NIKKE, When the Milky Way Blossoms

A group of unemployed people.

These people were not uncommon in bars, so Phoenix didn't pay much attention to them, continuing to sip the pomegranate juice that Old Roba handed him, and quietly watching the blind old man mix drinks.

Although he lacks the eye-catching and exquisite performances of flair bartending, Old Roba's bartending style is unique because of his blindness.

"Hey guys, I got some good stuff today, I'll make you guys have some fun tonight. Wow, it cost me a fortune."

"If you want a free drink, just say so. What the hell? Trying to play games with us like this? Got to see that rich girl last night and now you want to reform and pretend to be a cultured man?"

Behind him, he heard the lewd laughter of idlers. If Phoenix hadn't known that Ark had relatively strict control over chemical products, he would have really thought that they were planning to openly throw a drug party.

"Boss, give me a Rainbow Bomber set and a Fiery Red Lips set!" A burly man with a watch shouted excitedly from the thugs, as if he was afraid the boss wouldn't hear him in the small No. 5 Bar.

Old Luo Ba was clearly used to the temperament of these people, and casually agreed.

Upon hearing the drink list, someone, a regular at Bar No. 5, couldn't help but murmur a sarcastic remark:

"Looks like business's been good lately, already made 1,800. Hey, old Roba, does Windsor have a boyfriend?"

"Go find somewhere cool and squat down. If you want to freeload, just say so. Don't come here and mess with my granddaughter."

Old Luo Ba glanced at the general direction of a certain unscrupulous man. He was in his thirties and had become blind due to illness, so he did not completely disregard his eyes like a congenitally blind person.

"Okay, okay, but speaking of which, it seems like I haven't seen Windsor for about half a year. What's wrong? Has she been staying with her parents lately..."

Before Phoenix could finish his casual conversation, a sound so familiar it was etched into his very being, carrying with it a chilling and deathly aura, rang in his ears.

Rustling——

Teng!

The moment Lecher's distinctive vocalizations entered his ears, the man's pupils contracted to pinpoints. Then, almost reflexively, he jumped up from his chair, turned sideways, and looked warily at the group of thugs at the table.

"enemy……"

"Hey guys, let me show you the stuff I just got today. Let me tell you, this preview clip alone is enough to get me fucking climaxed!"

Before the word "attack" could even be uttered, Phoenix's rational mind immediately suppressed his instincts and vocal cords, even reducing the pronunciation of the word "enemy" to a minimum.

recording……

The noise from Lecher just now was just a recording from the video.

"Boy?"

Even though the environment became noisy, old Roba's keen hearing still caught the suppressed syllables in Phoenix's mouth.

"Are you alright? How about some alcohol to soothe your nerves?"

"...No, it's nothing." The commander, whose suspension hadn't even exceeded twelve hours, took two deep breaths and said:

"The damage alcohol does to reactive nerves is irreversible, so I'd better not drink before I retire."

Phoenix's heart was pounding erratically, and the discomfort caused a fine layer of sweat to appear on his forehead.

But he swallowed hard, suppressing his discomfort, and with a swagger, walked towards the table of thugs.

"Hey! What are you guys looking at? It's so lively."

Phoenix gave a perfunctory greeting, but his eyes had already followed the steps to the phone screen in the green-haired thug's hand.

Gunshots, cannon fire, explosions, and Niki's loud shouts and desperate screams.

Both the violently shaking video footage and the noisy audio content tell the commander that this is a real combat record from the ground.

"Huh? What war movie is this? I don't think I've ever seen it before."

Phoenix asked the question knowingly, and very familiarly put his elbow on the back of the chair where the green-haired thug was sitting, and put on a curious and amazed expression, and leaned down.

"Damn, that's so exciting! What movie is it?"

"Hey, this is..."

The green-haired thug was thoroughly enjoying the spectacle when Phoenix's question made him instinctively want to reveal the true identity of the person who had illegally obtained the combat records. But he quickly realized something was amiss, and without even looking up, he cursed:

Who the hell do you think you are?

Chapter Thirty: Setting a Trap

"Hey guys, come on! Let's have a drink!"

As time went on, fueled by alcohol, Phoenix gradually created a lively atmosphere in the bar.

The bartender placed twelve glasses of high-proof liquor, with pomegranate syrup settling at the bottom and flames burning on the surface, on the table.

The syrup in the glass was higher on the outside and lower on the inside, while the flames were lower on the outside and higher on the inside. From a distance, it truly lived up to its nickname, "Flaming Red Lips".

"Drink up! It's rare that we're all kindred spirits, if we don't drink to our hearts' content... hiccup, wouldn't that be a huge waste!"

