Chapter 96: The Awakening of the Lion

In the old city area at half past eleven, the lights were scattered, the night was dim, and it was different from the prosperity of the main city and the riverside. The lights here had a nostalgic feel, like a film shot on film. Even the sound of the wind blowing seemed more serene, as if there were old songs flowing in the air.

Some people say that this is the atmosphere of fireworks, the atmosphere of humanity.

But in the eyes of those who don't speak... this is the breath of being eliminated by the times.

Only the beautiful models would come to the old city area, actually for the purpose of taking photos and posting them on their personal social platforms, showcasing their artistic taste of living alone, or taking on business orders. These people would leave after taking the photos. Before pressing the shutter, they would hold their coffee and lean against the old alley, smiling sweetly. After the photo was taken, they would rush to the next location, wanting to finish the work as soon as possible.

Things that are truly eliminated by the times will not be cursed.

True elimination is to be forgotten, silently exiting the stage. When people suddenly remember, they will only feel surprised, perhaps a second of regret, but then they will forget.

This old city area no longer occupies much space in everyone's memory... Nostalgic people cannot survive in this city.

Gu Shen stood at the corner of the alley.

He looked at the time and couldn't help but sigh. He thought he must be crazy.

According to his usual routine, at this time, he should have been resting.

But Crow called Gu Shen on the phone, inviting him to the old city area for a late-night snack as a friend... an invitation that sounded unappealing. Gu Shen didn't know what was wrong with his brain, but he actually chose to go on time.

As expected, that unreliable guy who made the invitation hadn't arrived yet.

Could it be that he was going to bail?

"I'm here, I'm here!"

Someone waved from the other side of the night.

A man in a suit and leather shoes, wearing a heavy motorcycle helmet on his head, waved his hand while trying to take off the helmet with one hand. Perhaps because the helmet was too tight, he failed twice... The man's running posture with a heavy head and light feet looked quite funny.

Finally, Song Ci slammed on the brakes with both feet, bent down and bowed, and knocked on his head, muttering.

"The hat strap is a bit tight... Can you help me take it off?"

Gu Shen felt helpless and reached out to help. He had to admit that the helmet was really tight. He held it with both hands and pulled hard...

With a "pop" sound.

"Yo ho ho... That feels good."

Crow exhaled a big puff of smoke, still holding a cigarette butt that had burned to the end in his mouth. Gu Shen really didn't know how he rode the motorcycle with smoked goggles.

"The cigarette was given to me by my wife. I can't bear to throw it away."

Song Ci shook the helmet vigorously, shaking off the ashes all over the sky. Taking advantage of this opportunity, he took a big puff of smoke from the cigarette butt and smiled. "Why do you look so unhappy?"

Gu Shen angrily said, "I believed in your nonsense and stood in the cold wind for half an hour!"

"Hey hey hey... Was it that long? After hanging up the phone, I had some things to take care of."

Song Ci scratched his head. "The old city area is different from the riverside. At this time, everyone is asleep. Riding a motorcycle and causing a scene like this would be scolded. Although my mother is already dead and I don't care about being scolded, I am representing my wife's face by wearing this suit. It's better not to do anything unethical... I pushed the motorcycle for the last part of the road and just parked it outside the alley."

"As long as you're here, I wasn't tricked." Gu Shen sighed softly.

"What kind of words are these! Am I, Crow, the kind of person who goes back on his word?" Song Ci raised his eyebrows and said with excitement, "Tonight, I'll treat you to a feast!"

...

...

"You're here."

At half past eleven in the late night, Lao Xu Beef Noodle Shop was still open, but it was about to close. The boss greeted Song Ci with a smile, "What dishes do you want to eat? I'll stir-fry them for you. We won't take any more customers later. I've saved a seat for you in the innermost area..."

Song Ci smirked and glanced at the second floor of the shop.

"Don't worry... She's already asleep."

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The boss gestured quietly, "Don't disturb her, otherwise... she'll kick you out."

Song Ci quickly made a gesture of understanding, and carefully sat down with Gu Shen at the small table in the corner. He whispered, "The boss's wife doesn't really like me. Let's keep our voices down later."

Gu Shen smiled, "Isn't it because of the unethical things you usually do?"

Song Ci snorted and muttered, "I usually dine and dash, but it's not like no one pays the bill... I don't owe her a penny, but this woman always has a bad face."

"How do you know that the people you brought here before always paid the bill?"Song Ci sneered and extended his fist the size of a sandbag, proudly saying, "See? With this, people will buy the single."

Gu Shen felt somewhat helpless.

"Give me a serving of beef tripe hot pot, and another serving of stir-fried pork, spicy chicken gizzards..." Song Ci didn't even open the menu and ordered three dishes in one breath, implying, "Take a look, what else do you want to add?"

Gu Shen immediately understood what he meant. "No need...these are enough."

