A brave man may not live, but he cannot die

Chapter 274 Burren
The afternoon sun was so intense it made my skin sting.

Leaving the air conditioning of the casino, the dilapidated and cramped houses of Seaville sprawled on the mountain like dense weeds. The sweltering heat distorted the silhouette of a girl hurrying along in the distance, head down. A boy, having just exchanged his chips for pounds, struggled to carry his bag, chasing after her.

“Baby. Baby! Megan!!”

The heavy gold pound jingled with the most melodious sound in the world.

Even after being shouted at like that, the girl didn't stop. As if escaping from a den of demons, she desperately kept moving forward.

Although he was carrying gold pounds, his height and long legs gave him a physical advantage, and he finally caught up with her at the next corner. Panting, he grabbed her shoulder and said irritably, "Stop running! What are you doing! You could have kept winning!!"

He could feel Megan's shoulders trembling uncontrollably.

She finally turned around, her left hand still tugging at the brim of her hat, pulling it down extremely low, as if afraid of being seen.

"You promised me, Buren!"

The shy, stuttering, and timid girl said urgently, unusually so: "Leave after you win the money!! You've already won!"

Thinking it was something serious, Berren didn't seem to care. He said nonchalantly, "What's there to be afraid of? With your arcane magic, how could the casino possibly catch you?"

"Coco, Coco Academy has caught me!!"

She raised her head, her eyes red, blood vessels like withered tree roots coiled in her pupils, making her look like a demon.

Beren thought she was crying from fright, but this was a physical manifestation of the over-stimulation of the arcane circuits.

No matter how talented she was, she was only a first-year student, and a novice arcanist couldn't possibly see through the cards. She could only increase the amount of mana injected to enhance the effect. At this moment, her temples were throbbing with pain, and her depleted mental energy was no longer enough to support another round of high-stakes gamble.

"The Academy? Grindelwald? Where is it?"

Beren looked left and right, but couldn't see anyone.

“My old… teacher,” Megan stammered, “I’m doomed, I’m definitely doomed, I might get a major demerit.”

"Hey, don't rush. Which teacher saw you? Will he report you to the school?"

Megan was taken aback. Mr. Quinn, the piano teacher...
Oh, no, Mr. Quinn himself is the number one rule-breaker. He plays Connect Four with Xiaoxi during class; he loves to admire the suspenders that are faintly visible on the back of Xiaoxi's white shirt; he bullies Xiaoxi by making her practice piano fingering on his shoulders, but actually he's enjoying a massage from her delicate hands.
She calmed down a little, but Megan was still very scared: "No, I can't go to him again. He'll definitely say something, and maybe... Teacher Ningning will find out too."

“Hey, hey—” Buren shook her shoulder calmly, trying to wake her up. “Do you remember when we were little, we used to sneak food from Grandma Cana’s cheese?”

Megan paused for a moment, then said softly, "She was so angry, she scolded the little chubby boy until he cried."

"But the cheese is delicious, isn't it?" Beren gave a warm smile. It has to be said that this guy was an eye-catching handsome man. When he smiled, two shallow dimples appeared on his face, which made him particularly attractive to girls.

"I'm here for you. Back then, I was the one who got scolded the most, being the one who led the way. Don't be afraid, it's just a little scolding. Just answer that you know you were wrong and that you won't do it again. Be sincere, and Grindelwald's teachers certainly won't make things difficult for you."

The images of Amamiya Nene and Quinn, those two lovable characters, came to mind.

It must be said that although this person usually seems a bit unreliable, he is a rare good-natured person among Grindelwald's many eccentric teachers, willing to get along with students. Megan breathed a sigh of relief.

"I hope so if I get fired."

"But I'm still here. No matter what happens to Grindelwald, I will protect you."

The sixteen-year-old boy's lips curled up slightly in a flippant manner, making such a declaration in the sunlight. Even though he didn't quite understand what "Grindelwald" represented, it didn't stop him from exuding youthful masculinity.

“Then, let’s go back first,” Megan said hesitantly.

“Baby, we could have won so much more—” He cupped Megan’s face in his hands, gazing into her eyes, seemingly oblivious to her reddened gaze, “Just two more times…no, three more.”

Megan gritted her teeth and didn't answer.

“Megan.” Burren’s attitude gradually turned cold, even carrying a hint of grievance: “Does being chosen by Grindelwald to become a high and mighty arcanist mean you look down on me, the poor boy from next door who came to Axwell with you?”

