Chapter 353 - 337: This Stuff Works This Fast?
As dusk fell, sand and dust swirled across the official road.
This area was on the border between Anhe City and Pingyang City. Jiang Stone had wandered into a desolate stretch of road, stuck in the middle of nowhere with no village in sight.
But it was precisely because of this desolation that the tattered wine banner, flapping in the wind, looked exceptionally tempting.
Jiang Stone tightened the bundle on his back, the corners of his mouth curving into a smirk.
Right now, he was perfectly able-bodied and looked utterly ordinary.
’Haa... I’ve finally made it.’
Jiang Stone schooled his features, slipping into the role of a simple country bumpkin, and stepped across the threshold.
"Been walking forever, and I finally found a place! Waiter! A pot of tea! And slice me two pounds of beef!"
...
Inside, the inn was practically deserted. Besides Jiang Stone, only a table of traveling merchants occupied a corner. They seemed to be settling their bill, muttering something about how if they were any later, some family’s textile shipment would be delayed.
The waiter saw another customer arrive. He tossed his rag over his shoulder, his smile the very picture of rustic honesty!
"Right this way, sir!"
As he wiped the table, his eyes raked over Jiang Stone from head to toe.
’Able-bodied, alone, a full pack, and an unfamiliar face.’
After the traveling merchants hurried away, Jiang Stone was the only customer left in the vast main hall. The atmosphere grew strangely tense.
"You’re a new face around here, sir?" the waiter asked, pouring tea and casually making small talk. "Where are you coming from, and where are you headed?"
Jiang Stone gave a simple-minded smile, cupping his teacup with a completely unguarded air. "Heh, I’m from... well, just some remote village. Heard Anhe City’s been a bit rough lately, so I figured I’d go to Pingyang City to try my luck and see the world!"
"Pingyang City is great! It recovered quite well after that famine many years ago!" The waiter’s eyes lit up as he continued to probe. "So, sir... do you have relatives to stay with in Pingyang City?"
"Nope!" Jiang Stone waved his hand and sighed. "I’m an orphan, raised by the village. Where would I get relatives? I’m just hoping to use my strength to make a living in the city."
’No family, no connections... perfect!’
The waiter’s smile grew even brighter!
Just then, the curtain to the back room was pushed aside, and a mature, still-alluring proprietress walked out.
She smiled before she even spoke, her seductive eyes sweeping over Jiang Stone, instantly sizing him up.
"Oh my, what a handsome young man!" the proprietress purred, swaying her hips as she approached. Her hand came to rest on Jiang Stone’s shoulder, seemingly by chance.
In that moment, her fingers traced a line down Jiang Stone’s shoulder blade, pinching his bones to test his constitution while simultaneously probing the state of his internal energy.
Jiang Stone played along, his cheeks flushing slightly, his body stiffening, his breathing growing heavy.
’To her senses, the boy had a broad frame and solid muscle, but his internal energy was a mess and his stance was weak. He seemed to have some brute strength, but he clearly hadn’t trained in any profound internal arts. At most, he’d spent two or three days in Anhe City learning some clumsy, third-rate techniques.’
Having confirmed the quality of her prey—a fat, harmless sheep—the proprietress’s eyes sparkled as she cooed, "Young man, you seem like such an honest person..."
The proprietress chuckled, covering her mouth, and gave the waiter a look. She then turned and brought over a pot of fragrant, fine wine.
"Since you’re off to make your name in the world, I won’t hold you back. Think of this wine as my farewell toast to you! No charge. It’s on me!"
...
[Jiang Stone’s Livestream]
[Holy shit! I know this plot! It’s Sun Erniang from Water Margin, right?!]
[Offering kindness for no reason means they’re up to no good! There’s definitely a knockout drug in that wine! Drink it, streamer, drink it!]
[That boss lady’s bone-reading technique was super professional. You can tell she’s trained. How did your act not get exposed, streamer?]
[Is this the "human-meat bun" production site? Remember to start the screen recording! Remember to start the screen recording! Adjust the camera angle before you pass out!]
[Streamer: Not only am I not running, I’m gonna drink it!]
[+1, if you don’t drink it, I’m unfollowing!]
[Jiang Stone]: "Alright, guys. Watch this."
Back in reality, Jiang Stone gazed at the drugged wine, his eyes brimming with gratitude. "Thank you so much, Boss Lady! You’re truly a wonderful person! You don’t meet many living saints with a heart as kind as yours these days!"
[System Notification: Recording function activated. Current perspective locked.]
As the recording function activated, Jiang Stone, as if to prove his gratitude to the Boss Lady, raised the bowl and, with a grand flourish, tilted his head back and drained it in one go!
GULP! GULP!
He downed it all, not a single drop remaining.
Jiang Stone slammed the bowl down on the table, his face flushed red. Fueled by the wine’s kick, he stood up and slapped his chest, yelling, "Good wine! Truly good wine!"
"Don’t you worry, ma’am! For me, this little bit of wine is nothing but mouthwash! I might not look like much now, but once I get to Pingyang City and make a name for myself, I’ll definitely come back and build you a big, grand—"
However.
"A big, grand—hou..."
Before the word "house" was fully out, Jiang Stone’s arm, which had been waving in the air, instantly froze. His eyes rolled up into his head, showing only the whites.
’Wait, this stuff works that fast?’
"...se."
The last syllable came out as a mere whisper of air.
CRASH—!!
Jiang Stone’s entire body slammed onto the table!
His face, still frozen in a "heroic smile," made intimate, zero-distance contact with the tabletop, even sending the chopstick holder flying.
The world instantly fell silent.
The proprietress’s hand, extended mid-air to help him, froze. She looked at Jiang Stone slumped on the table, then at the chopsticks scattered on the floor. The seductive smile vanished from her face.
"Tch... ’Just mouthwash,’ he says." The proprietress rolled her eyes dramatically and even kicked Jiang Stone’s leg with her foot.
"Bragging up a storm just now, I thought you were something special. Turns out this is all you are?"
"A one-drink lightweight, and he dared to call himself tough? He talked such a big game, I’m surprised he didn’t sprain his own tongue!"
...
Jiang Stone drifted back to consciousness.
As soon as he came to, he was surrounded by pitch-black darkness. His hands and feet were bound tightly with hemp rope, and a cloth—either a rag or a foot binding—was stuffed in his mouth, gagging him so badly his eyes were rolling.
He was being jostled violently in some kind of vehicle, his body periodically slamming against wooden planks or rocks.
BANG!
Another violent collision. Jiang Stone felt the back of his head make intimate contact with the cart’s floorboard.
SSST—!
Jiang Stone decisively called up the [Pain Perception] setting on his system panel.
[Adjustment: 60% -> 0%]
As the slider hit zero, his world instantly became serene.
The pain and the feeling of suffocation vanished instantly. All that remained was the sensation of his body being passively jostled about...
Until... the jolting stopped.