Jacob entered the pub and a strong, intoxicating alcoholic smell filled his nostrils. His lips curled. 'Finally, a familiar smell…'
Jacob looked at the pub interior, and it was like the old pubs in the 1800s. There was a huge counter covering a corner with stools around it and round tables and chairs. He felt he has entered some kind of old movie set.
Many burly men were drinking and chatting happily, while some of them were flirting with waitresses in revealing gowns.
Some customers notice Jacob's eye-catching appearance, and he had this cold aura around him which made him look like a cold killer.
Jacob didn't mind those stares, he was already used to them in his past life, and nonchalantly walked over to the counter and sat on an empty stool.
He curiously looked at the pub's alcohol display and felt reminisced.
The bartender, who was a tall, muscular man, with a short goatee and bronze skin, approached Jacob with a smile and asked, "You're new here, friend? What can I make for you?"
Jacob, easily seen through those exploiting eyes and coolly said, "Yeah, just landed here today, give me something strong."
"Just a sec…" The bartender smiled and made Jacob drink.
Another man with a slightly chubby figure sitting on Jacob's left was sneakily glancing at him, especially his revolver.
He said with a smile showing his green teeth, "You sure know your guns, brother. It's the D4 Revolver, extremely slick."
Jacob looked at him and merely said while glancing at the silver revolver on the man's gun belt, "You're not bad yourself, that long barrel revolvers are far more powerful than mine."
"Hehe, this old thing isn't as fast as yours. I'll be dead if an agile animal attacked me." He scoffed as he gulped his beer.
"Well, you seemed pretty alive to me," Jacob commented with a smirk.
"Here's your hell's tour, a specialty of hour rain town." The bartender put a square glass half filled with bubbly blue translucent liquid.
Jacob didn't stand on ceremony and took a sip, and his eyes widen slightly, 'Now this is what I survive for!'
He drank the whole thing in one gulp and smashed the glass on the counter and said, "Good, another one!"
The bartender's eyes brighten, and he chuckled, "Right away!"
"Man, you can really drink, huh?" the man beside him clicked his tongue.
"Nothing to brag about. My name is Jack, tell me, are you a native of rain town?" Jacob asked as he picked up the newly refilled glass.
"Miller." Miller introduced, "No, I'm from Lionheart City and only here to hunt some petitioned animals. What about you?"
"Gloria City, and for the same reason. But I'm looking for some medicine for my journey. Do you know where I can look for them?" Jacob asked in a roundabout way this time.
However, to this surprise, both bartender and Miller suddenly looked at him with disbelief as if they heard something ridiculous.
Miller sneered, "You're not from Gloria City, are you?"
'What's wrong with them?' Jacob thought.
Jacob's expression didn't change at all and merely said, "Does it matter?"
"Hmph, another bumpkin who wanted to be mysterious." Miller snorted with a hint of disdain.
Jacob's expression fell slightly as he put his hand in his pocket and took out a silver coin and put it on the counter and looked at the bartender. "Answer my questions and it's yours."
The bartender was startled for a moment, but his eyes shone with greed as he looked at the silver coin. It was equivalent to his month's salary.
"What do you want to know?" He asked while his eyes fixed on the silver coin.
Miller's expression was also somewhat ugly now when he saw Jacob completely ignore him and slap his face with that silver.
"Medicine, where can I find them?" Jacob sternly asked while his finger remain on the silver coin.
The bartender truthfully said, "I don't know where you're from, but in Gloria Contrary, you can only buy medicine from apothecary guilds, and they're extremely expensive."
"Where can I find these apothecary guilds?" Jacob questioned with a hint of realization.
"Only in the four major cities. Those apothecaries disdain small towns like us and didn't bother to open any branches, nor did they let any merchants sell them. Furthermore, it's a crime to sell medicine without the apothecary guild's permission, and only in the black market you can find them, and that's if you're extremely lucky." The bartender sighed helplessly.
Miller disdainfully commented at this moment, "You have no idea about the status of the apothecary guild. Its roots are spread all over the four regions, and they didn't give even the Humane King face. That's why no one dared to cross them and eye the massive medicine business."
'A monopoly on medicine? It's like controlling the life of the masses. These guys are playing in gold. I need more information…' Jacob felt extremely ignorant.
"Last question, where can I buy books?" Jacob didn't even glance at Miller and only looked at the bartender.
"There's an old book store two stresses away. You can buy common books there." The bartender replied.
Jacob finished his drink and put away his finger from the silver coin. He stood up and was about to leave when the bartender's unhappy voice sounded, "You didn't pay for drinks!"
Jacob didn't turn around, and only his stony voice sounded, "A silver is enough for the drinks, and you can keep the change. If you're not satisfied, follow me."
With that, Jacob walked without even looking around.
Miller felt Jacob was too imperious, and he moved his hand toward the revolver's handle.
The bartender also didn't stop Miller, as his eyes were filled with ridicule at Jacob's blind confidence. It was the lawless Rain Town, how daring of him to show his back?!
"Bang!"
A gunshot sounded, drawing everyone's attention in the pub before a body fell on the group.
Surprisingly, it was Miller with a bullet hole in his forehead and his brain scattered on the floor while his hand was still on the gun handle!
Jacob finally turned around and looked at the gobsmacked bartender with the revolver in his hand. "You can collect the payment from my 'bumpkin' friend there and keep the change… again!"