Xiao Lei gulped the last bits of Ever-Seasons Liquor and he felt extremely dizzy but he did not care, he has deep pockets, he could ask for more. He raised his hand to the only waiter of Wu's Delicacy Tavern, and said, "Hey, one more jug of Ever-Seasons Liquor please!"
The waiter seemed taken aback but Xiao Lei naturally did not care. As he became even more drunk, it felt as though he was invincible, he did not eve care anything what other people felt about him. He just wanted to drink, drink and drink until he passed out.
"May I join you?"
A sudden voice coming from beside him interrupt Xiao Lei's pleasurable drinking. He took a look at the person, it was Wu's Delicacy Tavern's only waiter. He was currently smiling. Xiao Lei frowned upon interruption but he just nodded.
"Alright," Xiao Lei said before returning to sipping the liquor.
However, he could still feel the piercing gaze of the waiter, and he was now beginning to be uncomfortable. After few seconds, Xiao Lei could no longer bear it, he said, "What do you want?"
"You seemed to be in trouble, Young Master," The waiter, Jiang Ye, immediately replied. "I am a good listener, you can tell me anything and I will just listen."
"Piss off," Xiao Lei scoffed. He naturally did not want anyone hearing how miserable his life was, specially being a carefree young master as the outsiders see it. "I don't need you, just go back to work."
"Oh, that's no good," Jiang Ye shook his head as he said this. "Sulking alone will just give on despair. I promise, I will never tell anyone about this."
"No," Xiao Lei snapped. "You are a goddamn waiter, what you should be doing is serving people not pissing them off."
Jiang Ye nodded, as though he respected what he was saying, but he still continued pestering him. "Did you know? Wu Hantian, the owner of this tavern, was once a commoner?"
"What of it?" Xiao Lei frowned when he heard this. He naturally knew what Jiang Ye was talking about, but he did not understand where this was going.
"The thing is, before making it big, I am actually the one pulling the strings to help him become successful," Jiang Ye lied with a straight, unchanging face as he smiled.
"Hmph!" Xiao Lei snorted. "You are bullshitting me, you? Mere waiter, or servant? Don't make me laugh."
Jiang Ye's smile faltered upon hearing this. Then, he chuckled for a bit, and said, "Impressive, you actually managed to see through my web of lies, even while you're under the influence of alcohol."
"Is that so? I almost did not see through you because, well, your lie is truly amazing. Even geniuses will fall for that," Xiao Lei said sarcastically.
Jiang Ye's face turned grim when he heard this. He was truly a horrible liar. Just because his lie worked on the other nobles when he introduced himself, that does not mean anything to this young master.
"I admit I did lie to you," Jiang Ye helplessly said. "but I just wanted to help you, young master."
"No," Xiao Lei shook his head. "Even if I tell you, you won't understand."
"I understand," Jiang Ye said as he fished out some paper with a drawing to the table. "After all, I have a much miserable life than you."
Xiao Lei huffed then took a lot at the piece of paper lying on the table. It seemed to be some wanted poster of a young man named Jiang Ye. No, it was actually not a wanted poster, but a profile of this fugitive that was sent to every members of the Warrior's Council.
"What is this?" Xiao Lei looked at Jiang Ye in confusion. "What does this have to do anything with my life?"
"I supposed I should tell you about the life of Jiang Ye," Jiang Ye said, smiling. Without even waiting for Xiao Lei to reply, he started, "When Jiang Ye was a little boy, he did not know his parents. In fact, the people around him said that he was abandoned in a slum. Jiang Ye never experienced living in a house, no one adopted him and at just a truly young age of four, he was already wandering the streets of Red Pond Town…"
Jiang Ye began to tell his entire life to Xiao Lei, every single miserable detail. He did not tell any happy moments that had happened in his life, and instead just full of negatives. He made them more exaggerated for dramatic effect. Maybe this will work, Jiang Ye gambled, if he can't tell a lie, he could just tell the truth.
As Jiang Ye recounted every moments of his life, he finally reached the time when he escape. "Jiang Ye escaped the slavery camp and had gone to Red Pond Town, where he defeated a powerful martial cultivator named Pei Long. After that, he left again, never seen again."
Xiao Lei looked at Jiang Ye in shock. He did not expect that anyone could have such an unlucky life, being framed as the thief of the Domain Lord's cultivation technique (Jiang Ye lied here), and now a fugitive facing the wrath of Warrior-General Liang Xuan.
However, Xiao Lei could feel a creeping suspicion rising within him. Something seemed strange, but it does not seem like this waiter was lying, at least not completely.
Then, Xiao Lei suddenly chuckled, and said, "How did you know about this guy's, Jiang Ye's, entire—"
At that moment, Xiao Lei stopped as he noticed something. Then he shifted his gaze at the poster and looked at Jiang Ye again, who was now smiling dangerously. "You… you are—?"
"Exactly," Jiang Ye chimed in. "You see, we are both running from something. I was running from the law, from the Warrior's Council, from the wrath of the Domain Lord. And you…"
Jiang Ye paused for a moment before continuing. "You are also running."
Xiao Lei's eyes widened when he realized he was exposed. "How did you know?"
