V1C1

The story unfolds on a vast medieval Western magic continent. In this age of expansion and aggression, money rules everything and conspiracies loom over the entire continent like dark clouds. Magic th

Sunlight from between the bars came in, the morning air slightly washed away some of the musty smell of the cell overnight, the humid air for the hanging moss covered cell walls to bring more moisture, although the light is not quite enough, the moss on the wall is growing well.

The morning cell is always full of sounds. The prisoners who slept all day were impatiently banging on the bars, the guards were used to this situation, except for two good spirits, scolded the most noisy prisoners in the cell a few sentences, with the long pole baton in their hands to knock twice on the bars, the other guards were talking to themselves there.

The guards who had been on the night shift all night waited for the replacement guards to take over their posts. They do not have the leisure time with the prisoners in general. One by one, the prisoners in the cells with miscellaneous services were called out. The jailer put light shackles on them and let them start working. These prisoners are less guilty and less courageous, easy to make. Many of these miscellaneous prisoners are not yet adults, they are the youngest group in the prison, if they were a little younger they would not be locked up here.

In one of the most remote and darkest cells in the prison, Alan was the only prisoner still sleeping. He is not interested in the dog food in the prison, today is the day he was released from prison. With a head of red hair Allen is the only one in the prison underage but do not need to do odd jobs of juvenile offenders.

"Dang, dang, dang," the jailer banged on the bars of Allen's cell with a deafening sound.

"Boy, get up, pack your things, you can get out." The jailer said. Said the jailer took off the string of keys hanging from his waist to open the cell door.

"See you later, kid." A pimply-faced prisoner said.

"Next time I come in, don't take my bunk." Ellen said.

"Hey, don't forget, bring me a blanket next time you come in." Another old prisoner yelled.

"OK, but you pay me for the blanket first."

"Petty."

Looking at Alan is still there with the prisoners chat, the jailer some impatient up. He stabbed Alan's shoulder with a long wooden rod wrapped in iron and said, "Come on, what's all this nagging? Anyway, you have to come back every few months, so we'll talk next time."

Alan left the quilt and blanket to the other prisoners and walked out of the cell. Along the way, the cages next to the prisoners locked inside those prisoners have greeted with Allen.

"See you next time."

"How long will it take to get back?"

"Take a message home for me ......"

"Go and get back quickly."

......

Hearing the noise of these prisoners, the jailer was sick and tired of it, he hated these prisoners who had accumulated years, these rotten to the core scum. Thinking of this, he once again took the iron-headed wooden pole in his hand and pushed Alan and said, "Go, go."

To the warden's office, the warden took a look at Alan, but this is a prison as a hotel, often come and go guys, with him there is nothing to say, the warden also do not intend to bother with any words, he neatly signed Alan's release certificate.

"You can go, but I know you'll be back soon, won't you?" The warden said with conviction.

"Yeah, yeah, I hope the food here is a little better the next time I come in." Alan replied playfully.

Hearing this, the warden was not pleased, and he turned to the jailer and ordered, "Take him out."

Hearing the warden's order, the jailer immediately kicked Alan out of the prison door. The heavy iron door closed behind Allen with a clang. Alan shrugged his shoulders, patting the dust on his body, and walked straight towards the city center.

For every street in town, Alan is more than familiar, but he is not in a hurry to return to the nest.

Alan wandered around the street and turned into the cloak store at the south end of the street with his feet. There was no one else inside the cloak store, Alan tapped the bell in front of the counter. With a series of crisp bell, the small door in front of the counter opened, the store owner came out of the short door. When he saw Alan, he said happily: "Ah, you came out! Today is the day you came out, I had forgotten."

"Give me a new set of clothes, tell the old man that I'm out, and I'll go around the street first." Ellen said.

"Yo, it just so happens that I don't have your size on hand, there's one that's a little fat, you wear it first." Said the shopkeeper into the short door behind him, not long brought a set of 70% new clothes.

"Not bad, not bad, will do." Alan nodded and said. Picked up the clothes, Alan went into the fitting room, and soon came out fully dressed.

Changed a change of attire of Allen looks extremely spiritual. Walking in the streets and alleys, Alan looked around the pedestrians, in prison for three months, people have taken off the thick winter clothes for light and flattering spring clothes.

"Alan, is that you?" A voice sounded behind him. Alan turned around and saw that it was Jayne, the fast man under Bertha on South Street.

