Castle of Black Iron

On December 29th, Blackhot city was filled with an atmosphere of new year. The showcases and the doorways of stores on both sides of the fascinating Avenue Bright were newly decorated with colorful lamps. Many firms and hotels were discounting so as to make a fortune in the new year. When it was the same time in previous years, the most average people in Blackhot City , who rarely came out for shopping would come here to feel the wonderful life of wealthy people in Avenue Bright.

Perhaps only those scrupulous people could find that although Avenue Bright was still boisterous this year, much fewer members of the former 7 ruling clans of the Federation of Coal, Steel and Iron could be seen in some top entertainment venues in Avenue Bright.

Since the beginning of this year, the 7 ruling clans of Blackhot City had gradually faded out of the vision of commoners here. Although many industries and businesses of the 7 ruling clans were still running well in Blackhot City, the number of the influential figures of the 7 ruling clans gradually decreased. According to the gossips, many people of the 7 ruling clans, especially young men had left Blackhot City and headed for other countries.

Captain Kerlin finally bought a house of 140 square meters. This was not because that he had accumulated enough money, but because the house price in Blackhot City declined, allowing this cyclops to have his own ”love nestle”. However, he still didn’t have a girlfriend.

A few days ago, Captain Kerlin plucked up his courage and expressed his true feelings to Miss Daina, only to get an answer, ”Thanks, but we don’t fit each other!” This shocked Captain Kerlin very much. Because of this, he even became frustrated for quite a long time.

When it was close to the new year, watching the room filled with empty glasses, Captain Kerlin wondered that he would be driven mad if he continued to stay here like this.

Thus, Captain Kerlin put on his coat and stood in front of a mirror of a washroom. After washing his face with cold water in a rusty way, he casually combed his disordered mane with some water. After that, he left the apartment with red eyes.

His apartment was not far from the Iron Thorns Fighting Club. After being depressed for a few days, Captain Kerlin planned to have a fight in the fighting club so as to recover his morale. If he was lucky, he could even rip off that Fat in the fighting club.

These days, Captain Kerlin spent a lot on beer which made him poorer. Pinching the remaining silver coins and copper coins in the pocket of his coat, Captain Kerlin swore inside the cunning businessman who rose the price of beer by two times compared to that last year before leaving.

Out of the apartment was the Avenue Bright. It was evening, when the whole avenue was brightly lit and filled with visitors.

Watching those slim toyboys in fine clothes who were holding their women’s hand, Cyclops raised his firm chest as he felt his confidence once again.

If it was indeed in a chaotic world, Daina would know that the man who could really protect her and give her a reliance and a sense of safety was only him, instead of those toyboys who only knew how to tease women. Only strong men’s punches were the best reliance for women in a chaotic world, Daina would understand it very soon.

”Zerom even wants me to be a mercenary. Humph, didn’t he know that this was the right moment for me to shine in front of Daina? Even men would change themselves in a different environment, not to mention women. I will not give up. I believe that Daina would think it through one day for sure.”

As Captain Kerlin walked, he plucked up his courage. He confirmed his decision to pursue for Miss Daina once again.

I have a house now. Perhaps, I can buy some fine clothes like those toyboys and have a haircut in the barber shop...

Cyclops won many aspirations from the boisterous stores on both sides of the Avenue Bright. As a result, cyclops became spirited once again. Raising his head and chest, he strode forward in the crowd.

”Hmm, if I want to do this, I have to make some money.”

Remembering that Fat in the Iron Thorn Fighting Club, Captain Kerlin revealed a wisp of smile as he paced up.

As he thought about that Fat, he saw a fat in front of him. However, this fat looked more wretched.

Therefore, Captain Kerlin sped up and patted onto the shoulder of the fat in front of him heavily.

Barley, with some acne on his face he turned around and caught sight of Cyclops who covered a half of his puberty with a shadow. Sharwin who was walking with Barley was also frightened at the sight of Captain Kerlin.

