Chapter 17. In Gu Sheng's memory, City A was...

In Gu Sheng's memory, City A was an extremely chaotic and dark city. However, after he actually arrived there, he discovered that the city was much more prosperous than he had imagined.

There are far more skyscrapers than in S City where Gu Sheng is, and the air is thick with the scent of money. At the same time, homeless people and people with malicious eyes can be seen everywhere on both sides of the road.

After Gu Sheng arrived in City A, the leader of Ouroboros sent him a location and told him to go there first, where someone would meet him.

It was an art gallery. Gu Sheng was greeted by the gallery manager, who did not discuss with Gu Sheng the purpose of his visit, but instead began to introduce the artworks in the gallery to him.

The manager highlighted one of the oil paintings. After the manager emphasized it repeatedly, Gu Sheng understood what he meant and asked about the price and transaction method of the painting.

The manager stated that only replicas were displayed in the exhibition hall, while the genuine articles were kept in a very secure location. If Mr. Gu was interested, he could go there to discuss the details.

It's just a simple meeting, but it's become quite complicated.

Gu Sheng expressed great interest and then received a business card and an address from the manager. The manager then asked Gu Sheng to meet at that address at noon the next day.

Having obtained what he wanted, Gu Sheng left the exhibition hall.

When Gu Sheng was leaving, he encountered an unexpected person, Shen An, whom he had met once before.

However, the two did not exchange a word, but simply looked at each other before leaving separately.

So Shen An is also in City A. I must find an opportunity to meet him and exchange information.

But we'll have to wait until he meets the Ouroboros leader.

Gu Sheng returned to the hotel and stayed there all day, until evening when the city lights came on.

He stood by the window, looking outside, feeling somewhat bored.

Gu Sheng was staying on a high floor of the hotel, which offered a great view, but the scenery outside the window wasn't exactly pleasant.

In the distance, there is a place that looks like a mountain, but upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that it is not a mountain, but rather a series of dilapidated prefabricated houses.

Those prefab houses make up the world's largest slum.

The prosperity Gu Sheng saw when he entered the city only represented a small part of it; the majority of the city was slums.

However, in this city, if you have money, you can live in this bustling little world and never come into contact with people from the slums.

Recent events have left Gu Sheng feeling somewhat frustrated. Today was another fruitless day, and he doesn't know if he'll be able to see the person he wants to see tomorrow.

Gu Sheng discovered a bar street when he walked back from the exhibition hall.

Since he had nothing else to do, he decided to go have a couple of drinks.

Gu Sheng doesn't have a habit of drinking and has almost never been to a bar.

He chose a bar with simple decor and not many people and went inside.

Gu Sheng quickly understood why the bar was less crowded; the prices on the menu said it all.

But since he was already there, and Gu Sheng wasn't short of money, he ordered a nice-looking cocktail and sat curiously at the bar watching the bartender mix drinks.

The bartender was a young man with a very friendly voice. He chatted with Gu Sheng while mixing drinks.

The bartender said, "Have you heard that legend?"

Want me to tell a story?

Gu Sheng asked, "What legend?"

The bartender said, "That well-known story of the Holy Lord."

Gu Sheng was completely unaware of this; since arriving in this world, he had never paid attention to its historical legends.

The drink was ready. Gu Sheng took a sip; it was sweet and sour, and tasted good.

He said, "The Holy King? What's his story?"

The bartender chuckled and said, "Legend has it that long, long ago, there was a king who conquered the entire world and proclaimed himself the Holy Lord, ruling over this world."

Who would have thought that this world, divided into cities, could also be unified: "Is that Holy Lord that powerful?"

The bartender said, "However, even the holy ruler of this world cannot escape death. He has reached old age, and death is just around the corner."

Gu Sheng found the story somewhat boring; he had already guessed it was yet another tale of seeking immortality. Nevertheless, he asked, "And then?"

The bartender said, "Then he found a man who called himself a 'shaman,' who said he could make an elixir of immortality, but that elixir needed a special ingredient, which was the flower that grows on the pillar of the world."

An elixir of immortality? Just as I thought. Gu Sheng had finished his drink and wanted to go back to the hotel. He was bored anyway, so he might as well go back to the hotel and sleep.

