Quick Travel: Save the poor little villain

The red light district at night, at the end of the street.

On the wet street, two kerosene lamps hung at the door of the tavern on the corner, swaying in the breeze.

Alric, wearing half a silver mask, pushed open the door of the tavern and walked in.

The room was filled with smoke and noisy voices.

As soon as the proprietress, who was wearing a corseted dress, saw him, she immediately came forward enthusiastically, waving the feather fan in her hand quickly.

"You haven't been here for a long time." Her smile was charming, but there was tension in her eyes.

Alric nodded at her, took her hand, and bent down to gently touch the ring on her finger.

"Long time no see, Mrs. Edward."

The landlady looked a little frightened of Alric, and quickly pulled her hand back, fanning herself even faster.

"I've saved your old seat upstairs."

She whispered, then turned and disappeared into the huddle of people.

Alric walked to the bar and ordered half a glass of wine.

He leaned against the edge of the stage, his eyes beneath the mask scanning everyone here sharply.

The bartender poured the drink expertly, tapping his fingers lightly on the bottom of the glass.

After half a glass of wine, a man in waiter's clothes passed by Alrick and casually put the small wooden box into his hand.

Alric folded his fingers together, felt the weight of the wooden box, and put it into the inner pocket of his suit as if nothing had happened.

He tilted his head back and drank the rest of the wine in one gulp, the liquid sliding down his Adam's apple.

Suddenly, Alric looked to his left alertly.

Two men with tattoos all over their arms and necks came over and sandwiched him between them, one on each side.

"Finally, I meet you, Scarlet Gentleman." One of the men whispered.

Another damn trouble.

God, Alric thought, he was getting tired of the nickname Scarlet Gentleman.

Alric licked the inside of his mouth and unbuttoned his collar with one hand. The taut veins in his neck showed a sense of strength.

"Yes, I will give you a gift."

"what?"

"I'll take you to meet the two beautiful ladies from last night."

Before he could finish his words, Alric had already taken action.

He moved quickly, and his fist hit the man on the left in the abdomen with a sound of wind.

The man groaned and bent down.

The other man was about to draw his gun when Alric grabbed his wrist and twisted it sharply.

The crowd in the tavern roared excitedly, but then tacitly retreated, forming a circle to watch the fun.

They admired the fight between the three men.

Alric seemed like a different person, his green eyes flashing with excitement and cruelty.

He snatched the gun, twirled it expertly in his hand, and then shoved the muzzle into one of the men's mouth.

"Do you like this gift?" he asked softly, watching the fear well up in the other's eyes, and then pulled the trigger.

There was a bang of a gunshot, which was quickly drowned out by the noise of the tavern.

The other man felt around in horror, only to discover that his neck had been cut by a sharp knife.

The two men fell to the ground one after another, and blood slowly spread on the floor.

Alric stood up straight and wiped the blood from his knuckles.

His eyes swept around and fixed on a figure in the right corner.

The man did not move from his position throughout.

A man wearing a full black mask and a long black cape.

Alric narrowed his eyes and walked towards him.

As the distance got closer, Alric saw the man extend a black-gloved hand from under his cloak, with a familiar pocket watch hanging on his slender fingers.

It was the one Alric had placed in his inner pocket.

Alric frowned and touched his suit pocket, which was indeed empty.

Maybe it was accidentally dropped during the fight just now.

He walked up to the man, his voice still hoarse with the excitement of the fight.

"This is mine, sir. Give it back to me."

The man pointed to the empty seat next to him.

Alric sat down warily, his eyes fixed on the other person from behind his mask.

He had never seen this man before, but his intuition told him that this man was not simple, and even dangerous.

"Give it back to me," Alric said again, his tone even harder.

Before he could finish his words, the man picked up a glass of wine on the table and raised it to Alric.

"Scarlet Gentleman, I've long heard of you." The man's voice came through the mask, low and hoarse.

"Hold……"

Alric lost his patience and snatched the wine glass from the other's hand and threw it to the ground.

Glass fragments flew everywhere, and he grabbed a piece and stabbed the other person.

Unexpectedly, the man was even stronger than him.

He easily grabbed Alric's wrist and pulled him into his arms.

Alric was unable to dodge and was pushed into a dark corner by the other party.

Black gloves covered Alric's eyes, and the warmth of his palms pressed hotly against his eyelids through the fabric.

Then, the corner of his lips was invaded.

The man kissed him.

Alric: “???”

He raised his foot to kick, but was firmly pinned down by the opponent's knee.

The kiss was filled with the smell of blood and lasted for a full two minutes.

Until Alric was almost suffocating, his eyes unfocused.

He was struggling all the time, and now his mouth seemed to be about to split open.

The man chuckled and stuffed the cold pocket watch into Alric's collar, sliding it down against his skin.

"Your kiss is so sweet, baby." The hoarse voice sounded again.

Alric felt a burning sensation in his mouth and gasped as he heard the man's sounds of pleasure.

"Remember my name, Chen."

The man patted Alric's cheek, pressed his wet lips red, and stood up to leave.

In a moment, he disappeared behind the secret door of the tavern without a trace.

Alric recovered his breath and was so angry that he almost smashed the entire tavern.

He picked up the pocket watch, his fingers clenching the cool metal so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

-

It was late at night when Alric returned to the cylindrical house with a sullen face.

The kerosene lamp on the first floor was still on. Jinchen was sitting at the table with documents and notes piled in front of him.

Hearing the door open, he looked up and a look of joy appeared on his face.

"Alric."

Then, Jinchen looked at the broken corner of Alric's lips, his blue eyes narrowed slightly, and he looked very sad.

"Alric...Sir, did you go and kiss someone?"

Alric: "..."

That inexplicable feeling of guilt came over me again.

I still feel guilty this time.

He subconsciously raised his hand to touch the stinging corner of his mouth, avoiding Jinchen's sad gaze.

"None of your business, Cyril." Alric's voice was even colder than usual. "How's the paperwork going?"

Jinchen didn't answer.

He stood up, walked to Alric, and gently touched his lower lip with his hand.

"You're hurt," he said softly, and the warmth of his fingertips made Alric shiver involuntarily.

"Alric, do you need any help?"

Alric took a step back. "Just do your part."

He turned around and was about to go upstairs.

"Alric," Jinchen called him, a smile in his voice, "Your pocket watch chain is showing."

Alric looked down and saw that the pocket watch had indeed slipped out of his pocket.

Damn, it’s really my pocket problem.

He quickly stuffed it back in, not noticing the cunning look in Jinchen's eyes.

"Good night, Cyril."

Alric said without looking back, walking quickly up the stairs.

Jinchen stood there until he heard the sound of a door closing upstairs.

He pulled the butterscotch out of his pocket and gently placed it on his tongue, feeling the sweetness slowly dissolve.

"See you later, Alric."