Chapter 58: Posting a Commission
Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Posting a Commission
The shop owner didn’t react to Xisuo and Simon’s retreat, just watched them leave with cold indifference.
A hint of contempt showed in his eyes. For Shen Yang, scenes like this were a common sight.
In this wasteland, strength and influence were the only things that mattered, and the organization backing him gave him all the confidence he needed.
It wasn’t that no one had ever dared to cross him. But without exception, all who tried ended up as jerky in his shop or fertilizer for the farmlands of October Town.
The two brothers walked out of the shop. Seeing the lingering anger on his older brother’s face, Simon quickly lowered his voice.
"Bro, don’t forget our main mission."
"Besides, we have the reagents. There’s no need to get into a conflict with him over this."
Xisuo took a deep breath to calm himself and nodded. The purpose of their trip wasn’t just to resupply; more importantly, it was to complete the task Ye Yun had given them.
They got back on their motorcycles and rode slowly down the streets of October Town.
Soon, their motorcycles came to a stop beside the October Town tavern.
A worn-out sign hung by the entrance, painted with the image of a stein. Though faded, it was still recognizable.
They parked their motorcycles and walked into the tavern.
The tavern’s interior was dim, lit only by the sunlight filtering through the windows and a few pathetic-looking incandescent bulbs. The air was thick with the smell of alcohol and cheap tobacco.
As Xisuo and Simon entered the tavern, their eyes quickly scanned their surroundings.
A few patrons sat at shabby tables, some drinking alone, others talking in small groups.
Seeing the two of them enter, many of the patrons cast furtive glances their way.
The brothers paid the attention no mind, carefully weaving through the tables and chairs to reach the bar.
Xisuo and Simon sat down at the counter. Behind it stood a weathered-looking bartender.
He was polishing a glass, and his eyes swept over the two of them before he spoke nonchalantly.
"What can I get for you two?"
Xisuo glanced up at the menu and silently cursed. ’What a rip-off.’
Still, he knew the rules of the tavern.
If they didn’t order something, the bartender wouldn’t give them the time of day.
Xisuo had no choice but to order two of the cheapest alcoholic drinks, slapping four Silver Coins onto the counter.
The bartender nodded, turned to grab two crude-looking glasses from the shelf behind him, and poured a dull-colored liquid into them from a cask.
He pushed the glasses toward Xisuo and Simon. The two exchanged a look, then raised their glasses and took a small sip.
An instant later, identical, indescribable expressions appeared on both of their faces.
It wasn’t their first time in a bar, but it was the first time they’d ever had a drink this awful.
Xisuo cursed under his breath. ’These bastards are so crooked. This isn’t a drink, it’s straight-up swill.’
But he also knew he was on their turf, so he quickly suppressed his discontent.
Xisuo set down his glass and said to the bartender,
"We’re not just here for a drink. We’re looking for information."
The bartender raised an eyebrow, seemingly unsurprised.
"In October Town, information costs a lot more than this booze."
Simon added,
"We’re willing to pay a fair price, as long as the information is accurate."
The bartender grinned, revealing a set of yellow teeth.
"That depends on what kind of information you’re looking for."
Xisuo lowered his voice and laid out their needs.
"We need to find a suitable freelancer for an organization. The person must have solid combat skills and extensive wilderness exploration experience. Male is preferred, but a cyborg or a powered individual would be even better."
"It’s a long-term position. The organization provides all living supplies and equipment. The contract is for three years."
"We can offer ten Silver Coins for finding the right person."
Hearing Xisuo’s offer, the seemingly listless bartender immediately perked up.
Ten Silver Coins was no small sum.
He immediately pulled a small notebook from a drawer and began flipping through it.
A few minutes later, he closed the notebook.
"Well, you’ve come to the right place."
"We do have a few freelancers in town looking for work."
"But a three-year contract is pretty long. I’m not sure they’ll go for it."
Xisuo knew exactly what the bartender was getting at. He reached into his pocket and flicked a Silver Coin across the counter.
He said irritably,
"Just bring them over. We’ll talk to them ourselves."
"Whether they agree or not is our business."
Having received his tip, the bartender’s face broke into a smile.
He made an "OK" sign and gestured to an empty corner of the bar.
"Have a seat over there. I’ll go get them."
The wait wasn’t very long; after all, October Town wasn’t that big.
「About half an hour later.」
The bartender reappeared before the two brothers.
Four other people were with him.
Xisuo carefully sized up the four people before him with a scrutinizing gaze.
Three men and one woman.
Xisuo couldn’t help but frown upon seeing the woman on the right. He had specifically mentioned that he preferred a man.
It wasn’t that he was sexist, but there were considerable physical differences between men and women. Under certain circumstances, a woman’s combat effectiveness could be even lower than usual.
But since she was already here, he couldn’t very well just send her away.
Other than being slightly more built than the average person, there was nothing particularly special about the four of them.
He knew that a small settlement like October Town was unlikely to have any truly formidable figures anyway.
Despite his frown, Xisuo gave the four a polite nod and gestured for them to sit.
Seeing his cue, the bartender tactfully stepped aside to give them space to talk.
Xisuo spoke first.
"I’m Xisuo, and this is my younger brother, Simon."
"The bartender should have already told you what we need. So, please introduce yourselves. Let’s start with you."
Xisuo pointed to the man on the far left.
The man on the far left nodded.
"Name’s Lucas. I used to be a caravan guard, so I have some experience with wilderness survival and combat."
Xisuo studied the man. He was the most powerfully built of the four. His exposed skin was a patchwork of old and new scars, and his hands were covered in calluses.
It was clear he saw combat often, likely with melee weapons.
Next, the second man stood up. He looked a little older, his face deeply weathered.
"I’m Carl. I used to be a Mutant Hunter out in the wastes. I’m skilled at tracking and setting traps."