"Look around you."
Xiao Lei did as what Jiang Ye said and took a quick glance around. "What about it?"
"You noticed they were eating and drinking, but mostly drinking, yes?" Jiang Ye replied.
"Yeah, I can see that," Xiao Lei nodded his head.
"There were many types of people who drink alcohol, but they are generally divided into three categories.
"The first one are those drinking to celebrate," Jiang Ye pointed at a group of nobles, laughing out loud. "After all, drinking liquor is one of the ways to reward yourself, right?"
Xiao Lei nodded his head in understanding, his head was extremely clear right now as if he did not drink so much jugs of Ever-Seasons Liquor earlier.
"The second type of people who drink," Jiang Ye then shifted his pointed finger to another person, a man who was drinking alone, just like Xiao Ye, but does not seem so extreme in drinking. "are people who just wanted to relax after doing work. They used alcohol to wind up and stay refreshed before going home."
Xiao Lei could only nod to what Jiang Ye was saying. He had a point, but that does not seem related to his situation right now. So he thought of the third type, wondering what it was.
"And now, the last type," Jiang Ye retracted his fingers and just eyed Xiao Lei intensely. "are people who had just experienced a miserable moment of their life. Those people used alcohol to run away from whatever it was."
Xiao Lei just looked down on the table when he heard. Of course, he was completely correct. He had thought of his life right now. He was feeling extreme pressure form the Xiao Clan, often being compared to his brothers who were a lot talented than him and the eldest had even advanced to the Meridian Opening Stage. Spending time with girls was a thing did to lessen the pressure and make him distracted from all this. But now he was feeling ashamed of himself.
"I was…the fourth young master of Xiao Clan, Xiao Lei," Xiao Lei muttered, his voice shaking.
Jackpot! Jiang Lei's eyes widened in surprise and the corner of his lips curled upwards but Xiao Lei naturally did not notice it. He actually fished a big shot young master from one of the major clans in Black Dust Domain.
Xiao Lei bit his lips as he began to recount about his life, just as what Jiang Lei did earlier. However, unlike Jiang Lei, Xiao Lei told him every bits of his life without lies or exaggeration. He even told him about how used his time to spend girls just to run away from the expectations of the Xiao Clan on his shoulder.
As Jiang Ye heard all of this, he realized that not all born-nobles were blessed with incredible life. Most of them were living the life of constant expectations, and if you were not talented enough, you will plunge deep into the abyss of disdain and cruelty.
Jiang Ye could only lament how depressing this young master's life was. He suddenly remembered about that certain phrase he had heard in his childhood. Being compared to someone does not motivate you, it kills you.
After Xiao Lei finished telling his story, Jiang Ye was about to say something, but the former gritted his teeth, and said with a voice full of hatred, "I really hate my father. I fucking hate him. He is the reason why mother—my beloved mother—abandoned him, forced to give up on us! I wanted him to die, but I don't have means to do so. I really hope he will rot in hell some day. And if I have an opportunity, I will kill him!"
Jiang Ye just looked at Xiao Lei with an utter speechlessness. He did not know what to say. He just felt an intimidating aura that radiated from this guy when he heard those words. It was chilling, and it deeply terrified him.
Killing.
For Jiang Ye, that words seemed extremely distant for him. From his childhood until now, never once in his life had he claimed a life before. Not even a chicken or a pig. Because, he knew, life was precious. Sure, he had beaten up someone before, but he never killed. The concept of claiming a life sickened him. However, a creeping dread rose within him. Someday, he thought, I will reach the point where I have no choice, but to end someone.
"Is there something wrong?" Jiang Ye snapped out when he heard this so he just forced a smile and replied, "No, I'm just thinking of something. But…"
"But what?" Xiao Lei said, his face looked quite read due to the hatred he just released earlier.
Jiang Ye took a deep breath, and said, "The monthly Eight-Clans Underground Trade is about to commence 2 days later, right?"
"Yes," Xiao Lei nodded his head, his voice was extremely cold, maybe because of the lingering burning vengeance in his heart.
"So, I want to act as your servant in that Trade," Jiang Ye replied. "In exchange, I will help you."
"What are you about to do?" Xiao Lei narrowed his eyes, looking at Jiang Ye full on vigilance. Even though he spilled all his secrets bare and had trusted this fugitive waiter to some degree, he was, after all, still a noble. He did not know what he was about to do, maybe it will even implicate his name.
Jiang Ye noticed his deeply suspicious gaze, so he replied, "I am not going to do anything suspicious. I just wanted to buy some materials that will accelerate my cultivation. In exchange…" Jiang Ye leaned to Xiao Lei and whispered him something, causing the latter to widen his eyes.
"Are you telling the truth?" Xiao Lei replied, his voice full of eagerness. "How are you able to do that? Could I trust you?"
"Of course, don't worry," Jiang Ye revealed a relax and calm smile as he stretched out his right hand. "May we have such a long-term partnership."
Xiao Lei hesitated for a moment, but then determination filled his eyes. He took Jiang Ye's hand and shook it. "Deal."
Perfect! Now I have a deadly pawn to control. Jiang Ye thought as he laughed in his mind.