"It's been three months of travel on this trip, hasn't it?" Jayne said with a smirk.

"Yeah, it's almost impossible to recognize the way back." Alan is worried about not knowing the situation at hand.

"Oh, there's a new store opening south of town, I hear the stuff is good, all silk, leather." Jayne said.

"Thanks, I'll turn around."

"Have a good time."

Alan got the news, immediately headed south of the city, for this city, he is more than familiar with, just like most of the stores are clear what he is, Alan also knows what each store is selling, what kind of a person in charge, the guys are alert or not, what kind of customers are at the door. Therefore, without Jayne pointing out, Alan soon knew where the new store.

The owner of the new store really didn't know him, but there were two fellows who were locals. Alan knew that he had to be quick and find his target as soon as possible, taking advantage of the fact that the two fellows did not see him. This store is selling perfume, jewelry and other high-class goods, indeed, as Jayne said, the customers are in and out of some rich people wearing silk, or precious furs.

These people's carriage is parked in front of the store, surrounded by servants, it is not easy to do. However, this can not be difficult to defeat Alan, taking advantage of no one's attention, Alan slipped into the store around, and by the time he came out, he already had two money bags in his pocket.

For such a harvest, Alan is quite satisfied, dodged into the street alley, look around no one, the money bag out to count the harvest today. As for the two empty money bags, Alan is definitely not on his body, he will throw the empty money bags in the alley.

Patting his pockets full of coins, Alan was satisfied to go to the lair. Once he stepped into the alley in front of the lair, someone immediately noticed him.

"Alan, it's really you."

"Welcome back."

"Jayne said you were back, and I didn't believe it originally ......"

"How was your hand today? Jayne said you went to South Side."

Hearing this, Alan slapped his pocket hard, the crisp, loud sound of coins colliding, more convincing than anything else.

"Have the ability to open your doors on the first day."

"Alan, you've got it."

......

Amidst the hubbub of the crowd, Alan was flocked back to the lair.

The lair is a three-story building built in a deep alley, with the city's other three-story buildings are no different, simple and crude as long as they can live. Because the alley is too deep, the sun is not enough, the narrow room piled up extremely messy, does not look much better than the prison cells. But, in Alan's opinion, this is his real home.

"Is that Alan?" With an old, inquiring voice, a short, old man came down from upstairs.

Only to see him slightly balding, white hair sparse swings on both sides of the face, beard is also sparse beyond recognition, an old black clothes and pants, the edges of the place has worn out the shiny.

"Welcome back." The old man said.

"You're not dead yet." Ellen said with a smile.

"If I die there will be no one to hold a welcome party for you." The old man said with the same smile.

"You die, we have a welcome party every day." Ellen said.

"Well, no more jokes, you have a good harvest today, right, bring it!" The old man put his hand out.

Alan grabbed a handful of coins and put them in the old man's hand.

"That's not enough, we haven't bought any wine for tonight." The old man shook his head and said.

"Old vampire." Allen smiled and cursed, pulled out all the money in his pocket, and towards the end, turned his coat pocket upside down.

"You go take a shower first, old Pi has brought the clothes that fit, a little old, but they do look good." The old man said.

Alan smiled and obeyed the old man.

Hot bath is the only pleasure inside the prison can not enjoy, three months Alan top than cold water slightly more hot warm water barely a shower, so a return to the lair, Alan's first thought is a good bubble in the bath inside. This enjoyment makes Alan completely forget the time, and when someone comes to call him, the sky has gradually darkened.

Alan changed into new clothes, the old man said really good, the clothes are a little old but the style is really good, only a pity, this set of clothes only today this occasion to wear wear, walking in the street is too conspicuous. The fully dressed Alan walked into the hall, the hall has long been ready, the middle of the table on a large barrel, emitting the fragrance of wine.

Three months without alcohol, for Alan, this is the second on his list of things to enjoy a good time. As for the food, although not called a luxury meal, but has been quite sumptuous.

Roast meat, roast chicken, large strips of fish, plus a pot of rotten lamb stew, for three months of eating prison food Alan, is definitely a great temptation. But Alan is not in a hurry to do it, he will taste all the dishes, then poured himself a full glass of beer, and then sat in the doorway to watch the little brothers who returned to the nest one after another.

