Chapter 327: A Microcosm of the Jianghu

By midday, Taste of Freshness Inn was bustling with business, every table packed with customers.

Among them were demons with bestial heads and those who had fully taken human form. Some crowded together at a table, drinking and eating meat in large mouthfuls, while others sat alone, slowly savoring a single plate of side dishes.

Observing the lively scene, Gu Ning’an, seated in a corner, felt fortunate that after finishing his breakfast, he had ordered a pot of tea and remained in his seat.

Otherwise, if he wanted a cool, shaded spot to relax and sip tea, he would have had to return to his room or search elsewhere outside.

“Where there are people, there is jianghu. The same goes for demons… This little inn is like a microcosm of the martial world,” Gu Ning’an remarked, sipping his tea.

At the table, Doubao shifted and asked, “Sir, aren’t you going out to take a look around?”

“No need. Just sitting in this inn for a day will give me a deeper understanding of the true nature of this demon city,” Gu Ning’an replied with a smile.

Hearing this, Doubao turned around, glanced at the various demons in the inn, and murmured, “Hmm… quite a few of them are under Lord Mi’s command… Why would they be here for a meal?”

Gu Ning’an chuckled faintly. “Oh? Is that so… Looks like Innkeeper Hua is going to be quite busy today.”

Doubao blinked. “Innkeeper Hua doesn’t do the work. It’s always the staff handling things.”

Gu Ning’an nodded. “I know. Just watch.”

As time passed, a few tables where the patrons had been drinking heavily started shouting for more wine. Their aggressive tone intimidated the waiters, who didn’t dare delay, fearing that the slightest hesitation would give them an excuse to cause trouble.

Yet, when someone is intent on stirring up trouble, no amount of caution can prevent it.

At two adjacent tables, one group was loudly demanding two jars of wine, while the other insisted on three pots. Both tables shouted as if their lives depended on it.

A young waiter, already overwhelmed with work, made a mistake and swapped their orders.

“I ordered two jars of wine, damn it!”

“What the hell is this?! You brought me three pots instead?!”

“You think I can’t afford to pay, is that it?!”

A burly man, his face covered in layers of fat, roared as he grabbed the young waiter by the collar and yanked him forward with one hand.

Seeing the fangs in the man’s mouth, the waiter turned pale, his body trembling as he stammered, “S-Sir! I really didn’t do it on purpose! I must have misread the order…”

“Misread?” The burly man narrowed his eyes, grabbed a wine pot from the table, and poured it over the waiter’s head.

The wine dripped down his face, yet the young waiter dared not move an inch. He stood frozen as the man emptied all three pots over him.

Even after drenching him in wine, the man still seemed dissatisfied. He then smashed the three empty pots onto the ground, their shards scattering with a sharp clatter.

“Sir, please calm down! Please, don’t be angry!” The young waiter kept apologizing repeatedly.

The burly man sneered, extending a fan-like hand and feeling the waiter’s thin frame. Then he burst into laughter. “Damn, this kid’s body is weak! Humans really are frail!”

“Taking on a human form like this… honestly, it’s kind of embarrassing.”

“Hey, now that you’ve had your fun, let us have a turn with this weakling, too.”

The one who spoke was a dog-headed demon in human form, wearing a short-sleeved shirt. His muscular arms were so thick they dwarfed the waiter’s head.

The burly man chuckled and, with a casual shove, sent the young waiter stumbling straight into the dog demon’s grasp.

The dog demon spread his fingers and clamped down on the waiter’s head, applying just enough pressure to make the boy feel like his skull was about to crack open.

“Hmm… This kid even put on demon water to mask his scent. No wonder he doesn’t smell human.” The dog demon sniffed at him and was about to torment him further when a graceful figure emerged from the back courtyard.

“Please, dear guest, be so kind as to let go of my little waiter,” Innkeeper Hua said. Her voice carried no trace of anger, yet everyone in the inn felt an overwhelming sense of pressure.

The dog demon, who had been so aggressive just moments before, immediately released the boy upon seeing Innkeeper Hua.

And as he let go, he even feigned a cough and spat a thick glob of phlegm onto the waiter’s face.

“Oops.”

“Look at this—what kind of situation is this supposed to be?”

“My apologies, young man. I caught a chill and can’t stop coughing. Please don’t take it to heart.”

Though he was apologizing, the amusement in the dog demon’s eyes was unmistakable.

From his demeanor, it was clear—he was deliberately bullying the young waiter.

At that moment, a flicker of anger finally appeared on the young worker’s face. However, he only furrowed his brows slightly without saying anything and quickly strode toward the backyard.

Innkeeper Hua didn’t comment on the situation either. She merely glanced at the young worker before stepping in front of the dog demon. Extending her slender, jade-like finger, she pointed at them and said coolly, “Are the two of you deliberately trying to make trouble for me, Hua Erniang?”

At these words, the demons at the two tables immediately shook their heads in denial, feigning innocence. They even claimed they were simply drunk and had only been joking with the young worker.

If they had openly been looking for trouble, Hua Erniang could have dealt with them accordingly. But now that they were playing the fool and the young worker hadn’t suffered any real harm, there was no justification for her to act.

After all, even in Eternal Slumber City, there was still a “government office” to uphold order…

If she casually injured them, their backer, Lord Mi, would certainly seize the opportunity to file a complaint with the authorities. And given the temperament of that second-generation scoundrel in charge, who knew what charges she might be accused of…

“Since you weren’t trying to cause trouble, then I ask that you behave yourselves.”

“After all, we all live in Eternal Slumber City. It’s inevitable that we might cross paths at night. If any grudges arise, disturbing the neighbors wouldn’t be good, would it?”

The threat in Hua Erniang’s words was evident, and the demons understood it clearly.

So, they forced a dry chuckle and assured her they wouldn’t cause any more trouble.

With that, the minor disturbance caused by the drunken troublemakers came to an end. The two tables indeed quieted down for quite some time afterward.

When the young worker returned, freshly changed into clean clothes, and resumed his duties, they didn’t give him any further trouble. In fact, the dog demon even pulled out two taels of silver as a “tip,” forcibly stuffing it into the young worker’s hands.

However, when the hour of the Monkey (3-5 PM) arrived, the once-rowdy burly man and the dog demon suddenly shouted in unison—

“The food is poisoned!”

And then, they collapsed to the ground, dead beyond any hope of revival…