At midnight, the most famous Bronze Crown Hotel in the Ascatra slum area is still bustling with people.
Countless adventurers, mercenaries, businessmen, drunkards, and civilians who are exhausted after a day's work and want to have a drink to relieve their fatigue and find someone to chat with are all gathered in the lobby on the first floor to talk.
From time to time, you can still hear bursts of laughter and curses, as well as complaints about the unsatisfactory life.
Although the waitresses were carrying plates and serving wine and food to the customers without stopping for a moment, the boss Lei Tinan could not see a trace of joy on his face. Instead, his brows were furrowed, revealing a depressed expression.
The reason is simple!
How much money can you make by selling that little food and low-quality drinks?
With the continuous involution and industrial upgrading of various service industries in the old city wharf, the number of customers on the second floor where he used to make a lot of money and specialize in providing special temptations has become less and less, and he is about to be unable to operate.
In addition, as Zuo Si allowed the professionalization and legalization of gladiatorial combat, and also opened related gambling businesses, the underground slave gladiatorial fights that used to be full at the Bronze Crown Hotel gradually became less frequented.
After all, slaves are extremely resistant in their hearts to this kind of cruel competition that uses their own lives as a bet to entertain others, so the fight is not very entertaining at all.
In addition, the professional level of slaves is generally not high, and some have no level at all. Apart from being bloody enough, they are simply a mess.
On the other hand, professional competitions held in large arenas are far superior to the former in terms of scale, professional level of players, fighting level, and excitement of performances.
This is just like combat sports such as boxing. The most powerful, exciting and powerful ones are always the champions who participate in the top international events.
Most of the others who participate in amateur competitions or even engage in illegal black boxing are low-level street gangsters who fight with each other. They are so ugly that it is unbelievable and there is no entertainment at all.
After all, no one is a fool.
One is to be able to stand in the spotlight and enjoy the cheers and admiration of the audience, and to make a fortune that others cannot make in a lifetime;
The other one is using blood and life to please others without any dignity. Let alone making money, it’s good to be able to save one’s life.
Competent people who are not idiots know how to choose.
So in fact, the Tongguan Hotel is now in a difficult business situation. Even games such as dog fighting and cockfighting cannot arouse the interest of guests.
The only way to earn some extra income is from the occasional quarrels between adventurers and mercenaries, which eventually lead to endless duels.
Whenever someone carries a weapon and enters the iron cage in the lobby on the first floor, the whole tavern will immediately become boiling.
Even the stingiest guy will take out a silver coin or two to bet.
Unfortunately, this situation does not happen every day, and it is easy to be targeted by municipal departments.
You must know that today's slums are actually different from the previous ones where sewage flowed across the street and beggars and shacks were everywhere, so they should be called civilian areas.
Most of the old buildings have been forcibly demolished and replaced by neatly arranged buildings and various shops selling cheap daily necessities.
Patrolling guards can be seen everywhere in the streets.
Not to mention vicious crimes such as murder, even those who fight will be sent to jail for two days to cool down, and will be burdened with a very heavy fine for ordinary people.
After everyone knew the heavy price to pay for impulsiveness and crime, the security environment in the surrounding areas quickly improved.
Even those orphans who lost their parents in the past and ran around in the streets all day are now being taken into orphanages built with funds allocated by the city government.
The church of Ilmat, the god of suffering, took the initiative to take charge of the management of the orphanage.
Therefore, the entire slum area is developing in a better and better direction, and small squares and parks have been established in some places for people to rest and relax in their free time.
The reason why the Tongguan Hotel now has so many guests is the result of the substantial improvement in the living standards of the poor.
Before, it was difficult for them to even survive, and how could they afford wine and food?
But now, not only can I support my family through work, but I can also have a drink after get off work every day, eat some barbecue or some side dishes to go with wine, and get some news from people coming and going as a source of conversation after dinner.< /p>
For example, there are ambiguous rumors about the affair between the Emperor of the Empire and the Iron Princess of Cormyr, or the red-robed mage Sel who the Empire sent out aerial gunships and dragon knights to fight on the Sea of ​​Fallen Stars took the initiative to seek peace, etc.
Through these messages, civilians at the bottom of society can easily establish a sense of superiority, pride and national identity over other surrounding areas.
After all, the more powerful the empire is in all aspects, the more stable their lives will be.