The news that Alan had returned had apparently spread among the group, and before it was completely dark, the little brothers returned to the nest one by one. Every one of them saw Alan sitting at the door with a beer, they all had to come up and say hello.

The inside of the lair soon became noisy. The lair at night is Alan's favorite place. Although Alan is not very old is the lair of the "gold fingers" the foreman.

The old man named Pym, is the head of the place, specializing in the control of their group of "gold fingers".

Alan did not know, these three months and a few new little brothers joined here, now count the old nest inside at least 30 or 40 people, it looks like it will have to be like two years ago, part of the people into a new nest, to go to other cities to live.

Alan looked at a return to the nest eager little brother, secretly thinking, just now the old man told himself, do not drink too much, later there are things to say to themselves. This thing is not to tell yourself to lead a group of brothers, to set up their own business?

Alan mulled over his six-year-old knew the old man, followed him on the street to pull out the bag, from the eye, to the bridge hand, and finally when to the gold finger, looking at the past twelve years, the lair inside the split demolished four times.

Those foremen at the beginning have now been divided out, they are quite successful in the outside to establish a foothold, there are also capsized. If you give out, what kind of fate awaits you?

Alan mulled it over in his mind.

If the nest is really divided, which people are willing to follow them? To which place to open a new territory is appropriate?

Southport is the best dock nearby, but Southport is extremely strict security, the second subdivision of the foreman is where the ship capsized. Alan still remembered the miserable appearance he saw when he quietly collected his body.

Cherbourg has the most wealthy people, but it is the territory of the earl, not to mention the strict control, but also to prevent the war.

Piton and Bart are too poor to feed people.

Thinking about it, Alan frowned darkly, it is not a good time to split up. He can only go one step at a time.

Just when Alan was thinking, a little brother came over with a pot of roast meat and said, "Boss, if you don't go over, the goodies are gone."

Alan laughed, indeed, now this time, to live fast for a day, until there is no road to go when to say. This is the way of life of a gold finger, the big deal is to go to the jail at the top to eat and live, and not necessarily starve to death.

Let go of the mind of Alan joined the ranks of the fight for food, after all, today is a day to celebrate his return to the nest, he is the protagonist of the banquet. If the protagonist of the banquet did not eat good things and hungry, it is too much to say.

Alan, after all, remembered the old man's instructions, although the beer was too much, however, he always pay attention to moderation, but for forty or fifty people, a barrel of wine originally may not be enough, so Alan even if you want to get drunk there is not enough beer for him to drink. Fortunately, the number of dishes is enough to fill the stomach of these people.

The lair is as noisy as usual, and every day in this place is like a holiday, because everyone knows how to enjoy today as much as possible, and as for tomorrow, that's tomorrow's business.

For everyone who made it through the day, the event itself was quite a cause for celebration. Usually there is not so much delicious food, now since there is a beer to help, everyone is even more haunted. When the food and drink, Alan did not forget the old man's orders, he walked up to the third floor to push open the door of the old man's room.

The old man's bedroom is the most neatly packed inside the lair, and there are several paintings hanging on the wall. Alan knew that behind those paintings is where the old man hid things. Against the west wall, lined with a slip of bookshelves, Allen always confused, the old man to find so many books to do?

Alan clear old man's bottom. The old man has no learning, at most know two words, can read the official notice smoothly. He is not like Drady, know so much learning, these books are simply placed here is the appearance of.

Alan saw that no one was inside the bedroom, and took a book off the shelf with his hands. Reading is not Alan's favorite pastime, he would rather sleep with his head covered than read a book. But he was quite interested in the old man's books that look like these.

Alan looked at the cover of the book: "On the Relationship between Divinity and Reason".

Alan couldn't figure out what divinity was, and what reason was. He opened the book and read it, but before he read a few lines, he felt dizzy. Alan hurriedly threw the book back to the bookshelf, he thought, this kind of thing must be beyond the old man's understanding, this book for the old man must be like a heavenly book.

Just as he was pondering, the door to the room opened and the old man walked in from outside.

"What did you want to see me about?" Allen asked bluntly.

"Ah, it's just a little thing." The old man turned around and closed the door of the room behind him, and had a careful probe to look out of the window.

Wait until sure that there is no one on the stairs, all the men are gathered around the table to eat vigorously, the old man smoothly closed the window and pull the curtains. Seeing the old man's actions, Alan understood in his heart that it would not be as trivial as the old man had said.

