"But their actions were indeed too irrational, creating a massive problem for Zaun. After those priceless treasures were lost, not to mention Zaun, even in Piltover alone, many people were implicated because of this incident, demoted, had their salaries suspended, were investigated, and imprisoned, some even losing their lives. So how could the Piltoverianss tolerate this loss? The subsequent various forms of harassment and oppression are just normal tactics."
Durin still didn't speak, but quietly listened to the mage express his views.
"Hmm, it seems you don't talk much." Kreslin the Mage glanced at Durin, then continued to muse thoughtfully, "As Zaun's highest authority, Vander is indeed a character, but the bridge incident a few years ago made this ambitious hero lose his fighting spirit. The lion turned into a shiba inu, only able to curl up in his own territory and lick his wounds. I wonder what views he will express at this tavern meeting."
"Entresol Level!"
The lift attendant respectfully reminded Kreslin the Mage.
Kreslin stopped speaking, rose, and exited the private lift. Durin quickly followed, and he and Kreslin walked towards Black Alley.
The Last Drop is located in the center of Black Alley. The alchemical lamps cast a greenish glow through the mist, and many people were hawking daily necessities and strange trinkets.
Along the way, Durin even saw someone sitting on a cage, inside which was a beetle with a grey, rocky shell, about the size of a shiba inu. The rock beetle was restlessly poking the person's butt, making the owner furiously bang on the cage.
And The Last Drop was at the intersection of these few streets, very conspicuous.
Just as Durin was about to enter, he was immediately stopped by the bouncers at the door. One of them said coldly, "You! Not allowed in!"
Then, he immediately bowed to Kreslin the Mage, saying humbly, "Mage, please enter!"
Kreslin the Mage nodded to Durin and instructed, "Then you wait here!"
Durin shrugged, nodded in understanding, then leaned helplessly against the wall, waiting silently.
"Was that mage just now your boss?"
A sturdy man in his thirties, built like a bear, wearing only a vest, had a cigarette in his mouth. He took out another one and offered it to Durin.
Durin had a smoking habit before his transmigration; for him, it was a joyful pastime.
Facing a cigarette offered by a stranger, he hesitated for a moment but still chose to accept it, saying with a slight smile, "Thank you for the cigarette. Yes! I'm his assistant."
The man took out a match, struck it against the wall, and a thick plume of white smoke immediately rose. Both of them turned their heads to avoid the toxic white smoke before leaning closer to the burning match to light their cigarettes.
After shaking the match, the man threw it on the ground, stomped on it a few times, ground it in, took a deep drag, and exhaled smoke while sighing, "It seems this Piltover explosion is no small matter. Our Zaun's authority figures actually called many powerful gang leaders from Zaun here to discuss this. Tsk, I even saw a brothel owner go in! What does that guy know? It's not like he's going to have his women bribe the blue hats with their bellies!"
At this, the people around burst into hearty laughter.
"And, I heard a rumor going around that the guys at the very top are getting impatient and plan to support a brand new authority figure to take the stage!"
"It can't be! If they change the authority figure, Zaun will be in complete chaos." Durin took a puff of the rolled cigarette, then immediately started coughing violently.
The sturdy man let out a loud laugh. He patted Durin's back and said, "That's true, but we're just underlings! No matter how big the fuss is above, what does it matter to us! Life still goes on. Also, smoke slower, this rolled cigarette is quite potent."
He took the cigarette from his mouth, held it between two fingers, and wiggled it in front of Durin.
It took Durin a while to recover from his coughing. He no longer dared to smoke that cigarette, his face even pale from the coughing. "What exactly is in this?"
The sturdy man seemed very pleased and proud, talking volubly: "Besides some tobacco leaves, there's also straw, dried and shredded vine gourd, oh, and some blood orange peels and a tiny bit of chili pepper skin ground into flour."
"Just leave that kid alone, who can stand your stuff?" Someone had already noticed the situation over here, and other followers immediately started shouting with laughter.
The sturdy man, however, didn't care at all. He put the cigarette back in his mouth, squinted at them, and continued, "This guy can stand it!"
He nudged Durin with his arm, but Durin's body was unexpectedly solid, causing the sturdy man to step back instead, which genuinely surprised him. He asked with a smile, "Alright, you kid! You're really strong! How about it, do you think this cigarette tastes good?"
In fact, most of the cigarettes smoked by the lower-class people in Zaun were these self-made rolled cigarettes with added ingredients, because the money they earned was not enough to afford expensive things like cigarettes.
They would usually pick up cigarette butts about one centimeter long from alleys or lifts, empty out the tobacco leaves, and collect them. If these tobacco leaves were simply rolled into cigarettes, even picking up a pound of butts might only barely yield two or three cigarettes. But if they added some ingredients, they could more or less roll out a whole pack.
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