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墨書 Inktalez
In a world where information flows freely, there is no place more connected than a bar, or rather, what is now referred to as a tavern. To still call it a bar would be an overestimation of its current state.
As for the drinks?
They are not made from quality grains but rather a mix of cheap liquor scavenged from the ruins. There might be just a hint of alcohol flavor.
The patrons here come solely for information, to meet one another, and to connect with the strong, hoping to find opportunities for work.
Yes! Opportunities for work, even Superpowered Individuals need resources. The reality is that supplies have become nearly impossible to obtain. The ruins have been almost completely stripped bare. The city, home to over four hundred thousand people, relies heavily on those struggling farmers outside its walls for sustenance. The houses within the city are quite unique; below are residences, while on the rooftops, every household grows vegetables.
This might be how people adapt to space in the apocalypse.
There are no skyscrapers; aside from a few watchtowers, everything is flat, mostly wooden shanties. In this world, wood has little value; anything from rosewood to golden silk nanmu has been repurposed into building materials.
After crossing four streets from the city gate, one arrives at Tavern Street, a place where people can take a brief respite.
With a clang, a bell rang as a burly man at the entrance fixed his eyes on two newcomers entering.
A copper plate was extended towards them.
Zheng Yifan glanced at it and pulled out a small pouch from his pocket, pouring out about half an ounce of rice.
With the respectful gaze of the man at the door upon him, he stepped into the tavern.
Li Ning awkwardly looked at Zheng Yifan, helplessly pulling out an Energy Bar from his pocket and tossing it over.
The price difference was too great; half a tael of grain was hardly worth anything, yet the energy contained in an Energy Bar was equivalent to half a pound of rice. Moreover, it was rich in nutrients. In the apocalypse, it was practically the best snack available.
He wasn't being stingy. Although Energy Bars were in limited supply at the Hope Gathering Place, it depended on who you were. Li Ning, as the leader of the guard team, had the privilege to take them freely; his quota was substantial, and he never used it all each month.
Moreover, this thing was indeed nutrient-rich but didn't taste particularly good.
The burly man looked at Li Ning in surprise, then glanced around like a thief. He pulled out a small pouch from his pocket and poured half a tael of grain onto a plate. Then he quietly tucked the Energy Bar into his own pocket.
These people relied on the wealthy who didn’t bring food to sustain themselves. Without salaries, they were naturally grateful for Li Ning's generosity. In fact, he regarded the Energy Bar as chocolate.
In the post-apocalypse world, chocolate was a rare treat. The current Energy Bar was vacuum-packed, with plastic wrapping inside that clearly displayed the words "Energy Bar."
It didn't matter what it was; as long as it tasted good, that was enough because he could already smell its aroma.
Don't doubt a person who hasn't eaten meat in two years when it comes to sensitivity to smells. The sesame oil content inside was quite high. One could smell the delicious fragrance as soon as they entered the Energy Bar storage area. Only those Energy Bars that required special handling outside had no scent.
Li Ning naturally never encountered such a situation, so his Energy Bars were all unprocessed.
Zombies showed no reaction to Energy Bars; it would be foolish to think otherwise.
The two didn't order any alcohol but instead found a corner table to sit down. Li Ning excitedly pulled out two bottles from his backpack.
Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say one bottle and one jar.
One jar of Daughter's Red, which Zheng Yifan had previously collected; it was said to be wine saved by a wealthy family for their daughter’s wedding thirty years ago.
But when the time for the wedding finally arrived, he truly couldn't bear to drink the wine. The last barrel was sold for a hundred thousand dollars, which was used to buy a sedan.
Another bottle was more famous; it was an eight-year-old red wine, but it wasn't the Lafite often mentioned in TV dramas. Instead, it was a six-quart Burgundy Red Wine from Roman Conti Winery, which had been auctioned off in France. Zheng Yifan had acquired a batch, two full cases.
Now, one of those bottles was brought out.
These were all fine products, though one had no label and the other’s label was barely legible. They looked quite ancient.
As the two bottles were placed on the table, countless heads turned. Even the boss of the tavern stared in astonishment at these two bottles.
In this post-apocalyptic world, whole bottles of wine were scarce. Moreover, these two appeared to be high-quality wines.
When Zheng Yifan opened that barrel of Daughter's Red, the entire tavern was filled with the aroma of wine.
This was truly Aged Daughter's Red. Additionally, the winemaker back then was a renowned master in his craft; however, during those special times, he had been sent down to the countryside. The patriarch of that family was the local village chief who protected his family.
To repay this kindness, he specially brewed several dozen barrels of fine wine. In the end, they were all wasted by the villagers, except for this one barrel which was kept for use at a wedding.
Zheng Yifan still remembered how bored he had been when he followed along to collect the wine and saw that family with sorrowful expressions.
A hundred thousand dollars per barrel, and millionaires had let them go to waste. Especially the father of the girl; he regretted not knowing better at that time and urinating into several barrels.
Recalling this amusing incident, Zheng Yifan smiled at the table but deliberately sniffed near the wine barrel.
He could be certain that no child had ever urinated in it.
Of course, it was buried underground, and the child didn't have the patience to dig several meters deep to retrieve the wine jar.
For a moment, the tavern fell silent.
"Li Ning, try this fine wine. I fear this is the last jar left; once it's gone, there won't be anything like it again. It's truly one of a kind." Zheng Yifan said with a smile as he poured two bowls of wine, taking a gentle sip from his own.
It was rich and smooth, leaving a lingering aftertaste.
However, Li Ning could only manage a sip before he truly couldn't take it anymore.
The Aged Daughter's Red was indeed good wine, no doubt about that, and it was fragrant as well. But he preferred that bottle of red wine.
Back in the day when he was poor, he couldn't afford it. But now, having a little was like making up for the longing he felt back then. Moreover, what the leader brought out couldn't possibly be inferior; it had to be the best in the world.
The two bottles of wine attracted countless gazes, and some drunkards felt their stomachs rumbling with hunger.
Time had already passed quickly. In just a few minutes, as Zheng Yifan finished one bowl and reached for more wine, an embarrassed man nearing fifty approached them.
"Brother, you look unfamiliar! Are you new here? Do you need a guide? I don't want any payment; just give me the half bowl of leftover wine from this brother." The Drunken Nose Uncle said with an awkward smile on his face. (To be continued)
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