Sure enough, the old man who saw no one around was still not quite sure, he came up to Alan and whispered: "The chief told us to find a new face, a little more pretty face, a little more resourceful, but a little less bold, easy to control."

"Girls?" Ellen asked.

"No, it has to be male, two years younger than you, and look cleaner." The old man said.

"Another request from Draddy?" Alan immediately understood what was going on. Such a thing had happened twice before, and Draddy was going to use raw faces to make a big deal.

"Why doesn't Draddy go find out for himself?" Ellen asked.

"This matter can not let too many people know, Drady is not convenient to show up, people are wise, work still have to rely on you and me. There are not many people who know about this matter, in addition to the head, Drady, there are only you and I two people, you are very tight lipped, the head of the head of you quite assured, so the matter of finding people to you." The old man said.

"Give a range, don't find people who are going to get down people recognize, that could be interesting." Allen said. In fact, this worry is indeed necessary, a few years ago did have such a slip-up, looking for a stand-in biased by the other side of the subordinates recognized, the two unlucky people are still in jail.

"Just look around here, don't ask the rest, find a clean body, no dragging." The old man admonished.

"How much time do you give me?"

The old man pondered for half a day and said, "Three days."

Heart a big stone fell to the ground Alan no longer ask what, he left the old man's room.

Allen's bedroom is just off the aisle between the third and second floors, except for the old man's room, his bedroom is the uppermost floor, where the gold-fingered foreman has always lived.

Alan returned to his bedroom, which he had not returned for three months. Open the door, the bedroom inside clean, it seems that the old man ordered someone to clean up here. Alan's room with the other gold fingers downstairs, there is no difference, in addition to more than a table and not so humid, with the prison inside the habit of living in a cell is no different.

Alan smoothly take off his jacket and put it on the table, and then lie down on the bed. Maybe because of the beer, maybe because today a little excited, Alan actually did not sleep at all, he lay in bed thinking about the old man just said with him that thing.

Alan knew that the chief must be planning a big operation, an operation carried out by Drady himself had always been able to bring rich rewards. Maybe this way, there will be enough money to maintain the current nest, and maybe the matter of splitting the nest can be slowed down a bit.

In fact, Alan from the old man asked him to find the person above to be able to roughly guess what kind of action is to be performed by Drady. This kind of thing has been seen a few times in his Goldfinger career. Drady must be the new face posing as the son of a rich man who had just died or something, so as to inherit a large sum of money.

When he thought of the newcomer playing the role of heir, he was able to enjoy so many things that he might not be able to enjoy in his life, Alan was indeed envious, and he could only get the pleasure by imagining it. But really let Alan to fill such a role, Alan will never agree to it.

This kind of action Alan heard a few times, those newcomers although in that period of acting as the heir days, eat and drink, but, by the time everything is over, they become useless waste, and is extremely dangerous waste. The chief is not too fond of killing people, but this simplest method is still often used. Even if those newcomers can escape this fate, the chief will throw them far, far away.

The obedient newcomers were able to get a small amount of money to sustain their livelihood. Those who were not under control were either silenced or sold to foreign black market traders as slaves. I heard that the newcomers trained by Draddy are quite a rare commodity for those foreign black marketers. Thinking about it, Alan fell asleep.

When I woke up the next day, the sun was already high in the sky. When Alan put on his coat and walked downstairs, the leftover food from last night's welcome party had been piled together to cook a pot of chowder. This kind of thing is usually a rare delicacy for the goldfingers. However, today's Allen is not in such a mood.

He filled his stomach haphazardly and walked out of the lair. For finding newcomers, Alan has been quite pure, many of his men's gold fingers is what he found from the slums. However, according to the old man's requirements, such a newcomer is difficult to find in the slums. Long years of thirsty life, so that the slums out of the children always exist a sense of terror for life. Just like himself, he is full of distrust of everything.

Draddy needed a clean newcomer who was a little prettier. To find such a person is not a difficult task for Alan. There are a lot of child laborers in town, most of them are the children of families who came here from outside to make a living, and the lucky ones are able to find a job that feeds their stomachs. Among them, South City has the most such people. That's because Southport is the busiest town nearby and also the largest dock in the south. There are many stores and restaurants open there.

