Chapter 108: Exclusive Entertainment Venue

The task of investigation fell on Qi Chen and Warm Guy’s shoulders, but before they set out, Yan Yan and Swap had to offer them some assistance.

“Judging from how you entered the town, if there are any potential enemies paying attention, they’ve probably noticed your arrival. They might have even memorized your faces. To be safe, you should disguise yourselves,” Swap said with a smile.

His suggestion made perfect sense. Qi Chen and Warm Guy indeed stood out quite a bit in Huangshi Town—or rather, anyone from Third City would stand out there.

There’s a clear difference between those who have lived long in the city and those who have wandered the Mist for a long time. Whether in clothing or behavior, experienced veterans can quickly spot the contrast.

Fortunately, Huangshi Town had a good relationship with them. With a simple order, two sets of typical Mist wanderer attire were soon delivered.

Qi Chen and Warm Guy quickly changed into the patched, worn leather clothes. At first glance, they now gave off a bit of the Mist wanderer vibe.

But the disguise wasn’t complete yet. Yan Yan gave Swap a subtle signal, and Swap immediately approached Qi Chen and Warm Guy, speaking softly:

“Gentlemen, now I’ll give you a facial transformation.”

Qi Chen was curious—was Swap’s ability to physically alter appearances?

Suddenly, a figure of indigo blue materialized and floated out from Swap’s body. Qi Chen roughly gauged Swap’s strange spiritual intensity at about a C level. The indigo figure, mottled with various patches, gently extended its hands and covered the faces of Qi Chen and Warm Guy.

An icy cold sensation instantly enveloped their faces, as if a mask freshly taken from the refrigerator was pressed tightly against their skin, the chill sinking deep.

“All done. Are you satisfied?” Swap withdrew the strange figure, smiling at the two.

Qi Chen and Warm Guy exchanged a glance and couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“Hahaha! What on earth did you do to me?” Warm Guy laughed heartily, looking at Qi Chen’s drastically changed and almost grotesque features.

Qi Chen found it hard to look directly at Warm Guy, whose appearance had become equally unsavory. Before the transformation, Warm Guy had thick eyebrows and large eyes; now, he looked shifty and sneaky.

“Looks like you’re both quite pleased. But remember, due to the limits of my projection range, this disguise will last stably for about two hours. After that, your original appearance will slowly return, and in three to four hours, you’ll be back to your original selves.”

“That’s enough time,” Warm Guy waved his hand. “We’re just doing a preliminary investigation anyway. It shouldn’t take long.”

Unless... they ran into enemies right after stepping out.

...

“To gather information, you have to go where the crowds are. In Huangshi Town, that place should be there,” Warm Guy said as they stepped out of the mayor’s office, quickly getting into character and explaining his plan to Qi Chen.

Compared to Qi Chen, Warm Guy was more familiar with Huangshi Town and more experienced in such missions, so his thinking was quicker.

The circular building he pointed to had already caught Qi Chen’s attention when they arrived. The noise coming from inside was the loudest anywhere in Huangshi Town.

“That’s a comprehensive entertainment venue. Each floor offers different services and is run by the town itself. Its main revenue comes from two sources: the underground beast fighting arena and the casino.”

“Whether the enemy is one of the strange wanderers hired by Huangshi Town or not, we might find some clues here.”

As they spoke, the two reached the entrance of the entertainment complex.

Among the crowd of promoters gathered there, one’s eyes lit up immediately as he spotted them, rushing over eagerly.

“Gentlemen, what are you looking to do? I guarantee you’ll get the best service for the least money!”

Qi Chen glanced at Warm Guy, who nodded slightly with a smile and pulled out a universal alliance currency note from his pocket, handing it to the promoter.

“Make sure you handle things well for us!”

With a wide grin, the promoter quickly stuffed the money into his inner pocket and bowed repeatedly, leading them inside.

“What would you two like to start with? At this hour, I recommend the top floor. It’s the most upscale entertainment venue in all of Huangshi Town!”

“The girls there are truly one in a million, the kind you might not even meet after wandering the Mist for months.”

“Oh? You seem to know your stuff,” Warm Guy said meaningfully, eyeing the promoter. The promoter smiled sheepishly and quickly explained, “I haven’t experienced it myself due to my position, but I’ve caught glimpses when escorting distinguished guests. That’s why I’m recommending it to you.”

“No need. We prefer livelier places,” Qi Chen interrupted.

They weren’t here to indulge themselves. Besides, he had no intention of enjoying himself here.

He was eager to find clues and leave this chaotic place as soon as possible.

“Got it! Then let’s head underground first. There’s a rare match coming up—a championship fight for the Beast King of our town!”

At this, both Qi Chen and Warm Guy’s eyes brightened.

“Is the betting pool big?” Warm Guy deliberately put on a greedy expression and even licked his lips.

The promoter immediately understood these two cared more about money than women, a common type in the Mist. He nodded enthusiastically with a flattering smile.

“Of course! The Beast King championship is held only once a month and is the biggest pool. At this time, patrons from the card rooms also flood the arena to join the excitement and place bets.”

“Well then, hurry and take us there!”

The promoter quickly complied, leading Qi Chen and Warm Guy straight to the underground arena.

They took an elevator shaped like an iron cage, accompanied by clanking gears, descending below ground.

Instantly, a pungent mix of odors hit their noses.

The smell of cheap smoke and alcohol, the stench of sweat and indescribable body odors, mingled with overpowering coarse perfume—a harsh introduction to the local scene for Qi Chen’s senses.

But to avoid revealing any cracks that might alert the promoter, Qi Chen forced himself to maintain a calm expression.

He surveyed this chaotic yet strangely free world before him.

“Bite it! Bite it! Are you the Beast King or just a mutt?”

“Woohoo! I told you dogs can’t beat cats!”

“Hehe, why no betting on the snake-type Mist Beast today? Without the slippery little cuties, I’m not interested!”

“Damn, I’m about to lose my underwear!”

The raucous noise filled their ears, and Qi Chen’s horizons expanded once again.

Third City was still better.

...