Fireplace Bay, a pleasure to meet you.
Over the past two years, Ethan has heard about this place more than once, sometimes when Guild Hunters bragged, other times from the rumors brought back by visiting merchants. The common thread is that everyone who mentions Fireplace Bay is filled with endless fantasies.
As long as you can pay the price, you can buy anything at Fireplace Bay, even the key to unlock the doors to the extraordinary path.
Its another name is the black market, and unfortunately, Ethan has never been to Fireplace Bay.
The reason is simple—there is no ship that can take him to Fireplace Bay.
The black market requires an entrance ticket, and for a small figure like him from a border town, it's hard to be taken seriously. But now things are different; he has become an official of the Empire.
A white shirt, a gray tie, and a large black coat, dressed like a gentleman from high society.
Ethan is no stranger to the gentleman identity; back in his previous life when he was at university, he was given this title at school. No one understood better than him what a true gentleman should do.
Step one, download a ZIP file named "Gentleman MOD" from the website.
Step two, leave a comment in the comment section saying, "Thanks for sharing, may you have peace all your life."
Step three, share the downloaded file with roommates.
Don't underestimate these three steps, as they display a gentleman's intelligence gathering ability, benevolent spirit, and a penchant for sharing, which not only made him a gentleman in people's eyes but also allowed him to play the role of father for his roommates for a long time.
Until close to graduation, when his roommates discovered the last file he shared, a compressed file of over 30 gigabytes of "Society and Law" series, and he was stripped of the titles "gentleman" and "father."
But Ethan thinks this just truly reflects the weight of a "father."
After graduation, everyone heads their separate ways, moving towards the workplace.
This society is varied in human hearts; never trust others lightly, even if they are often respected as a father.
This is... the final lesson!
Ethan faced himself in the mirror, carefully adjusting his tie's position. This was the first time he seriously examined himself after two years of traversing worlds. The saying goes, "Clothes make the man." The previous clothes were too shabby, even Yan Zu would lose charm in civilian attire.
"Hmm, not bad."
The reflection of Ave in the mirror crossed her arms and commented, "Looks like a human being at least."
"Actually, if you don't want to praise me, you don't have to."
Ave's serious expression made Ethan find it difficult to imagine what his earlier image was in her eyes. He felt that was Ave's own issue. Being born in a wealthy family, and seeing handsome men and beautiful women in the capital, it was normal to be high-nosed. He was quite satisfied with his official attire, at least in a small place like Ximu Town, it's highly competitive.
"Take this, remember, when you get to Fireplace Bay, don't let anyone know your name."
Ave handed over a masquerade mask, urging Ethan to put it on. She prepared a full-cover mask for herself, revealing only a pair of eyes, with short golden hair tucked into a top hat and a noticeably oversized black coat to make herself look like a real Reception Bureau investigator.
Ethan suspected the oversized coat was meant to disguise her gender features, but overall it wasn't very effective because even the most seasoned warrior of the Kingdom Army would find it hard to forge muscle to Ave's size.
"Walk and talk."
Ave walked briskly towards the door, "Here's what to note about Fireplace Bay. The person we're meeting today is called Mugram, a black market merchant frequently dealing with the Reception Bureau. However, don't let your guard down because of this, and don't be deceived by his appearance. Every merchant in Fireplace Bay will squeeze out all your worth with a smile."
Ethan nodded.
Swindlers, huh, they're not uncommon these days.
"Moreover, don't casually talk to strangers there; a little carelessness can plunge you into an irredeemable situation."
?
This felt a bit over the top, so he had to confirm with Ave again, "Let me ask first, we're just going to buy something, right?"
He found it hard to imagine what kind of environment would make buyers disappear.
"That's right."
"There... isn't good law enforcement?"
"Fireplace Bay is Lofic Consortium's territory; no one causes trouble there. I mean keep your desires in check, or you'll pay for it."
"You can be one hundred percent assured."
Ethan secretly breathed a sigh of relief, fearing there were kidnappers in Fireplace Bay. As for desires, they were easy to suppress, "Haven't you heard the saying? Poverty makes one clean and desireless."
Ave's expression became intricate once again.
That was a provocative glance like one would have toward a fledgling; even through a mask, he could imagine her expression at this moment—so in need...of disciplining!
"Ah, surely here it comes."
Ethan seriously suspected this mask was allowing Ave to unleash herself; her voice line had turned into an imps' matching tone, "Someone of your kind is the easiest to be deceived. In Fireplace Bay, money isn't the only bargaining chip; your eyes, blood, limbs, organs, even your whole being can be used as chips, and people will lend you money to easily realize your deepest desires."
"I understand the logic, but what's with your voice?"
Ethan had a different view. He thought that rather than himself, the true danger was evident in Ave herself.
Her current shrill-speaking voice line was most likely to stir others' desires; if she uses this tone when talking in Fireplace Bay, things will move in an unpredictable direction.
"It's the mask's disguise."
Ethan still wanted to say something, but the scene along the road stunned him.
Ave led him twisting and turning along the street, coming to this familiar place, with the town still under the witch's vigilance everyone had gone home early, and they hadn't encountered any pedestrians along the way.
He had been here before.
In a dream.
At that time, he stood opposite the street and saw Fortune Walk gracefully into the depths of an alley, disappearing from his sight at the next corner.
"Turn left."
Ave reminded him.
This was the corner where Fortune disappeared. When he followed to this point, he witnessed a strange scene.
He saw Fortune jump off the wall and transform into a white-haired girl, disappearing in front of the mailbox in the blink of an eye.
"Where is this?"
"Fireplace Bay's magic node in Ximu Town."
Ave walked towards the mailbox, placed her leather-gloved left hand inside and said, "Watch closely, I'll demonstrate only once."
She took out a parchment, pressing her forefinger onto the top right corner, slowly sliding towards the center. Her forefinger outlined a shallow contour on the parchment, seemingly like a coastline, with the edge revealing many place names. When Ave's forefinger paused in the center, the pattern of an old sailing ship appeared.
Ethan found it difficult to maintain focus because he noticed something strange emerging from the parchment.
A fingernail-sized yellow dot of light.
Ave seemed oblivious to it, and the yellow dot was uninterested in her too, floating like a firefly directly towards Ethan, forcing him to shift his gaze from the parchment, looking at the dot that landed on his nose.
Watery coolness, itchy on the nose.
"You must concentrate, ensuring the line is correct. Once it deviates, being teleported to strange places I can't save you. Remember, Mugram's shop is located—"
"Achoo!"
The fully focused Ave was startled by the sudden sneeze, her hand shaking sharply against the parchment.
"You damn—!"
The voice abruptly stopped, Ethan watching Ave's body twisted into a mass, absorbed into the mailbox's small space.
Ethan scratched his nose; with the earth-shattering sneeze, the yellow dot of light had also vanished.
Clearly, Ave's teleportation spell had taken effect.
But...
Didn't the young lady curse him as she was teleported away?