Apocalypse: Grinding EXP through Hunting

Tang Wen smiled. "I took some medicinal herbs from the storehouse, along with a few bottles of Extraordinary Blood Marrow."

Elder Li: "Then you should keep them for your own use! Why bring them to me?"

Listening between the lines, Tang Wen sensed a hidden meaning in his words.

After a moment’s pause, Tang Wen’s mind raced: ’Is he asking if I’m confident I can successfully concoct the medicine with the Blood Marrow I have?’

’Is he afraid I’ll rat him out if I mess things up?’

After some thought, he chose his words carefully:

"I’m just taking precautions. Theoretically, the two bottles I have should be enough to prepare the medicine. If it’s not enough, I’ll have to ask you for more."

The subtext was clear: he was very confident and didn’t expect any accidents.

Elder Li understood. Stroking his beard, he said, "Good. Go get Commander Wu, and we’ll eat together."

"Thank you, Elder."

The three of them entered another large room. A clear stream meandered through it, keeping the temperature cool despite the sweltering summer heat.

The pillars inside were draped with sheer pink and willow-green silks.

Gaudy and frivolous.

Tang Wen was surprised. ’Elder Li is so old,’ he thought. ’Why would he decorate his dining hall in such a "flashy" way?’

He glanced at Commander Wu, only to see the man’s face was already alight with excitement, the corners of his mouth turned up in a knowing smile that needed no further description between men.

Hmm?

Elder Li’s household was quite particular; each person had their own table in a separate-course dining style.

"You are my trusted confidants. Make yourselves at home!"

"Thank you, Elder!"

A certain feeling of premonition grew stronger in Tang Wen.

He followed Commander Wu’s example, removing his boots and stepping onto the fuzzy beast skin rug before sitting properly at the square table to the right of the head seat.

CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!

Elder Li clapped his hands three times.

A group of scantily clad women filed in, carrying trays, teapots, and wine vessels.

Tang Wen subconsciously counted them.

There were twelve in total. Three went directly to the head seat to wait on Elder Li.

Wu Hao and Tang Wen were each assigned three.

The remaining three held string and bamboo instruments and sat in the center to play music.

This was the first time Tang Wen had heard music since he’d transmigrated.

"Xiaotao Hong, come here!"

Across from him, Wu Hao wrapped his arm around a woman’s slender waist and called out her name.

’Xiaotao Hong?’

’Why does that sound so much like a courtesan’s name?’

’This Commander Wu really must be Elder Li’s trusted confidant.’

The women before him weren’t stunningly beautiful, but they were well above average.

Tang Wen judged that their looks were about on par with the prettiest few girls in each class back in his school days.

However, they possessed a certain allure that schoolgirls lacked.

They were clearly raised in the household, yet they carried the air of women of the night.

Naturally, Tang Wen had no interest in this type of woman.

But Elder Li and Wu Hao were both enjoying themselves immensely.

With a woman in each arm, they acted as if no one else was in the room.

"Xiaotang, you’re a grown man. Why so reserved?" Elder Li chuckled as one of the women fed him a morsel of food.

Tang Wen smiled. "When I have something on my mind, I get tense. Once I’ve finished my task, I’ll be in the mood to enjoy myself."

"Good, good! It’s good for a young man to know his priorities."

After a few more polite words, Elder Li and Wu Hao paid him no further mind.

Tang Wen made idle small talk with the three women assigned to him.

Before long, Elder Li departed with several women in his arms.

Watching his stooped-over figure retreat, Tang Wen could only sigh inwardly: ’Still vigorous in his old age.’

Once he was gone, Wu Hao became even more unrestrained.

Even while his mouth was... occupied, he didn’t forget to advise Tang Wen:

"Some of these women are his concubines. They’re very well-trained. Don’t miss this opportunity, Brother Tang!"

The hand Tang Wen was using to hold his wine cup froze in mid-air.

’What?’

’These women are his concubines?’

’You people in Ganshan City really know how to live it up!’

He looked at Wu Hao. ’Something’s not right. You know they’re his concubines, yet you’re still this enthusiastic... Something’s not right with you, kid!’

As if he knew what Tang Wen was thinking.

Wu Hao spoke with a muffled voice while... having his face cleaned.

