A Beginning's Continuation

by Tony Tran

  “How could you forget me!? It’s been years since we met but how could you forget your best friend Cheng Yu.” Cheng Yu said as he got chummy with the guard and patted the man on the shoulder. While everyone was confused Cheng Yu stuffed a small bag of coins into the guard’s armor.

  “Ah brother Cheng Yu, it’s been ages! I had thought you looked familiar, but wasn’t sure if it was you or not.” The guard said with a wide grin on his face.

  “I thought you didn’t recognize me for a second. We could find a good place to catch up when you're not too busy.” Cheng Yu said with a smile.

  “Yea I’ll find you when I’m not on duty.” The guard said with a smile as he gestured for Cheng Yu and the rest of the caravan to enter the city.

  It was clear that this was the first time these two men had met and that they did not know each other at all. But this was nothing new for the guards who were stationed at the city gates.

  On any given day, they would have hundreds if not thousands of “friends” pass by and most if not all of these friends were rich. Meaning that whoever was stationed as a guard at the gate was fairly wealthy also.

  With that aside, not that they've been granted permission to enter, Zhang’s caravan of carriages and carts rattled its way through the city gate.

  The inside of Wolfden City was like another world, dazzling lights lined the streets, beautifully made fountains that were powered by magic scattered throughout the city, countless beautiful women waved down to the people passing through the streets from their balconies, and a cheerful and mysterious atmosphere filled the air. This was a place where one could immerse themselves in pleasure or be lost in it.

  In such an atmosphere, it was easy to lose oneself and be drowned in pleasure, which could be a good thing and a bad thing because sometimes too much of a good thing may not always be a good thing. There were often times in Wolfden City where people would be having the time of their lives and then get themselves in a lot of trouble or turn up dead the next morning because they did something stupid due to the thrill of the moment.

  “Waaaa, I’ve never seen a city like this. Not even Aurora had so many lights and places to go play.” Ai said as half of her body was sticking out of the magical carriage.

  Looking out into the brightly lit streets filled with people, you wouldn’t even think that it was currently past midnight. In other places at this time in the night, everyone was fast asleep, readying themselves for tomorrow. However, this was most definitely not the case in Wolfden City.

  “Cheng Yu, can you ask around and find us a good hotel to stay at? Once that is taken care of we can enjoy our time here.” Zhang said through the window that opened up beside the driver's seat.

  “My lord, I think you’ve mistaken something.” Cheng Yu said in a whisper as he bent toward the window.

  “What?” Zhang ask with a perplexed tone.

  “There aren’t any hotels in this city. The only place you can board in is one of the countless brothels.” Cheng Yu said with a glint in his eye.

  “Errr… Find a nice one then…” Zhang replied.

  “Freight not my lord, I’ll find one that has twins. Young ones too.” Cheng Yu chuckled.

  “Yes twins! Wai...wait where did you hear this?” Zhang retorted.

  However, instead of replying, Cheng Yu being chuckling and closed the window instead.

  “Every man’s dream, my lord, every man’s dream.” Cheng Yu murmured as he continued steering the carriage.

  Thus, Zhang’s magical carriage led the caravan through the crowded streets of Wolfden City. To where he did not know, but it seemed like Cheng Yu knew his way around this city pretty well so Zhang did not question. Also, when Cheng Yu had mentioned twins, Yuying shot a glare at Zhang so he did not dare open that window again to converse with Cheng Yu.

  “That bastard…” Zhang silently cursed as he watched the beauties look out into the busy streets and pointing at places they wanted to visit.

  Casinos, restaurants, brothels, clothing stores, jewelry stores and all sorts of other establishments built for entertainment and pleasure lined the streets, so many that it would probably take weeks to visit them all.

  “Honey, I saw a beautiful looking necklace on display in one of the stores. How about we go have a look later.” Ling said as she walked away from the window and brushed up against Zhang. Truthfully nothing really caught her attention but she was hoping to call dibs on Zhang.

  “Damn…I was too late...” Lingqi and the other two beauties thought as Ling took the initiative.

  Chapter 29: Entertainment

  The magical carriage came to a halt in front of a four-story building that stretched from one street corner to the next. Across its doors hung a large signboard that read, “Wolfden Brothel.” Countless beautiful women could be seen standing on the hundreds of balconies that protruded from upper floors of the brothel, while countless more could be see inside the brothel, through its large gates.

  Cheng Yu had led the caravan to perhaps the only brothel in Wolfden City large enough to house everyone. This brothel was so large that it had enough rooms to house tens of thousands of people within its confines.

  “Young master we are here.” Cheng Yu said as he opened Zhang’s carriage door and stood aside in wait.

  Moments later, before Zhang or the beauties had made stepped off of the carriage, a few dozen men dressed in uniform and armed with wooden staffs filed out of the brothel.

