In the evening, Leon and his two companions arrived at the bar where Victor performed.
The bar was not upscale, with a mixed crowd of customers, mostly from the empire's lower classes. They weren't all there just to drink; deals were being made, bounties discussed, underground fights arranged, and even drug transactions happened in the corners.
Of course, compared to the gambling dens and drug operations run by imperial-backed bosses that Tiger had dealt with before, this place was relatively restrained. At least they didn't flaunt their illegal activities openly.
Leon and Rebecca entered the bar while Tiger stayed outside to keep watch.
Wanted posters with Tiger's face were plastered all over the empire's streets, and the bounty on his head was tempting enough that there might be desperados in this very bar willing to risk it all. To avoid unnecessary trouble, it was better for their master to remain out of sight.
As soon as they stepped inside, the noisy, boisterous atmosphere assaulted their ears. The hallway leading to the dance floor was packed with people.
Seductively dressed women, holding cheap cigarettes between their fingers, filled the air with smoke. As Leon passed by, one of them blew a puff of smoke gently into his face.
Even prostitutes trying to solicit customers were doing their business right at the entrance.
Leon didn't want to engage and continued walking inward.
"Hey handsome, where's the fire? Why don't you chat with me? I've got something fun here—"
Click!
Rebecca pulled out her pistol and pointed it at the woman's chin.
The woman shut her mouth embarrassedly and silently retreated to the side. The others in the corridor also tactfully made way for Leon and Rebecca.
In an instant, the crowd thinned out.
Rebecca holstered her gun and walked to Leon's side, lowering her voice. "We're not regulars here. Those people at the entrance are here to 'inspect' newcomers. If you don't assert yourself, it'll be difficult to move around."
Leon understood the unspoken rules Rebecca mentioned; surviving in the gray areas of life required a certain mindset.
What he didn't understand was why Victor, after leaving the Dragon Slayer Corps, had ended up in such a decadent and dark place. Did he willingly embrace this lifestyle, or was there another reason?
Despite being the perpetual second-in-command, Victor had his own principles and resilience. He always gave his all and held himself to high standards. Someone like him didn't seem to belong here.
It seemed he would have to wait until he found Victor to get answers.
Leon and Rebecca crossed the dance floor and arrived at the bar.
"What can I get you two?" the bartender greeted them.
"A glass of water," Leon replied. He had poor alcohol tolerance, and besides, they weren't here to drink tonight.
"I'll have a Black Moon," Rebecca said. She used to drink often and knew all the peculiar drink names. She claimed her aim got better after drinking, though it was hard to verify.
The bartender glanced at the petite Rebecca. "We don't serve alcohol to kids."
Leon, who was about to suggest she switch to juice, swallowed his words.
He subtly shifted his position to avoid getting blood splattered on him later.
If Leon's Achilles' heel was his family, then Rebecca's was her age.
"I'm an adult! Open your eyes wide and look carefully, I am an adult!"
The loli girl stood on the bar stool, hands on the table. If the bartender dared to say another word, Leon had no doubt Rebecca would pull out her gun.
Luckily, the bartender was savvy enough to nod obediently. "Alright, Black Moon, coming right up."
"Hold on! I changed my mind, I'll also have a glass of water."
"OK, two glasses of water."
Rebecca sat back down, arms crossed, glaring at the bartender's back. "This is why I hate all bartenders in the world."
Leon shook his head, smiling, and began observing the crowd.
.
.
.
Moments later, the lights in the bar dimmed, leaving only a spotlight shining on the stage.
In that spotlight, a tall, thin man sat on a bar stool, holding a simple guitar. He was dressed modestly, with a slightly weathered face and shoulder-length hair.
But as soon as he appeared, he drew cheers from the men and women on the dance floor.
"Victor! Victor! Victor!"
"Victor, I want to hear 'By the River'!"
"You sang 'By the River' yesterday, today we want 'Evening Breeze'!"
They cheered Victor's name and called out their requests.
Leon sat by the bar, looking across the dance floor at his former deputy, Victor. Compared to Rebecca, Victor had changed drastically. He used to have short hair and seemed much livelier than he did now.
"How did he end up like this?" Leon muttered to himself.
"Artists, they're all like this," Rebecca said, sipping her water through a straw.
When the crowd quieted down a bit, Victor took off the pendant hanging from his chest.
It was a guitar pick.
But unlike typical cheap picks, Victor's was exquisitely ivory-white and finely crafted, standing out under the lights.
Gently strumming the guitar strings, Victor began to sing.
His voice was impressive, even by the bar's standards, it was top-notch.
Leon remembered back in the Dragon Slayer Corps, every night Victor would sing a couple of songs by the campfire.
Because of this, he had accumulated quite a few admirers, though not as many as Leon.
"The perpetual second-in-command" was like a curse, following Victor in every aspect.
No matter how hard he tried, Leon seemed like an insurmountable obstacle blocking his path.
Coincidentally, from the conversation of nearby patrons, Leon learned that the song Victor was singing now was called "Crossing This Mountain."
But Leon never felt he was Victor's obstacle or anything like that.
In Leon's eyes, Victor was a very reliable deputy and vice-captain—
At least, that's what Leon had always thought until he was framed in the Silver Dragon Battle.
And now, who could emerge unscathed from the vortex of this imperial conspiracy?
Leon withdrew his thoughts and quietly waited for Victor to finish.
After all, as a popular resident singer, one song wouldn't satisfy the audience.
For the next hour, Victor serenaded the crowd with numerous classic tunes, some of which he had sung during their time in the Dragon Slayer Corps.
Even Leon, who claimed to lack artistic sensibility, found himself thoroughly enjoying the music, stirring up many memories.
Meanwhile, the twin-tailed girl next to him was already nodding off.
Leon glanced at her and snapped his fingers crisply next to her ear.
Startled awake, Rebecca exclaimed, "Ah! Who, who's shooting?!"
"Wake up, we're going backstage to find Victor."
"Oh, okay!"
.
.
.
The two made their way around the dance floor to the backstage area.
There were many rooms backstage, but fortunately, each had the name of a staff member on it.
They found Victor's room and knocked on the door.
"The performance for tonight is over. Come back tomorrow," Victor's voice came from inside.
"Hey, big shot, now that you're such a celebrity, you don't even want to see your old teammates?" Rebecca called out.
After a moment, they heard footsteps approaching.
The door creaked open, revealing a thin, weathered man. He lowered his gaze to the petite girl standing two heads shorter than him.
"Rebecca, what are you doing here?"
"Just here to support the big star."
"Don't joke around. You must have something to tell me if you came looking for me."
Rebecca shrugged. "Indeed, there is something, but it's not about me, it's about him."
With that, Rebecca reached out and pulled the man hiding behind the door into the light.
Victor looked up and was immediately dumbfounded.