ccnovels Chapter 523 - 341: Drinks
Chapter 523 - 341: Drinks
[Bolago Club-Base Street]John didn’t return to Dan Street Apartment but instead crossed the commercial street and found a cheap bar in an alley with faded red walls and overflowing trash.
Nothing’s changed here—it’s narrow, damp, and complicated in terms of smell.
It was still early, and the drunk brawny guys and shift-working gangsters hadn’t shown up yet, only some tired-looking middle-aged men were silently scattered around.
A snoring sound came from among the makeshift chairs.
John withdrew his gaze and bumped into a barmaid who tossed aside a rag. "Something to drink?"
"Not for now, I’m looking for someone." John pointed to a corridor beside him with sequin curtains. "Gino. She’s still here, right?"
"Are you two friends?"
The barmaid looked skeptically at him, grinning mischievously as if some fun was about to start.
"Maybe."
John shrugged and nodded.
He was here to chat, not in a hurry and not causing trouble, so he decided to pull up one of the only two high stools tightly pressed to the bar and began browsing the menu.
The barmaid’s artificial eye flickered, her earlobes glowed, seemingly making a phone call.
After that, she brought out a row of glasses and placed them in front of John, ranging from bullet cups to metallic mugs, all carrying a sanitized dampness.
"It’s just a few lines, mercenary, if unsure just ask me, what do you usually drink? I’ll recommend one or two similar ones, then slowly try out our specials."
"Why do bars in the city rarely have beer?"
John didn’t lift his head, swiping his hand over the terminal.
"I have some... well, Wanderer friends, they seem to have unlimited beer, but I have never seen the same brands here in the city, and there’s hardly any beer."
"Ha, wow."
The barmaid didn’t expect him to ask a serious question.
"Wrong answer, mercenary. The correct way to start small talk is to order a drink first, then shift to techniques and specials, finally leading to bed, and ask for my off-duty time."
John finally lifted his gaze from the terminal to the barmaid.
The girl leaned against the bar with one hand on her waist, flashing a mischievous smile.
"Provided you’re interested in flirting... oh my god, you really didn’t know."
"Uh huh."
John’s expression was very sincere.
He didn’t have the mind to properly operate before, now his mindset had changed, starting to grasp every chance to gather related information.
Chavez Restaurant is about to begin reconstruction.
Once it’s done, there will be a fantastic horseshoe bar,
Serving from three sides, with one side facing the kitchen.
John plans to recruit two professional bartenders to deal with the outlaws who burst through the door and also customize a rotating liquor cabinet to show off two flagship bartenders.
To accompany such decor, some unique drinks are a must.
John’s earnest in consulting the barmaid in front of him.
He picked up two glasses from the tray and placed them in front of the barmaid, meaning - to invite the girl for a drink, as compensation for the information, with the drink of her choice, tips included within commission, whatever suits her.
"Not many pay to chat with me."
The barmaid slid a glass towards herself, poured a glass of lemon juice, but swapped John’s glass for a faceted classic glass, starting to mix whiskey.
John had seen the bartenders at [Tipsy Bikini].
The girl’s mixing actions in front of him didn’t match those at popular spots, but were much smoother than those in cheap bars.
She mixed the drink while explaining to John:
Beer is a grain alcohol.
Since the food crisis erupted, the production of grain alcohols sharply reduced.
Then came Pure 2.
This crucial energy source in the Cyber Era requires genetically modified wheat as raw material, further impacting the growing of crops.
Major multinational companies have carved up the farmland.
The farmers have been driven into the cities, resulting in the emergence of the Wanderer group.
Why can Wanderers drink beer freely?
Because the Seven Wanderer States have their own plantations.
They have unique techniques, brewing beer using barley or other ingredients, able to supply mass quantities yet unable to compete with multinationals in the market, thus only circulating internally.
"There is actually beer in the city, just not much."