“How, how could this happen?!”

Megan panicked immediately, stammering, "You, you know... you know... I've always felt this way about you... it's just... it's just..."

Do you think I'm using you?

Megan lowered her head, and after a long while, she said, "I... I've already given you a lot of money."

“That’s about performance. You know, my work requires support, but I’m a young outsider, and this city is completely unfamiliar to me. Besides you, who else can support me?”

He hugged Megan, showing no disgust at her sweaty hair in the middle of summer.

"I did this for you, baby."

"When we have money, we can buy a house of our own. Haven't you always loved plants and beetles? We'll buy a house with a garden. I'll loosen the soil, and you can water it. At night, we'll lie in our own big bed, listening to the chirping of insects."

Megan's expression softened as she nestled into his arms.

"But all of this costs money, darling. You might not realize it from the academy, but every brick and tile in this city has a price tag."

"I left my hometown to find you because I was afraid you'd be lonely, and I missed you."

He seemed shy, but finally mustered up the courage to say, "I want to walk with you, whether you mind or not."

Feeling the girl's rapid heartbeat and her arms tightly hugging him, Beren looked up at the sky with great boredom.

“Then promise me that once you’ve earned enough money, you won’t do that job anymore,” Megan said softly.

"Of course, we pinky swear."

The two of them then childishly hooked their little fingers together.

"Then back to the casino?" Burren asked tentatively.

Megan forced a smile: "...Could...could it be next time? I'm afraid...I'm afraid Mr. Quinn will still be here, and...and..."

She didn't know how to explain the mental energy drain to this Muggle.

Beren frowned, feigning anger: "What do you take me for? Since the academy's teachers are here, why would I force you to go back?"

Megan looked at him blankly.

"We won money, honey!" Burren said, lifting the bag in his hand. "Golden Wind Casino provides free winners' carriages. Are we supposed to walk back to the top of the mountain ourselves?"

"Oh right, I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"Heh, actually I feel sorry for your feet. You must be tired after walking for so long."

About an hour later.

The unassuming casino carriage stopped at the most bustling intersection of Cloud Avenue. If Quinn or Chaldale were here, they would surely remember the ruins of the jewelry store.

Buren got out of the carriage first, clutching the bag of gold pounds tightly in his hand, and said with great regret, "Are you sure you don't need it? I'm willing to give you anything you want."

Megan waved her hand repeatedly on the train; she still needed to get back to the college from the train station, and the two weren't getting off at the same point. "No, no need. The college, no, you can keep it all, it's free."

"Yes, remember. You absolutely must not tell anyone about this. Don't mention my name."

That's our secret.

Buren kissed the girl in the car deeply, making a sickeningly sweet spitting sound.

Only after the carriage had driven far away did he turn back to his workplace.

This is a women's salon, converted from the site of a jewelry store. Despite occupying the most popular intersection on Yunduan Avenue, it only does business such as beauty treatments, hairdressing, and skin care. A huge poster hangs at the entrance, featuring an extremely handsome doctor with his collar half open, revealing his pectoral muscles, which is puzzling.

Upon entering the store, Buren jumped up excitedly, as if he wanted to leap into the sky.

"By the Dragon Lord!" he shouted, "Do you know how amazing that little stutterer Grindelwald is? She can read the suits of cards!!"

The shop was decorated in an extremely elegant style. Several idle men sat on bright red sofas. They were all tall and had long legs and outstanding looks. Two of them even wore makeup like women.

"You cheated in Golden Wind?" one of them laughed. "Aren't you afraid of being torn to pieces by those gangsters? Oh my, that would be terrifying."

"What are you afraid of? If she gets caught, just push her out. Does some lousy gang dare to lay a hand on Grindelwald's student?"

"Keep your voice down." The other person frowned. "There are guests still sleeping."

Beren was disdainful. In high spirits, he clicked his tongue and said contemptuously, "I wonder what those rich men think when their wives cheat on them in broad daylight."

Seeing his arrogance, someone asked curiously, "How much did you win?"

Buren picked up the bag and shook it; the sound of the gold pounds inside was like the wind blowing through a golden forest.

The crowd immediately became agitated, their expressions towards Berren a mixture of envy, jealousy, and scrutiny.
While the amount of money was substantial, it wasn't enough to tempt them. After all, working at a club catering to high-end women meant their income depended on the tips the wealthy women gave them after being satisfied with the service—and these tips were usually quite generous.

"He's so lucky to have gotten Grindelwald's girl," someone joked.

