Cock-A-Doodle Doo —
As the rooster crowed, the sun rose from the east, shining down on Dragon City and gleaming off its white, immaculate walls.
In the hotel, the adventurers were still sleeping. These bloodthirsty mercenaries spent a lot of money on their breaks. They would sleep until they woke up naturally. These men and women never knew when they would die in the wilderness, so they tried to enjoy every moment of their lives.
Merchants and vendors on the other hand got up very early. They would prepare their stalls and eagerly try to sell out their goods today.
The residents of Dragon City were already very rich compared to other places. And though most people’s primary instinct was to ensure they had enough food stocked up for survival, the citizens of Dragon City didn’t have to worry about this. Their lord ensured everyone who worked was well-fed, and so many people had enough funds left over to indulge themselves. This turned Dragon City into a trade hub and developed the economy.
Money could only be called money if it was spent. If paper money and gold coins were left at home, they didn’t serve any purpose since they could not be eaten or worn.
The merchant Benson was a modest caravan leader. He was a Subilan who was once a person just living in the slums of the lower class and struggled to obtain the wealth he had today. Although he wasn’t famous, he was able to live a relatively luxurious life.
He was already 40 years old this year. A few years ago he met a beautiful woman and got married. He also had a lovely daughter with her. This made Benson work even harder. He only wanted to earn more money while he could still move to let his wife and daughter have a better life.
“Hey, Gener, you’re already up!”
Benson came down from the second floor of the hotel and saw a middle-aged man wearing leather armor. This man was named Gener, a warrior who was part of a six-man adventurer party. The party wasn’t famous, but it was the only one merchants like Benson could afford.
“I didn’t sleep last night; I had a few drinks with a few people.”
After seeing Benson, Gener raised the glass of ale in his hand and laughed, “This place is great. It’s like a money pit that’s better than the capital of the Empire!”
“Then you should rest well tonight… We will leave for the territory of the beastmen tomorrow.”
“Relax, relax. We have known each other for so many years. You don’t have to worry about me… I still have the basic professionalism.”
Hearing Gener’s assurance, Benson nodded his head.
As a merchant, he had to take leverage of local scarcity to turn a profit, and this usually meant he had to do a lot of traveling. Dragon City was just the most important transit point where he could sell some of his goods into dry currency, and then he would join with other merchants to bring the rest of his goods to the faraway beastmen nation.
In this way, the hired adventurers would be able to work together to form a considerable strength, so as to deal with dangers on the road.
‘I give thanks to the dragon who took the city away from the Theocracy and turned it into an open city.’
Benson inwardly thanked the dragon whom he had never seen before. In the past, when the city belonged to the Theocracy, they did not open this important trading hub due to their fanaticism. When merchants wanted to transport supplies between the east and west of the continent, they would have to take a big detour to the northern lands. This was not only more expensive but also more dangerous.
Now, with the opening of Dragon City, everything was a lot better. It had now become a transit point for the entire east to the west road, with countless people coming and leaving every hour. Supplies from the entire continent were delivered and the arrival of many people had driven the city’s consumption. The moniker of ‘City of Gold’ had truly become a reality.
Benson walked out of the hotel. The street not far away had quieted down in the morning. It was the so-called red-light district. With the development of Dragon City, gray industries like it would naturally appear, especially when there were always merchants and adventurers visiting.
As an ‘old driver’, Louie would not bury these gray industries to the ground and have them controlled by some gangster forces. As the city lord, he gave the street the name ‘Tulip Street’ or as some people like to call it, the ‘Flower Street’, which clearly told others that he supported the sex industry.
As a former Chinese, he had felt the suffocation of not being able to do it.
The theaters, brothels, and box stores on Flower Street were all licensed by him and were protected by the city guards. It was just that the taxes he placed on them were relatively high, effectively making them no different from the protection fees charged by gangsters who controlled the sex industry in some cities. However, as the person with the most power, Louie’s soldiers were clearly Dragon City’s largest underworld.
When the government supported the development of these industries, it could earn more money.
Other than young women who could only make a living by prostituting themselves, there were also barbarian women from Tumibia Plateau, natives from the southern seas, some strange fishmen, beastmen of all races, fallen nobles from the Subila Empire, and even elves that were rarely seen anywhere on the continent.
There were more than a million elves in existence, so it would be natural for there to be some free-spirited ones who were willing to sell their bodies. This was something beyond the Silver Moon Goddess’ or Louie’s could control.
Naturally, compared to elves, the most popular thing in Flower Street at the moment was something that a powerful archmage brought.
As the barrier between realms became thinner and thinner, the ability of mages to cross realms rose significantly. This powerful mage had the audacity to break into the bottomless Abyss by himself. In that corrupt and degenerate world, he had luckily obtained a succubus.
This succubus wasn’t strong and the mage used powerful spells to restrain her. Then he sold it to the Flower Street of Dragon City to let her receive customers. Perhaps feeling a little guilty, he left behind a small part of the money he earned to the succubus.
Succubi were originally lascivious demons. Other than upper-class succubi who were more reserved and only served those who were truly strong, those lower class succubus would never refuse a request.
With the spells of the mage, no one needed to be worried about being sucked dry by the succubus. Since she could earn money while meeting her physical needs, the mage’s work had stirred up Flower Street. The succubus that came from the Abyss had also become the banner of Flower Street. Rich people would try to go there, wanting to have a taste of her.
It was a demon that was rare on the main continent especially after the realms had been separated.
Benson gulped at the thought of the succubus, but could only scratch his head.
He simply could not afford to play with the succubus.
‘How unfortunate.’
With a sigh full of regret, Benson headed in the direction opposite Flower Street.
The streets of Dragon City were beginning to get more and more populated with people. These people had serious expressions that pervaded the atmosphere. Even Benson’s expression had changed to become a serious one.
He knew that this was the most important activity of the people every day at regular intervals – a prayer to their god, the mighty dragon.