LIGHTNOVELWORLD 3
Despite the environment deterring many customers, this bar continued to operate thanks to its low prices.
He initially came here for the cheap and tasty drinks, not considering the environment as a factor.
Xia Yuan pushed open the bar’s door, and the familiar smell and dim light greeted his eyes, as unique as ever.
The bartender at the counter greeted him; Xia Yuan, a frequent visitor, had become their regular customer.
However, this time he didn’t sit at the bar to order. After nodding in acknowledgment, he walked into an open private room and found a seat.
“Happy New Year, Chief Fujimura.”
“Happy New Year, young man.”
The dim lights flickered.
An old man was sitting across from him.
“Would you like something to drink? The sake here is quite good. Care to have a cup with this old man?”
“Chief Fujimura, you’re as spirited as ever.”
“Haha, you jest, young man. I’m already one foot in the grave, how could I be spirited?”
The sixty-year-old man in a black kimono laughed, personally poured a cup of sake, and pushed it towards Xia Yuan, gesturing for him to have a drink.
Looking at the old man who was joking with him, Xia Yuan smiled and shook his head.
He thought to himself: Your body is ridiculously robust. A few months ago, you could still lead people to wreak havoc on other organizations at Fuyuki port. When the cops came, you still had the energy to run with them. Such a tough guy, he definitely didn’t believe when you said you were old.
He wondered how such a yakuza boss could raise an energetic girl like Taiga.
After saying this, the old man drank his cup of sake, and Xia Yuan immediately raised his cup and drank.
After a cup, the old man rested one arm on the table, his fingers lightly tapping the surface, and asked, “Xia Yuan, how have you been lately?”
“Not bad, thanks to your care, my life is pretty decent now,” Xia Yuan replied jokingly.
“At least I’m not sleeping on the streets anymore like before.”
“Is that so? Gold will shine wherever it is, and capable people are the same. You can’t say this is thanks to me. Everything you have now is what you’ve earned for yourself.”
“Chief Fujimura, you flatter me.”
After exchanging pleasantries for a while, the large private room felt empty with just the two of them. This sense of emptiness made Xia Yuan feel a bit uneasy, and his gaze occasionally swept over the blind spots in his field of vision.
[No one around, only two ordinary people guarding the door.]
Count?
Hearing the voice in his ear, Xia Yuan paused, then quickly recovered. He felt more confident, and although he trusted Chief Fujimura’s character, having the Count as backup made him even more assured. He looked at the old man in front of him with confusion.
The application he submitted a few months ago shouldn’t have been too difficult for him, so why call him out for a meeting specifically?
Although he had indeed received a lot of care from the Fujimura group, over this long period, his contributions to the organization had more than made up for it. They had no reason to stop him.
Coming alone was because he trusted Chief Fujimura’s character and didn’t want to trouble the Count, but you never truly know someone’s heart. If things developed in a direction he didn’t want…
“…”
Then he would have to apologize.
“Are you nervous, young man?”
“You jest. Anyone would be nervous being alone with Chief Fujimura like this,” Xia Yuan nodded.
“I’m worried that I’ve done something wrong and displeased you.”
“Haha, you’re quite frank, young man.” Hearing this, Fujimura laughed and waved his hand, saying, “Don’t worry, it’s just the two of us here, and I’m not some pedantic old man. So feel free to speak your mind.”
“This old man also wants to hear your true thoughts.”
“Since you put it that way, I won’t hold back. I want to ask, have you agreed to that matter?”
“You mean the resignation letter you submitted?”
“Hehe, I thought a decisive young man like you would just throw down a resignation letter and leave. I’m surprised you actually submitted a proper application. It’s quite unexpected.”
“Chief, you’re too kind,” Xia Yuan scratched his head, a bit embarrassed. “I still know how to handle such important matters properly.”
“Mm, after all this time together, I consider myself your elder and understand your character.”
“But why? You know your position in the Fujimura group is not low, and you’ve never done anything illegal. I can’t think of why you’re in such a hurry to leave.”