  These men of course, were employed by the brothel for security purposes, of course, they did other things, such as wait on tables, carry luggage, etc.

  After these men filed out of the brothel, a beautiful woman who looked no older than the age of twenty walked out from within the brothel. She gave off an otherworldly vibe as she approached Zhang’s carriage, just as he walked out.

  “Welcome young master.” The young woman said as her glittering eyes scanned Zhang from head to toe, shimmering as they gazed at each article of his attire, perhaps in her head she was guessing the price of his attire.

  Upon hearing the young woman’s words, Zhang smiled and nodded in acknowledgement.

  “My young master wishes to rent out some rooms in your establishment.” Cheng Yu said to the young woman, as his eyes began to wonder from her long brownish black hair, to her delicate face comprised of rosy cheeks, cherry red lips and beautiful eyes that had bright blue pupils.

  Cheng Yu felt as if his soul was being pulled out from his body as his gaze shifted from her beautifully proportioned face to his well-defined figure. It definitely would not be too much to say that this young woman standing in front of Zhang and Cheng Yu was comparable to the four beauties.

  “How many rooms would you like, young master. I wouldn't mind if we got a room for just you and me.” The young woman said.

  “You, him and us?” Lingqi’s angelic voice drifted into everyone's ear as she walked up beside Zhang, her eyes sizing out the young woman in front of her. A few breaths later, the other three beauties appeared beside Zhang also.

  “It seems the young master has an we for beauty.” The woman said with a smile as she turned away and headed back into the brothel.

  “We have enough rooms to house as many people as you'd like.” She added before disappearing after passing the large gates.

  “Right this way, young master. If you would follow me, we will make the proper arrangements for you and your people.” One of the uniformed men who works at the brothel said as he gestured for Zhang to follow him.

  While the man gestured, and spoke to Zhang, the other male employees of the brothel, whose staffs were now leaning against a wall, all walked forward and began helping unload the luggage off the carriages and carts.

  “Cheng Yu, please help them unload our things and see to it that everyone is properly accommodated. As a reward, I'll have them find the best-looking pair of twins here for you.” Zhang said with a devious smile.

  “Thank you, young master.” Cheng Yu replied with a gri
n.

  “Male ones…Every man’s dream, right?” Zhang said in a low tone as he followed the male employee of the brothel. The beauties who were beside him, being the only ones beside him couldn't help but have smiles on their faces upon hearing his words.

  Soon enough they walked through the gates of the Wolfden Brothel and entered another world.

  A world filled with pleasure and enjoyment. Gambling tables, dancing stages, skits, drinking bars, and a large variety of other things could be seen as far as the eye could see within the brothel. Calling it a brothel was not a fitting description at all because of how many different things that were going on inside.

  “Once I show you to your room young master, you're free to roam the grounds if you would like.” The male attendant said, noticing Zhang and the beauties looking around.

  “Where would you recommend, we start.” Ling asked.

  “I don’t know where to even start. As you can see young madam, although our establishment is called a brothel, no one here offers those kinds of bed chamber services that you would think. Unlike most brothels, here everyone sells their talents and not their bodies. However, thanks to this we can give our clients a wider variety of enjoyable things to do. But if you really wanted me to suggest something then I’d say you all should take a look at our singing stage. Sometimes the mistress even appears on stage and gives the audience a song. A Lot of people from all over the province come just for the opportunity to listen to her sing.” The male attendant said as he led Zhang and the beauties through the brothel.

  Soon enough they arrived at a large flight of stairs that spiraled up into the ceiling. The staircase itself could be considered a work of art, thanks to the intricate designs etched onto it. Hundreds of small carvings of wolves and nature could be observed on the railing and the column that made up the central support for the staircase.

  “If you look at this column as you ascend the staircase then you’ll be able to see the story of how this city received its name.” The male attendant said as his hand traced the beautiful carvings of the central column.

  “Interesting.” Ai said as she observed the carvings which began with the depiction of a small village comprised of a few dozen homes. The carvings then lead to a scene where the dozens of homes are set blaze and hundreds of people atop horses clad in armor could be seen with weapons drawn. Then the carvings depict, hundreds of people on their knees as hundreds of the armor-clad people stood behind them with swords in their hands.

  One could think the next scene would be a depiction of hundreds of people being decapitated, however this was not the case. The next set of carvings showed the image of a large wolf, one that was taller and larger than a few houses. It then showed the wolf watching as the armored people flee atop of their horses.

  “It was thanks to the deity lunar wolf that watched over the village folk that allowed them to avoid being massacred by an army of rogue soldiers. Once the rogue soldiers were sent packing, the deity lunar wolf made the village it’s home and gave the villagers it’s blessings, which in turn helped the city grow to be the metropolis that it is today, hence the reason the city is named Wolfden City. Legend has it the deity lunar wolf still to this day watches over the city.” The male attendant said as they arrived at the fourth floor of the brothel.