Those who look good, smart enough in Southport can easily find a restaurant as a runner, or in front of a store counter to find a position. In the restaurant work, to fill the stomach is the minimum, good work, sometimes can also get tips. As for working inside the store it is even luckier. Skilled shopkeepers are only a short distance away from the shopkeeper's position.

Doing a dozen years will probably be able to rise to the position of the second boss. Therefore, these people can be called suffering children inside the lucky children, they have a good vision of life and aspirations, in these people should be able to find Drady want newcomers.

With this in mind, Alan decided to move to Southport.

Although Nangang is near Lae, it is 70 kilometers away from Lae. From Nangang to Lai and for ordinary people is also considered to go away, prepare luggage, bring enough money, is certainly necessary. However, for Alan such as the top gold finger, it is not necessary at all.

Alan walked out of the city gates and slowly slithered along the road to Southport as he waited for the stagecoach to Southport.

Southport is a big dock and there are countless stagecoaches going there every day. As long as you move quickly and climb onto the luggage rack at the back of the stagecoach when no one is looking, the luggage rack full of luggage blocks all the driver's view and will not be noticed at all. In this way, you can easily take a ride on the hitchhiker heading to Southport.

Lai and to Southport is indeed a busy route. It didn't take long for Alan to hear the sound of wheels rolling over the road and the neatly paced sound of horses' hooves in the distance behind him. Alan dodged to the roadside behind the trees.

Stagecoach drivers don't like minors who sneak around alone on the road. Because every stage coach driver knows that nine times out of ten, these kids are guys who want to hitchhike. For them, these coachmen will definitely pay more attention to twelve.

Alan knew the trick, and he hid behind the tree and waited for the coach to drive by. When the carriage brushed by the tree, Allen quickly jumped on the stagecoach. Alan was comfortable enough to enjoy the wild ride of the carriage. The trees flying backwards on either side, the strong wind in your face, and the occasional bump or two from the uneven road.

Honestly, if not for the fear of the coachman noticing, Alan really wanted to shout twice. Alan once thought that in the future, he also get a stagecoach. If you take this golden route from Cherbourg to Southport, you can earn four or five silver coins a day, so a year is 1,800 silver coins, which is equal to 180 gold coins, so you can earn back the money of the carriage in five or six years. If well maintained, a carriage can be used for about ten years.

Just think about being able to earn nearly two hundred gold coins a year, Alan will be excited. However, Alan knows that this is only his own wishful thinking, a carriage to seven or eight hundred gold coins, that is not their own affordability. Allen has never moved his brain to his own hunting things. That is quite foolish, Alan know the old man for the streets of every theft case as well, even the owner lost how much money is clear.

From inside greed on one or two gold coins may be okay, more than that can not be. Allen has seen several times, the old man against those who do not follow the rules of gold fingers, the minimum punishment is to cut off the fingers. As for those who dare to resist or even escape, the bottom of the big river in the east is the final home of these people. No one can hide from the old man, and no one can escape from the head of the order to kill.

In the chief under a figure that makes everyone's heart tremble. As long as the thought of Kailer, even Alan such a bold guy can not help but tremble. That Kailer can be said to be the strongest assassin in the entire Kingdom of Frans, no one can escape from his pursuit.

This is also the reason why the head can sit comfortably in this position for thirty years, and the same is the reason why the United Trade Unions of Southport and the lords of Thurth Castle, knowing that the lair of the thieves' union, which extends over half of the south, is in Leh, the southern town which is not the largest nor the smallest, have never launched a large-scale purging operation.

None of them wanted to, in their sleep, somehow lose their lives. Moreover, no out-of-town thieves' union had ever been able to gain a foothold in the south, again thanks to Kellar. So any deception of the chief and the old man seems that stupid. Perhaps the only way to raise such a sum of money without breaking the rules is to wait until after the splitting of the nest and go out on your own. But there are many other problems waiting for them after the nest split, and perhaps the situation will be even more difficult than it is now.

On the way to Southport Alan was always there to ramble on. But he did not forget his mission.

When the stage coach was about to pull into Southport, Alan quietly jumped out of the coach, the next mile was used to move the stiff limbs.

Alan walked along the stage road toward Southport. Southport is a big city that is ten times bigger than Lai. It is also a new city with a very short history. Like all new cities, Southport is full of vitality, but also inevitably some chaos. Looking down from the hillside, Southport is lined up in a moon-shaped arc along the coastline. The road branches are far less neat than in Lehigh, let alone compared with the strict reputation of Cherbourg.