Numerous former graduates of the No. 7 National Middle School reached a conclusion at the cost of fresh blood——unless you could beat Cyclops, you’d better show enough respect to him even if you have graduated from school. As for a person who dared to beat his superior in the troop, he would never see whether it was proper if he wanted to beat a former student.

”Ah, Captain Kerlin, are you also here for shopping?” at the sight of Captain Kerlin, Barley, the Fat had already smiled like a dog that had just picked so many rotten meat. He almost stuck out his tongue.

Sharwin hurriedly greeted Captain Kerlin.

Slightly frowning his forehead, Cyclops watched this obscene fat. Barley’s exquisite woolen suit and silk shirt made him a bit uncomfortable. ”Why Barley, a fat rascal who was not even qualified to be a soldier a year ago could live so well; however, I always lack money although being frugal. How unfair was the God! Toyboys always attract women’s attention, cunning and obscene guys could make money; however, I always lack both.”

”Where are you going?” Cyclops asked with a solemn look.

”We are just taking a walk here; and planning to buy some gifts for our family members by the way.” Barley replied with a smile, ”We heard Captain Kerlin bought a house near here. It’s really admirable. The house here is the most expensive in Blackhot City. So many women want to marry a man who has a house here. We wish Captain Kerlin to marry a beautiful hostess for his mansion!”

Barley was really good at observing people’s expressions. The moment his upper lip touched his lower lip had Captain Kerlin’s face relieved.

”Hmm. Don’t be too late outside...” after glancing over Barley and Sharwin, Captain Kerlin really couldn’t find a place to lose his temper; therefore, he just strode forward.

Seeing Captain Kerlin leaving, Barley and Sharwin exchanged glances with each other before letting out a sigh. Cyclops almost hung his bad mood on his face completely today; if it was before, seeing him standing outside the school gate in such an expression, all the passers’ legs would have became weak. Thankfully, he left. Right one minute ago, they were still talking about Miss Daina. If Cyclops heard what they talked just now a minute earlier, he might have crippled them.

”How risky...” Sharwin said as he patted his chest.

”Judging from his look, it seems that he had not made any progress in pursuing for Miss Daina!” Rubbing his jaw, Barley watched Captain Kerlin disappearing in the crowd.

”No crap. Do you really want to see Miss Daina being pressed down by this beast? To be honest, I would barely accept any man Miss Daina would stay with...”

Barley shook his head as he sniffled, ”Come on, we’d better mind our own business!”

Sharwin nodded.

Of course, the two people were not here for shopping. Several minutes later, they appeared in a chartered room of a high-end restaurant in Avenue Bright. After about 10 minutes, First Lieutenant Clarke of the Logistics Department of the No. 19 Division of Iron Horn Corps in informal dress appeared in the same chartered room.

After enjoying the expensive, yummy food and drinks, Barley instantly took out a purse from his pocket and pushed it in front of First Lieutenant slightly.

Taking over the purse, First Lieutenant Clarke casually weighed it by hand before revealing a smile. He then raised his cup, ”Cheers, for our cooperation in the next year, cheers!”

”Cheers!”

Three cups then collided with each other...

...

After dinner, a waiter entered to chartered room to settle accounts for them.

”96 silver coins and 86 copper coins in total. Which one of you will pay the bill?”

”I will!” saying this, Barley instantly took out of a gold coin and flicked it towards him, ”Keep the change!”

”Thanks!” the waiter bowed and left.

After chatting with Barley and Sharwin for a short while, Clarke left first. After that, Sharwin drew a cold breath in the room, ”Alas, it’s too luxurious. I’ve not imagined that it could cost us about one gold coin for one dinner. I’m not even full!”

”This is face!” Barley said in an experienced way, ”If not such a high-end restaurant, Clarke might not even come at all!”

”Why not? We’re presenting him gold coins. When you gave him the 60-odd gold coins just now, I felt really pitiful. We only made over 100 gold coins in one year; however, he took away half of them...” Sharwin sighed.