After the bartender noticed that Gu Sheng's glass was empty, he brought him another drink.

Gu Sheng glanced at the bartender. He hadn't ordered anything; was this some kind of forced sale?

He said, "This is for you. Thank you for being willing to listen to me tell this old, worn-out story."

Gu Sheng picked up the glass of wine and smelled it. It had a minty aroma. He took a sip and found that this wine was more refreshing than the previous one, which was sweet and sour. Gu Sheng immediately fell in love with the taste.

Gu Sheng asked, "What's the name of this wine?"

The bartender said, "This is a drink that's not on the menu, so I named it 'Blue Moon'."

He continued, "The flower that grows on the pillar of the world is called the Blue Moon Flower."

This guy really has a knack for telling stories, but since the other party offered him a drink, Gu Sheng didn't mind playing along.

The bartender continued, "The Holy Lord retrieved the Blue Moon Flower, and the Witch made the Elixir of Immortality, but the Holy Lord did not drink the elixir."

It was right not to drink it, Gu Sheng thought silently. Not drinking it might have allowed him to live for two more years. In ancient times, there was basically no difference between immortality elixirs and poisons.

The bartender said, "Most historians believe that the Holy Lord may have actually existed, but he did not conquer the whole world; he only conquered the tribes around him, which was still a great achievement at the time."

The bartender picked up a glass and wiped it as he continued, "He may have indeed searched for the elixir of immortality in his later years, but such a thing does not exist, so he did not find it, and he may have died on the way to find it. This story is just a fabrication by later generations."

Gu Sheng felt that this explanation was more plausible.

The bartender changed the subject, saying, "However, there is another version of this legend, but it is not as widely known as the previous one. In this version, the Holy Lord ate the elixir of immortality. After consuming the elixir, the Holy Lord was no longer a mortal. He could no longer stay in this world, so the witch took him to the Realm of Immortality."

He continued, "Before leaving, the Holy Lord left behind the recipe for the elixir of immortality and the last Blue Moon Flower. He hid these two items, along with the treasures he had collected, somewhere, and his descendants have guarded this treasure for generations."

Gu Sheng didn't speak. He felt that this version was only for those who liked this kind of legend, and that young people who were inexperienced in the ways of the world would believe it.

The bartender looked at Gu Sheng and said, "To protect the treasure, the descendants of the Holy Lord established an organization called the 'Blue Moon Council'." Then he fell silent.

"Finished?" Gu Sheng looked at the bartender to make sure he had finished telling the story. Gu Sheng stretched and prepared to leave.

Just then, the bartender said softly, "Long time no see, Speaker?"

Gu Sheng froze. What did he call me?

The bartender smiled and continued, "It would be my pleasure to help you. Please feel free to ask."

Gu Sheng's first reaction was: a prank?

He couldn't think of anything else besides this. Gu Sheng looked around, searching for possible hidden cameras, but found nothing.

He unconsciously rubbed the pendant around his neck, seemingly an instinctive reaction when he encountered troubles.

After realizing what he was doing, Gu Sheng froze. When did a pendant appear around his neck?

Gu Sheng looked down and saw a pendant made of blue crystal, with petals shaped like a moon.

Gu Sheng found the pendant somewhat familiar. He looked at the bartender and saw a brooch on the bartender's clothes that was exactly the same as the pendant around Gu Sheng's neck.

Gu Sheng silently put the pendant into his clothes, and under the bartender's gaze, managed to utter two words: "It's nothing."

The bartender clearly didn't believe him: "It must be something very important that you've come all this way."

Gu Sheng then noticed that the name of the bar was written on the wall behind the bartender: "Blue Moon Bar".

A blue flower is called Blue Moon, that's perfectly normal.

So this isn't a prank?

But this is even more terrifying than a prank; he has a new identity?

Gu Sheng kept calling out to the system in his mind, but unfortunately, there was still no response.

He just wanted to relax; he still had so many troubles to deal with, and now this one had to come along.

Although he was internally devastated, Gu Sheng remained outwardly calm. He finished his last sip of wine and said, "So what if something's wrong?"

