Chapter 115 Charlie (First update, please give me a monthly ticket) There is a small bar in the basement of the "Golden Rooster Hotel" that can only accommodate twenty or thirty people. As soon as Lumian walked in, he saw a man jump onto a small round table, holding a beer, and said to the four or five guests around him: "Ladies and gentlemen, listen to me, listen to me! I experienced an incredible thing the day before yesterday!" In the light of several gas lamps on the wall, Lumian found that the man was very young, about twenty-two or twenty-three years old, with short light brown hair and no beard. His face was particularly rosy, perhaps because of the alcohol. He was wearing a linen shirt, black trousers and non-lace-up leather shoes. He was not short, just over meters tall, but his arms and legs were surprisingly short, making him look like someone less than meters tall. At this time, he waved his short arms and spoke with spit flying: "How incredible is it? I tell you, it changed my view of faith. As a believer in the 'God of Steam and Machinery', I am ready to convert to the 'Eternal Blazing Sun'! "Listen, this is amazing, isn't it? "Can you imagine that I was hungry for five days? I was unemployed, fired by that asshole manager, and I didn't find a job until I ran out of savings. "I was starving for five days and I was lying in bed, very weak and almost dead. Do you know what it feels like to be dying? Oh, God forbid you ever know. "I was thinking, I can't die like this, I came to Trier to make a fortune, I have to do something, and then I saw the painting of Saint Vieve on the wall.

"Yes, I struggled to get up, knelt on the ground, and prayed to Saint Viev for help. At that time, I was still a believer in the 'God of Steam and Machinery', but what can a starving person not do? And, no matter what, this will not do any harm! "Just five minutes after I finished praying, a friend of mine came to visit me and discovered my difficult situation. He didn't have much money, but he reminded me that I had rented a kerosene lamp for use at night and the deposit was 35 kopeks, a full 7 riks! "Oh my God, I actually forgot about this. I quickly asked my friend to help me return the kerosene lamp, and used the refunded deposit to buy bread and half a liter of bad wine. The bread was cold and wet, just like putty was spilled on it, and the wine was a little sour and very light, but it was the most delicious meal I have ever eaten. Ladies and gentlemen, I am alive again! "I found a new job today. I will go to the nearest St. Vive Church to light a candle on my day off tomorrow!" Saint Vievre is a female angel mentioned in the holy scriptures of the Church of the Eternal Sun. She is the only one and one of the patron angels of the city of Trier. The other two belong to the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery and a great figure in the history of Intis. Lumian walked towards the bar while watching the young man's small blue eyes light up with excitement. The bartender who was wiping the glass with a flannel raised his head, glanced at the "speaker" standing on the round table, and laughed softly: "Charlie is a real restless person. He's always talking." The bartender was about thirty years old, with a dark brown beard around his mouth, but it was not thick, and his hair of the same color was tied into a ponytail in an artistic manner. Lumian sat on a high stool and asked with a smile: "Is he telling the truth?" "Who knows?" The bartender shrugged. "You should have heard the proverb: It's better to trust a Lim than a snake. Charlie is a Lim." Lim and Leiston are both in the south, with similar accents, but Lim is closer to Lesbos and is a mountainous province. Lumian said thoughtfully: "I don't think this proverb is complete. I feel like there's more to it." The bartender said with a smile in his blue eyes: "You're right, that proverb is longer than you think: "It is better to trust a Lim than a Loen, and it is better to trust a snake than a Lim, but never trust an islander." The archipelago refers to the Misty Sea Islands west of Intis, one of the overseas colonies of the Republic. The people of the archipelago often act as thugs and swindlers in Trier. Without waiting for Lumian to ask again, the bartender looked at Charlie, who was still talking nonstop, with a mocking look and whispered:

"If that was what he actually experienced, then he certainly didn't know that the picture in his room was not of Saint Vieve at all." "Whose is that?" Lumian asked with amusement. The bartender tried to control his laughter: "Charlie lives in room 504. The previous tenant often went to Wall Street in the Red Princess District. The picture posted in the room was of Susanna Mathis, one of the most famous prostitutes in Trier in the past few years. "Think about it, think about it, Charlie thought he was praying to an angel for help, but he was actually praying to a prostitute. He also felt that he had changed his luck, got rid of hunger, and got a new job. What an irony!" “Yes.” Lumian agreed. This is a plot that he couldn't even make up. Sometimes reality is even more outrageous than stories. He then added: "As long as it's useful." The bartender didn't talk any more and asked: "what do you need?" “A glass of aniseed absinthe.” Lumian tapped the bar with his fingers to indicate that he was thinking. “What do you have to eat here?” "How about Duval broth? Three licks and a tablespoon," the bartender suggested. 3 Ricks is 15 Kopek and Felkin. Lumian showed an interested attitude: "What is Duval broth?" The bartender casually explained: "It was invented by a restaurant owner named Duval. He cooked meat, sauerkraut, turnips, etc. into a thick soup, and finally sprinkled cheese and breadcrumbs on it. Just one serving can fill you up, and it tastes pretty good. So, Duval is now a rich man and moved to the opera district." The Candide Market District, also known as the Market District, where Lumian is currently located, is located on the south bank of the Serenzo River and has a large number of slums. The Opera District is on the north bank of the Serenzo River, close to the Boulevard District, one of the core areas of the Republic. ——There are twenty districts within the walls of Trier. "Sounds good." Lumian nodded with a smile, "Then give me one." Although by six in the morning he would be back in shape and not have to worry about hunger, eating was one of the few things that made him feel alive. The bartender nodded and asked: "'Little Mummy' or 'Somersault'?" “What?” Lumian didn’t try to hide his confusion. The bartender was not surprised and said calmly: "This is a common jargon in Trier's bars, cafes and beer houses. 'Little Mummy' refers to a small dose of anise absinthe, 'Somersault' is a double dose, 'Red Tomato' is absinthe with pomegranate juice, and mint is 'Parrot', and there are many similar ones. "My friend, you still have a lot to learn in Trier." "Then it's 'Little Mummy'." Lumian could sense that the bartender had hidden discrimination against outsiders, but he didn't care. "Seven ricks." The bartender quoted the price while flipping open the small highball glass. This is more expensive than the absinthe in the old tavern in Cordu, but it is normal in a place with a market tax. Soon, a glass of pale green absinthe with a psychedelic glow appeared in front of Lumian. He picked it up and took a sip, feeling the light but lasting bitterness spreading in the refreshing taste and penetrating into his brain. While waiting for the waitress to bring the Duval broth, Lumian looked around and found that the side of the bar was piled with glass jars, hoses, valves, gears and other items.

"What is this?" He looked at the bartender with a questioning look. The bartender answered casually while wiping the glass: "A previous tenant left this behind. He was a believer in the 'God of Steam and Machinery'. He always thought he had a talent for mechanics, so he collected a lot of similar things." "Where is he now?" Although Lumian guessed that the ending would not be happy, he still asked cooperatively. The bartender was silent for two seconds and said: "I went to the factory and was told that he was distracted while working and got caught in the machine, with half of his body shattered." Lumian didn't ask any more questions. He turned his head to look at the pile of half-assembled parts and fell into thought. After a few seconds, he left the barstool, squatted down to the side of the bar, and fiddled with the pile of things. The bartender glanced at him but didn't stop him, only giving him a reminder when the Duval broth was brought over from the kitchen. After a busy period, Lumian sat back on the stool and tasted the thick soup with a spoon. The rich aroma of meat, the taste of cheese, the freshness of sauerkraut, and the sweetness of turnips combine to create an unforgettable and wonderful taste, and the juicy breadcrumbs are the most precious jewel in the crown of this food. What Lumian didn't expect was that there were several pieces of meat in a plate of 3 ricks of thick soup, which could really fill an adult. When the plate was clean, Lumian took out a handkerchief, wiped his mouth, and squatted back beside the pile of half-assembled parts to continue his work. Ten minutes later, he placed a machine on the bar. The machine consists of a glass tank on top and complex parts underneath, connected to two rubber hoses. Lumian then asked for a glass of water and poured some of the remaining aniseed liquor into it, turning the transparent colorless liquid light green. Finally, he inserted one of the rubber hoses into the cup. The bartender, who had a ponytail and an artistic temperament, read it carefully and asked in confusion: "what is this?" "This is my invention." Lumian drew the triangular holy emblem on his chest. "I am also a believer of the 'God of Steam and Machinery' and have made many achievements in the field of machinery." Then, he stretched out his left hand wearing a black glove and pointed at the machine: "It is a groundbreaking machine. Its functions are beyond your imagination!" "What can it do?" Charlie, who seemed to be praying to a prostitute, walked to the bar with a beer bottle, looking curious. Lumian said seriously and excitedly: "It's called the Fool Tester. It can test a person's stupidity. Similarly, it can also test their intelligence." "Really?" Charlie and the bartender's faces were full of disbelief. Lumian explained in detail: "It's very simple to use, just blow into the tube until the liquid in the cup rises into the glass jar and forms bubbles. "By observing the bubbles, we can get the corresponding stupidity index or intelligence index." After looking at Lumian for a few times, Charlie said eagerly: "It's amazing. You are indeed a believer of the 'God of Steam and Machinery'."

He immediately picked up the exposed rubber hose and began to blow air into it. Through the linkage of gears, valves and other parts, the light green liquid in the cup was sucked into the machine, rose to the glass jar above, and formed a small bubble. "What kind of conclusion does this represent?" Charlie asked expectantly. Lumian's lips curled up slightly, revealing a brilliant smile: "My friend, the principle of this machine is equally simple: "If you believe me and actually use this machine to blow a bubble, it will prove that you are a 'bubble-blowing idiot'." Charlie's expression froze instantly, and his eyes became quite angry. The bartender next to him laughed out loud. "Great prank!" he exclaimed. Lumian looked at Charlie with a smile, waiting for his explosion. After a few seconds, Charlie put away his anger, walked towards the guests who had listened to his story before, and said loudly: "Ladies and gentlemen, look what I found? A groundbreaking machine! It can test your intelligence!" PS: First update, please give me a monthly ticket~ (End of this chapter)