Village Head's Debauchery

Chapter 1036: The Trekking Flamingo Runaway City’s Ongoing Crisis

The tall buildings-with a rusted metallic sheen-were sprawled together as though they were placed without a second thought. They rose high into the air, seemingly attempting to touch the sky.

However, the radiant evening sun was blocked by ashy and black smoke clouds, darkening the small metropolis beneath it and making it appear to belong to another world entirely rather than being part of a moving mechanized habitat in the shape of a flamingo.

When viewed in its entirety from both perspectives-the outside and the inside-it amazed an individual.

Orion walked down the street, sensing the tingling torches of a foul stench that lingered in the air, pervading his nose. It was like the scent of burnt rubbish mixed with the imaginary scent of a mermaid living in sewage. Of course, he didn’t know the latter; it was merely an assumption.

Nonetheless, Aerialia had informed him that there were different species of aquatic races, so he was at least hopeful of encountering one soon if they had survived up until this moment.

Orion focused on the denizens of the Trekking Flamingo Runaway City. The three major present races were as he had expected-Dragmins, Centaurs, and Aarakocra. Other strange races also arouse Orion’s curiosity. However, he only gave them a brief glance before returning his gaze forward to avoid attracting too much suspicion.

Some people wore attires like his, attempting to appear inconspicuous, while the rest wore patched or ragged clothes, each heading towards their varied destinations.

Soon, Orion began to pass by hawkers and stalls filled with unknown dried fruits, leaves, slabs of meat, ordinary and magical items, clothes, and other daily necessities. Orion looked at the foodstuffs sold in these stalls and frowned; he wouldn’t give them to his enemies unless he wanted to poison them.

‘It’s just like the others,’ Orion thought, comparing this scene to what he had witnessed in the lower ward of the Sleeping Fox Runaway City.

An individual could never understand a Runaway City’s challenges unless they witness it themselves. These were people truly doing all they could to survive in this dead, desolate world!

Knowing his purpose for arriving here, Orion approached one of the stalls; his mind focused on the task at hand. He was here to gather information about the inner workings of the Trekking Flamingo Runaway City, particularly where he could meet the most formidable individuals within the Lower Ward.

“What can I get for you, sir?” said a man of the Aarakocra race.

Orion couldn’t tell whether he was older or young, as they all appeared the same.

“I’m looking for where I can meet the most formidable individuals within the Lower Ward,” Orion said, his tone rigid. He put his face down to hide his appearance.

Hearing Orion’s words, the man remained silent briefly before shaking his head. “Before asking questions like that, it’s proper etiquette to buy one of the displayed goods and cover the cost of the information,” the man responded.

Orion’s behaviour didn’t seem suspicious, as information was precious and essential to everyone’s survival. Everyone in the Lower Ward tried their best to blend in or move to the middle and upper wards for a better standard of living. The only thing that attracted attention was Orion’s spotless, new attire, making it obvious he wasn’t from around here.

“How much?” Orion asked, scrutinizing the goods before him.

Initially, he thought of buying them for the children he had seen playing beside the streets, but he would rather throw them into the garbage than hand them out. He even doubted whether these items were picked from someone else’s dustbin.

“Four Nindainth Coins for the fresh fruits and six for the dried ones. I know that sounds quite expensive, but I’ve received information that it will be some time before another trade is initiated. This scarcity has made every seller want to preserve their goods as long as possible to ensure they last while at the same time selling their products for profit,” the man explained.

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“So, it’s already the cheapest you can find in the area, and you’ll be getting your money’s worth. Of course, if you have goods you want to trade, you can present them.”

“I don’t have Nindainth Coins, but I have goods to trade,” Orion responded, shaking his head.

Nindainth was the last name of the former Emperor of the Trekking Flamingo Runaway City, so it was easy to recognize that due to his long reign and family succession, they had managed to create a currency for their use. It was remarkable because it allowed them to control their economy slightly.

“Oh! What do you have?” the trader responded, his voice tinged with curiosity.

Orion summoned his miniature mountain from within his cloak and brought fruit from the Garden. He re-summoned the miniature mountain and placed the fruit on the stall’s desk, offering it as a trade.

The man’s eyes widened in surprise as he swiftly took the fruits into his hands, hiding them beneath his clothing. He glanced around to ensure no one was watching before refocusing on the mysterious cloaked figure before him, who now seemed even more mysterious. He could feel the fruit’s plumpness and, with his extensive experience, immediately recognized it as top quality. He realized he was holding a fortune.

“Ahem! If you had mentioned earlier that your goods were of this quality, I would have given you a discount,” the man said, his tone now jovial. Why don’t you choose which goods you want, and then we can move directly to the information you are searching for?”

Orion couldn’t tell whether the Aarakocra was smiling, but he didn’t care. “I don’t need any of them. Just give me the information I asked for,” Orion said firmly.

The man nodded swiftly. “The place where all the formidable individuals in the area gather is the Midnight Butcher Bar. It’s a popular spot where gods’ chosens rest after their patrols, and warriors looking to make connections often gather there as well.”

“Even the criminals in the Lower Ward frequent it, and they’re safe while inside because the bar’s owner is a formidable warrior himself. So you can enter without fear of being harmed. Remember, once you step outside the bar’s territory, you’re on your own, so it’s best you approach cautiously.”