"Ha, when I asked her what Grindelwald was back then, I was really shocked. I've known her for over ten years, we've lived across the hall since we were kids, and I had no idea this little stutterer had this ability. I thought she was some kind of crazy person who liked to stare at insects and leaves."

“Berlen”.

"I'm here, sir." Berren immediately stopped smiling; the person who called him was the store manager.

He is also the doctor on the signboard, like the leader of this group of male prostitutes, whose eyes and brows simultaneously exude both charm and authority.

"A customer specifically requested you. They've been waiting on the second floor for a long time."

"Customer? Click me?"

"Yes."

Beren cursed his bad luck inwardly, but dared not show his displeasure on his face.

He wasn't lying about one thing: he really didn't have any sales figures. Unlike seasoned prostitutes who had long-term clients, as a newcomer from out of town, if he wanted to stand out and gain attention, he could only take on tough jobs that most people wouldn't dare to take.

As the saying goes, the flower language of steel wool is forbearance. Those who order it are mostly older women with unique tastes and strong interests. Most of them are eccentric after menopause and come to this store purely for fun.

"Then I'll rinse my mouth." Although he had won money, Paulen still maintained a strong sense of service.

"Afraid of food getting stuck in your teeth?"

Everyone burst into laughter. In private, these women's "princes" were not exactly well-mannered.

"What?!" Beren said with a displeased look, "I just kissed that little stutterer, her face is covered in pockmarks, it disgusted me."

After he cleaned himself up and went to the private room upstairs, he saw the "guest" who had pointed him out, and Buren stood at the door, somewhat at a loss.

"What's wrong? Am I not good enough?"

"I was lying on the bed, looking like I had just woken up," said the guest.

"Uh, no, of course! I'll make it exactly what you like right away—"

"Hey, don't touch me."

The guest coldly retorted, "I hate men."

"Uh, would you like to chat first?" Although Beren couldn't see the guest's face, he could tell from the voice that the guest wasn't very old. He secretly breathed a sigh of relief; in any case, it was better than arguing with an old woman.
"What should I call you?"

“You can call me 'Q',” the guest said briefly.

"Wow, that's rare... no, it's a beautiful name."

"Berlen Jefferson?"

Burren's eyes narrowed. In this city, no one except Megan knew his last name. For some reason, he hadn't told anyone. How did this guy know?
The guest slowly said, "Born in 1436, in Duca, Lawrence, British Columbia. My father was a gardener. At the age of 14, I was expelled from the Eternal Church school for fighting. Then at 15, I served a year in prison for theft. After my release, I became addicted to gambling and borrowed money from loan sharks. Unable to repay my debts, I ran away to Aswell to hide from them."

Oh my god, box!

Beren's expression changed drastically. How did this guy find out this information?
"Who, who are you??"

The guest seemed to smile slightly.

"According to the common provisions of British and Aswell law, you can be extradited back to Britain under the 'malicious default on minimum interest' clause. Fun fact: things aren't so peaceful back home right now. Grand Duke Lawrence and the rebels are recruiting soldiers everywhere, and they're fighting the King's army to the death—"

"Do you want to serve in the military, or do you want to reunite with the loan shark who's been looking for you for six months?"

Buren's body trembled.

As a Briton, he was more aware of the war situation in his homeland. The intensity of the British civil war far exceeded the imagination of the southern continental countries. In recent days, the number of Britons fleeing to Eswell even exceeded the number of Western Continent people who had smuggled themselves in at the same time. The rebels and the king were fighting to the death.

He glanced at the nails and hammer on the table beside him.

The nails were used to dredge waterways and were exceptionally thin, so the hammer was made exceptionally thick to give guests a sense of immersion.

A murderous intent arose in Buren's heart; with five hundred gold pounds in hand, even killing someone wouldn't hurt him.
With a "snap," an electric current suddenly struck Beren, and a numbing spasm spread throughout his body. He collapsed in pain and howled.

what? !

No one will come to save him. The more pitiful and louder he screams, the more his colleagues downstairs will praise him, saying that young people are good and healthy.

“It’s like this—” The man stood up, but Beren, who had been electrocuted, couldn’t see who it was.

"I have a simple favor to ask of you. If you're willing to do it, then forget what I said before."

"I won't let you work for nothing. I'll give you commensurate compensation. Heh, I happen to have a job that's perfect for your skills."

"But the prerequisite is that you have to change your beliefs."

(End of this chapter)