The curved coastline is lined with a dozen docks, large and small, with countless ships moored at the docks waiting to load and unload cargo. Countless workers were busy on the docks. Spacious warehouses were built everywhere in the places immediately adjacent to the docks. Workers pushed carts in and out, and the goods that were to be loaded on the ships were piled up on the docks in a scattered manner. Ore and timber destined for Sibai, cloth and grain for Ile, were all piled on top of the crowded docks. And from those ships were unloaded the famous horses and barrels of wine from Dubai, and the dazzling silks, blankets, and glassware from Yirei.

From what the old man said, in addition to the glassware, the silks and blankets were shipped from even more distant places. The merchant of the Kingdom of Ilei who dealt with these things was the richest person he had ever heard of.

Alan looked enviously at those gorgeous and extravagant things, looking at the thick linen wrapped, tied into bundles of silk blankets, looking at the sturdy wooden boxes inside, the workers carefully lift the glassware put down, Alan enviously. Each of those things are enough to be worth two or three times more than the carriage he dreamed of.

But despite the salivation, Alan also knew that it was something he could not get his hands on. Even the head of such a powerful figure has never hit the idea of these things. Even if these things are successfully stolen, there is no way to sell the stolen goods.

No merchant will be willing to buy such expensive goods from unknown sources, they dare not offend the South Port Union, which specializes in these goods, it is something that is not worth the loss. And theft of these valuable goods, also will greatly offend the South Port Union, which is the only thing they can not tolerate. The chief does not want to make the relationship with Southport so stiff. For the thieves' union, a prosperous Southport is a guarantee that they will live better.

Alan turned his gaze to the top of those busy streets. That was what attracted him most to Southport. Southport was especially full of rich people, their wallets were always that full. There was no lair in Southport, no one had established a lair in Southport since the foreman was captured by the vigilante team formed by the Union and gave up his life.

Southport's vigilantes are quite powerful, all dressed in civilian clothes, and I've heard that if they catch a thief, they will be able to get a reward from the owner equal to one-fifth of the lost item, so members of Southport's vigilantes are quite happy to take the thief to jail.

For thieves, the prison in Southport was directly connected to the gallows. The jail in Southport was not for thieves, it was for bankrupt merchants, debtors, and unscrupulous merchants who disrupted Southport's trade. There is no place for thieves, rogues and crooks to live there. Alan secretly warned himself that it was better to be careful.

Unlike Lae, Nangang is an open city without the high walls and wide gates of Lae. The outskirts of Namang are the poorest places. The simple bungalows are where the dock workers live, and this is really only slightly better than the prison cells and slums.

There are no drainage facilities planned for Southport, so muddy side streets and smelly dirty puddles can often be seen here. Walking through the outskirts of Southport to the bustling street. It is a completely different world here, with stores of all kinds lining the street and luxury signs everywhere.

In Lai and even the most high-end stores are at most hanging a delicate blanket at the door to decorate the facade, that has been quite dignified. But in Nangang, blankets and silk curtains can be seen everywhere. Most of the signboards are hollowed out and gilded bronze plaques or delicate and elegant lacquerware pagodas.

Even in a few of the most luxurious stores in front of the two one-person high vase, that is shipped from the Italian Lei produced in a distant place of art. As for those who have never seen the peacock tail feathers and pheasant plumes decorated store fronts, in this place has been considered extremely shabby.

Walking in this dazzling busy street above, Alan felt himself become a rich man. He gazed at the pedestrians coming and going. Southport is a prosperous city, walking in the streets of most people are very well dressed, Allen's suit in this place does not look how conspicuous.

The streets were crowded with people, gorgeous silks and precious animal furs were nothing in this place. Those foreigners in strange clothes are the most conspicuous group of people.

The wharves and busy commercial streets of Southport are free of standing water, but horse-drawn carriages are not welcome in Southport because they bring standing water from elsewhere to these places. Public horse-drawn carriages dragging a long string of open vehicles slowly along the busiest parts of Southport can be found everywhere. That's free.

I remember the first time I came to Southport, Alan was quite amazed for this new thing. But now Alan is not as no vision as before, he jumped on a slow-moving public carriage. With the carriage slowly moving, Alan comfortably enjoy the scenery on both sides.