“Is that answer really important? Shouldn’t this be my personal freedom?”
“Of course it’s important,” Chief Fujimura nodded and replied, “Compared to an old man like me who should have retired long ago, capable young people like you are the fresh blood the Fujimura group needs most for development. Without a reason that can convince me, I won’t let you go so easily.”
“Is the Fujimura group not treating you well enough? Originally, because your experience was too shallow, I was planning to train you for a few more years and then let you take over as the young head of the Fujimura group in Tokyo. If you really can’t wait, even now it’s not…”
“It’s not for that reason, Chief.”
Xia Yuan shook his head, refusing the old man’s words, and explained, “Everyone in the Fujimura group has been very good to me and has shown me great kindness. If it weren’t for your help, I’d still be a homeless person without proper identification, maybe even starved to death by now. So I’m very grateful for everything the Fujimura group has given me, and I’ll always remember this kindness.”
“Then why do you want to leave?” The old man took a puff of his cigarette and looked at him deeply.
“I’m sorry, this is my own reason and has nothing to do with the organization. Chief, I have reasons why I must leave. It’s not just for my own good, but for the good of the Fujimura group. Please trust me one more time, Chief.”
“…”
Staring intently at Xia Yuan, he saw the seriousness and determination in his eyes, with a hint of struggle.
“…”
“Fine, fine.”
After a long silence between them, old man Fujimura shook his head and slowly spoke, “If you don’t want to say, then let it be.”
After saying this, he took out the resignation letter he had prepared earlier from under the table and pushed it in front of Xia Yuan.
“What’s this?”
“Hmph, the resignation letter you submitted. Although we haven’t known each other for too long, I understand you well, kid. You’re young but stubborn as hell, just like I was back in the day.”
“Since you don’t want to tell me, no matter how much I ask, you won’t say anything, right? Or maybe you’d just make up some reason to fool me?”
“…” Without denying it, Xia Yuan scratched his head awkwardly.
“Hmph, if you don’t want to say, then do as you wish. I understand your character, you have your own discretion, and you must have your reasons for doing this.”
“Chief, I…”
“Don’t interrupt, let this old man ramble a bit more.” The old man raised his hand to stop him and continued.
“I can guess that perhaps you’ve gotten into some big trouble. This trouble is so big that even the entire Fujimura group can’t solve it, and you don’t want to implicate us, so you decided to leave. Although I really want to help you, if this is your choice, then I will choose to respect your decision.”
“But… even if you’ve left the Fujimura group now, please don’t forget that you were once a member of the Fujimura group. We are family. No matter what trouble you encounter, don’t forget us. Even if the Fujimura group’s power is not enough, we will do our utmost to help you, young man.”
“Chief, thank you.”
With a light chuckle and a feeling of indescribable gratitude in his heart, Xia Yuan slowly stood up and bowed deeply to the elderly man before him, grateful for his care and understanding over so many years.
Seeing this, the old man just smiled slightly, shook his head, and waved his hand.
“Go on, you brat, don’t dawdle here anymore. Go do what you want to do. Don’t worry about us old folks, just don’t forget the Fujimura group, and come back to visit sometimes.”
“I’m still counting on you to continue being Taiga’s tutor in a few years.”
Thank you…
Xia Yuan stood up and bowed deeply to the old man, expressing his gratitude.
As he was leaving.
“Chief, actually, there’s one more thing I want to ask of you.”
“Hm, what is it?”
“In a few months, I’d like to ask you to take the Fujimura group out of Fuyuki City for a while, and come back after a week. Just treat it as a vacation, can you do that?”
“Leave Fuyuki City?”
Hearing this, old man Fujimura was silent for a moment, then looked up at Xia Yuan’s serious eyes and slowly nodded.
“I understand. I’ll consider it.”
“Farewell.”
Xia Yuan turned and left.
————
Chapter 3: Dream of the Prison Tower
“—Have you ever envied others?”
