Kapitel 18: Tavern
After hunting for so long, Mo Bei had grown strong and experienced enough to lead a hunting party. Of course, students could not undertake missions as they had not graduated yet. However, it did not mean that they could not train their team work, and Mo Bei had earned himself and his two subordinates Shi Feng and Tang Chi some dispenses for the less useful courses they had to attend in the academy.
As they made their way through the Pao Village, a small village near the Gu Yue Clan, they decided to take a break at a local wine tavern to rest their feet and quench their thirst. Tang Chi was growing into a woman, slowly but surely, and Shi Feng was growing increasingly more into a man too. It only took a couple of weeks of daily hunts for them to get accustomed to the blood and become indifferent to the life and death of beasts.
As they sat around the table, they reminisced about their childhood, where they used to look up to Gu Masters in awe. Now, the Gu Masters that they met in the streets, mainly middle stage rank 1 Gu Masters, were not any stronger than they were. And they were just fifteen. Who knew how strong they would become in the future?
Mo Bei raised his cup and said, "To friendship and the bond we share in the Gu Yue Clan."
Shi Feng and Tang Chi raised their cups in unison and toasted, "To friendship and the Gu Yue Clan!"
Shi Feng grinned upon saying: "To Mo Bei and the Mo Household!"
Tang Chi and Mo Bei laughed: "To Mo Bei and the Mo Household!"
There was no doubt that Shi Feng and Tang Chi were being groomed, trained by their boss Mo Bei. Even the instructors knew better than to seek trouble with them. After all, Mo Chen, a rank 3 elder, supported them in name.
After a few cups of wine, they began to feel relaxed and carefree. They started joking and fooling around, imitating each other's fighting styles and showing off their Gu powers with wooden toys they had made in their free time. The farmers and workers did not look at them weirdly. After all, the three teenagers wore the uniform of Gu Yue Clan members, and their identity as a Gu Master was enough for the commoners to admire them.
Of course, they also knew the youths. This was one of the few wine taverns outside the Gu Yue Clan that possessed fine quality wine, and Mo Bei often sold some of the preys he hunted there, thus establishing a relation of trust and profit with the owner, Chen Paya. Although she did not bear the name Gu Yue, she was a middle stage rank 1 Gu Master who made a living out of this wine tavern. She also bought and sold information for Gu Yue Clan members and travellers, earning a considerable amount of primeval stones on an annual basis.
Mo Bei laughed and said, "Enough with the showboating, let's play a game!"
Tang Chi suggested, "How about we play 'Truth or Dare'? It will be fun!"
Shi Feng grinned mischievously and said, "I'm in! Bring it on!"
Mo Bei rolled his eyes but agreed to play along. They took turns asking each other questions and performing silly dares, all while enjoying the wine and each other's company. As the night wore on, they became more relaxed and comfortable with each other. They laughed and joked until the tavern owner had to remind them that it was closing time.
Mo Bei, Shi Feng, and Tang Chi stumbled out of the tavern, still giggling and joking around. They made their way back to their lodgings, feeling happy and content after a night of fun and friendship.
Around two in the morning, they noticed the group of rowdy men in the corner, drinking far too much. Although they arrived earlier than they did, they did not know any limits and started to cause a ruckus. Mo Bei immediately sensed something was amiss. He scanned the room with his keen eyes and noticed several weapons hidden under the table of the group of men after paying attention.
At first, he had not even noticed that the men were armed, taking them for travellers. However, not only they were not locals, they dared bring weapons inside a wine tavern in unsheathe them!
Shi Feng and Tang Chi, sensing their leader's unease, approached him and asked, "What is it, boss?"
Mo Bei whispered, "Those men in the corner are not to be trusted. Stay alert."
Just as he finished speaking, they slammed the table against the wall, and a group of bandits entered, brandishing swords and demanding that the patrons hand over their valuables.
Mo Bei, Shi Feng, and Tang Chi knew they had to act fast. They quickly stood up from their seats and approached the bandits, drawing their weapons. Mo Bei shouted, "Leave this place now, or face the consequences!"
The bandits laughed and sneered at the three Gu Masters, thinking they could easily overpower them. One of the bandits shouted back, "Who do you think you are, boy? You may have some tricks up your sleeve, but we have swords!"
Mo Bei smirked, "You have no idea what you're up against."
He then summoned his Moonlight Gu and unleashed a barrage of moonlight blades that sliced through the air and headed straight towards the bandits. The bandits were taken aback by the sudden attack and scrambled to defend themselves.
However, how could mere swords parry the mystical moonlight blades that were the results of centuries of constant amelioration in the Gu Yue Clan ?
The bandit leader's arm flew in the room, causing all clients to gasp in horror, unfamiliar with the bloody scene unfolding before their eyes. Mo Bei did not stop here, taking out a dagger out of his waist, and moving forward at fast speed.
His moonlight Gu had achieved its purpose: shocking the bandits. As for the rest, he did not need to waste primeval essence to defeat them. He still possessed the full strength of the [White Boar] Gu, and that was enough to overpower mortals. With his hunts, he had come to learn that close combat was sometimes more efficient for finishing off weak targets, and it yielded the benefits of saving primeval essence.
Mo Bei's subordinates, Shi Feng and Tang Chi, also unleashed their own Gu and joined in the attack, unleashing a barrage of moonlight blades towards them. The tavern erupted into chaos as the Gu Masters and the bandits engaged in a fierce battle.
After a few minutes of intense fighting, the bandits were defeated. None of them were spared. Chen Paya cheered in relief from the side. The charred bodies next to her proved that she had not stayed passive during the fight either.
The world truly was a cruel place. Bandits were most likely farmers who would not last for the winters, taking arms to feed their families. Yet, by acting as outlaws, they ended up meeting their end in a nameless village. Mo Bei could have tried to solve the situation peacefully, intimidating them. However, it was better to kill those who succumbed to evil. If he let them go, how many innocent farmers would be stolen and killed in the future?
Mo Bei wanted none of that guilt on his conscience, and would rather complete his duty as a Gu Yue Clan Member. Criminals were to be killed on the spot. Unknowingly, Mo Bei had become accustomed to this world, both its beauty and its innate darkness. There, the law of jungle was the only law that was to be respected.
As they walked down the street, Shi Feng asked, "Master Mo, how did you know those bandits were going to attack?"
Mo Bei replied, "It's all in the senses. As Gu Masters, we must always be aware of our surroundings and trust our instincts."
Tang Chi added, "And always be ready to fight, just in case."
Mo Bei nodded, before shouting to the owner: "I suppose we won't have to pay for the drinks today, right?"
Chen Paya nodded half-heartedly, thinking about the loss she had just suffered from the bandits' ruckus: "It's on the house, do not worry. It is always a pleasure to know that the Gu Yue Clan protects us"
Still, she was grateful. Gu Masters from the clan proved to be an effective deterrent for bandits.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein