Munitions Empire

"Yes, sorry." The girl, surrounded by three large men, although it was daylight, was somewhat incoherent, "I... I... I am, I..."

With the most natural movement, the young bartender swept the gun hidden under his hand into the counter and smiled, "Take your time, no rush. What would you like to drink? We have the latest Brunnis of the year, as well as beer and wine."

As he spoke, he skillfully took out a sparkling clean glass from beneath the counter and selected several bottles from behind him, dazzlingly concocting a beautiful-looking drink.

Pushing the drink towards the girl, he gestured invitingly, "I used only wine and juice, don't worry, you can have some."

The girl turned her head and glanced at the man blocking the door, knowing she probably wouldn't be able to leave without explaining why she had come in. She remembered something from before and, with a gulp, walked straight to the bar.

She calmed herself down and began, "I have a friend, who I met at a party in the Dahua Empire..."

The three men said nothing. The man guarding the door walked out, the middle-aged man sitting next to the girl fiddled with his cigarette case, and the young man behind the bar just kept watching her with a smile in his handsome eyes.

"My friend heard I was traveling to the Laines Empire and told me that if I ran into any trouble, I should find a place called the Silver Fox Tavern, where someone could help me."

"If you've lost your wallet, miss, I can lend you some money," the young bartender said with a benevolent smile, like a generous owner.

The girl shook her head, "My father came here to sell goods, and he was arrested. I have no other choice but to seek help here."

"I think we are powerless, beautiful miss," the young bartender said, not knowing where he'd found another glass to carefully polish.

He wasn't sure how the girl had found this place, so he didn't need to reveal his capabilities or solve the problem for a stranger.

Though he certainly had reach in Brunnis, all those connections were made with real silver and national relationships, which he couldn't use at his personal whim.

"I... I..." Tears swirled in the girl's eyes, seemingly about to burst forth. She pulled out a handkerchief, stammering with grievance, "I don't know anyone else here, only you can help me, I know it might be too much to ask, but I really have no other way..."

She paused, seemingly having remembered something, and suddenly pulled a card out of her bag, handing it to the men who almost drew their guns.

"..." Seeing the card, both men's expressions changed slightly. The card proved that the holder was a target about to be tackled by dandelion, and agents of the Tang Empire were expected to offer as much help as possible.

Such assistance wasn't mandatory but given for a comrade's plea, they were inclined to lend a hand if feasible.

After all, the girl just wanted to save her father—an issue that wasn't so significant for the two men in the Silver Fox Tavern.

"Should you go or should I?" the young bartender took the card from the girl, looking at the numbers on the back.

The middle-aged man sitting on the high stool touched the dandelion ring on his finger, stood up, and announced, "I'll go, it's about time to meet some old friends again and tell them I'm back."

The young bartender nodded, "That saves me the trouble, safe travels."

The middle-aged man gave a nod, then asked the girl, "What is your relation to the person who gave you this card?"

"That... well..." The girl had just dried her tears when, blushing furiously upon hearing the question, she timidly eked out a bit of sound and hesitantly explained, "He, he is pursuing me, and I haven't... I haven't accepted him."

"Ha!" laughed the middle-aged man, and the young bartender behind him also smiled. The girl was honest, answering the question straightforwardly without even a lie.

"I, I... actually... actually..." The girl almost turned as red as an apple. She genuinely liked that talented young man, it was just unfortunate her father found him too unattractive to give his consent.

She wanted to say that if she successfully saved her father this time, she would accept the young man's pursuit on her return.

Unfortunately, she hadn't even spoken when the middle-aged man interrupted her, "Well, you first need to tell me exactly how your father was arrested..."

Since she was an ally's "family member," the situation was easier to handle. Helping a comrade's future wife with a small problem was nothing but a small effort for him, wasn't it?

The girl glanced at the young bartender, curtsied, and then hurried after the man, explaining that her father had been arrested by the tax officer.