On both sides of the busy streets of Southport, in addition to the sale of expensive and scary goods stores, decorated with luxury and elegantly arranged restaurants are also numerous. Alan in the most prosperous commercial center off the carriage, wandering around.

Stores in Southport, customers do not ask, the clerk will not take the initiative to greet, casually visit the store even if you do not buy anything, will not incur the dissatisfaction of the clerk. Therefore, strolling from this store to that store, this kind of thing is quite common in Southport, which is called shopping on the road in Southport.

Allen temporarily joined the crowd of people strolling down the road, and at each store, Allen had to dive in for a good stroll. Most of the stores in Southport are quite luxuriously decorated, and the sales clerks employed are likewise quite outstanding, each of whom is well suited in Allen's eyes to take on the role of a newcomer.

Want to be in the most prosperous stores in Southport based, resourceful, know how to respond to customers is certainly the minimum requirement, a neat look is also indispensable. But Alan does not know how their character? Is not easy to control, the courage is not enough to take on the role of newcomers, and dare not betray.

At the same time in this kind of place for a long time dry people are equally unsuitable, although the old man said that looking around should not be wrong, but in case the role to be played around people who have come to Southport, then the possibility of mistakes is quite large.

Just when Alan looked around, there was never a particularly satisfactory. Suddenly I heard someone behind me scold: "You are lazy again, said several times you do not listen, careful I will kick you out."

Allen looked back, only to see a slightly hunched middle-aged man standing behind him was sternly scolding a 15 or 16-year-old child. The child's awe-inspiring gaze caught Allen's attention.

I saw that the child's white face showed panic and fear, the body shrunk back as if trying to hide behind the shadows inside, two hands clenched in front of the chest, twisted uneasily, head down a pair of eyes on the ground, avoiding the middle-aged man's gaze.

"What is it?" From behind the counter turned out a bald fat man, the fat man was extremely well dressed, although not luxurious but not cheap.

"I just told him to move the porcelain to the window, that is a batch of goods just arrived this month, this kid dilly-dallying for a long time." The middle-aged man said respectfully.

"Then there's no need to shout, what if you startle the customers?" The fat man said.

"Yes, yes, yes, but this kid is lazy all day long, I think it's better to find another one." The middle-aged man said.

"Besides, this child is still quite diligent, except for sometimes like to daze." The fat man casually back to the middle-aged man, then turned towards the child said with a stern face: "You do here is also your good fortune, the old boss see you poor, take you in, you have to be careful to do things to repay the old boss. Doing things when the daze this old problem you have to find a way to change, if it really went wrong, I can only drive you away. You know, there's no place for you to go if you leave here, okay? Get to work."

After saying this, the fat man turned back to the middle-aged man and said, "In the future, no matter what happens, no shouting, peace and prosperity understand? You've been here for more than ten years, but you don't even understand this." Saying that, the fat man went back behind the counter to do his own thing.

"Get back to work!" The middle-aged man barked at the kid.

Alan will look at things before and after the eyes, thinking that this child is quite suitable for the candidate. However, he did not rush to decide, turned around and walked out of the store to this sign clearly in mind, and then to the street to go around. Anyway, there are three days of time, Alan is not in a hurry to do things.

Southport once in a while, Alan gave himself a vacation, he left the commercial street to the next two side streets around a few turns. The streets are full of water, so there are not many pedestrians, and there are no rich people, but after searching for half a day there are always some gains. Alan came out of the small street, pockets have been filled with coins.

For such a harvest, Alan is quite satisfied, he does not intend to continue to do, but he is not worried about revealing. In the kind of waterlogged streets lost money bags, most people will first look for that street, it will be very time-consuming. And Alan is absolutely sure that such places will not have plain clothes. Now the only thing to do is to change clothes, and this thing is quite easy.

After picking out a random outfit on the street Alan no longer needed to worry about the two money bags, he wandered the streets until most stores closed in the dead of night. Taking advantage of the closing time, Alan once again returned to the store he had written down.

Sure enough he saw that the kid was working hard alone there to pack up the signs and decorations in front of the store, and then close the heavy iron fence door. Quietly following that child, Alan came to the edge of the South City where those civilians stay.

It was a damp and muddy alley, the air was full of the sour smell of vinegar, Alan secretly thought, this piece of land should be the Southport processing leather where.