  After the first and second floor, which contained all of the entertainment venues, the third and fourth floor were purely comprised of guest rooms, with the rooms in the fourth floor being the rooms reserves for upper class and important guests.

  Led through a series of hallways and corridors, Zhang and the beauties arrived in front of a large set of doors that were being guarded by two well-built men.

  With a nod from the male attendant that had been guiding Zhang and the beauties, the two well-built men pushed open the two doors with one hand each, revealing a lavishly decorated room that was hidden behind the doors.

  “These two will keep guard of your room and ensure that no one bothers you, young master.” The male attendant said.

  “No need, I’ll call for a few of my men to do that for me.” Zhang said casually.

  “If that is what you wish.” The male attendant said before signaling for the two well-built men to leave. He of course, soon joined them after bidding Zhang and the beauties a good day.

  Once they were settled into their room Zhang and the beauties descended the stairs that they had ascended not too long ago and joined in on the fun that was happening on the lower floors.

  “Let’s play that!” Ai said excitedly as she pointed to a table that was playing sic bo, the same dice game that they had played against Ran Kaitou. Soon she held onto Zhang and Yuying’s hands, pulling them toward the gambling table.

  “Sure, let’s play.” Yuying said with a smile

  Not wanting to be left behind, Ling and Lingqi quickly followed behind and crowded around the seat where Zhang sat down at. With two beauties on either side of him Zhang began placing bets as many gazes were directed toward him.

  As a finely dressed man, surrounded by beautiful women that gave off a somewhat innocent air, many people believed that Zhang was someone who was inexperienced in the ways of the world, and would soon lose all of his money at the gambling tables. Thus, a mix of haughty stares and mocking gazes were placed upon him.

  Unlike Ran Kaitou’s casino, the Wolfden brothel made profits thanks to the large number of games and transactions that transpired, so there wasn’t really any rigging on the casino’s end at all.

  “Brother I want to bet, ten like last time.” Ai said with eyes full of anticipation.

  “Ha, kids why don’t you go find the kiddy table because here we no one has any use for your measly ten copper or silver coins.” A middle-aged woman who was accompanied by a man who looked to be half her age said mockingly.

  “Ai, you remember what happened last time we betted so much? Let’s start out with one.” Ling said with a laugh.

  “Ha, changing your bet to one coin? What do you take this place as? A playground?” The middle-aged lady laughed.

  “Ai, pay no attention to people who only know how to run their mouths. Maybe that’s why she can’t find any men her own age.” Lingqi said mockingly.

  “We’ll bet ten like you wanted.” Yuying said after Lingqi as she waved her hand, making one hundred stacks of one hundred gold coins appear on the table.

  “Now what do you want to bet on?” Ling asked.

  “That one right there, last time we won big betting on that one.” Ai said with a smile as she pointed to one of the squares on the table.

  With a flick of Ling’s hand, a gentle breeze of wind pushed the one hundred stack of coins to where Ai pointed to, while amazingly not knocking over any of the one hundred stacks.

  Of course, the middle age woman was angry due to Lingqi’s words, but before she could reply she was dumbfounded by the large amount of gold coins that Yuying had placed on the table. Had Zhang been the one to place the gold coins on the table, then the woman wouldn’t have been so surprised, but for his wives to be able to casually put out so much money stupefied the middle-aged woman. Because how rich did Zhang have to be for his wives to be able to put out that kind of money without his consent.

  This middle-aged woman was most definitely not alone because all of the people who had been shooting Zhang and the beauties, haughty and mocking gazes were also stupefied once the three dices in the dice shaker rolled onto three eights and Ai won another pile of gold.

  Well after a few games, since they were not cheating, Zhang and the beauties broke even and neither lost any money nor won any. However, they managed to leave everyone who was watching them speechless and dumbfounded once they moved on to find something else to do.

  After having some fun at the dice table, the group arrived at a stage where a group of performers were performing acrobatic tricks. Men and women could be seen balancing themselves across ropes that hung-over beds of nails.

  As extreme as the act was, a few of the
men and women were even juggling as they made their way across the rope while the audience watches in suspense. To add to the suspense a watermelon had been thrown onto the bed of nails below the tightrope, to show that the bed of nails was in fact deadly if any of the performers happens to fall on them, since the watermelon was riddled by sharp nails once it landed on the bed.

  As unexciting as it was, every performer made it safely across the tightrope and were awarded with a blazing applause and a shower of copper, silver and some gold coins.

  Next up, Zhang and the beauties arrowed at a small arena that was built much like a pit in the ground. The audience was seated in circular rows as the arena itself was cut into the ground beneath the first floor.

  In this said arena, men would fight against one another as those in the audience could place bets on who would win. Men with muscle covered bodies fought one another until they were bloody to entertain onlookers and to attain fame and fortune.