”Don’t worry. Do not always focus on that bit of money. As long as we keep a good relationship with Clarke, we could make twice the amount tomorrow from him. This starts from establishing our mutual trust.” Barley gritted his teeth, ”Let’s go, go catch that waiter...”

”What?” Sharwin became stunned.

”Ask our money back. Damn it! That’s 3 silver coins and 14 copper coins. Mrs Anna has a bad business recently. With this amount of money, we can visit her twice.”

Sharwin and Barley then instantly rushed out of the chartered room.

...

”Sir, you...you’ve told me to keep the change.” the waiter stared at Barley with an amazing look.

”There must be a mistake. I meant that you keep the 4 copper coins, but you have to give us the 3 silver coins and 10 copper coins right now. Quick, we’re in a hurry!” Barley said with a shameless look.

Finally, the waiter put the 3 silver coins and 14 copper coins on Barley’s hands.

...

After leaving the restaurant, Barley and Sharwin put on their original average clothes and packed the clothes, each of which was worth more than 2 gold coins before hurriedly rushing into a high-end garment store to return them.

”Sir, is there any problem with my clothes?” the clerk watched Barley and Sharwin with a depressed look.

”No problem, but we don’t want them all of a sudden. According to your regulations, as long as the clothes are well-preserved with a label in 7 days, we can return them without any reason. We bought these clothes yesterday, can we return them?” Barley explained with a serious look.

After checking the two clothes carefully, the clerk found that they were well preserved, including their labels. Therefore, he returned it back to Barley in a frustrated way.

...

After walking out of the garment store, Barley and Sharwin exchanged glances with each other before bursting out into laughter’s.

After that, Barley put his hand onto Sharwin’s shoulder, ”Brother, trust me, we will not pick up clothes from this store one day!”

”Where else will we pick if not here?”

”We will have our own tailor, the best ones, like those big figures of the Federation of Coal, Steel and Iron in Blackhot City...” Barley said with a hopeful look.

Sharwin smiled pleasantly, ”Of course, I believe in you!”

”Let’s go. We will go back early today. We have to buy some Spring Festival goods to gift to the homes of Doug, Bagdad, Leit and Hista. I’m afraid that they would not have a vacation until the end of the year!”

”It’s said that Bagda would soon become a LV 3 soldier...”

”This guy truly is indeed progressing very fast. He has already lit 3 surging points in less than 2 years since graduation!”

”I miss Bighead. He might be sharper!”

”He might have been LV 6!”

Speaking of Zhang Tie, Barley and Sharwin both revealed a special look. That’s their good brother, who made them proud of.

...

Barley and Sharwin then departed and returned to their own home at a late time.

Barley was living in a nice residential area of Blackhot City. When he came back home, it was already midnight. Nobody could be seen in the residential area anymore. Besides faint barks from afar, it was tranquil over here.

Several days ago, a guy committed suicide by jumping off the building. He looked pretty miserable when he died. His brain had spattered over ten meters away. After a cold breeze, seeing the shadows on both sides of the roads under the reflection of the roadside lamps, Barley passed by the place where that guy had committed suicide; gradually, he felt goosebumps over his neck as he paced up.

At this moment, a hand reached out of the darkness and fell on Barley’s shoulder.

In a split second, Barley felt his head full of blood. Feeling soft at foot, the moment he uttered half a word, his mouth had been covered.

”It’s me!” a voice sounded at Barley’s ears. Barley turned around and caught sight of Zhang Tie’s faint and familiar face.

Zhang Tie was still smiling like before. Seeing Barley’s widely opened eyes, he knew that Barley had already recognized him. Therefore, he moved his hand away from Barley’s mouth, ”It’s only a bit longer than 1 year. How did you become so timid?”

”Bighead?” Barely muttered as he was shocked. At this moment, even if that guy who had jumped off the building stood in front of him, he would not be as shocked as he was seeing Zhang Tie.

”Such a nickname has not been called for a long time!” Zhang Tie rubbed his face,

”Is that you?’

”Yes, it’s me...”