At that moment, a police officer walked by, frowning as he looked at Julian. "Kid, did you kick the lamp post? According to imperial law, damaging public property is punishable. Do you know…"
Julian looked at the officer as if he were a snarling dog. Without waiting for him to finish, he impatiently pulled out a roll of one-dollar bills from the other pocket of his pants, casually tossed five bills on the ground, and turned to leave.
The officer initially wanted to teach this impolite young man a lesson, but upon seeing the five bills starting to flutter in the wind on the ground, he immediately abandoned his previous thoughts, bent down, and picked them up, stuffing them into his pocket.
He adjusted his police hat and continued patrolling his territory with an air of arrogance as before.
Just like… a dog circling around its own territory!
At around seven in the evening, as the city lights began to illuminate, the remote small town of Ternell revealed a different beauty under the glow.
The dim streetlights cast fleeting shadows of pedestrians, adding a unique charm to the atmosphere.
The Golden Crystal Bar is located on 14th Street in Ternell, situated in the eastern part of the city near the north, making it part of the outer core of the city. It is a mid range bar, designed and constructed by a professional team, boasting a decent style. Additionally, the bar is known for its excellent security, making it an attractive place for the middle class to enjoy their leisure.
It is said that the owner of Golden Crystal was once a big boss of a gang but was later arrested and imprisoned for some reason. After serving his sentence, he did not return to the gang; instead, he opened this bar with his savings. This bar is located in the territory of his former gang, and leveraging his past connections and status, few would dare to cause trouble here. Simultaneously, other gangs often choose Golden Crystal as a location for negotiations or transactions.
Gradually, Golden Crystal Bar became the most unique bar in Ternell.
The first floor is filled with ordinary customers, while the second floor is often a gathering place for gang members, with the owner of Golden Crystal becoming a well known intermediary.
Dave informed Julian about Golden Crystal. During his time in prison, Dave had interacted with many gang members and made several acquaintances, but he never joined any gang. On one hand, the populist atmosphere within the gangs was more pronounced, and the disdain and contempt the Ordinians people held for other failed races was strong; they were unwilling to let the Guar people "pollute" their gangs. On the other hand, some gangs that extended invitations to Dave were not interested in his future but hoped he could become a sharp blade in their hands to assist them in dangerous tasks.
In this situation, Dave would certainly refuse. Even if he was forced to walk this path in the future, he hoped to join a Guar gang, such as the fellowship.
To Dave, the fellowship was a gang; it was just that this gang understood better how to hide its claws.
Julian brought Graf and Dave along for the meeting, and the three entered Golden Crystal Bar. When the doorman saw Julian and Dave, he briefly blocked their way. According to imperial law, minors under the age of sixteen are prohibited from entering bars. Despite this law being trampled countless times by bar owners and the sight of underage girls seeking thrills in nearly every bar, there are times when superficial work still needs to be done.
"This place doesn't welcome minors!"
Julian remained silent, gazing at the person blocking his way. Graf stepped up from behind, pushing the man's arm aside. The man stumbled back a step and instinctively hid his hand behind his back, "What are you blocking for? Don't you see this is our chairman?"
The man, who was about to reach for something, paused, then pulled his hand out, his face turning cold. "A chairman this small? Heh… your gang is something else!" He shrugged his shoulders, adjusted his clothes, and said, "Go on in, but remember, don't cause any trouble. Otherwise, no one can save you."
Julian looked at him; the guy stared straight ahead as if unaware Julian was watching him. Julian shook his head with a smile, turning his gaze away and walking straight into the bar.
The atmosphere in the bar was relaxed, with blue lights illuminating everything inside without being harsh, creating a unique ambiance. To the left upon entering was a staircase. After climbing the stairs, they encountered four people blocking the way at the top.
One of them carefully scrutinized the three ascending the stairs, revealing a hint of a smile. "You must be from the fellowship, right? Morris is already here, waiting for you. Please hand over any weapons or similar items; this is to ensure everyone's safety, and I hope you understand."
This is why many people are willing to use this place as a transaction or negotiation spot; the boss of Golden Crystal can ensure the safety of both parties, making people willing to trade and negotiate here.
Graf handed over the dagger he had on him and stepped aside. Dave pulled out a small knife, about ten centimeters long, from his pocket and also surrendered it. After a thorough search, the three were allowed to proceed together. While being searched was not a pleasant experience, Julian could understand it and was also very interested in the boss of Golden Crystal.
Negotiations like his with Morris require a payment of fifty bucks; this fee is split among the participating factions. This means Julian needed to pay twenty five bucks. It was not a large sum; all the gangs could afford it, and as long as he could guarantee safety, twenty five bucks was a reasonable price.
With the staff's guidance, they arrived at the third room. After knocking on the door, the staff waited for about half a minute before opening it and standing outside.