Alan did not want to reveal his target too soon, and the muddy road made it unnecessary for him to follow very closely at all. He stared closely at the footprints on the ground to a small courtyard. There were three cottages inside the compound, and a wisp of cooking smoke drifted out from the house to the west, with a burst of talking voices coming from inside.

Alan went up and listened. Sure enough, the child was talking, only to hear him excitedly shouting: "Aunt Betty, you know what? Today the store arrived at a lot of porcelain, those porcelain is too fine, milk white, the moon is bright and shiny, porcelain bottom is also depicted with beautiful patterns, the fish is like living, and I have not seen the strange and beautiful aquatic plants, artwork from the East, often appear in this plant, but we do not have here, round and wide leaves, long straight rod, bright large flowers, beautiful."

"You've been scolded by the second boss again today, haven't you?" An old woman's voice said.

"How did you guess?" The kid asked.

"As soon as you see those things you go off on a tangent, besides that hunchback is just itching to get you out so he can install his nephew in." Speaking of which, the woman paused: "Hey, how many times have I said, those things are not something you should pay attention to, those porcelain must be very expensive, right, you can not afford to buy one in this life, even your big boss, that is considered a rich person, right, for him, those porcelain can only look at it. Even your proprietor, such good things, he only overhand, not that he can not afford to buy, he simply can not afford to use himself, those things are specifically for those noblemen and gentry collection. You ah, or hard work, first stand firm, so that the hunchback has no way to drive you away, and then simmer for seven or eight years, usually read some books, learn how to calculate, and rose to the position of buyer or bookkeeper, then, the stinking hunchback will have no way to take you."

"I know, Aunt Betty, but why don't you let me run the ship with Uncle? I'd love to be a sailor and go to Sibai, to Iray, or even farther East."

"Forget it, you are too young to know the power, I follow your uncle scared, as long as he comes back safely, I am happier than anything. Running a boat is quite a dangerous thing, and you can hear every day on the docks that a boat has sunk. In addition to shipwrecks, you go to the dock to see, which sailor has been working for more than ten years and a good body? Sailors are prone to disease, and once you get sick there is no way to treat it, your uncle is sick and injured, he is waiting for a few years, the ship's boss transferred him to the warehouse on the dock to manage the goods in and out, eat a peace of mind meal."

"Aunt Betty, I still want to see the sea."

"Then you can talk to your boss ah, and so you boil a seven or eight years, maybe your boss will let you follow him to run the business of the sea, it is much better than when the sailor. This is for your own good, your parents have died, your uncle and I do not have children, we are watching you grow up, we regard you as our own children, your uncle and I do not want you to go the way your uncle has gone, your uncle knows the sailor's trade, it is a hard, dangerous, and no way out of the trade."

"I know you guys are doing this for my own good, I know ......"

In the wall eavesdropping Alan from these words inside the general know the child's life. For when a newcomer, this kind of life can not be more appropriate, no parents, only two not considered relatives, one of them also in the sea all year long.

Alan made up his mind and went back to the street satisfied.

Southport is the convergence of merchants around the place, so the inn is naturally an extremely developed business here. What kind of inns can be found here, for Alan such a person who can even live in a cell quite comfortable, then the simple inn rooms do not care.

Before it was completely dark, Alan found a cheap but single-room inn on the outskirts of Southport. Here is the inn for those small business owners of small merchants and stores to serve. Unexpectedly, such a simple inn can actually take a hot bath. Alan for this kind of enjoyment is always will not miss.

While comfortably soaking in the large pool, Allen while thinking about everything he saw and heard today, the kid is quite a good candidate, the next depends on how to act. But for Alan, a rare visit to Southport is the need to have a good time, especially when his pockets full of money, how to use the next day to have a good time, became Alan's brain inside the most considered the problem.

Southport is a place where it's easy to spend money, but also a place where you can have a good time without spending a penny. From the pool inside the Allen feel relaxed, he went to the counter to turn a silver coin to buy a large glass of beer, then went back to his room to rest.

When it was just dawn the next morning, Alan forced himself out of bed. Alan is not a person who likes to get up early, and no Goldfinger likes to get up early. The morning was definitely not a good time to reap a bountiful harvest. However, when it came to Southport, Alan definitely did not want to waste every hour of time.

The pleasant vacation began, Alan comfortable to stretch, put on a jacket out of the inn door.