"They’re not just Elder Li’s, but also his... well, you get it."

Tang Wen understood instantly.

He was utterly shocked.

’Wait, how did I understand that instantly?’

He put down his wine cup and buried his head in his food.

After the meal, he ignored Wu Hao, who was happily "enjoying the scenery," and certainly didn’t disturb Elder Li.

He left quietly, led by a maid.

Mounting his horse, Tang Wen began to ponder how to tame this "Water Spirit," an Exotic Beast he had never heard of before.

The fact that the Black Water Gang Leader had personally arranged this matter showed that it was by no means simple.

Hmm, the Gang Leader seemed to have mentioned it during his introduction.

The Water Spirit could build dams, dig tunnels, and salvage shipwrecks.

It sounded like only the last ability was of any real value.

’Also, all the Beastmasters in the city are gone?’

’Where did they go?’

’A Beastmaster’s personal strength isn’t great; all they can do is tame Exotic Beasts.’

’Could they be taming some important Exotic Beast Clans?’

’But there would be no need for all of them to go, right?’

He was lost in thought.

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

"AHH—"

The sound of a whip striking flesh, mixed with bloodcurdling screams, reached his ears.

The screams came from a courtyard by the side of the road.

Tang Wen was curious, and he saw that the courtyard wall wasn’t very high.

He simply stood up on his horse to look inside.

Inside the courtyard, a row of slaves in tattered clothes knelt on the ground, their bodies drenched in blood.

Blood dripped to the ground, turning the yellow mud into a deep, dark red.

SWISH!

His eyes met those of the man holding the whip.

When the man saw Tang Wen’s face clearly and sensed that his aura wasn’t strong, his expression immediately turned sinister.

Tang Wen rubbed his nose and, before the man could start cursing, took out his Elder Token from the Black Water Gang.

The man’s expression changed drastically. He immediately lowered his head, not daring to look any longer.

Then, before Tang Wen could decide what to say,

The man suddenly roared, "Your worthless screams must have been too loud and disturbed this lord!"

With that, he lunged, his body a blur, displaying the skill of a First-Class Martial Master Level expert.

CRACK! CRACK! The sounds rang out in quick succession.

The slaves on the ground went limp as their necks snapped, and they slumped to the ground one after another.

"My lord, are you satisfied?" he asked, looking up and flashing a cruel smile at Tang Wen on the other side of the wall.

’You motherfucker!’

Tang Wen’s eyes grew cold.

But a second later, he realized: ’This man isn’t afraid of me?’

’And he’s not afraid of the Black Water Gang Elder that this Token represents?’

"Heh, satisfied. How could I not be satisfied?"

Even though he was cursing the man’s entire family tree in his mind.

But Tang Wen just tapped his horse with his toe, urging it forward.

As he passed the main gate.

He glanced at the name: Huang Mansion.

’So he’s from the Huang Family, one of the Three Great Families of the Inner City. No wonder he’s so arrogant.’

Although death was perhaps a better fate for those slaves than a life of suffering and abuse, Tang Wen was still furious.

He took one last look at the Huang Family’s residence, then spurred his horse and galloped away.

The Huang Family was the largest slave-owning family in Ganshan City.

It wasn’t just him; even the Black Water Gang couldn’t afford to provoke them.

Tang Wen stopped his leisurely pace. He sped up, heading in the direction of the inn.

"You little bitch! Where do you think you’re running!"

From the mouth of an alley came a girl’s shriek, the sound of a collision, and a thud as someone fell.

"Whoa!"

Tang Wen reined in his horse, and the steed reared up, its front hooves high in the air.

It narrowly avoided trampling the girl’s fragile body.

"What the fuck— Hmm?"

A bald brute with a black tattoo on his scalp darted out of the alley and froze.

"Who are you?" Tang Wen asked, discreetly gripping the Elder Token in his hand.

The silver Token gleamed.

The tattooed brute’s savage grin immediately vanished, replaced by a respectful expression. "So you’re a lord from the Black Water Gang. I was just teaching this little brat a lesson."

"My lord, help me! Help me! He’s going to kidnap and sell me! Help! Help!"

"Get lost!"

Without a second word, the tattooed brute turned and left.