By substituting sparkling water for beer and using sleeping pills as an excuse, Phoenix stirred up the emotions of a group of thugs, bringing the situation to a climax.

"I'm putting this out there, little brother. Whoever doesn't put out the fire in the middle of this cup and downs it in one gulp, I'll call him big brother from now on. What do you all say?"

With such instigation, coupled with the fact that the idle people were indeed quite drunk, and provoked by Phoenix's crude words, some of the bold and vain ones immediately rolled up their sleeves, ready to start fighting.

So, amidst cheers and encouragement, twelve cups of fiery red liquor were poured into the stomachs of the thugs.

True high-proof liquor never cares about any aftereffects; after just one sip, some people who can't hold their liquor will collapse on the table within minutes, causing others to burst into laughter.

“Hey Xiaofei, you little rascal… hiccup, you’re on the right track.”

The green-haired thug, already reeking of alcohol, picked up his phone and swayed as he spoke:

"This thing isn't something you can just get with money... You, you know? This is... this is something only people in our circle are qualified to buy... this is a treasure."

"Bro, there's a ring here? I thought you got this treasure from the legendary black market. Can you help me out? I'll treat you to drinks later."

Phoenix grinned and playfully lifted the other man high, making him look like a clueless newbie, which greatly satisfied the green-haired thug's sense of superiority.

"You... ha, you're still... too green."

Have you seen those Nikkis getting... trampled to death by Letcher with his mechanical legs? I... I have that video... F***ing, I guarantee it'll get you hard. The Nikkis are being crushed bit by bit, ground down... until only a small part of their upper body is left, crying and screaming... Let me tell you... don't get too excited.

"We'll be back in a couple of days, Xiao Fei... you, if you want to get into the industry, it's up to you."

After saying that, the thug weakly patted the weight plate on Phoenix's left arm and raised an eyebrow, saying:

"What are you wearing? Why... is it uncomfortable to hold?"

"The monitor, huh? I mentioned before that I've been taking sleeping pills lately, and the doctor told me I need to wear this to monitor my heart rate and such, for easy follow-up appointments." The person smiled and started with a lie.

After hearing this, the green-haired man's eyes became even more disdainful. "Heh, let me tell you, you're just too... too obedient. That thing is just the doctor trying to make more money off you. Doctors, what do they know?"

Alright... it's about time, guys, let's pack up and go."

"How about I give you a ride, bro?"

Xiao Fei wasn't angry at all; instead, she became even more respectful, acting like a complete lackey.

"You've all drunk so much, what if something happens to you on the road..."

"You little rascal, what are you trying to do? Want to come with us? I told you, you're still too green." Green Hair tilted his head and waved his hand, looking somewhat annoyed.

"Guys, let's go!"

At his call, the group of thugs finally helped each other out of the iron gate, staggering step by step.

The person whose fawning smile had gradually faded calmly returned to the bar.

"Three martinis, six iced teas, two sets of bright red lipsticks, one set of rainbow bombers, eight cups..." Old Luo Ba casually recited the bill while wiping the wine glasses.

"...Finally, there's my cell phone, Brad's cell phone, and Brad's sports watch. Let me round it down for you, the total is twenty-six thousand."

Brad, who was cleaning at the table, heard that his beloved child had been omitted from the bill and quickly looked up to add:

"And front-row concert tickets to Warren and Noyce's autograph! Bro, don't forget! You promised to give them to me."

"Don't rush me, or it will be gone if you keep bothering me."

Phoenix leaned against the counter with his eyes closed, his left hand tapping the expensive wooden bar counter in a circular motion, letting the melody surround him in the much quieter bar.

Da da da da—da da da da—

That voice,

It sounds like an undercurrent beneath a calm sea, brewing an elusive malice.

……

……

"Hey boss, I ran into a sucker today."

Clang!

The dilapidated iron gate was pushed open, and Green Hair, who was the first to enter, staggered into an abandoned factory. Watching his boss begin counting his treasured stash again, he chuckled:

"Damn it, he thinks he can buy my stockpile just by buying a few drinks from us guys? I could easily swindle him out of money for a few more drinks."

"What do you mean by 'sucker' or 'hoarding'?"

The scruffy, burly man, addressed as "boss," frowned, his face contorted with rage, and demanded, "You're drinking like a fucking idiot. Don't let anyone set you up."

"That idiot who got ripped off by the doctor and then spoke well of him doesn't even dare to set a trap for me."

Green Hair shrugged indifferently, casually patting his pocket. When he felt a familiar square hard object, he put his hand into the pocket with satisfaction and then took out his beloved cell phone.