Chapter 458 - Urban Legend

While the women were having a great time talking about their woes, Wuming continued with his task. He was already on his last destination and thought that it would be good for the women to have some time alone before he barges there and ruin their conversation.

Wuming sat on the bar, away from the noisy open space where underage teens pretending to be a.d.u.l.ts were swaying their h.i.p.s and banging their heads to the beat.

It was the first time that Wuming chanced on visiting this place. Qing Lok was busy tonight and this was usually his turf. He could definitely see why. The place resembled something like a game he would play.

Despite the place being cheap, it looked neat. He would bet his money that it was his youngest brother who came up with the idea about the designs. You know that movie Tron: Legacy? That was what he was getting with the neon fluorescents that lined the whole square. The colors were the lightest blue that it looked almost white and a bright orange. Most of it blinked with the beat.

The bar counter was also lined with these colors, all the signs, and the logo was shaped to its theme as well with a huge circle encircling the word 'CIRCLE'. Yup, definitely Qing Lok's idea. No brainer things. The catchphrase was lighted at the upper wall 'portal to another world'.

"What can I get you?" asked the bartender who looked awfully younger from the other ones.

"The cheapest drink," he grinned. When one was out and about the world, the luxury drinks could get boring. The challenge should be stomaching ghastly spirits. Only a true great gut would be able to go through it.

It was a clear liquid that the bartender served him. The timid smell of it was unlike the sharp slice that it gave his throat. "Would this be better with ice?" he grimaced at the bartender as he took another sip.

The bartender laughed and shook his head. "That's what the teens drink. They think it makes them cool."

Wuming let it settle on his tongue first. How could they swallow this? It was not as bad as the other drinks that he tasted from other countries. Some of them tasted like pee and gutter water. Maybe they had been. He would never know.

The bartended nodded at him as he wiped a glass with a clean white towel. "Why are you drinking that? You look like you can afford better."

"Just trying it out. I drank something before that knocked me out real bad. I thought I would find something like that here." It had been one drink and he spent three days trying to get it out of his system. He was sure that he had been poisoned but how else was he supposed to confirm that? Maybe it was because the drink had been the worst and his stomach refused it.

"You a tourist?"

Wuming hid his surprise. This person did not know him. He began to smile. Now he would be able to get some information from someone who thinks he was a stranger. "Yeah, I've been here for a couple of weeks."

"Where have you been?"

"Here and there," he answered. "I am writing a book about countries in this continent."

"Ah, what do you write about?"

"A travel guide. Local cuisines, culture, food, and the overall scene."

"Chengshi been doing you good?"

"Yeah, it's great!" he answered. "I live up north and it's nice to be in the city. Buildings instead of trees." He turned to the mass of people on the dance floor. "So what's the scene around this area? It's kind of spooky."

The young man laughed. "The streets are pretty dark, huh? But it's mostly safe."

He nodded. "Sometimes I feel like someone's just going to jump out, mug me, then stab me. I don't get the feeling in the province no matter how dark it gets there. Maybe I'd drop by the police and check the crime rate in this area. My readers would not appreciate me recommending places where they could possibly die."

"Oh, no," said the bartender. "The police will not tell you anything. They don't log anything around these areas. If you're going to write about some nice places, it would be great if you would recommend the ones from the city."

"Why? What goes on with the police?" he leaned closer. "Are they not doing their job well?"

"They do. I don't know if you're familiar with, like, urban legends—"

"Urban legends?!" he exclaimed, was he talking about Enigma? Oh, his father would love this. Enigma as an urban legend. Maybe that would be their catchphrase.

"Yeah, there are news about mafias here in this area."

"Oh really? I don't think they exist to this day."

"Me too," said the bartender. "Until… you know…"

"Until?"

"Until I actually saw one of them."

Wuming's eyebrows raised. "What did they look like? Leather jacket and punk styled hair? Tattoos on the arms and face? Guns on their belts?"

"No, I thought that was how they would look like. But I guess they kept up with the times. And it was only one person. He visited here around two weeks ago. It was a little dark but I could see that he had a tattoo on his neck. Raggy clothes. He spoke to the manager and they went to his office."

Wuming nodded for him to keep going. Tattoo on the neck, who the f— was that?!

"How did you know he was mafia?"

"He had a lot of men who looked like him waiting outside the door like they were ready to beat someone." The bartender leaned forward and in a low voice said, "Word on the street, there is a mafia war happening. I fear this is going to be a warzone soon enough."

Wuming laughed out loud. "It's just an urban legend."

"No, it's true," said the bartender in that urgent tone. "The manager had been looking troubled every time they visited."

Wuming nodded with a grin. "Mafia wars, people with neck tattoos… maybe I should write a different book." 

He pulled out his phone as the bartender attended to an order from the other end of the bar.

He typed a text to Qing Lok. "Did you get a new neck tattoo?"

He replied within a minute. "You're kidding me, right?"

"Alright. Thanks, man. Bas.e.m.e.nt 3 in twenty."

"What's happening?" replied Qing Lok. "Wuming?!"

But he pocketed his phone already as the bartender came back. "Another one?"

"Yeah, hit me up," he said and pushed his glass towards the guy.

As he was pouring, "Would you like for something to go with that?"

"Sorry?"

"We actually got a new product. You look like you could have a nice time." He offered Wuming a glimpse of a resealable bag from his pocket.

There was limited light but he could see the small little pastel pills.

"I'll pass," said Wuming and gulped his drink. "Don't worry I won't mention this in my book."

Then he made his way to the manager's office and rapped his knuckle on it.