Chen Ren set foot on land again after half a month. He couldn't help but cheered and showed some excitement. The people around him were not surprised by this performance. They were here as a large trading station, and they were used to seeing the excitement of sailors when they came ashore.
He looked around excitedly. It was already evening. The pier was crowded with people, vendors were shouting and selling, and merchant ships were coming in and out in an endless stream.
Walking out of the pier and into the street, two rows of bright street lights caught his attention. For a moment, he seemed to be back in a world he was familiar with.
Putting the unrealistic thoughts out of his mind, he still sighed, "It's so prosperous." This was the first time he saw such a wide range of lighting equipment after nine years of time travel.
Signboards are also lit up early on both sides of the street to attract merchants.
As people stroll along the streets, the red maples on both sides of the road slowly fall, adding a touch of romance to this prosperous city.
A flickering light came, and I turned around to see a group of girls in cool clothes, standing under a sign made of neon lights, chirping, and from time to time there were two cute laughs.
"Well, you can't look too much, or you'll be punished." He quickly turned his head and started to look around the hotels and pubs.
It was getting dark, and the first priority was to find a hotel to stay and fill his stomach. Perhaps because his place was so prosperous, most of the hotels on the lowest floor were already full.
I had no choice but to walk towards the second floor. The tall city wall tightly surrounded the second floor, leaving only four gates that were held by guards and needed to be verified before entering.
The queue, which was not long, passed quickly, and soon it was Chen Ren's turn.
"Please show me your ID," the soldier sitting at the gate of the city wall said calmly without raising his head.
"Gah!" Coal Ball let out a soft cry, which attracted the soldier's attention. He raised his head and looked at Chen Ren.
"You cannot enter the inner city with pets or weapons. Please take care of it before coming back." The soldier's tone was still calm, without any fluctuation. I don't know how many situations I have encountered in a day, and I have long been numb.
At this time, Chen Ren was rummaging for something with his hands on his waist.
"Sir, please leave." Seeing that he did not leave, the soldier repeated again, but this time his tone was a little impatient.
"Found it" he pulled out the brass badge hidden on his waist, and the two crossed sharp blades were clearly visible. Chen Ren handed the badge to the guard.
"It can prove my identity."
"Identity cannot be proved by just a badge. You have to go to the port to apply for it..." The soldier glanced at the badge and casually talked about the process, until he saw the two shining sharp blades, the words stopped on his lips.
Living.
He raised his head and looked at Chen Ren blankly. He reached out and turned the badge over, and a string of delicate characters appeared in front of his eyes.
"Thank you for coming to the land of red maples." The soldier's attitude changed 180 degrees, and even his tone became flattering.
"Can I bring my crow and knife in?"
"Of course, please contact us if you need help." The soldier quickly copied the code and handed the badge back to him respectfully.
After receiving the medal and officially entering the second level, Chen Ren kept stroking the hunter badge with his fingers. He never imagined that he could get such preferential treatment just by registering as a hunter.
Different from the first floor, it is much quieter here, and the clothes and jewelry of the people walking on the street are more refined than those on the first floor.
As he glanced around, he soon discovered a luxuriously decorated five-story hotel. When he opened the door and entered, the strong aroma of wine and food filled his nose. It was different from the quietness he had imagined. The first floor here was used as a dining hall and a tavern.
"Guest, are you here to stay or have a meal?" The hotel staff hurriedly came over to receive him. At the same time, looking at his young appearance, he silently put away the wine.
"Everything is needed. Let's get a room first and I'll put the things away." He pointed to the big bag behind him and followed him to the counter.
"Sanyiyi, please take it."
"More refunds and less compensation."
Taking the key, Chen Ren took out a ten thousand kronor and pressed it on the front desk.
He followed the front desk to the third floor, opened the door of 311, and saw a small bedroom. He hurriedly put down his bag and returned to the first floor to order food. He was already hungry.
"A few plates of red maple specialties and a plate of nuts."
Not long after, four plates of red maple specialties were brought to the table.
The thumb-sized river fish was fried into a golden color and exuded a burnt aroma. When you took a bite, even the fish bones were crispy. When paired with the special sauce, you didn't feel greasy at all.
A plate of six waffles is piled on top of each other, drizzled with red maple's unique maple sugar, which is sweet in the mouth, followed by the softness of the waffles.
The most special thing is the plate of black bugs. When they first came up, Chen Ren thought they were from briquettes. After asking, he found out that this kind of bug only appears on maple trees, and is called maple leaf by the locals.
The worm is only about the size of a little finger, the whole body is dark brown, and it is fried over high heat and becomes extremely crispy.
Seeing that the briquettes seemed interested in the plate of worms, he picked up one with chopsticks and swallowed it in two or three mouthfuls. It didn't seem to taste very good.
One person and one crow, they quickly cleared away the food in front of them and slumped down on the chairs to rest.
"Huh, I haven't had such a delicious meal in a long time."
"quack."
"Tell me clearly why you didn't give me the bounty after the bounty mission was completed." An angry roar attracted Chen Ren's attention.
Turning his head to look, he saw a strong man dressed in animal skins, his face flushed and he was slapping the bar counter in excitement, questioning the bartender standing at the bar.
"What you give does not meet the employer's requirements, so there will be no reward." The bartender is tall and has an unwrinkled vest. At this moment, facing the menacing strong man, his expression is cold.
"Then return the materials I handed over to me."
"No, the things you handed in were lost by your employer."
Veins popped out, and the pent-up anger suddenly burst out on the man in animal skin. He punched out suddenly, and the bar shattered with a sound. The sputtering sawdust spread around.
Chen Ren shook his head to avoid the flying debris and saw the strong man turning around and walking out of the hotel.
"Huh? He doesn't seem to dare to attack the bartender." He murmured in a low voice and was heard by the uncle at the next table.
"Of course, unless that man wanted to die, why would he attack the bartender? That's the Night Crow Tavern." The uncle looked proud when he talked about the Night Crow Tavern, as if it was some great place.
"You look like an outsider at first sight. The Night Crow Tavern is our bounty union here. As long as you have money, we can let them handle all matters on the island." Before Chen Ren could continue to ask, the uncle continued.
"So this is the Nightcrow Tavern?"
"No, only the bartender is. Night crows are everywhere in every tavern in the Kingdom of Red Maple."
After listening to the uncle's explanation, he finally had a rough understanding of the power of Night Crow.
"Everyone, the farce just now has disturbed everyone. I'm sorry, a cup of red maple per person is an apology to everyone."
The orange-red wine glasses were quickly delivered to each guest, and the waiter hesitated for a moment when they were handed to Chen Ren.
"I'm an adult" took the glass and drank it in one gulp.
The wine is cold, with a hint of maple sugar sweetness in the mouth. After swallowing, a coolness spreads from the stomach upwards, and with the refreshing breath, it reaches the sky.