"Cough...why are you looking at me like that?" Song Ci smiled with a puffed-up face. "I'm just a rough person. I don't have any fancy hobbies, and I'm not willing to spend three hundred yuan for a glass of foreign wine on the riverbank. The wine here is delicious and cheap!"

"Young people on the riverbank like to drink Qingjiu at night. It's a drink that comes from Yinghai District. It sounds refined and elegant. You can try it..." Song Ci whispered a few words to the boss, and Lao Xu took out a bottle wrapped in black newspaper from the back of the counter. He chuckled softly, "Real men should drink this!"

Gu Shen squinted his eyes and looked at the small cup of white wine in front of him. He thought to himself that this wine was even smaller than the ones in Qingtao Bar. With such a small cup, wouldn't it be finished in one sip?

For someone like him, who was a model student, drinking was probably the thing he was least good at. Out of investigative needs, he had tried the "Metropolis" that cost three hundred yuan per glass when he went to the riverbank last time. The taste was not as bad as Song Ci described.

With the thought of giving it a try, Gu Shen raised his cup and drank it all in one go.

As soon as he took a sip, Gu Shen choked and almost spewed out his snot and tears.

This time, the wine was obviously different from before. It was extremely spicy as soon as it entered his mouth, like swallowing a burning fireball. The flames spread along his throat, burning his whole body.

"You...are really strong."

Seeing Gu Shen making a fool of himself, Song Ci couldn't help but laugh.

He took a small sip and whispered, "This cup of wine should be drunk slowly, divided into seven or eight times to finish."

"What kind of wine is this?" Gu Shen felt a wave of heat rushing to his head.

Song Ci squinted his eyes and lightly said, "This wine is called 'Lion Awakening'. It awakens the sleeping lion. After drinking it, you will feel an endless surge of power in your body. The name is not important anymore because Lion Awakening stopped production ten years ago. Every cup you drink is one less cup. I have kept it with the boss for several years, and this is the first time I have brought it out to share with someone."

He raised his glass and softly said, "How does Lion Awakening taste?"

The drowsiness of the late night dissipated completely in front of the small cup of wine.

Gu Shen felt a strange illusion.

He seemed to be examining himself...from a superior perspective. His consciousness was not the least bit muddled, but rather extremely clear.

"I have a feeling of finally waking up."

Gu Shen murmured, "This wine is really good. Why was it discontinued?"

"To describe it as discontinued is not accurate, actually, Lion Awakening has never been mass-produced." Song Ci lowered his eyes and said, "Its formula only exists in one person's mind, and that person died ten years ago. So naturally, Lion Awakening no longer exists."

Gu Shen was stunned.

Song Ci took out his worn-out wallet and squeezed out a yellowed photo from the inside. He smiled and said, "Last time, I was really in a hurry. I didn't have time to show off to you... Look, my childhood sweetheart, Xiao Lu, isn't she beautiful?"

The photo had been rubbed by fingers many times and had turned yellow and old to the point of developing a patina.

The girl in the photo had a blurry face, slightly tilting her head, revealing a shallow smile and a pair of tiger teeth.

Indeed...Xiao Lu is Senior Sister.

Lu Nanjin.

Unexpectedly, Senior Sister, who is usually not very expressive, had such a sweet smile when she was young.

Gu Shen honestly said, "She's beautiful..."

Before he could finish his sentence.

"Of course she's beautiful!" Crow proudly took back the photo, his face full of pride as he tapped the table. "Xiao Lu is mine, no one else can look at her!"

Gu Shen smiled and asked, "She is beautiful, but why do I feel like...she looks a bit like Madam?"

"...They are sisters, biological sisters."

Crow took another sip of Lion Awakening. "Don't get any strange ideas. I like Xiao Lu, that's one thing. Devoting myself to Madam is another thing. There is no connection between the two. Madam brought me out of the old city, and I owe her a lot. There is nothing I can repay her with except my worthless life."

"Worthless life?"

Gu Shen glanced at Crow.

Although he didn't understand this guy, anyone who could be Madam's personal bodyguard must be a top-notch Transcendent.

"I owe Madam...and the entire Lu family."Song Ci's voice brewed in his throat. After drinking Lion's Awakening, his voice was hoarse like a wild beast. This was indeed not a mass-produced liquor, for every drop contained extraordinary spiritual elements that could make one mistakenly believe they were sober... until they were completely drunk and unconscious.

"Oh... How so?"

Gu Shen was in excellent condition, completely unaffected by the "Lion's Awakening".

He sipped the wine cup little by little, only because the liquor was too strong and drinking it quickly would choke his throat... From beginning to end, other than his cheeks being slightly hot, there were no other adverse reactions.

The spiritual elements in the alcohol seeped into his mind, being devoured by the blazing fire without resistance. He was the one truly suited to drink Lion's Awakening.

A hundred cups and still not drunk.

A thousand cups and still standing.