Chapter 27: The Tavern, the Mafia, and the Rainy Night!

District of the Bay, Second Wharf Street.

"Swish, swish..."

As night fell, the curtain of rain grew increasingly torrential, accompanied by a low, rumbling roar. Work was scarce at night, and with such a violent storm, the taverns on Second Wharf Street, adjacent to the docks, were naturally packed to capacity. Merchants, travelers, and dockworkers who had come from distant mountain towns and small cities to make a living crowded into the taverns.

As some traveling poets played their accordions, the tavern became even more boisterous and lively, the enthusiasm rising with the music. The prosperity of Ogran City could be witnessed even in the corners of the tavern.

"Ugh... ugh..."

In a corner, a drunkard reeking of alcohol lay sprawled across a table, hiccuping. Opposite him, Zorn, wearing an old brown hemp tunic and a grey felt bowler hat, sat steadily on an old wooden bench.

"Crack!"

A bolt of purple lightning streaked across the firmament, illuminating Ogran City amidst the veil of rain. After the light came a thick, silent darkness.

Immediately following, a low, rolling rumble echoed through the downpour. Zorn could feel the "Kome wine" in his glass ripple slightly from the thunder's vibration.

"What a wonderful night."

Sitting in this bustling tavern, listening to the sound of the rain outside the glass window, Zorn felt a sense of familiarity. Originally, Zorn had planned to meet the alchemist "Vladimir Kokin" today after seeing Jolia. However, the alchemist had sent a letter yesterday, stating he had urgent matters to attend to and would pay a visit in person. Having finished with Jolia’s affairs, Zorn had some free time and decided to come to the Bay District.

He intended to deal with the gang that had swallowed the Corrick family's wealth and to ferret out the nobleman and the mastermind behind them. Along the way, he would also test the peculiar "bug" between the [Evil Spirit Warlock] and [Fighter] sequences.

According to Zorn’s experience, the "Dock Gangs" of the Bay District were an area where many [Events] were intertwined. [Events] were never isolated; they were inextricably linked. The conclusion of one [Event] was often the beginning of another. In this era of roaring tides and the resurgence of the extraordinary, the swirling undercurrents would drag every participant into their depths.

The Bay District was the center of this great vortex in Ogran City. Within it lay not only numerous esoteric interests but also the interests of the Church. And within all these factions were "Evil Spirits." They were all Zorn's targets. Now, with two sequences in his grasp, Zorn was qualified to participate in this grand prologue.

But he needed to be sufficiently careful. The "Sweet Cabbage Tavern" where Zorn currently sat was a frequent gathering place for members of the "Homer Mafia." The dock logistics company that Zorn’s father had invested in was currently controlled by this very gang. Now, Zorn was going to make them spit it all out, with interest.

Before long, a carriage pulled up to the street outside the tavern. With a "creak," the door to the lively tavern was suddenly pushed open. Apart from a few travelers near the entrance who glanced up briefly at the newcomers, the other patrons remained immersed in the tavern's clamor.

Of the three men who entered, the leader was in his early thirties, of medium build, and sporting a beard. He wore a fedora, and his leather shoes struck the wooden floor with a firm, rhythmic clatter. His aura was grim, his face cold, eyes sunken, and his gaze was vigilant and steady, like a hunting falcon. As a mafia boss who lived by the blade, he was more cautious than anyone.

Two burly mafia members in grey newsboy caps approached the bar, forcefully pushing aside several customers. The displaced patrons were furious and glared at them, but upon seeing the trench coats, suits, and newsboy caps, they recalled something. Fear surfaced on their faces, and they shrank back, giving up their spots.

When night fell, the Homer Mafia was the underground emperor here. They were a force one could not afford to provoke.

"Clyde Joshua," having taken his seat, removed his fedora and tapped his fingers on the table. The bartender immediately stopped his work and greeted him.

"Good evening, Mr. Clyde! The usual?"

"Heh... yes!" came a raspy, smoke-filled voice. "Any trouble today?"

"The tavern has been fine all day, and the revenue is excellent."