“Envied their talents, gifts, or status?”
“Have you ever regretted not having certain abilities? Have you experienced missing out on wealth or opportunities due to your own mistakes?”
Who is this…
In the haze, a familiar male voice kept echoing in his ears.
“Jealousy, envy, tears of regret born from envying others’ opportunities.”
“The world has never been bright, and fate has never been fair. How luxurious is the experience of so-called equality?”
The voice was very penetrating, going straight to the heart, difficult to dissipate in Xia Yuan’s ears.
“No need to answer, the answer in your heart has not yet been revealed.”
“Don’t look away, because everyone has it, so you can’t escape.”
“Envy towards others, sighs and unfairness towards your own fate, will give birth to all kinds of original sins. Tears of regret have already flowed from the corners of your eyes.”
In deep sleep, Xia Yuan heard a male voice chattering in his ear. He felt the quality of his sleep was extremely poor. After several impatient rolls, he finally slowly opened his eyes.
Raising his head, he found that what met his eyes was indeed a pitch-black fortress.
“Prison Tower!”
Fully awake now, Xia Yuan began to recall that voice, only to find it increasingly familiar. Except for the lack of the familiar noisy “Kuhahaha!”, this tone completely overlapped with the Count’s. He had only failed to recognize it earlier because he was groggy from sleep, but once awake, he immediately recalled it all.
Shocked, the Prison Tower side story was replicated!
He had actually experienced the same treatment as Fujimaru Ritsuka, being pulled into the Count’s Prison Tower side story while in a dream.
“You woke up so quickly? I’m surprised. It seems your compatibility with this Prison Tower is unexpectedly good. No wonder you’re a Master capable of summoning me.”
“Count?”
“That’s right, it’s me, the man you call the Count of Monte Cristo, a true ghost of vengeance, Edmond Dantès, the King of the Cavern.”
“Welcome to this island of despair for sinners, the Prison Tower, young man!”
“This high tower is the other shore of grudges. Once inside, whether heavily sinful prisoners or innocents, souls of any kind will be imprisoned here!”
“Of course, you are no exception.”
Emerging from the darkness, a silver-haired man in a green cloak walked out from a dark corner, saying so.
“This is the First Gate, which houses the sin of envy. You are now within it, mired in the quagmire, unable to escape. All pain converges here. Sorrow, pain, anger, lamentations – all kinds of voices never cease. This is the hell that exists in the world, from which no one can escape. Do you understand?”
That cold prison, worms and rats crawling on the ground, accompanied by the screams of evil spirits and lost souls in the distance, all rendered the atmosphere quite terrifying.
Xia Yuan: “…”
He didn’t show the despair and wailing or panic that the other had imagined. Seeing the Count so immersed in his role, he even felt like laughing.
Ignoring the Count who was still performing nervously on the side, faced with this situation, he simply reached into his pocket, slowly pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a deep drag.
Encountering such a thing, he chose to smoke a cigarette to calm down first.
“Are you in despair? Have you given up?”
“In this hell, death and despair intertwine, any small hope will be devoured. The sinners of this world will all sink here to be tortured eternally. Evil spirits, lost souls, death and despair converge… Any beautiful words will not appear here, but you are different. You have the hope of being saved. You…”
“Stop.”
Xia Yuan extinguished his cigarette, looked back at the King of the Cavern, and then said, “Don’t tell me all these vague settings. Just tell me directly, why did you bring me here? That’s all I need to know.”
“Trapping you here, me? Now that sounds like an interesting joke, kuhahaha…”
Hearing this utterly abrupt laughter, Xia Yuan immediately knew he hadn’t mistaken the identity. The familiar mentally polluting laughter, the person before him was indeed the one he had summoned, one of Chaldea’s three mad laughers.
“You barged in here yourself. This fortress isn’t as easy to enter as you imagine. I don’t know how you’ve become entangled with me, even to the point of your soul being dragged into this hell, but all of this is your own choice.”