"This is tough, big guy. I don’t think you can manage it," Lucina chuckled, pushing the man’s hand off her shoulder.
The Anchor Baldy’s smile froze for a moment as he realized that Lucina wasn’t an easy girl to handle. He gestured toward the bartender and ordered a bottle of liquor.
"So, the man in your dreams can keep you company, huh?" Anchor Baldy cracked open the bottle cap and chuckled.
"It depends on whether he’s willing," Lucina said, looking at Chen Ke.
Holding the liquor bottle, Anchor Baldy gave a meaningful look at Chen Ke. He smirked, walked around Lucina, and placed the bottle in front of Chen Ke.
"What’s your name?" Anchor Baldy asked.
"It’s none of your business," Chen Ke responded, staring back.
Anchor Baldy turned and scanned the other patrons in the bar. He had quite a reputation here, seemingly a big shot at the docks as well. It seemed like everyone here owed him some respect.
"You probably don’t realize whose territory you’ve stepped into, buddy. This bar is the holiest place on this dock, and here, there’s a rule," said Anchor Baldy.
"Sounds like it’s a rule you came up with," Chen Ke chuckled.
"Exactly, buddy. We only have one kind of liquor here, one that distinguishes the real men from the sissies," Anchor Baldy swung the bottle around, prompting a chorus of agreements, shouting "Right!" from the other patrons.
"This bar doesn’t cater to sissies. Am I right?" Anchor Baldy looked back at the bartender, who nodded and then glanced at Chen Ke.
A burst of laughter erupted from the patrons, and Anchor Baldy was pleased with the support from everyone present.
"So, Mister Pretty Boy from Fei Huang, now you only have two choices. Either drink with me and show me what you’ve got or leave right now, and I’ll settle your tab!" Anchor Baldy frowned angrily, his voice full of masculinity, and he didn’t forget to glance at Lucina to show off his manliness.
"Right! Good job, Saint John! Kick out this pretty boy!" echoed the patrons, someone shouting out this sentence.
Chen Ke sighed; he was getting a bit angry, not because of this musclehead.
They were barely street thugs, mostly dock workers living ordinary lives, full of local character. Bickering with them, even flaunting his Spiritual Power, would be too low for him.
Chen Ke was somewhat displeased with Lucina’s approach, but her motives were simple; she just wanted Chen Ke to spend more time with her.
Chen Ke’s experiences were unknown to Lucina, and he couldn’t tell her about the countdown on his life or the bizarre circumstances he was involved in. Knowing too much would endanger her as well.
Though Lucina wasn’t just any ordinary girl—she was a tough character herself—it compared nothing to what Chen Ke faced.
Chen Ke picked up the glass, poured himself a drink, and was suddenly filled with numerous thoughts, recalling the events of the past two months, the continuous battles, and the enigmas that remained unsolved. He tilted his head back and poured the liquor down his throat.
The drink was spicy, almost piercing his tongue. Chen Ke wasn’t a drinker before, but in this world, relying on his seemingly infinite stamina had overcome his comrades from the courier dimension. Here, he didn’t mind doing it again.
Maybe it was because he was ready for the third attempt, or maybe his mouth had just adjusted to the taste—although still harsh, he managed to swallow, the fiery liquid passing down his throat then went on without further sensation.
Chen Ke felt his mouth go numb; he lifted the dark liquor bottle and, like Lucina, finished it in one long gulp.
After drinking, Chen Ke’s entire mouth and throat felt burning hot, his cheeks flushed, but the liquor felt like it moved into another dimension in his body, so he wasn’t tipsy.
With a thud, Chen Ke put the bottle on the bar, licked his lips; the spicy taste vanished, replaced by a bitter flavor that, upon reflection, carried a fragrance of malt.
"Ah... damn, life indeed..." Chen Ke sighed.
The tavern fell silent. Anchor Baldy glanced at Chen Ke, then picked up the empty bottle and tilted it, confirming that not a drop was left.
"You see, it wasn’t that hard," Lucina chuckled, tapped on the bar, asking for another bottle.
"Life always has its imperfections... Miss, sometimes you can’t choose where you find yourself," Chen Ke said slowly as he looked at Lucina.
"I understand, of course I understand..." Lucina seemed a bit tipsy, leaning on the bar with one hand, her face flushed as she looked at Chen Ke.
"No, you don’t understand," grumbled the bald sailor, feeling like a third wheel, irritation in his voice.
The alcohol content must have been high, blowing through two or three bottles would floor anyone. Chen Ke could already see the drunkenness in Lucina, but this muscular bald man seemed far from collapsing. Still, alcohol could make anyone lose their senses, making them act strangely and emotional.
"Ron, bring out all the liquor, I want to teach this pretty boy a lesson," said the bald sailor, staring intently at Chen Ke.
Chen Ke knew the man wanted to show off in front of Lucina, using this as a bargaining chip to challenge him with alcohol.
"Alright, your name is Saint John, right?" Chen Ke said with a smile.
"Yes, that’s right, I don’t care what your name is, pretty boy. You can still run away now. Don’t think you’re tough after downing a bottle of liquor; you’ll wake up in your own vomit later!" laughed Saint John.
"Let’s see who throws up first," Chen Ke shrugged.
Ron, the bartender, brought out a large box from behind the bar, carefully counting more than twenty bottles, all homemade and packed in black glass bottles. It seemed the bar was not exactly a reputable place.
Lucina must have found this place somehow.
"Come on! Saint John, teach him a lesson!"
The bar was never short of people cheering them on, and drinking challenges and brawls were the only entertainment for these sailors.
Saint John popped open a bottle and tilted his head back, gulping it down in fewer than ten seconds, then turned the bottle upside down, not a drop fell out, and he thumped the bottle on his side of the bar with a thud.
Chen Ke knew the challenge had begun; he also picked up a bottle, cracked it open against the edge of the bar, and tilted his head back to drink it all in one go.
Gulp, gulp, gulp, gulp, gulp...
Gulp, gulp, gulp, gulp, gulp...
"Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug!"
Gulp, gulp, gulp, gulp, gulp...
Gulp, gulp, gulp, gulp, gulp...
"Drink him under the table, Saint John!"
Gulp, gulp, gulp, gulp, gulp...
"Oh, fuck! Saint John, get up, Saint John!"
Gulp, gulp, gulp, gulp, gulp...
Gulp, gulp, gulp, gulp, gulp...
For those drinking, time seemed to drag on. Downing a bottle might take less than ten seconds, but after more than seventy bottles, the bald sailor was already staggering.