Soon, a glass of blood-red Blood Snake wine was prepared. This high-proof, special liquor was difficult for an ordinary person to handle, but as the boss of the Homer Mafia, "Clyde Joshua" was clearly no ordinary man. The intense flavor stimulated his taste buds, and as it soothed his nerves, he felt the mottled, noisy gazes of the crowd.

As an extraordinary, he possessed unparalleled keen insight and strength far beyond that of an ordinary person. He had many enemies, and quite a few were watching him in the shadows, but few dared to make a move against him. Clyde Joshua enjoyed the feeling of being a tiger among sheep, looked up to by the weak.

Savoring the blood-red wine, Clyde Joshua glanced at the roaring, rainy night outside. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and frowned; he disliked, even hated, rainy nights.

"This terrible weather!"

In the corner, Zorn, sipping his Kome wine, lowered his brown bowler hat.

"A Tier 2 [Arsonist], possessing the power to control flames and the ability to unleash terrifying conflagrations. According to the *Ogran Steam Daily* over the past six months, there have been several merchant ship fires at the Bay docks. Many of those fires were likely tied to this [Arsonist]."

"His strength seems quite decent; unfortunately, it’s a rainy night! And... he has two mafia lackeys."

As he pondered, Zorn closed his eyes, and the power of the [Evil Spirit Authority] radiated silently. As a world-class boss, the status of an [Evil Spirit Warlock] was very high. In plain terms, it meant "a wide range of power radiation," "not easily detected," and "potent effects with few drawbacks." Therefore, even from a distance, Zorn could still use his [Evil Spirit Authority] to silently gain control over the [Arsonist]'s two henchmen.

Directly controlling the [Arsonist] would be risky; given his cautious state, he would not only notice but might even lash out. Although the two mafia lackeys were ordinary people, they could play a crucial role.

For insurance, Zorn performed two authority baptisms on the two Homer Mafia members. With Zorn as the center, the radiated power anchored perfectly onto the two ordinary mafia members. Now, they were both devout believers of the [Holy Warlock Sovereign].

If it were a sequence skilled in spirituality and perception, they might have detected a slight anomaly. Unfortunately, the [Arsonist] was no better in this regard than a [Fighter].

"Find a reason later to get him to the back alley of the tavern."

After conveying the will of the Evil Spirit, Zorn was the first to head toward the back alley. During his wait, he had already scouted the location. He had even chosen the graveyard for that Homer Mafia boss!

Soon, the [Arsonist] Clyde Joshua finished his Blood Snake wine. He turned his gaze back to the curtain of rain outside, the swishing sound making him inexplicably irritable. At that moment, one of his mafia lackeys lowered his voice.

"Boss, that kid who just walked past seems to be a survivor of the Oak Town Mafia. He looked at us several times."

These words immediately made Clyde Joshua feel as if his tail had been stepped on. He seemed to have found the source of his irritation today. The Oak Town Mafia boss had died at their hands, but several of his loyal lackeys had escaped. Those escaped lackeys had attempted two revenge attacks on him, both of which had left him injured, a grudge he nurtured deeply. He swore he would completely wipe out all remaining members of the Oak Town Mafia.

Following the lackey's prompt, Clyde Joshua recalled clearly: opposite that slumped drunkard, there had indeed been a young man with an agile build.

Clyde Joshua let out a low, grim laugh. "Follow him. Tonight's prey has been found."

Diving into the torrential rain, Clyde Joshua caught sight of the figure fleeing in a panic.

"Chase!"

The three of them immediately quickened their pace. Whether it was the other person's bad luck or their good luck, after two or three turns, they had the young survivor of the Oak Town Mafia cornered in a narrow dead-end alley.

"Take him!" the [Arsonist] Clyde Joshua said coldly. The two mafia lackeys behind him drew their short daggers.

"Crack!"

A purple bolt of lightning instantly illuminated the world, shining brightly on the blades of the short daggers.

Rumble... rumble...

*Shing!*

*Shing!*

Two crisp piercing sounds rang out, immediately masked by the thunder. Also masked was the beast-like roar of rage from the [Arsonist] Clyde Joshua.