She had heard this from her father's assistant, who had returned with the news. She had gone to the tax office building across the street, unable to meet with any officials from the Laines Empire, which led her to rush to the Silver Fox Tavern in desperation for help.

Hearing this, the man nodded, and led the girl across the old but spacious street, stepping on a dark patch on the pavement, to the entrance of the tax office.

The guard at the door was about to rebuke them when he saw the man's decent suit and lowered his voice by at least two-thirds, "Who goes there?"

"I'm here to visit a friend," the man answered casually.

The guard then looked at the girl beside the man, recognizing the familiar face, "Sir… she…"

"She's with me," the man introduced casually, then looked at the girl and realized he didn't know her, "Your name is… what's your name?"

Under the somewhat speechless gaze of the soldier, the girl nervously responded, "I—I'm called Pan Qi…"

"Her name is Pan Qi," the man reintroduced her as if they were well acquainted, "Please inform them…"

"I know the rules." While speaking, he smartly slipped a gold coin into the guard's coat pocket. Money talks, and feeling the weight of the gold coin, the guard hurried off to relay the message.

"You see, standing here isn't quite appropriate, is it?" Pulling out another gold coin and toying with it in his hand, the man spoke to another guard at the door.

Then, the two of them were led into the main hall of the tax office, with the guards bowing to them as they left.

Soon, after learning that someone well-versed in the ways of the world wished to see him, Marquis Conrad from Brunas, the tax officer, ordered that the man and the little girl be brought to his meeting room.

"I'm very busy, state your business quickly." Conrad hadn't yet seen clearly who the visitor was when he expertly delivered his standard opening.

Then he saw a familiar face, and his prepared speech suddenly choked in his throat, unable to utter another half-word.

"Conrad… you seem to be doing quite well," the man entered as if he were entering his own home, walked towards a large flowerpot by the wall and touched the green leaves, "Good taste… you even know to plant something to cultivate your sentiment?"

"Mar, Mar, Mar… Martin, Sir." Conrad nearly bit his tongue when he saw the middle-aged man. The man was once the port manager of Brunas.

There are many Earls in the world, most can only pose within their own country. But there is only one 'Martin,' the port manager of Brunas, whose boss… is Harry.

Anyone who has heard of Harry knows what he represents; this young man controls a mammoth called Great Tang Group.

Brunas was a relic left on the Eastern Continent by Great Tang Group, or perhaps Brunas is the tombstone marking a moment before the rebirth of Great Tang Group…

He was sitting in this position as the tax officer of Brunas entirely because of the care from this man named Martin, who had left here long ago and now… he has returned.

"Long time no see." Martin waved casually as if greeting someone, then he started to speak, but midway remembered he still didn't know the girl's father's name, "I heard you arrested someone yesterday? Pan…"

"Pan Yiping!" Pan Qi promptly added.

"Pan Yiping!" Martin repeated the name, "He hasn't committed any serious crime, has he? Could you do me a favor and release him?"

"Of course, Mr. Martin," Conrad immediately agreed without hesitation. It was a joke; even if it was just a poor man who couldn't pay his taxes, with Mr. Martin asking, even a murderous outlaw would have to be not only released but also honored with a banquet.

"No need to be so nervous!" Martin seemed to comfort his old acquaintance, but also seemed to be warning him, "The accident that happened to Marquis Musa, who competed with you back in the day, had nothing to do with me."

Hearing the name Musa, Conrad grew even more nervous. After all, this position of tax officer at Brunas port wasn't supposed to be his, but belonged to Marquis Musa.

Unfortunately, Marquis Musa had 'committed suicide' by shooting himself seven times on his way to assume the office, and Sir Conrad had risen to his current position.

"I know! I know…" Marquis Conrad pulled out a handkerchief, wiping his sweat while looking at Pan Qi standing at the doorway who still didn't understand what had happened—this might be his sister-in-law, right?