazo Dan. Furthermore, I don't believe our friendship has reached the point where we can casually claim relatives for each other.”
Asazo's voice wasn't loud, and his tone was cold, but he had indeed developed an interest in this human.
He knew exactly what kind of person Chen Jiu was.
Though Chen Jiu claimed that anyone who walked through his door was a guest, if a worthless piece of trash tried to cozy up to him, that wooden door wouldn't even open half an inch wider.
This young man named Lu Mao had no mana circuit, and his Physique was completely negligible. Normally, someone like him wouldn't even get a second glance if he walked past Chen Jiu's bar.
But judging by how familiar they seemed to be, this kid likely harbored some unspeakable secret.
Asazo stood up, gave his cloak a flick, and walked toward the door.
He didn't stop as he passed by Lu Mao's side, merely glancing sideways at him, though he clearly couldn't discern anything.
He pushed open the wooden door, and the humid, warm air of the dungeon rushed in.
In the next instant, his body dissolved into a cloud of black mist at the doorway. Dozens of grey-winged bats burst from the mist, silently sweeping past the moss lamps on the tunnel ceiling before disappearing into the dim fork in the road.
Chen Jiu picked up the glass the vampire had used, wiping it absentmindedly with a cloth as he looked up at Lu Mao.
“You wouldn't have come all this way for no reason. I wager you have at least three things to say.”
In Lu Mao's impression, the man always seemed to be doing things like this, either mixing drinks or wiping glasses—and occasionally cooking a dish or two in the kitchen.
He didn't look like a powerhouse at all.
“You're right. In about seven days, the Adventurers' Guild headquarters will dispatch several Dragon Rank adventurers to Rhode City—
“Under the guise of auditing the Rhode City branch, they are actually secretly investigating you and your tavern, Boss.”
Lu Mao noticed that Chen Jiu's wiping motion paused for a fraction of a second.
“This intelligence is indeed very important. It seems you've died again.”
Lu Mao didn't answer directly, which was as good as tacitly admitting it:
“One of those Dragon Rank adventurers is a genuine humanoid dragon. Because my record for exceptional promotion doesn't hold water, she's going to make an example out of me.”
Lu Mao paused, reconsidering the consequences. “My best-case scenario would probably be getting expelled, never to work as an adventurer again—and of course, being kicked out of my party is inevitable.”
“What is this dragon's name?”
“Novia.”
Chen Jiu nodded to show he understood.
“This matter is indeed beyond your capabilities. I will handle it.”
Hearing this, Lu Mao suddenly felt so happy he could cry.
Was this what it felt like to have a backer?
Dealing with a Dragon Rank adventurer just like that—so satisfying!
With a relieved heart, Lu Mao proceeded to bring up the other two matters.
One was about the treatment plan for Misha's younger sister, Liz, and the other was asking what the dungeon's altar actually was.
Unsurprisingly, he hit a wall on both counts.
“As for Blood-Thirst Syndrome, I do have a way to delay its onset, but I won't waste my energy on a patient who can't bring me any profit.
“If you want a complete cure, you'll have to find that ancient vampire from earlier. He definitely has a way to deal with Blood-Thirst Syndrome.”
Chen Jiu still maintained his usual attitude of putting a price tag on everything:
“However, vampires detest humans afflicted with Blood-Thirst Syndrome the most. In their beliefs, such individuals are considered heretics. Even if I were to ask him to do this, it would cost me a significant price.”
Though disappointed, Lu Mao understood Chen Jiu's stance.
If it were a minor matter he could resolve easily, helping out wouldn't be an issue.
But curing Blood-Thirst Syndrome was clearly not one of them.
“As for the altar... with your current level, you can't get involved anyway, so there's no need to know.”
Since the tavern owner had put it that way, there was no need for him to keep worrying about the altar in the future.
Before leaving, Lu Mao spent a gold coin to buy two pots of Premium Stinky Wine.
Friendship price—buy one, get one free.
Rate on N.U.