The bartender arranged the glasses neatly, then placed his left hand over his heart and bowed slightly: "Whatever it may be, it would be my honor to be of any use to you. I look forward to serving you." His eyes revealed a hint of fanaticism, as if he had an almost sacrificial expectation for any request Gu Sheng might make next.

Gu Sheng was somewhat uncomfortable with the bartender's overly devout attitude.

According to the bartender, Gu Sheng is the chairman of the so-called "Blue Moon Council". What role does the bartender play in it, and where are the other members of the council?

However, the bartender's attitude made Gu Sheng somewhat believe that he was indeed willing to share his burdens.

He does indeed have some worries, so perhaps he could ask him about them. If he doesn't go into too much detail, there shouldn't be any problems.

Gu Sheng pondered for a moment and then said, "Do you know about the ouroboros?"

The bartender replied, "That thief organization that's been making quite a stir lately? I know a little about them." He seemed to have thought of something and said with a serious expression, "Did they steal your things?"

Gu Sheng didn't feel that he had anything that would attract the attention of the Ouroboros. He said, "No, I'm just a little curious about their identities."

The bartender relaxed and said, "It's no secret. Everything you want will be delivered to you. Please give me some time to sort it out."

Gu Sheng felt a little unreal. What did he mean by "not a secret"? He still didn't even know the name of the organization's leader or what he looked like.

Gu Sheng was skeptical, but he didn't voice his doubts. He simply said, "As soon as possible." Since he said he could get it, he should get it to him as soon as possible. He would know whether it was true or not at first glance.

The bartender said, "As you expect, I will send you the compiled information as soon as possible."

Send it to me? Send it to where? Have we exchanged contact information?

Gu Sheng was no longer bothered by the fact that everyone knew his phone number even though he had never told anyone his own.

Jiang Yong knew, the organization leader knew, Li Qingyue knew, and he felt that Shen An probably knew as well. Now there was one more, and possibly more than one. His phone number was the only truly public secret.

After the bartender finished speaking, he continued to look at Gu Sheng expectantly, as if the task Gu Sheng had just given him was insignificant and he wanted Gu Sheng to make more requests.

Looking into the bartender's eyes, Gu Sheng felt he had to say something.

However, he has nothing else to do for the time being.

After a moment of silence, Gu Sheng suddenly remembered something and asked, "Do you know anything about the Gu family?"

The bartender blinked, seemingly puzzled by the question. He said, "Of course I understand. When the former speaker married into the Gu family, my father strongly opposed it, but seeing how healthy you are, he was relieved."

Married into the Gu family? So the former speaker is Gu Sheng's mother whom he has never met?

To be honest, Gu Sheng had never thought that he had a mother in this world. Judging from the Gu family's reaction, his mother must be no longer alive.

Gu Sheng asked, "Who committed those two tragedies in the Gu family?"

The bartender immediately understood what Gu Sheng wanted to ask, but he said regretfully, "We also investigated those two cases, and I'm ashamed to say that we didn't find the real culprit. When the former speaker was alive, his two last wishes were to find the murderer and to find you."

He looked at Gu Sheng and said, "Although the murderer has not yet been found, you are back. There is no better news than this. It's just a pity that you didn't get to see the former speaker one last time. This is something you always mentioned to us, your regret."

Gu Sheng wanted to say that he had never mentioned it, and he had never even thought about having a mother.

Silently accepting the new settings the system had given him, Gu Sheng stood up.

He was able to handle this kind of unexpected situation relatively calmly: "Nothing else for now, remember to give me the information."

The bartender said with some reluctance, "Are you leaving already? I've designed a few new cocktails that I haven't had a chance to show you yet."

Gu Sheng had no interest in alcohol whatsoever, and he had even less interest in being with someone he knew well but who was completely unfamiliar with him.

Gu Sheng said, "Show it to me next time you have the chance."

The bartender's eyes lit up: "Will you come again?" Then he said with some regret, "If possible, I would love to show you around, but unfortunately City A is not a city suitable for leisurely strolling. Even if you knew what happened here, it would only offend your ears. If you have finished your business, please leave this sinful city as soon as possible."

Gu Sheng was not used to the bartender's way of speaking. He nodded and then calmly but quickly left the bar.

A note from the author:

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