At this moment, no one dares to doubt Zuo Si's ability to govern the country as a monarch. Everyone is looking forward to seeing what miracles he can create next.
And because this area has the lowest housing prices in the entire Ascatra, it has also become the first stop for many migrant workers who flock to the city.
If I had to use one word to describe today's slums, it would be crowded, very, very crowded.
Many houses with an area of ​​only 40 to 50 square meters often have more than ten people living in them.
They are basically outsiders who come from other economically backward areas to work in order to save a sum of capital as quickly as possible and return to their hometowns to start their own small businesses and save money.
And in the eyes of these people, a house like this that can protect you from wind and rain, has a bed and quilt, and has a free public pool downstairs for bathing is already very good.
At least it's much better than the thatched house or shack I lived in before.
Of course, none of this has anything to do with Lei Tinan, the owner of the Tongguan Hotel.
He is now thinking about how to find a business that can make money quickly, preferably one that is not illegal.
Otherwise, just relying on the meager profits from selling wine and food would be unbearable for him who has long been accustomed to making quick money.
However, the thoughtful Leitinan did not realize that at this moment, the bartender he hired was in front of the bar, passing messages with a note to a woman who was completely covered in a cloak.
This lady is none other than Jaheira, who was absent from the battle against Kangas.
As a Harper, the first thing she did after escaping the crisis was of course to find ways to get in touch with the organization.
However, due to the agreement reached between Zuo Si and Elminster, the forces of the Harper Alliance have almost completely withdrawn from the jurisdiction of the West Coast Empire, leaving only one or two secret strongholds in big cities to convey messages.
Jaheira also searched for a long time before discovering this person through the secret code.
No way.
In order to hide from Zuo Si's numerous spies, Elminster took all the original Harpers with him to the Northland during the evacuation.
The guy who is currently using his identity as a bartender is a new member who developed after the fact.
While Leitinan was distracted, the bartender lowered his voice and whispered in the ear of the half-elf druid, "The superiors hope you will continue to keep an eye on Aberdare. We suspect that Soth has left blood for the Son of Baal and the God of Murder."
The throne has some unknown agenda."
"But he has told me his intentions, and I don't think that is a bad thing." Jaheira also lowered her voice and responded.
"How can you be sure he's not lying or deliberately misleading?
Don't forget, his true identity is the lord of the ninth level of Baator Hell, a great devil in a unique form whose power is comparable to that of a god.
What's more, the battle between the sons of Baal is much more complicated than expected.
Many evil gods have begun to intervene and support their favorite puppets.
This matter might turn into a divine war.
Please don’t forget the oath you swore when you joined the Harpers and the responsibilities you shouldered.”
After saying this, the bartender picked up a bottle of raspberry wine and pretended to fill the empty glass in front of him, then gently pushed it in front of the other person.
Jaheira was silent for a moment, with a complicated look in her eyes. She picked up the cup and drank it in one gulp. After a long time, she couldn't help but ask, "What about the situation in the North? I heard that the forces organized in the North are also
Were you suppressed?"
"Alas - it's not just suppression, we are facing the crisis of losing our living environment.
Many towns that joined the Trade Alliance have tasted the benefits and become wealthy at an extremely fast rate.
As the locals become more and more wealthy and keen on enjoyment, their ideas gradually run counter to ours, and they begin to advocate the idea that civilization can transform and reshape nature.
They began to conflict with local druids, rangers and elven villages in many places.
Including but not limited to serious confrontations in mining, logging, domestic sewage discharge, and manufacturing aqueducts.
The top management sent people to try to mediate, but in the end they all failed without exception.
Relying on the mutual military support of the trade alliance, these towns unceremoniously develop the land and resources they consider to be their own, and will directly use force when encountering destruction and resistance.
The contradiction between the towns, villages and wilderness and forests in the North has never been as acute as it is now."
The bartender told all the information he knew in one breath.
In his opinion, all this has something to do with the emperor of the West Coast Empire, the man whom Elminster regards as his strongest opponent.
Because Zuo Si used the weaknesses in human nature to completely disrupt the original simple folk customs of the North, making everyone become more and more greedy, no longer satisfied with the simple life of working at sunrise and resting at sunset.
Instead, they began to pursue beautiful and fashionable clothing, specialties from all over the world, various luxury goods, and taste more food tastes that they had never experienced before.
But all of this requires one thing, and that is money.
Therefore, people try every means to make money in order to improve their quality of life.
To be continued...