The barmaid stopped shaking the shaker, poured the mixed liquid into the glass, and pushed the chilled finished product to John.
She continued speaking.
"Some beer brands produce it themselves, while others, they secretly collaborate with Wanderers, creating it under private labels, just adding their craftsmanship and recipes to create different flavors."
Thus, the supply of grain alcohols is generally low.
For example, whiskey, vodka, gin, sake, and some cocktails.
Their prices in the city are generally higher, while other liquor has industrial synthetic techniques involved, with low cost, but greatly stimulating native organs.
For instance, rum, tequila, red wine.
"Of course, I’m talking about the majority available; if you’re lucky enough to get hold of a bottle or two of premium liquor supplied to high society, then you could make a fortune on the black market because the production costs of these goods are daunting."
The barmaid raised the lemon water she poured for herself, motioning to John.
"Bars don’t only supply boozy drinks."
She pointed to another shelf.
Above it were colas, tea drinks, coffee powders, etc.
What the barmaid said was common knowledge.
Anyone growing up normally in Eden City knows the chain reactions brought by the food crisis.
Unless you’ve never touched booze since young, there’s no way you wouldn’t know John’s question.
John listened intently.
As the barmaid explained, some common knowledge memories started surfacing, becoming clear, detailed enough to surprise him—how did he forget?
He took a small sip.
"A bit sweet, the taste... it’s complex."
After saying that, John exhaled through his nose.
The taste of alcohol mingled with oak and dried fruit instantly filled his mouth, like the continuous diffusion of dry ice.
"How is it?"
"Wow, the taste is quite special, what is it called?"
John couldn’t help taking another sip.
"Dream Talk."
The barmaid enjoyed John’s compliments, her gaze flew slightly upward. "I bet you haven’t looked up at our sign."
John looked up.
[Shop-Dream Talk Bar]
At that moment, there was the sound of a vehicle approaching here.
In the midst of the conversation, the sound of a vehicle drew near to the street.
Steps were clear, hurried and heavy, marching directly into the bar stepping over garbage and puddles.
A rough male voice called out at the entrance.
"John!"
Macao waved from afar, striding forward.
He looked stronger than four months ago, had exchanged his hairstyle for a neater buzz cut, and held his brown jacket in hand with a white vest underneath.
Deep blue soft metal was installed on both shoulder blades.
Looks like he’d undergone major surgery.
Macao’s face was full of excitement, but his gaze flickered when approaching, raising his hand to order drinks to hide his embarrassment.
He called out the bartender’s name.
"Rosie, two Golden Bullets."
This is another drink on their menu.
"They said you came back, oh lord, I can’t believe it..."
Macao picked up an empty metallic cup from the table and rubbed it, seemingly pleased about John’s return to the city, but hiding some awkwardness.
He could only keep finding topics, talking non-stop about the things happening over the past four months.
The Bandage Boxing Gym was Vito’s business during his tenure.
After Bone Shards took over, no shop that paid on time was cleaned out, just some original discounts and money-making opportunities were no more.
However, the illegal fight events were still hot.
The boxing gym’s business was better.
All in all, life wasn’t affected.
John’s return spread quickly in the West District, especially among the old-timers in the Black Gold Gang.
Macao belonged to Vito’s faction.
Gino even had to call Vito the Godfather.
They didn’t have many friends in the gang now, unable to get John’s new contact info and precise location.
Chavez Restaurant had turned to ruins.
Macao knew, he’d been there, the reconstruction hadn’t begun, didn’t meet Gerry, Maya, or anyone from the Wanderers, didn’t reconnect with John.
Until John’s visit to the Dream Talk Bar, the news reached Gino, and only then did Macao rush over.
Getting to this point...
Macao finally mustered the courage to mention "letting John down."
"Your money, buddy..."
Four months ago backstage at the Central Arena.
John had transferred all his money to Macao, to bet on himself winning, given the extreme odds then, surely there’d be a substantial "inheritance".