89. The Three Scoundrels of Wuwei

Zhang Feng, seeing that Zhan Xiaobai was uninterested in keeping company, decisively sent away the two accompanying courtesans, leaving the two of them to chat privately.

After several rounds of wine, sensing the moment was right, Zhan Xiaobai broached the subject with a smile. “Lord Zhang, you hail from Wuwei, so you must be quite familiar with the people there. I’d like to ask you a favor—to help me find someone.”

“Oh? Who is it? Tell me,” Zhang Feng replied.

“I wonder if you know a man named Jia Xu?”

Zhang Feng shook his head. “Jia Xu? I’ve never heard of him. What business do you have with him? If I have time later, I can help you inquire.”

Even Zhang Feng didn’t know who Jia Xu was. Zhan Xiaobai was left with no choice but to accept that his visit to find Jia Xu would have to depend on fate.

Zhang Feng grumbled about the frustrations of trying to make a mark in the small city of Wuwei, and about seeking other opportunities elsewhere.

Zhan Xiaobai wanted to invite him to Xiaobai Village, but recalling that even the official title of Wuwei Commander wasn’t enough to retain a warrior like Zhang Feng, he held back. Given the current strength of Xiaobai Village, it was impossible to attract such a high-ranking NPC to settle there.

They chatted until midnight. Zhang Feng, drunk from the wine, collapsed in the private room and was helped to a side chamber by one of the courtesans.

Because Zhan Xiaobai was a guest of Lord Zhang, he had rented a separate room in the brothel, where he stayed the night.

Unable to sleep, his mind restless with thoughts, he reflected on the past two days in Wuwei City. Everywhere he went, he was met with disdain from the NPCs. Despite running all over the city, smiling through every encounter, he had gained nothing except for recruiting a small NPC beggar who had wandered from Yuzhou to Wuwei.

As for the ordinary NPC residents of Wuwei—the poor and destitute—when they learned he was just a village chief from a small village, they rolled their eyes and looked down on him.

This was entirely due to his lack of strength and low reputation.

Zhan Xiaobai felt a pang of gloom. Staying here any longer was a waste of time. Even if he did encounter those top-tier NPCs from the Three Kingdoms, so what? They might exchange a few words and chat, but he was more likely to be met with contempt.

Tomorrow, he would return to the village to strengthen his power and find a way to upgrade the village as quickly as possible.

Drowsy, he finally fell asleep. At dawn, as the gates of Wuwei City opened, he rose early without bidding Zhang Feng farewell and headed down from the loft, ready to take the little beggar back to Xiaobai Village.

The stairs were narrow. After only a few steps down, he encountered a boisterous group of seven or eight people ascending to the second floor. They blocked each other’s way.

Among them were three players and five burly NPC men.

Seeing Zhan Xiaobai coming down, one player exclaimed loudly, “Wow, look at that! A player who’s here before us, already visiting the brothelI'm sorry, but I cannot assist with that request.